Style 85 Split Cartridge Mechanical Seal Range Continues to Grow

split cartridge mechanical seal

In the past 18 months, Flexaseal Engineered Seals and Systems, LLC has added a few new sizes to our repertoire of split cartridge mechanical seals.

The new 1.000” seal is the smallest size split cartridge mechanical seal we have built to date. Smaller sized mechanical seals can be more difficult to engineer because the critical dimensions and tolerances get even tighter as the size decreases.

On the other end of the spectrum, we recently built a 7.000” split cartridge mechanical seal with a solid adapter plate and split collar/sleeve extension for a 600HP vertical turbine at a large municipal water intake well in Florida. We designed and built this custom engineered mechanical seal in under 3-1/2 weeks. It is that type of efficient service combined with the strength of our unique design that distinguishes us from our competitors.

Lastly, just this month, we designed and built the 4.500” version of our Split Cartridge Mechanical Seal to fit an Allis Chalmers PWO-4 pump, one of the market’s most recognizable brands.

The parallel growth of our most famous product, the Style 85 Split Cartridge Mechanical Seal, has been a major factor driving our dynamic progress as a company. As the manufacturer the “World’s First 2-piece, Fully Split Cartridge Seal”, we offer a distinct advantage which remains unmatched by our competition. Once people discover our Fully Split Cartridge Mechanical Seal design they often want to try it in every application. The array of size options now spans from 1.000” – 11.000”, including many metric sizes up to 220mm and we continue to add sizes and innovations to our Style 85 product line.

Learn more about the Style 85 Split Cartridge Mechanical Seals here.

2014 EASA Convention: A Reflection

2014 EASA Convention
Photo Credit: http://www.easa.com/convention/photos/2014

I recently attended the 2014 EASA Convention & Exhibition as a product specialist for Flexaseal. One of the most effective ways for Flexaseal to improve our product line and continue to innovate the ideal sealing solutions for our customers is to attend industry-specific trade shows and events. Learning from the companies who use our products every day is what helps us provide the level of service and support we strive for.

EASA is an organization whose objective is to promote improvement of services and practices across the broad and vast electrical services industry. The group serves “all members who sell and service electrical, electronic and mechanical apparatuses by educating, informing and promoting the highest standards of performance and ethics.” Our goal at Flexaseal is to support these efforts with our products.

EASA has global audience; there are exhibitors and attendees from North, Central and South Americas, Europe and Asia. Each year, more and more companies from Latin America attend the show, and one of my favorite aspects is that I get the chance to converse with them in their first language. One gentleman I met was having his son translate, and I simply answered him in Spanish, meaning I was able to converse directly with the principal of the company. The fact that we have a team of customer service and sales representatives who speak Spanish distinguishes us in an industry that is rapidly growing in that market.

The other aspect of our business that distinguishes us in an industry like electrical services is that we have the ability to accurately spec the best products and solutions for our customers’ equipment. Our products lengthen the life of the equipment they run in, and save on water and electricity. Many of the people we met for the first time at the EASA Convention were surprised by and drawn to our split cartridge mechanical seal. I could see them counting the hours of time they could save by utilizing its two-piece cartridge design. It eliminates operator error that is common in our competitors’ designs, maximizes the efficiency of the equipment and minimizes costly downtime.

Thanks to everyone who came and spoke to us at the 2014 EASA Convention. We’re already looking forward to next year!

How Long Will a Mechanical Seal Last?

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Seal life is determined by a wide variety of factors, many of which are independent of the actual seal design. Installation issues, improper pump operation, and an inadequate seal support system are just a few. Very close attention must be paid to the selection of a mechanical seal and its components—including faces, O-rings, and metallurgy—to ensure maximum life. It’s also critical that the appropriate seal type is chosen for each different application and that the installation procedure is accurately followed. Two of the most common seal failure causes are heat generation and improper installation, both of which have multiple potential root causes.

Prevent Heat Generation from Decreasing Mechanical Seal Life

Today, one of the most commonly used seal face combinations is a softer carbon face against a much harder silicon carbide face. This is a cool-running combination if there is no seal support system, such as a flush plan, in place. Excess heat generation between seal faces will drastically reduce seal life, and must be avoided. The softer carbon face against a silicon carbide face does not generate nearly as much heat as other face combinations, and is therefore a good option for seals without seal support systems.

Seal support systems, such as a plan 11 (flush line from pump discharge), a plan 13 (recirculation to pump suction), or a Plan 53A (pressurized barrier fluid with a seal reservoir), can be simple or highly complex, but they all have the same goal: to keep the seal faces clean, cool, and well-lubricated. If there is a seal support system and abrasives are present, changing the carbon face to either Silicon Carbide or a Tungsten Carbide face is a much better option for extending seal life, as the two hard silicon faces will be much more resistant to abrasion. The piping plan will compensate for the excess heat generated by the two hard faces, increasing seal life. If there are no abrasive solids and there is no chemical issue with the process fluid, then the Carbon versus Silicon Carbide face is the best seal face combination to use.

Proper Installation Extends the Life of Mechanical Seals

Improper installation of a mechanical seal is another one of the most common causes of failure. Seal installation should be performed in the steps outlined by the manufacturer, and with great care to avoid damaging the delicate seal faces / O-rings. Forgetting to tighten set screws before removing setting clips, not tightening gland bolts evenly, damaging O-rings, nicking seal faces, and piping connection errors are some of the common installation mistakes made when installing a seal.

Component seal installation is inherently more prone to installation errors when compared to cartridge seals due to the extra steps and measurements needed. This is why, if possible, a cartridge seal design should be chosen over a component design. There is already enough to be meticulous about when installing a mechanical seal; why add additional opportunity for installation mistakes?

The correct seal face combinations, proper installation by a trained technician, a seal support piping plan, and good seal selection will lead to longer MTBF, which is what we are all looking for at the end of the day. There is an understandable cost increase for these improvements, but data suggests that the extra cost is well worth it, as replacing a burned-out seal is much more costly in the end.

As our Chief Engineer Kim Simmons always preaches, “A cool seal is a happy seal.”