Mechanical seal function

Basics of fluid pump sealing. A mechanical seal is simply a method of containing fluid within a vessel (typically pumps, mixers, etc.) where a rotating shaft passes through a stationary housing or occasionally, where the housing rotates around the shaft. A mechanical seal is a device that helps join systems or mechanisms together by preventing leakage (e.g. in a plumbing system), containing pressure, or excluding contamination. The effectiveness of a seal is dependent on adhesion in the case of sealants and compression in the case of gaskets.

Mechanical seals try to solve an age old problem of preventing pumped fluid from leaking into the environment.

Increasingly strict environmental standards and harsher operating conditions have made pump sealing technology an active area of research. What is the function of a mechanical seal in a. A stationary sealing face. A Rotating sealing face 3. The mechanical seal acts as a check valve and a slider bearing. The obvious function is that of a check valve to prevent liquid under pressure from leaking out of the pump, or from drawing air into the pump when under vacuum conditions.

The main parts of the mechanical seals are (please refer the figure above): 1) Rotating and fixed face : The rotating and the fixed faces are the two vital parts. Secondary sealants : Between the two faces of the mechanical seal the secondary seals ,.

The hardware of the mechanical seals. Read on for a basic understanding of mechanical seals , and how they differ from packing. Originally mechanical seals were developed to overcome the negative issues affiliated with packed stuffing boxes.

Designing and Using Pumping Rings. Pumping rings are internal pumps used inside centrifugal pumps to promote flow in various closed loop circulation systems. Several different types of pumping rings are available. Usually a fluid flush is used to control the fluid temperature. These days due to strict environmental standards and harsher operating conditions, pump sealing technology falls is an active area of research.

As industrial advancement has brought new technologies, mechanical seals have evolved to keep up with technology. In a lip- seal - type mechanical seal , a thin film of sealed fluid also lubricates the sealing interface. Rather than two flat rings, the sealing interface is a polymer material deflected against a hard material. This material could be a hardene coated or plated metal, ceramic, or carbide face or sleeve. This is usually the case when pump leakage can cause environmental or safety issues.

These are very close tolerance and will not withstand misalignment for long if at all. A high percentage of mechanical seal failures are due to vibration induced by misalignment. There are various types and arrangement of the mechanical seals being used for the centrifugal pumps.

This articles describes some of the commonly used mechanical seal types like Cartridge type mechanical seals , Balanced type, Unbalanced type, Conventional, Pusher, and Non-Pusher type of mechanical seals. If one mechanical seal functions smoothly, then it will lead a largely uneventful life. But as soon as the leakage rate rises or if the mechanical seal even fails, its importance quickly becomes self-evident.

Their main job is to prevent the pumped product from leaking into the environment and are manufactured as single or double seals.