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A dry gas seal is a revolutionary way of sealing machines and protecting them from dust, moisture and other contaminants. A dry gas seal is a sealing device that uses pressurized gas to keep two surfaces from touching. The most common type of dry gas seal is the O-ring, which is used in many applications, including mechanical seals, piston rings, and gaskets. Dry gas seals are also used in many other industries, such as the food and beverage industry, where they are used to seal containers and prevent contamination. This type of seal not only helps to keep the machine running with maximum efficiency but also significantly reduce downtime, making it cost-effective in the long run. In this article, we"ll explore what a dry gas seal is, how it works and why you should consider using it for your machinery. By understanding the benefits of a dry gas seal and its uses, you can make an informed decision about the best sealing system for your needs. How does a dry gas seal work?Dry gas seals work by using a series of labyrinths to separate the high pressure seal gas from the atmosphere. The labyrinths are formed by a series of grooves and ridges on the surface of the seal ring. The seal ring is rotated at high speed, causing the gas to flow through the labyrinths. The gas is then forced through an aperture in the center of the seal ring, where it escapes into the atmosphere. What is a dry gas seal used for?Dry gas seals are used on rotating equipment to help minimize the leakage of high pressure gases from the inside of the machinery. This helps to reduce maintenance costs and improve safety. Dry gas seals are commonly used in applications such as pumps, compressors, turbines, and blowers. Advantages of a dry gas sealThere are many advantages of a dry gas mechanical seal. One advantage is that they are much simpler in design than other types of seals, making them more reliable and easier to maintain. Additionally, dry gas seals do not require the use of any lubricating fluids, which can leak or evaporate over time. This makes them more environmentally friendly and cost-effective in the long run. Finally, dry gas seals have a much longer lifespan than other types of seals, meaning that they need to be replaced less often.Disadvantages of a dry gas sealThere are several disadvantages of dry gas seals, including: - they can be expensive to purchase and install- they require careful maintenance and regular inspection- they can be susceptible to wear and tear- they can leak if not maintained properlyHow to choose the right dry gas seal for your applicationThere are a few key factors to consider when choosing the right dry gas mechanical seal for your application. The most important factor is the type of fluid being sealed. Gas seals are designed to seal either liquids or gases, but not both. Make sure to choose a gas seal that is compatible with the fluid you are sealing.Another important factor to consider is the pressure of the fluid being sealed. Gas seals are rated for different maximum pressures, so make sure to choose one that can handle the pressure of your application.Finally, take into account the size and shape of the sealing surfaces. Gas seals come in a variety of sizes and shapes to fit different applications, so make sure to choose one that will fit your needs.ConclusionDry gas seals are an extremely important component for many industrial operations, and their ability to prevent leaks has made them invaluable in a variety of applications. Understanding the basics of how dry gas mechanical seal work and how they can be used effectively is helpful when considering the various options available for any specific application. With the right choice, dry gas seals can provide reliable, leak-free performance which will save time, money and resources while ensuring safety and reliability. Lepu dry gas seal manufacturer provides best quality flowserve dry gas seal and dry gas seal. Welcome to contact us!

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Pumping processes involving toxic or hazardous fluids that can’t risk leakage because of stringent environmental regulations require a double mechanical seal. Compared to a single mechanical seal, a double seal gives you significantly greater protection against leaks. With a double mechanical seal, you have an arrangement of two mechanical seals (a primary or inboard seal and a secondary or outboard seal) in series—back-to-back, tandem, or face-to-face. Each seal has a rotating (R) surface and a stationary (S) seal surface. These seals can be arranged in one of three patterns.

In a back-to-back arrangement, the stationary seal faces are positioned back-to-back with the rotating seal faces on the outside. The back-to-back arrangement is easy to install and used for many general pumping applications.

The tandem arrangement has the two pairs of seals mounted with the same orientation. This arrangement is preferred for toxic or hazardous applications because the outboard seal provides full pressure back-up, allowing the outboard seal to back up in the event of an inboard seal failure.

In the face-to-face arrangement, the rotating seal faces share a common stationary seal face. This arrangement is useful when equipment space is too constrained to permit back-to-back or tandem seal arrangements.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) Standard 682 classifies double mechanical seals into two configurations—pressurized and unpressurized. The pressurized arrangement has a barrier fluid delivered to the double mechanical seal by a seal support system. The barrier fluid is delivered at a higher pressure than the process fluid and must be chemically compatible with the process fluid as it will lubricate the inboard seal faces and mix with the process fluid. The unpressurized arrangement has a buffer fluid delivered to the double mechanical seal by a seal support system. The buffer fluid is delivered at a lower pressure than the process fluid.

The barrier and buffer fluids you use can be liquid or gas. They provide lubrication and help maintain the required operating temperature of the seal faces. The typical choices are water and water/glycol mixtures, low-viscosity petroleum or synthetic oils, kerosene, diesel, and nitrogen.

To gain a better understanding of the differences between the uses of barrier and buffer fluids, let’s look at two common API plans for double mechanical seals—API Plan 52 Buffer Fluid Seal Pot and API Plan 53A Barrier Fluid Seal Pot Pressurized by Nitrogen.

API Plan 52 takes buffer (unpressurized) fluid from a reservoir (seal pot), delivers it to the seal chamber, circulates it between the inboard and outboard seals using a pumping ring located driven by shaft rotation, then returns the fluid to the reservoir. In the event of an inboard seal failure, process fluid leaks into the seal chamber. When that occurs an increase in buffer fluid pressure and/or level alerts operators to the problem. The outboard seal, however, contains leakage until maintenance can replace the damaged seal.

