In a sealing mechanism located at the circumference of the rotating shaft, the sealing

members are always in contact with the rotating shaft irrespective of the operating
state or non-operating state of an electric motor and, therefore, easilywear down and
impose a heavy maintenance burden.

In addition, in a liquid pump, depending on the usage place and application, not only
the liquid but also minute solids may intrude into the circumference of the rotating
shaft. Consequently, in the prior mechanism for sealing at thecircumference of the
rotating shaft, sealing members are easily damaged.

In view of the above circumstances, sealing mechanisms utilizing electromagnets

have been proposed and carried out. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No.
H01-43159 teaches a construction wherein a ring seal is fixed in a brim shape to
arotating shaft and a ring seal is attached to a cylindrical supporting body disposed in
a manner shift-able in the axial direction of the rotating shaft. Both are opposed to
each other The cylindrical supporting body is operated by an electromagnet. When an
electric motor is in operation, by turning on the effect of the electromagnet, the
cylindrical supporting body is shifted to closely fit both ring seals to create a sealing
state, and when an electric motor is not in operation, by turning off theeffect of the
electromagnet, the cylindrical supporting body is restored by a spring or the like to
release close fitting between both ring seals.

On the other hand, Japanese Patent Publications No. S62-46717 and Japanese Patent
Publication No. S62-49477 teaches a construction wherein joining and separation of
opposed ring seals are controlled by centrifugal force produced by a rotation ofa
rotating shaft when an electric motor is in operation.

In addition to the above, a construction for sealing by utilizing centrifugal force

produced by a rotation of a rotating shaft is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent
Publication No. H07-280105, etc. However, this is carried out by onlymechanical
structures and is different from the construction of the present invention.

Since, the sealing mechanism taught in the above-described Japanese Patent

Publication No. H01-43159 has a construction wherein joining and separation of the
opposed ring seals are carried out by turning on and off of the electromagnet,
technicalproblems remain, including: (1) a power supply circuit for operating the
electromagnet is required, which results in a high cost, moreover, (2) since power
supply voltages are not uniform among countries and regions, an adjustment is
required prior toutilization; (3) the space where the electromagnet is arranged requires
water-tightness, which complicates the mechanism; and (4) since temperature of the
watertight space rises due to heat generated by the electromagnet and condensation
easily condensesin a stop state, there is a concern for malfunction.

On the other hand, Japanese Patent Publications No. S62-46717 and No. S62-49477,
as described above, concerns a sealing mechanism in that joining and separation of
the opposed ring seals are controlled by centrifugal force produced by a rotationof the
rotating shaft when an electric motor is in operation. However, since all components
are mechanically structured, technical problems remain, including: (1) accurate
processing and assembling of members or operating adjustments are required; and,(2)
 a malfunction easily occurs when minute solid components, etc., intrude, and the
.maintenance burden is great

In particular, in a prior sealing mechanism, an O-ring or an oil seal is required in a

sliding portion for driving a sealing member up and down. However, in some cases,
expansion, corrosion and the like due to chemicals exist in the slidingportion, and the
sealing member cannot smoothly follow the movement of the rotating shaft due to
frictional resistance. Consequently, the prior liquid pump has a problem of an
.increased maintenance burden

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made with the objective of solving the problems of the
prior art liquid pumps, and provides a liquid pump having a sealing mechanism
constructed so that; (1) in order to prevent the sealing members from wearingdown,
control can be performed so as to release the sealing when the rotating shaft is
rotating; (2) no power source is required for seal control; (3) watertight-ness of a seal
control portion can be easily maintained; (4) maintenance burden is relieved,and (5)
the number of components is small, the mechanism is simple, and manufacturing
.costs can be reduced

The foregoing objects are basically obtained by a liquid pump assembly having a
sealing mechanism disposed in an air chamber located between an electric motor
casing for an electric motor, a pump casing in which an impeller is fixed to the tip ofa
motor rotating shaft of the electric motor, and a pump chamber being enclosed in a
watertight manner by a cylindrical frame. The sealing mechanism includes a pair of
sealing members composed of an annular rotating seal and a flexible stationary seal.
The pair of sealing members is disposed around the motor rotating shaft of the electric
motor. Opening and closing of the pair of sealing members is controlled by the
magnetic force of movable and stationary magnets. The magnets are displaced
byrotation of the motor rotating shaft. The annular rotating sealing member is
attached to the lower surface of a rotary base member fixed to the motor rotating
shaft. The flexible stationary seal is opened and closed with respect to the annular
rotatingseal. The movable magnet, being displaced by a centrifugal force created due
to a rotation of the rotary base member, is disposed in the rotary base member with
the annular rotating seal. The stationary magnet is disposed on a upper-surface side of
.avertical sliding member to which the flexible stationary seal is fixed

