US3574473A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for cooling parts of pumps in nuclear reactors or the like
Assignee: Klein Schanzlin and Becker AG
•
Filing: 1969-01-24
•
Granted: 1971-04-13
•
Expires: 1989-01-24
Abstract
Abstract A nuclear reactor pump wherein the shaft seals and radial bearings are cooled by cold water which is circulated by thermosiphon action when the shaft is idle and the pump chamber contains hot fluid. Streams of cold water for cooling of the bearing and of the seals are caused to flow through a common main cooler and thereupon enter the pump housing by way of a common inlet to flow toward separate outlets. The channel for the stream which cools the seals contains several flow restrictors.
Inventors
- 👤 Karl Gaffal
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 15:06
CPC Classifications
F; F04; F04D; F04D29/00; F04D29/06; F04D29/061; F04D29/58; F04D29/586; F04D29/588; F04D29/5893; F16; F16C; F16C37/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
In an apparatus which circulates a fluid at an elevated pressure, particularly in a nuclear reactor pump, a combination comprising a housing; a shaft rotatably mounted in said housing; radial bearing means surrounding said shaft in said housing; impeller means mounted on said shaft in said housing at one side of said bearing means; a plurality of axially spaced sealing units mounted in said housing at the other side of said bearing means and surrounding said shaft; auxiliary pump means mounted on said shaft between said bearing means and said sealing units to force cooling water to flow through said bearing means when said shaft rotates; and coolant circulating means for supplying cooling water to said auxiliary pump and said sealing units by thermosiphon action when said shaft is idle, comprising a main cooler having an outlet connected to channel means provided in said housing and arranged to supply water to said auxiliary pump and to said sealing units.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
159 words
In an apparatus which circulates a fluid at an elevated pressure, particularly in a nuclear reactor pump, a combination comprising a housing; a shaft rotatably mounted in said housing; radial bearing means surrounding said shaft in said housing; impeller means mounted on said shaft in said housing at one side of said bearing means; a plurality of axially spaced sealing units mounted in said housing at the other side of said bearing means and surrounding said shaft; auxiliary pump means mounted on said shaft between said bearing means and said sealing units to force cooling water to flow through said bearing means when said shaft rotates; and coolant circulating means for supplying cooling water to said auxiliary pump and said sealing units by thermosiphon action when said shaft is idle, comprising a main cooler having an outlet connected to channel means provided in said housing and arranged to supply water to said auxiliary pump and to said sealing units.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
83 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said channel means includes an inlet connected with the outlet of said main cooler, a first portion which conveys a first stream of water along said sealing units and to an outlet of said housing, and a second portion which conveys water from said inlet to said auxiliary pump and from the latter through said bearing means to another outlet of said housing, said other outlet being connected with an inlet of said main cooler.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing defines second channel means for circulation of cooling watEr along a portion of said shaft between said impeller means and said bearing means to prevent penetration of the contents of the pump chamber into said bearing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said second channel means comprises a chamber adjacent to said impeller means and further comprising a second cooler provided in said housing adjacent to said last mentioned chamber to cool the liquid in said second channel means and to effect circulation of such liquid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A combination as defined in claim 4, further comprising a package of metallic sheets interposed between said second cooler and said second channel means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A combination as defined in claim 2, further comprising injector nozzle means provided between the inlet of said main cooler and the other outlet of said housing to effect flow of water into and through said main cooler at a speed exceeding a predetermined minimum speed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A combination as defined in claim 6, further comprising cyclone separator means provided between said nozzle means and the inlet of said housing.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of cooling the bearing and seals for the shaft of a pump which circulates fluid at an elevated pressure and wherein the shaft rotates in a housing and the bearing is located between the seals and the pump impeller, comprising the steps of conveying through the housing a first stream of cold water along the seals while the shaft rotates, simultaneously conveying through the housing a second stream of cold water which flows through the bearing, cooling said streams externally of the housing, and conveying such streams through the housing by thermosiphon action when the shaft is idle so that the direction of flow is the same as when the shaft rotates.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of cooling the bearing and seals for the shaft of a pump which circulates fluid at an elevated pressure and wherein the shaft rotates in a housing and the bearing is located between the seals and the pump impeller, comprising the steps of conveying through the housing a first stream of cold water along the seals while the shaft rotates, simultaneously conveying through the housing a second stream of cold water which flows through the bearing, cooling said streams externally of the housing, and conveying such streams through the housing by thermosiphon action when the shaft is idle so that the direction of flow is the same as when the shaft rotates.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising the step of circulating a stream of cold water along a portion of the shaft between the bearing and the impeller to prevent penetration of hot fluid from the pump chamber into the bearing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising the steps of accelerating the water upstream of the point where the streams are cooled, and separating solid particles from the thus cooled streams prior to admission into the housing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1910811A
Cited
US2687096A
Cited
US2921533A
Cited
US2910328A
Cited
US2960938A
Cited
US2888878A
Cited
US3275330A
Cited
US3213798A
Cited
US3257957A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-04-12 | 1974-10-12 | 1975-04-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-04-12 | 1978-10-12 | 1979-04-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-04-12 | 1982-10-12 | 1983-04-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |