Stuffing Box Assembly
A stuffing box assembly having a body and a bore therethrough. Disposed in the body in surrounding relationship to the bore are first and second axially displaced annular seals, a detection zone being formed between the first and second seals. There is an injection port in open communication with the detection zone and a pressure transducer operatively connected to the detection zone to determine pressure changes in the detection zone.
1 . A stuffing box assembly, comprising:
a body having a bore therethrough;
first and second axially displaced annular seals in surrounding relationship to said bore and forming a detection zone therebetween;
an injection port in open communication with said detection zone; and
a pressure transducer operatively connected to said detection zone.
2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first and second seals comprise first and second stacked seal rings, respectively.
3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein there is a check valve in said injection port.
4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said body has a bore in open communication with said detection zone and said pressure transducer is positioned in said bore.
5 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said pressure transducer is connected to a pressure readout device.
6 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein said readout device is a pressure gauge.
7 . A method of monitoring sealing integrity in a stuffing box wherein the stuffing box includes a body having a bore therethrough and first and second axially displaced seals forming a detection zone therebetween, said method comprising:
injecting grease into said detection zone; and
monitoring the pressure of said grease in said detection zone.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein said first and second seals comprise first and second stacked seal rings, respectively.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein said pressure is monitored using a pressure transducer.
10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein grease is injected into said detection zone at a first pressure, and said first pressure is monitored to determine a lower, second pressure.