Sealing Fundamentals Part 1

Concepts of Mechanical Seals

The Basic Sealing Problem: Preventing Leakage

Environment

Vessel Wall

Shaft Process Fluid Leakage

Packing

Environment

Vessel Wall Shaft Process Fluid

Leakage

Packing vs. Mechanical Seals

Is not a seal but rather a restricting device. Requires leakage or it will burn. Will groove and wear shafts and sleeves. High horsepower load to overcome friction. Product loss. Requires large amounts of water. Requires maintenance time and downtime for installations and packing adjustments. Equipment damaged and destroyed from leakage.

Packing vs. Mechanical Seals (cont.)

Will seal with invisible leakage. On difficult applications the leakage ratio between seals and packing is 1 to 100 or better. Seals have been known to run 8 to 10 years without failure.

Monetary savings from little to no product loss, water savings and energy savings.
Little maintenance required after initial installation. Seals offer better safety when sealing potentially hazardous materials.

The Concept of an End Face Mechanical Seal

Environment

Vessel Wall Shaft Process Fluid

Leakage

Required Features

Small axial clearance

Shaft Movement

Shaft

Required Features

Small axial clearance Self adjusting

Shaft Movement

Desired Features of a Seal

Long Life Low Leakage Easy Maintenance Low Cost

A Flexible Seal

Hydrostatic Loading Secondary Sealing Elements Replaceable Parts

Mating Ring

Primary Ring

Secondary Sealing Element

An Example of a Complete Seal

Primary Ring Snap Ring Anti-X Ring O-Ring Disc Springs O-Ring

Retainer Set Screw

Mating Ring

Shaft

Simply put, a mechanical seal is:

1. A wearable, stationary, primary sealing element 2. A wearable, rotating, primary sealing element 3. A secondary sealing element 4. A mechanical loading device to press primary sealing elements 1 and 2 against one another, and 5. Auxiliary components to complete seal

The Sealing Interface

Shape:
Converging Parallel Diverging

Gap:
Face Separation

Fluid:
Non-flashing Flashing

The Sealing Interface

Lubrication Purpose:

Separation

Separate surfaces
Magnified Surface B

Magnified Surface A

Prevent contact of high surface points Reduce friction/heat generation

Lubricant

Heat

Process Fluid Acts as Lubricant Between Faces

Pump Housing Gland Process Fluid

Primary Ring

Mating Ring

Invisible Leakage: Fluid Evaporates Upon Reaching Atmosphere

Without Lubrication, Faces Run Dry And Overheat

Pump Housing
Gland No Fluid Or Dry Running

Primary Ring

Mating Ring

Heat Generation

Rubbing Viscous Shear

Mating Ring Primary Ring

Heat Transfer

Conduction Convection

Flushing

Removes Heat Replenishes Cool Clean Lubricating Liquid

Injection

Primary Seal: Flush

Single Seal Flushing By - Pass from Discharge (API Plan 11)
Discharge By- pass Line from Pump Discharge to Seal Gland

Flow

Suction

Primary Seal: Flush

Single Seal Flushing from External Source (API Plan 32)

Discharge

Flow

A
Minimum Pressure 0.3 bar / 5 psi Above A

Suction Restriction Device (Bushing)

Primary Seal: Quench

Single Seal Quench from External Source (API Plan 62)
Quench Source

Process Fluid

Restrictional Device (Packing)

Classification of Mechanical Seals

Sealing System

Auxiliary Equipment

Seal Assembly

Seals

Adaptive Hardware

Design balance ratio face pattern springs secondary seals drive

Arrangement/Type type single multiple

Classification of Seals

Mechanical Seals

Design Features

Arrangements/Types
Arrangements

Design Features

Balance Ratio

Face Pattern
Springs Secondary Sealing Element Type Drive Mechanism

Design Features

Balance Ratio
Balance ratio is used to control the face load. Closing Force Opening Force

Design Features

Balance Ratio
Balance ratio is the ratio of the closing area to the opening area.

A c

Closing Area Balance Ratio = Opening Area

Design Features

Balance Ratio

Dont say Balance Say (and Think) Balance Ratio!

Design Features

Balance Ratio

An Unbalanced Seal

Fc

A o

Design Features

Balance Ratio

A Balanced Seal

Ac

Ao

Design Features

Balance Ratio

Metal bellows seals are inherently balanced at low pressures. Balance ratio increases at higher pressures.

