UNDERSTANDING

SEALS

•Engr. Kshirod Mohan Bose

•Executive Engineer
•Ghorashal Power Station
•Mobile: 01711076856
•kshirod124@yahoo.com
INTRODUCTION
• Since their inception, mechanical seals have carried with them a mystique of “Gee Whiz”,
bizarre, physics defying properties that have baffled the untrained observer. But that
impression is really misplaced. Mechanical seals are not magic by any means and
actually perform well within the realm of easy to understand principles of physics and
hydraulics.
• Mechanical seals are simply another means of controlling leakage of a process where
other means are deemed to be less capable of performing the task adequately. For the
purposes of this discussion, consider that a mechanical seal will out-perform common
types of packing.
• As mechanical seals can be used to seal a myriad of different products on an equally vast
array of equipment, we will be primarily focusing on the use of mechanical seals on
rotating shaft pumps. Since our subject is dealing with pumps, let’s first explore a basic
understanding of the need to seal a process liquid in a centrifugal pump.
CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS
• A centrifugal pump is simply a shaft, suspended on bearings with an impeller
attached to one end. The impeller is encased in a housing that is filled with a
liquid. As the shaft is rotated, centrifugal force expels the liquid out through an
orifice, where it is typically piped into a process or another collection point. As the
expelled liquid exits the case, additional liquid is added to the case so that a flow
develops. That is basically how a centrifugal pump works.

• The next slide shows a photograph of a typical “End Suction Centrifugal Pump”.
 PUMP SHAFT

IMPELLER BEARINGS
 A LIQUID IS SUPPLIED TO THE
PUMP “SUCTION”

CENTRIFUGAL FORCE EXPELS THE

LIQUID OUT FROM THE IMPELLER

AS THE PUMP SHAFT ROTATES

CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS
• The force of the expelled liquid creates pressure. This liquid under pressure will
seek areas of lower pressure. This is a known physical principle of hydraulics.
Some form of seal must be applied to keep liquid from leaking around the shaft at
the point where it enters the case to drive the impeller. This is where our
mechanical seal comes into play.
• Take a look at the same pump again. Can you see the mechanical seal behind
the impeller?
NEED FOR SEALS

Seal is a device for closing a gap or

making a joint fluid tight
( liquid or gas )

NEED
* To minimize leakage
* To prevent toxic fluids
escaping to atmosphere
* To reduce power loss .
Types

Seals

Static Dynamic
Seals Seals
STATIC SEALS
Sealing takes place between two parts that don’t move in
relation with each other.

Application
- Pipe flanges ,vessel /Tower nozzles, pump casing
joint.
- Fan /Blower casing joint , Compressor casing joint.
- Turbine casing joint, Heat exchanger joints

Types
- Gaskets
- O-rings
- Liquid gaskets
GASKET • Packing designed to go
between two rigid parts in
stationary conditions
• May be in form of sheet ,
strip , bulk.
• Properties
• Impermeability
• Ability to flow into joints
• Ageing
• Corrosion resistance
Classificatio • Non-metallic gaskets
• Metallic gaskets
n of Gaskets
• Non-metallic gaskets
• Asbestos
• Cork and rubber
• PTFE
METALLIC GASKET
Corrugated
Plain

Asbestos filler
Metal clad
Soft material like asbestos CAF enclosed in
metal
covering .
Provides additional mechanical strength
Spiral wound
Alternate layers of v- sections , metallic
strip and
non- metallic filler compressed to a
predetermined
amount
 DYNAMIC SEALS
Used for sealing fluid between parts that move in
relation with each other
Application
* Centrifugal pump gland, valve gland ,
bearing housing
* Turbine/compressor inter stage and end
sealing
TYPES * Reciprocating compressors cylinder sealing

q Gland packings
q Mechanical contact seals
q Labyrinth seal
q Oil seal
q Oil film seals
 GLAND PACKING

q Enclosed in a stuffing box

q Compressive force by tightening the gland plate
produces radial pressure
q Slight leakage is allowed for lubrication
q Periodic retightening of gland necessary for wear
compensation.
q Lantern ring for cooling /lubrication

