FACE TYPE SHAFT SEAL FOR LIQUID METAL PUMPS

摘要

A liquid metal pump comprises a seal (20) in which the opposed seal faces (34-50) are gold plated and designed so that the liquid metal wets the seal faces and creates a thin layer of liquid metal between the two seal faces during both rotation of the pump shaft (26) and non-rotation of the pump shaft. A thin layer of liquid metal which is retained between the faces as a result of the gold plating prevents contact of the two seal faces during initial rotation of the pump shaft.