Balance Ratio < 1

Zero Pressure Balance Line

Design Features

Face Pattern

Most seals have faces that are plain (no pattern) and are lapped flat.

Mating Ring

Primary Ring

Cross Section

Face View

Design Features

Face Pattern

Plain, Flat

Hydropads

Plain, Tapered

Spiral Grooves

Design Features

Springs

Provide The Initial Closing Force Are Very Important At Low Pressures Are Not So Important At High Pressures

Design Features

Springs

Single Multiple Bellows Wave

Design Features

Springs

High Speed Seals Use Stationary Springs (5000 ft/min Typical Break Point)

Design Features

Secondary Sealing Element

Static Dynamic

Mating Ring / Seat Designs

O-Ring L-Nonpinned

Square Section

Cup Mounted

L-Pinned

Clamped-in

O-Ring Design

Covers greatest range of application requirements for general services A pin may be required to prevent rotation Pressures up to 42 bar/600 psig

Temperature range is dependent on the o-ring elastomer.

Square Section Design

For use in higher pressure applications where an elastomer o-ring is desired Pressure range is 83 bar/1200 psig

Using a glass-filled PTFE anti-extrusion ring and optional pin drive, pressures can be increased over 83 bar/1200 psig (consult John Crane)

Temperature range is dependent on the o-ring elastomer

L-Pinned Design

For applications requiring the excellent corrosion resistance of PTFE and high temperature capabilities of Crane-foil A pin is required to prevent rotation Pressure range: 38 to 83 bar/ 550 to 1200 psig.

Crane-foil is a registered trademark of John Crane.

L-Nonpinned Design

Floating mating ring/seat design covering a wide range of application requirements for general services. Pressure range to 290 psig/20 bar.

Temperature range is dependent on the o-ring elastomer

Cup Mounted Design

Low cost, high production mating ring/seat For use in lower temperature applications Pressure range to 14 bar/200 psig

Clamped-in Design

Provides the widest temperature and pressure range In general chemical application 1 PTFE and 1 reinforced fiber gasket should be used as sealing elements -- if 2 PTFE gaskets are used, 1 gasket must be glass-filled PTFE. Pressure Ranges:

PTFE Gasket: to 52 bar/750 psig Spiral Wound Gasket: to 83 bar/1200 psig

Mating Ring/Seat Materials

Ni-Resist

Ceramic
Tungsten Carbide

Silicon Carbide

Design Features

Secondary Sealing Element

Pusher Seal

O-ring must move axially

Design Features

Secondary Sealing Element

Non-Pusher Seal

Static O-Ring

Secondary Sealing Elements

Elastomeric Bellows Half Convolution Teflon Bellows Welded Metal Bellows

V Rings

U Cup

Wedge

Encapsulated O-Ring

O-Ring

Pusher vs. Non-Pusher

Pusher vs. Non-Pusher

O-ring secondary seal must slide along shaft as seal face wears

Bellows secondary seal expands to accommodate face wear. Bellows tail is stationary against shaft

Gasket Materials by Temperature Range

Virgin PTFE

17.7C to 260C / 0F to 500F -212C to 399C / -350F to 750F

Spiral Wound

Glass Filled PTFE

-268C to 260C / -450F to 500F

-17.7C to 399C / 0F to 750F to 399C / 750F

Crane-foil

Reinforced Fiber

Crane-foil is a registered trademark of John Crane.

Secondary Sealing Elements Temperature Range

600F 400F
121C / 250F 149C / 300F 204C / 400F 287C / 550F 204C / 400F 287C / 550F

316C 204C

200F

93C
-18C
-54C / -65F -45C / -50F -29C / -20F -40C / -40F -29C / -20F

0
-200F -400F

-129C
-212C / -350F

-240C

Buna-N EPDM Viton Kalrez

Viton & Kalrez are registered trademarks of DuPont.

Aflas PTFE

Aflas is a registered trademark of Asahi Glass Co. Ltd.

