When you drive for operational efficiency, there has to be a balance between cost-effectiveness and reliability.
There is no sense in procuring low-quality material if it is available at low prices. Ultimately, you will arrive at higher wear and tear, and subsequently, it will stretch the bottom lines.
Take the example of mechanical seals. The sealing technology has evolved dramatically in the past few decades. It has resulted in increase in operational efficiency, reliability, and environmental sustainability.
You come across many types of sealing solutions, and selection becomes difficult. The incorrect choice may result in operational efficiency and productivity loss. Not only that, you will face problems of leakage and bearing contamination as well.
Hence, it is very much essential to pick the most appropriate sealing solution.
The right choice of sealing solution makes the bearings last longer
When the estimated lifespan of a bearing is around 15000 operational hours, why don’t we get it in reality? Why the bearings wear out much earlier than that?
In the majority of the cases, the culprit it inefficient sealing.
Remember, even one drop of water contamination (0.002 percent approx.) can also reduce the life of the bearing to half.
Now you understand the reason behind the frequent bearing failure.
The frequent replacement of seals and bearing makes the operations costly over a period. Moreover, you need to spend more hours on maintenance, repairs, and replacement of the components.
Therefore, it is critically important to pick the best sealing solution and avoid these overheads.
Consider these three parameters
When you choose a sealing solution, consider the three critical parameters.
Compression
The seal should have a more significant cross-section than the radial gap of the groove. Thus, it provides the best sealing force.
Of course, the compression applied depends on the type of application. It could be static or dynamic.
Stretch
Mechanical seals are used in a variety of applications. The applications may have positive or negative tolerance.
Even a minor permanent stretch could also damage the seal and result in leakage problems.
Therefore, use the right seal that doesn’t get overstretched.
Gland fill
It requires energized pressure to maintain a high-temperature sealing. The early compression offers a low-pressure sealing, though.
Groove width should be sufficient to allocate the right pressure in the groove. Thus, the center of the pressure gets energized the seal.
The standard gland fill should be below 85 percent.
By following these precautions, one can keep leakage minimum and maintain the right sealing.
Leak-Pack is ISO 9001:2008 certified company and leading mechanical seals manufacturer & supplier in India, providing solutions to all types of leakages by manufacturing Mechanical Seals and Sealing Components as per customer’s drawings, samples or requirements. To know more about Mechanical Seal call on +91-(2739) 271592 or email at info@leakpack.com.
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