FR2618525A1 - DEVICE FOR PREVENTING LEAKS ON A MECHANICAL APPARATUS COMPRISING A SEALED FLUID CHAMBER, IN PARTICULAR A PUMP - Google Patents

Abstract

This device is intended to prevent leaks on a mechanical device comprising a fluid chamber sealed off, in particular on a device in which a mobile element, such as a rotating shaft, passes through a wall of the fluid chamber and is made sealed with respect to this fluid chamber by means of a seal, as is in particular the case for a pump. According to the invention, it comprises an additional chamber 18 intended to collect leaks, which is associated with the mechanical device 2 on the outside of its seal and with which is associated an instrument 19 for monitoring the existence of leakage which is connected to an indicating instrument 21 by a signal carrying cable for sending an indicating signal when leaks occur.

Description

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING LEAKS ON AN APPARATUS

  MECHANICAL COMPRISING A SEALED FLUID HOOD,

IN PARTICULAR A PUMP.

  The invention relates to a device for preventing leakage on a mechanical device comprising a sealed fluid chamber, in particular on an apparatus in which a movable element, such as a rotating shaft, passes through a wall of the fluid chamber. and is sealed from this room to

  fluid with a gasket, as is particularly the case

  the case for pumps and rotor feed heads or sealing heads intended for the supply and discharge of a fluid, such as a lubricating agent or oil serving

  of heat transfer agent, on a rotary apparatus.

  On a mechanical apparatus of the type indicated above, it

  expected to be leaked not only after a prolonged period of time

  operation, but also, due to defects in

  or assembly, almost always, that is to say even immediately after the completion of an installation with this device. In all cases, the leaks that occur have a harmful effect on the environment surrounding the device, for example in the form of pollution. In the case of the use of fluids incompatible with the environment, leaks also lead to pollution. of this environment. In addition, following the

  the nature of the fluid used, they may offer fire risks.

  die, explosion and bodily injury, especially when using a hot fluid, as is the case with

  the use of superheated oil in

  heat. Such a heat transfer apparatus comprising a mechanical apparatus formed of a pump is described and shown in DE-A-2,721,221. In this installation

  known, we can see the risks or harmful influences

  mentioned above if leaks occur on the device

mechanical considered.

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  It would be possible to prevent such risks by

  reading a tank in which the installation would be housed, which would collect leaks and whose volume should correspond to the

  volume of the fluid that is circulated in the installation.

  Although, thanks to this, it is possible to collect leaks,

  which would prevent a deterioration of the environment, one avoids

  However, with such an arrangement, harmful influences or risks in the form of at least pollution of the installation and in the form of unpleasant odors would not occur. He is

  additionally presents the risk of bodily injury, particularly

  when overheated leaks can escape under a

  relatively high pressure. Damage to the organ of

  the veryness of the device could only be noticed when

  the superheated oil appears in the collecting tank.

  Therefore, the object of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above and to provide a device of the aforementioned type which is arranged in such a way that, when leakage occurs on the mechanical apparatus, it results no harmful influence on the environment of this device or any risk

for this one.

  For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a device of the

  aforementioned type, characterized in that it comprises a chamber

  plenum designed to collect leaks, which is associated with the mechanical device on the outside of its seal

  associated with an instrument for monitoring the existence

  leakage condition which is connected to an indicating instrument by a signal cable for sending an indicator signal

when leaks occur.

  The advantages obtained with the aid of the invention reside essentially in the fact that, using means that can be realized in a simple and economical way, it is immediately that a leak is detected and displayed, before it does not escape into the environment, which would lead to the disadvantages described above. It is for this reason that, thanks to the arrangement according to

  the invention, these disadvantages can not appear either.

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  Not only does the device according to the invention become

  in a simple way in the case of the initial realization of the mechanical apparatus or the installation which contains it, but still it is possible to equip retrospectively and in a simple way a device belonging to an old installation . Another advantage of the arrangement according to the invention lies in the fact that, through the display of the existence of a leak, it prevents it from escaping in greater quantity and therefore avoids the mechanical device, bu to the installation that contains it, additional disturbances that may for example reside in the possibility of occurrence of malfunctions in the operation due to the fact that it occurs with a

  loss of fluid in large quantities, if no provision is made for

  tif monitoring and displaying this loss of fluid. In the case of

  the arrangement according to the invention, such an additional device

  re is not necessary, since a weak

loss of fluid.

  In an advantageous embodiment of the invention,

  the mechanical apparatus may include, from the outside of the cabinet,

  sealing, an additional capacity forming a housing, for example to collect lubricating oil, and the collecting chamber can be formed by a pipe which is connected to this additional cavity forming a housing. It is thus possible to make this collecting chamber, which requires only a relatively small volume, using a pipe or a pipe which can be fixed on the apparatus in a simple manner, for example at means of a threaded or interlocking flange or joint. As a result, there is an additional simplification

economic realization.

