72 SEALING SENSE

Sealing High-Speed Shafts in Turbomachinery

Understand implications involved with using gas film seals in this application.

By Richard Albery
FSA Member, John Crane, Inc.

R
otating liquid pump
shafts that are
originally sealed with
soft packings mostly use
contacting face seals, also
known as mechanical seals.
Typical rotational speeds are
roughly between 1,000 and
3,600 revolutions per minute
(rpm). In turbomachinery—
such as compressors and
expanders—the rotational
speeds are higher and
mechanical seals would not
immediately appear to be an
option, due to greater rubbing
speeds along with a lack of
liquid cooling and lubrication.
Nevertheless, from the late Image 1. Section of an overhung, integrally geared compressor (Images courtesy of John Crane)
1970s when they were first marketed,
noncontacting mechanical seals, known machines. The latter have shaft sizes up compressor casings driven by more than
as dry gas seals in cartridge form, have to 350 millimeters (mm), approximately one shaft, usually off a central bull gear
been used in most gas turbomachinery. 13 3/4 inches diameter. wheel. They are used in refineries and
The first, and still the bulk, of these Smaller, between-bearing machines chemical plants for a range of processes
dry gas seal applications are through- run at higher speeds. The fastest from simple fuel gas requirements to
shaft or beam machines where the shaft, machines are single-ended or overhung complex multipressure applications.
carrying multiple closed impellers, is shaft types with open impellers in There is presently a growth area in the
supported at each end, also known as individual casings, typically referred to as compression of carbon dioxide (CO2),
“between-bearings” compressors. Shaft integrally geared compressors (see Image which is a difficult-to-seal critical fluid.
speeds range from near 20,000 rpm 1). Such machines vary from single-stage For many reasons, as far as the shaft
down to under 3,000 rpm for the biggest to multiple-stage designs with several seal is concerned, the established
between-bearing compressor applications
may be seen as straightforward compared
to those for overhung machines. The
The fastest machines are single-ended or overhung typical layout of a dry gas seal stage is as
shaft types with open impellers in individual casings, shown in Image 2 (page 74).
Once the seal is pressurized, a thin
typically referred to as integrally geared compressors. fluid film of the sealed gas separates the
stationary primary ring and rotating
mating ring. The gap between the faces is

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 73

CENTRIFUGAL
PUMPS
typically 2 to 4 micrometer (µm) thick, ur Best
Your
You Be
B es
s Value
st Va
alue
e in Self
S Priming &
but depends on the pressure, speed of the
application and nature of the gas. This Cen
ANSI Centrifugal Pumps
thin film must continue to separate the
faces during significant axial movements
of the shaft. Fortunately, the fluid
dynamics involved are advantageous.
As the gap tries to close, the fluid film
becomes stiffer and increasingly resistant
ebrating over 33 years
to the faces coming into contact.
There are two important implications Model SN
associated with using a gas film seal in
this way. First, there is some leakage Model 2196 ANSI
to be considered, but this is small Located in Green Bay, WI
(measured in single or tens of standard- Providing a Quality
liters/minute) because of the small gap.
Second, because contamination is Product at a Fair Market
the most common cause of seal failure, Price since 1982 TM
the inboard area must be supplied
with conditioned process gas, or Call: 920-869-4800 PUMP, Inc
an alternative, to ensure the seal is Email: sales@summitpump.com www.SUMMITPUMP.com
operating on clean dry gas. For the Circle 136 on card.
same reason, it is necessary to avoid
contaminating the seal with liquid
lubricant from the bearing adjacent to

PUMP MOTOR
the seal. A separation seal is usually

BEARING
provided. These range from a simple
labyrinth to a number of contacting
or noncontacting devices, usually of a
double gas-buffered design.
Dry gas seals are supplied in cartridge
form, most commonly in a tandem PROTECTION
arrangement with the inboard stage
followed by an outboard stage. A
double, back-to-back, inert gas buffered
arrangement is sometimes used. It is • Reduce downtime
possible to have a single-stage seal. This • Save money
is most commonly the case in high-speed, • Easy installation
overhung machines where space for the • Superior
seals is limited. performance
With a single or unbuffered seal,
careful thought must be given to the
nature and destination of the leakage. A
separation device may help. You can extend the life
Although there is a wide range of of your motors and
parameters, a typical between-the- prevent costly damage
bearings compressor may have a shaft to bearings! 1-800-962-4851
size of 120 mm (4 3/4 inches) diameter helwigcarbon.com
and a rotational working speed of around
12,000 rpm. This gives a passing speed
Circle 140 on card.