Design Features

Drive Mechanism

Must Transmit Torque Must Allow Axial Movement (Primary Ring)

Types of Drive Mechanisms

Dent Drive

Key Drive

Set Screw Drive

Pin Drive

Snap Ring Drive

Slot and Ear

Elastomer Drive

Spring Drive

Seal Arrangements

Single

Inside Mounted Outside Mounted Pressurized Non-Pressurized

Multiple

Seal Arrangements

Single

Inside Mounted

Arrangements

Single

Outside Mounted

Single Seal Arrangement

Inside Mounted
Process Fluid

Gland
Pump Housing Mating Ring Atmosphere

Seal Head

Shaft

Outside Mounted

Gland

Pump Housing
Atmosphere Process Fluid Mating Ring Seal Head Shaft

Arrangements
Rotating Head and Rotating Seat
Rotating Head

Rotating Seat

Seal Head

Seat

Seat

Seal Head

Rotating

Stationary

Rotating Stationary

Advantages

Advantages

Less Radial & Axial Space Requirements Lower Cost

Higher Speed Capability Tolerates Misalignment Better Better Cooling

Use Rotating Head Assemblies up to:

3500 fpm for Single Spring Designs 5000 fpm for Multiple Spring Designs

Seal Arrangements

Multiple

Non-Pressurized Pressurized

Multiple Seal Arrangements

Classical Tandem

Process seal

Backup seal

Classical Double

Process seal

Barrier fluid seal

Multiple Seal Arrangements

Unpressurized (Tandem)

Pressure

Process

Buffer

Atmosphere

Multiple Seal Arrangements

Pressurized (Double)

Pressure

Barrier
Process Atmosphere

Type 1 Elastomer Bellows Seal

Set Screw Collar Option

Temperature: -40C to 205C/-40F to 400F Pressure: 29 bar g/425 psig

Type 1 Design Features

Mechanical Drive Self-Aligning Special Balancing Non-Clogging, Single Drive Spring Low Drive Torque

Type 2 Elastomer Bellows Seal

Set Screw Collar Option

Temperature: -40C to 205C/-40F to 400F Pressure: 29 bar g/425 psig Speed: To 6000 rpm

Type 2 Design Features

Full Convolution Elastomer Bellows Positive Mechanical Drive Inherently Pressure Balanced Non-Clogging, Single Coil Spring Self-Aligning Face

Type 8 Elastomer O-Ring Seal

Temperature: -40C to 205C/-40F to 400F Pressure: 24 bar g /350 psig Speed: 25 m/s / 5000 fpm

Type 8 Design Features

Highly Versatile O-Ring Design Mechanical Dent Drive Design Compact Design Easily Repaired on Site Balanced Version Accommodates High Pressure

Type 9 PTFE Wedge Seal

Temperature: -212C to 400C/-350F to 750F Pressure: 24 bar g/350 psig Speed: 25 m/s / 5000 fpm

Type 9 Design Features

Wedge Sealing Member for Corrosive Fluids Compact Design Mechanical Dent Drive Design

Precision Lapped Sealing Faces

Easily Repaired on Site

Balanced Design Accommodates High Pressures

Type 20 PTFE Bellows Seal

Temperature: -45C to 121C/-50F to 250F Pressure: 10 bar g/150 psig Speed: 5 m/s / 1000 fpm

Type 20 Design Features

No Metallic Components in Contact with Process Fluid Flexible PTFE Bellows Design for Extremely Corrosive Fluids Independent Spring Assembly Replaceable Primary Ring Multiple Spring Design Standard

Type 21 Elastomer Bellows Seal

Alternate Methods

Temperature: -40C to 205C/-40F to 400F Pressure: 10 bar g/150 psig Speed: 13 m/s / 2500 fpm

Type 21 Design Features

Non-Clogging, Single Coil Spring Positive Mechanical Drive Lapped Sealing Faces Stainless Steel Construction Automatically Adjusts Seals Faces Elastomer Bellows Convolution

Classification of Seal Failures

Installation Machinery Design and Operation Seal Design and Operation

Failures of Seal Components

Seal Faces Loss of Flexibility Secondary Sealing Elements Material Compatibility

Face Damage: Wearout

New Worn

Face Damage: Heat Checking

Loss of Flexibility: Hangup

Leakage decomposes or solidifies and locks primary ring in place

Secondary Sealing Element Problems

Cuts, overheated, or compatibility with fluid

Material Compatibility of Faces and Hardware

Corrosion Wear

Modern Mechanical Seals

Minimize or Prevent Leakage

CMA/STLE Report better performance than older designs can meet local and federal requirements

Reliable

Economical
Evolving

Materials Arrangements Testing

No Seal Can Handle All Applications