McNally Pump Institute - Pump Handbook PDF

Mc Nally Institute
Pump, centrifugal pumps, PD pumps, seals & mechanical seals data
Alphabetical listing of my free Technical

Papers
Want to try an online version of my CD?
You can purchase my book

or CD
OVER 600 SUBJECTS COVERED
● How to purchase my book

● How to purchase a copy of my
CD
● Other training materials
available
Here are some quick references you can use
● Sealing various fluids

● Troubleshooting pumps and seals
● Charts you can use
● Links to useful web sites
● Seal FAQS
● Selecting the correct O-ring material
SINCE MY RETIREMENT, I'M CONDUCTING JUST A FEW CONSUMER SCHOOLS
Dates and locations of the upcoming schools
School curriculums
I started in the Seal business in 1951, and with the exception

of 6 years I spent as a machinist on submarines in the US
Navy, I've been in some part of the seal and pump business
my entire working life. Learn a little about my diesel and
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Mc Nally Institute
nuclear submarine experience
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/ (2 of 2) [7/21/03 11:10:05 AM]

Technical paper index
TECHNICAL PAPER INDEX

SUBJECT Vol Paper Page
Affinity laws- what happens when you change the pump speed or
2 1
impeller diameter?
Affinity laws for positive displacement pumps 13 6
Alignment between the pump and driver 14 3
ANSI pump Standard 14 5
API Gland 15 9
API plans that I use 15 5
API standards, what's wrong with them? 12 5
Barrier or buffer fluid. The liquid we circulate between dual seals. 3 6 3
Bearing fit tolerances
Bearing seals 13 9
Bearings - analyzing the parts and wear tracks 5 3
Bearings - anticipated life and how they fail 5 3
Bearings - keeping the moisture out of them 4 12 3
Bearings - keeping the solids out of them 4 12 4
Bearing lubrication 14 01
Bearings - the main causes of overloading 4 12 1
Bearings - understanding what is meant by fatigue 4 12 1
Canned pumps 3 11 1
Carbon graphite seal faces - how they are manufactured 4 7
Carbon seal faces; which is best? Solid or pressed in a metal holder? 15 3
Cartridge seals - the major cause of overheating them 7 4
Cavitation 1 3
Cavitation - what causes the noise and damage? 9 10
Centrifugal pump formulas, rules and definitions 13 4
Centrifugal pumps - what is wrong with their design 3 10
Charts and graphs you will need
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Chemical classification for easier sealing 2 12
Classifying seals by the operating conditions 4 3 1
Concentric dual seals 8 8 4
Condensate - why you must seal it 10 7
Controlling temperature in the pump stuffing box 4 6
Conversion tables 8 5
Converting head to pressure 1 5 2
Corrosion - problems with the 300 series of stainless steel 4 1
Critical speed - calculating the first critical speed 5 4
Dangerous fluids, how to seal them 13 5
Decision making 7 7
Density and specific gravity 16 2
Desirable features in any mechanical seal 4 3 2
Discharge recirculation - when to use it 3 6 1
Double seals - another name for dual seals 8 8
Double volute pump 14 6
Dual mechanical seals 8 8
Dynamically balancing the pump rotating components 9 1
Elastomers - selecting the correct O-ring for the application 4 9
Elastomers - temperature limits 4 9 2
Elastomers - where the special compounds do not work 10 6
Electric motor - the service factor 6 4 2
Electric motors - selecting the correct horsepower 6 4
Electric motors - the A.P.I. safety factors 6 4 3
Environmental controls 3 6
Environmental controls - controlling the temperature in the stuffing box 4 6
Environmental controls - an overview of the subject 3 2
Environmental controls - controlling pressure in the stuffing box 4 10


Environmental controls - controlling the pressure and temperature in
3 2
the stuffing box
Environmental controls - how to use them 3 6 5
Face opening 10 4 1
Face to face dual sealing 8 8 4
Flow. How the resistance is affected by any change of flow in a pipe 16 6
Flow formulas 11 8
Flow through an orifice 13 12
Flushing 3 6 2
Flushing - usually the wrong choice of word 3 6
Flushing - when is it a good idea 3 6 2
Fretting 10 3
Fugitive emissions - the chemicals on the list 5 1
Glossry of pollutant terms 15 06
Glossary of seal and pump terms 8 8
Graphs and charts that you need
Grout for the pump base 7 5
Hard face - selecting the correct one 5 2
Head - calculating the total head in inch units 7 1
Head - calculating the total system head in meric units 14 10
Head - changes in the discharge head 1 1
Head - changes in the discharge head- Design problems 1 1 1
Head - changes in the discharge head- maintenance problems 1 1 2
Head - changes in the discharge head- operation problems 1 1 2
Heat - amount generated at the seal faces 1 4 1
Heat - amount generated by friction within the pump 1 4 3
Heat - how it affects the pump and seal 1 4
Heat - modifications that will lower the amount being generated in the
1 4 9
pump

Heat - recommendations to lower the amount being generated in the

1 4 7
pump
Heat - the affect on the liquid in the pump 1 4 4
Heat - the affect on the mechanical seal faces 1 4 5
High pressue and Mr. Bernoulli 16 8
Hot oil sealing 3 5
Hot water sealing 3 3
How wide is your vision? 5 11
Hydrodynamic gas seals 13 1
Hydrostatic sealing 12 2
Impellers, all about them 10 1
Impeller modification 12 6
Impeller, Open vs. Closed designs 14 2
Impeller shape vs. the pump curve 12 7
Installing pump piping 14 7
Installing pumps 14 8
Jacketing fluid 3 6 4
L3/D4 and premature seal failure 11 6
Magnetic drive pumps - their limits 3 11 1
Metal bellows seals 12 10
Mixer sealing 3 7
Monitoring the centrifugal pump 9 11
Net positive suction head (NPSH) 11 12
NPSH some more about it 15 10
NPSH required, allowable reductions 12 1
NPSHA - testing for it 16 4
NPSHR - testing for it 16 5
Non lubricant sealing - dry solids 4 8 2
Non lubricant sealing - gases 4 8 2

Non lubricant sealing - liquids 4 8 1
Non metallic seals 12 0
Non seal pumps 3 11
Orifice, flow through 13 12
O-rings - the special compounds 10 6
OSHA 1910 8 10
Oversized pumps 7 10
Oxygen problems in condensate 10 7 1
Ozone 8 4
Packing conversion - the advantages of cartridge seals. 9 4 3
Packing conversion - the advantages of mechanical seals 9 4 2

Packing conversion - the advantages of packing 9 4 1
Packing conversion - why you should do it and the possible savings 2 10
Parallel piping for pumps 15 01
Piping Systems. What you should know 14 7
Piping systems. Increasing the diameter to save operating costs 16 7
Positive dispalcement pumps 12 3
Predictive maintenance for centrifugal pumps 6 11
Pressure - how to control it in the stuffing box 4 10
Pressure and vacuum sealing 5 7
Preventative maintenance - pumps 9 5
Preventative maintenance - pumps and seals 2 6
Preventative maintenance - seals 9 6
Priming the centrifugal pump 6 6
Pump curve - how to read one 2 3
Pump efficiency - figuring the heads 7 2
Pump efficiency - making the calculations 6 1

Pump efficiency - the affect of the oversize pump 7 10
Pump features. The ten most important. 15 02
Pump modifications to increase seal life 11 1
Pump Partnering 13 11
Pump rebuilding tips 15 08
Pump reliability 17 01
Pump standards - the problem with them 2 4 1
Pump standards - what is wrong with them? 3 10
Pump standards - what should be modified 2 4 1
Pump terms, using them 12 11
Pumps - additional information you need 11 4
Pumps - the best technology 9 3 2
Pumps installed in pits. How to correct some existing suction

14 12
problems.
Quenching - one of the environmental controls you need to know 3 6 5
Radial thrust calculations for centrifugal pumps 13 2
Repair of mechanical seals 5 8
Rotary pumps 12 3
Rubber bellows seal 11 11
Rules of thumb - pumps 2 7
Rules of thumb - seals 2 5
Rules of thumb -seals and pumps 8 6
Seal Application. Do you have one? 15 07
Seal cartridge - problems with overheating in some designs 7 4
Seal design - build components to compensate for operating conditions 4 11 4
Seal design - the questions you should ask 6 2
Seal face flatness- reading the optical flat and monochromatic light 6 3
Seal face hardness testing 12 8
Seal face lubrication 9 7

Seal face opening 10 3 1
Seal failure 2 2
Seal failure - analyzing the components. 4 11
Seal failure - chemical attack 2 2 4
Seal failure - damage to a seal component 2 2
Seal failure - preventing premature failure 10 4
Seal failure - some things you can do to prevent it 10 5
Seal failure - things that will open the lapped faces 2 2 2
Seal failure - things that will open the lapped faces 4 11 2
Seal features - the ten most important 10 11
Seal hydraulic balance - the conventional method 8 1
Seal hydraulic balance - two way balance for dual seals 8 2
Seal improvements in recent years 15 4
Seal installation 5 10
Seal installation errors 10 3 2
Seal life - how to get good seal life 2 8

Seal life - why don't good seals wear out? 9 9
Seal metal parts - selecting the right ones 5 9
Seal misconceptions 11 3
Seal partnering 13 10
Seal repair - the correct procedure 5 8
Seal repair kits 4 3 4
Seal specifications 4 3
Seal value - how to get good value 7 11
Seal, preventing premature failures 10 5
Sealing hard vacuum 5 7 2
Sealing high pressure 5 7 1

Sealing products sensitive to a change in temperature or pressure 8 9
Sealing products sensitive to agitation 6 12
Seals - as supplied by the original equipment manufacturer- the

4 4
problems
Seals - dual 8 8
Seals - preventing premature failure 11 5
Seals - the best technology 9 3 1
Seals - the most asked questions 10 2
Seals classification 2 11
Seals. Which one should you buy? 17 04
Self priming pumps 12 12
Shaft assembly - dynamic balance 9 1
Shaft deflection 6 5
Shaft deflection 1 6
Shaft deflection direction when operating of the BEP 15 11
Shaft deflection - operating off the BEST EFFICIENCY POINT

6 5
(B.E.P.)
Shaft deflection - some calculations in inch and metric 10 8
Shaft deflection - three rules 8 12
Shaft displacement - common causes 4 11 3
Shaft displacement - the cheat sheet 9 2
Shaft displacement and original equipment seals (O.E.M.) 11 7
Shaft fretting and damage. The main causes 10 3
Shutoff head, how to estimate it for a centrifugal pump 13 7
Siphon, How it works 15 12
Slurry sealing 3 4
Specific gravity 7 12
Specific gravity - calculating for solids liquid mixture 7 12 2
Specific speed - how to calculate it 7 3

Specific speed vs. suction specific speed 9 12
Split mechanical seals 3 8
Stainless steel - exceptions to the rule 5 9
Stainless steel corrosion types 4 1
Standards 9 3
Standby pumps. Should they be run? 17 03

Stationary vs. Rotary seals 11 9
Stuffing box 7 9
Suction recirculation 3 6 2
Suction specific speed 9 12
Suction throttling 16 11
System curve for positive displacement pumps 5 12 3
System curve - understanding it 5 12
System head - calculating both suction and discharge heads 7 1
Tandem style dual sealing 8 8 3
Technical term correlations 16 1
Temperature - causes of a rise in stuffing box heat 9 8
Training for pumps and seals 17 02
Troubleshooting positive dispalcement pumps 12 4
Troubleshooting pumps 1 2
Troubleshooting pumps - a new technique, the 5 whys 5 6
Troubleshooting pumps - analyzing the visible rub marks 5 5
Troubleshooting pumps - loosing suction 10 12
Troubleshooting pumps - maintenance practices 6 8
Troubleshooting pumps - not enough capacity 10 10
Troubleshooting pumps - not enough head 10 9
Troubleshooting pumps - operating practices 6 7

Troubleshooting pumps - selection 6 9
Troubleshooting pumps - using too many amps. 10 11
Troubleshooting seal leakage 4 2
Troubleshooting seals 9 9
Troubleshooting seals 8 11
Troubleshooting seals - a quick reference to common mistakes 8 6
Troubleshooting seals - a quick reference guide 4 11
Troubleshooting seals - an overview of the subject 3 1
Troubleshooting seals - problems with no apparent cause 4 5
Troubleshooting seals - selection practices that cause seal problems 6 9
Troubleshooting seal parts 3 9

Vacuum pumps 14 9
Variable speed drives 13 8
Venting horizontal pumps 16 9
Venting vertical pumps 16 10
Venturi, flow through 16 3
Vibration in a centrifugal pump - causes and cures 2 9
Viscosity 7 8
Viscosity corrections for Centrifugal Pumps 14 4
Water horsepower - how to make the calculation 16 12
The Mc Nally Institute

1986 S. Belcher Rd. Clearwater, Florida 33764
Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150
E mail mcnally@earthlink.net
Link to the Mc Nally home page

Pump Affinity laws
SUBJECT : The pump affinity laws 2-1
There are occasions when you might want to permanently change the amount of fluid you are pumping,
or change the discharge head of a centrifugal pump. There are four ways you could do this:
● Regulate the discharge of the pump.

● Change the speed of the pump.
● Change the diameter of the impeller.
● Buy a new pump
Of the four methods the middle two are the only sensible ones. In the following paragraphs we will learn
what happens when we change either the pump speed or impeller diameter and as you would guess other
characteristics of the pump are going to change along with speed or diameter.
To determine what is going to happen you begin by taking the new speed or impeller diameter and divide
it by the old speed or impeller diameter. Since changing either one will have approximately the same
affect I will be referring to only the speed in this part of the discussion.
As an example:
The capacity, or amount of fluid you are pumping, varies directly with this number.
● Example: 100 Gallons per minute x 2 = 200 Gallons per minute

● Or in metric, 50 Cubic meters per hour x 0,5 = 25 Cubic meters per hour
The head varies by the square of the number.
● Example : a 50 foot head x 4 (22) = 200 foot head

● Or in metric, a 20 meter head x 0,25 ( 0,52) = 5 meter head
The horsepower required changes by the cube of the number.
● Example : a 9 Horsepower motor was required to drive the pump at 1750 rpm.. How much is
required now that you are going to 3500 rpm?
● We would get: 9 x 8 (23) = 72 Horse power is now required.
● Likewise if a 12 kilowatt motor were required at 3000 rpm. and you decreased the speed to 1500
the new kilowatts required would be: 12 x 0,125 (0.53) = 1,5 kilowatts required for the lower rpm.
The following relationships are not exact, but they give you an idea of how speed and impeller
diameter affects other pump functions.
The net positive suction head required by the pump manufacturer (npshr) varies by the square of the
number.
● Example : A 3 meter NPSHR x 4 (22) = 12 meter N.P.S.H.R.

● Or: 10 foot NPSHR x 0.25 ( 0.52) = 2.5 foot N.P.S.H.R.
The amount of shaft run out ( deflection) varies by the square of the number
● As an example : If you put a dial indicator on the shaft and noticed that the total run out at 1750
rpm. was 0.005 inches then at 3500 rpm the run out would be 0.005" x 4 (22), or 0.020 inches.
● Likewise if you had 0,07 mm. run out at 2900 rpm. and you slowed that shaft down to 1450 rpm
the run out would decrease to 0,07 mm x 0,25 ( 0.52) or 0,018 mm.
The amount of friction loss in the piping varies by about 90% of the square of the number. Fittings and
accessories varies by almost the square of the number.
● As an example : If the system head loss was calculated or measured at 65 meters at 1450 rpm., the
loss at 2900 rpm. would be : 65 meters x 4 (22) = 260 x 0.9 = 234 Meters
● If you had a 195 foot loss at 3500 rpm the loss at 1750 rpm. would be : 195 x 0.25 (0.52) = 48.75
0.9 = 43.87 feet of head loss.
The wear rate of the components varies by the cube also
● Example : At 1750 rpm. the impeller material is wearing at the rate of 0.020 inches per month. At
3500 rpm the rate would increase to: 0.020 " x 8 (23) or 0.160 inches per month. Likewise a
decrease in speed would decrease the wear rate eight times as much.
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Pump Affinity laws
I started this discussion by stating that a change in impeller speed or a change in impeller diameter has
approximately the same affect. This is true only if you decrease the impeller diameter to a maximum of
10% . As you cut down the impeller diameter the housing is not coming down in size so the affinity laws
do not remain accurate below this 10% maximum number.
The affinity laws remain accurate for speed changes and this is important to remember when we convert
from jam packing to a balanced mechanical seal. We sometimes experience an increase in motor speed
rather than a drop in amperage during these conversions and the affinity laws will help you to predict the
final outcome of the change.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

cdpage
The Mc Nally Institute CD

16231 Kalli Way, Dade City, Florida 33523
Phone or Fax (352) 567 2897
E-mail to mcnally@mcnallyinstitute.com
ALPHABETICAL INDEX OF OVER 600 DIFFERENT
PUMP AND SEAL SUBJECTS EXPLAINED IN

DETAIL
● Making the correct pump selection, TN002
● Installing the centrifugal pump, TN003
THE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP ● Modifying a centrifugal pump for better
performance, TN004
● Vibration problems, V016
● Selecting the mechanical seal, TN005

MECHANICAL SEALS ● Sealing fluids and gases, SA001
● Special seals, SS001_5,
● Troubleshooting in general, GT001

TROUBLESHOOTING
● Pump troubleshooting, PT001
● Seal troubleshooting, STBL
OVERVIEWS
● Bearing troubleshooting, TBB001
TROUBLESHOOTING PUMPS TROUBLESHOOTING SEALS
● Analyzing rub marks, PT014 ● Auxiliary equipment is failing, ST018_4

● Analyzing bearing parts, TBB002 ● Cartridge seal overheating, ST020
● Cavitation problems, PT006 ● Damaged bushing, ST017
● Corrosion, Stainless Steel, PT015 ● Damaged carbon/graphite, ST008
● Disassembled pump troubleshooting, ● Damage, S006
PT014 ● Damage, the causes & cures, S007
● Friction within the pump, F038 ● Damaged drive lugs, pins, slots, ST012
● High amperage pump problem, PT005, ● Damaged elastomer, ST010
H016 ● Damaged hard face, ST009
● Losing the prime, PT012 ● Damaged metal parts, ST011
● Low head, PT004 ● Damaged sleeve or shaft, ST014
● Maintenance practices that cause failures, ● Damaged springs, ST013
GT004 ● Damaged set screws, ST015
● Noise in the pump, N007 ● Damaged seal gland, ST016
● Not enough capacity, PT003 ● Faces open ST003
● Not enough head, PT004 ● Fretting of the shaft or and seal sleeve, F036
● Operation problems, GT003 ● Heat generation at the faces, ST005
● Operating window on the pump curve, ● Heat generation inside the pump, ST006
O013 ● Inspecting individual components, ST007
● Overview, PT001 ● Leak paths in the seal, ST002
● Positive displacement pumps, PT016 ● Life expectancy of a seal, ST001
● Power failure problem, P025 ● Maintenance practices that cause failures,
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● Priming- the pump looses its prime, GT004

PT012 ● No apparent cause for the problem, ST019
● Reversed impeller, R013 ● Noise in the stuffing box ST018_3
● Reversed shaft rotation, R014 ● OEM seal problems, O003
● Rules of thumb for pumps, R023 ● On a running pump, ST018
● Running centrifugal pump, PT002 ● Operation problems, S025
● Specification problems, GT002 ● Oversized pump problems, O021
● Stopped centrifugal pump, PT013 ● Oxidizers that attack carbon, O023
● Stuffing box getting hot, ST018_2 ● Seal face opens, S013
● Stuffing box noise, ST018_3 ● Shaft deflection, the types, ST004
● Using too much amperage, PT005 ● Slip stick, S060
● Vibration, V016 ● Stainless steel discoloration, S082
● Types of leakage ST018_1
● Vibration problems, ST018_5
● Why lapped seal faces open, ST003
CALCULATIONS TO MAKE CHARTS & GRAPHS YOU NEED
● Affinity laws for: ● ANSI pump dimensions (inch), GR001

❍ Centrifugal pumps, A009 ● ANSI pump dimensions (metric), GR002
❍ Rotary (PD) pumps, A010 ● API table #1, GR003
● DN factor, D019 ● API table #2, GR004
● Critical speed, C067 ● Carbon physicals, GR011
● Efficiency, E003 ● Durco pump radial bearing life, GR005
● Head, H005 ● Flatness Readings, GR006
❍ Total head in metric units, C003 ● Friction loss charts:
❍ Total head in USCS (inch) units, ❍ 1.250 to 1.500 inch pipe, GR021
C004 ❍ 2.000 to 2.500 inch pipe, GR022
❍ Friction head, F038 ❍ 3.00 inch pipe, GR023
❍ Pressure head, P033 ❍ 6.00 inch pipe, GR024
❍ Shut off head, how to estimate it, ❍ Fitting resistance, inch, GR025
S051 ❍ Valve resistance, inch, GR026
❍ Velocity head V013

❍ Piping resistance, metric, GR028
● Heat generation ❍ Valves and fittings, metric, GR027

❍ At the seal faces, H008
● Galvanic Series, GR007
❍ Heat generation within the pump,
● Hard face chart, H002_1
H009
● NPSH available vs. Capacity, GR008
● L3/D4, S039 ● NPSHR reductions, GR009
● NPSHA. Calculating in USCS (inch) ● O-ring selection chart. ORINGSE
units, N001
● Properties of water, GR010
● Three formulas to link head, pressure &
● Special elastomers chart, SE001
velocity, T012
● Specific speed data, GR012
● Three rules that explain shaft deflection,
T013 ● Vapor pressures (-180°F to 60°F), GR013
● Seal balance, B009 ● Vapor pressures (-60°F to 240°F), GR014
● Shaft bending S040 ● Viscosity corrections, GR015
● Specific gravity, S070 ● Correlating head, capacity, HP and efficiency,
GR016
● Specific speed, S072
● Pump curve, inch, GR017
● Stuffing box pressure, S097
● Pump curve, metric, GR018
● Surface speed, S109
● Synchronous motor full load speeds, GR019
● Viscosity corrections, V020
● Chicago Rawhide lip seal life chart, GR020
● Water horsepower out of the pump W013
● Water horsepower (WHP), W003
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Index
INDEX OF PUMP AND SEAL SUBJECTS
A
Abrade, A001
Absolute pressure, A002
Absolute velocity, A003
Absolute zero, A004
Accumulator A005
Active metal, A006
Adapter, A007
Adsorbed, A008
Affinity laws for:
● Centrifugal pumps, A009

● Rotary (PD) pumps, A010
Aflas, A011
Agitator sealing, A012
Air ingestion cavitation, A013
Alignment, A014
● C or D frame adapter, C001
Allen head, A015
● Allen wrench, A015
Alpha sintered silicon carbide, A016
Aluminum oxide, A017
Ambient heat/pressure, A018
Analyzing bearing parts, TBB002
Anhydrous, A019
Annealing, A020
Anodize, A021
ANSI, A022
● ANSI Pump, A023

● ANSI Specifications, A024
● ANSI Pump inch dimensions GR001
● ANSI Pump metric dimensions GR002
API (American Petroleum Institute), A025
● API Gland, A026,

● API Plans, A027
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Index
● API Standard, A028

● API Table #1 GR003
● API Table #2 GR004
● API, most popular plans A039
Application, A029
● Is this a seal applicatrion? SA016

● Seal application, SA001
❍ Classifying fluids, SA001.5
❍ Cryogenic (cold) applications, SS004
❍ Environmental controls, SA006
❍ Fluids requiring two seals, SA008
❍ Fluids sensitive to changes in temt. or pressure, SA007
❍ Fluids sensitive to agitation, SA011
❍ Fluids that combine to form a solid, SA012
❍ Gases and non-lubricants, SA009
❍ High speed applications, SS01
❍ High pressure applications, SS002
❍ Hot water sealing, SA014
❍ Hot oil sealing, SA015
❍ Liquid slurries, SA010
❍ Lubricating liquids, SA013
❍ Mixers and agitators, SS005
❍ Motion seals SS005_1
❍ Non clogging seal features, N008
❍ Selecting the carbon/graphite face SA003
❍ Selecting the hard face, SA004
❍ Selecting the metal parts, SA002
❍ Selection of the O-ring, SA005
❍ Sealing with special seals, SS001_5
❍ Sublimation, S102
❍ Vacuum,SS03
Arbor press, A030
Asperity theory of face lubrication, A031
Aspiration, A032
Atmospheric pressure, A033
Austenitic steels, A034
Auxiliary equipment troubleshooting, ST018_4
AVS Standard, A035
Axial deflection of the shaft, A036
● Shaft deflection, S042
Axial growth, A037
Axial thrust, A038
B
B.H.P, B001
Back plate, B002

Index
Back pull out pump, B003
Back to back double seal, B004
Back up ring, B005
Back up sealing, B006
Balance holes, B007
Balance ratio, B008
Balanced mechanical seal, B009
● Reverse balance, R011

● Two way hydraulic seal balance T028
Ball Bearing, P026
● Analyzing bearing parts, TBB002

● Ball bearings vs. journal or sleeve bearings, B013
● Bearing Cage, B019
● Bearing Life, B010
● DN factor, D019
● Expansion chamber, E018
● False burnelling, F007
● Fatigue, F008
● Grease, G010
● Grease seal, G011
● Line bearings, L013
● Lubricating bearings in centrifugal pumps, B011
● Lubricant, L021
❍ Lubricating Oils, L025
❍ Oil additives, L022
❍ Solid lubricant, L023
❍ Synthetic, L024
● Precision bearing, P026

● Roller bearing, R018
● Sealing the bearing, B012
● Troubleshooting Ball Bearings, TBB001
❍ Analyzing bearing parts, TBB002
❍ False burnelling, F007
❍ Maintenance practices that cause failures, GT004
Ball bearing vs. sleeve bearings B013
Bar (pressure), B014
Barrier fluid between seals, B015
Base plate, B016
Batch operation, B017
Bayonet, B018
BEP, B028
Bearings, B023
● Cage B019
● Journal bearing, J005
● L10 bearing life, L001
● Line bearings, L013
● Lignum vitae bearing material, L012
● Precision bearing, P026

Index
● Precision vs. journal or sleeve bearings, B013

● Roller bearing, R018
Bellows, metal, M012
● Clam shell, C040

● Convolution, C059
● Elastic limit, E004
● Formed metal bellows, F032
● Free length, F035
● Inclusion, I010
● Span, S067
Bellows seals, B024
● Damping, D004
● Effective diameter for hydraulic balance, E002
Bernoulli
● Bernoulli's equation, B025

● Bernoulli's law, B026
● Bernoulli's principal, B027
Best efficiency point (BEP), B028
Best pump technology, B029
Block out, B030
Blow down, B031
Body bound bolts, B032
Boiler, B033
● Boiler feed pump, B034

● Boiler feed water B033-1
Booster pump, B035
Boyle's law of gases, B036
Brake horsepower, B037
Brake horsepower curves for various specific speed impellers, B038
Brinnell hardness, B039
● Hardness testing,S010
British thermal unit (btu.), B040
Buffer fluid between seals, B041
Buna N, B042
Bushing, B043
● Disaster bushing, D016

● Thermal bushing, T006
Bushing damage, ST017
Bypass line, B044

Index
C
C- Frame Adapter, C001
CFCs, O024
C.L.A. (centerline average), C002
Calculations you can make:
● Affinity laws for:

❍ Centrifugal pumps, A009
❍ Rotary (PD) pumps, A010
● DN factor, D019
● Critical speed, C067
● Efficiency, E003
● Head, H005
❍ Calculating total head in metric units, C003
❍ Calculating total head in USCS (inch) units, C004
❍ Friction head, F038
❍ Pressure head, P033
❍ Shut off head, how to estimate it, S051
❍ Velocity head V013
● Heat generation
❍ At the seal faces, H008
❍ Heat generation within the pump, H009
● L3/D4, S039
● NPSHA. Calculating net positive suction head available in USCS (inch) units, N001
● Pump
● Three formulas to link head, pressure & velocity, T012
● Three rules that explain shaft deflection, T013
● Seal balance, B009
● Shaft bending S040
● Specific gravity, S070
● Specific speed, S072
● Surface speed, S109
● Viscosity corrections, V020
● Water horsepower out of the pump W013
● Water horsepower (WHP), W003
Calculating total head in metric units, C003
Calculating total head in USCS (inch) units, C004
Canned pump, C005
Capacity, C006
Capillary action, C007
Carbide, C008
Carbon bushing, C009
Carbon graphite, C011
● Halogens that attack carbon, H001

● Manufacturing carbon seal faces, C010
● Oxidizers that attack carbon, O023
● Physicals & Specifications, C012
● Stress relieving, S093
Index
● Where it does not work, C011_1
Carbon in a metal holder C011_2
Carbonic acid C012-1
Carbonizing, C013
Carcinogen, C014
Carpenter "42", C015
Cartridge seal, C016
● Advantages of a cartridge seal, C017

● Overheating problems, C018
● Stationary version, S086
Case hardened, C019
Catalyst, C020
Cavitation, C021
● Air ingestion cavitation, A013

● Flow turbulence cavitation, F022
● How to stop cavitation, C022
● Imploding of the bubbles, I008
● Incipient cavitation, I009
● Internal recirculation cavitation, PT009
● Speed of sound, S075
● Suction specific speed, S105
● Vane passing syndrome cavitation, PT011
● Vaporization cavitation,PT007
● Vortexing liquid, V026
Cement grout, G012
Center line design, C022-5
Centipoise, C023
Centistoke, C024
Centrifugal pump, C025
Centrifugal pump top 10 features C025_1
Centrifugal reaction, C026
Centrifugal separator, C027
Centripetal force, C028
Ceramic, C029
Change of state, C030
Changing pipe diameter P057
Changing flow or capacity in a piping system C074
Charles law of gases, C031
Chart recorder, C032

Index
Charts: C032_1
● ANSI pump dimensions (inch), GR001

● ANSI pump dimensions (metric), GR002
● API table #1, GR003
● Carbon physicals, GR011
● Durco pump radial bearing life, GR005
● Flatness Readings, GR006
● Friction loss charts:
❍ !.250 to 1.500 inch pipe, GR021
❍ 2.000 to 2.500 inch pipe, GR022
❍ 3.00 inch pipe, GR023
❍ Fitting resistance, inch, GR025
❍ Valve resistance, inch, GR026
❍ Valves and fittings, metric, GR027

● NPSHR reductions, GR009
● O-ring selection chart. ORINGSE
● Vapor pressures (-180°F to 60°F), GR013
● Viscosity corrections, GR015
● Correlating head, capacity, HP and efficiency, GR016
Check valve, C033
Chemically compatible, C034
Chemraz, C035
Chloride stress corrosion, C036
Chrome carbide, C037
Chrome oxide, C038
Circular casing, C039
Clam shell, C040
Classifying chemicals, C041
Close coupled, C042
Closed impeller, C043
Coated seal face, C044
Coefficient of friction C044_1
Coke, C045
Commodity, C046
Composite, C047

