What Are Mechanical Seals?
Mechanical seals are seals are typically used on rotating equipment such as pumps, compressors, and mixers. They keep potentially hazardous gas and fluids that are being processed from contaminating the environment. Keeping these materials away from plant personal and vulnerable equipment. devices that form a barrier around moving parts to prevent contamination from the outside, and to keep components within the device from leaking.
Common Types of Mechanical Seals
Cartridge Seals
Single Cartridge Seals are seals that are factory assembled so they avoid any field installation issues. They are preassembled components composed of a gland, sleeve, faces, and springs. All the components are factory pressure tested and have pre-set spring tension. These are basically bolt on seal.utilize two flat surfaces that slide against each other and are held together by a spring. They are pre-constructed and ready to use, which minimizes installation and maintenance.
Double Cartridge Seals are seals similar to single cartridge seals, but use two separate seals positioned next to each other to reduce or eliminate any leakage of fluid from the interior of the device chamber. Double cartridge seals are also ready-made to be used with minimal installation and maintenance effort. These seals maintain the lowest leak rates possible for fugitive emissions, environmental contamination and safety to plant personal.
Component Seals
Single Spring mechanical Seals utilize two separate components that are field assembled. The spring & face rotate together and run against a stationary seat to seal off process fluids. The single spring provides the load or pressure that holds these faces together.
Multiple Spring Mechanical Seals are built in the same way that single spring seals are built with the exception that they utilize multiple springs to ensure uniform distribution of force to keep the seal shut. This helps to reduce leaks and wear and tear on the seal.
Non-Metallic Cartridge Seals are similar to single cartridge seals with the exception that they do not use metallic components. These are often used when the fluids being sealed off would cause corrosion or damage to the mechanical seal.
Related Seals
Bearing Isolator Seals are seals designed specifically to prevent external contaminants from damaging bearings, and to keep bearing lubrication from leaking out of the bearing.
How Are Mechanical Seals Used?
Mechanical seals are typically used on pumps of all different varieties. Pumps typically need to seal off fluid contained within the pump while also allowing motion to be transferred away from the sealed chamber. This usually involves a rotating shaft. The problem is that this opens up potential for fluid to leak where the shaft connects from the exterior of the pump to the interior chamber. Mechanical seals help to prevent these leaks and seal the fluid inside the chamber without hindering the moving components’ motion.
Mechanical seals are used across an enormous range of industries and applications. Any industry that involves moving fluids will likely use pumps that require mechanical seals, and many other industries also regularly use mechanical seals.
Industries that use mechanical seals would include:
- The Oil Industry
- Chemical Industry
- Food and Beverage Processing
- Utilities and Wastewater Processing
- And many more