  It can also be expected that the mechanical apparatus

  a further crankcase capacity is provided on the outside of the seal, for example to collect lubricating oil, and the collector chamber is arranged at a distance from the apparatus and is connected by piping. to this additional capacity forming crankcase. It is thus possible that the collecting chamber is arranged either directly on the apparatus or at a distance from it, for example in a place where there is an accessible location. Such an arrangement also makes it possible, in particular, to use only one collection chamber for several mechanical devices, this chamber to be connected by pipes to

affected devices.

  It can be provided a receiving tank shaped enton-

  black or basin, which is intended to be arranged below the mechanical apparatus and which constitutes the collector chamber or is connected by piping to. the collecting chamber. This arrangement is recommended in the event that there is no possibility of

connection on the device.

  It may be provided that at least one section of the pipe-

  preferably, the end section disposed on the side of the apparatus, or a flexible pipe, and that the pipe, or flexible pipe, can be connected to the additional cavity forming a housing

  or to the collecting vessel by means of a connection fitting with

  whereas, preferably, at least the connecting part situated on the side of the additional capacity forming the housing or of the collecting vessel is automatically closed when it is in the state

  open. The two preceding provisions simplify and facilitate

try layout and assembly.

  The collecting chamber can be connected to a tank by

  additional piping. Thanks to this provision, people

  disturbances or harmful influences indicated at the beginning are also avoided in the case where the display of the existence of a leak has not been noticed. It is advisable in such a case to give the tank volume a value corresponding to the volume of the fluid

  present, so that harmful influences and disturbances do not

  not even if the entire amount of fluid had to escape from the device. A further advantage of this arrangement lies in the fact that the atmosphere of the inner space of the gasket is automatically brought into the atmosphere. This prevents damage to this seal due to, for example,

  the heat and overpressure that results.

  In a heat transfer installation under atmospheric

  sphere of protective gas, such a tank is not necessary in the case where there is for example already a storage tank. If there is such a protective gas atmosphere, a tank connected to

  the collecting chamber is recommended.

  The monitoring instrument can be connected to an interrup-

  to decommission or interrupt the service of the mechanical apparatus or the installation containing that

  device, possibly after a specified interval of time.

  The device can be used for a heat transfer installation in which superheated oil is put

  circulated by a pump next-a circuit sending it to a dis-

  positive heating and a device for heat consumption,

  especially for a heat transfer installation under atmospheric

  sphere of protective gas, for example in a tank such as a

  storage tank or expansion tank.

  The device can also be used on what it is

  agreed to call rotor or water supply heads

  such as heating systems with rollers or screws

unending.

  Other features and advantages of the invention

  will emerge from the following description, as an example not

  limiting and with reference to the attached drawing in which the single figure shows schematically a heat transfer installation

  provided with a device according to the invention.

  The heat transfer facility that is shown is designated as a whole by the reference 1 and it is put in

  circulation of the superheated oil by means of a pump 2.

  In the circuit, designated as a whole by reference

  this 3, which consists of a pipe and whose sense of flow

  is indicated by the arrow 4, there is arranged the pump 2, a

  heating apparatus 5 provided for the oil flowing in the circulating

  baked and a heat consumption device 6. On the section of the circuit 3 which serves as a supply pipe and which is designated by

26185 25

  7, there is provided, in branch and upstream of the pump 2 with respect to the flow direction 4, two pipe branches 8 and 9 leading to a storage tank 11 which provides a tubular filling connection and extraction 12 and a degassing orifice 13. Starting from a parallel piping 14 which connects to the circuit 3, on the one hand between the heat-consuming device 6 and the heating device 5, and on the other hand between this 6 and the pump 2, a pipe section 15 extends into the upper part of the storage tank 11, that is to say below the degassing orifice 13, the part of this pipe section 15 which extends into the tank 11 being perforated for the degassing of the superheated oil which is there

  find. Reference 16 designates valves that can close when

as desired.

  As regards the pump 2, it is a pump comprising a rotary shaft 10 represented symbolically and whose sealing with respect to the cavity of the casing of the pump 2 which

  superheated oil is provided by a

  not shown. It is in the area of this sealing lining of the shaft that, in the event of failure of this lining, there appears a non-leakproof location through which the superheated oil escapes. This location is covered by a pipe 17 which surrounds it and which is preferably fixed on the housing of the pump 2, with sealing being performed with respect thereto, using a flange. This pipe 17 extends to a collection chamber 18 provided for leaks and whose housing is secured to the pipe 17. A monitoring instrument 19, represented symbolically, such as a level switch or pressure, is disposed in the collection chamber 18 and, when a leak reaches the collecting chamber 18, it causes a signaling using an indicating instrument 21, for example optical or acoustic type, which this monitoring instrument is connected by a signal transport cable. Furthermore, the collecting chamber 18 is connected to the storage tank 11 by an additional pipe 22 7- In the event of a fault in the seal between

