back to back mechanical seal supplier

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.

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!

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.

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.

This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.

This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.

Although it is not the millwright or mechanics responsibility to specify mechanical seal applications, it is a good idea to have a basic understanding of their purpose. This blog will give the basics of double and tandem mechanical seals.

The double mechanical seal uses two mechanical seals (an inboard and outboard seal). They can be installed back to back, front to back or front to front depending on the application. Double seals are used when leakage of pumped fluid to the atmosphere is not allowed.

Tandem seals are two single seals mounted in the same direction. Tandem seals are used for toxic or flammable liquids that require a buffer or safety zone. If the inboard seal fails, a high pressure alarm will activate to provide a warning that the inboard seal has failed. A tandem seal with an inboard seal failure no longer has an effective safety zone.

For more in depth information on mechanical seals, I highly recommend contacting your mechanical seal supplier. They are usually very willing to help.

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.

At ProSeal Service Group, state-of-the-art mechanical seal products are a way of life. After more than two decades, our partnership with AESSEAL®—a world specialist in mechanical seal R&D—has granted us exclusive rights to distribute in Michigan, Ohio, and Alaska. This allows us to deliver some of the most technologically advanced seal products in Component, Single Cartridge, Double Cartridge, Split, Metal Bellows, Mixer, and API seals to keep you operational.

In addition to cutting-edge modular mechanical seals, we specialize in bearing protectors, gasketing products, and gland packings. All of ProSeal’s products are designed to limit operational and maintenance costs throughout the lifetime of your equipment for maximum ROI. From double bellows to single pushers, we can help you find and maintain the right mechanical seal products for your operation.

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).

As a back up seal to prevent costly down time when the first seal wears out or fails. This is an important element in any predictive maintenance program.

All of the above are sensible reasons for using two seals in a pump, but in this paper we will be considering the use of dual seals as an environmental control to prevent the sealed product from either opening the seal faces, or damaging one of the seal components, the two reasons any mechanical seal ever failed.

To break down the pressure in a high pressure application, by inserting an intermediate pressure between the seals. Two lower pressure seals can then be used to seal a high pressure fluid that would normally require a very expensive high pressure mechanical seal.

The fluid that circulates between the dual seals is called barrier fluid if it is higher than stuffing box pressure. It is called buffer fluid if it is lower than stuffing box pressure. It can be circulated between the two seals by:

Natural convection using a convection tank. Insulated piping coming from the top of the gland to the convection tank, and finned piping coming out of the tank will aid convection if heat removal is a problem.

A pumping ring can be installed between the seals for those instances where natural convection is not sufficient to remove the heat being generated between the faces. This is very necessary when oil is used as the barrier fluid. Oil has a low specific heat and poor conductivity, making it a poor choice as a barrier fluid. Most of the newer cartridge dual seals come equipped with a built in pumping ring.

Introducing the fluid between the seals, from an external source. Be sure to bring the fluid in at the bottom of the gland and out the top to prevent an air pocket from forming in the gland.

The following illustrations describe the rotating version (the spring or springs rotate with the shaft) of these dual seal configurations. You should be aware that a stationary version is also available from any of the major seal companies. You should also consider:

Two way balance is always desirable in any dual seal application to allow you the option of using either a high or low pressure barrier fluid and to prevent the seal faces from opening if either the system or the barrier fluid pressure fluctuates.

This configuration requires a higher barrier fluid pressure between the seals. This means that an inner seal leak will cause a dilution of your product. There will be no visible evidence of this happening unless someone notices a change in the product concentration or tank level.

In operation the outboard seal is carrying the higher differential pressure and should be the first seal to wear out or fail. When this occurs the barrier fluid pressure will drop and the inner seal can blow open. In other words, if the seal works as designed, both seals will fail at the same time.

High barrier fluid pressures are hard to maintain because of pressure fluctuations and varying system pressures. Water hammer and pressure surges are not that uncommon.

If a connection in the barrier fluid system is ruptured the inner seal can blow open, dumping the pump contents to the environment. The second seal would be of no use.

Note the snap ring holding the inner stationary face against the end of the stuffing box. This part is missing in just about every application I have ever seen. Without this snap ring, higher process fluid pressure can over compress the inner seal spring force moving the stationary face into the rotating face, causing massive face wear and very high rubbing temperatures.

A common version of this seal utilizes spring loaded dynamic O-rings. O-rings should be placed in O-ring grooves, they should not be spring loaded. The Durametallic CRO seal is typical of that configuration.

This version is known as the “double fretter” in the sealing industry. It will groove the shaft in two places just beneath the O-rings. See another section of this series for a further explanation of shaft fretting.

This seal is often used in slurry applications. Centrifugal force will throw the slurry into the inner faces causing excessive carbon wear. The slurry will then pack in front of the moveable face preventing it from moving as it tries to slide forward to compensate for normal face wear, thermal growth, most impeller adjustment and shaft end play.

