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PLAN O2 PLAN 41
PLAN 11 PLAN 51
PLAN 12 PLAN 52
PLAN 13 PLAN 53
PLAN 21 PLAN 54
PLAN 22 PLAN 61
PLAN 23 PLAN 62
PLAN 31
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PLAN 01
PLAN 02
o
Plugged connections for
o possible future circulating fluid.
PLAN 11
Reciculation from pump discharge through a flow control orifice to the seal.
The flow enters the seal chamber adjacent to the mechanical seal faces,
flushes the faces and flows across the seal backinto the pump.
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PLAN 12
Reciculation from pump discharge through a strainer & flow control orifice to the seal.
This plan is similar to plan 11 but with addition of strainer to remove occasional
particles. Strainers are not normally recommended because of blockage could
cause failure.
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PLAN 13
Reciculation from the seal chamber through a flow control orifice and
back to pump suction.
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PLAN 21
Reciculation from pump discharge through a flow control orifice and a cooler,
then into the seal chamber.
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PLAN 22
Reciculation from pump discharge through a strainer, a flow control orifice and
a cooler, then into the seal chamber. Strainers are not normally recommended
because of blockage could cause seal failure.
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PLAN 23
Reciculation from pumping ring in the seal chamber through a cooler and back
to the seal chamber. This plan can be used on hot applications to minimize heat
load on cooler by cooling only the small amount of liquid that is recirculated.
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DETAILS
PLAN 31
PI
Fluid is injected into the seal chamber from an external source. Care must be
exercised in choosing a proper source of seal flush to eliminate the potential
for vaporization of injected fluid and to avoid contamination of the fluid being
pumped with the injected flush.
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PLAN 41
Re
se
rvo
ir
Quench Inlet
Re
Normally Open
se
FI
rv
oir
BO
BI
External reservoir providing buffer fluid for the outer seal of an unpressurised
dual seal arrangement. During normal operation, circulation is maintained by an
internal pumping ring. The reservoir is usually continuously vented to a vapor
recovery system and is maintained at a pressure less than the pressure in the
seal chamber
External pressure source HOME
PS PI PLAN 53 DETAILS
Re
Normally Open
se
FI
rv
oir
BO
BI
Pressurised external barrier fluid reservoir supplying clean fluid to the seal
chamber. Circulation is by an internal piping ring. Reservoir pressure is greater
than the process pressure being sealed. Typically used with arrangement 3
pressurised dual seal.
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PLAN 54 DETAILS
BO
BI
Pressurised external barrier fluid reservoir or system supplying clean fluid to the
seal chamber. Circulation is by an external pump or pressure system.
Reservoir pressure is greater than the process pressure being sealed.
Typically used with arrangement 3 pressurised dual seal.
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PLAN 61
Plugged Inlet
Plugged Outlet
Tapped connections for the purchaser's use. Typically this plan is used when
the purchaser is to provide fluid (such as steam, gas or water) to an auxillary
sealing device.
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PLAN 62 DETAILS
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Plan 32
Plan 32 is used in services containing solids or contaminants where a suitable cleaner or cooler flush will improve the seal
environment. It is also used to reduce flashing or air intrusion(in vacuum services) across the seal faces by providing a flush
that has a lower vapor pressure or that will raise the seal chamber pressure to an acceptable level. The external flush must
be continuous and reliable even during non-standard situations such as start-up or shutdown. The external flush must also
be compatible with the process stream.
In API plan 32, the flushing product is brought from an external source to the seal. This plan is almost always used in
conjunction with a close-clearance throat bushing. The bushing can function as a throttling device to maintain elevated
pressure in the stuffing box or as a barrier to isolate the pumped product from the seal chamber. Plan 32, is not
recommended for cooling only, as the energy costs be very high. Product degradation costs also must be considered when
using a plan 32.
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Plan 52
Plan 52 or arrangement 2 unpressurised dual seal systems are used in services where no leakage to atmosphere can be
tolerated. A plan 52 system consistes of dual machanical seals with a buffer fluid between them. The buffer fluid is contained
in a seal pot which is vented to a vent system, thus maintaining the buffer fluid pressure close to atmosphereic. Inner seal
leakage will be product leakage into the buffer fluid. There will always be some leakage.
Plan 52 works best with clean, non polymerizing products which have a vapor pressure higher than the buffer fluid pressure.
These products will flash in the seal pot and the vapor van escape to the vent system. If the product has a vapor pressure
lower than the buffer fluid or seal pot pressure, the leakage will remain a liquid and will contaminate the buffer fluid.
Should an inner seal leak not be detected early, the heavier process fluid will displace the buffer fluid and can result in the
area between the two seals being completely filled with product. In that case, an outer seal leak can result in product being
released to the atmosphere. Plan 52 is discouraged for dirty or polymerising products as well. Plan 53 should be considered
as an alternative for these situations.
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Plan 53
Plan 53 or arrangement 3 pressurised dual seal systems are used in services where no leakage to atmosphere can be
tolerated. A plan 53 system consists of dual mechanical seals with a barrier fluid between them. The barrier fluid is contained
in a seal pot which is pressurized to a higher pressure(usually 20-25 PSID) than the pump seal chamber. Inner seal leakage
will be barrier fluid leakage in to the product. There will always be some leakage.
Plan 53 is usually chosen over plan 52 for dirty, abrasive or polymerizing products which would either damage the seal faces
or cause problems with the buffer fluid system if plan 52 were used. There are two disadventages to plan 53 which must be
considered. There will always be some leakage of barrier fluid in to the product. Normally, this leakage will be minute, and
the leakage rate can be monitored by monitoring the seal pot level.
However, the product must be able to accommodate a small amount of contamination from the barrier fluid. Second, a plan
53 system is dependent on having the seal pot pressure maintained at the proper level. If the seal pot pressure drops, the
system will begin to operate like a plan 52, or unpressurised dual seal, which does not offer the same level of sealing
integrity.
Specifically, the inner seal leakage direction will be reversed and the barrier fluid will, over time become non-contaminated
with the process fluid with the problems that result, including possible seal failure.
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Plan 54
Plan 54 systems are also pressurized dual seal systems with inner seal leakage into the pumped product. In a plan 54, a
cool clean product from an external source is supplied to the seal as barrier fluid. The supply pressure of this product is 20 or
more PSID greater than the pressure the inner seal is sealing against.
This results in a small leakage of barrier fluid into the process. If it were, thefailure of one inner seal could contaminate the
entire barrier fluid system and cause additional seal failures. Plan 54 is often used in services where the pumped fluid is hot,
comtaminated with solids, or both. When plan 54 is specified, carefully consider the reliability of the barrier fluid source.
when the source is interrupted or contaminated, the resultant seal failures have been very expensive. A properly engineered
barrier fluid system is typically complex and often expensive. Where these systems are properly engineered, they provide
among the most reliable systems.
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Plan 62
In API plan 62, a quench stream is brought from an external source to the atmosphereic side of the seal faces. The quench
stream van be low-pressure steam, nitrogen, or clean water. It is used in selected single seal applications to exclude the
presence of oxygen to prevent coke formation(for example, hot hydrocarbon services) and to flush away undesirable
material buildup around the dynamic seal components(for example, caustic and salt services).
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that of the process fluid. A typical
ed from the discharge of the pump
o suction. The seal flush is routed
required when plan 31 is
GPM2 D2 Ö H2 3
Ö BHP2
= = =
GPM1 D1 Ö H1 3
Ö BHP1