Index
Compound, C048
Compound curve, C049
Compression set, C050
Concentrated cell corrosion, C051
Concentric dual seal, C052
Concentric reducer, C053
Concentricity, C054
Condensate, C055
Convection, C056
Convection tank, C057
● Troubleshooting, ST018_4
Converting packed pumps to seals, C058
● The down side of converting to seals, P004
Conversion factors
● Capacity, C006
● Energy, E012
● Erosion resistance, E015
● Force, F030
● Mass flow rate conversions, M007
● Power, P022
● Pressure, P030
● Velocity, V012
● Volume conversions, V022
● Volumetric rate of flow, V023
Convolution, C059
Cooling jacket, C060
Correlating technical numbers, C073
Corrosion problems, stainless steel, C061
● Chloride stress corrosion, C036

● Crevice corrosion,C064
● Electrolysis, E008
● Erosion corrosion, E014
● Fretting corrosion, F036
● Galvanic corrosion, G002
● General corrosion, G006
● Hydrogen embrittlement, H030
● Intergranular corrosion, I018
● Micro organisms corrosion, M016
● Pitting corrosion, P016
● Selective leaching corrosion, S031
Corrosion resistance, C062
Coupling, C063
Crevice corrosion,C064

Index
Critical carrying velocity, C065
Critical pressure, C066
Critical speed, C067
Critical temperature, C068
Cryogenic, C069
● Cryogenic sealing, SS004
Curing temperature, C070
Cutwater, C071
Cyclone separator, C072
D
D-Frame adapter, D001
D-Gun process, D002
D.I.N. standard, D003
Damping, D004
Dead ending, D005
Dead heading, D006
De-aerate, D007
Deflection, D008
De-ionized (DI) water, D009
Demineralized water, D010
Density, D011
Diaphragm pump, D012
Difference between specific speed and suction specific speed, D013
Diffuser pump, D014
Dilatant, D015
Disaster bushing, D016
Discharge head, D017
Discharge recirculation, D018
Discharge throttling S115
DN factor, D019
Double balanced seal, D020
Double ended pump, D021

Index
Double or dual seals, D028 ,
● Barrier fluid between seals, B015

● Buffer fluid between seals, B041
● Double or dual seals, D022
● Dual seal applications, SA008, D029
● Dual seal as an environmental control, D030
Double suction pump, D023
Double volute, D024
Drive lugs, D025
Driver, D026
Dry running, D027
Dual seal, D028
● Barrier fluid between seals, B015

● Buffer fluid between seals, B041
● Double or dual seals, D022
● Dual seal applications, SA008, D029
Ductility, D031
Duplex metal, D032
Durco pumps (Flow-serve), D033
Durometer, D034
Duty point, D038
Dynamic balance, D035
Dynamic elastomer, D036
Dynamic head (system head), D037
E
E.P.A, E001
Effective diameter, E002
Efficiency, E003
Elastic limit, E004
Elastic range, E005
Elastomer, E006
● Advantages of an O-ring O007

● Back up ring, B005
● Curing temperature, C070
● Damage, ST010
● Durometer, D034
● Extrusion, E020
● Groove, O005
● Outgassing problems, O017
Index
● Shelf life, S049

● Shore "A" hardness, S050
● Selection, SA005
❍ Aflas, A011
❍ Buna N, B042
❍ Chemraz, C035
❍ Ethylene propylene (epr), E016
❍ Kalrez®, K001
❍ Viton®, V021
● Special elastomers, SE001

● Temperature limits, SA005_1
Electrolysis, E008
Element, E009
End suction centrifugal pump, E010
Endurance limit, E011
Energy, E012
Environmental control, E013

● Flush, F026, S016
● Quench, Q001
● Suction recirculation, S104
● Cooling jacket, C060
Epoxy grout, G012
Erosion

● Erosion resistance, E015
Ethylene propylene rubber (epr), E016
Euler's equation for an impeller, E017
Excessive motion seals SS005_1
Exotic metal, E019
Expansion chamber, E018
Extrusion, E020
Eye of the impeller, E021
F
Fpm, F001
Face combination, F002
● Hard faces, H002
Face flatness, F003
Face lubrication-the theories, F004
● Asperity theory of lubrication, A031

Index
● Film thickness, F010
Face pressure, F005
Face to face dual seal designs, F006
False burnelling, F007
Fatigue, F008
Filled carbon, F009
Film thickness, F010
Filter, F011
Finger spring, F012
Finite element analysis , F013
Five "whys" troubleshooting, GT001_1
Flashing, F014
Flash point, F015
Flatness, F016
Flexibility factor, F017
Flexible member, F018
Flexible shaft, F019
Flow or creep, F020
Flow meter, F021
Flow turbulence cavitation, F022
Fluid, F023
Fluoraz, F024
Flurocarbon, F025
Flush, F026
● Flushing gland, G007
Foot, F027
Foot bearing, F028
Foot valve, F029
Force, F030
Forced circulation, F031
Formed metal bellows, F032
Foundation, F033
Francis vane impeller, F034

Index
Free length, F035
Fretting corrosion, F036
Friction head, F037
Friction within the pump, F038
Fugitive emissions, F039
G
Galvanic chart, G001
Galvanic corrosion, G002
Galvanic Series, GR007
Gas seals, G003
Gasket, G004
Gate valve, G005
General corrosion, G006
General troubleshooting, GT001
Gland, G007
Globe valve, G008
Glossary, pollutants P055
Graphite, G009
Graphs: C032_1

● CR lip seal life chart, GR020
❍ !.250 to 1.500 inch, GR021
❍ 2.000 to 2.500 inch, GR022
❍ 3.00 inch, GR023
❍ 6.00 inch, GR024

● NPSH avaailable vs. Capacity, GR008

Index

● Steam, temperature vs pressure GR029
● Vapor pressures -180°F to 60°F, GR013
Gravity G013
Grease, G010
Grease seal, G011
Grout, G012
H
Halogen, H001
Hard face, H002
● Alpha sintered silicon carbide, A016

● Aluminum oxide, A017
● Ceramic, C029
● Chart, H002_1
● Damage, ST009
● Reaction bonded SiC, R004
● Tungsten carbide, T025
Hardness testing,S010
● Brinnell hardness, B039

● Rockwell "C", R017
● Scleroscope hardness test, S002
Harmonic vibration, H003
Hastelloy "C", H004
Head, H005
● Calculating total head in metric units, C003

● Calculating total head in USCS (inch) units, C004
● Discharge head, D017
● Reasons for changes in the pump's head, H006
● Friction head, F037
● Pressure head, P033
● Shut off head, how to estimate it, S051
● Static head, S085
● Velocity head, V013
Heat check, H007
Heat generation
● At the seal faces, H008

● Heat generation within the pump, H009
● Its affect, H010
● Techniques to reduce it, H011
Heat transfer oil, H012
● Brinnell hardness, B039

Index
● Hardness testing,S010
● Sealing hot oil, SA015
Heavy duty pump, H013
Helium light band, H014
Hertz, H015
High amperage pump problem, H016
High head, low capacity pumps, H017
High pressure seal, H018
● High pressure sealing, SS002

High speed pumps, H019
● High speed sealing, SS001
High temperature problems, H020
Homogeneous, H021
Horse power, H022
Hotwell, H023
Hydraulic balance, B009
Hydraulic force, H025
Hydraulic Institute Standards, H026
Hydrocarbon, H027
Hydrodynamic force, H028
● Hydrodynamic seal, H029
Hydrogen embrittlement, H030
Hydrolysis, H031
Hydronium ion, H032
Hydrostatic seal, H033
Hydrostatic test, H034
Hysteresis, H035
I
I.D, I001
I.S.O, I002
Impeller, I003
● Adjustment for open impellers, I005

Index

● Balance holes, B007

● Brake horsepower curves for various specific speed impellers, B038
● Clearance setting for open impellers, I005
● Closed impeller, C043
● Duplex metal, D032
● Difference between specific speed and suction specific speed, D013
● Euler's equation for an impeller, E017
● Eye of the impeller, E021,
● Francis vane impeller, F034
● Inducer, I011
● Investment casting, I023
● Iteration of the impeller, I025
● Leading edge of the impeller, L010
● Modifying the impeller, M023
● Open impeller, O011
● Over hung impeller, O019
● Pre-rotation of the incoming fluid, P028
● Pump out vanes, P044
● Reversed impeller, R013
● Selecting the impeler, TN002_1
● Semi-open impeller, S035
● Shroud, I006
● Slip, S059
● Specific speed, impeller shape, S072
● Suction specific speed, S105
● Trailing edge of the impeller, T021
● Vane, I00
● Vortex design, V025
Implode, I008
Improvements in seal design S113
Incipient cavitation, I009
Inclusion, I010
Inducer, I011
Induction motor, I012
Inertia, I013
Inhibitor, I014
Injection molding, I015
Inorganic, I016
Inline pump, I017
Inspecting seal components for damage, ST007
Intergranular corrosion, I018
Intermittent service, I019
Internal recirculation,I020
Internal recirculation cavitation, 1021
Invar "36", I022
Investment casting, I023

Index
ISO, I024
Iteration, I025
J
Jack bolts, J001
Jacket, stuffing box, J002
Jockey pump, J003
Joule, J004
Journal bearing, J005
● Vs. ball bearings, B013
K
Kalrez®, K001
Kaolin, K002
Kilowatt, K003
Kinematic, K004
L
L10 bearing life, L001
L3/D4, L002, S039
● L3/D4 calculation, S040

● Shaft breakage, S041
● L3/D4 and mechanical seal failure, L003
Labyrinth seal, L004
Laminar flow, L005
Lantern ring, L006
Lapped, L007
Large stuffing box, O020
Laser aligner, L008
Leaching, L009
Leading edge of the impeller, L010

Index
Leakage in mechanical seals, L011
Lignum vitae, L012
Line bearings, L013
Line bored, L014
Linear pressure drop, L015
Lip seal, L016
Liquor, L017
Lomakin Effect, L018
Low expansion metals, L019
Low head, PT004
Low flow, PT003, L020
Lubricant, L021
● Lubricating Oils, L025

● Oil additives, L022
● Solid lubricant, L023
● Synthetic, L024
M
Mach number, M001
Magnetic drive, M002
Magnetic seal, M003
Magnetite, M004
Maintenance practices that cause seal and bearing failures, GT004
Maintenance programs, M005
● Predictive maintenance, P027

● Preventive maintenance, pumps, P034
● Preventive maintenance, seals, P035
Martensitic metals, M006
Mass flow rate conversions, M007
Mating ring, M008
Mean diameter, M009
Mechanical seal, M010
Mechanical seal improvements M010-1
Mechanical seal selection, TN005
Meniscus, M011
Metal:
Index
● Active metal, A006

● Annealing, A020
● Anodize, A021
● Austenitic steels, A034
● Brinnell hardness, B039, S010
● Carpenter "42", C015
● Case hardened, C019
● Ductility, D031
● Duplex metal, D032
● Elastic limit, E004
● Elastic range, E005
● Endurance limit, E011
● Exotic metal, E019
● Fatigue, M013
● Flow or creep, F020
● Galvanic chart, G001
● Hastelloy "C", H004
● Inclusion, I010
● Invar "36", I022
● Investment casting, I023
● Low expansion metals, L019
● Martensitic metals, M006
● Modulus of elasticity, M024
● Passivated, P009
● Plasma spray, P017
● Plastic range of the metal, P018
● Selecting the metal for the seal componens, M014
● Stabilizer,S080
● Stainless steel, S081
● Strain, S090
● Stress, S091
● Stress relieve, S093
● Work harden, W012
● Yield point, Y001
Metal bellows, M012
Metal bellows seal, B024
● Damping, D004
● Effective diameter for hydraulic balance, E002
Metal fatigue, M013
Metal selection, M014
Meters per second, M015
Micro organisms corrosion, M016
Micron, M017
Minimum flow, M018
Miscible, M019
Mixer sealing, A012
● Spool piece, S078
Mixed acid, M020
Mixture, M022

Index
Modifying the impeller, M023
Modulus of elasticity, M024
Moment of inertia, M025
Monitoring the pump, M026
Monochromatic light, M027
Monolithic face, M028
Motion seals SS005_1
Motor selection, M029
● Service factor for electric motors, S037
Multiple seal, D028
Multistage pump, M030
N
Narratives, TN001
● Pump selection, TN002

● Pump installation, TN003
● Pump modification,TN004
● Mechanical seal selection, TN005
Negative pressure, N004
NPSH, N011
NPSHA. Calculating net positive suction head available in USCS (inch) units, N001
NPSHA, testing for it N001-01
NPSHR, testing for it N002-01
NPSHR. Net positive suction head required, N002
● NPSHR reductions, N003
Newton, N005
Newtonian fluid, N006
Noise in the pump, N007
Non clogging seal features, N008
Non lubricant, N009
Non metallic seal, N010
O
Index
O.D. (outside diameter), O001
OEM or original equipment mfg., O002
OEM seal problems, O003
O-Ring
● Advantages of an O-ring O004

● Compression set, C050
● Durometer, D034
● Extrusion, E020
● Groove, O005
● Outgassing problems, O017
❍ Aflas, A011
❍ Buna N, B042
❍ Chemraz, C035
❍ Ethylene propylene (epr), E016
❍ Kalrez®, K001
❍ Viton®, V021
● Selection chart. ORINGSE

● Shelf life, S049
● Shore "A" hardness, S050
● Special elastomers, SE001
Oil
● Oil addatives, L022

● Oil analysis, O007
● Oil emulsion, O008
● Oil life, O009
● Oil lubrication, L025
● Oil mist, O010
● Oil seal, O010_5
● Synthetics, L024
Open impeller, O011
Operating length of the mechanical seal, O012
Operating window on the pump curve, O013
Operation problems (pump), GT003
Optical flat, O014
Orifice, O003_1
OSHA, O015
● OSHA 1910 sealing, O016
Outgas, O017
Outside seals, O018
Over hung impeller, O019
Oversize stuffing box, O020
Oversized pump, O021
Oxidize, O022
Index
Oxidizer, O023
Ozone, O024
P
PD (positive displacement) pump, P001
PV (pressure-velocity) factor, P002
Packing, P003
Packing conversion problems, P004
Packing conversion to a mechanical seal, P005
Parallel operation, P006_1, P006
Pascal, P007
● Pascal's Law, P008
Passivated, P009
pH, P010
Pedestal, F033
Permeable, P011
Physicals, P012
Pilot diameter, P013
Pipe diameter, affect of changing P057
Pipe strain, P014
Piping recommendations, P015
● Flow through an orifice, O003_1
Piping systems
● Affect of changing the diameter P057

● Affect of changing the flow C074
Pit pumps P015_1
Pitting corrosion, P016
Plasma spray, P017
Plastic
● Thermoplastic,T009
● Thermosetting, T010
Plastic range of the metal, P018
Plated seal face, P019

Index
Pollutant glossary P055
Positive displacement pump, R019, P020
Positive face seal for bearings, P021
Power, P022
Power end, P023
Power factor, P024
Power failure problem, P025
Precision bearing, P026
Precision vs. journal or sleeve, B013
Predictive maintenance, P027
Pre-rotation, P028
Press fit seal faces, P029
Pressure
● Absolute pressure, A002

● Atrmospheric, A033
● Bar (metric), B014
● Conversions, P030
● Drop in pressure, P031
● Gradient, P032
Preventive maintenance
● Preventive maintenance, pumps, P034

● Preventive maintenance, seals, P035
Preventing premature seal failure P035_1
Priming a centrifugal pump, P036
● Priming- the pump looses its prime, PT012
Proprietary product, P037
Pump

● Alignment, A014
❍ C or D frame adapter, C001
● Base plate, B016

● Basics
❍ Best efficiency point (BEP), B028
3 4
❍ L /D calculation, S040
❍ Three formulas for head, pressure & velocity, T012
❍ Three rules that explain shaft deflection, T013
● Best pump technology, B029

● Curve, P038
❍ Best efficiency point (BEP), B028
❍ Operating window on the pump curve, O013
❍ Pump curve modifications for paper stock, P039

Index
❍ Pump curve shape, P040

● Efficiency, E003
● Foundation, F033
● Grout, G012
● Head, H005
❍ Reasons for changes in the pump's head, H006
❍ Friction head, F038
❍ Pressure head, P033
❍ Shut off head, how to estimate it, S051
❍ Static head, S085
❍ Velocity head, V013,
● Inducer, I011
● Installation, TN003, P041
● Maintenance practices causing problems, GT004
● Misconceptions, P042
● Monitoring the pump, M026
● Modifications to make, P043
● NPSHR. Net positive suction head required, N002
● Operations practices that cause problems, GT003
● Operating window on the pump curve, O013
● Pit pumps P015_1
● Priming a centrifugal pump, P036
❍ Priming- the pump looses its prime, PT012
● Pump out vanes, P044

● Repair, P045, P056
● Repeller, R010
● Rules of thumb, centrifugal pumps, R023
● Selection, TN002
● Shaft rotation direction, P046
● Specification problems, GT002
● Starting a centrifugal pump, S083
● Size, P047
● Standards, P048
❍ Standards problems,P049
● System curve, S111

● Technology; here is what is available, P050
● Troubleshooting overview, PT001
● Types, P051
❍ Back pull out pump, B003
❍ Boiler feed pump, B034
❍ Booster pump, B035
❍ Canned pump, C005
❍ Center line design, C022-5
❍ Centrifugal pump, C025
❍ Diaphragm pump, D012
❍ Diffuser pump, D014
❍ Double ended pump, D021
❍ Double suction pump, D023
❍ Double volute, D024
❍ Heavy duty pump, H013
❍ High head, low capacity, H017
❍ High speed pumps, H019
❍ Inline pump, I017
❍ Magnetic drive, M002
❍ Multistage pump, M030
❍ Pump selection, TN002
❍ Positive displacement pump, P020
❍ Repeller, R010
❍ Rotary pumps, R019
❍ Seal-only pump, S024
❍ Self-priming pump, S033
❍ Slurry pumps, S062
❍ Turbine pump, D014
❍ Variable speed drive, V010

Index
❍Vortex pump, V025

● Venting vertical pump stuffing boxes V028
● Wear ring, W006
Pump out vanes, P044
Pump Rebuilding P056
Pumpage, P052
Pumping ring, P053
Pumping slurries, S062
● Slurry definition, S061

● Speed limits for slurry pumps, S074.S087
● Slurry sealing, SA010, S063
Pumps in pits P015_1
Pusher seal, P054
Q
Quench, Q001
● API Gland, A026,
Questions about seals, S017
Quill shaft, Q002
R
Radial, R001
Radial bearing, R002
Radial deflection of the pump shaft, R003
Reaction bonded silicon carbide, R004
Recirculation line:
● Bypass line, B044

● Discharge recirculation, D018
● Suction recirculation, S104
Reducer, R006
Reduction, R007
Registered fit, R008
Renkin scale, R009
Repeller, R010

Index
Reverse balance, R011
Reversed fluid flow, R012
Reversed impeller, R013
Reversed rotation, R014
Rigid shaft, R015
RMS, R016
Rockwell "C", R017
Roller bearing, R018
Rotary pumps, R019
Rotating seal, R020
Rub marks in a centrifugal pump, PT014
Rubber bellows seal, R022
Rules of thumb, centrifugal pumps, R023
Rubber Selection , SA005,
Run out, R024
● Run out capacity, R025
S
SI (System International), S001
Scleroscope hardness test, S002
Seal
● Seal application, SA001

❍ Is this a seal application? SA016
❍ Choosing metal parts, SA002
❍ Classifying fluids, SA001.5
❍ Cryogenic applications, SS004
❍ Environmental controls, SA006
❍ Fluids requiring two seals, SA008
❍ Fluids sensitive to changes in temt. or pressure, SA007
❍ Fluids sensitive to agitation, SA011
❍ Fluids that combine to form a solid, SA012
❍ Gases and non-lubricants, SA009
❍ High speed applications, SS01
❍ High pressure applications, SS002
❍ Hot water sealing, SA014
❍ Hot oil sealing, SA015
❍ Liquid slurries, SA010
❍ Lubricating liquids, SA013
❍ Mixers and agitators, SS005

Index

❍ Sealing with special seals, SS001_5
❍ Sublimation, S102
❍ Vacuum,SS03
● Best seal technology, S029

● Cage (seal), S004
● Classification, S005
● Damage, S006
❍ The causes & cures, S007
● Design evaluation, S008

● Design problems, S009
● Desirable seal features, TN005
● Faces, S014
❍ Carbon physicals, GR011
❍ Carbon seal faces mfg., C010
❍ Combinations, F002
❍ Halogens that attack carbon, H001
❍ Hard faces, H002
❍ Hardness testing,S010
❍ Heat generation at the faces, ST005
❍ Lubrication, S012
❍ Oxidizers that attack carbon, O023
❍ Self-aligning seal faces, S032
❍ Sintered material, S053
❍ Slip-stick vibration at faces, S060
● Failure, quick reference guide, S015

● Seal improvements S113
● Installation problems, S018
● Leak paths, S019
● Leakage, ST018
❍ Different types of leakage, ST018_1
● Life expectancy of the seal, S020

❍ Increasing seal life, S021
● Material selection:
❍ Selecting the metal parts, SA002
❍ Special elastomers, SE001
● Misconceptions, S023
● Operation problems, S025
● Preventing premature seal failure P035_1
● Repair, S026
● Sleeve, S027
● Specifications, write them, S028
● Theory:
❍ Balance ratio, B008
❍ Balanced mechanical seal, B009
❍ Damping, D004
❍ Face flatness, F003
❍ Face lubrication, the theories, F004
❍ Frequently asked questions, S017
❍ Heat generated at the seal faces, H008
❍ Hydraulic balance,B009
❍ Hydrodynamic seal, H029
❍ Hydrostatic seal, H033
❍ O.E.M. design problems O003
❍ Operating length of the mechanical seal, O012
❍ Self-aligning seal faces, S032
❍ Slip stick, S060
❍ Two way seal balance, T028
❍ Vibration damping, D004
● Troubleshooting seals
❍ Auxiliary equipment is failing, ST018_4
❍ Cartridge seal overheating, ST020
❍ Damaged bushing, ST017

Index
❍Damaged carbon/graphite, ST008

❍ Damage, S006
❍ Damage, the causes & cures, S007
❍ Damaged drive lugs, pins, slots, ST012
❍ Damaged elastomer, ST010
❍ Damaged hard face, ST009
❍ Damaged metal parts, ST011
❍ Damaged sleeve or shaft, ST014
❍ Damaged springs, ST013
❍ Damaged set screws, ST015
❍ Damaged seal gland, ST016
❍ Faces open ST003
❍ Fretting, F036
❍ Heat generation at the faces, ST005
❍ Heat generation in the pump, ST006
❍ Inspecting individual components, ST007
❍ Leak paths, ST002
❍ Life expectancy, ST001
❍ Maintenance practices that cause failures, GT004
❍ No apparent cause for the problem, ST019
❍ Noise in the stuffing box ST018_3
❍ OEM seal problems, O003
❍ On a running pump, ST018
❍ Operation problems, S025
❍ Oversized pump problems, O021
❍ Oxidizers that attack carbon, O023
❍ Seal face opens, S013
❍ Shaft deflection, the types, ST004
❍ Slip stick, S060
❍ Stainless steel discoloration, S082
❍ Types of leakage ST018_1
❍ Vibration problems, ST018_5
❍ Why lapped faces open, ST003
● Types of seals available,

❍ Back up sealing, B006
❍ Cartridge seal, C016
❍ Dual seal, D028
❍ High pressure seal, H018,
❍ Hydrodynamic seal, H029
❍ Hydrostatic seal, H033
❍ Magnetic seal, M003
❍ Metal bellows seal, W008
❍ Mixer sealing, A012
❍ Non metallic seal, N010
❍ Outside seals, O018
❍ Rotating type, R020
❍ Rubber bellows seal, R022
❍ Special seals, SS001_5,
■ Cryogenic sealing, SS004
■ High pressure seals, SS002
■ High speed seals, SS001
■ Mixers and agitators, SS005
■ Vacuum sealing, SS003
❍ Split seals, S076
❍ Stationary seal, S087
❍ Stationary cartridge seal, S086
❍ Welded metal bellows seal, W008
Seal improvements S113
Seal-only pump, S024
Seal technology S029
Seal top 10 features S024_1

Index
Sealess pumps, C005
Secondary seal, S030
Selective leaching corrosion, S031
Self-aligning seal faces, S032
Self-priming pump, S033
Self sintered silicone carbide, S034
Semi-open impeller, S035
Series operation, S036
Service factor for electric motors, S037
Set screw, S038
Shaft
● L3/D4 formula, S039

● Shaft bending, S040
❍ Shaft breakage, S041

❍ How to reduce deflection, S043
❍ Direction of deflection S114
❍ Deflection problems, S044
● Shaft failure, S045

● Shaft finish, "RMS", R016
● Shaft packing, S046
● Shaft rotation, S047
● Shaft sleeve, S048
Shaft deflection, direction S114
Shelf life, S049
Shore "A" hardness, S050
Shut off head, how to estimate it, S051
SiC (silicon carbide), S052, SA004
● Alpha sintered, A016

● Reaction bonded, R004
Sintered material, S053
Siphon, S054
Siphon affect, S055
Skidding, S056
Sleeve bearing, S057
● Precision vs.sleeve bearings, B013
Slenderness ratio, S058
Slip, S059
Slip stick, S060

Index
Slurry, S061

● Speed limits for slurry pumps, S074
● Slurry pumps, S062
● Slurry sealing, SA010,
Snap ring, S064
Soft foot, S065
Soluble, S066
Span, S067
Special elastomers, SE001
Special seals, SS001_5,
● Cryogenic sealing, SS004

● High pressure seals, SS002
● High speed seals, SS001
● Mixers and agitators, SS005
● Vacuum sealing, SS003
Specific gravity, S070
Specific heat, S071
Specific speed, S072
Specific viscosity, S073
Speed limits
● Speed limits for rotating pumps, S087

Speed of sound, S075
Split mechanical seals, S076
● Split mechanical seals, where to use them, S077
Spool piece, S078
Spring damage, ST013
Spring force, S079
Stabilizer,S080
Stainless steel, S081
● Corrosion problems, stainless steel, C061

❍ Chloride stress corrosion, C036
❍ Crevice corrosion,C064
❍ Electrolysis, E008
❍ Erosion corrosion, E014
❍ Fretting corrosion, F036
❍ Galvanic corrosion, G002
❍ General corrosion, G006
❍ Hydrogen embrittlement, H030
❍ Intergranular corrosion, I018
❍ Micro organisms corrosion, M016
❍ Pitting corrosion, P016

Index
❍ Selective leaching corrosion, S031

● Stainless steel stabilizer,S080
● Stainless steel discoloration, S082
Standards, pumps and seals
● Pump standards problems, P049

● API Standard, A028
● AVS Standard, A035
● D.I.N. standard, D003
● Hydraulic Institute Standards, H026
● ISO, I024
● OSHA 1910 sealing standards, O016
● VDMA, V011
Starting a centrifugal pump, S083
Static elastomer, S084
Static head or height, S085
Stationary cartridge seals, S086
Stationary seal, S087
Stationary vs. rotating seal designs, S088
Steam, temperature vs pressure GR029
Stiffness ratio, S089
Strain, S090
Stress, S091
Stress corrosion cracking, S092
Stress relieve, S093
Stripped, S094
Strobe light, S095
Stuffing box, S096
● Noise, N007
● Oversize, O020
● Pressure, S097
● Pressure control, S098
● Temperature, S099
● Temperature control, S100
● Venting the stuffing box, S101
● Venting in horizontal pumps V029
● Venting in vertical pumps V028
Sublimation, S102
Suction head, S103
Suction recirculation, S104
Suction specific speed, S105
Suction Throttling S115

Index
Sump pump, S106
Surface finish, S107
Surface pressure head, S108
Surface speed, S109
Synchronous motor, S110
Synthetic oil, L024
System curve, S111
System head, S112
T
TDH (total discharge head), T001
Tachometer, T002
Tandem seals, T003
Tapered stuffing box, O020
Teflon® wedge, T004
Temperature limits for O-rings, SA005_1
Tensile strength, T005
Thermal
● Thermal bushing, T006

● Thermal conductivity, T007
● Thermal imaging, T008
Thermoplastic,T009
Thermosetting, T010
Thixotrophic fluid, T011
Three formulas that link head, pressure and velocity, T012
Three rules that explain shaft deflection, T013
Throttling the suction or discharge lines S115
Thrust, T014
Thrust bearing, T015
Tolerance, T016
Tongue of the pump, T017
Too much amperage PT005
Top 10 pump features T017_1

Index
Top 10 seal features S024_1
Torque, T018
Torr, T019
Total system head

Trailing edge of the impeller, T021
Transducer, T022
Treated water, T023
● Condensate, C055
● De-aerate, D007
● De-ionized (DI) water, D009
● Demineralized water, D010
Tribology, T024
Troubleshooting Ball Bearings, TBB001

● False burnelling, F007
● Maintenance practices that cause failures, GT004
Troubleshooting, General, GT001
● Five "whys", GT001_1
Troubleshooting Pumps, PT001
● Analyzing Rub marks, PT014

● Cavitation problems, PT006
● Corrosion, Stainless Steel, PT015
● Disassembled pump, PT014
● Friction within the pump, F038
● High amperage pump problem, PT005, H016
● Loses prime, PT012
● Low head, PT004
● Noise in the pump, N007
● Not enough capacity, PT003
● Not enough head, PT004
● Operation problems, GT003
● Overview, PT001
● Positive displacement pumps, PT016
● Power failure problem, P025
● Priming- the pump looses its prime, PT012
● Reversed impeller, R013
● Reversed shaft rotation, R014
● Rules of thumb for pumps, R023
● Running centrifugal pump, PT002
● Stopped centrifugal pump, PT013
● Stuffing box getting hot, ST018_2
● Stuffing box noise, ST018_3
● Using too much amperagre, PT005
● Vibration, V016

Index
Troubleshooting Seals
● Auxiliary equipment is failing, ST018_4

● Cartridge seal overheating, ST020
● Damaged bushing, ST017
● Damaged carbon/graphite, ST008
● Damage, S006
● Damage, the causes & cures, S007
● Damaged drive lugs, pins, slots, ST012
● Damaged elastomer, ST010
● Damaged hard face, ST009
● Damaged metal parts, ST011
● Damaged sleeve or shaft, ST014
● Damaged springs, ST013
● Damaged set screws, ST015
● Damaged seal gland, ST016
● Faces open ST003
● Fretting, F036
● Heat generation at the faces, ST005
● Heat generation in the pump, ST006
● Inspecting individual components, ST007
● Leak paths, ST002
● Life expectancy, ST001
● No apparent cause for the problem, ST019
● Noise in the stuffing box ST018_3
● OEM seal problems, O003
● On a running pump, ST018
● Operation problems, S025
● Oversized pump problems, O021
● Seal face opens, S013
● Shaft deflection, the types, ST004
● Slip stick, S060
● Stainless steel discoloration, S082
● Types of leakage ST018_1
● Vibration problems, ST018_5
● Why lapped faces open, ST003
Tungsten Carbide T025
Turbulent flow T026
Turbulence T027
Two way hydraulic seal balance T028
U
USCS, U001
Unbalanced seal, U002
Unfilled carbon, U003
Universal joint, U004
V
Vacuum, V001

Index
● Torr, T019
Vacuum pumps V001_1
Vacuum sealing, V002
Vane diffuser, V003
Vane passing syndrome, PT011
Vapor phase sealing, V005
Vapor point, V006
Vapor pressure, V007
Vaporize, V008
Vaporization cavitation, V009
Variable speed drive, V010
VDMA, V011
Velocity, V012
● Absolute velocity, A003
Velocity head, V013
Vent, V014
● Venting the stuffing box, S101

● Venting of a centrifugal pump, V015
● Venting the stuffing box in horizontal pumps V029
● Venting the vertical pump stuffing boxes V028
Venturi, V015-1
Vertical pump stuffing box venting V028
Vibration, V016
● Harmonic vibration, H003

● Lomakin Effect, L018
● Slip-stick vibration at faces, S060
● Vibration damping, V017
● Vibration readings, V018
● Water hammer, W002
Viscosity, V019
● Centipoise, C023
● Centistoke, C024
● Dilatant, D015
● Kinematic, K004
● Newtonian fluid, N006
● Thixotrophic fluid, T011
Viscosity corrections, V020
Viton®, V021
VOC emission pump standards, O016

Index
Volume conversions, V022
Volumetric rate of flow, V023
Volute casing, V024
Vortex pump, V025
Vortexing liquid, V026
Vulcanize, V027
W
Water
● Condensate, C055
● De-aerate, D007
● De-ionized (DI) water, D009
● Demineralized water, D010
● Treated, T023
Water glass, W001
Water hammer, W002
Water horsepower calculation W013
Water horsepower (WHP), W003
Watt, W004
Wave spring, W005
Wear ring, W006
Wear ring clearance, W007
Welded metal bellows seal, W008
Wet end, W009
Wetted parts, W010
Window, W011
Work harden, W012
X-Y-Z
Yield point, Y001
Return to CD home page

A001 Abrade
A001. ABRADE
To abrade means to rub or wear away by friction.
It is important to choose abradable materials for the support, restrictive and thermal bushings we place in
the end of pump stuffing boxes.
Non-abradable materials could shatter.
Teflon®, graphite, brass and carbon are examples of abradable materials.
Return to index
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tn002
TN002. CENTRIFUGAL PUMP SELECTION. HOW TO PICK THE CORRECT SIZE PUMP
FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
We will begin by deciding what operating conditions our pump has to meet and then we will approach
pump suppliers to see how closely they can satisfy these needs. Unfortunately no comprehensive theory
which would permit the complete hydrodynamic design of a centrifugal pump has evolved in the many
years that pumps have been around, so the pump manufacturer will be doing the best he can with the
information you supply to him.
To clearly define the capacity and pressure needs of our system we will construct a type of graph called a
system curve. This system curve will then be given to the pump suppliers and they will try to match it
with a pump curve that satisfies these needs as closely as possible.
To start the construction of the system curve I will assume you want to pump some fluid from point "A"
to point "B". To do that efficiently you must make a couple of decisions:
● Decide the capacity you will need. This means the gallons per minute or cubic meters per hour.
You must also consider if this capacity will change with the operation of your process. A boiler
feed pump is an example of an application that needs a constant pressure with varying capacities
to meet a changing steam demand. The demand for boiler water is regulated by opening and
closing a control valve on the discharge side of the pump with a discharge re-circulation line
returning the unneeded portion back to a convenient storage place, or the suction side of the
pump. Remember that with a centrifugal pump if you change its capacity you change the pressure
also. A rotary or positive displacement pump is different. It puts out a constant capacity regardless
of the pressure.
● For other centrifugal pump applications, you are going to have to calculate how much pressure
will be needed to deliver different capacities to the place where you will need them. You will
need enough pressure to :
❍ Reach the maximum static head or height the fluid will have to attain.
❍ Over come any pressure that might be in the vessel where the fluid is discharging, such as
the boiler we just discussed. This is called the pressure head.