Consequently, when the motor rotating shaft is stopped, with an N-pole and S-pole of
the movable magnet at their respective original positions, an opposite pole of the
stationary magnet is attracted and the vertical sliding member is upwardlydrawn. As a
result, an upper surface of the flexible stationary seal contacts a lower surface of the
annular rotating seal to seal the air chamber. Alternatively, when the motor rotating
shaft is rotating at least a predetermined number of rotations,the pair of sealing
members are controlled so that the movable magnet is displaced from its position by
centrifugal force. The same poles of the stationary magnet and of the movable magnet
repel, and the vertical sliding member is depressed downward. Thus, the upper
surface of the flexible stationary seal is separated from the lower surface of the
.annular rotating seal to release the seal of the air chamber
 The foregoing objects are also obtained by a liquid pump assembly having a sealing
mechanism disposed in a space between an electric motor casing for an electric motor,
a pump casing with an impeller fixed to the tip of a motor rotating shaft ofthe electric
motor, and a pump chamber being enclosed in a watertight manner by a cylindrical
frame. The sealing mechanism comprises a pair of sealing members composed of an
annular rotating seal and flexible stationary seal. The pair of sealingmembers are
around the motor rotating shaft of the electric motor. Joining and separating of the
pair of sealing members is controlled by a magnetic force of stationary and movable
magnets displaced by a rotation of the motor rotating shaft. Theannular rotating
sealing member is attached to the lower surface of a rotary base member fixed to the
motor rotating shaft. The flexible stationary seal is joined and separated with respect
to said annular rotating seal at an upper end. At a middleportion a resilient portion is
connected to a cylindrical vertical sliding member. A lower end of the flexible
stationary seal is fixed to a disk-like substrate fixed continuously to a pump casing.
The movable magnets are displaced by centrifugal forceimparted due to rotation of
the rotary base member and are disposed in the rotary base member with the annular
rotating seal. The stationary magnets are disposed on the upper-surface side of the
.vertical sliding member

When the motor rotating shaft is stopped, the N-poles or S-poles of the movable
magnets are at their original positions, attracting an opposite pole of the stationary
magnet such that the vertical sliding member is urged upward. Thus, the uppersurface
of the flexible stationary seal contacts a lower surface of the rotating seal to seal an air
chamber. Alternatively, when the motor rotating shaft is rotating at a predetermined
number of rotations, the pair of sealing members are controlled andthe movable
magnet is displaced from its original position by centrifugal force for the to repel each
other and the vertical sliding member to be depressed downward. Therefore, the upper
surface of the flexible stationary seal is separated from thelower surface of the
.rotating seal to release the seal of the air chamber

Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present invention will become
apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the
.annexed drawings, discloses preferred embodiments of the present invention
 • Applicati
ons and Design
• Engineeri
ng Analysis
• Engineeri
ng Basics
• Engineeri
ng Calculators

• Engineeri
ng Materials

Centrifugal Pumps Wearing Ring

Pump Knowledge Menu | Centrifugal Pumps Suppliers

Centrifugal pumps contain rotating impellers within stationary pump casings. To

allow the impeller to rotate freely within the pump casing, a small clearance is
designed to be maintained between the impeller and the pump casing. To maximize
the efficiency of a centrifugal pump, it is necessary to minimize the amount of liquid
leaking through this clearance from the high pressure or discharge side of the pump
back to the low pressure or suction side.
Some wear or erosion will occur at the point where the impeller and the pump casing
nearly come into contact. This wear is due to the erosion caused by liquid leaking
through this tight clearance and other causes. As wear occurs, the clearances become
larger and the rate of leakage increases. Eventually, the leakage could become
unacceptably large and maintenance would be required on the pump.

To minimize the cost of pump maintenance, many centrifugal pumps are designed
with wearing rings. Wearing rings are replaceable rings that are attached to the
impeller and/or the pump casing to allow a small running clearance between the
impeller and the pump casing without causing wear of the actual impeller or pump
casing material. These wearing rings are designed to be replaced periodically during
the life of a pump and prevent the more costly replacement of the impeller or the
casing.
Mechanical seal fundamentals
A mechanical seal must contain four functional components: 1) Primary sealing
surfaces, 2) Secondary sealing surfaces, 3) a means of actuation and 4) a means of
drive.

