Why don’t my PTFE gaskets seal FRP, plastic and other light load flanges?
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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 research and understanding of other's experiences, specifications and financing related to the decision can make the difference between a great experience and an expensive disappointment.
In hydraulic cylinders, used in everything from precise positioning equipment in machine tools to heavy earth moving machinery in the toughest working environments, the requirements for sealing are varied and difficult.
Multiphase pumping applications, also referred to as tri-phase, have been growing during the past several years, especially due to increased oil drilling activity. For example, in Canada the drilling and refining of tar sands often requires the use of multiphase pumps since the fluid stream can be a mixture of gas, liquids and solids.
These graphite-loaded silicon carbide materials have been around for several years, and new applications are regularly identified. Initially, they were developed to address the highest P-V applications, with a focus on the highest pressures.
Remember that the gasket is but one of many reasons a bolted flange joint connection can leak.
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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."