❍ Overcome friction resistance in the lines, fittings and any valves or hardware that might be
in the system. As an example: high-pressure nozzles can be tricky, especially if they clog
up. This resistance is called the friction head.
● Will you need any special materials for the pump components?
❍ The pump manufacturer will try to choose pump metal components that are chemically
compatible with what you are pumping as well as any cleaners or solvents that might be
flushed through the lines. If the temperature of the pumpage changes the corrosion rate can
change also. His choice of materials could have a serious affect on your spare parts
inventory. Will he be selecting universal and easily obtainable materials? Unless you have
a great deal of experience with the product you are pumping do not select the metal
components by using a compatibility chart. Metal selection is a job for metallurgists or
your own experience.
❍ If the product you are pumping is explosive or a fire hazard, you should be looking at non-
sparking materials for the pump components. Do not depend totally upon the pump
manufacturer to make this decision for you. If you are not sure what materials are
compatible with your product, how will the pump man know? Also, keep in mind that
some of the fluids you will be pumping could be proprietary products known only by their
trade name.
❍ Dangerous and radioactive materials will dictate special materials.
❍ Food products require high-density seal and pump materials that are easy to clean.
❍ If there are abrasive solids in the pumpage you will need materials with good wearing
capabilities. Hard surfaces and chemically resistant materials are often incompatible. You
may have to go to some type of coating on the pump wetted parts or select an expensive
duplex metal.
● Occasionally you will find an application where metal is either not compatible or not practical.
There are many monomer and polymer materials available for these applications, but their cost is
generally higher than comparable metal parts. Be aware that if you are using a mechanical seal in
a non-metallic pump, the seal cannot have metal parts in contact with the fluid for the same
reasons the pump was manufactured from non-metallic materials. Use a non-metallic seal in these
applications
Since we are just getting into the subject, one of the first things we should learn is that centrifugal pump
people do not use the word pressure. As mentioned in an earlier paragraph they substitute the word
"head", so you will have to calculate the three kinds of head that will be combined together to give you
the total head of the system required to deliver the needed capacity. Here are the three kinds of head you
will be calculating:
● The static head or maximum height that the liquid will reach. We must also learn how to
compensate for the siphon affect from down running pipes on the discharge side of the pump.
Remember that if you fill a tank from the bottom instead of the top the static head will continually
increase. This is not a good application for a centrifugal pump because the capacity is decreasing
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tn002
with an increasing head. If you must fill from the bottom, or if you will be using the pump as an
accumulator, a rotary positive displacement pump will be your best choice as long as it can meet
the needed capacities.
● The pressure heads are next if the container we are pumping to, or from, is pressurized. We will
have to learn how to convert pressure units to head units because later on we will need this
conversion knowledge to read the manufacturers pump curve. Pump gages are labeled in psi or
bar. Pump curves are labeled in feet of head, or meters of head.
● The friction head is the last one that we will have to calculate. This head tells us how much
friction or resistance head there is in both the suction and discharge piping, along with the fittings
and valves in the piping system. And to make the job a little tougher this head changes
dramatically as the pump capacity changes.
You will be calculating these heads on both the suction and discharge side of the pump. To get the total
head you will subtract the suction head from the discharge head and that will be the head that the pump
must produce to satisfy the application. It will become obvious in the calculations, but I should mention
here, that if the suction head is a negative number, the suction and discharge heads will be added together
to get the total head. If you subtract a minus number from a positive number you must add the numbers
together. As an example: 4 - (-2) = + 6
The total head of a pump seldom remains static. There are a number of factors that can change the head
of a pump while it is operating, and you should become familiar with most of them.
All of this head information is calculated from piping, valve, and fitting, friction graphs you will find in
the index.This head data will be plotted on a set of coordinates called a system curve. Since we will not
be operating at a single point all of the time we will make the calculations for a range of different
capacities and heads that we might expect to encounter. This range is described as the operating window
we will need to satisfy the application.
Making these calculations is not an exact science because the piping is seldom new, pipe inside
diameters are not exact, and the graphs you will be consulting cannot compensate for corrosion and
solids built up on the piping, valve and fitting walls.
Life is never simple. This is the point where most people start adding in safety factors to compensate for
some of the unknowns. These safety factors will almost always guarantee the selection of an oversized
pump that will run off of its best efficiency point (BEP) most of the time.
The final calculations are then plotted on the system curve that describes what the pump has to do to
satisfy the requirements of the application. You can learn to do all of this by referencing the following
subjects:
● Calculating the total head in metric units

● Calculating the total head in USCS (inch) units
● Making a system curve, S111
The pump manufacturer requires a certain amount of net positive suction head required (NPSHR) to
prevent the pump from cavitating. He shows that number on his pump curve. When you look at the curve
you will also note that the net positive suction head required (NPSHR) increases with any increase in the
pump's capacity.
You will also be calculating the net positive suction head available (NPSHA) to be sure that the pump
you select will not cavitate. Cavitation is caused by cavities or bubbles in the fluid collapsing on the
impeller and volute. In the pump business we recognize several different types of cavitation. :
● Vaporization cavitation.
● Air ingestion cavitation.
● Internal recirculation cavitation.
● Flow turbulence cavitation.
● Vane Passing Syndrome cavitation.
Pump cavitation is recognized in several different ways
● We can hear cavitation because it sounds like the pump is pumping rocks or ball bearings.
● We can see the damage from cavitation on the pump's impeller and volute.
● The operator can sometimes tell if the pump is cavitating because of a reduction in the pump's
capacity.
● The main problem with cavitation is that it shakes and bends the shaft causing both seal and
bearing problems. We call all of this shaking and bending shaft deflection.
Remember that the net positive suction head required (NPSHR) number shown on the pump curve is for
fresh water at 68° Fahrenheit (20°C) and not the fluid or combinations of fluids you will be pumping.
tn002
When you make your calculations for net positive suction head available (NPSHA) the formula you will
be using will adjust for the specific gravity of your fluid.
● In some cases you can reduce the NPSH required. This is especially true if you are pumping hot
water or mixed hydrocarbons.
● You may have to install an inducer on the pump, add a booster pump, or go to a double suction
pump design if you do not have enough net positive suction head available (NPSHA)
When the pump supplier has all of this in-exact information in his possession he can then hopefully
select the correct size pump and driver for the job. Since he wants to quote a competitive price he is now
going to make some critical decisions:
He might begin with the type of pump he will recommend:
● If the capacity were going to be very low he would recommend a rotary, or positive displacement
(PD) pump.
● Between 25 and 500 gpm (5 m3 /hr - 115 m3/hr) he will probably select a single stage end suction
centrifugal pump. It all depends upon the supplier. At higher capacities he may go to a double
suction design with a wide impeller, two pumps in parallel or maybe a high-speed pump.
● You might need a high head, low capacity pump. The pump supplier has several options you
should know about.
● Will he recommend a self-priming pump? These pumps remove air from the impeller eye and
suction side of the pump. Some operating conditions dictate the need for a self-priming design. If
you do not have a self-priming pump and you are on intermittent service, will priming become a
problem the next time you start the pump?
● How will the pump be operated?
❍ If the pump is going to run twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and you are not
going to open and close valves; you will not need a heavy-duty pump. It is easy to select a
pump that will run at its best efficiency point and at the best efficiency point (BEP) there is
very little shaft displacement and vibration.
❍ Intermittent service is the more difficult application because of changing temperatures,
vibration levels, thrust direction, etc. Intermittent pumps require a more robust, heavy-duty
design with a low L3/D4 shaft.
● How important is efficiency in your application? High efficiency is desirable, but you pay a price
for efficiency in higher maintenance costs and a limited operating window. You should be looking
for performance, reliability, and efficiency in that order. Too often the engineer specifies
efficiency and loses the other two. The following designs solve some operation and maintenance
problems, but their efficiency is lower than conventional centrifugal pumps.
❍ A magnetic drive or canned pump may be your best choice if you can live with the several
limitations they impose.

❍ A vortex or slurry pump design may be needed if there are lot of solids or "stringy"
material in the pumpage.

❍ A double volute centrifugal pump can eliminate many of the seal problems we experience
when we operate off the pump's best efficiency point. The problem is trying to find a
supplier that will supply one for your application. Although readily available for impellers
larger than 14 inches (355 mm) in diameter they have become very scarce in the smaller
diameters because of their less efficient design.
● The supplier should recommend a centerline design to avoid the problems caused by thermal
expansion of the wet end if you are operating at temperatures over 200°F (100°C)?
● Will you need a volute or circular casing? Volute casings build a higher head; circular casing are
used for low head and high capacity.
● Do you need a pump that meets a standard? ANSI, API, DIN, VDMA or ISO are some of the
current standards. You should be aware of pump standards problems that contribute to premature
seal and bearing failures. An ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard back pullout
design pump has many advantages but presents problems with mechanical seals when the impeller
clearance is adjusted, unless you are purchasing cartridge seals.
● The decision to use either a single or multistage pump will be determined by the head the pump
must produce to meet the capacities you need. Some suppliers like to recommend a high speed
small pump to be competitive, other suppliers might recommend a more expensive low speed
large pump to lessen NPSH and wear problems.
There are additional decisions that have to be made about the type of pump the supplier will recommend:
● Will the pump be supplied with a mechanical seal or packing? If the stuffing box is at negative
pressure (vacuum) a seal will be necessary to prevent air ingestion.
● If he is going to supply a mechanical seal will he also supply an oversized stuffing box and any
environmental controls that might be needed?
● Will he specify a jacketed stuffing box so that the temperature of the sealed fluid can be
regulated? How does he intend to control the stuffing box temperature? Will he be using water,

tn002
steam or maybe a combination of both? Electric heating is sometimes an option.

● How will the open or semi-open impeller be adjusted to the volute casing or back plate? Can the
mechanical seal face loading be adjusted at the same time? If not, the seal face load will change
and the seal life will be shortened.
● If the pump is going to be supplied with a closed impeller you should have some means of
knowing when the wear rings have to be replaced. If the wear ring clearance becomes too large
the pumps efficiency will be lowered causing heat and vibration problems. Most manufacturers
require that you disassemble the pump to check the wear ring clearance and replace the rings
when this clearance doubles.
● Will he supply a "C" or "D" frame adapter, or will the pump to motor alignment have to be done
manually using dual indicators or a laser aligner to get the readings? A closed-coupled design can
eliminate the need for an alignment between the pump and driver.
● What type of coupling will he select to connect the pump to its driver? Couplings can compensate
for axial growth of the shaft and transmit torque to the impeller. They cannot compensate for
pump to driver misalignment as much as we would like them to. Universal joints are especially
bad because they have to be misaligned to be lubricated.
● He may decide to run two pumps in parallel operation if he needs a real high capacity, or two
pumps in series operation if he needs a high head. Pumps that run in parallel or series require that
they are running at the same speed. This can be a problem for some induction motors..
● An inline pump design can solve many pipe strain and thermal growth problems.
● The pump supplier must insure that the pump will not be operating at a critical speed or passing
through a critical speed at start up. If he has decided to use a variable speed drive or motor this
becomes a possibility.
● We all want pumps with a low net positive suction head required to prevent cavitation problems
but sometimes it is not practical. The manufacturer has the option of installing an inducer or
altering the pump design to lower the net positive suction head required, but if he goes too far all
of the internal clearances will have to be perfect to prevent cavitation problems. This modification
of the impeller to get the low net positive suction head required (NPSHR) and its affects will be
explained when you learn about suction specific speed.
● The difference between specific speed and suction specific speed can be confusing but you should
know the difference.
● Shaft speed is an important decision. Speed affects pump component wear and NPSH
requirements, along with the head, capacity, and the pump size. High speed pumps cost less
initially, but the maintenance costs can be staggering. Speed is especially critical if you are going
to be specifying a slurry pump.
● The ratio of the shaft diameter to its length is called the shaft L3/D4number. This ratio will have a
major affect on the operating window of the pump and its inital cost. The lower the number the
better, but any thing below 60 (2 in the metric system) is acceptable when you are using
mechanical seals. A low L3/D4 can be costly in a standard long shaft pump design because it
dictates a large diameter shaft that is usually found only on expensive heavy-duty pumps. A short
shaft with a smaller outside diameter would accomplish the same goal, but then the pump would
no longer conform to the ANSI or ISO standard. We often run into L3/D4problems when you
specify, or the pump supplier sells you a low cost, corrosion resistant sleeve, mounted on a steel
shaft rather than a more expensive solid, corrosion resistant shaft.
There are multiple decisions to be made about the impeller selection and not all pump suppliers are
qualified to make them:
● The impeller shape or specific speed number will dictate the shape of the pump curve, the NPSH
required and influence the efficiency of the pump.
● Has the impeller configuration been iterated in recent years? Impeller design is improving with
some of the newer computer programs that have become available to the design engineer.
● The suction specific speed number of the impeller will often predict if you are going to experience
a cavitation problem.
● The impeller material must be chosen for both chemical compatibility and wear resistance. You
should consider one of the duplex metals because most corrosion resistant materials are too soft
for the demands of a pump impeller.
● The decision to use a closed impeller, open impeller, semi-open, or vortex design is another
decision to be made.
● Closed impellers require wear rings and these wear rings present another maintenance problem.
● Open and semi-open impellers are less likely to clog, but need manual adjustment to the volute or
back-plate to get the proper impeller setting and prevent internal recirculation.
● Vortex pump impellers are great for solids and "stringy" materials but they are up to 50% less
efficient than conventional designs.
● Investment cast impellers are usually superior to sand cast versions because you can cast
compound curves with the investment casting process. The compound curve allows the impeller
to pump abrasive fluids with less vane wear.
● If you are going to pump low specific gravity fluids with an open impeller, a non-sparking type
metal may be needed to prevent a fire or explosion. You will be better off choosing a closed
impeller design with soft wear rings in these applications.

tn002
● The affinity laws will predict the affect of changing the impeller speed or diameter. You will want
to be familiar with these laws for both centrifugal and PD pumps..
Either you or the supplier must select the correct size electric motor, or some other type of driver for the
pump. The decision will be dictated by the specific gravity of the liquid you will be pumping along with
the specific gravity of any cleaners or solvents that might be flushed through the lines. The selection will
also be influenced by how far you will venture off the best efficiency point (BEP) on the capacity side of
the pump curve. If this number is under-estimated there is a danger of burning out some electric motors.
● How are you going to vary the pump's capacity? Are you going to open and close a valve or
maybe you will be using a variable speed drive like a gasoline or diesel engine. Will the
regulating valve open and close automatically like a boiler feed valve or will it be operated
manually? The variable speed motor might be an alternative if the major part of the system head is
friction head rather than static or pressure head.
● The viscosity of the fluid is another consideration because it will affect the head, capacity,
efficiency and power requirement of the pump. You should know about viscosity and how the
viscosity of the pumpage will affect the performance of the pump. There are some viscosity
corrections you should make to the pump curve when you pump viscous fluids.
● After carefully considering all of the above, the pump supplier will select a pump type and size,
present his quote and give you a copy of his pump curve. Hopefully you will be getting his best
pump technology. To be sure that is true you should know what the best pumping technology is.
● At this stage it is important for you to be able to read the pump curve. To do that you must
understand:
❍ Efficiency
❍ Best efficiency point (BEP)
❍ Shut off head.
❍ How to convert pressure to head so you can reference pump gage readings to the pump
curve. When you learn the three formulas you will get the conversion information.
❍ Brake horsepower (BHP)
❍ Water horsepower (WHP)
❍ Capacity
❍ Net positive suction head required (NPSHR)
❍ How to calculate the net positive suction head available (NPSHA) to the pump to insure
you will not have a cavitation problem.
If all of the above decisions were made correctly the pump supplier will place his pump curve on top of
your system curve and the required operating window will fall within the pump's operating window on
either side of the best efficiency point (BEP). Additionally, the motor will not overheat and the pump
should not cavitate.
If the decisions were made incorrectly the pump will operate where the pump and system curves intersect
and that will not be close to, or at the best efficiency point, producing radial impeller loading problems
that will cause shaft deflection, resulting in premature seal and bearing failures. Needless to say the
motor or driver will be adversely affected also.
With few exceptions pump manufacturers are generally not involved in mechanical sealing. You will
probably be contacting separate seal suppliers for their recommendation about the mechanical seal.
Recent mergers between pump and seal companies unfortunately does not produce the instant expertise
we would like sales and service people to posses.
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c006
C006. CAPACITY
The capacity of a pump is a measure of the amount of fluid we are pumping.
In centrifugal pump designs the capacity is directly related to the amount of head the pump is producing.
The more head the less capacity.
Rotary or positive displacement pumps move a constant capacity regardless of the head or pressure.
Here are some handy conversions you can use to convert from and to different capacity units:
US gallons/
liters/sec liters/min m3/hr ft3/hr ft3/min imperial gpm US. gpm
day petroleum
1 60 3.6 127.133 2.1189 13.2 15.85 543.439

0.017 1 0.06 2.1189 0.0353 0.22 0.264 9.057
0.278 16.667 1 35.3147 0.5886 3.666 4.403 150.955
0.008 0.472 0.0283 1 0.0167 0.104 0.125 4.275
0.472 28.317 1.6990 60 1 6.229 7.480 256.475
0.076 4.546 0.2728 9.6326 0.1605 1 1.201 41.175
0.063 3.785 0.2271 8.0209 0.1337 0.833 1 34.286
0.002 0.110 0.0066 0.2339 0.0039 0.024 0.029 1
Return to index
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Rotary Or Positive Displacement Pumps
R019. ROTARY OR POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
Rotary pumps make up about 10% of the pumps we use in industry. They are frequently used as priming
pumps.
Unlike the more common centrifugal design they are PD (positive displacement) pumps.
● These pumps will put out a constant volume of liquid regardless of the pressure they encounter.
The put out the constant volume with each rotation of the shaft.
● They do not impart velocity to the liquid they are pumping.
● The discharge pressure is determined by resistance and not affected by the specific gravity of the
fluid.
● There is no radial thrust transferred to the shaft as you move on the pump curve.
Did you notice I used the word "pressure" in the above paragraph? You will recall that centrifugal pump
people substitute the word "head" because the discharge pressure in a centrifugal pump is determined by
the specific gravity and volume of the fluid you are pumping.
The head of a centrifugal pump was limited by the diameter of the impeller and its speed.
How much pressure will a rotary PD pump produce? It is limited only by:
● The strength of the pump casing and the internal components.

● The power available from the pump driver (normally an electric motor).
In my lectures I seldom talk about positive displacement pumps because, unlike centrifugal pumps there
is very little you can do to modify them and increase their performance. They are basically a spare parts
business where the performance of the pump is directly related to how well you maintain their internal
clearances.
In other words if you were an expert in rotary pumps, it is still a parts replacing business, and you know
how to do that without having to go through any special training. However, if you are going to be called
upon to solve a specific pumping problem, you are going to need a basic knowledge of these pumps
because they represent about 10% of the pumps used by the process industry, and present the same
sealing problems as their centrifugal cousins.
Rotary pumps come in various configurations. In this section we will leave out the reciprocating types
and address the rotary version only. You should know that there are several different rotary
configurations being offered to industry. Among them:
● External gear
● Internal gear
● Lobe
● Progressive cavity
● Three screw
● Two screw
● One screw
● Flexible tube
● Sliding vane
● Flexible vane
The following table will give you a feel for the capabilities of some of the above designs:
Rotary Pump Operating range

Gear 1200 gpm 500 psi
Lobe 1200 gpm 500 psi
Progressive cavity 1000 gpm 1000 psi
Three screw 1000 gpm 500 psi
Two screw 9000 gpm 1500 psi
Vane 1000 gpm 150 psi
In the following paragraphs we will investigate the main differences between these designs and the
centrifugal pump that dominates about 90% of the chemical process market.
The Pump Curve
The specific speed or shape of the impeller determines the centrifugal pump curve shape. Although there
are a number of head/capacity combinations possible, there is only one best efficiency point (BEP). If
you want to match the best efficiency point (BEP) of a given size pump to your application, you are
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going to have to change the impeller diameter or speed of the pump.
The centrifugal pump application engineer is charged with the responsibility of matching the system
curve requirements with the pump curve. This problem does not exist with rotary pumps. They will
supply whatever head is needed to move the fluid, but no more.
Rotary pumps do not have a best efficiency point (B.E.P.). They pump a given capacity against any
pressure the system requires. If you want to change the capacity you have to change the speed of the
pump. You do not have the option of trimming or changing a component inside the pump.
If I wanted to fill a tank with a centrifugal pump I would fill the tank from the top because that is he only
way I could keep a constant head on the system and keep the pump close to its best efficiency point
(B.E.P.). If I were using a rotary pump I would fill the tank from the bottom because the pump would be
using less power during the filling process (remember that power is foot pounds (Kg meters) or head x
capacity)
Lets talk about the fluids you will be pumping.
Centrifugal pumps work best with low viscosity fluids (like water) that do not contain entrained air. A
centrifugal pump has to be primed before it can pump any liquid.
Rotary pumps work best with viscous fluids because the viscous fluid fills the clearance areas as well as
the pumping cavities, and the less clearance you have in a rotary pump the better it works.
● This means that rotary pumps are more efficient than centrifugal pumps when the fluid is viscous,
but less efficient with low viscosity fluids because of "slip".
● They also have the advantage of being self-priming because they can pump gases as well as
liquid.
Pumping Slurries
● Tight tolerances mean more wear if you are pumping a slurry or abrasive fluid. If you are
pumping either of these you should run at pump speeds well below those used for clean
lubricating liquids. In slurry applications the wear rate is proportional to the speed. Caution: Be
sure to keep the speed high enough to keep all velocities within the pump and system above the
critical carrying velocity of the slurry.
● Specify pumping elements that combine soft and hard materials to reduce abrasion and provide
resistance to the solids imbedding into the pump components.
● Since rotary pumps are positive displacement pumps and slurries have an inherent tendency to
settle and clog piping, over pressure protection should be part of the system. Slurry service
precludes the use of many conventional relief valves, but rupture discs, and other options are
available.
● The corrosion rate of the slurry should be a prime consideration in selecting the pump materials.
Most corrosion resistant metals form a protective oxide layer (we use the term "passivated" to
describe this), that will be removed by the slurry, increasing the corrosion rate of the metal
dramatically.
The effect of viscosity on the pump and system performance
● The net positive inlet pressure required (NPIPR) increases with increasing viscosity.
● The required input power increase with increasing viscosity
● The maximum allowable pump speed decreases with increasing viscosity.
● The pump slip decreases with increasing viscosity. This has the affect of a slight increase in the
gpm output.
● The outlet pressure does not increase with an increase in viscosity.
The Head
The centrifugal pump has a maximum or shut off head determined by the impeller diameter and shaft
speed. The centrifugal pump head changes as the capacity changes. As you throttle or slow down the
capacity, the head will increase at the rate shown on the pump curve. If you double the speed of a
centrifugal pump it is capable of putting out four times the head at the slower speed.
Changing the speed of a rotary pump to vary its capacity has little to no affect on its pressure output. The
resistance at the pump's discharge determines the output pressure.
The rotary pump will work against any back pressure, provided you have the horsepower or kilowatts to
drive the pump. Unlike the centrifugal design it does not have a maximum head or pressure. Operating
against a closed discharge valve will cause the rotary pump to continue to build pressure until it either
overloads the motor, or damages a component. All of this means that you will need a pressure relief
valve in the discharge system or built into the pump casing.

Horsepower Requirements
If you double the speed of a centrifugal pump it will require eight times the horsepower to drive it
because the capacity will double, but the head will increase four times.
If you double the speed of a rotary pump it will require twice the horsepower because only the capacity
will double.
NPSH Required
If you can get the fluid to a rotary pump it will pump it. The trick is to get it there. Instead of the term
NPSH (net positive suction head) rotary pump people use the term Net Positive Inlet Pressure (NPIP),
but some people are hard to change, so the term NPSH is still often used with rotary pumps.
Centrifugal pump NPSH is determined by holding the speed and suction pressure constant and then
throttling the suction until you get a 3% drop in discharge head. The test is a lot more reliable if you use
deaerated water to remove any small amount of bubbles.
Rotary pumps are often selected to move liquids with a low vapor pressure point, or fluids with a lot of
entrained bubbles. This means that NPIP required (NPSH) is difficult to test. The Hydraulic Institute
establishes the point at the first indication of any of the following.
● Cavitation noise is heard.

● A 5% reduction in capacity at constant differential pressure and speed
● A 5% reduction in power consumption at constant differential pressure and speed.
Rotary pumps present a few advantages over their centrifugal cousins. These advantages include:
● Flow is independent of pressure. You can change the flow without upsetting the pump's
efficiency.
● The pump can handle high viscosity fluids efficiently.
● The pump is self-priming.
● You get a smooth pulse free flow of the liquid into the system.
● You can get the desirable high head low flow combination that is need in many high-pressure
applications.
In summary, PD pumps are great pumps and we would use a lot more of them if they could produce the
volume of fluid most of our process applications require.
Return to index

b028
B028. BEST EFFICIENCY POINT (BEP)
This is the point where the brake horsepower going into the pump is the closest to the water horsepower
coming out of the pump. It is at this point we experience the least amount of shaft vibration and
deflection.
The best efficiency point (BEP) for most single stage centrifugal pumps is somewhere between 80% and
85% of the shut off head. You are going to have to look at your individual pump curve to get the exact
number.
A few years ago efficiency became "the name of the game".
Automotive companies advertised "miles per gallon" (liters per 100 kilometers) information in their
advertisements, and appliance manufacturers published kilowatt consumption numbers along with their
pricing information.
Unfortunately high efficiency also means higher maintenance costs because you are required to maintain
tighter tolerances and keep the flow passages smooth and free from obstructions. The demise of the
double volute pump design in smaller size pumps is a perfect example of the increase in mechanical seal
problems as the efficiency of the volute pump was increased to satisfy consumer demand.
Maybe the "trade off" is acceptable as long as you are dealing with accurate numbers, but are you really
doing that? Is the efficiency shown on the pump curve accurate? How was the data taken? What was
included in the data and more important; what was left out? As an example:
● Was the data generated on a dynamometer with a constant speed motor?