This plan can include cooling coils in the reservoir to maintain the required buffer fluid temperature, visual or mechanical fluid level indicators, pressure and level transmitters, and connection to a collection system and buffer fluid replenishment source.

The overall design of this API plan for a double mechanical seal is relatively simple in comparison to other plans. Design decisions involving tubing size, length, geometry, type (carbon vs stainless steel), buffer fluid type, and volume of the buffer fluid reservoir are critical in maintaining the proper operating environment for the double seal. If you don’t have this expertise in-house, work with an experienced, local seal support system vendor to ensure the API Plan 52 is designed to meet your specific pumping requirements.

API Plan 53A is conceptually similar to API Plan 52 with the difference that the fluid being circulated between the double mechanical seals is under pressure. A pumping ring is used to circulate the fluid. The reservoir that contains the barrier fluid is pressurized by plant nitrogen. Reservoir pressure should be set a minimum of 20 to 25 psi (1.4 to 1.73 bar) above the maximum seal chamber pressure, allowing the barrier fluid to leak (and lubricate) across the inboard seal faces into the process fluid. For this reason, the barrier fluid must be chemically compatible with the process fluid.

Because barrier fluid is depleted as it moves across the inboard seal faces, it needs to be replenished. This can be done manually or automatically by way of a system that serves multiple pumps. API Plan 53A design options include reservoir type and volume, cooling coils, fluid level and pressure indicators, and transmitters to alert to level or pressure changes that indicate seal failure.

When you choose an API plan for a double mechanical seal, your primary decision is between a buffer or barrier plan. I’ve highlighted two of the API plans for double mechanical seals above to show the basic differences. There are multiple API plans for double mechanical seals to choose from—pressurization from bladder or piston accumulators, plant nitrogen delivered directly to the seal chamber, and custom-engineered external systems. Your choice will be determined by the process fluid and pumping conditions and the type of double mechanical seal your vendor recommends.

With this information in hand, it’s best to work with an experienced local seal support system vendor. They’ll be able to meet with you on-site to review the specifications for the pumping process, the pump, and the double mechanical seal. They’ll evaluate your existing infrastructure and its influence on seal support system design. Based on this information, they’ll then design the seal support system to meet the specific pumping requirements.

If you work with a global vendor like Swagelok, based on the design, we can quickly assemble and thoroughly test the API plan at our local facilities prior to delivery. We’re also conveniently available for follow-up consultations, on-site, remotely, or by way of a quick phone call.

For well over 50 years, Swagelok has worked closely with Northern California process industries to confidently choose the right API plans for pumping needs. Our locally based Field Engineers and certified technicians provide field verification of your seal support requirements, designs based on best practices gained from global experience.

To find out more about howSwagelok Northern California can help you choose the right API plan for double mechanical seals, as well as process and atmospheric side seals,contact our team today by calling

Morgan holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He is certified in Section IX, Grab Sample Panel Configuration, and Mechanical Efficiency Program Specification (API 682). He is also well-versed in B31.3 Process Piping Code. Before joining Swagelok Northern California, he was a Manufacturing Engineer at Sierra Instruments, primarily focused on capillary thermal meters for the semiconductor industry (ASML).

The scope of our mechanical seal product range far exceeds any other seal manufacturer. From small elastomer bellows seals used in millions of domestic water pumps to double mechanical seals that ensure maximum sealing safety and large, highly customized dry-running gas seals for mission critical high speed turbo compressors, John Crane has the right product for any application.

Our world-class rotating equipment technologies, paired with an unmatched breadth of applied engineering expertise, meet virtually all international standards including API 682 and help plants reduce maintenance costs, slash down time and improve reliability. When it comes to keeping your rotational equipment running 24/7, John Crane’s comprehensive range of mechanical seals and systems has you covered.

A range of seals for mission-critical applications, designed to solve the application-specific challenges of each industry. From API 682 compliance for the oil and gas industries, using gas seal technology on our innovative pump gas seals to eliminate fugitive emissions, dealing with slurry in the mining and minerals processing industries, to the difficulties associated with maintenance on large pumps and rotating equipment — we have a solution.

Dry-running, non-contacting gas seals have been the industry standard since the early 1980s for turbomachinery. John Crane gas seals, separation seals and support, monitoring, control and conditioning systems — the heart of any reliable sealing solution — are constantly evolving to meet the needs of customers. The product portfolio is supported by unrivaled global service capability providing repair, retrofit, gas seal storage and reliability expertise, delivering total solutions throughout the product lifecycle.

In industries like chemical, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper, and food and beverage, safeguarding and compliance with industry standards, avoiding contamination and efficiency are always top priorities. Our range of vessel and agitator seals optimize equipment performance, maintain product purity and conform to industry regulations, no matter where you are.

Our range of mechanical seals, packing and bearing isolators combines advanced, thoroughly proven technologies with extensive industry expertise to create a range of products characterized by innovative design concepts and outstanding manufacturing quality. Tried, tested and effective solutions for virtually any application that deliver robust performance, reduced installation times and lower maintenance costs.

Create the optimum operating environment that will ensure outstanding seal performance and reliability. Our comprehensive range of engineered pressure reservoirs, gas seal control panels, heat exchangers and abrasive separators can be combined to produce the perfect seal support system for any application.