1) The primary sealing surfaces are the heart of the device. A common combination
consists of a hard material, such as silicon carbide or tungsten carbide, embedded in
the pump casing and a softer material, such as carbon in the rotating seal assembly.
Many other materials can be used depending on the liquid's chemical properties,
pressure, and temperature. These two rings are in intimate contact, one ring rotates
with the shaft, the other ring is stationary. These two rings are machined using a
machining process called lapping in order to obtain the necessary degree of flatness.

2) The secondary sealing surfaces (there may be a number of them) are those other
points in the seal that require a fluid barrier but are not rotating relative to one
another.

3) In order to keep the two primary sealing surfaces in intimate contact, a means of
actuation must be provided. This is commonly provided by a spring. In conjunction
with the spring, it may also be provided by the pressure of the sealed fluid.

4) The primary sealing surfaces must be the only parts of the seal that are permitted to
rotate relative to one another, they must not rotate relative to the parts of the seal that
hold them in place. To maintain this non-rotation a method of drive must be provided.

[edit] Seal Categories

All mechanical seals must contain the four elements described above but the way
those functional elements are arranged may be quite varied. The standards of modern
mechanical seals are widely defined by API Standard 682 - Shaft Sealing Systems for
Centrifugal and Rotary Pumps.

Mechanical seals are generally classified into two main categories: "Pusher" or "Non-
Pusher". These distinctions refer to whether or not the secondary seal to the
shaft/sleeve is dynamic or stationary. Pusher seals will employ a dynamic secondary
seal (typically an o-ring) which moves axially with the primary seal face. Non-pusher
seals will employ a static secondary seal (either an o-ring, high temperature graphite
packing, or elastomeric bellows). In this case, the face tracking is independent of the
secondary seal which is always static against the shaft/sleeve.

A "cartridge seal" is a prepackaged seal that is common in more complex

applications. Cartridge seals were originally designed for installation in equipment
where a component type seal was difficult due to the design of the equipment.
Examples of this are horizontally split and vertical pumps. In 1975 the A W
Chesterton Company designed the first cartridge seal that fit pumps with varying
stuffing box bore sizes and gland bolt patterns. To accomplish this the seal utilized
internal centering of the stationary parts and slotted bolt holes. This "generic"
cartridge seal could be manufactured in higher production quantities resulting in a
cartridge seal that could be used in all applications and pumps types. In 2000 Gold
Seals, Inc. (acquired by Chesterton in 2001) invented an iteration of the cartridge seal
called a cassette seal. This seal utilized a replaceable inner "cassette" mounted in the
Cartridge end plate or gland simplifying the repair of the cartridge seal.

Gap seals are generally used in bearings and other constructions highly susceptible to
wear, for example, in the form of an O-ring. A clearance seal is used to close or fill
(and join) spacing between two parts, e.g. in machine housings, to allow for the
vibration of those parts. An example of this type of seal is the so-called floating seal
which can be easily replaced. These seals are mostly manufactured from rubber or
other flexible but durable synthetic materials.

[edit] Seal Piping Plans

Since the rotating seal will create heat, this heat will need to be carried away from the
seal chamber or else the seal will overheat and fail. Typically, a small tube connected
to either the suction or the discharge of the pump will help circulate the liquid. Other
features such as filters or coolers will be added to this tubing arrangement depending
on the properties of the fluid, and its pressure and temperature. Each arrangement has
a number associated with it, as defined by American Petroleum Institute "API"
specifications 610 and 682.

[edit] Tandem and Double Seals

Since almost all seals utilize the process liquid or gas to lubricate the seal faces, they
are designed to leak. Process liquids and gases containing hazardous vapors,
dangerous chemicals or flammable petroleum must not be allowed to leak into the
atmosphere or onto the ground. In these applications a second "containment" seal is
placed after the primary seal along the pump shaft. The space in between these two
seals is filled with a neutral liquid or gas called a "buffer" or "barrier" fluid.