● Are you going to run at the same speed as shown on the performance curve or are you running
with an induction motor that slips 2% to 5% and you are not sure of the actual speed? Horsepower
(KW) varies as the cube of the change in speed at the best efficiency point so a small variation in
speed can make a big difference in efficiency.
● Was the published efficiency data generated with a seal or packing in the stuffing box? The type
of packing or seal used can alter the load they consume.
● Was there an elbow at the suction of the pump?
● Was the inside of the volute polished or coated with a low friction material when the test was
made?
● How were the bearings lubricated and were all of the losses considered in the published numbers?
● The final numbers will vary with the motor efficiency and motor efficiency will vary with the
load on the motor.
If you would like to keep the pump salesman honest, take the data from his pump curve and then make
the following calculation:
GPM = Gallon per minute at the best efficiency point
TDH = Total discharge head (measured in feet), as shown on the pump curve, at the best
efficiency point)
WHP = Water horsepower, or the amount of horsepower the pump is generating.
If we refer to the above pump curve and insert the numbers into our formula, we would get:
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b028
You then divide this number by the efficiency shown on the pump curve:
18.9 / .60 = 31.5 horsepower required to generate the WHP. If this number is lower than the horsepower
shown on the performance curves, the efficiency date is questionable. As an example:
If the performance curve showed a requirement for 40 Horsepower, the actual efficiency would be 18.9
water horse power / 40 pump horsepower = .47 or 47% actual efficiency.
Doing the same thing in the metric system we would get:
M3/hour= Cubic meters per hour of capacity as measured at the best efficiency point on the pump curve.
TDH = Total discharge head, in meters, at the best efficiency point.
WKW = Water kilowatts of power being generated by the pump.
Referring to the above diagram, and putting in the numbers :
The curve shows a 60% efficiency so:
14.36 water kilowatts / .60 efficiency = 23.93 Kilowatts required. If this number is lower than shown on
the pump performance curve the efficiency of the plump is questionable.
As an example:
If the pump performance curve showed a requirement for a 30 Kilowatt input, the actual efficiency
would be:
The fact of the matter is that you seldom operate at the best efficiency point so the numbers become even
more depressing. The point is that efficiency should only be one of the points taken into consideration
when you purchase a centrifugal pump of a given head, material and capacity. Look for the following in
this order:
● Performance
● Reliability
● Efficiency
Consider the following also:
● The L3/D4 number of the shaft. Is the number below 60 in inch sizes or 2 in metric?
● Operating off the BEP can break the pump shaft if the L3/D4 number is too high because the force
is always in the same direction while the shaft is turning. This has the affect of flexing the shaft
twice per revolution. In many cases you can easily exceed the endurance limit of the shaft
material.
❍ The stresses imposed in reverse bending are cumulative.
❍ Most fatigue failure occurs in one million cycles or less. At 1750 rpm you get 2,520,000
cycles per day.

❍ If a 300 series, stainless steel shaft is running in a fluid containing chlorides, the shaft is
subject to chloride stress corrosion problems that can be another cause of shaft cracking
and breakage.
● What kind of mechanical seal is installed? Will it seal fugitive emissions?
● How are the bearings being lubricated?
● How are the bearings sealed? Will the bearing seal damage the expensive shaft?
● How is the thrust bearing being retained? In operation the impeller thrusts towards the volute. Are
you relying upon a simple snap ring?
● Is the pump a centerline design? It should be if the product you are pumping is greater than 200°
F. (100° C.)
● Is the bearing case vented to atmosphere? If it is it will allow moisture to penetrate when the
pump stops.
● Has a "C" or "D" frame adapter been installed to reduce alignment time?
b028
● Can the wear rings or open impeller be easily adjusted to compensate for normal wear so that you
can keep the efficiency you paid for?
● Can the seal compensate for thermal growth, or impeller adjustment?
You can save money by lowering operating costs, or increasing the time between repairs. Be sure you
consider both when you make your pump buying decision.
Return to index

b037
B037. BRAKE HORSEPOWER
This is a measurement of the actual horsepower going into the pump. You cannot use the horsepower of
the driver to get this number because the driver is not 100% efficient.
Brake horsepower is normally measured on a "pony brake"; an instrument that squeezes on the rotating
shaft. The pony brake operation is similar to the brake shoes on an automobile, that slow down or stop
the vehicle.
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WO03
W003. WATER HORSE POWER (WHP.)
The calculated water power or work done by the pump.
Here is the formula for the horsepower:
In SI units (metric) we make the calculations in kilowatts:
If you divide the water horsepower by the pump's brake horse power you get the pump's efficiency.
Return to index
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Efficiency
E003. EFFICIENCY
The measurement of the power coming out of the pump divided by power going into the pump, or the
ratio of water-power to shaft power. The shaft power is the actual power being delivered by the motor or
any other driver being used. The power is measured on a pony brake or dynamometer and is not to be
confused with the power going into the motor or driver which will be subject to friction losses.
Here are the formulas for the water power:
In USCS units the power in water horsepower is
In SI units the power in water kilowatts is
Pw = 9.8 x Q x H x specific gravity
● Q = Capacity in gpm or liters/second.

● H = Total head in feet or meters
● sp. gravity for water at 39°F (4°C) = 1.0
Some pump-driver units are constructed in such a way that it is impossible to get the actual power input
to the pump. Canned and magnetic drive designs are a good example. In such a case only an overall
efficiency can be calculated. If the driver is an electric motor it is called the "wire to liquid efficiency"
because we use the power going into the motor instead of the power coming out.
If you wanted a high efficient pump you would run with a close clearance between the impeller outside
diameter and the volute cut water to reduce the amount of internal recirculation, but if the clearance is
too small you can experience the "vane passing syndrome" type of cavitation.
Obviously open impeller to volute clearance and wear ring clearances in closed impeller designs have a
major impact on pump efficiency. Here are some other factors that reduce efficiency:
● Surface roughness.
● Mechanical losses including packing, bearings, lip seals, mechanical seals.
● High suction specific speed impellers. Especially those over 11,000.
● Trimming the impeller causes a slippage between the impeller tip and the volute.
● Viscosity of the pumpage.
● Slurries
● Size of the solids in the liquid. Large particles cannot pass through and will clog.
● Vortex volute pump designs.
● Double volute pump designs.
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Double Volute
D024. DOUBLE VOLUTE
A centrifugal pump design that incorporates two cut waters, 180 degrees apart, to prevent shaft deflection
when the pump is operating off of its best efficiency point (BEP).
The double volute lowers the efficiency of the pump a small amount and therefore is seldom used on
smaller size impellers.
● The radial force for a double volute casing is about 8% of the shut off value for the single volute
casing.
● An advantage of this design is that the second volute adds strength to the casting and acts as a
return channel if the pump is throttled too much.
● The direction of the small radial thrust in double volute casings is generally towards the casing
cutwater.
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Cutwater
C071. CUTWATER
The cutwater is molded into the volute and directs the pumped liquid to the discharge piping.
The clearance between the cutwater and the impeller has an affect on both efficiency and pressure
pulsations, and is very important if you want to prevent cavitation problems.
Please see "vane passing syndrome cavitation".
Return to index

Cavitation
C021 CAVITATION
Cavitation means different things to different people. It has been described as:
● A reduction in pump capacity.

● A reduction in the head of the pump.
● The formation of bubbles in a low pressure area of the pump volute.
● A noise that can be heard when the pump is running.
● Damaged that can be seen on the pump impeller and volute.
Just what then is this thing called cavitation? Actually it is all of the above.
Cavitation implies cavities or holes in the fluid we are pumping. These holes can also be described as
bubbles, so cavitation is really about the formation of bubbles and their collapse. Bubbles can form when
ever liquid boils. Be careful not to associate boiling with hot to the touch. Liquid oxygen will boil and no
one would ever call that hot.
Fluids boil when the temperature of the fluid gets too hot or the pressure on the fluid gets too low. At an
ambient sea level pressure of 14.7 psia (one bar) water will boil at 212°F. (100°C) If you lower the
pressure on the water it will boil at a much lower temperature and conversely if you raise the pressure the
water will not boil until it gets to a higher temperature. There are charts available to give you the exact
vapor pressure for any temperature of water. If you fall below this vapor pressure the water will boil.
As an example:
Fahrenheit Centigrade Vapor pressure lb./in2 absolute Vapor pressure Bar absolute
40 4.4 0.1217 0.00839
100 37.8 0.9492 0.06546
180 82.2 7.510 0.5179
212 100 14.696 1.0135
300 148.9 67.01 4.621
Please note that I am using absolute not gauge pressure. It is common when discussing the suction side of
a pump to keep everything in absolute numbers to avoid the use of minus signs. So instead of calling
atmospheric pressure zero, we say one atmosphere is 14.7 psia at seal level and in the metric system the
term commonly used is one bar, or 100 kPa if you are more comfortable with those units.
Now we will go back to the first paragraph and see if we can clear up some of the confusion:
The capacity of the pump is reduced:
● This happens because bubbles take up space and you cannot have bubbles and liquid in the same
place at the same time.
● If the bubble gets big enough at the eye of the impeller, the pump will lose its suction and will
require priming.
The discharge head is often reduced
● Bubbles, unlike liquid, are compressible. It is this compression that can change the head.
The bubbles form in a lower pressure area because they cannot form in a high pressure area.
● You should keep in mind that as the velocity of a fluid increases, the pressure of the fluid
decreases. This means that high velocity liquid is by definition a lower pressure area. This can be
a problem any time a liquid flows through a restriction in the piping, volute, or changes direction
suddenly. The fluid will accelerate as it changes direction. The same acceleration takes place as
the fluid flows in the small area between the tip of the impeller and the volute cut water.
A noise is heard
● Any time a fluid moves faster than the speed of sound in the medium you are pumping, a sonic
boom will be heard. The speed of sound in water is 4800 feet per second (1480 meters/sec) or
3,273 miles per hour (5,267 kilometers per hour).
Pump parts show damage
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Cavitation
The bubble tries to collapse on its self. This is called imploding, the
opposite of exploding. The bubble is trying to collapse from all sides,
If the bubble is laying against a piece of metal such as the impeller or

volute it cannot collapse from that side, so the fluid comes in from the
opposite side at this high velocity proceeded by a shock wave that can
cause all kinds of damage. There is a very characteristic round shape to the
liquid as it bangs against the metal creating the impression that the metal
was hit with a "ball peen hammer".
This damage would normally occur at right angles to the metal, but
experience shows that the high velocity liquid seems to come at the metal
from a variety of angles.
This can be explained by the fact that dirt particles get stuck on the surface
of the bubble and are held there by the surface tension of the fluid. Since
the dirt particle has weakened the surface tension of the bubble, it
becomes the weakest part, and the section where the collapse will
probably take place.
The higher the capacity of the pump the more likely cavitation will occur. Some plants inject air into the
suction of the pump to reduce this capacity and lower the possibility of cavitation.
They choose this solution because they fear that throttling the discharge of a high temperature application
will heat the fluid in the pump and almost guarantee the cavitation. In this case, air injection is the better
choice of two evils.
High specific speed pumps have a different impeller shape that allows them to run at high capacity with
less power and less chance of cavitating. You normally find this impeller in a pipe shaped casing rather
than the volute type of casing that you commonly see.
As stated earlier, cavitation means that cavities or holes are forming in the liquid that we are pumping.
The cavities form for five basic reasons and it is common practice to lump all of them into the general
classification of cavitation.
This is an error because we will learn that to correct each of these conditions, we must understand why
they occur, and how to fix them.
Here they are in no particular order:
Please take a look at: how to stop cavitation
Return to index

gr014
GR014.
VAPOR PRESSURES FOR VARIOUS LIQUIDS

-60°F TO 240°F
* John Cockayne of the SAIC Company, informs me that the blank tic mark between 60 and 80 psig on the
right hand side of the chart, should be labeled 60, and the 0 should be labeled 1. Move all the numbers 1 thru
60 up one tic to correct the chart. The current 0 is at 1 inch of vacuum
Return to index
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Absolute pressure
A002. ABSOLUTE PRESSURE
This is the pressure measured from absolute zero (vacuum).
We calculate absolute pressure by adding atmospheric pressure to gauge pressure. At sea level, gauge
pressure is 0 psi.
Absolute pressure is 14.7 psi.
In the metric system, atmospheric pressure is usually stated as one "bar or one atmosphere."
Please see: Pressure conversion chart
Return to index

Pressure
P030. PRESSURE.
The term "pressure" is commonly used in the positive displacement pump business, but not generally
used by centrifugal pump people; they substitute the term head instead.
Here are some conversions you will find useful to convert pressure to liquid head in both the inch and
metric systems:
newton
per square
meter kilogram pound
kilo -
force per force per millimeter of inch of
square centi- square meter
mercury mercury
N/M2 or pascal bar meter inch foot of water of
water
mm Hg in Mg
Pascal kPa
kgf/cm2 lbf/in2
(Pa)
1.045 1.02 X
1 0.001 1x105 1.02X105 3.35X10-4 0.0075 2.95 X 10-4
X10-4 10-4
1000 1 0.01 1.02 X10-2 0.145 0.335 0.102 7.5 0.295
100000 100 1 1.02 14.5 33.52 10.2 750.1 29.53
98067 98.07 0.981 1 14.22 32.81 10 735.6 28.96
6895 6.895 0.069 0.0703 1 2.31 0.703 51.72 2.036
2984 2.984 0.03 0.0305 0.433 1 0.305 22.42 0.882
9789 9.789 0.0980. 0.1 1.42 3.28 1 73.42 2.891
133.3 0.133 0.0013 0.0014 0.019 0.045 0.014 1 0.039
3386 3.386 0.0338 0.0345 0.491 1.133 0.345 25.4 1
1 Pascal equals 1 newton per square meter (1Pa = 1N/M2)
1 mm Hg is also called 1 "torr"
The international standard atmosphere (1 atm) = 101325 pascals or 1.01325 bar. This is equal to 1.03323
kgf/cm2 or 14.6959 lbf/in2
1 millibar = 100 pascal (1mb = 100 Pa)
Return to index
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s072
S072. SPECIFIC SPEED
Specific speed is a term used to describe the geometry (shape) of a pump impeller. People responsible for
the selection of the correct size pump can use this specific speed information to:
● Select the shape of the pump curve.

● Determine the efficiency of the pump.
● Anticipate motor overloading problems.
● Predict net positive suction head required (NPSHR) numbers.
● Select the lowest cost pump for their application.
Specific speed is defined as, "the speed of an ideal pump geometrically similar to the actual pump, which
when running at this speed will raise a unit of volume, in a unit of time through a unit of head".
The performance of a centrifugal pump is expressed in terms of pump speed, total head, efficiency and
required flow. This information is available from the pump manufacturer's published curves. Specific
speed is calculated from the following formula, using data from these published pump curves at the
pump's best efficiency point (BEP):
● NS = Specific speed
● N = Pump shaft speed
● Q = Capacity in GPM. For a double suction pump use one half the capacity.
● H = Total head in feet
The following chart gives you a graphic picture of the impeller shape represented by this number:
The major use of the specific speed number is to help you specify pumps that are more efficient.
● The maximum pump efficiency is obtained in the specific speed range of 2000 to 3000.
● Pumps for high head low capacity occupy the range 500 to 1000. While low head, high capacity
pumps may have a specific speed of 15,000 or larger.
● For a given head and capacity the good news is that the pump having the highest specific speed,
that will meet the requirements, probably will be the smallest size and the least expensive. The
bad news it that the pump will run at the highest speed where abrasive wear and cavitation
damage become a problem.
● Efficiencies start dropping drastically at specific speeds below 1000. Also smaller capacities
exhibit lower efficiencies than higher capacities at all specific speeds.
● In propeller and other high specific speed impellers (axial flow) it is not practical to use a volute
casing. Instead, the impeller is enclosed in a pipe like casing.
● The lower the specific speed number, the higher the power loss you get with wear ring clearance.
Pumps are traditionally divided into three types: radial flow, mixed flow, and axial flow. When you look
at the above chart you can see there is a gradual change from the radial flow impeller, which develops
pressure principally by the action of centrifugal force, to the axial flow impeller, which develops most of
its head by the propelling or lifting action of the vanes on the liquid.
In the specific speed range of approximately 1000 to 6000, double suction impeller are used as frequently
as the single suction impellers.
If you substitute other units for flow and head the numerical value of Ns will vary. The speed is always
given in revolutions per minute (rpm.). Here is how to alter the Specific Speed number (Ns) if you use
other units for capacity and head:
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s072
United States ....... Q = gpm, and H = feet, divide the NS by 1.63
British ...................Q = Imp. Gpm, and H = feet, divide the NS by 1.9
Metric ...................Q = m3/hour and H = meters, divide the NS by 1.5
As an example we will make a calculation of NS in both metric and U.S. units:
● Q = 110 l/sec. or 396 m3/ hour or 1744 gpm.

● H = 95 meters or 312 feet
● Speed = 1450 rpm.
If the above results were describing an actual application, we would notice that it was a low specific
speed, radial flow pump, meaning it would be a large pump with a low efficiency.
Going to 2900 rpm. or higher would increase the Ns to 1000 or more, meaning a smaller pump with a
much higher efficiency but this higher rpm would have other possible consequences :
● The higher efficiency would allow you to use a less powerful driver that would reduce your
operating costs.
● A smaller pump makes associated hardware cheaper. For instance, a smaller diameter shaft means
a lower cost mechanical seal and lower cost bearings.
● Cavitation could become a problem as the increase in speed means an increase in the net positive
suction head required (NPSHR).
● If you are pumping an abrasive fluid, abrasive wear and erosion will increase with increasing
speed.
● Many single mechanical seals have problems passing fugitive emission standards at the higher
pump speeds.
● High heat is a major cause of bearing failure. The higher pump speeds contribute to the problem.
The following diagram illustrates the relationship between specific speed (Ns) and pump efficiency. In
general, the efficiency increases as Ns increases.
Specific speed also relates to the shape of the individual pump curve as it describes head, capacity, power
consumption and efficiency.

s072
In the above diagram you will note that
● The steepness of the head-capacity curve increases as specific speed increases.

● At low specific speed power consumption is lowest at shut off and rises as flow increases. This
means that the motor could be over loaded at the higher flow rates unless this was considered at
the time of purchase.
● At medium specific speed the power curve peaks at approximately the best efficiency point. This
is a non-overloading feature meaning that the pump can work safely over most of the fluid range
with a motor speed to meet the best efficiency point (BEP) requirement.
● High specific speed pumps have a falling power curve with maximum power occurring at
minimum flow. These pumps should never be started with the discharge valve shut. If throttling is
required a motor of greater power will be necessary.
Here is another curve to show you the relationship between specific speed, capacity and horsepower
requirements:
Keep in mind that efficiency and power consumption were calculated at the best efficiency point (BEP).
In practice most pumps operate in a throttled condition because the pump was oversized at the time it
was purchased. Lower specific speed pumps may have lower efficiency at the best efficiency point, but at
the same time will have lower power consumption at reduced flow than many of the higher specific
speed designs.
The result is that it might prove to be more economical to select a lower specific speed design if the
pump had to operate over a broad range of capacity.
The clearance between the impeller and the tongue of the volute has a bearing on efficiency, pressure
pulsations and cavitation. For high efficiency you would want a small clearance, but this produces larger
pressure pulsations and the increased flow in this area can reduce the fluid pressure enough to cause
flashing of the product and a type of cavitation known as The vane passing syndrome.
For impellers up to fourteen inches in diameter (355 mm) this clearance should be a minimum of four
percent of the impeller diameter. If you are using greater than fourteen-inch diameter impellers the
clearance should be at least six percent of the impeller diameter. Also remember that as this clearance
increases the impeller experiences some slippage. That is the major reason that we do not like to remove
more than ten percent of the impeller diameter when trimming is called for.
s072
If you work in both metric and imperial units, as I do, the subject of specific speed becomes very
confusing because both systems use the same specific speed numbers to describe the impeller shape.
They do this even though they use a different set of units to arrive at the same number.
Return to index

NPSHR
N002. NPSHR, CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS
Net positive suction head required (NPSHR). This is the minimum head required to stop the pump from
caviating when it is pumping cold water.
The pump curve that came with your pump shows the NPSH required for any given impeller size and
capacity.
This number was determined by pumping cold water through the pump while reducing the suction head,
until the pump showed a reduction in discharge head of three percent (3%) due to the low suction head
and any formation of bubbles within the pump.
This point is called "the point of incipient cavitation".
ROTARY PUMPS NPIP (Net Positive Inlet Pressure)
Positive displacement or rotary pump people do not use the term "head", they use the term "pressure"
instead so NPSHR would not be an appropriate term.
Rotary pumps are often selected to move liquids with a low vapor pressure point, or fluids with a lot of
entrained bubbles.
This means that NPIP required (NPSH in centrifugal pumps) is difficult to test. The Hydraulic Institute
establishes the point at the first indication of any of the following.
● Cavitation noise is heard.

● A 5% reduction in capacity at constant differential pressure and speed
● A 5% reduction in power consumption at constant differential pressure and speed.
Return to index
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v009
V009. VAPORIZATION CAVITATION
A fluid vaporizes when its pressure gets too low or its temperature too high. All centrifugal pumps have a
required head (pressure) at the suction side of the pump to prevent this vaporization. This head
requirement is supplied to us by the pump manufacturer and is calculated with the assumption that fresh
water at 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Centigrade) is the fluid being pumped.
Since there are losses in the piping leading from the source to the suction of the pump, we must
determine the head after these losses are calculated. Another way to say this is that a net positive suction
head is required (NPSHR) to prevent the fluid from vaporizing.
We take the net positive suction head available (net positive suction head available (NPSHA)), subtract
the vapor pressure of the product we are pumping, along with the losses in the suction lines, and this
number must be equal to or greater than the net positive suction head required (NPSHR)
To cure vaporization problems you must either increase the suction head, lower the fluid temperature, or
decrease the net positive suction head required (NPSHR). We shall look at each possibility:
How to increase the suction head:
● Raise the liquid level in the tank

● Elevate the supply tank.
● Put the pump in a pit.
● Reduce the piping losses. These losses occur for a variety of reasons that include :
❍ The system was designed incorrectly. There are too many fittings and/or the piping is too
small in diameter.
❍ A pipe liner has collapsed.
❍ Solids have built up on the inside of the pipe.
❍ The suction pipe collapsed when it was run over by a heavy vehicle.
❍ A suction strainer is clogged
❍ Something is stuck in the pipe. It either grew there or was left during the last time the
system was opened . Maybe a check valve is broken and the seat is stuck in the pipe.
❍ The inside of the pipe, or a fitting has corroded.
❍ A bigger pump has been installed and the existing system has too much loss for the
increased capacity.
❍ A globe valve was used to replace a broken gate valve. Globe valves have a higher K
factor than gate valves and present more fluid resistance.

❍ A heating jacket has frozen and collapsed the pipe.
❍ A gasket is protruding into the piping.
❍ The pump rpm has increased. Retrofit the pump with a higher specific speed impeller.
❍ Install a booster pump or inducer.
❍ Pressurize the suction tank.
❍ Be sure the tank vent is open and not obstructed. Some vents can freeze in cold weather.
Lower the fluid inlet temperature
● Injecting a small amount of cooler fluid at the suction is often practical.

● Insulate the suction piping from the sun's rays.
● Be careful of discharge recirculation and vent lines recirculated to the pump suction; they can heat
up the suction fluid.
Reduce the net positive suction head required (NPSHR)
● Use a double suction pump. Double suction designs can reduce the net positive suction head
required (NPSHR) by as much as 27%, or in some cases it will allow you to raise the pump speed
by 41%
● Use a lower speed pump.
● Use a pump with a larger impeller eye opening.
● If possible install an inducer. These inducers can cut net positive suction head required (NPSHR)
by almost 50%.
● Use several smaller pumps. Three half-capacity pumps can be cheaper than one large pump plus a
spare. This will also conserve energy at lighter loads.
● It is a general rule of thumb that hot water and gas free hydrocarbons can use up to 50% of normal
cold water net positive suction head required (NPSHR) requirements or 10 feet (3 meters),
whichever is smaller. I would suggest you use this as a safety margin rather than design for it.
Return to index
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Air ingestion cavitation
A013. AIR INGESTION CAVITATION
A centrifugal pump can handle 0.5% air by volume. At 6.0% air, the results can be disastrous. Air gets
into a piping system several ways that include:
● Through the pump stuffing box. This problem occurs in any packed pump that lifts liquid or
pumps from a condenser, evaporator or any piece of equipment that runs in vacuum.
● Some pumps are equipped with a repeller that will lower the pressure in the stuffing box
● Through valves above the water line.
● Through leaking flanges.
● Any vortexing fluid.
● A pump discharge bypass line that has been installed too close to the pump suction.
● The suction inlet pipe is out of fluid. This can occur when the tank level gets too low or there is a
false reading on the gauge because the float is stuck on a corroded rod.
Both vaporization and air ingestion have a similar affect on the pump. The bubbles collapse as they pass
from the eye of the pump to the higher-pressure side of the impeller. When the bubbles collapse as a
result of air ingestion, they do very little damage to the impeller and casing walls. The main effect of air
ingestison is loss of capacity.
Although air ingestion and vaporization both create bubbles they have separate solutions. The obvious
solution for air ingestion is to stop air from coming into the system by correcting the above problems.
Fortunately air ingestion is not as severe as vaporization.
In a boiler feed pump, carbon dioxide CO2 is another gas that can be ingested (all mammals exhale CO2).
The CO2 combines with the boiler water (H2O) to form H2CO3 (carbonic acid) that will reduce the boiler
pH causing an increase in the need for boiler water treatment and more frequent expensive "blow
downs".
See: Cavitation
Return to index

S096
S096. STUFFING BOX
That portion of the pump that held the packing, and now holds the mechanical seal.
This conventional stuffing box was designed to accommodate the 5/16" to 3/8" (8 to 10 mm) packing that
you find in most of the standard design pumps such as ANSI, DIN and ISO (International Standards
Organization).
Next to stabilizing the pump shaft, the single most effective action you can take to increase the life of
your mechanical seal is to replace the present narrow stuffing box with one of the newer more open
designs.
When standard pumps are converted to a mechanical seal it leaves very little clearance between the
outside diameter of the mechanical seal and the inside diameter of the conventional stuffing box.
Clearances of 0.015 inches (0,4 mm) are typical. Further compounding the problem is the fact that many
products stick to the inside of the stuffing box rough casting, restricting the clearance even more.
Centrifugal force is trying to throw solids away from the moveable seal components and the lapped seal
faces. If the seal movement is restricted, the seal faces will open allowing the solids to penetrate between
them. Seal faces are lapped to three helium light bands of flatness (0.000034" or just under one micron).
There is an axial play in the bearings of 0.002" to 0.005" (0,05 to 0,15 mm) so any restriction of the seal
axial movement will open the seal faces enough to let plenty of solids in. It is these small solids that
cause most of the face damage we see in premature seal failures.
The narrow design stuffing box has a flushing connection that is located approximately in the middle of
the packing set. Clean lubricant is introduced to:
● Lubricate the packing.

● Cool the packing and shaft to prevent heat from being conducted to the bearings.
● Prevent air from entering the stuffing box if it is running with a negative pressure. A negative
pressure happens anytime the pump is lifting liquid, pumping from an evaporator or condenser,
etc.
● Try and keep solids from entering and destroying both the packing and the shaft or sleeve.
When this flushing location is used with a mechanical seal:
● The clean flush enters the product stream unrestricted diluting the product.
● Any shaft radial movement can cause the rotating parts of the seal to contact a stationary portion
of the narrow clearance stuffing box causing the lapped faces to open and the solids to penetrate
or to possibly damage one of the seal components. There are many causes for shaft radial
movement and it is impossible for you to prevent all of them :
❍ Operating the pump off of the best efficiency point (BEP)
❍ Pump and motor misalignment.
❍ The shaft is bent.
❍ The rotating assembly (shaft, sleeve, mechanical seal, impeller, coupling etc.) was not
dynamically balanced.
❍ The seal or sleeve is not concentric with the shaft.

S096
❍ Cavitation.
❍ Water hammer.
❍ Pressure surges.
❍ The stuffing box is not centered to the shaft.
❍ The seal gland bolt circle is not concentric to the shaft.
❍ This radial displacement of the shaft and seal can cause the stationary portion of the seal to
be hit by the rotating shaft or the rotating portion of the seal to contact:
❍ Solids built up in the stuffing box.
❍ A protruding gasket between the seal gland and the stuffing box face.
❍ A protruding gasket between the halves of a split case pump.
❍ A loose piece of hardware in the stuffing box.
❍ A protruding flush connection.
The failure is identifiable when you notice a rubbing mark around the rotating portion of the seal and a
partial rubbing mark around one of the components described in the above paragraph.
In a vertical application the standard lantern ring location will not vent air away from the seal faces. The
trapped air will cause the seal faces to run dry and possible be damaged by the heat that will be generated
at conventional motor speeds. If the dynamic elastomer (the rubber part) is located close to the seal faces
it will almost certainly be damaged during any dry running period. Look for evidence of the elastomer
changing weight, shape, or appearance. A solution to the problem of a restricted stuffing box area is to
open the space around the seal.
One method of doing this is to install an enlarged or bored out stuffing box. Now the solids have some
place to go when centrifugal force acts upon them
You can argue the merits of a bored out or tapered stuffing box. I like the open type because I have seen
many seals ruined when abrasives were drawn to the narrow end of the box. I have also seen what
appears to be cavitation damage at the narrow end that could be caused by high velocity fluid vaporizing.
Regardless of the design you choose look for these features:
● Will the entire seal (especially the lapped faces) be located in the largest diameter portion of the
stuffing box?
● Is the circulation connection located at, or above the seal faces in a vertical application?
● The circulation connection should be located at the bottom or close to the bottom of the stuffing
box so that it can be connected to the suction side of the pump or to some other low pressure point
in the system for most of your applications.
● Is there a facility for installing a restrictive bushing in the end of the stuffing box? You will need
one for high temperature and slurry applications. Will this bushing be positively retained or is it
loose and able to blow out with pressure fluctuations? A loose bushing can interfere with the
operation of the mechanical seal.
● Is a cooling jacket available for the large stuffing box? You will need one in many applications to
keep the product cool when the pump is running, or warm when the pump has stopped. Caustic
and heat transfer oils are examples of applications that need this temperature control.
In most applications you will connect the circulation fitting to the suction side of the pump rather than
the higher-pressure discharge side. With this arrangement you can take advantage of the fact that the
stuffing box pressure is higher than the pump suction, causing the fluid to flow from behind the impeller
(where it hs been centrifuged clean), through the stuffing box, to the lower pressure suction side of the
pump. Whenever you use a mechanical seal this suction recirculation should be your normal set up.
Discharge recirculation is the term we use to describe a line connected between the top of the stuffing
box and the discharge, or higher pressure side of the pump. We use this arrangement when suction
recirculation would not make any sense. As an example:
● You are pumping a fluid at or near its vapor point. A suction recirculation line will lower the
pressure in the stuffing box and possibly cause the product to vaporize between the seal faces.
● The pump has a flow through semi- open impeller that adjusts to the back plate rather than the
volute of the pump. This causes the stuffing box pressure to equalize with suction pressure
preventing a flow in the suction recirculation line. Duriron is a good example of this design.
● If the solids in the fluid have a very low specific gravity (they float) centrifugal force will not
work throw the solids out to be removed by the suction recirculation line. They will tend to stay
close to the seal, restricting its movement.
S096
● Most single stage, double suction pumps are designed with the stuffing boxes at suction pressure.
As is the case with the flow through, semi- open impeller, a clean flush is often required.
Return to index

Cooling Jacket
C060 COOLING JACKET
The cooling jacket (B) surrounds the stuffing box of the pump
to control the temperature of the fluid in the stuffing box so
the product will not change state and harm the mechanical
seal.
Any time you use a cooling or heating jacket you should place a thermal bushing in the end of the
stuffing box to help with the temperature control.
Carbon is a good thermal barrier because it does not conduct heat very well. Brass is a poor one because
it conducts heat real well. The greater the length of the thermal bushing, the better.
Do not connect any suction or discharge recirculating lines to the stuffing box while you are using the
stuffing box jacket. Any flow through the stuffing box will interfere with the control of the stuffing box
temperature.
The cooling jacket should be your first choice to control stuffing box temperature when the pump is
stopped or between batches.
Return to index

v026
V026. VORTEXING LIQUID
Vortexing of the fluid in a suction sump or pit sounds a lot like cavitation problems and will cause
excessive shaft deflection that is harmful to:
● Mechanical seals
● Bearings
● The pump intake structure and piping.
One way to tell if you have a cavitation or vortexing problem is to remember that vortexing problems are
intermittent as the vortices form. Cavitation once started tends to stay with you. Proper pit or sump
design can eliminate this vortexing problem, but what do you do if the installation is not new and the
problem exists? There could be several things that could have caused the vortexing problem:
● The pump capacity has increased

❍ If the discharge head of a centrifugal pump is reduced the capacity will increase.
❍ Maybe a larger pump has replaced a smaller pump that was originally installed.
❍ The pump could be running at a faster speed than original design.
● Additional pumps have been installed in the pit.

