Carbon and Graphite

for Mechanical Seals

1
Material Grade Recommendations for
Mechanical Seals Applications
average loads
(typically
< 10 MPa x m/s)
Highest load
(typically
> 10 MPa x m/s)
EK 2100
synthetic resin impregnated
carbon graphite
EK 2230
pressed-to-size carbon
graphite synthetic resin
impregnated

RIDURID V 1774
carbon- and graphite-
filled synthetic resin
(pxv 5 MPa x m/s)
EK 3105 antimony
impregnated carbon
EK 3235 antimony im-
pregnated carbon graphite
EK 2239 pressed-to-size
carbon graphite all car-
bon (acidic to alkaline
medium, temperature up
to 400 C)
EK 2200 synthetic
resin impregnated carbon
EK 3205 antimony
impregnated carbon
graphite
EK 2240 synthetic
resin impregnated
carbon graphite
EK 3245 synthetic
resin impregnated
carbon graphite
Application examples Temperature Manufacture Material*
standard mechanical seals,
e. g. in mechanical enginee-
ring and for chemical pumps
automotive cooling water
pumps, household appliances
oil burner pumps
standard mechanical seals,
e. g. in mechanical enginee-
ring and for chemical pumps
process seals, fuel pumps,
cooling compressors
dishwasher pumps, automo-
tive cooling water pumps
mechanical seals, e. g. for
feed water pumps in power
stations
mechanical seals; e. g. for
compressors
mechanical seals;
e. g. for agitators
mechanical seals;
e. g. for autoclaves
up to 200 C
for use with pre-
dominantly neutral
to acidic medium
up to 550 C
(in oxidised
atmosphere up to
400 C)
for use with pre-
dominantly neutral
to alkaline medium
up to 200 C for
predominantly
neutral to acidic
medium
up to 550 C
(in oxidising atmos-
phere up to 400 C)
for predominantly
neutral to alkaline
medium
up to 200 C
up to 550 C
(in oxidising atmos-
phere up to 400 C)
small-sized and
unit production up
to 205 mm
high volume
production tool-
dependent up to
60 mm
small-sized and
unit production up
to 205 mm
high volume
production tool-
dependent up to
60 mm
standard dimen-
sions up to
550 mm
standard dimensions
up to 550 mm
* Proof of gas tightness available on request for all materials.
Certificates for use in the food industry are available.
Dry running
Wet running
Application examples Temperature Manufacture Material*
Carbon and Graphite by SGL CARBON
Applications
Carbon and graphite materials
are used in mechanical seals in
cases where gases or liquids
with low hydrodynamic
lubricating action have to be
sealed.
Fields of application
fuel pumps
chemical pumps
process pumps in refineries
seals for agitators and auto-
claves
cold and hot water pumps
pumps for household and
garden appliances
automobile cooling water
pumps
heat-removal loop pumps in
nuclear power stations
pumps for the beverages
industry
4
Friction depends on
surface finish of the mating
surfaces
rubbing speed
specific loading
type and quantity of lubri-
cating medium
Wear rates as a function of the
counterface material, using
EK 2230 and EK 3235 at a
steady rubbing speed of
4.4 m/s and steady medium
pressure of 10 bar for differ-
ent counterface materials
(chromium cast, aluminium
oxide and silicon carbide).
Medium: demineralized water
Friction
I t is difficult to give expected
wear figures as in practise
many factors have to be
considered, for example:
mating materials
rubbing speed
loading
surface finish of mating
surfaces
presence of solid impurities
in the medium being sealed
operating conditions
Service life
grey cast iron
chromium cast
chrome steel
aluminium oxide
tungsten carbide
silicon carbide
carbon
Preferred counter-
face materials
Tribological Behaviour
The following coefficients of friction ()
can be assumed as a guide:
Wet running: = 0.01 - 0.05
Mixed running: = 0.05 - 0.10
Dry running: = 0.1 - 0.25
Wear rates as a function of the
rubbing speed against carbide
materials, taking as examples
EK 2200 () and EK 3205
(- -) at a steady rubbing
speed of 9 m/s and increasing
load. Medium: demineralised
water.
Wear (m/100 h)
Wear (m/h)
specific loading (N/mm
2
)
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
TUNGSTEN CARBIDE
Wear (m/h)
specific loading (N/mm
2
)
SILICON CARBIDE
Cr cast Al oxide Si carbide
10
1
0.1
0.01
10
1
0.1
0.01
EK 2230 EK 3235 EK 2230 EK 3235 EK 2230 EK 3235
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
3
Can be supplied with a
variety of surface finish.
I f the application permits,
bearing in mind economy
and in view of manufactur-
ing costs, storage and pack-
aging as well as handling in
subsequent assembly, the
following maximum surface
finish criteria should be
considered.
Manufacture
All of the above forming
processes, offer significant
savings when the special featu-
res of carbon and graphite
materials are considered at the
design phase. Take advantage
of SGL CARBONs technical
support at the design phase.
Surface flatness of rubbing faces*
1 light band = 0.297 m, * measured using interference test equipment
Diameter in mm
< 75
75150
150225
> 225
Number of light bands
2
3
5
8
pressed-to-size carbon graphite
mechanical seals

RIDURID and graphite-filled

plastic mechanical seals
Carbon graphite mechanical
seals
beginning at
5,000 units
beginning at
10,000 units
1 5,000 units
Tolerances Mechanical seals Manufacture Economic batch sizes
tolerances + 0.5 % of
the nominal size simple
to average complex
geometries
tolerances from IT 9 are
achievable
possible without any limita-
tion on the geometry
tolerance from IT 6 are are
achieved
tool-dependent manufacture
for large-batch production
up to 60 x 25 mm
standard
material-dependent manu-
facture for large batches
using the familiar process of
plastics forming (injection
moulding, hot pressing)
machining of small quantities
up to 550 mm
Tolerances and dimensions according to manufacturing process and typical batch sizes
Good surface flatness Poor surface flatness
Graphite Specialties
Business Unit
SGL CARBON GmbH
Werk Ringsdorff
Drachenburgstrae 1
D-53170 Bonn
Phone: +49 (228) 841-394
Fax: +49 (228) 841-456
I nternet: www.sglcarbon.com
This information is based on our pre-
sent state of knowledge and is intend-
ed to provide general notes on our
products and their uses. I t should not
therefore be construed as guaranteeing
specific properties of the products
described or their suitability for a
particular application. Any existing
industrial property rights must be
observed. The quality of our products
is guaranteed under our General
Conditions of Sale.
02 02/3E Printed in Germany