Stuffing box pressure No of rings

(bar)
up to 35 4
35-70 6
70-140 8
140 10
Gland packing
Braided by PTFE fibre
yarns and used in
acids, alkalis, gas,
ammonia, chemicals,
etc.
The packing with PTFE
impregnated
(YP006)are also
available.
Spec:6mm - 50mm
GLAND PACKING
GLAND PACKING WITH PERMISSIBLE LEAKAGE
GLAND PACKING
• Packing Material
• vegetable based fibre yarns for oil and water service
–cotton hemp flax textile
• asbestos yarns
• graphite packings
• Lubricants
• graphite
• mica with Mo di sulphide and PTFE dry lubricant
• tallow
• silicone greases
WHY MECHANICAL SEALS

CONVENTIONAL SEALING
CONVENTIONAL SEALING IS BY MEANS
OF GLAND PACKING .THE PROBLEMS
WITH GLAND PACKINGS ARE:
1] PRODUCT LOSS
2] EXCESSIVE WEAR ON SHAFT & SLEEVE
3] FREQUENT ADJUSTMENTS
4] ENERGY LOSS
PRODUCT LOSS
GLAND PACKINGS WORK ON PRINCIPLE OF CONTROLLED
LEAKAGE FOR PROPER LIFE .
GLAND PACKING HAS TO LEAK TO PERFORM. THE PRODUCT
LOSS RESULTING FROM THIS LEAKAGE CAN BE QUANTIFIED
AS FOLLOWS,

LEAKAGE RATE QUANTUM

ONE DROP EVERY FIVE SECONDS 550 LTRS/YEAR
TWO DROPS PER SECONDS 5500
LTRS/YEAR
STEADY STREAM LEAKAGE 40000
LTRS/YEAR

PRODUCT LOSS = ABOVE QUANTITIES * COST/LT OF

LIQUOR
SEAL TYPE
• The mechanical seals shown in the pump
photograph is a Type “1” mechanical seal.
Probably the most widely recognized and also
most common mechanical seal used in
general service, low pressure applications.
• At Utex, we refer to this type as RS-1
• The assembly shown in the pump is
configured with a ceramic “O-ring” type
stationary seat and is also equipped with a
“set screw collar”.
SEALING THE LIQUID
• Mechanical seals were originally designed to lend a greater
sealing capability than could be achieved using common
packing.
• Before the advent of mechanical seals, pump users relied
primarily on “rope” or braided style packing to achieve a “seal”
around the shaft. A series of pieces or “rings” were installed into
the pump “stuffing box” and they were compressed tightly so
that they created a difficult leak path for the liquid to negotiate in
order to leak to atmosphere.
Packing Seal
 • Early packing styles did not seal very well.
In fact, until recently, braided packing styles
required varying amounts of leakage for
lubrication. If leakage was not permitted to
occur, the packing would literally “burn up”
SEALING and often cause severe damage to the
THE pump shaft. Even with adequate leakage for
lubrication, pump shaft wear was a
LIQUID commonly expected occurrence and as the
shaft wore it would in turn, cause poor shaft
packing life.
• As leakage becomes more excessive, the
gland is tightened to reduce leakage.
 • With the introduction of mechanical
seals, this leakage could be controlled to
SEALING a much greater degree.
THE • Let’s look at the same pump with a
mechanical seal installed. Note that the
LIQUID seal shown is an RS-1 with O-Ring type
stationary and a set screw collar.
 LESSON NUMBER ONE
ALL
MECHANICAL SEALS
LEAK.
 The seal gland to the
stuffing box

O.D. of the stationary

Sealing on the shaft

And finally, the seal faces

BRIEF DISCUSSION ABOUT
MECHANICAL SEAL FACE
DYNAMICS
FACE FLATNESS
• The mechanical seal faces are obviously the most critical sealing point of a
mechanical seal assembly.
• Although the faces can be manufactured from a myriad of different
materials, one is typically carbon, while the other is usually a hard material.
(i.e. Alox (Aluminum Oxide Ceramic), Tungsten Carbide, Silicon Carbide,
etc.)
• In order for a “seal” to be achieved, the faces must be very flat. This is
achieved by machining the faces, then “lapping” them to a fine finish.
• Flatness is measured in “Light Bands”. After lapping, the faces are placed
on an “Optical Flat”, a clear glass surface where a monochromatic light is
shined on the face. This single wavelength light will produce an image of
rings or lines on the face. Each ring/line is “One Light Band”. Each light
band is equivalent to .000011” or eleven millionths of an inch. This refers to
the variations in the surface of the face. On most face materials, one light
band is Utex’s standard.
FACE FLATNESS

