90 SEALING SENSE

Back to Basics: Mechanical Seals

First in a Series

By Ann Attenasio
FSA Member, A.W. Chesterton Company

M Rotating & Stationary

echanical seals touch or sleeve. One of these elements
nearly every aspect of Primary Sealing Elements rotates with the shaft while
industrialized society. The more common end- or rotating- the other is stationary with the
Wherever a rotating shaft moves face mechanical seal designs equipment housing.
fluid, mechanical seals play a key feature mating faces as the primary
role in sealing process fluids in, sealing elements. Rings of ceramic, Closing Forces
keeping contaminants out, or both. carbide, carbon or composites of Leakage is a function of the
A few basic components and these materials are lapped flat in mathematical cube of the film
principles in mechanical seal the range of less than 1 micron thickness, so to minimize leakage,
design contribute to a working on an axial end face. These lapped the gap at the sealing interface
seal at the interface of the rotating faces run against each other, must be kept at a functional
shaft and stationary pump/mixer/ one rotating with the shaft and minimum. Closing forces are used
seal-chamber housing. Mechanical the other stationary with the to optimize this design parameter
seals are usually end-face seals or equipment housing. throughout the operating range of
rotating-face seals, but in some The sealed fluid migrates between the mechanical seal.
designs they can be circumferential the flat faces and forms a stable The initial closing force ensures
or even a hybrid of lip-type seals. fluid film at this interface. During that the seal will function properly
In either case, the following shaft rotation, the face materials from startup. In end- or rotating-
components are common to all heat up, wear and degrade quickly face mechanical seal designs, the
mechanical seals: without a lubricating fluid film initial closing force is provided by
between them. The sealed fluid a spring component, which can be
• Rotating primary sealing element: creates this thin lubricating film. a single coil spring, multiple coil
fixed to/driven by the shaft and In a lip-seal-
seals against the stationary type mechanical Figure 1. Basic elements of an end-face mechanical seal (Graphics courtesy
of FSA)
primary sealing element seal, a thin film
• Stationary primary sealing of sealed fluid
element: fixed to the stationary also lubricates the
housing of the pump, mixer sealing interface.
or other equipment through Rather than two
which the rotating shaft passes flat rings, the
and seals against the rotating sealing interface
primary sealing element is a polymer
• Closing force: biases the primary material deflected
sealing elements in contact to against a hard
initiate sealing material. This
• Static and/or dynamic secondary material could
seals: seal between the be a hardened,
mechanical seal components coated or plated
and the equipment shaft metal, ceramic,
and housing or carbide face

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springs, a deflected bellows unit The dynamic secondary seal will Factors that increase seal
(elastomer or metal), or formed or accommodate the relative motion life include seal design and
flat springs. Initial biasing forces between at least one of the seal material selection, process and
also can be created by magnets, faces and the component to which environmental controls, and
compressed elastomers or any it is mounted. equipment optimization.
other means of applying a closing
force between sealing elements.
In a lip-type mechanical seal, the
initial closing force is typically Mission SCADA Works Right Out
from the deflected polymer of the
lip-type seal or a garter spring for Of The Box, But Won’t Box You In
less resilient materials. Mission managed SCADA systems are Mission flexibility allows you to expand
designed to get you up and running in your system as you are ready and on your
Static/Dynamic hours, not days. Our packages start at terms. Mix and match any of our products
around $1,000 with a maintenance fee of one at a time or all at once, the choice is
Secondary Seals less than $1 a day. Mission strives for yours. That is why you will find Mission
The sealing elements must be ease in doing business. Give us a try – no SCADA monitoring over 2,300 municipal-
secured to the rotating shaft bureaucratic red tape, no huge commit- ities across the U.S. and Canada.
ment. If you like it, buy it. If not, send it
and stationary housing of the back. It’s that simple.
equipment being sealed. O-rings,
gaskets and other elastomer seals
stop leakage at these interfaces.
A static secondary seal stops
leakage between components
that do not move relative to each
other. One example is the interface
between a sleeve and a shaft,
where both rotate but do not move
relative to each other. A dynamic
In Sewer Level Alarm Lift Station Tank and Well Control
secondary seal, on the other hand,
stops leakage between components
that move relative to each other.
An example is a spring-mounted
seal face, where the face is free
to move as the spring deflection
allows, and the secondary seal will
stop leakage between the seal face
and the component to which it is
resiliently mounted.
A lip-type mechanical seal may
only require static secondary seals
because the deflection of the lip-
type seal accommodates equipment
operating motion. All effective
end- or rotary-face mechanical
seals require at least one dynamic
secondary seal. This is because
the mating faces of the sealing
interface are rigid materials that
cannot comply with any equipment Advanced Monitoring • Low Cost • Managed SCADA
shaft/housing misalignments, (877) 993-1911 • www.123mc.com
thermal growth and shaft end-play.
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92 SEALING SENSE