Designed to overcome rigorous challenges, our comprehensive suite of seal face technologies combat limited seal face lubrication that adversely affects reliability, cost and durability. Our engineers designed these face treatments to extend rotating equipment life through advanced micro machined patterns and features improving seal face lubrication that optimizes equipment performance. We deliver the right face technology for the right application.

Double (or dual) mechanical seals are designed to ensure maximum sealing safety.These seals virtually eliminate leakage of the fluid or gas being handled in pumps or mixers.

Double seals provide a level of safety/zero emissions compliance not possible with single seals. This is essential when pumping or mixing a dangerous or toxic substance.

A properly installed double seal also allows for near complete control over the seal operating environment and fluid film over the seal faces. This factor alone can greatly maximize seal life.

A double mechanical seal has two primary seals with a barrier or buffer fluid area in between. Each primary seal typically consists of a softer, narrower stationary face accompanied by a harder, wider rotating face. This arrangement enables the softer seal to wear while maintaining the integrity of the harder faced seal during service.

Provide an alternative when the process fluid will not provide stable and reliable lubrication of the seal faces (such as gaseous media, viscous fluids, non-settling slurries, or fluids liable to harden)

To extend the life of any seal, you want to control the fluid film that comes into contact with the seal face. This establishes the ideal lubrication, temperature, and pressure. A dual seal allows you to control of all these factors.

Double seals require fluid exchange between the inboard and outboard seal faces. Each double seal must be installed with an environmental control/support system that introduces a barrier or buffer fluid in between the primary seals. This fluid is typically delivered from a tank to cool and lubricate the seal faces using a piping plan. The use of level and pressure meters on support tanks are crucial for both containment and safety.

The fluid can also be used to remove process and frictional heat. It can combats issues with cavitation and dry running. The correct fluid set-up can also effectively direct the hydraulic load to the inboard or outboard seal to meet operational needs and to increase the life of the seal.

A variety of possibilities exist for the Barrier or Buffer Fluid, but the key factor is compatibility with the sealed media. Liquids used fall into several categories:

There are no hard-and-fast rules for the right configuration. This is where your operation’s reliability/environmental goals come into play and where the experience of a seal manufacturer’s specialist can be invaluable.

The bottomline is that the double seal option is unmatched in terms of safety, leak/emission-free operation, and Life-Cycle Cost (LLC). Learn more about double seal set-up and operation in our upcoming posts.

In Part 2, we’re taking a closer look at the various rotary and stationary double seal arrangement options (configurations), and how to maximize their success.

A double seal is designed with two primary seals. These seals often use two rotating seal faces and two stationary seal faces. A fluid is provided between these two seals at a lower pressure than the sealed fluid (known as buffer fluid) or at a pressure higher than the sealed fluid (known as barrier fluid). The fluid provided to the dual seal allows the seal to survive in lethal, explosive, carcinogenic, hazardous, adhesive, or extremely viscous fluids.

A conventional double seal can be designed to seal the buffer or barrier fluid on the inside or outside diameter of the seal faces. Typically, the seal designer will place a softer, narrow face against a harder, wide seal face. The design intention is to enable the softer seal face to wear, while keeping the wider hard face from wearing in service. Once the narrow seal face has been worn away, the seal has reached the end of its suitable life.

Each configuration has its own strengths which are addressed below. Ultimately, it’s best to speak with a sealing specialist who can draw on a wealth of direct experience and implement according to your organizations’ expectations for reliability and environmental compliance.

In this double seal configuration, two narrow seal faces are mounted back-to-back (opposing) to one another. This is the original concept of a dual seal —taking two component mechanical seals and placing them ‘back-to-back’ within the stuffing box. This configuration is used in most general applications.

The unbalanced back-to-back mechanical seal requires a barrier fluid pressure of 15 psig higher than the seal chamber pressure. The barrier fluid is being pressurized above the seal chamber pressure, so the outboard seal faces are carrying the greater load and should wear out or fail first. When this happens, the barrier pressure will be lost, causing the inboard faces to open. In other words – if the seal works correctly, both seals will fail at the same time. This is not very good back-up protection.

If this seal is a double balanced design, the fluid between the inboard and outboard seal faces can be higher (barrier) or lower (buffer) pressure than the seal chamber pressure. This means that if the barrier/buffer fluid is lost, both seals will remain closed and operate reliably.

In back-to-back arrangement (both unbalanced and balanced seal designs), the outboard seal faces almost always are rated for a lower pressure than the inboard seal faces. This is because the outboard seal faces are an outside seal configuration and the faces are exposed to tensile force. Ceramics are generally weaker in tension than compression, so their pressure limit is lower.

If the inboard seal fails first, the barrier fluid will leak into the process which will cause product dilution. This product dilution sometimes is not desirable for products that can not tolerate it.

This configuration occurs when two sets of seal rings are identically orientated and mounted in-series. This configuration is often referred to as the “in-series seal face arrangement” or “face-to-back.”  It is commonly used in dual seals.

In this arrangement, the seals position the barrier or buffer pressure on the outside diameter of the outboard face. The pressure acts to compress the outboard seal faces. This allows a higher barrier fluid pressure.

Face-to-face seals can be used when the equipment is space constrained to accommodate a back-to-back or tandem seal arrangements. In this configuration a portion of the seal is mounted in the seal chamber and the remainder is mounted outside of the seal chamber.