● The flow or volume to the pump inlet has changed.
● The fluids-solids mixer has changed.
● The pit inlet has been reduced.
❍ The line is restricted with solids of some type
● You have more air in the liquid.

❍ The return line is giving a water fall affect.
● A clogged trash rack or screen can restrict some of the incoming liquid.
Maybe the original design was bad and that is causing the problem. Although this is a very large subject
there are a few guide lines you might check out:
● To prevent vortexing, the minimum submergence for a continuous running pump is 1.75 times the
diameter of the bell (not the pump) inlet. This can vary with pump manufacturers because there is
also the possibility of cavitating if you do not have enough NPSH available.
● The pump suction bell should be a minimum of 0.5 diameters off the sump or pit floor.
● The pit inlet should be as far away from the pump suction as possible.
● The usable pit volume should equal or exceed the maximum capacity to be pumped in two
minutes.
● If the pumps are on a float switch they should be sized to allow no more than four starts per hour
per pump.
Now we will take a look at what you can do with an existing installation. Remember that a low velocity
and straight line flow to all pumps is always desired. If you are getting vortexing problems you might be
able to:
● Place a cone under the bell.

● Use diffuser screens.
● Use floating rafts around the pump column to break up the vortices.
● Float large spheres on the surface to break up vortices.
● Move the pump away from the wall.
● Reduce the inlet velocity by spreading the flow over a larger area, or change the direction and
velocity of the flow by the use of baffles.
● Eliminate the separating wall between pumps.
● Keep the inlet flow to the pit below 2 feet/second (0.7 meters/sec)
● Keep the flow in the pit below 1 foot/sec (0.3 meters/sec)
● Any type of a logical flow straightener will help reduce velocity.
In the next few illustrations I will show you the recommended sump dimensions to prevent vortexing and
eddy flows.
The first chart shows the recommended dimensions:
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v026
The next two charts show where the dimensions came from:
● Dimensions "Y and A" are recommended minimum values. They can be as large as desired but
should be limited to the restrictions shown on the chart.
● If the design does not include a screen, or if the channel has a sloping approach, dimension "A"
should be up to two times as long.
● If the channel approach has a down slope the angle should not be more than 15 degrees
About the screens:
● The screen or gate width should not be less than "S". Heights should not be less than "H".
● Use dimension "S" for the width of an individual pump cell, or the center to center distance of two
pumps if no division walls are present.
Return to index
v026

pH
P010. pH
A measure of the acidity or the alkalinity of a fluid. The scale ranges from 0 (acid) to 14 (alkali) with 7
considered neutral. Sealing can be difficult on both ends of the pH scale.
Be aware that these numbers are exponents to the base 10. This means that a pH of 8 is ten times more
alkali than a pH of 7.
Return to index

b031
B031. BLOW DOWN
A term commonly used when discussing boilers.
The boiler level is blown down when too many solids show up in the boiler water.
The water has to be replaced with treated water that contributes to the problem of controlling the boiler
water pH.
Chemicals then have to be added that contribute to the solids problem and you go "round and round".
Please see "condensate" for additional information.
Return to index

t023
T023. TREATED WATER
This is water that has been processed or has chemicals added to:
● Make the water softer.

● To remove odors.
● To settle out impurities.
● To reduced surface tension.
● To make it clearer.
● To kill bacteria.
Return to index
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Condensate
C055. CONDENSATE
The above drawing describes a very basic steam system with the following components:
● B = The boiler where the steam is made

● T = The turbine connected to a generator where we turn the energy in the steam into electricity.
● C = The condenser where the steam is converted into hot water (condensate). Usually cold water
circulates through the tubes to assist in the condensing.
● HW = The condenser hotwell where the condensate is collected. The hotwell is usually in a
vacuum created by condensing the steam and ejectors installed on the condenser.
● CP = The condensate pump that will take a suction on the hotwell and send the condensate to the
boiler feed pump.
● BF = The boiler feed pump that will discharge condensate and make up water into the boiler.
● ST = The surge tank that will compensate for the differences in volume between the boiler feed
pump and the condensate pump. Sometimes steam is added to a tank like this and then the tank it
is called a de-aerator.
● Pot = The chemical pot allows you to add chemicals to the boiler to control the pH, water
hardness, oxygen level and anything else that needs controlling by the addition of chemicals
As described in the above drawing, condensate is steam that has been condensed back into water.
Condensate should not be confused with demineralized, de-ionized, make up, or softened water. When
the condensate enters the boiler feed pump additional chemicals are added and the product is now called
boiler feed water.
Where does condensate come from?
● Condenser hotwells located at the bottom part of the condenser

● Steam traps. They trap steam and let the condensate drain through.
● Heat exchangers. Condensate must be removed to allow the heat transfer. The condensate flows to
the bottom where a steam trap will open and allow the condensate to flow to the receiver. There
must be a positive differential pressure between the heat exchanger and the condensate line so that
the condensate will flow out of the heat exchanger. If the differential pressure is not there a pump
will have to be installed to remove the condensate.
● Or any other place that you are using steam.
We want to keep air out of condensate. Why?
● Air contains both carbon dioxide and oxygen along with other gases. Carbon dioxide will lower
the pH of the water. The CO2 combines with H2O (water) to form H2CO3 (Carbonic acid) that
will lower the pH and contribute to corrosion problems in the system. Especially the boiler.
❍ Stainless steel boilers like a pH of somewhere between 9.0 and 11. Check for the pH
requirement of your boiler

❍ Hot water is almost the perfect solvent. Give it enough time and it will dissolve anything.
Remember that boilers have to last thirty years or more. This means that water has plenty
of time to do its damage. It is the oxygen in the condensate that makes condensate a strong
oxidizing agent that can attack metals.
● Some carbon seal faces can be attacked by high oxygen levels in the condensate.
● The more gases entrained in the condensate, the more likely the pump will experience cavitation
problems.
● The condensate temperature determines the amount of dissolved oxygen. You are trying to
conserve the energy (temperature) that was added to the steam to keep the amount of dissolved
oxygen down
TEMPERATURE °F. TEMPERATURE °C. PPM DISSOLVED OXYGEN

30 1 10 ppm

Condensate
90 32 5 ppm
120 50 4 ppm
150 65 3 ppm
180 82 2 ppm
210 100 0 ppm
● The average level detected in condensate receivers is three parts per million. This is almost one
thousand times greater than the five parts per billion level that can induce pitting corrosion.
How do oxygen and other gases get into the condensate system?
● Through the packing of condensate pumps. The stuffing box is under a negative pressure and air
that is one third oxygen, leaks in.
● Valves located above the water line can introduce oxygen and carbon dioxide as the velocity of
the water lowers the pressure at the valve stem.
● Flanges can have the same problem as valves.
● Oxygen is dissolved in make up water that was added to the boiler because of condensate leaks.
● Pumps with built in repellers that create a negative pressure in the pump stuffing box.
How do you get rid of the dissolved oxygen?
● Add chemicals to convert it into something else. Hydrazine is an example. You are adding
hydrogen that will combine with the oxygen to form water.
● In nuclear applications it is common to add hydrogen to the system for the same reason. Hydrogen
and oxygen will combine to form water in a neutron flux.
● De-aerate the condensate. This is normally done by heating the condensate with steam in a de-
aerating tank that is located close to the suction of the boiler feed pump.
● Use balanced, O-ring mechanical seals that will prevent air from coming into the stuffing boxes of
condensate pumps. Balanced seals can seal both pressure and vacuum.
● Seal valves and flanges to prevent air from entering the system.
Why do we have to use so much "make up" water in our boiler ?
● Because we lose so much of it.

❍ Condensate pump discharge recirculation lines that are trying to put a positive pressure on
packing are a common source of condensate loss.

❍ Boiler blow down is a major problem. Some boilers run with a constant blow down
because air that is entering the system is changing the pH of the water, causing chemical
addition that increases the total solids, causing the need for additional blow down..
❍ Steam tools.
❍ Air ejectors that are used to create a vacuum in receivers etc.
❍ Steam traps that drain to the ground.
What are some methods for conserving condensate?
● The discharge recirculation line used with packed pumps is a big waste. Convert to a balanced o-
ring seal and save a pile of condensate.
● Stop air from entering the system. The air is causing frequent boiler blowdowns. You can easily
seal flanges, valves and rotating shafts.
● Do not drain steam traps to the ground. Collect it in a tank that can be pumped back into the
system.
● If condensate is being circulated through the cooling jacket on a pump, make sure it is not being
discharged to a drain. There is no reason it cannot be returned to the condensate system.
● If condensate is being circulated between dual mechanical seals, it is not a good idea to return it to
the condensate system. There is too a high probability of contaminating the condensate with
product leakage.
Return to index

Internal Recirculation Cavitation
I021. INTERNAL RECIRCULATION CAVITATION
This condition is visible on the leading edge of the impeller and will usually be found at the discharge tip
working its way back to the suction. It can also be found at the suction eye of the pump.
As the name implies the fluid re-circulates increasing its velocity until it vaporizes and then collapses in
the surrounding higher pressure.
This has always been a problem with low net positive suction head required (NPSHR) pumps and the
term suction specific speed was coined to give you a guide in determining how close you have to operate
to the best efficiency point (BEP) of a pump to prevent the problem.
The higher the number, the smaller the window in which you have to operate. The numbers range
between 3,000 and 20,000. In the USCS units system water pumps should stay between 3,000 and
12,000.
● Ns = Specific speed
● Q = Capacity in gpm. (metric capacity in liters/sec)
NPSH = Net positive suction head required (feet or meters) to prevent cavitation. Remember that this
number is for sixty five degree fresh water. You are going to have to add the vapor pressure of you
product to this number to get the real number that you will be using.
We use this suction specific speed number to predict cavitation problems with your impeller selection.
● The flow angle of the inlet vanes and the number of vanes affect this number.
● A desired value would be below 8500 (5200 metric) with impellers having a flow angle of about
seventeen degrees and five to seven vanes. The higher the flow angle number, the faster the liquid
will travel and the lower suction head (pressure) we will get.
● Boiler feed and condensate pumps often require suction specific speed numbers as high as 12,000
to 18,000 (7,400 to 11,000 metric) because of the temperature and pressure of the water. To get to
these values the impeller inlet flow angle is reduced to a low as ten degrees and the number of
vanes reduced to as little as four . Fewer and thinner vanes help to reduce the blockage in the
impeller inlet. A disadvantage to these low flow angles is that the pump will probably run very
rough at below fifty percent of capacity.
❍ Water applications can run at these higher numbers because the amount of fluid expansion
is very low for hot water. Mixed hydrocarbons have this same advantage because unlike a
single product, the flashing of the mixed hydrocarbons does not take place all at the same
time.
● The higher the suction specific speed number the narrower the stable window of operation.
● Should the available NPSH be so low that a suction specific speed number of more than 18,000 is
required, then a separate axial flow impeller (an inducer) can be used ahead of the centrifugal
impeller to prevent cavitation.
❍ The inducer flow angle is some where between five and ten degrees with typically two
vanes and no more than four. Inducers have been used successfully with suction specific
speed numbers of approximately 24,000 (14,700 metric). In other instances a booster pump
can be installed between the pump and the source.
● In their desire to quote a low net positive suction head required (NPSHR) some manufacturers
will cut away the impeller inlet vanes to reduce fluid drag and thereby lower the NPSH required.
If this has been done with your application, you must insure that the impeller to volute clearance
is adjusted correctly with open impeller designs and the wear ring clearance meets the
manufacturers specifications with closed impeller designs, or you will experience internal
recirculation problems and cavitation at the impeller outlet vane tips.
❍ Keep the suction specific speed number below 8500 (5200 metric) and this problem should
never come up.
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Flow Turbulence Cavitation
F022. FLOW TURBULENCE CAVITATION
If given the choice we would prefer to have liquid flowing through the piping at a constant velocity.
Corrosion or obstructions can change the velocity of the liquid, and any time you increase the velocity of
a liquid you lower its pressure, inviting cavitation problems.
Good piping layouts reduce fluid velocity. The good layouts would include:
● Ten diameters of pipe between the pump suction and the first elbow.
● In multiple pump arrangements we would prefer to have the suction bells in separate bays so that
one pump suction will not interfere with another. If this is not practical, a number of units can be
installed in a single large sump provided that :
● The pumps are located in a line perpendicular to the approaching flow.
● There must be a minimum spacing of at least two suction diameters between pump center-lines.
● When all pumps are running.
❍ The upstream conditions should have a minimum straight run of ten pipe diameters to
provide uniform flow to the suction bells.

❍ Each pump capacity must be less than 15,000 gpm..
❍ Back wall clearance distance to the centerline of the pump must be at least 0.75 of the
suction diameter.
❍ Bottom clearance should be approximately 0.30 of the suction diameter
❍ The minimum submergence should be as follows:
■ 20,000 gpm 4 feet
■ 100,000 gpm 8 feet
■ 180,000 gpm 10 feet
■ 200,000 gpm 11 feet
■ 250,000 gpm 12 feet
The metric numbers are:
● 4,500 1.2 meters

● 22,500 2.5 meters
● 40,000 3.0 meters
● 45000 3.4 meters
● 55,000 3.7 meters
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V004
V004. VANE PASSING SYNDROME CAVITATION
A type of cavitation caused by the impeller to cutwater clearance being too small.
You will notice damage to the tip of the impeller caused by its passing too close to the pump cutwater.
The velocity of the liquid increases if the clearance is too small, lowering the pressure and causing local
vaporization.
The bubbles collapse just beyond the cutwater and there is where you should look for volute damage.
You will need a flashlight and mirror to see the damage unless it has penetrated to the outside of the
volute.
The damage is limited to the center of the impeller vane and does not extend into the shrouds. You can
prevent this problem if you keep a minimum impeller tip to cutwater clearance of 4% of the impeller
diameter in the smaller impeller sizes (less than 14' or 355 mm.), and 6% in the larger impeller sizes
(greater than 14" or 355 mm.).
To prevent excessive shaft movement in closed impeller pumps, bulkhead rings can be installed in the
suction eye.
At the discharge, support rings can be manufactured to extend from the walls to the impeller shrouds.
Return to index

pt011
PT011. VANE PASSING SYNDROME CAVITATION
A type of cavitation caused by the impeller/ cutwater clearance being too small. You will notice damage
to the tip of the impeller caused by its passing too close to the pump cutwater.
● The velocity of the liquid increases if the clearance is too small, lowering the pressure and causing
local vaporization.
● The bubbles collapse just beyond the cutwater and there is where you should look for volute
damage. You will need a flashlight and mirror to see the damage unless it has penetrated to the
outside of the volute.
● The damage is limited to the center of the tip of the impeller vane and does not extend into the
shrouds. You can prevent this problem if you keep a minimum impeller tip to cutwater clearance
of 4% of the impeller diameter in the smaller impeller sizes (less than 14' or 355 mm.), and 6% in
the larger impeller sizes (greater than 14" or 355 mm).
● To prevent excessive shaft movement bulkhead rings can be installed in the suction eye. At the
discharge, rings can be manufactured to extend from the walls to the impeller shrouds
Return to index
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Impeller Shroud
I006. IMPELLER SHROUD
Located on one or both sides of the impeller vanes.
The shrouds prevent solids from penetrating behind the vanes interfering with the impeller's operation.
The shrouds also add strength to the vanes.
See: impellers
Return to index

Impeller
I003. IMPELLER
The impeller attaches to the shaft and imparts energy to the fluid being pumped.
Impellers are available in open, semi- open and closed designs:
Open design
The vanes are attached to the hub. There is no shroud to support the
vanes. These are good designs for pumping stringy materials such as
paper stock.
Pump efficiency is maintained by setting a close clearance between the

impeller vanes and the volute or back plate.
Since there is no shroud to strengthen the vanes, their use is often

limited to small inexpensive pumps
Semi-open design
The vanes are attached to the hub with a shroud on one side of the
impeller. The pump efficiency is maintained by setting a close
clearance between the vanes and the volute or back-plate.
Some of these semi-open impellers have pump out vanes on the back of
the shroud that reduce the pressure on the back of the shroud and
prevent foreign matter from lodging in back of the impeller, interfering
with its operation.
Closed design
In this design the vanes are attached to the hub with a shroud on either
side of the impeller. These designs maintain pump efficiency by the use
of close clearance wear rings.
Closed impellers are sensitive to clogging with solids so their use is

limited to the pumping of reasonably clear liquids.
Oil refineries use closed impellers because of the problem of

maintaining a close tolerance between a semi-open impeller and the
pump volute. Explosive products would ignite if the impeller came into
contact with the volute, but in the closed impeller version soft wear
rings would make the contact.
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Impeller
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Cavitation, How to stop It
C022. CAVITATION, HOW TO STOP IT.
Cavitation is about the forming and collapsing of bubbles. Bubbles will form when the fluid temperature
gets too high or the fluid pressure becomes to low.
To cure vaporization problems you must either increase the suction head, lower the fluid temperature,
decrease the fluid velocity, or decrease the net positive suction head required (NPSHR). We shall look at
each possibility:
How to increase the suction head

small in diameter.
❍ A suction strainer is clogged
❍ Something is stuck in the pipe. It either grew there or was left during the last time the
❍ bigger pump has been installed and the existing system has too much loss for the increased
capacity.
❍ A globe valve was used to replace a broken gate valve.
❍ The pump rpm has increased.
● Retrofit the pump with a higher specific speed impeller.

● Install a booster pump or inducer.
● Pressurize the tank.
● Be sure the tank vent is open and not obstructed. Some vents can freeze in cold weather.

● Insulate the suction piping from the sun's rays.
● Be careful of discharge re-circulation and vent lines re-circulated to the pump suction; they can
heat up the suction fluid.
Decrease the fluid velocity
● Remove obstructions in the suction piping

● Do not run the impeller too close to the pump cutwater.
● Reduce the speed of the pump.
● Reduce the capacity of the pump.
● Do not install an elbow too close to the pump suction.
● Use a double suction pump. Double suction designs can reduce the net positive suction head
required (NPSHR) by as much as 27%, or in some cases it will allow you to raise the pump speed
by 41%
● Use a lower speed pump.
● If possible install an inducer. These inducers can cut net positive suction head required (NPSHR)
by almost 50%.
It is a general rule of thumb that hot water and gas free hydrocarbons can use up to 50% of normal cold
water net positive suction head required (NPSHR) requirements or 10 feet (3 meters), whichever is
smaller.
I would suggest you use this as a safety margin rather than design for it.
We recognize five separate types of cavitation when dealing with centrifugal pumps:

Cavitation, How to stop It

Return to index

Induction Motor
I012. INDUCTION MOTOR
The most common type of electric motor used in industry.
Induction motors have a slippage of 2 to 5 percent compared to synchronous motors. This means that a
1750 rpm motor is really running somewhere between 1710 and 1764 rpm. (1800 rpm &endash; (2% to
5%)).
This difference in speed affects both the head and capacity of the centrifugal pump.
See the "affinity laws" to learn how the head, capacity and horsepower required are affected by this
reduction in speed.
Return to index

Affinity laws for centrifugal pumps
A009. AFFINITY LAWS FOR CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS
There are occasions when you might want to vary the amount of fluid you are pumping or change the
discharge head of a centrifugal pump. There are four ways you could do this:
● Change the speed of the pump.

● Change the diameter of the impeller. Replace it with a larger impeller, or cut down the one you
have.
● Purchase a different pump with the operating curve you need.
● Valve or orifice the discharge of the pump to get the capacity or head you need. Unfortunately
this can cause the pump to operate off of its best efficiency point (BEP).
Of the four methods the first two are the only sensible ones unless you are prepared to buy a new pump.
In the following paragraphs we will learn what happens when we change either the pump speed or
impeller diameter, and as you would guess, other characteristics of the pump are going to change along
with the speed or diameter.
To determine what is going to happen, you begin by taking the new speed or impeller diameter and
divide it by the old speed or impeller diameter. Since changing either one will have approximately the
same affect,
I will be referring only to changing the speed in this part of the discussion.
As an example:
The capacity or amount of fluid you are pumping will vary directly with this number.
100 Gallons per minute x 2.0 = 200 Gallons per minute
50 Cubic meters per hour x 0,5 = 25 Cubic meters per hour
The head produced by the pump varies by the square of the number.
A 50 foot head x 4 (22) = 200 foot head
A 20 meter head x 0,25 (0,52) = 5 meter head
The horsepower required changes by the cube of the number
A 9 Horsepower motor was required to drive the pump at 1750 rpm. How many
horsepower is required now that you are going to 3500 rpm?
9 x 8 (23) = 72 Horsepower is now required.
Likewise if a 12-kilowatt motor was required at 3000 rpm. and you decreased the speed to
1500 the new kilowatts required would be:
12 x 0,125 (0,53) = 1,5 kilowatts required for the lower rpm.
The following relationships are not exact, but they give you an idea of how speed and impeller diameter
affects other pump functions.
The net positive suction head required by the pump manufacturer (NPSHR) varies by the square of the
number.
A 3 meter NPSHR x 4 (22) = 12 meter NPSHR
10 foot NPSHR x 0,25 (0,52) = 2.5 foot NPSHR
The amount of shaft run out (deflection) varies by the square of the number
As an example: If you put a dial indicator on the shaft and noticed that the total run out at
1750 rpm. was 0.005 inches, then at 3500 rpm the run out would be 0.005" x 4 or 0.020
inches.
Likewise if you had 0,07 mm. run out at 2900 rpm. and you slowed that shaft down to
1450 rpm the run out would decrease to 0,07 mm x 0,25 or 0,018 mm.
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The amount of friction loss in the piping varies by 90% of the square of the number. Fittings and
accessories vary by the square of the number.
As an example: If the system head loss was calculated or measured at 65 meters, at 1450
rpm. the loss at 2900 rpm. would be:
65 meters x 4 = 260 x 0.9 = 234 Meters
If you had a 195 foot loss at 3500 rpm. the loss at 1750 rpm. would be: 195 x 0.25 = 48.75 x 90% =
43.87 feet of head loss.
The wear rate of the components varies by the cube of the number.
At 1750 rpm. the impeller material is wearing at the rate of 0.020 inches per month. At
3500 rpm the rate would increase to:
0.020 " x 8 or 0.160 inches per month. Likewise a decrease in speed would decrease the
wear rate eight times as much.
I started this discussion by stating that a change in impeller speed or a change in impeller diameter has
approximately the same affect. This is true only if you decrease the impeller diameter to a maximum of
10%. As you cut down the impeller diameter, the housing is not coming down in size so the affinity laws
do not remain accurate below this 10% maximum number.
The affinity laws remain accurate for speed changes and this is important to remember when we convert
from stuffing box packing to a balanced mechanical seal. After the conversion to a mechanical seal we
sometimes experience an increase in motor speed rather than a drop in amperage. The affinity laws will
help you to predict the final outcome of the change.
The affinity laws also explain the affect on capacity and head when you change motor speed with a
variable frequency motor (variable speed driver).
You can use the following formulas to supplement the Affinity Laws. Please keep in mind that these
numbers are based on the fluid flowing through the correct size clean pipe.
Product build-up and pipe roughness are variables that will affect the final figures so consider the
following "ball park" rather than exact numbers.
Please use these keys when you read the following ratios:
● hf1 The friction loss in the piping, valves and fittings before the change in flow.
● hf2 The friction loss in the piping, valves and fittings after the change in flow.
● Q1 The pump capacity before the change in flow.
● Q2 The pump capacity after the change in flow.
● H1 The pump head before the change.
● H2 The pump head after the change.
● D1 The impeller diameter before the change.
● D2 The impeller diameter after the change.
If you are not familiar with raising a number to some power, please look at the following examples:
32 means 3 x 3 = 9
35 means 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 2433
32.5 means to multiply the square of 3 (9) by the square root of 3 (1.732) = 15.6.
The piping friction loss will vary as the square of the capacity ratio
Example: assume you looked at the friction loss charts and learned that 300 gpm. flowing
through a pipeline will suffer 20 feet of friction head loss. Then 500 gpm through the same
line will lose:

= 56 feet of head loss.
The pump's capacity varies as the square root of the head on the liquid
Example: if a 160 foot head would deliver 300 gpm. through a specified pipeline, a 100 foot head would
deliver:
= 237 gpm
The friction loss in the piping is inversely proportional to the fifth power of the pipe diameter ratio
Example: Assume a 3 inch diameter pipe can handle 300 gpm with a 20 foot friction loss.
The same flow rate through a 2 inch diameter pipe would create:
= 152 foot loss
The same flow through a 4 inch line would create:
= 5 foot loss
The capacity of a pipe would vary as the 2.5 power of the diameter ratio
Example: assume that a 3 inch diameter discharge pipe delivers 300 gpm. under a specified head. Under
the same head, a 2 inch pipe will deliver:
= 109 gpm.
Return to index

O003_1
O003_1. APPROXIMATE FLOW THROUGH AN ORIFICE
There are several reasons you might want to install a restrictive device or orifice in a piping system.
● To create a false head for a centrifugal pump, allowing you to run the pump close to its BEP.
● To increase the line pressure.
● To decrease the flow through a line.
● To increase the fluid velocity in a line.
The equation for flow through an orifice is a simple one to understand. Only the units are somewhat
awkward.
Q = AV
● Q = The flow in cubic feet per second (ft3/sec).

● A = The area of the orifice in square feet (ft2).
● V = The velocity of the liquid in feet per second (ft/sec).
Experience shows that the actual flow is quite different than calculated because of the different shapes of
the various orifices. Look at the diagram on the following page and you will see some of these popular
shapes. Each has been assigned a "K" value.
We will enter that "K" value into our equation and the new equation becomes:
Q = AVK
To make the equation easier to handle we can express the velocity "V" as:
● g = 32.2 ft/sec2
● h = Head across the orifice. If the downstream side of the orifice is pressurized use the differential
head across the orifice.
It would also make sense to convert some of the terms in our equation to terms that are more convenient
to use. As an example:
● "Q" can be converted from cubic feet per second to gallons per minute:
● ft3/sec = 448.8 gpm.
● "A" The area in square feet can be converted to square inches:
● ft2 = 144 inches2
Putting all of this together gives us a new formula that looks like this:
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O003_1
Let's plug in some numbers and calculate a flow through a typical orifice.
Given:
● h = 20 feet
● A = 0.049 square inches
● K = 0.62
Q = 25 x 0.049 x 0.62 x 4.47
Q = 3.40 gallons per minute
If we want to solve for the orifice area:
If you are uncomfortable working with the orifice area in square inches you can use the diameter instead.
Use the following equation:
Inserting the 0.049 square inches we calculated from the prior formula we get
We made our formula more user friendly by substituting some conversions and now we can make our
calculations in gallons per minute and square inches, but the formulas would be better if we could
measure the orifice diameter rather than the orifice area
I took you through this exercise to show you how the formulas we use in these papers are derived. We
will re-write the flow and orifice diameter formulas again and maybe this time they will be simple
enough for anybody to use. We will start with the flow formula and then fix the orifice formula:
The formula for calculating the orifice diameter becomes:

O003_1
Let's see if the formulas still work. Here are the numbers:
● d = .250 or 1/4inch
● K = 0.620
● Q = 3.4 gallons per minute
● h = 20 feet
We will begin by solving for flow (Q)
Well that worked, now let's try for orifice size:
All of these above numbers were generated assuming that you were moving water through the orifice. If
you are making calculations for a liquid other than water you will have to factor in the viscosity of that
liquid compared to water.
We also made an assumption that the orifice diameter is not greater than 30% of the pipe diameter. There
is another formula we use for a less restrictive orifice.
Any time the ratio of the orifice diameter to the pipe diameter is greater than 30% (0.30) you should
modify the formula. The modifier (M) looks like this:
● d1 = orifice diameter
● d2 = pipe diameter
When you are using the modifier, the formulas look like this:
Now we will see what happens when a 0.250 inch (1/4) orifice is put into a smaller cross section 0.500
inch (1/2) pipe, assuming the other numbers stay the same:
This means that you would have to multiply by 1.03, so the 3.46 gpm we got in the last calculation would
become 3.56 gpm.
How accurate are these predicted numbers? Anytime you make a calculation using flow as a as part of
the equation, you will run into some variables that will affect your results:
● The roughness of the piping walls affects the friction loses.

● The piping material and allowable wall thickness tolerances.
● Solids buildup inside the piping. Calcium in water applications and coke in hot oil applications
are typical. Higher temperature usually hastens the solids buildup.
Return to index

Ball bearings vs sleeve bearins
B013. BALL BEARINGS VS. SLEEVE OR JOURNAL BEARINGS
● The ball bearing is described in the left illustration.

