Patents by Inventor Christopher David Radcliffe

Christopher David Radcliffe has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11493053
    Abstract: A pump for conveying a fluid includes a stationary housing, an impeller conveying the fluid from a low pressure region to a high pressure region, a shaft to rotate the impeller about an axial direction, and a separation device to restrict a flow of the fluid from the high pressure region to the low pressure region. The separation device includes a rotary part connected to the shaft, and a stationary part stationary with respect to the housing. The rotary and stationary parts face each other and delimit a gap between the stationary part and the rotary part. The gap is arranged between the high and low pressure regions. A recess is disposed in the stationary part or the rotary part, the recess including a bottom, and a non-metallic insert is disposed in the recess. A relief channel enables fluid communication between the bottom and the low pressure region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SULZER MANAGEMENT AG
    Inventors: Christopher David Radcliffe, Torsten Johne, Heike Tischler, Flavio Giardino, Thomas Welschinger
  • Patent number: 11333194
    Abstract: A pad for a tilting pad thrust bearing for supporting the shaft of a rotary machine includes a top surface, a leading edge extending in a radial direction and a trailing edge. The pad further includes a fluid channel arranged at the top surface, the fluid channel ending in the top surface, and the fluid channel forming a fluid communication between the leading edge of the pad and the top surface of the pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: SULZER MANAGEMENT AG
    Inventor: Christopher David Radcliffe
  • Publication number: 20210088056
    Abstract: A pump for conveying a fluid includes a stationary housing, an impeller conveying the fluid from a low pressure region to a high pressure region, a shaft to rotate the impeller about an axial direction, and a separation device to restrict a flow of the fluid from the high pressure region to the low pressure region. The separation device includes a rotary part connected to the shaft, and a stationary part stationary with respect to the housing. The rotary and stationary parts face each other and delimit a gap between the stationary part and the rotary part. The gap is arranged between the high and low pressure regions. A recess is disposed in the stationary part or the rotary part, the recess including a bottom, and a non-metallic insert is disposed in the recess. A relief channel enables fluid communication between the bottom and the low pressure region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher David RADCLIFFE, Torsten JOHNE, Heike TISCHLER, Flavio GIARDINO, Thomas WELSCHINGER
  • Publication number: 20200318680
    Abstract: A pad for a tilting pad thrust bearing for supporting the shaft of a rotary machine includes a top surface, a leading edge extending in a radial direction and a trailing edge. The pad further includes a fluid channel arranged at the top surface, the fluid channel ending in the top surface, and the fluid channel forming a fluid communication between the leading edge of the pad and the top surface of the pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventor: Christopher David RADCLIFFE
  • Patent number: 9273699
    Abstract: The invention relates to a helico-axial pump (1) for pumping a multi-phase mixture (M), said helico-axial pump (1) including a rotor (2) rotatably journalled in a pump housing (6) about a longitudinal axis (A), wherein the rotor (2) includes a compression stage (K) with a helico-axial impeller (3) and a stator (4) for the compression of the multi-phase mixture (M). In accordance with the invention a hydrodynamic stabilization element (7, 71, 72, 73) having a stabilization surface (700) is provided in the pump housing (6) and designed such that a stabilization gap (8) is formed upstream of the stabilization medium, so that in the operating state a hydrodynamic stabilization layer (S) can be formed from a stabilization medium in the stabilization gap (S). The invention further relates to a rotor (2) for a helico-axial pump (1), a method for the hydrodynamic journaling of a rotor (2) of a helico-axial pump (1) as well as to a hybrid pump with a rotor (2) for a helico-axial pump 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Sulzer Management AG
    Inventors: Paul Meuter, Christopher David Radcliffe, Mônica Alves de Lima Ruguê, Thomas Welschinger
  • Publication number: 20110280706
    Abstract: The invention relates to a helico-axial pump (1) for pumping a multi-phase mixture (M), said helico-axial pump (1) including a rotor (2) rotatably journalled in a pump housing (6) about a longitudinal axis (A), wherein the rotor (2) includes a compression stage (K) with a helico-axial impeller (3) and a stator (4) for the compression of the multi-phase mixture (M). In accordance with the invention a hydrodynamic stabilization element (7, 71, 72, 73) having a stabilization surface (700) is provided in the pump housing (6) and designed such that a stabilization gap (8) is formed upstream of the stabilization medium, so that in the operating state a hydrodynamic stabilization layer (S) can be formed from a stabilization medium in the stabilization gap (S). The invention further relates to a rotor (2) for a helico-axial pump (1), a method for the hydrodynamic journaling of a rotor (2) of a helico-axial pump (1) as well as to a hybrid pump with a rotor (2) for a helico-axial pump 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: Sulzer Pumpen AG
    Inventors: Paul Meuter, Christopher David Radcliffe, Mônica Alves de Lima Ruguê, Thomas Welschinger
  • Patent number: 6478303
    Abstract: A sealing ring packing (1) includes a cooled packing casing (4) that can be placed inside a stuffing box borehole (3), and holds at least one essentially annular slide ring (5) pressed against the moved component (2) to be sealed, whose outside periphery (11) exhibits at least one heat transfer sleeve (9) expandable until resting on the inside periphery of the stuffing box borehole (3) when inserted, and which is otherwise not separately cooled. This makes it possible to avoid the disadvantages of a separate liquid cooling in this area without impermissible temperature rises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Hoerbiger Ventilwerke GmbH
    Inventor: Christopher David Radcliffe
  • Patent number: 6439578
    Abstract: Two axially abutting individual rings (4, 5) arranged in a shared casing recess (3) at the passage (6) of a component (2) to be sealed, which each is formed of several ring segments (4′, 5′) pressed against the component (2) to be sealed by a common peripheral spring (8). The cover ring (4) facing the side (6) to be sealed is radially divided and relieved from pressure by inlet-side radial grooves (7). The actual sealing ring (5) is divided by essentially tangential sections. To reduce wear and heat transfer, the cover ring (4) exhibits a circumferential carrying shoulder (9) on the side facing the sealing ring (5), on which sits the sealing ring (5) with the circumferential peripheral surface (10) of a twist-out section (11). In addition, the pressure on the cover ring (4) is largely relieved by an inner peripheral groove (12) that is provided on the side of the carrying shoulder (9) and in contact with the delivery side (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Hoerbiger Ventilwerke GmbH
    Inventor: Christopher David Radcliffe