For successful seal life and reliability it is very important to have the right seal arrangement along with the right barrier/buffer fluid system. In upcoming blogs, we will discuss various seal environmental control plans available for double seals and how to select the best barrier / buffer fluid for good seal life to achieve maximum reliability.

Antim Parikh is a Special OEM Projects & Applications Support Manager at A.W.CHESTERTON for mechanical seal product line. He manages the group of mechanical seal applications engineers and OEM platform products/projects.

Antim has worked for the A.W. Chesterton Company for the last six years in the Mechanical Seal product line as Lead Applications Engineer. He has provided support to all field salespeople and customers on product recommendation and troubleshooting. He has also conducted numerous mechanical seal training classes for customers and distributor’s specialists to provide assistance to training group.

Antim holds degrees in Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Fluid Power) from CT, USA and Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from India.

Double-acting liquid-lubricated mechanical seals are the most common type for mixing applications. These seals can be used under nearly all operating conditions in a mixing vessel. They can also be designed as a gas-lubricated version in which a continuous supply of gas into the seal chamber maintains a marginal gap, thus preventing wear of the seal rings.

A double mechanical seal is a type of mechanical seal withtwo primary seals or sets of faces, it can operate in various arrangements with a) a barrier (containment) between the sets of faces or b) a buffer (mixing).

2. A Double Mechanical Seal (Barrier) – Wet => is a double seal where the barrier fluid is a liquid. It is generally the most robust seal. It has a good pressure, speed and temperature capabilities.

If you have any query around how to install double mechanical seals for agitators or mixers or have some concerns around the seal failures, why not contact one of our mechanical seal specialists below to discuss it in more detail and find out how we can help solve your issues and get your process back up and running reliably again.

Dual cartridge seals, also referred to as double cartridge seals, are the answer for applications where a second level of protection is needed due to risks to the environment or operating equipment. Flexaseal offers a variety of models that are easy to install while also complying with environmental regulations and ANSI standards. A variety of configurations are available depending on the application and operating conditions.

Mechanical seals are devices that seal machines between rotating parts (shafts) and stationary parts (pump housing) and are an integral part to the pump. Their main job is to prevent the pumped product from leaking into the environment and are manufactured as single or double seals. What"s the difference between the two?

A single mechanical seal consists of two very flat surfaces that are pressed together by a spring and slide against each other. Between these two surfaces is a fluid film generated by the pumped product. This fluid film prevents the mechanical seal from touching the stationary ring. An absence of this fluid film (dry running of the pump) results in frictional heat and ultimate destruction of the mechanical seal.

Mechanical seals tend to leak a vapor from the high pressure side to the low pressure side. This fluid lubricates the seal faces and absorbs the heat generated from the associated friction, which crosses the seal faces as a liquid and vaporizes into the atmosphere. So, it"s common practice to use a single mechanical seal if the pumped product poses little to no risk to the environment.

A double mechanical seal consists of two seals arranged in a series. The inboard, or “primary seal” keeps the product contained within the pump housing. The outboard, or “secondary seal” prevents the flush liquid from leaking into the atmosphere.

Two rotating seal rings are arranged facing away from each other. The lubricating film is generated by the barrier fluid. This arrangement is commonly found in the chemical industry. In case of leakage, the barrier liquid penetrates the product.

The spring loaded rotary seal faces are arranged face to face and slide from the opposite direction to one or two stationary seal parts. This is a popular choice for the food industry, particularly for products which tend to stick. In case of leakage, the barrier liquid penetrates the product. If the product is considered “hot”, the barrier liquid acts as a cooling agent for the mechanical seal.

Are you still using packing for your pumps? Read about the differences between packing and mechanical seals to see if switching to mechanical seals makes sense for your plant. A qualified engineer will help you decide which type of mechanical seal is best for your application.

A.W. Chesterton® is a manufacturer of industrial fluid sealing and maintenance products including hydraulic seals, pneumatic seals, mechanical seals and packing, oil seals, o-ring seals, metric seals, lip seals and many other products. We are ISO 9001/14001 and MRP II Class A certified.

AccroSeal® is committed to manufacturing high quality seals to your design at competitive prices. The AccroSeal® technical sales team works directly with your engineering department to solve the most difficult sealing applications. Our sealing product portfolio includes wipers, lip seals, o-rings, piston rings, v-rings, and more produced from our exclusive Accrolon® engineered compounds.

American High Performance Seals Inc. designs and manufactures hydraulic seals, rotary shaft seals, oil seals, gaskets and other high performance rubber and plastic parts. AHP Seals designs and manufactures the most durable seals available and delivers them within 1-4 days.

Since 1981, American Seal Supply Co. has been distributing top-quality fluid seals and packing to its varied customer base. Among our product offerings are oil seals, rubber seals, o-ring seals, metric seals, Teflon® seals and lip seals. We also supply hard-to-find and custom-made seals.

American Seal & Packing is a leading manufacturer & distributor of mechanical seals, Grafoil, gasket material, cut gaskets and quality o-rings. We are constantly working to provide innovative solutions to mechanical seal problems. With our wide selection of products we"re finding better ways to serve our customers all the time. Contact our expert staff for a quote to meet your needs.

Appleton Packing and Gasket was born out of the need for better service. Among the many products we offer are mechanical seals, oil seals, gaskets, mechanical packings and o-rings. We attribute our success to the trust placed in us by our customers. Our continuing goal is to offer outstanding quality products at competitive pricing, in a manner which will best satisfy customer needs.