● The illustration on the right shows a sleeve or journal bearing
When do you make the change from anti-friction ball and roller bearings to hydrodynamic (sleeve)
bearings in a centrifugal pump?
● Any time the DN number exceeds 300,000. To get the DN number all you have to do is multiply
the bearing bore by the shaft rpm.
● If the standard bearings fail to meet an L10 life of 25,000 hours in continuous operation or 16,000
hours at maximum axial and radial load and rated speed.
● If the product of the pump horsepower and speed in rpm is 2.7 million or greater.
Return to index

L10 Bearing Like
L001. L10 BEARING LIFE
According to the Anti-Friction Bearing Manufacturers Association Standards, the rating life L10 of a
group of apparently identical ball bearings is the life in million of revolutions that ninety percent (90%)
of the group will complete or exceed.
Since pumps tend to run at a constant speed, pump manufacturers express the L10 life of pump bearings
in years rather than revolutions.
Return to index
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/l-html/l001.htm [7/21/03 11:12:32 AM]

v024
V024. VOLUTE CASING
The volute casing derives its name from a spiral shaped casing surrounding the pump impeller.
The purpose of the volute is to convert velocity energy to pressure energy.
A circular casing would have the impeller positioned in the center of the casing with equal space all
around between the tip of the impeller and the casing wall.
Return to index

Ball bearing lubrication
B011. BALL BEARING LUBRICATION IN CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS.
Theoretically, ball bearings rotating at a constant speed require no lubrication at all.
However, pump speed is never constant because the conditions that affect the speed change continually.
Not only do we get changing load conditions but we also experience slight variations in voltage and these
variations cause the bearing balls to lead or lag the speed of the shaft because of inertia.
This leading and lagging causes a small amount of sliding and hence the need for lubrication.
Another limitation is that the hardest of bearing materials suffers small amounts of deformation any time
it carries a load, upsetting perfect point contact and adding another sliding action to the problem.
Most bearings do not come close to obtaining their L10 life. It turns out that most bearings fail
prematurely for two main reasons:
● Contamination of the bearing oil, usually from water or moisture.

● High heat usually as a result of over lubrication.
As little as 0.002% water in the bearing oil will reduce bearing life 48%. The water enters from packing
leakage, wash down hoses, and aspiration caused by the temperature cooling down in the bearing casing
after shutdown and moisture laden air entering the bearing case. A 6% water content in the oil will
reduce bearing life by as much as 83%. The water or moisture contamination comes from three sources:
● Packing leakage.
● Water hoses used to wash down the area because of packing leakage.
● Aspiration or moisture in the air entering the bearing case especially when the pump is stopped.
In another section of this CD I talk about the bearing seals you can use to keep this moisture out of your
bearing case, so lets address the second reasons bearings fail......... high heat.
A couple of paragraphs above I said that over lubrication would cause high heat. What is the problem
with over lubrication? If a little lubrication were good wouldn't a lot be better?
Not really! Think about it this way. Picture yourself on a hot day walking along the beach. You go into
the water up to your ankles, and as you walk along rapidly you feel cool and refreshed. Now walk rapidly
in water up to your waist and you see the problem. It takes a lot of energy to get through the water and
this would make you hot and tired instead of cool and refreshed
It's the same thing with lubrication. Too high a lubrication level and the bearing will consume energy as
it plows through the lubricant. This energy will show up as heat added to the lubricant causing it to first
lose its viscosity and then the lubricant will begin to form varnish and coke as it gets hotter.
The problem with grease and oils lubricants is their low specific heat and their poor conductivity. Some
of the synthetics are better, but they have a temperature limit that is still too low for many pumping
applications.
It is for this same reason that we do not recommend circulating any type oil between dual seals if we can
avoid it.
The SKF bearing company claims that uncontaminated grease and oil has a useful life of thirty years at
30°C. They further state that the life of grease and oil is cut in half for each 10°C rise in temperature.
That means that at 100°C (212°F) oil and grease has a useful life of only 90 days.
Here are your lubrication options:
Grease
● Grease is hard to change because the usual method is to pump grease into a grease fitting and let
the new grease push out the old grease. This method guarantees the bearing will be over
lubricated.
● The only proper way to grease a bearing is to hand pack it full, but not the cavity where it is
located. As the bearing heats up some of the grease will leak into the cavity reducing the amount
of lubrication in the bearing.
Oil is easy to install and change.
● Be sure you have an oil level indicator on your pump.

● Be sure the pump is level. Many pumps have been aligned without checking to see if they were
level.
● The oil level should be half way through the bottom ball when the pump is at rest.
Ball bearing lubrication
● Unfortunately you cannot use oil lubrication on a vertical installation
Oil mist is the preferred method if you can solve the fugitive emissions problem.
● Oil mist can provide a positive pressure inside the bearing to keep out contaminants.
● It takes 5000 to 6000 psi. (350 to 400 bar) to mist 30-weight oil and that pressure is not available
in your pump. Mixing the oil with air presents a problem because of venting hydrocarbons to the
atmosphere
If you find the bearing lubricant is getting too hot, most pumps have a facility for cooling the oil in the
bearing case.
Never attempt to cool a bearing by cooling the outer case. Steel will expand or contract at the rate of
about 0.001 of an inch, per inch, per 100°degree Fahrenheit. (0.001 mm/mm/ 50°C). In other words if
you cool the bearing case it will contract or shrink and increase the load on the bearing. The rule is "cool
the oil, never the bearing".
The lubricants are made from various oils and additives. The three most popular oils are:
● Mineral oils, pure and refined.

● Synthetic oils for higher temperatures.
● Animal and vegetable oils that are not normally used for bearing lubrication because of the risk of
acid formation after a short period of time.
The most common synthetic oils are:
● Diesters that are usable from -60°C to 120°C.

● Silicone oils that are usable from -70°C to 200°C.
● Fluorinated oils have good oxidation stability but are so expensive most lubricating companies do
not use them.
● Polyglycols are good for bearings over 90°C. Their oxidation stability is good and they have
recorded service lives ten times longer than those of corresponding mineral oils. Their gravity is
more than one so water floats on top of them.
● Synthetic hydrocarbons have the advantage of a viscosity that is reasonably independent of
temperature. They can be used from -70°C to 200°C.
Lubricants are supplied with various additives to increase their performance:
● Anti-oxidants improve the oxidation stability of the lubricant by 10 to 150 times, decreasing
corrosion and preventing the oil from becoming more viscous.
● Corrosion protective additives do just as they say.
● Anti-foaming additives prevent foaming that would reduce the load carrying capability of the
lubricant. They cause the bubbles to burst when they hit the surface of the lubricant.
● Film stiffeners reduce wear through metallic contact. They form a surface layer with a surface
tension greater than the lubricant.
● Additives with a polar effect cause the molecules to take up an orientation perpendicular to the
metal surfaces. They reduce friction at temperatures up to a maximum of approximately 100°C
(212°F)
● Organic zinc compounds have an anti-wear affect. They prevent direct contact between the ball
and the races.
● Active EP additives form a chemical combination with the bearing metal reducing friction.
● Solid additives such as molybdenum disulphide improve the lubricating qualities. The particles
are about 2 micron in size and adhere to the metal surfaces.
Be sure the bearing has an interference fit on the shaft with no knurled surfaces or polymers used to build
up the shaft to the proper dimension. We need this interference fit to conduct heat away from the bearing
and into the shaft.
Some metal bellows salesman tell their customers that the bellows seal does not need cooling and
recommend that the customer shut off the stuffing box cooling jacket to save either water or steam.
They either forget, or do not know, that this stuffing box cooling is also cooling the shaft and allowing it
to remove heat from the bearings and bearing lubrication.
Return to index

Inertia
I013. INERTIA
The tendency of the fluid in the pump and piping to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force
(friction in the pipes or a valve in the line will create this outside force), or to stay at rest unless acted
upon by an outside force (staring the pump).
The practical application of this principle is that if you lose power to a running pump, inertia keeps the
fluid flowing while the pump comes to a stop.
The fluid's inertia can cause the fluid to separate in the piping and produce a water hammer when the
fluid joins together again. This joining together of the fluid takes place at the speed of sound in the fluid
you are pumping
Return to index

W002
W002. WATER HAMMER
A destructive force that takes place in piping systems when the rate of flow changes suddenly. There are
multiple causes for this change in rate of flow. They would include:
● The power to the pump is lost for some reason, the pump slows down faster than the fluid flowing
in the lines and liquid separation takes place.
● Small pipe sizes can cause rapid velocity changes.
Surge tanks and air chambers can protect some piping systems from the affects of water hammer.
There are multiple explanations for the destructive forces being generated.
● The one I like, explains that when the fluid separates, it reconnects at the speed of sound, in the
medium you are pumping.
● The speed of sound in water is 4800 feet (1500 meters) per second. This works out to about 3000
miles per hour (5400 kilometers per hour)
Return to index

s075
S075. SPEED OF SOUND
The speed of sound varies with temperature.
In air the speed of sound is almost 1090 feet per second (331 m/sec), in water it is close to 4800 feet per
second (1401 m/sec).
In water this speed translates to 3273 miles per hour.
This is an important number to us because when a pump cavitates, the bubbles collapse at the speed of
sound in the medium they are located.
At 3000 mph (4800 kilometers per hour) there is a potential for moving water to do lots of damage.
Water hammer is another instance where we find liquid traveling at the speed of sound.
Return to index
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/s-html/s075.htm [7/21/03 11:12:44 AM]

Ball bearing sealing
B012. BALL BEARING SEALING
There are three methods you can use to seal a ball bearing:
The top half of the shaft shows a conventional lip or grease seal
that has very limited life and will cut the shaft directly under the
lip. See "fretting"
The bottom half of the shaft shows a non-contacting labyrinth

seal that will not destroy the shaft and works well, as long as the
shaft is turning.
Most of these labyrinth designs are not effective when the shaft
has stopped, because you a trying to seal with a "hole".
There are some new design labyrinth seals that incorporate a

static O-ring when the shaft has stopped. They are a better choice
The face seal offers positive sealing of both the oil in the
bearing case and the water or moisture that is trying to get in.
Some designs are adjustable so that you can make impeller

adjustment in open or semi-open impeller configuration.
A fourth option is a face seal design that uses magnets to

hold two lapped faces together.
It is not a good idea to locate magnets next to a bearing.

Magnets attract metal particles and you do not need fine
metal pieces close to the bearing
Return to index

Fretting Corrosion
F036. FRETTING CORROSION
The next time you remove a grease or lip seal (the rubber seal located next to the bearing) you will note
that the shaft is grooved and damaged under the rubber lip. You will see this same damage in a few other
locations also:
● On the sleeve under the stuffing box packing, if you are still using packing in your pumps.
● On the sleeve under the Teflon® wedge, "U" cup, or "V" rings if you are using original equipment
type mechanical seals.
● Underneath the spring loaded o-ring found on many popular single and double mechanical seals.
● Underneath the rubber bellows of the type #1 seal if the rubber bellows did not vulcanize to the
shaft.
● Below the vibration damper used in rotating metal bellows seals.
In the above illustration the fretting is visible on the shaft, beneath the Teflon® wedge, in this rotating
version of a mechanical seal
This shaft or sleeve damage is called "fretting" and it will cause you several problems:
● Sleeve replacement is costly.

● The pump bearings are often destroyed in the process of removing the damaged shaft sleeve.
● The shaft diameter was reduced to accommodate the wear sleeve. This reduction weakened the
shaft, raised the L3/D4 number, and increased shaft deflection problems.
● The seal can "hang up" in the fretted groove opening the lapped seal faces.
● The fretted grove becomes an additional leak path for the fluid. This is a major cause of premature
seal failure
What causes this fretting problem? How can a soft piece of rubber or a slick wedge of Teflon® cut a hard
shaft? It doesn't seem to make any sense.
Surprisingly it has nothing to do with dirt in the air or abrasives in the fluid. The problem will occur even
if you are pumping a filtered, clean lubricant in a sterile atmosphere.
To understand fretting you must first understand the term "corrosion resistant". Some materials resistant
corrosion others do not. What is the difference? We say that iron rusts, but aluminum oxidizes.
A look at any dictionary will verify that these terms mean the same thing. So why do we use different
terms to describe the same problem?
The answer lies in the way a metal rusts or oxidizes. If the oxide layer is protective we say that the
material is corrosion resistant. Take aluminum as an example:
● Aluminum protects its self by forming a layer of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) on the surface when it
is exposed to oxygen. It is very visible and looks almost white in color.
● A more common name for aluminum oxide is ceramic, a dense, hard, corrosion resistant material.
After this dense layer is formed on the surface of the aluminum the oxidation or rusting rate is slowed
down to less than 0.002 inches (0,05 mm) per year, and this is the definition of corrosion resistant.
If this protective oxide layer is rubbed or polished off by the packing, lip seal or Teflon® wedge the
oxide will immediately reform to protect the base material. It is this constant oxide removal and
reforming that causing the shaft grooving that is so visible. We get the same reaction when we polish
silver. The "tarnish" replaces its self to protect the silver.
Shaft vibration and end play causes a constant axial movement of the shaft through the mechanical seal
dynamic rubber or Teflon® part. Bearing grease seals and stuffing box packing are stationary so the
rotating shaft is constantly being polished by these materials when the pump is running.
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Fretting Corrosion
There is a second problem associated with fretting. The ceramic oxide that is removed imbeds its self
into the rubber part causing a wear or grinding action on the base metal.
Stainless steel protects its self by forming a protective oxide called chrome oxide, one of the hardest
ceramics. When this oxide forms we say that the active stainless steel is now "passivated". It is this
chrome oxide imbedded into the packing, Teflon® , or rubber lip that does so much damage to the shaft
sleeve.
So now we have two causes of fretting:
● The removal of the passivated layer by the rubbing action of the rubber or Teflon.
● The hard ceramic that we removed sticking into the rubber or Teflon causing a grinding action.
Now that we know the causes of fretting what is the solution?
● Replace bearing lip or grease seals with labyrinth or the newer positive face seals. Face seals are
the better choice.
● Stop putting packing into pumps. You don't need that kind of leakage any more.
● Do not use mechanical seals that are designed with a dynamic elastomer positioned on the pump
shaft or sleeve. Most original equipment seals are designed this way. Stationary cartridge seals,
most balanced o-ring seals and all metal bellows seals eliminate the shaft dynamic elastomer and
the fretting associated with it.
Return to index

Grease
G011. GREASE, LIP OR OIL SEAL
A spring loaded elastomer seal commonly used to seal bearings. Sometimes called a "lip seal".
This is the standard method used by most manufacturers to seal the lubricant in a bearing. A better choice
would be:
● A labyrinth seal or
● A bearing face seal
Grease seals are notorious for damaging the rotating shaft under the lip. See fretting for an explanation of
why this happens
Return to index
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/g-html/g011.htm [7/21/03 11:12:55 AM]

Rubber Bellows Seal
R022. RUBBER BELLOWS SEAL
Available from a number of seal companies (the Crane #1 is typical), and manufactured in a variety of
materials, it looks like the following illustration:
You will find this seal used in water pumps and oil pumps, but it is seldom used with chemicals in the
process industry. In recent years one manufacturer is mounting the seal on a cartridge sleeve and
promoting it as a slurry seal.
To the casual observer the seal appears to have several real advantages:
● Low cost. It is probably the largest mass-produced seal in the world.

● No sliding elastomer or O-ring. Nothing to "hang up" on the shaft.
● Easy to install. There are seldom any measurements to make or set screws to tighten to the shaft.
Most designs are positioned against a shaft shoulder or attached to a shoulder cast into the back of
the impeller. Push it on the shoulder, and that is all there is to it!
● Availability. You can purchase these seals from a variety of manufacturers, distributors and
bearing houses. Most distributors have replacement charts that will reference your present seal
and recommend an equivalent design.
● No shaft or sleeve fretting. When installed properly the seal cannot frett or damage a shaft or
sleeve because there is no relative movement between the rubber boot and shaft or sleeve.
Let's look at each of these features in detail and see if they really are an advantage.
We will begin with cost:
● The seal is low cost only if you purchase it manufactured from brass metal with a low-grade
carbon face and a buna N rubber boot.
● The Crane Company advertises they use 76 different grades of carbon in their seals and this is the
seal that uses most of them. The problem surfaces with replacement seals. No reputable
distributor can afford to stock 76 carbons so he often inventories the seal with a better grade of
carbon, 316 stainless steel parts and possibly a fluroelastomer bellows. This makes the low cost
original equipment manufacturer's (OEM) seal an expensive replacement seal.
● Once the seal is cartridge mounted, and hydraulically balanced versions of this seal require it, the
seal is no longer low cost.
No sliding elastomer is the next feature:
● The rubber boot must transmit the turning torque from the shaft to the seal face and provide
enough flexibility to compensate for axial motion and carbon face wear. This means that the
bellows must stick to the shaft, so the lubricant you choose to install the seal becomes critical.
● Buna N is one of the few rubber compounds that has a shelf life because it is sensitive to ozone
attack. The seal is packaged with the rubber boot wrapped in waxed craft paper to retard ozone
attack. Once the package is opened you have about one year shelf life.
● O-ring seals offer a wide choice of elastomer materials that are readily available at low cost. The
rubber boot choice of materials is very limited.
Easy to install
● Pushing the seal against a shoulder sounds very attractive, but it a real installation problem.
Looking again at the illustration you can see that the rubber bellows location is critical to the
operation of the seal. The mechanic can position the seal spring, but he has no control over the
rubber bellows that can be either extended or compressed with respect to the seal face.
● The lubricant used to install the seal must make the rubber slippery enough to slide easily on the
shaft and yet stick to the shaft to provide the turning torque to the rotating seal face. A lubricant
that will attack the rubber bellows is selected for this dual function. It will make the rubber
"slimy" for about fifteen minutes and then cause the rubber to "swell up" and lock to the shaft.
This means you have about fifteen minutes to assemble the seal into the stuffing box and tighten
up the seal gland, which is just about impossible on a double-ended pump. That is the reason you
find so many of these seals sleeve mounted. Silicone grease is the first choice for lubricating
rubber parts in other seals, but it must never be used in this design, because it will not attack the
Rubber Bellows Seal
rubber boot.
● If the old seal was installed correctly it vulcanized to the shaft. This means that the seal has to be
physically scraped off the shaft or sleeve before a new seal can be installed. It is very common for
mechanics to polish the cleaned up shaft with crocus cloth or fine emery paper, but this must be
avoided because if the shaft or sleeve is too smooth the new rubber boot will not stick. You want
a finish of no better than 40 rms, which is very different than the requirement of at least 32 rms
(0,8 microns) used in other seal designs.
Availability
● Because of the great variety of materials used in this design, and because many of the replacement
seals are sold by non professionals, it is easy to mix up the seal materials. The print that came
with the seal shows part numbers and not grades of material. Call up a local distributor for these
seals and he will often ask you to bring one of the seals over so he can pick out a seal that looks
like it. Most distributors cannot identify the seal materials because there are many different grades
of stainless steel, carbon/graphite, ceramic, Buna N, neoprene, etc.
Non Fretting
● If you experience damage or fretting on the shaft or sleeve under the rubber boot it means that the
boot did not attach its self to the shaft. The faces had stuck together and you were sealing between
the stationary rubber boot and the rotating shaft. You had used the wrong lubricant when the boot
was installed on the shaft or sleeve and the rubber boot is acting like a grease or lip seal.
Here are some additional things you should be aware of:
● The carbon is often a loose fit in the metal holder. In many designs the carbon can be installed
backwards and often is. The seal packaging method causes the problem. Many manufacturers will
install the carbon backwards in the holder to protect the lapped face and then "bubble packed" the
assembly to save packaging costs. The never tell you to turn the carbon face around at assembly.
Mechanics usually install hardware the way it came out of the box because there is nothing in
their experience to tell them to do it differently.
● The most common failure with this seal is to rupture the rubber bellows and experience a sudden
and massive bellows failure. Well designed balanced, O-ring seals tend to drip excessively when
they begin to fail. This bellows design leaks massively at failure. Very scary!
● Buna N has a high temperature limit of about 210°F (100°C) meaning that the seal can be injured
if hot water or steam is used to clean the lines. There are much better elastomers on the market for
a wide range of chemical compatibility and operating temperature.
What is my personal opinion of this type of product? It is probably the best original equipment
manufacturer (OEM) seal made and the worst replacement seal ever designed. I do not like it for the
following reasons:
● The normal failure mode is dangerous. A rubber bellows rupture is a very severe seal failure.
● The rubber boot thermally insulates the carbon seal face. This is never a good idea when you are
trying to remove heat between the seal faces.
● The special lubricant required to install the seal makes installation different than other seals. Any
time something is different, errors occur.
● The rougher shaft finish requirement makes installation different.
● The buna N boot is sensitive to ozone attack once the package is opened, and people like to open
packages. Shops often have high levels of ozone caused by the sparking of electric motors.
● The carbon face can be put in backwards. And you know that if it can be, it will be.
● The seal is not usually hydraulically balanced limiting its pressure and speed capability.
● Unless the seal is on a cartridge you cannot make the inital impeller setting and other impeller
adjustments when using open impeller pumps.
● The seal is limited to a replacement part, and with the great variety of materials specified you will
have too many replacement seals in your inventory. With just a few exceptions, you should be
able to use the same seal in every pump of the same shaft size. Imagine what a difference that
would make in your inventory costs and spare parts availability.
● Your spare seals should be acceptable for packing replacement as well as a replacement part for
an existing application. This seal is limited to replacement only.
● The stainless steel spring is a major component of this seal. Stainless steel springs are not
recommended in mechanical seals because of the possibility of chloride stress corrosion problems
that can break the spring.
If you are willing to invest in a high priced, balanced design, cartridge mounted version of this seal; then
there is something to be said for its performance in slurry applications where you are trying to cut down
on water flushing.
Given the choice you will probably be better off with the stationary version, but you will still have to
contend with all of the points mentioned above.

Rubber Bellows Seal
Return to index

Balanced mechanical seal
B009. BALANCED MECHANICAL SEAL
Seal hydraulic balance is one of the most effective tools we have to counter the detrimental affects of
heat being generated in the stuffing box area.
The original patent for hydraulic balance was granted in 1938, but the concept has never been adopted by
the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and so to this day it remains only as an "after market"
product.
Hydraulic balance is not difficult to understand, please look at the following diagram.
● A = The spring loaded face with a given area of 2 in2 (6 cm2)

● B = The stationary face held to the front of the stuffing box by gland "G"
● P = The hydraulic pressure in the stuffing box is given as 100 psi (10 Kg./cm2)
To understand hydraulic balance you must know that:
● Pressure (lbs./in2) x Area (in2) = Force (lbs.) or

● Pressure (Kg/cm2) x Area (cm2) = Force (Kg.*)
* Multiply this number by gravity (9.8 m/sec2) and you get Newtons of force.
There are at least two forces closing the seal faces:
● The mechanical spring force.

● The hydraulic force caused by the stuffing box pressure acting on the seal face area.
There are at least three forces trying to open the seal faces:
● A hydraulic force is created any time there is fluid between the seal faces.
● A centrifugal force created by the action of the fluid being thrown outward by the rotation of the
pump shaft.
● A hydrodynamic force created because trapped liquid is, for all practical purposes, non-
compressible.
Let's look at these forces individually and in a little more detail!
First we will look at the closing forces:
● A spring load of 30 psi. (2 kg/cm2) is an industry standard when the seal face is new and a load of
10 psi (0.7 kg/cm2) should still available when the carbon seal face has worn away. We need this
minimum load to prevent normal vibration from opening the lapped faces. You set this load by
installing the mechanical seal with the proper amount of compression as shown on the mechanical
seal installation print. A tolerance of plus or minus 1/32" (0,8 mm.) is typical.
● Since the definition of hydraulic force was given as pressure x area :
2
❍ 100 psi x 2 in = 200 pounds of closing hydraulic force, or
2 2
❍ 10 Kg/cm x 6 cm = 60 Kg of closing hydraulic force.
Now we will look at the opening forces
First the hydraulic force:
● Testing shows that sometimes there is a film of liquid between the faces, sometimes there is only
vapor, sometimes there is nothing at all, and sometimes there is a combination of all three.
● This means that if there is liquid or vapor between the faces, it is under pressure trying to force
the lapped faces apart. The stationary face (B) cannot move because it is being held by gland "G",
but the spring-loaded face (A) will respond to this force.
Please look at the following diagram.

If we assume a straight line or linear pressure drop across the seal faces, we would get an average of:
50 lbs/in2 x 2 in2 = 100 pounds of force

trying to open the seal face,
If we did it in metric we would get:
5 Kg/cm2 x 6 cm2 = 30 Kilograms of

force trying to open the seal faces.
Please take a look at the original drawing again
Centrifugal force is acting on the spring-loaded face (A) trying to spin it perpendicular to the rotating
shaft.
● Stationary face (B) is not perpendicular to the shaft because it is inserted in gland "G" that is
referenced against the stuffing box face. The stuffing box face is a casting that is not
perpendicular or square to any thing. A gasket located between the gland and the stuffing box
further compounds the problem. Testing has shown that a surface speed of 5000 fpm. or 25 meters
per second, centrifugal force is powerful enough to open most mechanical seal faces.
Seal faces are lapped to within three helium light bands or slightly less than one micron. This slight
waviness is enough to generate hydrodynamic lifting forces as we try to compress non-compressible
liquid that is trapped between the lapped faces.
Two forces closing, and three forces opening the seal faces. If the closing forces are the greater forces the
seal will generate heat that is often destructive but always a waste of energy and pump efficiency. If the
opening forces are the greater forces the seal will leak and that is never desirable.
A balanced seal by definition balances these opening and closing forces so that the seal will not get hot,
and it will not leak.
How is that accomplished?
Since the hydraulic closing forces were twice the opening forces (100 psi. vs. 50 psi.) or (60 kg/cm2 vs.
30 kg/cm2) we have installed a sleeve inside the seal and attached it to the shaft to reduce the closing area
and thereby reduce the closing force.
Please note that although not shown in the illusration, this sleeve is also sealed to the shaft.
Look at the following diagram for an explanation:

You can now see that the 100 lbs/in2 (10 Kg/cm2) is now pushing on only 1in2 (3 cm2) because the inner
sleeve is attached to the shaft and cannot move. The opening force remains the same. The numbers look
like this:
● 100 lbs/in2 x 1 in2 = 100 lbs. Closing

● 50 lbs/in2 x 2 in2 = 100 lbs. Opening
In metric they look like his:
● 10 kg/cm2 x 3 cm2 = 30 Kg. Closing

● 5 kg/cm2 x 6 cm2 = 30 Kg. Opening
As you can see we have eliminated the hydraulic forces from acting to open or close the seal faces. This
leaves only the spring force to close the seal and the hydrodynamic and centrifugal forces to try to open
the seal faces. The question then becomes, "can the spring force balance the other two?"
And there is another point to consider. Was the pressure drop across the seal faces really linear?
All of these questions were answered way back in 1938 by physical testing. The final design solved the
problem by overbalancing the closing hydraulic forces to compensate for:
● The non-linear pressure drop across the seal faces.

● The hydrodynamic opening forces
● Centrifugal opening force.
Look at the following diagram for the final result:
Seventy percent (70%) of the seal face area is exposed to the hydraulic closing force instead of the fifty
percent (50%) shown in the previous drawing. This is the standard 70-30 balance used by most
mechanical seal companies. The seal designer can increase or decrease the percentage of over balance by
changing the stepped sleeve diameter. We would want to do this to:
● Decrease the face loading for low specific gravity fluids and higher speed shafts.
● Increase the face loading for higher viscosity liquids.
All that was required to hydraulically balance the seal was the simple low cost sleeve, but it is this
additional cost that is keeping the original equipment manufacturer from adopting the design as his
standard.
The "bottom line" is that with an un-balanced seal design you either suffer the consequences of adding
heat to the stuffing box area, or having to provide cooling to remove the heat that is being generated by
the un-balanced seal.
Keep in mind that this heat is never desirable because:
● Heat means a loss of expensive energy.

● Heat will affect the elastomer (rubber part) in the seal reducing its life.
● Heat can injure some carbon faces by melting the fillers and expanding the air pockets trapped
below the surface, causing pits in the carbon that will prevent it from passing a fugitive emission
test.
● Some hard faces (coated or plated ones in particular) can be damaged by a rapid temperature
change.
● Plated surfaces can heat check and crack due to the differential expansion between the coating and
the base metal.
● Many products can vaporize at elevated temperature, blowing the faces open and leaving solids
between the lapped faces.
● Heat will change the viscosity of many liquids. It many cases it will diminish, but in some cases
the viscosity can increase.

● Corrosion always increases with additional heat.
● Petroleum base products can coke between the faces.
● Lapped faces can go "out of flat" and critical tolerances change at elevated temperature.
Stick with hydraulically balanced seals. The unbalanced versions do not make any sense. In addition to
low heat generation. balanced seal have other advantages:
● They will allow you to standardize on one seal style for all applications.
● The O-ring version will seal either vacuum or pressure.
● Balanced seals can compensate for water hammer and pressure surges.
Please see also "two way balance and reverse balance".
Return to index

Hydrodynamic Force
H028. HYDRODYNAMIC FORCE
Hydrodynamic force is generated any time you try to compress a liquid.
We generate hydrodynamic force between the lapped seal faces because of the small amount of waviness
that is always present in lapped surfaces.
If you trap water in the tread of your automobile tires you can generate a hydrodynamic lifting force that
will raise the automobile off the road. We call this hydroplaning.
Please see: hydrodynamic seal
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Hydrodynamic Seal
H029. HYDRODYNAMIC SEAL
The idea behind a hydrodynamic seal is very simple. Let the seal faces ride on a film of gas either
pumped to, or flowing between the seal faces. Unlike hydrostatic seals that create a balanced opening and
closing force to maintain just the right amount of seal face separation, the hydrodynamic seal depends
upon the generation of a lifting force to separate the seal faces.
Please see "hydrostatic seal" for a description of hydrostatic sealing.
Please take a look at the following illustration:
● The hydrodynamic lifting force is created by the seal face geometry

(shape or configuration). Gas is going to be trapped in these face
grooves and provide a lifting force off the other smooth face.
● Remember that the shaft must be rotating at a reasonable rpm, in the

correct direction, to provide the proper lifting force.
Hydrodynamic forces are generated by the viscous shear of the gas film when the smooth face is rotating,
so unlike the hydrostatic version these seals operate effectively only while the pump shaft is turning. You
experience this same phenomena when you trap water in the tread of your automobile tire causing the car
to hydroplane and lift off the road surface.
Unlike liquids, gases are compressible but you ere generate a similar lifting force if the face geometry is
designed and built correctly. The idea is to direct the gas into a some narrow channels that will increase
the gas pressure causing the face separation.
Gas seals have become very popular in recent years for a variety of reasons:
● A growing market for fugitive emission sealing.

● A desire to eliminate convection tanks and their associated hardware.
● The increasing use of two seals in a pump opens the possibility of contaminating the process fluid
with the barrier fluid circulating between the dual seals.
● In many applications there is no flushing water available for face cooling and lubrication.
● Non-contacting gas seal have the potential to generate less heat than conventional face seals.
● Non-contacting seals theoretically experience no wear.
● Some pumps experience dry running periods that might damage lapped seal faces.
● Air and gas compressors do not have fluid available for cooling between dual seals.
But, as you would guess, hydrodynamic gas seals also present a few problems to the user.
● You have to have a continuous supply of inert gas on hand.