  the housing of the pump housing 2 and the shaft 10, oil

  heated in the chamber 18 through the pipe 17. In this chamber, the presence of the superheated oil is detected by the monitoring instrument 19 and this triggers the display of the fault, so that the competent officer can without delay be aware of this defect. If the unsealed location is large enough and therefore there is a relatively large leak, or if the indication displayed is not immediately noticed, the leak will flow into the

  storage tank 11 via the pipework 22. By way of

  known arrangements in which leakage escapes into the free environment, the present arrangement prevents not only environmental pollution and the presence of unpleasant odors, but also a risk of fire and explosion in case

  presence of superheated oil. Moreover, the defect of the

  sealing is displayed without delay. It is also advantageous, in the context of the invention, to provide a signal transmission link between the monitoring instrument 19 and a not shown switch provided for the pump 2 or for the whole of the transfer installation. heat 1. This device can also be coupled to a timer by means of which attaches the

  time separating the finding of the existence of the leak from

  service interruption of pump 2 or transmission installation

  heat generation 1. The arrangement may be such that the interruption of service occurs when the leakage is detected by the monitoring instrument 19, or

  after a specified interval of time following this observation.

  for example to serve as security for the case where the indica-

  displayed should not be noticed.

  If it is not associated with storage tank 11 at heat transfer facility 1 or at another

  circulating circuit, a separate tank is

  23 in which opens a pipe 24 from the

  collector chamber 18, which is shown in dashed line.

  It is also possible, in the context of the invention, to directly connect the collecting chamber 18 to the housing of the

  pump 2, from the outer side to the packing.

  In the case of pumps, or comparable mechanical appliances

  With regard to the possibility of leakage, it is already known to enclose the seal at the outer edge, as in a chamber, that is to say to provide on the outer side of this seal. sealing, an additional chamber forming a housing, provided for example for lubricating oil and which is closed by an air bleed screw. In the case of such an arrangement, the pipe 17 is connected to the hole provided for this air bleed screw. For the connection of the pipes 17, 22 and 24, which can be at least on certain sections, flexible hoses, it is preferable to use quick-connect connection fittings

  as interlocking connection fittings.

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Claims (11)

  1. Apparatus for preventing leakage on an appliance   mechanical electrode comprising a sealed fluid chamber, in particular on an apparatus in which a movable element, such as a rotating shaft, passes through a wall of the fluid chamber and is sealed with respect to this fluid chamber; using a gasket, as is particularly the case for   a pump, characterized in that it comprises an additional chamber   (18) for collecting leaks, which is associated with   the mechanical apparatus (2) on the outside of its sealing lining   it is associated with a leak monitoring instrument (19) which is connected to an indicating instrument (21) by a signal cable for sending a signal   indicator when leaks occur.   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the mechanical apparatus (2) comprises, on the outside of the seal, an additional capacity forming a housing, for example to collect lubricating oil, and the collecting chamber (18) can be formed by piping (17)   which is connected to this additional cavity forming a housing.   3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in   what the mechanical apparatus comprises, from the outer side to its   a further housing-forming capacitor, for example for collecting lubricating oil and in that the collecting chamber (18) is arranged at a distance from the apparatus (2) and is connected by a piping (17) to   this additional capacity forming crankcase.   4. Device according to any one of the claims   2 and 3, characterized in that the pipe (17) is connected to the   upper part of the additional capacity forming crankcase.   5. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that a funnel-shaped or basin-shaped receiving vessel is provided which is intended to be arranged below the mechanical apparatus (2) and which constitutes the collector chamber or is connected - 10 -   by a pipe (17) to the collecting chamber (18).   6. Device according to any one of the claims   2 to 5, characterized in that at least one section of the pipe (17), preferably the end section disposed on the side of the apparatus (2), is a flexible pipe.   7. Device according to any one of the claims   2 to 6, characterized in that the tubing, or flexible tubing, (17) can be connected to the additional housing cavity or to the collection vessel by means of an interlocking connection fitting, while preferably , at least the part of the fitting located   side of the additional capacity forming the crankcase or   The reader automatically closes when it is in the open state.   8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7,   characterized in that the collecting chamber (18) is connected to a   tank (11, 23) by an additional pipe (22).   9. Device according to any one of the claims   1 to 8, characterized in that the monitoring instrument (19) is connected to a switch for decommissioning or   the interruption of service of the mechanical apparatus (2) or the in-   stallation (1) containing this apparatus (2), possibly after a determined interval of time.   10. Device according to any one of the claims   1 to 9, characterized in that it is used for a heat transfer installation (1) in which superheated oil is   put into circulation by a pump (2) following a circuit (3).   indicator light to a heating device (5) and a heat consumption device (6), in particular for a heat transfer installation under a protective gas atmosphere, for example in a tank such as a storage tank or a vase expansion.   11. Device according to any one of the claims   1 to 9, characterized in that it is used for so-called rotor feed heads or sealing heads, for example for roller or screw heating systems unending.