Enhancing Mechanical Seal Reliability in a High-Pressure Marine Application
Overview
By employing Vulcan Seals‘ optimised, low-wear sealing solution, a marine equipment manufacturer successfully resolved recurring electrical reliability issues, reduced failures, maintenance costs, and enhanced overall equipment performance without the necessity for significant modifications.
This case study underscores the importance of precision engineering in mechanical seal applications and showcases Vulcan Seals’ expertise in providing high-performance sealing solutions for challenging marine environments.
The Challenge
A leading marine equipment manufacturer, specialising in high-performance propulsion and fluid handling systems, was facing persistent electrical reliability issues with the mechanical seals in an unusual, high-pressure, deep-sea marine application.
The mechanical seals were installed between a rotary propeller and the drive shaft bearing to the impeller, tasked with sealing bearing fluid internally and sea water externally. With external pressure exceeding internal pressure, the original European-designed mechanical seal, while suited for short axial length installations, struggled to maintain performance under these demanding conditions, resulting in:
- Short working height limitations: The original mechanical seal required a highly conical energising spring and a broad rotary face, which compromised its performance.
- High external pressure impact: Fluid frequently passed across the sealing surfaces, causing failures due to the pressure differential.
- Inadequate performance in variable marine conditions: The system required a mechanical seal capable of handling variable speeds and high-pressure fluctuations reliably, especially in a marine environment.
The Solution
The Vulcan Seals engineering experts conducted an in-depth analysis of the application, including a review of used mechanical seals from the system. This evaluation identified opportunities for minor modifications to the mechanical seal chamber, which would enable the use of Vulcan Seals’ shortest-length parallel spring diaphragm bellows mechanical seals.
Unlike the original design, this mechanical seal featured a narrow primary sealing face and an uncompromised structure capable of handling medium-duty industrial process applications. More specifically, the key improvements included:
- Adoption of a parallel spring diaphragm bellows mechanical seal: This design provided a more reliable sealing solution with enhanced pressure-handling capabilities, which is critical for high-pressure marine applications.
- Identification of a mismatch in OEM housing dimensions: The true housing size allowed for the use of a standard shorter stationary seal, eliminating the need for modifications.
- Simplified implementation: The new solution removed the requirement for modifications to the seal chamber, making adoption straightforward and minimising disruption to marine operations.
The Result
The newly-introduced Vulcan Seals mechanical seal design significantly improved sealing performance. With more evenly loaded sealing faces, the sealing solution operated reliably in the variable speed environment, without premature failures. Additionally, the new mechanical seals could be retrofitted to existing equipment still utilising the original design, providing a seamless upgrade path for field units. More specifically, the key benefits included:
- Improved electrical reliability and performance: The new mechanical seal handled variable speed and high-pressure conditions without failure, improving the overall efficiency of marine systems.
- No dimensional changes required: The new design fits seamlessly into the existing system, reducing downtime and costs.
- Retrofit capability: Existing marine equipment could be easily upgraded with the new mechanical seal, extending equipment lifespan and reducing maintenance burdens.
- Lower maintenance and operational costs: The optimised design reduced the need for frequent maintenance, saving time and resources for marine operations.
Contact the Vulcan Seals Experts
For industries and applications facing similar challenges with complex or critical equipment, Vulcan Seals offers a wealth of expertise in designing and manufacturing custom-engineered solutions that meet specific operational requirements.
Please use the form found on our Contact Us page and a Vulcan Seals expert will get back to you as soon as possible.
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