In a tandem seal, the seal will leak into the buffer fluid contained in the unpressurized
cavity. If the cavity registers a dramatic increase in pressure, operator will know that
the primary seal has failed. If the cavity is drained of liquid, then the secondary seal
failed. In both instances, maintenance will need to be performed. This arrangement is
commonly used when sealing fluids that would create a hazard or change state when
contacting open air. These are detailed in API Piping Plan 52

In a double seal, the barrier liquid in the cavity between the two seals is pressurized.
Thus if the primary seal fails, the neutral liquid will leak into the pump stream instead
of the dangerous pumped fluid escaping into the atmosphere. This application is
usually used in gas, unstable, highly toxic, abrasive, corrosive, and viscous fluids.
These are detailed in API Piping Plan standards #53a, 53b, 53c; or 54. Plan 74 may
also be considered a double seal piping plan, although it is used exclusively when
describing a dry gas barrier seal support system. The barrier fluid used in a Plan 74
system is simply a gas, not a liquid. Typically, nitrogen is used as its inert nature
makes it advantageous due to mixing with the process stream being sealed.
Tandem and double seal nomenclature historically characterized seals based on
orientation, i.e, tandem seals mounted face to back, double seals mounted back to
back or face to face. The distinction between pressurized and unpressurized support
systems for tandem and double seals has lent itself to a more descriptive notation of
dual pressurized and dual unpressurized mechanical seal. This distinction must be
made as traditional 'tandem seals' can also utilize a pressurized barrier fluid.

[edit] Origins
The mechanical seal was invented by George Cook and was originally called a "Cook
Seal". He also founded the Cook Seal Company. Cook's seal (which actually did not
have a means of drive) was first used in refrigeration compressors. The Cook Seal
company was a sideline product for Cook and he sold the company to Muskegon
Piston Ring Company where it was renamed as The Rotary Seal Division of
Muskegon Piston Ring Co. Muskegon Piston Ring sold the Rotary Seal Division to
EG&G Sealol who in turn was largely acquired by John Crane Industries of Morton
Grove, IL.

In 1990, the world market for Mechanical Seals was estimated at $1 billion.[citation needed]

[edit] See also

Improve the life of your mechanical seals by controlling the seal chambers
environment.

The pump’s mechanical seal chamber contains a limited volume of liquid to lubricate
and cool the faces of the mechanical seals. The mechanical seals face will generate
heat based on the speed, pressure, and the lubricating properties of the pump fluid.
Unless this fluid is cooled or replaced, the temperature in the mechanical seals
chamber around the seal will increase, which can make it too hot for reliable long
term seal performance. To optimize the mechanical seals life, the maximum
temperature rise in the fluid around the mechanical seals face should be maintained at
5-15°F (3 to 9° C).

API 610 & 682, ANSI / ASME B73 and ISO 21049 standards have over the years
developed piping plans to improve the environment in the mechanical seals chamber.

The following three product recirculation Piping Plans discussed are just a few of the
many plans developed by the above standards.

All three of these plans require simple piping. The main advantage of these plans is
that the flush source is the pump fluid so no product contamination occurs, which will
cause the need for reprocessing of the finished product. To create flow for these
piping plans the fluid must have a differential pressure.

Read More
 Section B -- Pump Application Data

Mechanical Seal Types

Mechanical seals can be classified into several tvpes and arrangements:

PUSHER:
Incorporate secondary seals that move axially along a shaft or sleeve to maintain contact at
the seal faces. This feature compensates for seal face wear and wobble due to misalignment.
The pusher seals' advantage is that it's inexpensive and commercially available in a wide
range of sizes and configurations. Its disadvantage is that ft's prone to secondary seal hang-
up and fretting of the shaft or sleeve. Examples are Dura RO and Crane Type 9T.

UNBALANCED:
They are inexpensive, leak less, and are more stable when subjected to vibration,
misalignment, and cavitation. The disadvantage is their relative low pressure limit. If the
closing force exerted on the seal faces exceeds the pressure limit, the lubricating film
between the faces is squeezed out and the highly loaded dry running seal fails. Examples are
the Dura RO and Crane 9T.

CONVENTIONAL:
Examples are the Dura RO and Crane Type 1 which require setting and alignment of the seal
(single, double, tandem) on the shaft or sleeve of the pump. Although setting a mechanical
seal is relatively simple, today's emphasis on reducing maintenance costs has increased
preference for cartridge seals.
NON-PUSHER:
The non-pusher or bellows seal does not have to move along the shaft or sleeve to maintain
seal face contact, The main advantages are its ability to handle high and low temperature
applications, and does not require a secondary seal (not prone to secondary seal hang-up). A
disadvantage of this style seal is that its thin bellows cross sections must be upgraded for use
in corrosive environments Examples are Dura CBR and Crane 215, and Sealol 680.