• This illustration shows a

face being inspected on an
Optical Flat.
• Take notice of the light
bands that are visible on
the reflection of the face.
• Laying a straight edge on a
tangent to the inside
circumference of the face,
how many light bands are
crossed?
 Gasket

Stuffing box
Bolt for locking

Seal
followe
r
Secondar
Liquid
y seal

Shaft

Spring Dynamic seal Static

Retaine
Discharge

Seal flushing line , liquid took

from discharge line

Static & dynamic

seal
Gap in between seal faces,
resulting leakage
 Gasket

Stuffing box

Seal
followe
Secondary seal r

Liquid

Shaft

Retaine Spring
r Dynamic seal Static
seal
 Outside mounted mechanical seal

Secondar Seal Stuffing box

y seal followe
r
Gasket

Static Liquid
seal

Liquid

Shaft
Retaine
r Spring Dynamic seal
TYPES OF
MECHANIC
AL SEALS
CLASSIFICATION OF MECHANICAL
SEALS
1] CLASSIFICATOIN BY DESIGN
A] PUSHER TYPE SEALS
a] Unbalanced seals
1) Single spring type
2) Multi spring type
b] Balanced seals
1) Single spring type
2) Multi spring type
B] NON PUSHER TYPE( BELLOWS TYPE) SEALS
a] Metal bellows seals
b] Teflon bellows seals
CLASSIFICATION OF MECHANICAL
SEALS
2] CLASSIFICATION BY ARRANGEMENT:
SINGLE SEALS:
A] SINGLE INTERNALLY MOUNTED SEALS.
B] SINGLE EXTERNALLY MOUNTED SEALS

DOUBLE SEALS:
A] BACK TO BACK SEALS
B] FACE TO FACE SEALS
C] TANDEM SEALS
SINGLE SPRING SEALS
SINGLE SPRING SEALS

ADVANTAGES:
1] LOW STARTING TORQUE
2] NON-CLOGGING
3] LOW SPRING CONSTANT
LIMITATION:
1] DUE TO SINGLE SPRING THE FACE LOADING IS NOT
ALONG THE PERIPHERY OF THE SEAL
FACES,
[HENCE THESE TYPE OF SEALS ARE NOT
RECOMMENDED FOR VERY HIGH ROTATION SPEEDS]
2]NORMALLY UNIDIRECTIONAL
3] REQUIRE LONG AXIAL SPACE.
MULTI SPRING SEAL
NUMBER OF SMALL SPRINGS ARE USED ON THE
PERIPHERY OF THE SEAL FACE TO GIVE A
UNIFORM FACE LOADING.

THESE SEALS ARE COMPACT IN NATURE AND ARE

UNIVERSALLY USED ON MOST OF THE CLEAR
FLUIDS.

 DUE TO UNIFORMLY LOADED SEAL FACES THE

MULTI SPRING SEALS ARE A MUST FOR HIGH RPM
APLICATION.
MULTI SPRING SEAL
MULTI SPRING SEAL

ADVANTAGES:
1] COMPACT IN COMPARISON WITH SINGLE SPRING SEAL.
2] SPRING LOAD UNIFORM,i.e. UNIFORM FACE LOADING.
3] CAN BE GIVEN FOR HIGHER SPPED THAN SINGLE SPRING.
4] FOR EACH SEAL SIZE DIFFERENT SPRING NOT REQUIRED.

