What are the Benefits of the Seal Support System on an EDDY Pump?
The mechanical seal is one of the most crucial components of the pump. If it fails, the pumps fail. EDDY Pump Corporation, along with the leading seal manufacturing companies, achieved their goal of developing the industry's longest-lasting mechanical seal system for rotary pumps. Browse Our Slurry PumpsContact Us For a Fast QuoteThis Article Includes
- What is a Seal Support System on an Industrial Pump?
- Industry Leading Seal Support System by EDDY Pump
What is a Seal Support System on an Industrial Pump?
Most pump experts would agree that mechanical seals on a rotating industrial pump are one of the most important components regarding pump performance and longevity. Rotating industrial pumps are designed with double mechanical seals located at the shaft that connects the impeller or rotor to the motor. As the motor applies force to the shaft, the shaft spins, which in turn, spins the impeller or rotor which is connected to the far end of the shaft. This spinning action of the shaft and impeller or rotor is what produces the flow rate of the pump. The double mechanical seals are a wear component that must be replaced periodically or the pump will not perform as expected, or even worse if these seals fail it can cause a catastrophic failure resulting in substantial cost to repair or replace the pump.
Most often, failure of the mechanical seals is due to being exposed to excessive heat that is generated by the turning or spinning action of the shaft. This build-up of excessive heat at this area of the pump is also the reason why many rotating industrial pumps cannot operate in a run-dry condition. When a pump runs dry without fluid circulating through the wetted path, a greater amount of heat is generated at the mechanical seals. Subjecting the mechanical seals to a greater amount of heat than what they can withstand causes premature failure of the seals.
A solution to avoiding the overheating of mechanical seals in a rotating industrial pump is Seal Support Systems. Seal Support Systems are designed to flush the mechanical seal area of the pump with fluid. This flushing action reduces the build-up of heat, increases the longevity of the pump, and avoids premature failure of the mechanical seals due to overheating.
API Plan 53A and API Plan 62 Seal Support Design Standards
There are a number of different Seal Support System designs available on rotating industrial pumps. Some of the different designs available meet the American Petroleum Institute (API) standards for pumps that are to be used in the Oil and Gas industry. A couple of the most prevalent API standards for Seal Support Systems API Plan 53A and API Plan 62. Both of these systems are designed differently; The API Plan 53A Seal Support System is designed with a closed-loop system, and API Plan 62 Seal Support System is designed with an open system where the flushing fluid is immediately discarded from the pump directly after the flushing fluid flows through the mechanical seal area and expels the heat.
Both of these seal support systems are very effective at reducing heat build-up that can destroy mechanical seals. Although both of the types of seal support systems reduce heat build-up, some environments require the use of a closed-loop seal support system to avoid the flushing fluid from exiting the pump and contaminating the area that the pump is operating.
Industry Leading Seal Support System by EDDY Pump
The EDDY Pump Corporation is one of the leading manufacturers of slurry and dredge pumps in the world, and they have designed one of the industry’s most effective Seal Support Systems available. The EDDY Pump Engineering Team understands the value of providing a rotating industrial pump that provides the consistent long-lasting performance that customers expect. EDDY Pump’s track record speaks for itself, and many of their slurry and dredge pumps have been working and providing consistent value in customer applications for well over 20-years without requiring maintenance.
The following is a description of the two Seal Support System designs available on slurry and dredge pumps manufactured by the EDDY Pump Corporation.
EDDY Pump Seal Support System Design Consistent with API Plan 53A
This seal support system is the most commonly used, and is designed with a closed-loop system, and is ideal for situations where environmental considerations are most important and/or the cost of the water continuously expelled to the atmosphere is not desired.
Descriptive Breakdown
This system comes with a 2.8-gallon pressurized reservoir tank with a 50% glycol/water mixture so that it does not freeze in cold environments, a closed-loop made of metal tubing that runs from the bottom portion of the reservoir tank to the shaft / mechanical area of the pump, and back from the shaft / mechanical seal area to the upper portion of the reservoir tank.
How it Works
Barrier fluid that is under pressure, and that consists of 50% glycol and 50% water is pumped through the closed-loop system via the integrated pumping ring, beginning from the bottom portion of the pressurized reservoir tank, through the metal tubing to the mechanical seal area, flush both mechanical seals with barrier fluid which absorbs the heat from the shaft / mechanical seals, then, the heated barrier fluid is forced through the remaining section of metal tubing by the integrated pumping ring back to the reservoir tank. Once the heated barrier fluid is returned to the reservoir tank, it is cooled by the water that runs through a heating coil. The barrier fluid that has now been cooled is recirculated back through the closed-loop system to, once again, cool the shaft / mechanical seal area of the pump.
