GUARD DEVICE

Abstract

A guard device has an enclosure for enclosing a first machine, a coupling guard for covering a coupling device that is prepared for connecting the first machine to a second machine, the enclosure being connected to the coupling guard. The guard device has an elastic component that elastically connects the enclosure to the coupling guard.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A guard device comprising: an enclosure for enclosing a first machine; a coupling guard for covering a coupling device that is prepared for connecting the first machine to a second machine; and an elastic component that elastically connects the enclosure to the coupling guard such that the enclosure and the coupling guard may freely change their relative position due to an elastic deformation of the elastic component, wherein the elastic component exhibits a portion with a U-shaped profile, wherein said portion embraces a rim of a circular opening of the enclosure.

17. The guard device according to claim 16, wherein the elastic component is a seal that seals the enclosure gas tightly.

18. The guard device according to claim 16, wherein the enclosure comprises an opening, through which the coupling guard is guided, wherein the elastic component seals the enclosure at said opening.

19. The guard device according to claim 18, wherein the opening of the enclosure is a circular opening and the enclosure comprises two seal plates that are mounted to a wall of the enclosure, wherein each of both seal plates comprises a semicircular recess and the two seal plates are arranged such that their recesses form the circular opening of the enclosure.

20. The guard device according to claim 16, wherein the coupling guard is arranged sectionally within the enclosure and sectionally outside the enclosure.

21. The guard device according to claim 16, wherein the elastic component comprises an elastomeric material or rubber.

22. The guard device according to claim 16, wherein the portion with the U-shaped profile comprises a metal clamp with a U-shaped profile, wherein the clamp is cast in an elastomeric material or rubber, and the elastic component is clamped against the rim of the circular opening of the enclosure by the clamp.

23. The guard device according to claim 16, wherein the coupling guard comprises a first guard unit and a second guard unit, each of which comprise an annular flange, wherein the first guard unit is arranged coaxially as well as axially offset with respect to the second guard unit and both guard units are connected to one another at their respective flange.

24. The guard device according to claim 23, wherein each of both guard units comprises two half shells that are connected to another.

25. The guard device according to claim 16, further comprising: a seal cartridge that is coaxially arranged with respect to the coupling guard, wherein the elastic component comprises a seal lip that is in contact with the seal cartridge.

26. The guard device according to claim 25, wherein the seal cartridge comprises a ring-shaped shell and an annular flange, wherein the flange of the seal cartridge is connected to a flange of the coupling guard and the seal lip is in contact with the ring-shaped shell of the seal cartridge.

27. A machinery system comprising a guard device according to claim 16, a first machine, a second machine, a coupling device that connects the first machine to the second machine, wherein the enclosure of the guard device encloses the first machine and the coupling guard of the guard device covers the coupling device.

28. The machinery system according to claim 27, wherein the first and second machines are rotating machines, wherein the coupling device connects a shaft of the first machine to a shaft of the second machine.

29. The machinery system according to claim 27, wherein the first machine is a turbine and the second machine is a compressor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] The drawings show:

[0046] FIG. 1 a top view of a machinery system comprising a first and a second machine and a guard device with an enclosure and a coupling guard; and

[0047] FIG. 2 a cross-sectional view of a sub-section of the machinery system from FIG. 1 displaying a segment of the enclosure and a segment of the coupling guard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0048] FIG. 1 shows schematically a machinery system 2 from a top view. The machinery systems 2 comprises a first machine 4 and a second machine 6, both of which are rotating machines. In the present case, the first machine 4 is a turbine and the second machine 6 is a compressor.

[0049] Moreover, the machinery system 2 exhibits a guard device 8 comprising an enclosure 10 and a coupling guard 12, the enclosure 10 being shown in sectioning.

[0050] The enclosure 10 is a box-shaped acoustic enclosure and encloses the first machine 4. Furthermore, the enclosure comprises two metallic seal plates 14 that are mounted to a wall 16 of the enclosure 10 by means of bolts and nuts. Each of both seal plates 14 comprises a semicircular recess, wherein both seal plates 14 are arranged such that their recesses form a circular opening of the enclosure 10 (cf. FIG. 2).

[0051] A shaft 18 of the first machine 4 is guided through said circular opening. The machinery system 2 further comprises a coupling device 20 which connects the shaft 18 of the first machine 4 to a shaft 22 of the second machine 6.