Half the seal is in the stuffing box with the other half outside. This means the seal does not take an excessive amount of either axial or radial space.

Many versions of this seal specify a common stationary unit with holes drilled in the stationary for circulation. I do not like this configuration because if you break the stationary face you could lose both seals. There should be two separate faces specified for maximum safety.

The concentric version is next, but I do not have an illustration to show you. In this version we have one of the seals inside the other sharing a common stationary face. The stationary face is drilled between the rotating faces to allow circulation of the barrier fluid.

This configuration takes the least amount of axial space, but requires the most amount of radial space. You will sometimes find them used on a top entering mixer application, but you will seldom find them in a pump application because of the radial space required.

The convection tank is a unit you can either purchase or manufacture your self. When a manufacturer supplies this unit, it requires a “Boiler Maker Stamp” and a 600 psi rating, making it very expensive to purchase. You can probably manufacture one for your purposes at a much lower cost.

Once again, try to avoid using any type of mineral, petroleum or vegetable oil as a barrier fluid. Oil has a low specific heat and poor conductivity that can cause varnishing and coking problems between the seals. Some of the newer synthetic and heat transfer oils can be used if the temperate is not too high.

Cause Ethylene Oxide to attack the dynamic O-ring in the inboard seal. Ethylene Oxide can penetrate the elastomer and blow out the other side if there is a differential pressure across the O-ring.

Use a low pressure, with an anti-freeze as barrier fluid, to prevent ice from forming outboard of the seal when sealing products that freeze at atmospheric pressure. You will see ice on the outside of the pump if you trying to seal one of these applications.

CAUTION Do not split the pressure between stuffing box and atmospheric pressure. This will put an equal load on both seals and they will wear out at the same rate.

Circulate the correct temperature fluid between the seals, especially when the pump is shut down. You are going to have to make the decision as to what barrier fluid temperature is needed. You can increase the temperature, decrease it or hold it within narrow limits:

With the proper selection of barrier or buffer fluid pressure you can transfer the hydraulic load to either the inboard or outboard seal. It is never wise to use the barrier fluid at a pressure of half the stuffing box pressure because this would cause both seals to share the load and they would be expected to wear out at the same time. It is always better to select one of the seals to carry the load.

A transmitter can be installed on the convection tank that will send a signal to a control panel informing the operator which seal has failed or worn out.

Some people are tempted to run the outboard seal dry. With the correct selection of the seal type and the proper materials this is possible, but not recommended. You should use a convection tank under some fluid pressure to be able to tell if you have had a seal failure, and which seal has failed.

Use the cartridge version of these seals to ease the installation problem and allow you to make impeller adjustments and compensate for thermal shaft growth. Be sure the cartridge sleeve is sealed to the shaft inside the stuffing box, or fluid will flow between the cartridge and the shaft making cartridge removal difficult. Some manufacturers seal on the outboard end, but this is not desirable.

If you are going to use a cartridge version of the stationary dual seal, be sure it has some type of self aligning feature to prevent excessive movement as a result of “cocking” when the cartridge sleeve is attached to the shaft.

OEE: Overall Equipment Effectiveness Author Mike Sondalini with permission of BIN95 Industrial Training Oh "Equipment Effectiveness", I"ve heard about that before! Unfortunately, in many facilities, that"s all OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) is to the personnel. Something they heard of, talked about or read about. Many maintenance departments today still do not effectively utilize the OEE tool even though it"s widely used among...

What the Pump Was Designed to Do and Why it Doesn"t Do It Ross Mackay Contrary to popular opinion, a centrifugal pump is not designed to develop one head at a single capacity as requested by the pump purchaser. In fact a pump is designed and produced to supply a whole range of head-capacity conditions as identified on it’s performance...

What is Wrong with the Modern Centrifugal Pump? www.mcnallyinstitute.com Ask for a pump recommendation from your favorite supplier and chances are he will recommend one of the standard pump designs that conform to either the A.N.S.I., I.S.O. or D.I.N. specifications. On the surface that might seem like a good recommendation, but the fact is that all of these designs will...

by R.S. Foss Part 4: Dealing with pressure drop and correctly sizing the piping system. When sizing pipe for a compressed air system, keep in mind that without resistance to flow, there is no flow. Some pressure drop or some mass flow resistance is necessary. The amount of pressure drop only needs to be hundredths of a psig for the...

Digging Up Savings: Go with the Flow Mark A. Morton and Sheldon V. Shepherd Detecting bulk solids flow with acoustic monitoring technology. It"s important to find out if material flows are present or not throughout a bulk-processing facility; material cost savings and increased plant efficiency can offset an investment in monitoring. Most bulk solids processors can do this using low-cost...

Bearing Concept Overcomes the Need for Compromise www.engineerlive.com Usually the choice between ball bearings and roller bearings is straightforward, with each type having its own distinct advantages and disadvantages for particular applications, depending on factors such as static and dynamic load bearing capacity, speed, and whether any shaft deflection is anticipated. Sometimes spherical roller bearings provide a good compromise, yet...