BALANCED:
Balancing a mechanical seal involves a simple design change, which reduces the hydraulic
forces acting to close the seal faces. Balanced seals have higher-pressure limits, lower seal
face loading, and generate less heat. This makes them well suited to handle liquids with poor
lubricity and high vapor pressures such as light hydrocarbons. Examples are Dura CBR and
PBR and Crane 98T and 215.

CARTRIDGE:
Examples are Dura P-SO and Crane 1100 which have the mechanical seal premounted on a
sleeve including the gland and fit directly over the Model 3196 shaft or shaft sleeve (available
single, double, tandem). The major benefit, of course is no requirement for the usual seal
setting measurements for their installation. Cartridge seals lower maintenance costs and
reduce seal setting errors
 Section B -- Pump Application Data

Mechanical Seal Arrangements

SINGLE INSIDE:
This is the most common type of mechanical seal. These seals are easily modified to
accommodate seal flush plans and can be balanced to withstand high seal environment
pressures. Recommended for relatively clear non-corrosive and corrosive liquids with
satisfactory' lubricating properties where cost of operation does not exceed that of a double
seal. Examples are Dura RO and CBR and Crane 9T and 215. Reference Conventional Seal.

SINGLE OUTSIDE:
If an extremely corrosive liquid has good lubricating properties, an outside seal offers an
economical alternative to the expensive metal required for an inside seal to resist corrosion.
The disadvantage is that it is exposed outside of the pump which makes it vulnerable to
damage from impact and hydraulic pressure works to open the seal faces so they have low
pressure limits (balanced or unbalanced).

DOUBLE (DUAL PRESSURIZED):

This arrangement is recommended for liquids that are not compatible with a single
mechanical seal (i.e. liquids that are toxic, hazardous [regulated by the EPA], have
suspended abrasives, or corrosives which require costly materials). The advantages of the
double seal are that it can have five times the life of a single seal in severe environments.
Also, the metal inner seal parts are never exposed to the liquid product being pumped, so
viscous, abrasive, or thermosetting liquids are easily sealed without a need for expensive
metallurgy. In addition, recent testing has shown that double seal life is virtually unaffected by
process upset conditions during pump operation. A significant advantage of using a double
seal over a single seal.

The final decision between choosing a double or single seal comes down to the initial cost to
purchase the seal, cost of operation of the seal, and environmental and user plant emission
standards for leakage from seals. Examples are Dura double RO and X-200 and Crane
double 811T.
DOUBLE GAS BARRIER (PRESSURIZED DUAL GAS):
Very similar to cartridge double seals ... sealing involves an inert gas, like nitrogen, to act as a
surface lubricant and coolant in place of a liquid barrier system or external flush required with
conventional or cartridge double seals. This concept was developed because many barrier
fluids commonly used with double seals can no longer be used due to new emission
regulations. The gas barrier seal uses nitrogen or air as a harmless and inexpensive barrier
fluid that helps prevent product emissions to the atmosphere and fully complies with emission
regulations. The double gas barrier seal should be considered for use on toxic or hazardous
liquids that are regulated or in situations where increased reliability is the required on an
application. Examples are Dura GB2OO, GF2OO, and Crane 2800.

TANDEM (DUAL UNPRESSURIZED):Due to health, safety, and environmental

considerations, tandem seals have been used for products such as vinyl chloride, carbon
monoxide, light hydrocarbons, and a wide range of other volatile, toxic, carcinogenic, or
.hazardous liquids

Tandem seals eliminate icing and freezing of light hydrocarbons and other liquids which could
fall below the atmospheric freezing point of water in air (32? F or 0? C). {Typical buffer liquids
in these applications are ethylene glycol, methanol, and propanol.) A tandem also increases
online reliability. If the primary seal fails, the outboard seal can take over and function until
maintenance of the equipment can be scheduled. Examples are Dura TMB-73 and tandem
.PTO

Mechanical Seal Selection

The proper selection of a mechanical seal can be made only if the full operating conditions
are known:

