Method for sealing a turbine or compressor shaft

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF SEALING A TURBINE OR COMPRESSOR SHAFT BY MEANS OF A SEALING ARRANGEMENT LOCATED BETWEEN A CHAMBER CONTAINING VAPOUR AND A BEARING, AND COMPRISING THE USE OF A SERIES OF SEALING GLANDS, WHICH SEALING GLANDS ARE SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER BY CHAMBERS I, II, III AND IV IN SEQUENCE FROM THE BEARING AND LOCATED AROUND THE SHAFT, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT AIR AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE IS ADMITTED TO THE CHAMBER II AND THAT AIR MIXED WITH OIL FORMED BY OIL LEAKING INTO THE CHAMBER I IN ONE DIRECTION ALONG THE SHAFT FROM THE BEARING, AND BY ATMOSPHERIC AIR LEAKING FROM THE CHAMBER II IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, IS WITHDRAWN BY A FAN, MAINTAINING A PRESSURE LOWER THAN ATMOSPHERIC IN THE CHAMBER I, ADMITTING DRY BLOCKING AIR INTO THE CHAMBER III AT A PRESSURE HIGHER THAN ATMOSPHERIC AND WHICH AIR LEAKS ALONG THE SHAFT PARTLY TO THE CHAMBER II AND PARTLY TO THE CHAMBER IV, THE PRESSURE IN THE LINE LEADING TO CHAMBER III BEING KEPT CONSTANT DUE TO THE FACT THAT A PART OF THE AIR IS RETURNED TO THE SUCTION SIDE OF A SECOND FAN THROUGH A RETURN LINE PROVIDED WITH A PRESSURECONTROLLED REGULATING VALVE, AND IN ADDITION THE PRESSURE ON THE SUCTION SIDE IS KEPT CONSTANT BY SUPPLYING ATMOSPHERIC AIR THROUGH A LINE PROVIDED WITH A REGULATING VALVE WHICH IS CONTROLLED BY PRESSURE ON THE SUCTION SIDE.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF SEALING A TURBINE OR COMPRESSOR SHAFT BY MEANS OF A SEALING ARRANGEMENT LOCATED BETWEEN A CHAMBER CONTAINING VAPOUR AND A BEARING, AND COMPRISING THE USE OF A SERIES OF SEALING GLANDS, WHICH SEALING GLANDS ARE SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER BY CHAMBERS I, II, III AND IV IN SEQUENCE FROM THE BEARING AND LOCATED AROUND THE SHAFT, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT AIR AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE IS ADMITTED TO THE CHAMBER II AND THAT AIR MIXED WITH OIL FORMED BY OIL LEAKING INTO THE CHAMBER I IN ONE DIRECTION ALONG THE SHAFT FROM THE BEARING, AND BY ATMOSPHERIC AIR LEAKING FROM THE CHAMBER II IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, IS WITHDRAWN BY A FAN, MAINTAINING A PRESSURE LOWER THAN ATMOSPHERIC IN THE CHAMBER I, ADMITTING DRY BLOCKING AIR INTO THE CHAMBER III AT A PRESSURE HIGHER THAN ATMOSPHERIC AND WHICH AIR LEAKS ALONG THE SHAFT PARTLY TO THE CHAMBER II AND PARTLY TO THE CHAMBER IV, THE PRESSURE IN THE LINE LEADING TO CHAMBER III BEING KEPT CONSTANT DUE TO THE FACT THAT A PART OF THE AIR IS RETURNED TO THE SUCTION SIDE OF A SECOND FAN THROUGH A RETURN LINE PROVIDED WITH A PRESSURECONTROLLED REGULATING VALVE, AND IN ADDITION THE PRESSURE ON THE SUCTION SIDE IS KEPT CONSTANT BY SUPPLYING ATMOSPHERIC AIR THROUGH A LINE PROVIDED WITH A REGULATING VALVE WHICH IS CONTROLLED BY PRESSURE ON THE SUCTION SIDE.