Beacon Gasket & Seals Co. is fully tooled to cut your requirements from compressed non-asbestos, gylon, gore-tex, flexible graphite, teflon, silicone, red rubber and neoprene rotary seals and other hydraulic sealing systems. Specializing in MTBF Solutions and representing the best manufacturers in the industry, we are excited about our expanding product offerings and the opportunity to serve you.

CoorsTek provides custom engineering, materials expertise, operational excellence and rapid execution to make our world measurably better! Technical ceramic, engineering plastic and specialized metal components help us build tomorrow’s technology. CoorsTek hydraulic seals offer extreme-temperature, high-pressure, chemically inert, static and dynamic seals for the most demanding applications.

CW Marsh offers you the best of both worlds: the toughest, most versatile natural material available for sealings and the benefits of a century of technological advancements and product innovation. CW Marsh produces leather vee packings, cups, u-packings, flanges, and back-up washers, all manufactured and backed with the same old-world dedication to quality, service and dependability.

At D&D Engineered Products Inc. we manufacture top of the line hydraulic seals, gaskets, various o-rings, high temperature tapes, compression packings, and much more. We promise to cater our product to any needs you may have, such to ensure your satisfaction. If you would like more information please give us a call.

East Texas Seals, Inc. is a distributor of O"Rings and Gaskets for Parker Seal. If you need an O"Ring, Seal or Gasket, we can fulfill your needs. We have supplied the Oil Field industry with O"Rings to adequately keep their oil rigs up and running. East Texas Seals, Inc. works closely with the U.S. Government and Defense departments, shipping and storage companies and all commercial sectors.

EPM, Inc. is your one stop shop for seals, with billions of styles including rod seals, piston seals, symmetrical seals, V-Rings, wipers, rotary shaft seals, wear rings, static seals, back-up rings, o-rings, buffer rings, u-cups, oil & grease seals, cast iron piston rings and gaskets. Whether you need one or one million, EPM offers fast turnaround and great prices on seals up to 21inches or 600mm.

With an extensive customer service center for catering to customer needs, Freudenberg-NOK manufactures a number of different seals. These offerings include hydraulic seals, pneumatic seals, o-ring seals, rod seals, piston seals and pump seals.

Garlock Sealing Technologies is the global leader in high-performance fluid sealing products for the world’s processing industries. Their 12 manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia and Latin America collectively produce the broadest range of fluid sealing products designed specifically for industrial applications. Some products include metal gaskets, o-rings and oil seals.

Here at Gasket & Seal Fabricators, we supply die cut, lathe cut, extruded, molded and spliced gaskets of all types, sizes and shapes. We specialize in both commercial and military spec materials, including many UL, FDA and NSF recognized materials. Our in-house capabilities include various types of die cutting equipment such as punch presses, both manual and automatic roll feed, clicker presses, and beam presses. Contact us for more information!

We manufacturer high quality hydraulic seals that are ideal for a wide range of industries. Here at Global O-Ring and Seal, LLC we are a trustworthy manufacturer who is known for our ability to adhere to all of your special requests. These seals come in a number of different materials including Buna, Viton, Silicone, Teflon, Aflas and more. Please give us a call today to learn more!

Greenville Industrial Rubber & Gasket is your source for industrial rubber products and accessories. For over 35 years, we have been providing the industry with top-quality rubber products including: gaskets, conveyor belts, packing, hoses, industrial hose fittings and hydraulics. In addition to industrial rubber products, we also stock a wide selection of safety products, adhesives, and other accessories.

We are a preferred supplier to most of the leading global manufacturers of hydraulic equipment, air compressors, transmissions, hydraulic clutches, valves and shock absorbers. We manufacture hydraulic seals and pneumatic seals among other products. Let us work together to enhance your applications.

Over 100 years, Hallite Seals International has been at the cutting edge of fluid power technology, manufacturing a wide range of rod / gland, piston, and static seals, as well as support and bearing components, for technically challenging applications, from a wide range of materials which include Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Polyurethane (AU), nitrile rubbers (NBR) and Fluoro-elastomers (FKM).

For over 34 years, Harwal has continued to be the leader in metric oil seals. With one of the largest seal selections, 1,000,000 seals in 7,000 different sizes in stock, be assured we"ve got what you need. We also offer V-rings, standard inch sizes, end caps, Teflon® seals, wipers and gamma seals!

For over 34 years, Harwal has continued to be the leader in metric oil seals. With one of the largest seal selections, 1,000,000 seals in 7,000 different sizes in stock, be assured we"ve got what you need. We also offer V-rings, standard inch sizes, end caps, Teflon® seals, wipers and gamma seals!

Hi-Tech Seals is capable of either creating parts with our in-house machining department or utilizing our relationships with industry leading seal manufactures. Our sales staff works with customers to find the best solution to replicate existing or design new parts. Different manufacturing options include machining, molding and extrusion.

At HydraPak, we make replacing your hydraulic seals easy, so you can get your seal repair jobs completed quickly, saving you time money. Even the most difficult seal repair challenges can be handled by our knowledgeable staff to get your equipment. We offer expertise in products for high-tech applications, as well as the ability to source everything from o-rings to sheet goods to sealing devices.

Being a seal manufacturer and distributor, JEM Seal Co. offers mechanical seals, hydraulic seals, oil seals, rubber seals, and more. Our mining equipment industry seals are used exclusively by Hallite Mining. Our stock of piston seals, rod seals, and wipers are in stock for your specific needs.