1. Liquid
 2. Pressure
3. Temperature
4. Characteristics of Liquid
5. Reliability and Emission Concerns

1. Liquid: Identification of the exact liquid to be handled is the first step in seal
selection. The metal parts must be corrosion resistant, usually steel, bronze, stainless
steel, or Hastelloy. The mating faces must also resist corrosion and wear. Carbon,
ceramic, silicon carbide or tungsten carbide may be considered. Stationary sealing
members of Buna, EPR, Viton and Teflon are common.
2. Pressure: The proper type of seal, balanced or unbalanced, is based on the
pressure on the seal and on the seal size.
3. Temperature: In part, determines the use of the sealing members. Materials
must be selected to handle liquid temperature.
4. Characteristics of Liquid: Abrasive liquids create excessive wear and short
seal life. Double seals or clear liquid flushing from an external source allow the use of
mechanical seals on these difficult liquids. On light hydrocarbons balanced seals are
often used for longer seal life even though pressures are low.
5. Reliability and Emission Concerns: The seal type and arrangement selected
must meet the desired reliability and emission standards for the pump application.
Double seals and double gas barrier seals are becoming the seals of choice.

Seal Environment
The number one cause of pump downtime is failure of the shaft seal. These failures are
normally the result of an unfavorable seal environment such as improper heat dissipation
(cooling), poor lubrication of seal faces, or seals operating in liquids containing solids, air or
vapors. To achieve maximum reliability of a seal application, proper choices of seal housings
(standard bore stuffing box, large bore, or large tapered bore seal chamber) and seal
environmental controls (CPI and API seal flush plans) must be made.

STANDARD BORE STUFFING BOX COVER

Designed thirty years ago specifically for packing. Also accommodates mechanical seals
(clamped seat outside seals and conventional double seals.)

CONVENTIONAL LARGE BORE SEAL CHAMBER

Designed specifically for mechanical seals. Large bore provides Increased life of seals
through improved lubrication and cooling of faces. Seal environment should be controlled
through use of CPI or API flush plans. Often available with internal bypass to provide
circulation of liquid to faces without using external flush. Ideal for conventional or cartridge
single mechanical seals in conjunction with a flush and throat bushing in bottom of chamber.
Also excellent for conventional or cartridge double or tandem seals.
LARGE BORE SEAL CHAMBERS
Introduced in the mid-8o's, enlarged bore seal chambers with increased radial clearance
between the mechanical seal and seal chamber wall, provide better circulation of liquid to and
from seal faces. Improved lubrication and heat removal (cooling) of seal faces extend seal life
and lower maintenance costs.

BigBoreTM Seal Chamber

TaperBoreTM Seal Chamber

Section B -- Pump Application Data

Large Tapered Bore Seal Chambers

Provide increased circulation of liquid at seal faces without use of external flush. Offers
advantages of lower maintenance costs, elimination of tubing/piping, lower utility costs
(associated with seal flushing) and extended seal reliability. The tapered bore seal chamber is
commonly available with ANSI chemical pumps. API process pumps use conventional large
bore seal chambers. Paper stock pumps use both conventional large bore and large tapered
bore seal chambers. Only tapered bore seal chambers with flow modifiers provide expected
reliability on services with or without solids, air or vapors.
Conventional Tapered Bore Seal Chamber:
Mechanical Seals Fall When Solids or Vapors Am Present in Liquid
Many users have applied the conventional tapered bore seal chamber to improve seal life on
services containing solids or vapors. Seals in this environment failed prematurely due to
entrapped solids and vapors. Severe erosion of seal and pump parts, damaged seal faces
and dry running were the result.

Modified Tapered Bore Seal Chamber with Axial Ribs:

Good for Services Containing Air, Minimum Solids
This type of seal chamber will provide better seal life when air or vapors are present in the
liquid. The axial ribs prevent entrapment of vapors through.improved flow in the chamber. Dry
running failures are eliminated. In addition, solids less than 1% are not a problem.

The new flow pattern, however, still places the seal in the path of solids/liquid flow. The
consequence on services with significant solids (greater than 1%) is solids packing the seal
spring or bellows, solids impingement on seal faces and ultimate seal failure.

Goulds Standard TaperBoreTM PLUS Seal Chamber: The Best Solution for Services
Containing Solids and Air or Vapors
To eliminate seal failures on services containing vapors as well as solids, the flow pattern
must direct solids away from the mechanical seal, and purge air and vapors. Goulds Standard
TaperBoreTM PLUS completely reconfigures the flow in the seal chamber with the result that
seal failures due to solids are eliminated. Air and vapors are efficiently removed eliminating
dry run failures. Extended seal and pump life with lower maintenance costs are the results.
 Section B -- Pump Application Data

Stuffing Box Cover and Seal Chamber Guide

The selection guide on this page and the Seal Chamber Guide are designed to assist
selection of the proper seal housing for a pump application.