This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.

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.

The rotating shaft of a centrifugal pump penetrates the back end of a pump casing through a stuffing box or seal chamber. The primary purpose of a mechanical seal in a centrifugal pump is to prevent fluid from leaking to the atmosphere along this rotating shaft. Selection of the right mechanical seal for each pump application is critical when considering safety and reliability. Mechanical seal failure is typically one of the primary reasons why pumps fail. In this guide, the experts at PumpWorks will show you the steps to install a mechanical seal in your centrifugal pump with minimal downtime.

A mechanical seal requires two extremely smooth and flat (lapped) seal faces in contact, one rotating with the shaft and the other stationary with the casing. These seal faces are sealed to their appropriate holders through the use of secondary seals (o-rings or gaskets). The faces are mechanically energized and flexible so that they can be placed into contact and move to make up for static and dynamic misalignments as well as wear. The seal faces require lubrication from the fluid and break down this fluid as it tries to escape through the seal faces, resulting in slight vapor release. All mechanical seals leak…vapor…when selected and sized correctly.

You may be wondering how long the mechanical seal installation procedure will take. By following the 10 simple steps listed below, you’ll have the job done in no time.

The first step is to power off the centrifugal motor so that it is not in motion. Shut down the main power supply and double-check that there is no chance of the machine starting up again. Once this is done, it’s time to get to work!

If your pump is a ‘back pull-out’ design, remove the spacer element in the pump coupling. Then remove the casing bolts and slide the remainder of the pump away from the casing. You are now able to access the mechanical seal without having to disconnect the casing from the inlet and outlet piping. If the pump is not a ‘back pull-out’ design, you will need to disconnect the complete pump after disconnecting the coupling between the pump and motor shaft. If the pump is a close coupled design (the pump uses the shaft of the motor as its shaft and the motor directly bolts onto the back of the pump), you will need to remove the entire pump/motor. Remove the casing bolts and remove the casing.

The mechanical seal is located behind the impeller on the pump shaft. Impellers are either screwed onto the shaft or held in place via a bolt. To remove the screwed-on impeller from the shaft, use a wrench to hold the shaft in place and rotate the impeller clockwise until it is completely unscrewed. To remove a bolted impeller, hold the shaft in place and remove the bolt.

You can now directly access both the rotary and stationary seal parts. The rotary parts are typically held in place along the shaft using set screws. Remove the set screw and slide off the rotary seal parts. Remove the stationary part of the seal from the casing or seal chamber bore.

Now it’s time to place a new mechanical seal onto the shaft. Carefully slide the replacement seal parts along the shaft. Using a new o-ring or gasket material, press the stationary part into the casing or seal chamber bore. Follow the instructions for setting the rotary portion back onto the shaft correctly. This is a crucial step.

CAUTION: Always install mechanical seals in a clean working space. Don’t touch the front of the seal faces as it is susceptible to body oils and may not function properly if compromised. Keep the seal in its packaging until it’s time to install.

Use your wrench to hold the shaft in place while you screw the impeller onto the pump’s shaft using a new impeller o-ring or gasket. Or use the impeller bolt and a new o-ring or gasket to attach the impeller to the end of the shaft.

For back pull-out designs, slide the back pull-out assembly up against the installed casing and bolt it in place. Checking pump alignment will be necessary after step 9 below. For close coupled or non-back pull-out designs, reinstall the casing using the casing bolts. In all cases, torque the casing bolts in accordance with the pump Installation, Operation, and Maintenance (IOM) manual.

For back pull-out designs, the only steps remaining are to reinstall the spacer element to the existing coupling hubs along the pump and motor shaft, and make sure the mounting feet of the back pull-out assembly are bolted back into place on the pump baseplate. Realign the pump and motor. For close-coupled pumps, place the pump back and reconnect the inlet and outlet piping. For non-back pull-out pump and motor designs, replace the pump on the baseplate, reconnect the inlet and outlet piping, re-bolt the pump to the baseplate, reconnect the coupling and then realign the pump and motor.

Make sure you have refilled the pump casing by opening the inlet and outlet isolation valves. Some pump designs will require venting, so refer to your pump IOM. Before starting the pump, it is always a good idea to re-verify the rotation of the motor to make sure it is correct. This is done before reconnecting the pump and motor coupling. Bump the motor and verify rotation. Then reconnect the coupling, and the pump is ready to start.

Always review safety precautions found in the pump IOM. Always use the Pump IOM when working on any pump. Install the mechanical seals using the specific instructions from the mechanical seal manufacturer. Lastly, always make sure the pump and motor are realigned within 001” – 002”. Misalignment will cause premature mechanical seal failure.

PumpWorks is the go-to company for all your mechanical seal installation needs. Our pump manufacturing company offers over 30 years of experience in the troubleshooting, selection, application, and repair of mechanical seals. We serve a wide range of process industries such as petroleum refining, chemical, food and beverage, water and wastewater, power, and more.