● Unlike hydrostatic seals most hydrodynamic designs are uni-directional. There are some bi-
directional design available. Check them out if you have to seal double ended pumps where the
ends of the shaft are turning in opposite directions.
● The shaft has to be tuning at a reasonable rpm to provide the proper dynamic lifting forces. Many
turbine driven pumps are rolled or rotated at a slow speed to keep the turbine and piping warm.
This can cause destructive wear to the seal face geometry.
● The dimensions required are very critical. You need seal face materials that do not distort over a
wide range of temperature and pressure. This can be a serious problem with most conventional
seal face materials.
● Any gas that gets into the system could cause cavitation problems with the pump if the gas
volume exceeds 3%.
● Some consumers complain of excessive noise in the gas lines.
● In some dual seal applications the barrier or buffer fluid is used to regulate the temperature at the
seal faces. Gas does not do this very well because of its poor lubricating and conductivity
characteristics.
Return to index

Hydrostatic Seal
H033. HYDROSTATIC SEAL
There are presently two types of non-contacting seals available for fugitive emission and gas sealing:
● Hydrodynamic or lift off seals that float on a cushion of gas.

● Hydrostatic seals, where the faces are held at a predetermined small separation by controlling the
opening and closing forces acting on the faces.
Non-contacting seals have a couple of advantages over conventional face seals:
● The product you are trying to seal does not have to be a lubricant. Gases or hot water are examples
of typical non-lubricating fluids. A non-lubricant is defined as a fluid that will not maintain a film
thickness of one micron (0.000039") or more at its operating temperature and load.
● There is little to no heat being generated at the seal faces. Heat causes all sorts of expansion and
other difficulties. The non-contacting seal eliminates many of these problems.
● Except for some possible erosion you should not experience any face wear.
● Dual versions of these seals can use an inert gas as a barrier fluid and eliminate the possibility of
any fugitive emissions escaping to the atmosphere.
● Be careful about selecting the rotating "back to back"

dual seal similar to the design shown on the left
● Centrifugal force will throw solids under the inner seal

faces restricting their movement and in many instances
damage the faces.
Of course there is a down side to non-contacting seals. You are going to experience some leakage either
into the atmosphere or your product. The trick is to keep the leakage within acceptable limits. Most of the
time we are talking about leakage in the order of a portion of a standard cubic foot per hour (not per
minute).
In a previous part of this alphabetical section we discussed hydrodynamic sealing, but this section is all
about hydrostatic sealing and you will find that the principle behind this type of seal is not too difficult to
understand:
We will maintain a very small, constant separation between the seal faces regardless of any shaft
movement, thermal expansion or face distortion caused by pressures that might be present. We will
accomplish this by controlling the opening and closing forces between the seal faces to maintain the
desired separation.
To understand hydrostatic forces you must first understand that any time you multiply two numbers
together you are describing a rectangle. Look at the following line drawing. Here we are demonstrating
that if you multiply two things by four things you get eight things, and as you can see, it is a rectangle.
Force is pressure times area. Therefore force is also a rectangle.
Look at the following drawing. You are looking at a typical hydrostatic seal:
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Hydrostatic Seal
You are looking at a stationary version of this type of seal. Let's check out at the individual parts:
● S = Spring loaded stationary seal face.

● R = Rotating face. It is held to the shaft shoulder by a clamping sleeve. A gasket would be located
on either side of the rotating face to prevent leakage along the rotating shaft.
● G = Gland for the spring loaded stationary seal face.
Although this drawing looks like a conventional mechanical face seal we will learn that the seal faces
never do come into contact. In the next sketch we will look at a detail of the stationary face. The thing to
notice in this sketch is the width of the channel leading to the stationary nose piece. As you can see, we
are talking about a distance that is not visible to the human eye.
The smallest object that can be seen with the human eye is forty (40) microns and we are talking about a
distance of one micron. This dimension is lapped, not machined into the stationary face. We use the same
technique that is used to lap seal faces flat within three helium light bands (one micron)
We are going to use this small recess to develop a two-stage pressure drop across the seal face. This is
different than a conventional mechanical seal where we experience one pressure drop from the outside to
the inside of the extended nose.
In the next drawing we will look at the forces acting on the stationary face and learn how we are able to
obtain the desired face separation by experiencing two pressure drops.
Let's look at the force generated on the back of the stationary face:
● The force on the back of the stationary face (S) is represented by the rectangle formed when the
pressure was multiplied by the area ( Closing force = P x A)
● This closing force is in addition to the spring load and is not affected by the axial position of the
stationary face. The area remains a constant. The closing force changes only with the system
pressure.

Hydrostatic Seal
Now we will look at the force generated between the faces:
● The stationary face (S) has a larger area (A)

● The pressure between the seals (P) starts out the same as on the back of the stationary face (S) but:
❍ If the rotating face should try to come into contact with the stationary face the pressure
would be felt to point (b) and then we would experience a pressure drop across the
extended nose on stationary face (S). This would cause a larger force between the faces,
causing the stationary face to move away from the rotating face.
❍ If the rotating face should move away from the stationary face too far a distance, the gap
would widen and we would take a single pressure drop from point (a) to point (c). This
would cause a reduction of the force between the faces causing the stationary face (S) to
move towards the rotating face (R)
❍ Somewhere between these two extremes is where the opening and closing forces equalize.
It is shown by the dotted line (a-d-c). In this position we take a slight pressure drop from (a-
d) and another pressure drop from (d-c). It is at this point that the opening and closing
forces are in equilibrium.
In summary:
If the shaft moves axially and the seal faces try to come together, the opening force builds up and
separates the faces, but as they begin to separate we lose the two pressure drop concept and take a linear
pressure drop between the faces causing them to close again. In practice the faces do not move once they
have found the balance point.
The result of all of this is a very stiff and stable system. If the fluid you are sealing is an inert gas the leak
rate should be very low and in the order of a portion of a standard cubic foot per hour (not minute). This
is more than acceptable in most applications.
I saw this system first used in early 1960 for the sealing of compressor air in an aircraft application.
Compressor air is very expensive and worth conserving. The concept was later used in compressor
applications in the chemical process industry.
Although these were successful systems why have we not see more of these applications in recent years?
● The sealing of gas is the largest market for this application and until the chemical industry
requirement for fugitive emission sealing came into popularity the application was limited to the
smaller compressor market
● In past years we did not have the stable materials that were needed for the seal faces. Fluctuating
temperature and pressure variations would cause the loss of the critical lapped dimension into the
stationary face. Silicon carbide has changed all of that.
● Hydrodynamic sealing is the present fad. The hydrostatic concept was developed mainly in the
aircraft industry with limited commercial application. Most of the major commercial seal
companies either do not know about the concept, or have elected to ignore it.
Hydrostatic seals offer some real advantages over their "hydrodynamic cousins":
● An important feature of this face geometry is that it is independent of shaft rotation. Most of the
hydrodynamic, or lifting designs have to be engineered for clockwise or counter-clockwise
rotation, and experience all kinds of "mix-up" problems on double ended pumps.
● Unlike hydrodynamic seals, these hydrostatic type do not require that the shaft be turning to
function. They work just as well on stationary or slow turning shafts. Hydrodynamic seal designs
require that the shaft has to be tuning at a reasonable rpm to provide the proper dynamic lifting
forces. Many turbine driven pumps are rolled or rotated at a slow speed to keep the turbine and
piping warm. This can cause destructive wear to the seal face geometry.
Return to index

Linear Pressure Drop
L015. LINEAR PRESSURE DROP
Refers to a straight-line pressure drop across the lapped seal faces.
A linear pressure drop seldom happens.
The pressure drop is almost always non-linear, and that is one of the reasons for the 70/30 hydraulic
balance we find in most balanced mechanical seals.
Return to index

s070
S070. SPECIFIC GRAVITY
The term specific gravity is used to describe the weight or density of a liquid compared to an equal
volume of fresh water at 4°C (39° F). If the liquid you are comparing will float on this water it has a
specific gravity of less than one (1). If it sinks into the fresh water the specific gravity is more than one.
As you have already guessed fresh water at 4°C (39° F) has been assigned a value of one (1).
It is important that you do not confuse specific gravity with viscosity, which is a measurement of a fluid's
resistance to pouring. Thick liquids are said to have a high viscosity and thin liquids a low viscosity. Like
specific gravity, viscosity can be altered by a change in temperature, but unlike specific gravity it can
also be altered by agitation. The really important thing to keep in mind is that there is no correlation
between viscosity and specific gravity.
We measure specific gravity with a hydrometer. The hydrometer is a glass cylinder with a rubber bulb on
top and a float positioned inside the glass tube. The float is calibrated to float on fresh water at 4°C, so if
the fluid you are testing has a higher specific gravity the float will raise in the liquid and at a lower
specific gravity it will sink lower in the liquid.
This is the same instrument that we use to tell if your automobile battery is fully charged or if there is
enough anti-freeze in the radiator.
OK! Now that we have all of that straight what are we going to do with this specific gravity information
that we are collecting? It turns out that we use it for a lot of things. As an example:
● It is part of the formula we use to convert pump head to pressure:
● You will need it to calculate the hydraulic force acting on the impeller when the centrifugal pump
is operating off the best efficiency point:
● We need specific gravity to calculate the horsepower of the motor we need to operate the pump:
❍ H-P needed = The HP noted on the manufacturers pump curve times the specific gravity of
the fluid you are pumping.

● NPSH and cavitation are directly related to specific gravity. The lower the specific gravity the
lower the vaporization pressure.
● Low specific gravity fluids cause a number of mechanical seal problems:
❍ Low specific gravity fluid can vaporize in the stuffing box causing a big bubble and high
heat at the seal faces.

❍ If the specific gravity falls below 0.4 we have to change the spring load on the seal faces to
a lower value, and change the hydraulic balance ratio from about 70/30 to 60/40.
❍ Most low specific gravity fluids are poor lubricants that cause excessive seal face wear,
slip stick vibration problems and possible color contamination of some products if carbon-
graphite is used as the seal face.
❍ The low specific gravity fluids can flash between the lapped seal faces. This will:
■ Cause chipping and damage to the carbon outside diameter.
■ Leave solids between the lapped faces, the last place you need them.
■ In some instances the flashing will cool the faces and freeze any oil or grease you
put on the lapped face. The frozen lubricant can destroy the carbon.
● If the fluid is a mixture of a liquid and a solid we have a useful formula to calculate the specific
gravity of a slurry:
❍ Sm = Specific gravity of the mixture or slurry

❍ S = Specific gravity of the liquid phase
l
❍ S = Specific gravity of the solids phase
S
❍ C
W = Concentration of the solids by weight
● The formula for the concentration of solids by weight (Cw ) is:
Here is an example of a typical mixture:
You have a water and solids slurry. The water is a liquid with a Specific Gravity of 1.0 and the % solids
s070
by weight is 30%. The solids having a Specific Gravity of 2.7, then:
Oil refinery people sometimes mix oils of different specific gravity together. To determine the resultant
gravity you can use the following formula:
● D = Density or Specific Gravity of the mixture.

● m = Proportion of oil of d1 density.
● n = proportion of oil of d2 density.
● d1 = Specific Gravity of "m" oil.
● d2 = Specific Gravity of "n" oil.
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v019
V019. VISCOSITY
Viscosity is defined as resistance to pouring, with higher viscosity liquids affecting centrifugal pump
performance in several ways:
● An increase in horsepower (KW) is needed.

● The head, capacity and pump efficiency will be reduced.
● The mechanical seal will have trouble compensating for shaft movement and stuffing box
misalignment.
● The bearings will be subjected to higher radial loading as the pump shaft is displaced
● The sealed liquid may not lubricate the lapped faces if the fluid film thickness is less than
0.000040" (one micron) at the seal's operating temperature and face load.
Viscosity is a measure of the "thickness" of the liquid. Molasses and motor oil are thick or high viscous
liquids. Gasoline and water are thin, low viscosity liquids. Do not confuse this viscosity with the specific
gravity of the same fluid. Specific gravity is a measure of the weight of the liquid compared to an equal
volume of 4°C (39°F) fresh water.
Motor oil has a low specific gravity (it floats on water), but a high viscosity of more than 500
centistokes. Mercury has a high specific gravity (13.7) but a low viscosity of only 0.118 Centistokes. It is
important to note again that these two properties of a liquid are entirely independent of each other.
The viscosity of a liquid can change appreciably with a change in the temperature of the liquid, but
seldom changes when the pressure is altered We all know that hot oil is "thinner" than cold oil, so we
must always know the temperature of the fluid when the viscosity is to be measured. Without this
information you will almost always select the wrong size pump.
Temperature is not the only variable when we look at viscosity. There are three classes of fluids that
change their viscosity with agitation, and one that does not:
● Newtonian fluids are unaffected by the magnitude and kind of motion to which they are subjected.
Mineral oil and water are typical of this type of liquid.
● Dilatant fluids increase their viscosity with agitation. Some of these liquids can become almost
solid within a pump or pipe line. We all know that with agitation, cream becomes butter. Candy
compounds, clay slurries and similar heavily filled liquids do the same thing.
● Plastic fluids have a yield value which must be exceeded before flow will start. From that point on
the viscosity will decrease with an increase in agitation. Tomato catsup is the best example of
such a product.
● Thixotrophic fluids exhibit a decreasing viscosity with an increase in agitation, although the
viscosity at any particular rate of motion may depend upon the previous agitation of the liquid.
Examples are: glues, non-drip paint, greases, cellulose compounds, soaps, starches, and tar.
Viscosity is expressed in "absolute" or "kinematic" terms. Let's look at absolute first:
● The basic unit of absolute viscosity is the "poise".

● The common unit for expressing absolute viscosity is the "centipoise" (1/100 of a poise)
● Water at 68.4°F (20,2°C) has an absolute viscosity of one centipoise
Kinematic viscosity is different:
● The basic unit of kinematic viscosity is the "stoke".

● The common units for expressing kinematic viscosity is the "Centistoke" (1/100 of a stoke ).
The two are related as follows:
KINEMATIC VISCOSITY = ABSOLUTE VISCOSITY/ SPECIFIC GRAVITY
Since the specific gravity of water at 68.4°F (20.2°C) is almost one it follows that the kinematic viscosity
of water at 68.4°F is for all practical purposes 1.0 centistokes. We measure viscosity with a viscosimeter
and there are a number of them available to chose from:
● The Saybolt universal version is the most popular in the United States, and is used to measure
liquids of low to medium viscosities. The Saybolt Furol version is for high viscosity liquids. A
measured volume of liquid is allowed to flow through an orifice of specified dimensions and the
time that it took to get through is measured in seconds. This is called the SSU number (Seconds
Saybolt Universal) or SSF number (Saybolt Seconds Furol). These numbers are widely published
in various charts and are often used in addition to, or in place of the actual viscosity measured in
centistokes.
● The Irany, Zahn and Redwood viscosimeters operate on the same principal. You can compare
viscosity readings to each other by means of conversion factors or comparison charts that are
widely available.
● The Brookfield Viscosimeter is the rotating type where a disc is rotated in the liquid to be tested.

v019
The drag is noted and read directly in centipoise. The rotating disc has approximately the same
friction factor operating on it as the pump impeller, so it is the best instrument for reading the
friction forces we find in a typical centrifugal pump.
● You should use these instrument to read non-Newtonian fluids and solid liquid mixtures. The
solids tend to clog the small orifice in the other type instruments, giving high, false readings even
though the liquid portion of the mixture is at a much lower viscosity.
There are tables available that list the viscosities of many common liquids at various temperatures. It is
very obvious that even small changes in temperature can affect viscosity greatly, which will change the
friction losses in the pipe fittings and valves.
In other sections of this course I have described how these changes are addressed when you make your
final pump selection. Unfortunately there is no acceptable analytical method of predicting pump
performance when the liquid has a viscosity different than water. Many tests have been conducted, and
the data formulated into charts and nomographs with the result being that your pump performance can be
reasonably estimated for liquids of just about any viscosity. The following chart is typical:
VISCOSITY (SSU) 100 250 500 750 1000

FLOW REDUCTION
3% 8% 14% 19% 23%
HEAD REDUCTION
2% 5% 11% 14% 18%
POWER INCREASE
NEEDED 10% 20% 30% 50% 65%
Return to index

t028
T028. TWO WAY SEAL BALANCE
There are several reasons why you might want to invest in the higher cost of installing two seals in your
pump, or some other piece of rotating equipment:
● The product is dangerous.

● A seal leak could cause a pollution problem.
● The product is very costly.
● Unscheduled down time is too expensive.
● You need fugitive emission protection.
● It is a sensible way to institute a predictive maintenance program for mechanical seals.
Please look at the following diagram and you will see a major problem with almost all dual seal
applications:
A = The barrier fluid at a higher pressure than the stuffing box.
B = The stuffing box pressure.
C = Atmospheric pressure.
In a typical dual seal application, fluid "A" is circulated between the seals at a pressure at least one
atmosphere (14.7 psi, or 1 bar) higher than stuffing box pressure "B". This presents some operating
problems:
● Since the stuffing box pressure "B" can vary. The barrier fluid pressure "A" must be kept at one
atmosphere higher than the maximum stuffing box pressure and that pressure is very hard to
predict because of pressure surges, cavitation and water hammer in the system.
● Barrier fluid pressure "A" can vary depending upon its source. Shop water is notorious for
pressure variations.
● If the stuffing box pressure "B" exceeds the barrier pressure "A" the inner seal can blow open.
● If the barrier fluid piping or fittings are damaged or leaking, the inner seal will blow open
allowing the product to escape to atmosphere. Remember that you purchased the second seal to
prevent that possibility.
● Some mixer applications alternate between pressure and vacuum.
● If the outside seal wears out or fails prematurely the barrier fluid pressure "A" will drop and the
inner seal will blow open. In other words if the seal works properly both seals will fail at the same
time.
Hydraulically balancing the inside seal will not help because with a standard 70-30 balance the seal is
hydraulically balanced in only one direction. You can check hydraulic balance in this alphabetical
section if you are not familiar with standard seal balance.
If the higher pressure is coming from side "A" you have the classic 70-30 hydraulic balance but if the
higher pressure is at "B" you have a 30-70 balance and the seal faces will open.
In 1939 a solution was found for this very real problem and it was called "two way balance". Please look
at the following diagram, it appears to be very similar to the previous diagram with two major
exceptions.
● The dynamic 0-ring is placed in an odd shaped groove. Half the O-ring groove is in the seal face
(E) and the other half is in the stationary gland.
● The stationary seal face is wider than the previous version. The O-ring cross section represents
40% of the area of the seal face with 30% of the face area outside and inside of the O-ring area.
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t028
If the higher pressure is at side "A" the O-ring "C" is pushed against gland "D" and any sliding action of
the seal face will take place at the inside diameter of the O-ring. In that case 70% (40%+ 30%) of the
face area would see the pressure and 30% would not. The classic 70-30 balance.
Reverse the pressure to side "B" and the O-ring will bottom against the seal face and all sliding, or
flexing will occur on the O-ring outside diameter, allowing 70% (40%+ 30%) of the seal face area to see
the pressure and 30% would not.
In other words you would have the same 70-30 balance regardless of the direction of the higher pressure.
This presents some very real advantages over non two way balanced designs.
● You can elect either a barrier or buffer fluid pressure; It is your choice. With a lower buffer fluid
pressure you can just about eliminate the possibility of product dilution.
● A rupture in the barrier fluid pressurizing system will not open the inner seal face allowing the
product to escape to atmosphere.
● Water hammer, cavitation, or pressure surges will not blow the seal open. The faces always shut
with the higher pressure the way they are supposed to.
Are there any disadvantages to this design? Yes, a couple:
● A wide seal face is required restricting the use of the seal to mostly mixer applications because of
the additional radial room needed. There seldom is enough room in the typical centrifugal pump
stuffing box to accommodate the cartridge version of this design.
● Because one half of the dynamic O-ring groove is mounted in the gland and the other in the seal
face, the O-ring must slide when the pressure reverses and in some slurry applications it will
"hang up" unless flushing water is available.
● Extra cost is usually involved if it is not a standard seal with your supplier.
In recent years other methods of achieving two way balance have evolved with very obvious advantages.
One of them is shown in the following diagram:
● A narrow seal face can be used.

● The seal will fit conventional stuffing box bore dimensions.
● The dynamic O-ring does not have to slide when the pressure reverses. This is a very important
feature when sealing slurries, viscous fluids and liquids that can crystallize
● Manufacturing cost is reduced.
● Conventional O-ring cross sections can be used.
The diagram should be self-explanatory. You will note that in this version the hydraulic balance reverses
from 70-30 to 60-40.
It does not make sense to install two seals into a pump without this two-way balance feature. Be sure to
specify it in all future purchases and proposals.
Return to index

Reverse Balance
R011. REVERSE BALANCE
Reverse balance means hydraulically balancing the seal from the inside out.
It is a common type of hydraulic balance used on outside mounted mechanical seals. The design allows
about 70% of the closing hydraulic force to act on the seal faces.
For more information see: balanced mechanical seal.
Return to index
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Chloride Stress Corrosion
C036. CHLORIDE STRESS CORROSION
All corrosion resistant materials protect themselves by forming a protective oxide layer on the surface of
the metal. Aluminum forms aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and stainless steel forms chrome oxide (Cr2O3).
These oxides are better known by their generic name "ceramic".
All ceramics will pit if exposed to chlorides. If the metal piece is under tensile stress either because of
operation or residual stress left during manufacture, the pits formed by chlorides attacking the passivated
layer will deepen even more. Since the piece is under tensile stress cracking will occur in the stressed
portions. Usually there will be more than one crack present causing the pattern to resemble a spider's
web.
Chloride stress cracking is a common problem in industry and not often recognized by the people
involved. In the seal business it is a serious problem if you use stainless steel springs or stainless steel
bellows. This is the main reason that hastelloy C metal is recommended for both metal bellows and
spring material.
Here are some additional thoughts about chloride stress cracking that you will want to consider:
● Chlorides are the big problem when using the 300 series grades of stainless steel. The 300 series
is the one most commonly used in the process industry because of its good corrosion resistant
proprieties. Outside of water, chloride is the most common chemical found in nature, and
remember that the most common water treatment is the addition of chlorine.
● Beware of insulating or painting stainless steel pipe. Most insulation contains plenty of chlorides
and piping is frequently under tensile stress. The worst condition would be insulated, steam traced
stainless steel piping.
● If it is necessary to insulate stainless steel pipe a special chloride free insulation can be purchased
or the pipe can be coated with a protective film of sodium silicate (water glass) prior to insulating.
● Stress cracking can be minimized by annealing the metal, after manufacture to remove residual
manufactured stresses.
● Never replace a carbon steel bolt with a stainless steel one unless you are sure there are no
chlorides present. Bolts can be under severe tensile stress.
● No one knows the threshold values for stress cracking to occur. We only know that you need
tensile stress, chlorides, temperature and the 300 series of stainless steel. We do not know how
much chloride, stress or temperature.
● Until I figured out what was happening I had trouble breaking stainless steel fishing hooks in the
warm water we have in Florida.
● Many cleaning solutions and solvents contain chlorinated hydrocarbons. Be careful using them on
or near stainless steel. Sodium hypochlorite, chlorethene. methylene chloride and trichlorethane
are just a few in common use. The most common cleaner used with dye checking material is
trichloroethane accounting for the reason we sometimes experience cracks after we weld stainless
steel and use the die check to confirm the quality of the weld.
There is some evidence that operating temperatures less than 5°Ç (41°F) and greater than 140°C (284°F)
slow down the chloride stress cracking process.
Return to index

Cartridge Seal
C016 CARTRIDGE SEAL
A self contained sealing assembly consisting of:
● The complete mechanical seal

● The seal gland
● A seal sleeve
● A device (usually clips) to hold, center and position all of the components
A stationary version of the cartridge seal is shown in this illustation.
Please see: stationary cartridge seals
Return to index

s086
S086. STATIONARY CARTRIDGE SEALS
Everyone agrees that cartridge seals are the only way to go. The good news about cartridges includes:
● The installation is much quicker than conventional seals that have to be set screwed to the shaft.
● There is little chance to damage the lapped seal faces during the assembly process.
● No prints are needed at assembly. There is nothing to measure. The cartridge assembly makes the
installation almost automatic.
● With a cartridge seal you can adjust impellers to compensate for the inital setting, thermal growth
and impeller wear.
But then there is the bad news, and in this instance the bad news is "really bad"!
In another section of this CD I discussed the advantages of using stationary seals and you will recall that
their advantage rested upon the seal designer's ability to position the rotating face perpendicular or square
to the shaft.
As long as the rotating face is square or perpendicular to the rotating shaft there will be no "back and
forth" axial movement of the stationary face.
Please take a look at the following sketch. Here you can see that the rotating face is positioned square to
the shaft because of the clamping arrangement of the rotating face. The clamp is manufactured on a
mandrel and the faces are machined perpendicular to the mandrel, making them in turn perpendicular to
the rotating shaft.
If the rotating face had been set screwed to the shaft it would have "cocked" the rotating face relative to
the shaft. This would cause the stationary face to move "back and forth" twice per revolution of the shaft,
causing the same problems we experience with the rotating version of a mechanical seal.
The seal movement problem starts when we try to put this rotating face on a cartridge sleeve. Take a look
at the next line drawing:
The drawing is exaggerated to emphasize the point. As you tighten the sleeve set screws to the shaft the
sleeve will "cock or tilt" and, although the rotating face stays square to the sleeve, it is no longer square
to the rotating shaft. This will cause the stationary seal to act like a rotating seal and you lose all of the
advantages you gained with a stationary design.
● The spring-loaded stationary face will move back and forth axially twice per shaft revolution.
● Any solids in the fluid could lodge in the sliding components of the seal and open the lapped
faces.
● The moving elastomer will frett and damage the stationary face depending upon the amount of
movement and the seal materials involved.
If we look at the detail of the stationary face on the cocked sleeve we will see:
● The setscrews have cocked the seal sleeve on the shaft.

● The rotating face is no longer perpendicular or square to the rotating shaft.

s086
● The cocking of the rotating face will cause the stationary face to move "back and forth two times
for each revolution of the shaft.
● At 1750 rpm this would be 3500 times per minute, or almost 60 times per second.
There are at least four ways to solve this "tilting" problem and prevent the "back and forth" axial
movement described above:
● The A.P.I. (American Petroleum Institute) recommends a tight tolerance fit between the pump
shaft and the seal sleeve to prevent the sleeve from cocking when the setscrews are tightened.
● The following line drawing describes a design where both the stationary and rotating faces are
spring loaded. In this design you are running a rotating seal against a stationary seal.
● The following sketch describes the double O-ring method for keeping the rotating face square to
the shaft.
● The next drawing describes a three-point contact similar to what you would find on a three-jaw
chuck used on a lathe or drill press. This arrangement is called a "cloverleaf" design by one of the
major seal manufacturers.
❍ Three setscrews positioned at 120 degrees apart deform the sleeve to the shaft outside
diameter to insure squareness of the rotating face.

❍ An additional three set screws go through the sleeve and lock the sleeve to the shaft. These
setscrews are positioned 120 degrees apart and are located between the setscrews that are
centering the sleeve to the shaft.
Now that you know at least four techniques to position the rotating seal face square to the shaft, the
question becomes which of any of them is the best?
The A.P.I. (American Petroleum Institute) version:
● The tight tolerances required to get the "slip fit" are expensive.
● There is wide variance in the tolerance used on the outside diameter of conventional pump shafts.
If you adopted this method to get "squareness" you would have to rework or replace many of your
existing shafts or shaft sleeves.

s086
● Although relieved in the center, loose fitting shaft sleeves are difficult to remove. The necessary
heating and banging will almost guarantee a bearing replacement along with the new seal.
Two spring loading both faces:
● Centrifugal force is working for you. The greater the centrifugal force, the stiffer the system.
● The centering of both faces is critical. If the hydraulic balance lines are not exact the faces could
cock. This is a difficult problem to over come.
● Building two spring loaded faces is expensive. You are actually running a stationary seal against a
rotating seal
The double O-ring system:
● This design requires a lot of axial space. When ever possible you will want to get the seal faces as
close as possible to the pump's inside or radial bearing.
The three point contact method:
● At this writing this is the lowest cost of the four solutions.

● This design takes a very short axial length, making the cartridge assembly no longer than a
conventional cartridge design.
● Replacing the seal components is low cost and easy with this design.
The cartridge mounted stationary seal doesn't make any sense unless you are using one of the above
solutions, or some other comparable design that corrects the problem of "cocking or tilting" the rotating
seal face.
If you are approached by a seal salesman with some other method to insure squareness, have them attach
their design to a rotatable shaft and measure the rotating face squareness with a dial indicator. It will
either be square or it will not, you can tell quickly.
Return to index

sa010
SA010. SEALING SLURRIES
A slurry is defined as solids suspended in liquid that cannot be dissolved by controlling the temperature
and / or pressure of the liquid. The solids may or may not be abrasive.
It does no good to try to identify the number of solids or their size because no one knows how these
numbers relate to slurry related seal problems. Whenever you deal with slurries there are several points
you must consider:
● The slurry can clog the flexing parts of a mechanical seal causing the lapped faces to open as a
result of both shaft and seal movement.
● If the slurry is abrasive it can wear and damage the rotating components. This can be a serious
problem with thin plate metal bellows seals.
● The pump rotating assembly will go out of balance as the slurry wears the impeller and other
rotating components. This will cause excessive moving of the seal components.
● The pump will lose its efficiency as critical tolerances wear rapidly. This can cause vibration and
internal recirculation problems. The wear will also cause the need for frequent impeller
adjustments that will cause problems with mechanical seal face loading unless you are using
cartridge seals.
It is generally believed that the main problem with slurries is that they penetrate between the lapped seal
faces and cause damage. Although this is true, it is also true that they cannot penetrate until the seal faces
open.
Seal faces should be lapped to within three helium light bands. That is a distance just a little bit shy of
one micron. Compare this to the fact that the smallest object that can be seen with the human eye is forty
microns in size and you will appreciate the technology used in the manufacture of mechanical seals. As a
matter of comparison, look at a common coffee filter. It filters out particles larger than ten to fifteen
microns.
All of this means that the seal is in fact a superior filter and as long as you can keep the two lapped faces
in contact there little chance for solids to penetrate the faces and do any type of damage.
There are three approaches to the sealing of slurry:
● Design a seal with non-clogging features.