JACKETED STUFFING BOX COVER

Designed to maintain proper temperature control (heating or cooling) of seal environment.
(Jacketed covers do not help lower seal face temperatures to any significant degree). Good
for high temperature services that require use of a conventional double seal or single seal
with a flush and API or CPI plan 21.
 JACKETED LARGE BORE SEAL CHAMBER
Maintains proper temperature control (heating or cooling) of sea environment with improved
lubrication of seal faces. Ideal for controlling temperature for services such as molten sulfur
and polymerizing liquids. Excellent for high temperature services that require use of
conventional or cartridge single mechanical seals with flush and throat bushing in bottom of
seal chamber. Also, great for conventional or cartridge double or tandem seals.
Stuffing Box and Seal Chamber Application Guide
Stuffing Box
Application
Cover/Seal Chamber
Use for soft packing. Outside mechanical
Standard Bore Stuffing
seals. Double seals. Also, accommodates
Box Cover
other mechanical seals.
Jacketed Stuffing Box Same as above but also need to control
Cover temperatures of liquid in seal area.
Use for all mechanical seal applications
Conventional Large where the seal environment requires use of
Bore CPI or API seal flush pans. Cannot be used
with outside type mechanical seals.
Same as Large Bore but also need to control
Jacketed Large Bore
temperature of liquid in seal area.
Clean services that require use of single
mechanical seals. Can also be used with
Tapered Large Bore
cartridge double seals. Also, effective on
with Axial Ribs
services with light solids up to 1% by weight.
Paper stock to 1% by weight.
Services with light to moderate solids up to
Tapered Large Bore 10% by weight. Paper stock to 5% by weight.
with Patented Vane Ideal for single mechanical seals. No flush
Particle Ejector (Alloy required. Also, accommodates double seals.
Construction) Cannot be used with outside mechanical
seals.

Next Section

Section B -- Pump Application Data

Environmental Controls
Environmental controls are necessary for reliable performance of a mechanical seal on many
applications. Goulds Pumps and the seal vendors offer a variety of arrangements to combat
these problems.

1. Corrosion
2. Temperature Control
3. Dirty or incompatible environments
CORROSION
Corrosion can be controlled by selecting seal materials that are not attacked by the pumpage.
When this is difficult, external fluid injection of a non-corrosive chemical to lubricate the seal is
possible. Single or double seals could be used, depending on if the customer can stand
delusion of his product.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL
As the seal rotates, the faces are in contact. This generates heat and if this heat is not
removed, the temperature in the stuffing box or seal chamber can increase and cause sealing
problems. A simple by-pass of product over the seal faces will remove the heat generated by
the seal (Fig. 25). For higher temperature services, by-pass of product through a cooler may
be required to cool the seal sufficiently (Fig. 26). External cooling fluid injection can also be
used.

DIRTY or INCOMPATIBLE ENVIRONMENTS

Mechanical seals do not normally function well on liquids which contain solids or can solidify
on contact with the atmosphere. Here, by-pass flush through a filter, a cyclone separator or a
strainer are methods of providing a clean fluid to lubricate seal faces. Strainers are effective
for particles larger than the openings on a 40 mesh screen. Cyclone separators are effective
on solids 10 micron or more in diameter, if they have a specific gravity of 2.7 and the pump
develops a differential pressure of 30-40 psi. Filters are available to remove solids 2 microns
and larger.

If external flush with clean liquid is available, this is the most fail proof system. Lip seal or
restricting bushings are available to control flow of injected fluid to flows as low as 1/8 GPM.
Quench type glands are used on fluids which tend to crystallize on exposure to air. Water or
steam is put through this gland to wash away any build up. Other systems are available as
required by the service.
 A Full Line of Mechanical Seals for Pu
Single spring mechanical seals
of all types !!! ASP-71, ASP- 72,
ASP-721

Single & Double Cartidge

Seals ! - Replicas of seals from
other brands. We also offer spilt
seals!! Prices on Mechanical
Seals
Type ASP-781, ASP-781-T,
ASP-79, ASP79-T Balanced
and unbalanced equals in all
sizes.