Encapsulated O-ring manufacturer and Precision extruder M-Cor Inc. is a leading U.S. producer of high performance sealing products for extreme environments. Extruded profiles are converted into o-rings, Teflon® encapsulated o-rings, camlock gaskets, chemical transport tubing and other sealing products. With in house tooling capabilities, we are able to immediately respond to customer requests.

Martin Fluid Power distributes on a worldwide basis, hydraulic seal repair kits, o-ring seal repair kits, metric seals, Teflon® seals and a lot of other types of seals, plus gaskets and packing. Our products come in many different shapes, sizes, materials and colors to suit your specifications.

Speed is of the essence at Michael-Stephens Co. Within 24 hours of your request, we can customize nitrile oil seals for you in a variety of profiles and materials. We work with a wide range of Teflon®-filled items. We also supply hydraulic seal kits; our website lists the wide range of manufacturers we carry.

Pacific International Bearing is capable of providing solutions for all types of applications with an educated and committed staff here to service your needs. PIB offers quality seals from Chu Hung Oil Seals Industrial Company (manufactured in Taiwan). They hold ISO 9001 Quality Certificates to provide top quality oil seals. Seals come in a variety of sizes and lip designs to suit your need.

With over 175 years of accumulative sealing experience, this team has helped pioneer the development of high performance seals around the world. Our core people excel at innovative seal design, high performance materials utilization, and efficient production techniques with a Certified ISO 9001: 2000 and AS9100 Rev. Some products of ours include, rotary shaft, rod and piston seals.

We are not only technically knowledgeable about hydraulic seals, but we also have the hands-on experience to back it up. We have over 30 years of industry experience, and we can use that experience to benefit you. We have faced nearly every problem and know the right solution for most problems. We can offer both stock and custom seals to benefit you. We will always put the customer first, so contact us today!

R&B Plastics is a supplier of custom machining serving a variety of industries including electronic connectors, plastics, filters, bearings, hydraulics and valve seals. With 34 years experience, R&B Plastics provides quality products to both the U.S. Government and major aerospace companies such as Boeing Corporation.

R.T. Dygert International is one of the largest distributors located in Minneapolis, MN and an office/warehouse in Niles, IL. RT/Dygert International prides itself on its responsive, service-driven culture and its reputation for its core values of quality, honesty and integrity and committed to a process of continuous improvement. Some of the products include piston and rod seals and o-rings.

Seal Master® specializes in manufacturing custom-built inflatable seals. These products include metric seals and rubber seals available in different sizes and shapes. Our seals are used in a wide variety of applications, including valves, robotics, conveyors, gates, brake devices and actuating devices.

Established in 1979, Southwest Seal and Supply has grown to become one of the most predominant distributors of sealing, hydraulic hoses, fittings, couplings/connectors, gasketing and fluid control products in the Southwest. We offer a wide range of products including the best in selection, quality, and value-added services.

System Seals offers a complete range of industrial hydraulic seals: small or large diameter, low or high pressure, reciprocating or rotary motion, dynamic or static sealing. We carry in-stock standard sizes plus are flexible enough to cater to all sizes. Rod Seals, Piston Seals, wipers & guide elements.

The T-Bird Group is a collection of distributors and manufacturers of seals, bearings, v-packings, unified pistons, wear rings, wipers, wear strips, u-cups, and machined plastic components.

Texacone Company, Inc is a manufacturer of fabric-reinforced elastomer and urethane molded products. Texacone specializes in molded seals up to 65" diameter in solid or split from a wide variety of fabric-reinforced elastomers. High temperature materials also available. Some of our products are: v-rings, flared u cup, piston cups and flanges.

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Mechanical seals touch nearly every aspect of industrialized society. Wherever a rotating shaft moves fluid, mechanical seals play a key role in sealing process fluids in, keeping contaminants out, or both.

A few basic components and principles in mechanical seal design contribute to a working seal at the interface of the rotating shaft and stationary pump/mixer/seal-chamber housing. Mechanical seals are usually end-face seals or rotating-face seals, but in some designs they can be circumferential or even a hybrid of lip-type seals. In either case, the following components are common to all mechanical seals:

Stationary primary sealing element:fixed to the stationary housing of the pump, mixer or other equipment through which the rotating shaft passes and seals against the rotating primary sealing element

The more common end- or rotating-face mechanical seal designs feature mating faces as the primary sealing elements. Rings of ceramic, carbide, carbon or composites of these materials are lapped flat in the range of less than 1 micron on an axial end face. These lapped faces run against each other, one rotating with the shaft and the other stationary with the equipment housing.

The sealed fluid migrates between the flat faces and forms a stable fluid film at this interface. During shaft rotation, the face materials heat up, wear and degrade quickly without a lubricating fluid film between them. The sealed fluid creates this thin lubricating film.

In a lip-seal-type mechanical seal, a thin film of sealed fluid also lubricates the sealing interface. Rather than two flat rings, the sealing interface is a polymer material deflected against a hard material. This material could be a hardened, coated or plated metal, ceramic, or carbide face or sleeve. One of these elements rotates with the shaft while the other is stationary with the equipment housing.

Leakage is a function of the mathematical cube of the film thickness, so to minimize leakage, the gap at the sealing interface must be kept at a functional minimum. Closing forces are used to optimize this design parameter throughout the operating range of the mechanical seal.

