Dry-Running Sealing Technology: Pump Applications (P1)

Non-contacting, dry-running seal technology, a revolutionary technology for pumping equipment, was developed and pioneered by John Crane and meets the USA Clean Air Act of 1990. This Act defines emission standards for rotating equipment. Designed for emissions control, this sealing concept has resulted in improved reliability, efficiency, and cost benefits when compared to competing technologies such as canned and magnetic drive pumps.

A non-contacting, dry-running seal solves the tribological problems when pumping certain fluids rather than transferring those problems to other areas of the equipment as in the case of competing technologies.

Many plant operators have a Mean Time Between Planned Maintenance (MTBPM) of less than two years. In some cases, equipment is down for repair every two to three months. This has a major impact on the cost of owning the equipment and may also impact the amount of product being manufactured. By properly applying non-contacting, dry-running seal technology, the benefits in improved reliability are significant.

What the User Expects

The user expects exceptional performance throughout the life of the equipment. Running a plant with fewer operators and mechanics means the complete pumping system must run when it is needed and last a long time. The pump must operate safely and meet existing regulations while reducing cost. Pump and seal systems are vital to a plant’s operation. They must be carefully selected for each application to achieve the design reliability.

Causes for Short Seal Life

At the 1997 International Pump User’s Symposium in Houston, TX, users attending a forum on mechanical seals were asked to identify the causes for short seal life at their plant. The problems identified were:

· Improper operation of the pump

· Dirt flushed in the seal chamber

· Start-up without venting

· Vibration of equipment

· Misalignment/pipe strain

· Worn seal chamber bushing

· Pump control/level flow control

· Installation

· Loss of seal flush

· Cavitation

· Process problems

· Low NPSH

· Dry run

Solutions to Common Problems

Dry-Running Sealing Technology: Pump Applications (P2)

Comments

John Crane's Type 28 Dry Gas Seals: How Does It Work?

How Does It Work? Highest Pressure Non-Contacting, Dry-Running Gas Seal Type 28 compressor dry-running gas seals have been the industry standard since the early 1980s for gas-handling turbomachinery. Supported by John Crane's patented design features, these seals are non-contacting in operation. During dynamic operation, the mating ring/seat and primary ring/face maintain a sealing gap of approximately 0.0002 in./5 microns, thereby eliminating wear. These seals eliminate seal oil contamination and reduce maintenance costs and downtime. John Crane's highly engineered Type 28 series gas seals incorporate patented spiral-groove technology, which provides the most efficient method for lifting and maintaining separation of seal faces during dynamic operation. Grooves on one side of the seal face direct gas inward toward a non-grooved portion of the face. The gas flowing across the face generates a pressure that maintains a minute gap between the faces, optimizing flui...

[Read more...]

Pump Shaft Breakage: Case Studies and Solutions

By NTS Pump shaft breakage is a common issue that can cause costly downtime and repairs in various industries. In this article, we will explore several case studies of pump shaft breakage and the solutions implemented to prevent future failures. Case Study 1: Chemical Processing Plant A chemical processing plant experienced repeated pump shaft breakages in their cooling water pumps. Investigation revealed that the pumps were not properly aligned with the motor and had excessive vibration due to the misalignment. This caused the pump shaft to fatigue and break over time. The problem was resolved by realigning the pumps and installing vibration monitoring equipment to detect any future misalignment or excessive vibration. Case Study 2: Wastewater Treatment Plant A wastewater treatment plant had issues with pump shaft breakage in their sludge pumps. The pumps were designed with a straight shaft and lacked a flexible coupling, causing excessive stress and vibration on the pump sha...

[Read more...]

Benefits of Remanufacturing bearings

Replacing bearings can prove to be expensive, both in new bearing cost and lost productivity. Some manufacturer takes bearings and expertly remanufactures them to like-new condition for extended service.

[Read more...]

What does The term ‘maintenance’ mean ?

The term ‘maintenance’ means to keep the equipment in operational condition or repair it to its operational mode. Main objective of the maintenance is to have increased availability of production systems, with increased safety and optimized cost.

[Read more...]

How To Troubleshoot the Effective Maintenance

Knowledge of effective troubleshooting practices can go a long way toward getting equipment back on line quickly. Unfortunately, due to many reasons troubleshooting occupies too much of a technician's time. You might consider these six key elements to improve your troubleshooting skills: Understand the system Understand the problem and history Eliminate the obvious Develop possible causes and theories Eliminate causes, start with what is easy, or likely Validate and document the solution Firstly, if you do not understand the system and how it functions, you will be thrashing around in the dark. I found the best time to understand was while the equipment was running and producing product. Time spent studying the process while the equipment was running paid huge benefits when issues arose. It was always beneficial to listen closely to what the operator saw, heard, noticed, and did, just before the problem occurred. I learned quickly that a good operator was a great asset. ...

[Read more...]

Industrial Maintenance Solutions

Search This Blog