p u m p s a n d s y s t e m s . c o m | J une 2019
74 SEALING SENSE

thrust-bearing end of the machine, the

amount of sudden axial movement is
limited in the seal (typically around 0.1
mm to 0.2 mm in operation).
The overhung compressor presents
opportunities to create more arduous
modes of vibration than a beam machine.
The higher speed machines are now
rotating at between 30,000 rpm to
60,000 rpm with a small diameter shaft
supported only on one side of the seal
and driven directly from a large bull
gear. The bearing is adjacent to the bull
Image 2. Typical dry gas seal stage gear and the mass of the compressor
impeller carried at the unsupported end
of the shaft. A wide range of resonances
may be generated. There are additional
excitations from various passing
frequencies of the impeller vanes and the
gear drive in close proximity to the seal.
In integrally geared compressors,
the axial thrust in the directly driven
shaft is often taken on thrust collars
bearing against the bull gear. This can
lead to axial modes of vibration that
may be detrimental to the gas seal.
Swashing in the thrust collars will lead
to small synchronous axial vibrations,
but significant oscillations are more
likely to come from the bull gear at
subsynchronous frequencies.
Dry gas seals operated within
integrally geared compressors can often
Image 3. Typical dry gas seal arrangements have design enhancements specifically
to combat some of the idiosyncrasies
of the application. The seal face passing
at the seal faces of about 100 meters per can easily slide eccentrically against each speeds on high-speed machines can
second (m/s) on a shaft supported at both other. The seal does not provide much be in excess of 160 m/s. This, with
ends and driven through a coupling with damping force to, and absorbs little the small diameters, leads to large
a degree of flexibility. energy from, such movements. centrifugal loadings.
The rotor dynamics in turbomachinery The stability of the seal under the The selection of secondary sealing
are usually monitored by measuring axial component of any vibration is elements, such as O-rings and
the radial vibrations outboard of the maintained by the stiffness of the fluid polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-based
shaft support bearings. Gas seals film and the responsiveness incorporated seals, is constrained by the pressure and
can withstand most normal levels into the seal design. The shaft seal temperature ranges of the application
of vibration in a turbo compressor, assembly must take up any relative axial and chemical compatibility requirements.
including brief transients into surge at movement between the rotor and the In high-speed applications, also consider
levels acceptable to the compressor. casing of the compressor. how the sealing element reacts to
The noncontacting face seal is Between-the-bearing machines centrifugal forces.
intrinsically tolerant of radial vibration, usually have a thrust bearing at one Flexible polymer U-ring seals are
as the faces separated by a film of gas end of the shaft. This means that, at the energized by a combination of the sealed

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 75

Next Month: Offset and reducer

Finite element analysis techniques predict the expansion joints considerations

effects of high-rotational forces, pressures and We invite your suggestions

temperature effects, which can allow the designer to for article topics as well
as questions on sealing
accommodate such requirements. issues so we can better
respond to the needs of the industry. Please direct your
pressure and an integral spring. In geared compressors are managed, the seal suggestions and questions to sealingsensequestions@
applications where test regimes require should be able to cope with constant axial fluidsealing.com.
a combination of low-pressure and high- deviations. In some instances, the total
speed running, the sealing element’s accumulated distance travelled by the
spring force may be insufficient to ensure balance diameter seal can be thousands
adequate contact loads between sealing of kilometers over a typical five-year Richard G. Albery is a chartered
surfaces. Therefore, bespoke polymer installation life. mechanical engineer who graduated
seal designs can be used to address The material combination, contact from Brunel University in
such issues. loads and environment of operation London. He has worked
Finite element analysis techniques are key considerations when designing for John Crane for 28
predict the effects of high-rotational these sealing elements. A combination years on dry gas seals.
forces, pressure and temperature of tribological performance and robust For more information,
effects, which can allow the designer to design can ensure integrity over the life visit johncrane.com.
accommodate such requirements. Focus of the seal.
is often on sealing elements such as those
between the shaft and main sleeve or
behind the mating ring.
Adverse effects on the seals can be
attributed to torsional vibrations within
the shaft. These may be generated by
RunfiDryfianfi
unevenness in the gear drive, but also
from the variable speed inverter controls
in electric drives, or variable frequency
KfifipfionfiRunnfing
drives (VFDs), which may not produce a
completely smooth signal.
The rotating sleeve assembly should
have drive features, such as keys and
lugs, to ensure all parts rotate as one. A
component, like the stationary primary
ring, should have antirotation features
interlocking with metal components. Pumpsfifififififififififififi
Areas of intercomponent engagement can GRAPHALLOY® fifiarfi
be damaged by vibrational hammering parfisfisurvfivfifiupsfifis.
and fretting.
• Self-lubricating
Another focus of design is the balance
• Non-galling
diameter polymer seal. Although not • Won’t swell
subject to rotational forces, it should • Corrosion resistant
be free to slide and accommodate the • Dimensionally stable
• Improved efficiencies GRAPHITE METALLIZING
axial movements of the rotor, whatever • -400˚F to 1000˚F (-240˚C to 535˚C) CORPORATION
the seal’s state of pressurization. As a Yonkers,, NY USA
direct result of the means in which the +1.914.968.8400 • www.GRAPHALLOY.com
thrusts on the pinion shafts of integrally
Circle 134 on card.

p u m p s a n d s y s t e m s . c o m | J une 2019