The initial closing force ensures that the seal will function properly from startup. In end- or rotating-face mechanical seal designs, the initial closing force is provided by a spring component, which can be a single coil spring, multiple coil springs, a deflected bellows unit (elastomer or metal), or formed or flat springs. Initial biasing forces also can be created by magnets, compressed elastomers or any other means of applying a closing force between sealing elements. In a lip-type mechanical seal, the initial closing force is typically from the deflected polymer of the lip-type seal or a garter spring for less resilient materials.

The sealing elements must be secured to the rotating shaft and stationary housing of the equipment being sealed. O-rings, gaskets and other elastomer seals stop leakage at these interfaces.

A static secondary seal stops leakage between components that do not move relative to each other. One example is the interface between a sleeve and a shaft, where both rotate but do not move relative to each other. A dynamic secondary seal, on the other hand, stops leakage between components that move relative to each other. An example is a spring-mounted seal face, where the face is free to move as the spring deflection allows, and the secondary seal will stop leakage between the seal face and the component to which it is resiliently mounted.

A lip-type mechanical seal may only require static secondary seals because the deflection of the lip-type seal accommodates equipment operating motion. All effective end- or rotary-face mechanical seals require at least one dynamic secondary seal. This is because the mating faces of the sealing interface are rigid materials that cannot comply with any equipment shaft/housing misalignments, thermal growth and shaft end-play. The dynamic secondary seal will accommodate the relative motion between at least one of the seal faces and the component to which it is mounted.

Mechanical seals are used with many process fluids. Each fluid has different lubrication qualities, but a thin, lubricating film at the sealing interface is always needed. A film that is too thick will increase leakage and may allow particulate between the faces, which will increase wear from abrasion. A film that is too thin will generate heat and cause materials to degrade. Keeping the sealing interface cool and clean will promote longer seal life.

Seal design can influence film thickness by balancing the closing forces on the sealing interface in such a way that the sealing interface does not become overloaded as process pressures increase. A closing force that is too high will lead to a fluid film at the sealing interface that is too thin, generating detrimental heat.

Another way to influence film thickness is to design surface features at the sealing interface that promote hydrodynamic lift between the rotary and stationary sealing elements. This can help create a purposeful separation at the sealing interface that results in a thicker fluid film that provides cooling and decreases face wear.

Primary seal material selection can influence seal life as well. Chemical or process compatibility is just one consideration. Harder materials are more resistant to abrasive processes, but if both sealing elements are hard materials, the wear characteristics may be less desirable in a nonabrasive application.

Using one sealing element made of a softer material and/or one that contains lubricating components such as graphite decreases friction for starting and incidental contact. The use of composite hard faces will also reduce friction by providing microscopic reservoirs of system fluid at the interface.

Thermal conductivity of materials will dissipate heat away from the sealing interface, promoting seal life. Material toughness also can play a dominant role in mechanical seal life. The inherent material surface texture may also play a role in promoting desirable film thickness.

Note that many seal failures result from failed secondary seals that have exceeded chemical compatibility, pressure or temperature limits. Metal parts must be compatible to avoid corrosion, and springs and other hardware must hold up in service.

Process and seal environmental controls greatly contribute to a cool, clean lubricating film at the sealing interface. If the process fluid is a slurry mixture, process pressure will drive the particulate-laden fluid into the sealing interface, resulting in abrasion and accelerated wear.

Environmental controls, such as a restriction bushing and clean flush, can isolate the mechanical seal from the harsh process so the seal is mostly sealing the cleaner, cooler flush fluid. In other cases, the pump product may crystallize, abrading the sealing interface and causing premature wear. Product crystallization can be prevented by using temperature controls, quenching the atmospheric side of the sealing interface, or using a double seal with a buffer or barrier fluid.

There are many process considerations other than abrasion that might prevent a cool, clean lubricating film at the sealing interface. If the sealing fluid has a low vapor point, for example, flashing can result. Flashing occurs when the sealed fluid changes from liquid to gas at the sealing interface, expanding quickly and forcing the sealing elements apart until the pressure and temperature are relieved, only to have the sealing elements collapse back into contact. Mechanical damage to the sealing contact surfaces quickly results in seal failure. No lubricating film is established. Operators must incorporate process controls and ensure proper mechanical seal selection to prevent such upsets. There are many other process conditions that require special attention such as fluids that harden, are toxic, must be kept anaerobic, are part of food or water supply, or present another specific constraint.

Seal environmental controls are often overlooked, resulting in surprisingly short seal life. Many seal failures of this type happen in cool water applications. Cool water is an effective sealing fluid for creating a stable lubricating film at the sealing interface, but failure to apply proper seal environmental controls can lead to seal failure.

Many cool water applications fail prematurely because they are vertical, with the seal installed at a high point in the system where air is trapped. Without properly venting the air out of the seal chamber area, the mechanical seal seals air, not cool water. This is a dry-running condition that generates heat and quickly degrades the materials at the sealing interface.

A common environmental control used in vertical applications is a recirculation line from the seal chamber to pump suction, but in some cases the seals run dry for too long before the fluid replaces the air in the seal chamber.

Poor equipment conditions—caused by bad bearings, cavitation, excessive impeller loads and misaligned shafts—result in excessive motion, vibration and mechanical shock to the mechanical seal. These conditions cause greater stresses, more heat and more opportunity for abrasives to enter the sealing interface.

Mechanical seals are designed to handle a range of motions and conditions, but they are just one machinery component in a larger system. Understanding the basics of mechanical seals and how they may be adapted for different application requirements is critical for choosing the best seal for the job and ensuring optimal system reliability.

