Why don’t my PTFE gaskets seal FRP, plastic and other light load flanges?
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Top Seals Articles
Find a reliable dry gas seal system for any application.
First of Six Parts
Follow the major developments in seal technology
This month's "Sealing Sense" was prepared by FSA member Larry Sheffield.
Proper safety precautions for selecting, installing and maintaining seal systems
The FSA is actively participating in the task groups on the fourth edition of the API-682/ISO 21049 and 3A Sanitary Standards for mechanical seals .We also provided input on sealing systems to the ASME EA-2-2009 Energy Assessment for Pumping Systems standard. The API & 3A standards provide the latest technology updates for formidable industry applications, while the ASME Standard addresses the critical issues of energy efficiency and sustainability.
The mechanical seal industry, like the pump industry, will continue to face significant opportunities as well as challenges as we progress further into the globalized 21st century.
Overall, the new sealing solution—in use since 2007—is outperforming the old method by a significant margin considering reliability, safety, energy and environmental perspectives. It increased pipeline flexibility and simultaneously improved overall product delivery.
Application and maintenance of the manufacturers' recommended torque to valve packing is critical to meeting emissions requirements and long service life. While approaches to the application of torque for braided and die-formed packing may be different, the generally accepted practices are important to all valve packing. Consultation with the packing manufacturer on specifics of the application can help to ensure reliable performance.
Latest Seals Articles
Why don’t my PTFE gaskets seal FRP, plastic and other light load flanges?
Find a reliable dry gas seal system for any application.
First of Six Parts
Follow the major developments in seal technology
This month's "Sealing Sense" was prepared by FSA member Larry Sheffield.
Proper safety precautions for selecting, installing and maintaining seal systems
A discussion of current compression packing technology will help set the stage for an example of how this can be accomplished. Compression packing is still widely used to seal rotating equipment such as pumps.
All three API Plan 53 versions are intended to isolate the pumped product from the atmosphere and create a favorable artificial environment for the mechanical seal. Which of the three is optimal will depend on the specifics of the application. The choices of barrier fluid and maintenance capabilities are fundamentally important design considerations. Differences in the three include cooling and pressure capability as well
New packings, as well as application methods, are continuously engineered to meet industry's increasing demands for performance and environmental compliance. Packings, fibers and lubricants will continue evolving, and proper packing selection will be an increasingly important task.
Avoiding seal leakage or failure is a complex task for pump designers and one that must be taken seriously in difficult economic times when reducing downtime is critical. New developments in elastomer materials and seal design techniques mean that pump engineers can avoid seal leakage and ensure optimum performance in demanding operating environments involving high and low pressures and temperatures.
As plants continue to consolidate and streamline operations in the search for greater efficiency, one unintended consequence is that installation and troubleshooting knowledge can be lost as maintenance personnel retire or relocate to new jobs.
Columns and Blogs
In this multi-part series, we will investigate several aspects of centrifugal pump efficiency.
First of Five Parts
Since the original publication of this draft standard in the January 2008 issue of Pumps & Systems, I have received feedback, encouragement, numerous questions and criticism. The draft listed three basic levels of repair.
The McGraw-Hill scientific dictionary [5] states that a volute is "a spiral casing for a centrifugal pump... designed so that speed will be converted to pressure."