Figure 2. Typical lip-seal-type mechanical seal

Mechanical seals are used with

many process fluids. Each fluid
has different lubrication qualities,
but a thin, lubricating film at the
sealing interface is always needed.
A film that is too thick will increase
leakage and may allow particulate
between the faces, which will
increase wear from abrasion. A
film that is too thin will generate The use of composite hard faces will crystallization can be prevented
heat and cause materials to also reduce friction by providing by using temperature controls,
degrade. Keeping the sealing microscopic reservoirs of system quenching the atmospheric side of
interface cool and clean will fluid at the interface. the sealing interface, or using
promote longer seal life. Thermal conductivity of a double seal with a buffer or
materials will dissipate heat barrier fluid.
Design & Material Selection away from the sealing interface, There are many process
Seal design can influence film promoting seal life. Material considerations other than abrasion
thickness by balancing the toughness also can play a dominant that might prevent a cool, clean
closing forces on the sealing role in mechanical seal life. The lubricating film at the sealing
interface in such a way that the inherent material surface texture interface. If the sealing fluid has
sealing interface does not become may also play a role in promoting a low vapor point, for example,
overloaded as process pressures desirable film thickness. flashing can result. Flashing occurs
increase. A closing force that is too Note that many seal failures when the sealed fluid changes
high will lead to a fluid film at the result from failed secondary seals from liquid to gas at the sealing
sealing interface that is too thin, that have exceeded chemical interface, expanding quickly and
generating detrimental heat. compatibility, pressure or forcing the sealing elements apart
Another way to influence film temperature limits. Metal parts until the pressure and temperature
thickness is to design surface must be compatible to avoid are relieved, only to have the
features at the sealing interface corrosion, and springs and other sealing elements collapse back
that promote hydrodynamic lift hardware must hold up in service. into contact. Mechanical damage
between the rotary and stationary to the sealing contact surfaces
sealing elements. This can help Process & quickly results in seal failure. No
create a purposeful separation at Environmental Controls lubricating film is established.
the sealing interface that results Process and seal environmental Operators must incorporate
in a thicker fluid film that provides controls greatly contribute to a process controls and ensure
cooling and decreases face wear. cool, clean lubricating film at the proper mechanical seal selection
Primary seal material selection sealing interface. If the process to prevent such upsets. There are
can influence seal life as well. fluid is a slurry mixture, process many other process conditions that
Chemical or process compatibility pressure will drive the particulate- require special attention such as
is just one consideration. Harder laden fluid into the sealing fluids that harden, are toxic, must
materials are more resistant interface, resulting in abrasion and be kept anaerobic, are part of food
to abrasive processes, but if accelerated wear. or water supply, or present another
both sealing elements are hard Environmental controls, such specific constraint.
materials, the wear characteristics as a restriction bushing and clean Seal environmental controls
may be less desirable in a flush, can isolate the mechanical are often overlooked, resulting in
nonabrasive application. seal from the harsh process so the surprisingly short seal life. Many
Using one sealing element made seal is mostly sealing the cleaner, seal failures of this type happen in
of a softer material and/or one that cooler flush fluid. In other cases, cool water applications. Cool water
contains lubricating components the pump product may crystallize, is an effective sealing fluid for
such as graphite decreases friction abrading the sealing interface and creating a stable lubricating film at
for starting and incidental contact. causing premature wear. Product the sealing interface, but failure to

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apply proper seal environmental Equipment Optimization Next Month: Back to Basics:
controls can lead to seal failure. Poor equipment conditions— Compression Packing
Many cool water applications caused by bad bearings, cavitation,
fail prematurely because they are excessive impeller loads and We invite your suggestions for article topics as
vertical, with the seal installed at well as questions on sealing issues so we can
misaligned shafts—result in
better respond to the needs of the industry.
a high point in the system where excessive motion, vibration Please direct your suggestions and questions to
air is trapped. Without properly and mechanical shock to the [email protected].
venting the air out of the seal mechanical seal. These conditions
chamber area, the mechanical cause greater stresses, more heat
seal seals air, not cool water. and more opportunity for abrasives
This is a dry-running condition to enter the sealing interface.
that generates heat and quickly Mechanical seals are designed
degrades the materials at the to handle a range of motions and
sealing interface. conditions, but they are just one
A common environmental machinery component in a larger Ann Attenasio is the mechanical
control used in vertical system. Understanding the basics seal product development
applications is a recirculation line of mechanical seals and how they engineering manager for the A.W.
from the seal chamber to pump may be adapted for different Chesterton Company, where she
suction, but in some cases the application requirements is has worked for 20-plus years. She
seals run dry for too long before critical for choosing the best seal holds a BSME from MIT. The A.W.
the fluid replaces the air in the for the job and ensuring optimal Chesterton Company is an active
seal chamber. system reliability. member of the FSA.

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p u m p s a n d s y s te ms . co m | S e p te m ber 2016