We invite your suggestions for article topics as well as questions on sealing issues so we can better respond to the needs of the industry. Please direct your suggestions and questions to sealingsensequestions@fluidsealing.com.

A mechanical seal is simply a method of containing fluid within a vessel (typically pumps, mixers, etc.) where a rotating shaft passes through a stationary housing or occasionally, where the housing rotates around the shaft.

When sealing a centrifugal pump, the challenge is to allow a rotating shaft to enter the ‘wet’ area of the pump, without allowing large volumes of pressurized fluid to escape.

To address this challenge there needs to be a seal between the shaft and the pump housing that can contain the pressure of the process being pumped and withstand the friction caused by the shaft rotating.

Before examining how mechanical seals function it is important to understand other methods of forming this seal. One such method still widely used is Gland Packing.

Packing needs to press against the shaft in order to reduce leakage – this means that the pump needs more drive power to turn the shaft, wasting energy.

The stationary part of the seal is fitted to the pump housing with a static seal –this may be sealed with an o-ring or gasket clamped between the stationary part and the pump housing.

The rotary portion of the seal is sealed onto the shaft usually with an O ring. This sealing point can also be regarded as static as this part of the seal rotates with the shaft.

One part of the seal, either to static or rotary portion, is always resiliently mounted and spring loaded to accommodate any small shaft deflections, shaft movement due to bearing tolerances and out-of-perpendicular alignment due to manufacturing tolerances.

The primary seal is essentially a spring loaded vertical bearing - consisting of two extremely flat faces, one fixed, one rotating, running against each other.  The seal faces are pushed together using a combination of hydraulic force from the sealed fluid and spring force from the seal design. In this way a seal is formed to prevent process leaking between the rotating (shaft) and stationary areas of the pump.

If the seal faces rotated against each other without some form of lubrication they would wear and quickly fail due to face friction and heat generation. For this reason some form of lubrication is required between the rotary and stationary seal face; this is known as the fluid film

In most mechanical seals the faces are kept lubricated by maintaining a thin film of fluid between the seal faces. This film can either come from the process fluid being pumped or from an external source.

The need for a fluid film between the faces presents a design challenge – allowing sufficient lubricant to flow between the seal faces without the seal leaking an unacceptable amount of process fluid, or allowing contaminants in between the faces that could damage the seal itself.

This is achieved by maintaining a precise gap between the faces that is large enough to allow in a small amounts of clean lubricating liquid but small enough to prevent contaminants from entering the gap between the seal faces.

The gap between the faces on a typical  seal is as little as 1 micron – 75 times narrower than a human hair.  Because the gap is so tiny, particles that would otherwise damage the seal faces are unable to enter, and the amount of liquid that leaks through this space is so small that it appears as vapor – around ½ a teaspoon a day on a typical application.

This micro-gap is maintained using springs and hydraulic force to push the seal faces together, while the pressure of the liquid between the faces (the fluid film) acts to push them apart.

Without the pressure pushing them apart the two seal faces would be in full contact, this is known as dry running and would lead to rapid seal failure.

Without the process pressure (and the force of the springs) pushing the faces together the seal faces would separate too far, and allow fluid to leak out.

Mechanical seal engineering focuses on increasing the longevity of the primary seal faces by ensuring a high quality of lubricating fluid, and by selecting appropriate seal face materials for the process being pumped.

When we talk about leakage we are referring to visible leakage of the seal. This is because as detailed above, a very thin fluid film holds the two seal faces apart from each other. By maintaining a micro-gap a leak path is created making it impossible for a mechanical seal to be totally leak free. What we can say, however, is that unlike gland packing, the amount of leakage on a mechanical seal should be so low as to be visually undetectable.

Direct replacement mechanical seals suitable for BURGMANN® BT-AR, AESSEAL® B01, JOHN-CRANE® Type-6A, FLEXIBOX® PR-DR, VULCAN® Type-18 and other usual manufacturers.

Rubber bellow mechanical seal, unbalanced, single spring, independent rotation and short length. AT metallic parts are AISI-304 and AT2 metallic parts are AISI-316. (*)

We have available seal materials to suit chlorinated water pools and seawater pool (with salts). Sealing materials, metallurgy & elastomers are not compatible for both media. (*)

Direct replacement mechanical seals suitable for BURGMANN® BT-PN, and other manufacturers. Rubber bellow mechanical seal, single-spring, and short design. Suitable for pool pumps. (*)

Direct replacement mechanical seals suitable for JOHN CRANE® type-2100, AESSEAL® B05 or B052, VULCAN® type-14 or type-142 and other usual manufacturers.

Direct replacement mechanical seals suitable for JOHN-CRANE® type-1A, BURGMANN® MG910-D1, AESSEAL® P01, VULCAN® type-10 and other usual manufacturers.

Direct replacement mechanical seals suitable for JOHN-CRANE® & SEALOL® type-675, FLEXASEAL® Style 40/42/60, AESSEAL® BSAI and other usual manufacturers.

Double mono-block mechanical seal back-to-back execution, multi-spring, and bi-directional. To avoid atmospheric emissions by pressurized barrier fluid. (API PLAN 53A), suitable for toxic, corrosive and dangerous liquids. (*)

(**) COSGRA Company don’t have any relation with the brands: JOHN-CRANE®, BURGMANN®, SEALOL®, FLEXASEAL®, AESSEAL®, FLUITEN®, VULCAN® & FLEXIBOX®. Which are mentioned for orientation only, according the right of citation.