Flowserve Management Company

The invention relates to a method for removing reactive particles from a vacuum environment ( 14 ), in which a process gas is conveyed from the vacuum environment ( 14 ) by means of a vacuum pump ( 21, 22 ). The process gas is passed between the vacuum environment ( 14 ) and the vacuum pump ( 21, 22 ) through a first filter ( 31 ) and a second filter ( 32 ) to filter reactive particles from the process gas. A liquid ring pump ( 35 ) is used to discharge particles from the first filter ( 31 ) and the second filter ( 32 ). In a first phase of the method, the first filter ( 31 ) is active and the second filter ( 32 ) is passive; in a second phase of the method, the first filter ( 31 ) is passive and the second filter ( 32 ) is active. In the first phase, the process gas is passed through the first filter ( 31 ) and the liquid ring pump ( 35 ) discharges particles from the second filter ( 32 ). In the second phase, the process gas is passed through the second filter ( 32 ) and the liquid ring pump ( 35 ) discharges particles from the first filter ( 31 ). The invention also relates to a device for removing reactive particles from a vacuum environment and to a process system for producing monocrystalline silicon ingots.

A tiltable floating lip seal accommodates both radial displacements and axial misalignments between a shaft and a housing bore hole. Flexible axial arms at opposing ends of a seal ring assembly form seals with the housing to accommodate tipping and radial displacement of the shaft. The axial arms can be axial lips that slide against radial housing walls. The axial lips can extend from the seal ring assembly or from separate end rings that form lip seals to both the housing and the seal ring assembly. The axial lips can be energized by springs, such as canted coil springs or petalized U-shaped springs. In other embodiments, the distal ends of the flexible axial arms are fixed to the housing, for example compressed between elements of the housing. Buffer fluid can be introduced through ports to press the axial lips against the shaft or lift them slightly to reduce wear.

A downstream ball valve purging inlet directs purging fluid intentionally onto a downstream portion of the valve ball. The Coanda effect attaches some of the fluid to the ball's surface, so that it flows around the ball to an opposite side thereof, thereby purging the downstream valve cavity more efficiently than designs that avoid impacting the ball and depend on mixing to distribute the purging fluid onto the ball. The purging inlet can be downstream of the ball and directed at an acute angle, proximate the ball and directed perpendicular to the outlet axis, or some combination thereof. A central cavity purging drain can be connected with the purging inlet, so that the same fluid purges both the valve interior and the downstream cavity. Embodiments include a plurality of downstream purging inlets, which can have equal purging angles and can be equally spaced about the outlet axes.

Systems and methods to determine the apparent density of a fluid being displaced by a pump. The apparent density may be determined by comparing an expected torque of the pump to an actual torque of the pump. The apparent density can also be used to detect irregular operating conditions.

A “hydraulic rotating machinery” (“HRM”) system provides optimal energy efficiency over a very wide conditions of service (“COS”) range by configuring a plurality of variable speed HRMs in a “cluster.” The HRMs are interconnected by one or more valves that can be actuated by a controller to configure and vary a flow path through which a process fluid flows from an inlet to an outlet. By actively selecting which of the HRMs are included in the flow path, the interconnections therebetween, and the operating speeds thereof, the controller ensures that the HRM cluster continues to operate at optimal efficiency as the COS fluctuates over a very wide range. The HRMs can be identical to each other, or can vary in design. The HRM system can be implemented for storage and retrieval of green energy. The controller can also monitor the health of the cluster and/or of the associated process.

A booster-ejector system captures and recycles leakage fluids from a process. When a pressure differential (head) of the process is above a threshold value, an ejector system uses motive fluid from a process high-pressure (HP) region to entrain and compress the leakage fluid, and direct it to a low pressure (LP) region. When the head is below the threshold value, a controller reconfigures a plumbing system and activates a leakage pump to pump the leakage fluid to the LP region. The system can include only one ejector, or a plurality thereof, which can be coupled such that the diffuser output of each ejector is directed to the suction input of the next ejector. At least one of the ejectors can include an exchangeable throat, which can impart a rotational component to the fluid. The HP and LP regions can be the output and input, respectively, of a compressor.

A standstill seal prevents leakage of a process fluid when a shaft is not rotating. The seal includes a flexible band surrounding the shaft that includes a thick, substantially rectangular center region from which thinner side regions extend. Application of pressurized control fluid to a rear surface of the band causes the central region to extend through a gap between cover plates to form a seal with the shaft or an intermediate structure. Depressurizing of the control fluid causes the central region to be withdrawn from the shaft, either entirely due to elasticity of the band, or with the assistance of springs. In various embodiments, the seal is formed radially inward or axially. The side regions can be substantially flat or curved. The standstill seal can be unitary with a rotating shaft seal, and can be upstream or downstream thereof. The control fluid can be the process fluid.

Pumps and fluid-handling devices for modifying at least one property of a fluid and related method comprise a compensation assembly including at least one biasing element to enable a hydraulic insert to move within a housing.

Devices, systems, and methods for detecting properties of motion of at least one component of fluid exchange devices, such as, for example, a pressure exchange device or system.

The decoking control valve includes a piston, a cylinder, and a hydraulic rod seal at the outlet ports. The piston can move translational inside the cylinder along a fixed direction. The cylinder houses the hydraulic rod seal in a groove of the cylinder that places the hydraulic rod seal next to the piston. The hydraulic rod seal has a seal ring in contact with the piston, and the seal rings are activated. As the piston translates within the cylinder, the seal ring will activate at one outlet port and allow fluid to flow out of another outlet port.