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
In the past, there were two ways to seal a pump: the mechanical seal method or the compression packing set. Either choice was subject to potential leakage and/or hidden costs. For compression packing users, pump leakage has become so widely accepted that many companies have focused on better ways to divert the leakage rather than eliminate the leaks.
Boiler and Pressure Vessel code contains rules for the design and construction of unfired pressure vessels. The design of bolted flanges requires that gasket constants referred to as m and y be used in the calculation.
It is easy to confuse graphite fiber packings with carbon fiber packings. In fact, the terms carbon fiber and graphite fiber are often used interchangeably, even by packing manufacturers. Both products are used to manufacture braided packings, and they both have relatively good chemical and temperature resistant properties. But there are differences, and each has its advantages and disadvantages.
Initial costs and life cycle costs affect which sealing method is chosen for an application. If a sealing device cannot be considered an investment or will not produce an immediate return, there is little incentive for a change or upgrade.
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."