The barrier fluid is pressurized to a greater pressure than the fluid that is being pumped; this is so the barrier fluid within the closed-loop system can force the mechanical seal faces closed. If this was not the case, and there was more pressure coming from the fluid being pumped through the pump, it could force the mechanical seal faces open which could cause seal failure.
The reservoir tank comes with a Level Indicator that shows the level of the barrier fluid. It is important to monitor both the level of the barrier fluid and the pressure within the Seal Support System to ensure that the fluid and pressure are at correct amounts. If the barrier fluid in the system becomes too low, the seals can be negatively affected. Eddy Pump also has an optional embedded sensor package that will send alarms if either the pressure drops or the fluid in the system drops to a critical level. EDDY Pump can also automate the system to shut the pump down in the event that the pressure or fluid level drops below a predetermined level to avoid any damage to the seals.
Never Use Antifreeze or 100% Glycol as a Barrier Fluid
Never use automotive antifreeze as a barrier fluid for an EDDY Pump; it is not biodegradable and it has additives that plug holes which can cause it to impede the performance of mechanical seals. Also, avoid using non-diluted glycol on an EDDY Pump because glycol that is non-diluted provides less of a cooling effect than a glycol barrier fluid that is diluted to 50% glycol and 50% water.
EDDY Pump Seal Support System Design Consistent with API Plan 62
This seal support system is designed with an open system and is equally effective at cooling the shaft / mechanical seal area of the pump. The open system is designed to use the common tap water that comes directly from the water supplied to any facility. This version of the Seal Support System is ideal for applications where the cost of continuously supplying the Seal Support System with water is not an issue, either environmentally or from a cost perspective.
Descriptive Breakdown
This system comes with metal tubing that is connected to an external water source and runs from the water source to the shaft / mechanical area of the pump, then the metal tubing runs to a valve named a Sealtecta which acts as a drain valve.
How it Works
Once a water source is connected to the inlet of the metal tubing and the water is turned on at the faucet or valve external of the Seal Support System, the water pressure generated by the water supply (roughly 60 psi or so) forces the water through the metal tubing to the mechanical seal area, flushes both of the mechanical seals with water which absorbs the heat from the shaft / mechanical seals, then the water runs through the remainder of the metal tubing to the Seatecta valve, and out of the system to atmosphere. The Sealtecta valve is designed with wax that, when the hot water from the shaft / mechanical seal area contacts the wax, the valve opens allowing the hot water to exit to the atmosphere. Once the hot water exits the Sealtecta valve, the wax cools and hardens, closing the drain valve.
Benefits of the EDDY Pump Seal Support System
The EDDY Pump Seal Support System is considered by many to be one of the most effective seal support systems for increasing mechanical seal longevity by reducing the temperature that mechanical seals are exposed.
Providing added value, this seal support system also enables EDDY Pump to be operated in a run-dry condition, which is a great advantage over another competitor’s rotary industrial pumps. A run-dry situation is where the pump is operating but there is no fluid being pumped through the volute and the wetted path. In a run-dry situation, there is an increase in rpm’s at the rotor or impeller and shaft assembly because this assembly is turning at a much faster speed without fluid inside the pump. This situation increases the heat to the mechanical seals and can cause premature pump failure within a couple of minutes.
To avoid premature mechanical seal failure, and ensure your pump can endure a run-dry situation, contact EDDY Pump today to purchase one of our Heavy-Duty Slurry or Dredge Pumps that is outfitted with the Seal Support System!
No Seal is Bullet-proof, but Eddy Pump has Designed a Mechanical Seal System that is the Closest Thing to It!
The EDDY Pump – A Pump with an Attitude!
The EDDY Pump Corporation is a leading provider of unique, extremely durable, and tough slurry and dredge pumps, and manufactures products that provide superior value versus other pump types. The pump is not a centrifugal, vortex, or positive displacement pump, but rather a pump harnessing the fluid dynamics of an eddy current. This enables the EDDY pump to outperform conventional pumps in applications that involve high viscosity, large weight of solids and particulates, high specific gravity, corrosive and abrasive material, work well in applications that are susceptible to clogging, and do it in an environmentally friendly manner.
EDDY Pump Product Categories
If you are pumping slurry, brines, high solids, extremely viscous material, paste, high abrasives (sand & gravel), and material filled with solids, then you found the best-suited pump for the job. Go to: https://eddypump.com/ or Call Us!
Mining, Fly Ash, Coal Ash, Oil, Fracking, Gas, Wastewater, Pulp and Paper, Chemical, Energy, Water Municipalities, Irrigation, and Dredging Companies. For Access to Complete Product Line Go to: https://eddypump.com/products/
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