Prices on Mechanical Seals

Metal Bellows Seals - Equals to

all brands Prices on
Mechanical Seals

Multi-Spring Seals -Equals to

competitive brands Prices on
Mechanical Seals

Seats of all types, sizes and

styles !!! Prices on Mechanical
Seals
 SPECIFYING MECHANICAL SEALS

Mechanical seals have become increasingly popular in industry. Many

companies develop a set of mechanical seal specifications to make it easier for
their people to select one or more seals for an application. The lack of a company
specification can cause problems with inventory, installation and
interchangeability of seals. Plants are accepting seal components with
unidentified materials, making troubleshooting an impossible task for them.

A good company specification for mechanical seals will include the following:

-- Mechanical Seal materials with the widest range of chemical

compatibility,

-- Mechanical Seals that are easy to install,

-- Mechanical Seals with features that make seal repair easy and low cost,

-- Mechanical Seals that require the least amount of inventory and spare
parts,

-- Mechanical Seals that operate over a wide range of temperature,

pressure and speed, and

-- Mechanical Seal designs that allow the easiest conversion of packed

pumps to mechanical seals.

A typical plant will use some or perhaps all of the following five types of
mechanical seals:

• A single cartridge-mounted balanced seal,

• A dual cartridge-mounted balanced seal,

• A balanced outside seal for low pressure applications,

• A balanced seal installed inside the stuffing box, and

• Metal bellows mechanical seals for chemical and high temperature

applications
 Centrifugal Pumps Stuffing Box

• Applicati Pump Knowledge Menu | Centrifugal Pumps Suppliers

ons and Design
• Engineeri It is not always possible to use a standard centrifugal pumps stuffing box to s
ng Analysis shaft of a centrifugal pump. The pump suction may be under a vacuum so that
• Engineeri leakage is impossible or the fluid may be too hot to provide adequate cooling o
ng Basics packing. These conditions require a modification to the standard stuffing box.
• Engineeri
ng Calculators One method of adequately cooling the packing under these conditions is to inc
lantern ring. A lantern ring is a perforated hollow ring located near the center o
• Engineeri packing box that receives relatively cool, clean liquid from either the discharge
ng Materials pump or from an external source and distributes the liquid uniformly around th
provide lubrication and cooling. The fluid entering the lantern ring can cool the
packing, lubricate the packing, or seal the joint between the shaft and packing a
leakage of air into the pump in the event the pump suction pressure is less than
the atmosphere.
© Copyright 2000 - 2009, by Engineers Edge, LLC All rights reserv
Mechanical Seal Operation
1. Mechanical seals provide the sealing reconciliation between a spinning
shaft and a stationary pump or compressor housing. They typically have a key
part such as a ring or bushing which is mounted on and has a static seal
provided by an o-ring to the spinning shaft. Another part is attached to and has
a similar o-ring static seal to the stationary housing. Either or both may have
sliding bushings and springs that press the seal faces together with a pre-
determined effacement force. It is at this effacement, that the actual sealing
action takes place. Mechanical seals allow a minuscule almost drop by drop
leakage past the seal face to lubricate it to slow seal wear.

Mechanical Seal Types

2. There are a number of mechanical seal types, each providing
advantages for specific applications: the pusher type, the non-pusher,
unbalanced, balanced, conventional, and cartridge type.

Pusher and Non-Pusher

3. Pusher type seals use an axially mounted spring on the shaft sealing
assembly to impart a fixed sealing force to the seal effacement. Non-pusher
springs use a sealed bellows instead of a spring for pushing the effacement
halves together. Both are of modest complexity and cost, and tolerate slight
amounts of misalignment and vibration.

Balanced and Unbalanced

4. Balanced mechanical seals handle higher pressures and are better
suited for liquids that have lower lubrication qualities. Unbalanced seals also
work better in situations with higher vibration or misalignment.

Conventional
5. Conventional mechanical seals are generalized for use on applications
that may not have originally been designed with mechanical seals, instead
being designed with lip seals. They are mainly intended for retrofits and
upgrades of pumps and compressors and may require some engineering and
maintenance effort to effect the change.

Cartridge Type
6. Cartridge mechanical seals provide the entire mechanical seal package
in an easy to replace package that neatly fits inside the cartridge type housing.
Cartridge type seals provide the required static sealing to both the spinning
shaft and stationary housing. Many modern pump builders incorporate these
common cartridge type mechanical seals into their newer products to provide
easier maintenance.