LIMITATION:
1] MORE EXPENSIVE.
2] SPRING CLOGGING POSSIBLE FOR DIRTY LIQUIDS.
PUSHER VS. NON-PUSHER
• Both pusher and non-pusher types can be either shaft mounted or cartridge assemblies.
• The basic difference between pusher and non-pusher types have to do with the dynamics
of the shaft packing or O-ring and whether or not it moves as the seal wears.
• As the seal faces wear down over time, they must be closed to compensate for lost face
material. If the shaft O-ring must move when this compensation takes place, it is pushed
forward by the components of the seal and by stuffing box pressure. If the seal is
configured with a “dynamic” O-ring of this type the seal is called a pusher type.
Illustrated here is a Type RS-81, a common pusher seal. As the seal
springs and other pressures in the stuffing box are exerted on the seal,
closure of the faces is achieved.

Rotating face and

dynamic O-ring.
Hard Stationary Face

Closing forces exerted

on the seal faces
As the softer carbon face wears down, the rotating face must
move to maintain face closure.
Minute particles of carbon and solids from the process liquid
that migrate across the seal faces build up on the shaft.
This build up will ultimately cause the seal to “hang up” and in most
cases, failure will occur well before the seal is actually “worn out”.
PUSHER VS. NON-PUSHER
• There are seal types that have no dynamic O-rings. All O-
rings are “static” and the seal components compensate for
face wear without “pushing” any sealing points.
• One of these types is called a “Metal Bellows Seal”. The
bellows can be constructed of metal, rubber or PTFE. The
RS-1 seen earlier in this presentation is an “Elastomer (or
Rubber) Bellows Seal”.
• Let’s consider the metal variety.
 METAL BELLOWS
Metal bellows are constructed by
welding “leaflets” into a series of
“convolutions”. This series of
convolutions is referred to as the
“Bellows Core”.
The photo shown here is a shaft
mounted “Utex-MB”.
Now take a look at how a bellows
seal compensates for face wear.
DOUBLE SEALS
 Barrier fluid 1 bar more
than process

Gasket

Process Liquid
liquid
Dynamic seal Secondar
y seal
Static
seal
 Cooling system and API
planes

Process liquid is taken heat which is developed by friction of

seal face
MECHANICAL SEAL
The stationary seat must be
inserted into the seal gland.
The seal assembly is slipped onto the pump shaft
and the set screws tightened in the correct position
to insure proper “installed length” of the assembly.
The gland is tightened evenly so that the seal
is compressed to it’s recommended length.
BALANCED VS. NON-BALANCED
• When speaking of “Balance” in reference to mechanical
seals, we are not talking about Mechanical or Rotational
Balance. Instead, we are referring to Hydraulic Balance.
• Since mechanical seals are subject to stuffing box pressure,
this pressure is utilized to achieve and maintain seal face
closure in a non-balanced seal.
• If stuffing box pressure is very high, typically over 100psi.,
then the closing force may be too great to allow the
“Boundary Layer Liquid” that lubricates the faces to be
sufficient and the faces will wear prematurely.
• A balanced seal compensates for higher pressures by
locating the seal faces such that stuffing box pressure has
less effect on face closure.
A non-balanced seal has faces located
outside the “Balance Diameter” of the
seal. Stuffing box pressure is applied
to the faces virtually evenly.

Face OD Line

Face ID Line
Balance Line
The faces of a balanced seal are located so that
a portion of the face contact occurs inside the
balance diameter resulting in reduced closing
force due to stuffing box pressure. This seal is
a Type RS-8B1. (The “B” = balanced)

Face OD Line
Balance Line

Face ID Line
Most metal bellows seals are balanced.

Face OD Line
Balance Line

Face ID Line
 Pressurized Non-Pressurized
Dual Seal Dual Seal
Artificial Artificial
Environment Environment
“Barrier” System “Buffer” System
 NON-PRESSURIZED TO FLARE /
BUFFER FLUID RECOVERY SYSTEM
PLAN 52 / 7352

DISCHARGE
SUCTION
 PRESSURIZED GAS
IN

PRESSURIZED BARRIER FLUID

PLAN 53 / 7353

DISCHARGE

SUCTION
UTEX EZ-SEAL
• The Utex EZ-Seal is split radially as shown in this
photo.
• All internal components are also split and they are
assembled onto the equipment shaft without
removing the equipment from it’s operating
position or tearing down it’s major components.
UTEX EZ-
SEAL
Assembly of John Crane seal for feed
pump