[0052] Both shafts 18, 22 as well as the coupling device 20 are covered by the aforementioned coupling guard 12. The shafts 18, 22 and the coupling device 20 are indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 1 to ensure a better understanding.

[0053] The coupling guard 12 comprises a first guard unit 24 that is connected to the first machine 4 and a second guard unit 26 that is connected to the second machine 6, the guard units 24, 26 being connected to the respective machine 4, 6 particularly by means of bolts and nuts. Furthermore, both guard units 24, 26 of the coupling guard 12 are connected to one another (cf. FIG. 2).

[0054] The guard device 8 further comprises a seal cartridge 28 that is connected to the second guard unit 26 of the coupling guard 12. Moreover, the coupling guard 12, particularly its first guard unit 24, and the seal cartridge 28 are guided through the aforementioned opening of the enclosure 10. Thus, the coupling guard 12 as well as the seal cartridge 28 are arranged sectionally within the enclosure 10 and sectionally outside the enclosure 10.

[0055] Besides, a sectional plane II-II is displayed in FIG. 1.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through the machinery system 2 from FIG. 1 along the sectional plane II-II.

[0057] The aforementioned coupling guard 12 and the seal cartridge 28 are visible in FIG. 2, wherein the two shafts 18, 22 and the coupling device 20 are not displayed in FIG. 2 for the sake of clarity. Apart from that, an axis 30 is displayed, the axis 30 being the common symmetry axis of the shafts 18, 22.

[0058] Also, an elastic component 32, which is a further element of the guard device 12, is shown in FIG. 2. The elastic component 32 elastically connects the enclosure 10 to the coupling guard 12. Further, the elastic component 32 seals the interior of enclosure 10 gas tightly at the aforementioned circular opening 34 of the enclosure, through which the coupling guard 12 and the seal cartridge 28 are guided. Thus, the elastic component 32 is a seal.

[0059] The elastic component 32 exhibits a portion 36 with a U-shaped profile. Said portion 36 embraces a rim 38 of the circular opening 34 of the enclosure 10.

[0060] The portion 36 with the U-shaped profile comprises a metallic clamp 40, which has a U-shaped profile and is cast in rubber, wherein the elastic component 32 is clamped against the rim 38 of said opening 34 of the enclosure 10 by means of the clamp 40.

[0061] Moreover, the elastic component 32 comprises a seal lip 42 that is in contact with the seal cartridge 28, wherein the seal lip 42 is dimensioned such that it is pressed against the seal cartridge 28 by the aforementioned seal plates 14. The seal lip 42 is made of rubber and is formed integrally with the rubber part of the U-shaped portion 36. Furthermore, the seal lip 42 is movable axially and radially with respect to the seal cartridge 28.

[0062] The elastic component 32 allows for a displacement of the enclosure wall 16 up to 20 mm in axial and/or radial direction relative to the coupling guard 12 without inducing a displacement and/or deformation of the coupling guard 12, while at the same time sealing the enclosure wall 16 gas tightly.

[0063] The seal cartridge 28 is axially symmetric with respect to the aforementioned axis 30. Besides, the seal cartridge 28 comprises a ring-shaped shell 44 and an annular flange 46.

[0064] Also, the coupling guard 12 is axially symmetric with respect to this axis 30. As mentioned before, the coupling guard 12 comprises a first guard unit 24 and a second guard unit 26, each of which comprising an annular flange 46, wherein the first guard unit 24 is arranged coaxially as well as axially offset with respect to the second guard unit 26 and both guard units 24, 26 are connected to one another at their respective flange 46 by means of bolts 48 and nuts 50.

[0065] The flange 46 of the first guard unit 24 extends radially outwards, whereas the flange 46 of the second guard unit 24 extends radially inwards, wherein these two flanges 46 are in contact with each other at their respective rear side 52. Further, a liquid sealant is provided between these two flanges 46.

[0066] Each of both guard units 24, 26 comprises two half shells 54 that are connected to another by means of (not shown) bolts and nuts. The half shells 54 of each of the two guard units 24, 26 have the form of a hollow cylinder that is cut at its cylinder axis, wherein the half shells are connected to each other in such a manner that the respective guard unit 24, 26 has a hollow cylindrical shape.

[0067] Moreover, the flange 46 of the seal cartridge 28 is connected with its face side to the face side of the flange 46 of the second guard unit 26.

[0068] While specific embodiments have been described in detail, those with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims or disclosure, which are to be given the full breadth of the appended claims, and any equivalents thereof.