● Create a clean sealing environment for the mechanical seal.
● Do a combination of both
Let's look at each of the approaches and in the process learn a sensible method of sealing any slurry:
You can build a seal with non-clogging features.
● Take the springs out of the sealing fluid. They cannot clog if they are not in the slurry.
● Make sure the sliding or flexing components move towards a clean surface as the seal faces wear.
● Take advantage of centrifugal force to throw the solids away from the sliding/flexing components
and lapped seal faces.
● Use a non-stick coating like Teflon® to prevent the slurry from sticking to the sliding
components.
● Use only balanced seal designs. The additional heat generated at the seal faces can cause many
products to solidify, coke, and crystallize creating an additional solids problem.
● Metal bellows designs can be used but they must have extra thick plates to resist excessive wear.
Extra convolutions will have to be provided to compensate for the higher spring rate caused by
these additional plates. Rotating the abrasive fluid with the bellows can be a big asset. Some
commercial designs have this feature.
Another approach is to create a clean sealing environment.
Give the seal as much radial room as possible. You can either bore out the packing chamber or install a
large bore-sealing chamber. Try to give yourself at least 1-inch (25 mm) radial space if possible. The
more room you can provide for the seal the better off you are going to be.
Try to remove the solids from the sealing area. There are a number of techniques for doing this. Some
work and some do not. First we will look at the solutions that do not work very well and comment on
their problems:
● Bad Solution #1 Connect a filter in the line installed from the pump discharge to the stuffing box.
Since the discharge is a higher pressure, the flow of liquid through the filter will clean up the fluid
and then there will be clean liquid flowing to the stuffing box.
❍ Comment: The problem with this idea is that the filter will clog and no one will clean it.
● Bad Solution #2 Install a cyclone separator into the line instead of a filter. Connect it between the
pump discharge and suction with the third (the center) port connected to the stuffing box.
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sa010
Comment:
This idea is just as bad. The cyclone separator was never

intended to be a single pass device.
They work well if used in a bank of several filters but there is

not enough pressure differential between the suction side of a
pump and the stuffing box for them to be effective.
● Bad Solution #3 Install the seal outside the stuffing box so the springs will not be located in the
dirty fluid.
Comment:
The problem with this idea is that as the seal faces

wear they must move forward and in doing so they
will move into the dirty fluid.
The result will be that the movable face will hang up

in the solids and the faces will open. Another problem
with this approach is that centrifugal force throws the
solids into the seal faces and not away from them.
● Bad Solution #4. Install a double rotating seal in the "Back to Back" configuration with a higher
pressure; clean liquid barrier between the seals.
Comment:
This is a very common approach to the problem and

has all of the problems associated with installing the
seal outside the stuffing box.
In addition to a rapid failure you will also experience

product dilution as the barrier fluid leaks into the
pump.
● Bad Solution #5. Since we are discussing things that don't work we might as well try two hard
faces. Needless to say they will not prevent the faces from opening and when they do open
experience shows that you are going to destroy both hard faces. Some seal salesmen may even try
to convince you that the seal faces are designed to "grind up" the solid particles into a fine
powder. In other words the seal is designed as some type of a "quasi- milling machine"
Now we will look at some methods that do work:
Good Solution #1.
● Flushing with a clean liquid is a good method of cleaning up the pumping fluid. The amount of
flushing you will need depends upon the design of your seal. If the design has multiple small
springs in the fluid, then more flushing will be required. There are various sources for the flushing
liquid :
● Finished, clean product or one of the mixture's clean ingredients
● A liquid compatible with what you are sealing.

sa010
● A solvent.
● An additive that is going to be added down stream and could be injected into the stuffing box
location.
● Clean water.
● A compatible grease can be used with most balanced seals running at lower speeds
● Be sure to start with a flushing pressure that is at least one atmosphere (15 psi or 1 bar) higher
than the stuffing box pressure. You can use a pressure gauge to determine stuffing box pressure.
You can then use a flow meter to regulate the amount of flushing fluid.
● With intermittent service pumps it is a good idea to have an electrician install a solenoid valve
with a delay switch that would allow the flushing fluid to come on thirty seconds prior to the
pump starting and to leave the flushing valve open for a few minutes after the pump has stopped.
● NOTE: Never introduce live steam into the stuffing box as it could cause the product to flash and
the pump to cavitate.
Good Solution #2.
● Install an oversize jacketed sealing chamber and "dead end" the fluid. Dead ending means that
there are no circulation lines coming in or going out of the sealing chamber.
● You can use the cooling jacket to remove the heat being generated by the seal faces as centrifugal
force cleans up the solids that are present in the small amount of fluid, trapped in the seal
chamber. This solution works exceptionally well with fluids where temperature control is
important. Heat transfer oil is a prime example.
● If the fluid you are sealing is not hot the cooling jacket will not be necessary. Sometimes one
filling of clean liquid into this oversize, dead ended stuffing box is all that is necessary to seal
even a severe slurry. Needless to say this application works best on a continuous running pump.
● If the specific gravity of the solids is less than the liquid they are suspended in, centrifugal force
will not work for you. A clean flush will be necessary in this instance, or you might try filling up
the dead ended stuffing box with a higher specific gravity compatible liquid.
Good Solution #3.
● If the solid particles are sub micron in size, two seals with a higher pressure barrier fluid become
necessary. In some instances you might want to use two hard faces on the inner seal. Kaoline and
some dyes are a good example of products with sub micron size particles.
● Tandem seals with a high-pressure barrier fluid circulating between the seals are ideal. Make sure
the inner seal is balanced in both directions or you may have trouble with it opening up during
pressure reversals. The tandem configuration keeps the abrasive solids at the outside diameter of
the seal so that centrifugal force works for you.
Good Solution #4.
● Install a large seal chamber on the pump and connect a recirculation line from the bottom of the
stuffing box back to the suction side of the pump. The size and number of solids that you are
trying to remove will determine the size of this line.
● This arrangement will cause liquid to flow from behind the impeller to the stuffing box and then
on to the suction of the pump. Fluid entering the stuffing box from behind the impeller has been
centrifuged and should be a lot cleaner than the fluid you are pumping. This solution works well
with closed impeller pumps and those open impeller designs that adjust to the front of the pump
volute. If your open impeller adjusts to the back plate (as is the case with the Duriron pump) this
method is not as effective.
● Do not use this technique if:
❍ You are pumping close to the vapor point of the fluid because lowering the stuffing box
pressure could cause the pumping fluid to vaporize in the stuffing box and in some cases
between the seal faces.
❍ You are sealing a Duriron pump where the impeller adjusts to the back plate. There is very
little difference between suction pressure and stuffing box pressure in most Duriron pump
applications.
❍ If you are sealing single stage double ended pumps where the stuffing boxes are at suction
pressure.
❍ If the solids have a low specific gravity or density, and float on the liquid
Be sure to compensate for the fact that the rotating unit will go out of dynamic balance.
● The seal faces have to be vibration dampened. O-ring type seals are equipped with a natural
vibration damper because of the dynamic elastomer that has been installed. Metal bellows seals
have to be provided with some other method. Letting the seal face holder rub and vibrate along
the shaft is a normal approach used by most metal bellows seal manufacturers. The logic is
questionable.
● Give the seal room to move. Shaft run out and vibration can cause the seal rotating components to
contact the inside of the stuffing box unless you have installed an oversized sealing chamber.
● Use motion seals if the run out or vibration is excessive. Unlike pump seals, these seals have
much wider hard faces and extra internal clearances. Most popular designs can compensate for
plus or minus 1/8" (3 mm) in a radial direction and 1/8" (3 mm) in an axial direction.
sa010
● Move the seal closer to the bearings. Split seal designs are a logical choice because most of them
come with a stuffing box extension gland that positions them next to the bearings. A support
bushing or sleeve can be installed in the end of the stuffing box to minimize the affects of
unbalance, vibration and shaft whip or wobble. A variety of materials are available for these
support sleeves. Check with your supplier for availability in your area.
The pump will lose its efficiency and experience more shaft movement as close tolerances wear.
● If you are using open impellers it will mean frequent impeller adjustment. In this case a cartridge
seal is your best approach as impeller adjustments can be made without disturbing the seal face
loading. Split seals can compensate for the initial impeller setting and split seals mounted on a
split sleeve will easily compensate for movement caused by temperature growth or impeller
adjustment.
● Closed impeller pumps will have to be disassembled and the wear rings changed when the
clearances become excessive. If you are fortunate enough to have adjustable wear rings on your
pump then only an outside adjustment will be needed and the pump will not have to be put out of
service. Cartridge seals can almost always be reused in these applications because the seal faces
were not separated as the pump was disassembled.
● Remember that with closed impeller pumps the wear rings will have to be replaced when the
normal clearance doubles. A typical normal clearance would be 0.008" to 0.015" (0,2 to 0,4 mm).
A good rule of thumb is that the pump will lose 1% of its capacity for each .001 inch (0,025 mm.)
of wear ring wear.
A few more thoughts about the sealing of slurries:
● Kaoline (china clay) is a product that is used in many industries including paper and
pharmaceutical. Its abrasive particles are less than one micron in size and as a result will penetrate
lapped seal faces, causing rapid carbon and hard face wear. In this application it is necessary to
use tandem mechanical seals with a higher clean barrier pressure between the faces to prevent
most of the penetration.
● In addition to one of the recommended solutions mentioned above, two hard seal faces can also be
used because some particles will always penetrate the faces.
● Using a combination of packing and a split mechanical seal is proving to be an ideal solution in
many applications. With the seal installed there is no pressure differential across the packing and
therefore the solids do not try to penetrate. Move the packing flushing line to the bottom of the
split seal housing and flush the packing through this connection instead of the lantern ring or seal
cage. The flushing is necessary to remove the additional heat being generated by the packing.
● You should be able to cut the flushing fluid volume down to about one third of the amount you
had been using. Since the packing is not being forced to the shaft only a small amount of cooling
is necessary. CAUTION! It is important that the flushing fluid be kept at a higher pressure than
the stuffing box pressure. If this pressure differential fails it could force the packing into the rear
of the mechanical seal. A split adapter plate installed between the split seal and the stuffing box
face can prevent the packing from blowing out if the flushing pressure is lost.
If you elect to use a rotating metal bellows in a slurry application, remember that the bellows should
rotate the fluid in the sealing chamber. Most bellows designs allow the thin bellows plates to cut through
the abrasive slurry and experience severe wear and breakage in a short period of time.
Return to index

Helium Light Bands
H014. HELIUM LIGHT BAND
A method of measuring seal face flatness.
One helium light band equals 0.0000116 inches or 0,3 microns.
Seal faces are lapped to less than one helium light band by most seal manufacturers, but after lapping the
part relaxes and can go out of flat as much as three helium light bands.
At about five or six light bands, lapped seal faces will show some leakage.
Return to index

Kaolin
K002. KAOLIN
Also known by the name "china clay". A pure form of hydrated aluminum silicate clay.
The formula for kaolin is usually given as Al2Si2O5(OH)4. It has many uses that include:
● The making of porcelain and chinaware.

● As a refractory for bricks and furnace linings.
● As a pigment and filler in paints.
● As a filler in plastics.
● As an abrasive powder.
● Ground kaolin is used as a filler in rubber
Kaolin presents a real problem in the seal business because some of the solid particles are less than one
micron in size, and will penetrate between lapped seal faces. Most of the particles run between 1.2 and
2.0 microns with a pH of 4.0 to 6.5.
You seal kaolin just like any other slurry, but in addition you need dual seals with a pressurized barrier
fluid between the faces to prevent solids from migrating between the faces.
The tandem version of dual seals is shown in the following illustration
Water makes a good barrier fluid if the seal is not subject to freezing temperatures
Return to index
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Dual Seal
D028. DUAL SEAL
In the past, the terms double and tandem seals were used to describe the popular methods of installing
two seals in a pump. "Dual seal" is the better term to use when you are describing two seals.
The two seals can be installed in four separate configurations.
I am showing the rotating version of the dual seals in these diagrams, but you should be aware that a
stationary version of each of these seals is also available from most seal suppliers:
Rotating, back to back designs are the least desirable.
Tandem designs take a lot of axial room, but they are the
most popular in oil refineries
Face to face designs require very little axial space, but

the two seals often share a common stationary face that
if broken, would fail both seals.
The concentric seal take very little axial space, but require a lot
of radial room.
Their application is often limited to mixers that have very little

room between the top of the mixer and a coupling.
Convection tanks are often used to contain the fluid between dual seals.
Return to index

s087
S087. STATIONARY SEAL
The spring loaded or moveable portion of the seal does not rotate with the shaft.
Stationary seals are not as sensitive to misalignment problems as rotating mechanical seals.
These designs are absolutely necessary when the seal face surface speed exceeds 5000 fpm (25 meters
per second).
Return to index

b015
B015. BARRIER FLUID
Any time you use dual seals (two seals) in an application, you should have a fluid circulating between
them to prevent the generation of unwanted heat.
If the pressure of the fluid between the seals is higher than stuffing box pressure we call it barrier fluid. If
the pressure is lower than stuffing box pressure we call it buffer fluid
The liquid can be circulated either by forced circulation, a pumping ring or convection. The method that
you will use will be dictated by the pressure in the stuffing box, pump speed and shaft size. All seal
manufacturers have charts available to give you the correct guidelines.
If you elect to use a forced circulation system be sure to introduce the fluid into the bottom connection
and out the top connection of the seal gland. This arrangement will insure that the space between the
seals is vented and proper cooling will take place.
Forced circulation is the recommended method with all vertical shaft applications, although it is possible
to offset the centering of the seal gland and get a small amount of pumping action as the liquid
circulating in the seal changes its velocity at the convection tank connections.
Many of the latest seal designs utilize a built in pumping ring to enhance convection. This pumping
arrangement is very necessary whenever oil is used as the barrier fluid because of oil's low specific heat
and poor conductivity.
The illustration shows a typical convection system that can be used with two balanced seals.
Water is one of the best barrier or buffer fluids because of its high specific heat and good conductivity.
Petroleum oil is probably one of the worse because of its low specific heat and poor conductivity. Keep
this in mind when you select a barrier or buffer fluid for your seals.
The type of seal you select will determine if the fluid between the seals has to be kept higher or lower
than the stuffing box pressure.
Fluctuating pressures are normal in this business so you should select seals that are hydraulically
balanced in both directions to eliminate any problems that might be caused when the barrier fluid or
system pressure varies.
Be sure to connect the convection tank or forced lubrication system so that the inlet is at the bottom of
the double seal and the outlet discharges from the top of the seal.
b015
This arrangement will allow the seal to vent and insure that the passages are full of liquid.
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Pumping Ring
P053. PUMPING RING
This ring is some times supplied as part of the seal design in a dual seal application.
The pumping ring is used in a dual seal convection system to assist circulation between two mechanical
seals.
Either an external pumping source or this pumping ring within the mechanical seal is absolutely
necessary if oil is used as a barrier fluid.
Oil's low specific heat and poor conductivity means that it will not function well in a standard convection
system. Forced circulation will be necessary and the pumping ring is a logical choice.
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s071
S071. SPECIFIC HEAT
Refers to the amount of British thermal units (BTUs) required to raise one pound of fresh water (about
one pint) one degree Fahrenheit, or the amount of calories needed to raise one gram (ml) of water one
degree Centigrade.
A product with a low specific heat gets hot rapidly.
Oil has a low specific heat (about 0.5). Water has a specific heat of one (1), so oil will get twice as hot as
water with the same amount of heat added to it. Oil also has a lower thermal conductivity than water.
This is the reason we do not recommend the use of oil as a buffer or barrier fluid between dual
mechanical seals. Water would be the ideal fluid to use between dual seals except fot two problems:
● It is corrosive.
● It freezes.
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s097
S097. STUFFING BOX PRESSURE
The pressure in the stuffing box is somewhere between suction and discharge pressure, but closer to
suction pressure.
The general formula for stuffing box pressure in a single stage, end suction, centrifugal pump is:
As an example:
● Discharge pressure = 50 psi

● Suction pressure = 10 psi
Stuffing box pressure = (50-10) / 4 +10 = 20 psi
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v017
V017. VIBRATION DAMPING
● Damping is important in metal bellows seal designs. The elastomer acts as a vibration damper in
O-ring type seals.
● The vibration can chip carbon faces, destroy anti-rotation drive lugs, and open the lapped seal
faces.
Return to index

Labyrinth Seal
L004. LABYRINTH SEAL
A grease or lip seal is shown in the top half of the drawing, the labyrinth is shown in the bottom half of
the drawing
● A labyrinth seal is a non-contacting circumferential seal utilizing a tortured path for flow between
the stationary and rotating parts. The design utilizes a series of pressure drops to reduce the
leakage.
● The labyrinth seal is effective while the pump is running, but when the pump stops you are trying
to seal with a hole unless you have purchased a design with a static sealing feature. In most cases
a positive face seal would be a better choice in most of these applications.
See: Positive face seal for bearings, P021
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Positive Face Seal For Bearings
P021. POSITIVE FACE SEAL FOR BEARINGS
These face seals are a sensible alternative to the grease or labyrinth seal currently used to seal moisture
and contaminants from precision bearings.
The positive face seal is a stationary mechanical seal that has been designed for this particular
application.
They are very similar to the seal used in the water pump of your automobile.
Return to index

w008
W008. WELDED METAL BELLOWS SEAL
A seal design used to eliminate either the dynamic elastomer or all elastomers
The no-elastomer design is excellent for cryogenic and hot polymer applications, but not as effective for
hot petroleum applications because of "coking" problems
Return to index

Coke
C045. COKE
A hard black organic substance that forms when petroleum products and most vegetable or mineral oils
are over heated.
Coke interferes with the mechanical seal movement and will eventually open the lapped faces causing
the seal to leak. You will see the black coke attached to the seal components, especially the carbon face
where the stuffing box temperature is the hottest..
Although widely believed to be true, oxygen does not have to be present for coke to form. The formation
of coke is a function of temperature and time, with the coking rate doubling with each increase in
temperature of 10°C or 18°F.
The only way to prevent the formation of coke in the pump stuffing box area and around the sliding seal
components, is to cool the fluid down below its coking temperature.
Some pump bearing cases have installed coolers that can retard the formation of coke in the bearing oil.
Return to index

L3/ D4
L002. L3/D4
Sometimes called:
● The stiffness ratio

● The slenderness ratio.
● The flexibility factor
A guide line for determining mechanical seal reliability in single stage centrifugal pumps with an
overhung impeller. It is an indicator of how seal and bearing reliability relates to pump shaft stiffness. In
this ratio the length of the shaft cubed (L3) is compared to its diameter to the fourth power (D4). The
number should be below 60 in imperial units (inches) and 2.0 in metric units (millimeters).
● The length of the shaft is measured from the center of the radial bearing to the center of the
impeller vane.
● The diameter is measured on the solid shaft and beneath the sleeve if one has been installed
Please see "shaft bending, the L3/D4 formula" for information on how to calculate the L3/D4 of a single
stage centrifugal pump with an overhung impeller.
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C Frame adapter
C001."C" FRAME ADAPTER
The "C" frame adapter is used to connect and align the pump to the motor. It makes the alignment with
registered fits and offers the additional advantage of equalizing temperature between the motor and the
pump without forcing all of the thermal conduction to take place through the shaft.
It looks very much like the adapter used to connect the wet end of a centrifugal pump to its power end.
All of the dimensions are in inch units. The "D" frame adapter is the metric equivalent.
The "C" frame adapter was originally created for the marine industry that had the problem of trying to
align a pump to a driver (motor) knowing that the ship's hull flexes.
The "C" frame adapter performs the same function as the bell housing in an automobile that aligns the
engine to the transmission.
Return to index

Registered Fit
R008. REGISTERED FIT
An interference or sliding fit.
In this illusration the gland has a registerd fit on the pump pilot diameter
The automotive industry uses an adapter with registered fits to align the transmission to the engine.
ANSI pumps use an adapter with registered fits to align the power end of the pump to the wet end.
The centrifugal pump "C or D frame adapter" has a registered fit with the bearing casing in some pump
designs, to eliminate the need for doing a conventional ,or laser alignment between the pump and its
driver.
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D frame Adapter
D001. D FRAME
The "D" frame adapter is used to connect and align the pump to the motor. It makes the alignment with
registered fits and offers the additional advantage of equalizing temperature between the motor and the
pump without forcing all of the thermal conduction to take place through the shaft.
It looks very much like the adapter used to connect the wet end of a centrifugal pump to its power end.
All of the dimensions are in metric units. The "C" frame adapter is the inch equivalent.
The "D" frame adapter was originally created for the marine industry that had the problem of trying to
align a pump to a driver (motor) knowing that the ship's hull flexes.
The "D" frame adapter performs the same function as the bell housing in an automobile that aligns the
engine to the transmission.
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w006
W006. WEAR RING
These wear rings are used with closed impeller pumps to restrict leakage from the high-pressure side of
the pump to the low pressure side.
● Most designs cannot be adjusted so they should be replaced when the recommended clearance is
doubled. The problem is determining when this has happened.
● Wear ring wear is indicated by a pumps capacity dropping while the amperage is staying the
same.
● Open impeller pumps do not use wear rings. In modern pump designs you can compensate for
impeller and volute wear by adjusting the impeller to the volute or back plate without having to
take the pump apart.
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Impeller Setting
I005. IMPELLER SETTING OR ADJUSTMENT
Some impeller clearance settings are made between the impeller and the pump volute. In other designs
the clearance is set between the impeller and the pump back plate.
Ideally there would be very little clearance between the impeller vanes and the pump volute or back
plate, but any deflection of the shaft would cause the impeller to hit this stationary piece.
To prevent this contact the pump manufacturer has opened the impeller to volute clearance as far as he
can without causing internal recirculation problems.
This clearance must be set when the pump is at operating temperature and must be re-set to compensate
for any vane wear during operation. If the clearance becomes too large the pump will experience internal
recirculation problems causing a rise in the pump's internal temperature and a loss of some of its
efficiency.
Most clearances are specified somewhere between 0.015 inches and 0.020 inches (0,4 mm to 0,5 mm)
when the pump is at operating temperature, but be sure to check with your pump manufacturer for the
correct number.
● A typical setting technique is to tighten the nuts on the back of the pump power end until the
impeller rubs against the volute. You can see these adjusting nuts on the left side of the
illustration.
● You then back off the nuts the proper clearance, and turn the jack bolts (located inbetween the
adjusting nuts) inward until the shaft assembly bottoms against the adjusting nuts
Remember that all impeller clearance settings must be done when the pump is at its operating
temperature.
Most open impeller pumps will reduce their capacity about one percent for every 0.002 inches (0.05 mm)
you open this clearance, because of internal recirculation problems.
You can tell that the impeller needs adjusting when you notice that the pump's amperage requirement is
the same, but the capacity is falling off.
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S111
S111. SYSTEM CURVE
Every pump manufacturer would like to recommend the perfect pump for your application. To do this he
would like you to provide him with an accurate system curve that would describe the capacity and head
needed for your various operating conditions. Once he has your system curve he can plot his pump
curves on top of the system curve and hopefully select something that will come close to your needs.
Without this system curve neither one of you has much of a chance of coming up with the right size
pump.
To create a system curve we plot the desired capacities against the required head over the total
anticipated operating range or window of the pump. The head will be measured in feet or meters and the
capacity will be measured in gallons per minute or cubic meters per hour. Some of the confusion begins
when we realize that there are three different kinds of head:
STATIC HEAD.
This is the vertical distance measured from the centerline of the pump to the height of the piping
discharge inside the tank. Look at figure "A" and note that the piping discharge is below the maximum
elevation of the piping system. We do not use the maximum elevation in our calculations because the
siphoning action will carry the fluid over this point once the piping is full of liquid. This is the same
action that lets you siphon gasoline out of an automobile to a storage can.
The pump will have to develop enough head to fill the pipe and then the siphoning action will take over.
The pump operating point should move back towards the best efficiency point (BEP) if the pump was
selected correctly.
FIGURE "A"
PRESSURE HEAD.
If the vessel we are pumping to is pressurized, this pressure converted to head units, will have to be
added to the static head. To convert pressure to head units use one of the following formulas:
DYNAMIC OR SYSTEM HEAD
As the liquid flows through the piping and fittings it is subject to the friction caused by the piping inside
finish, restricted passages in the fittings and any type of hardware that has been installed in the system.
The resulting pressure drop is described as a "loss of head" in the system and can be calculated from
charts you will find in the charts section of this CD This head loss is related to the condition of the
system and makes the calculations difficult when you realize that older systems may have "product build
up" on the piping walls, filters, strainers, valves, elbows, heat exchangers, etc., making the published
numbers some what inaccurate.
A general "rule of thumb" states that the friction loss in clean piping will vary approximately with 90%
of the square of the change in flow in the piping, and 100% of the square with the change of flow in the
fittings and accessories. You calculate the change in flow by dividing the new flow by the old flow and
then square the number. As an example:
At 200 gpm the piping resistance calculated from published charts (you can find these in
the charts section) is seventy-five feet (75 Ft.). What will it be at 300 gpm?
300 / 200 = (1.5)2 = 2.25 x 75 feet = 168.75 x 90% of the change = 151.88 feet of
resistance head
S111
In other words, when we went from 200 to 300 gallons per minute the piping resistance increased from
75 feet to 151.88 feet.
The loss through the fittings and hardware was calculated at 25 feet. What will the new loss be?
300 / 200 = (1.5)2 = 2.25 x 25 feet = 56.25 x 100% of the change = 56.25 new feet of head
In the original application, system loss was a combination of the loss through the piping and the loss
through the fittings for a total of 100 feet at 200 gallons per minute.
When we increased the flow to 300 gallons per minute our system head changed to a total of 208.13 feet.
This change would have to be added to the static and pressure heads to calculate the total head required
for the new pump.
Please note that the pump is pumping the difference between the suction head and the discharge head so
if you fail to consider that the suction head will be either added to or subtracted from the discharge head
you will make an error in your calculations.
The suction head will be negative if you are lifting liquid from below ground or if you are pumping from
a vacuum. It will be positive if you are pumping from a tank located above ground. If the suction head is
pressurized, this pressure must be converted to head and subtracted from the total head required by the
pump.
A centrifugal pump will create a head-capacity curve that will generally resemble one of the curves
described in figure "B" The shape of the curve is determined by the specific speed number of the
impeller.
Centrifugal pumps always pump somewhere on their curve, but should be selected to pump as close to
the best efficiency point (BEP) as possible. The best efficiency point (BEP) will fall some where between
80% and 85% of the shut off head (maximum head).
The manufacturer generated these curves at a specific rpm. Unless you are using synchronous motors
(you probably are using induction motors on your pumps) you will have to adjust the curves to match
your actual pump speed. Put a tachometer on the running motor and record the rpm difference between
your pump and the speed shown on the pump manufacturer's published curve.
You can use the pump affinity laws to approximate the change.
POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMPS have a different shaped curve. They look something like figure
"C":
The capacity, of a positive displacement pump will remain almost a constant as long as you do not alter
the pump speed. Run it faster and it will pump more. The maximum head is determined by the strength
of the pump casing and the horsepower (KW) available.
Surprisingly there are only a few system curve shapes that you will encounter.
Figure "D" describes the first one.

S111
In this system the head remains a constant as the capacity varies. This is a typical application for a boiler
feed pump that is supplying a constant pressure boiler with a varying steam demand.
This is also a very common application in many process systems, or aboard a ship that is frequently
changing speeds (answering bells).
Filling a tank from the top and varying the amount of liquid being pumped is the normal routine in most
process plants. The curve will look like this first one if the majority of the head is either static or pressure
head.
The second system curve is the ideal one. Figure "E" describes it:
In this system the head and capacity remain a constant as long as the pump is running. This is the perfect
pump application! We find this condition in a boiler circulating pump where the suction and discharge
are at the same pressure.
Most tank circulating pumps have a single point rather than a system curve. A steady state, power-
generating boiler is another example.
A steady state process pump operates at a single point also.
Figure "F" describes the next curve. We call this an exponential curve. In this system the entire head is
system head so it will vary with the capacity. Look for this type of curve in a circulating hot or cold
water heating/ cooling system or if you are pumping to a non pressurized tank a long distance from the
source, with little to no elevation involved.
Filling tank cars is a typical application.
System curve "G" is a another curve. It is a combination of static, pressure and system heads.

S111
This curve is generated if we are pumping to an elevated tank a long distance from the source and the
amount we are pumping varies due to the system demands.
System figure "H" is the type you get if you are filling a tank from the bottom or attempting to use the
centrifugal pump as an accumulator.
If the capacity is below 20 gallons per minute (4,5 m3/hr) you really should be using a positive
displacement pump in this application or a really robust centrifugal pump.
Once the pump manufacturer has a clear idea as to the shape of your system curve and the head and
capacity numbers needed, he can then select the proper centrifugal pump. The shape of his curve will be
pretty much determined by the specific speed number of the impeller.
In addition to specific speed he can select impeller diameter, impeller width, pump rpm.; and he also has
the option of series or parallel operation along with the possibility of using a multi-stage pump to satisfy
your needs.
The sad fact is that most pumps are selected poorly because of the desire to offer the customer the lowest
possible price. A robust pump with a low L3/D4 number is still your best protection against seal and
bearing premature failure when the pump is operating off of its best efficiency point. Keep the following
in mind as you select your pump:
● A centrifugal pump will pump where the pump curve intersects the system curve. This may bear
no relationship to the best efficiency point (BEP), or your desire for the pump to perform a
specific task.
● The further off the best efficiency point (BEP) you go the more robust the pump you will need.
This is especially true if you have replaced the packing with a mechanical seal and no longer have
the packing to act as a support bearing when the shaft deflects. Shaft deflection is always a major
problem at start up.
● When you connect pumps in parallel you add the capacities together. The capacity of a pump is
determined by the impeller width and rpm. The head of a centrifugal pump is determined by the
impeller diameter and rpm. If the heads are different the stronger pump will throttle the weaker
one so the impeller diameters and rpms must be the same if you connect pumps in parallel. Check
the rpms on these pumps if you are experiencing any difficulties.
● If you connect the pumps in series the heads will add together so the capacities must be the same
or one of the pumps will cavitate. You could also have a problem operating too far to the right of
the best efficiency point with a possible motor "burn out".
● When you vary the speed of a centrifugal pump the affect is almost the same as changing the
diameter of the impeller. This means that the variable speed motor will work best on a system
curve that is exponential (Figure "F"). Unfortunately most process and boiler feed pump system
curves are not exponential.
● Pump curves are based on a speed of 1750, 3500, 1450, or 2900-rpm. Electric induction motors
seldom run at these speeds because of slip. You can estimate that a 2% to a 5% slip is normal in
these pumps with the amount of slip directly related to the price of the motor.
● You should also keep in mind that if the motor is running at its best efficiency point that does not
mean that the pump is running at its best efficiency point (BEP).
Do not trust piping diagrams to make your calculations. The actual system always differs from that
shown on the diagram because people tap into the lines using the pumped fluid for a variety of purposes,
and after having done so, forget to change or "mark up" the original diagram.
You are going to have to "walk down" the system and note the pipe length, the number of fittings, etc. to
make an accurate system head calculation. Do not be surprised to find that the discharge of your pump is
hooked up to the discharge of another pump further down the line. In other words the pumps are
connected in parallel and nobody knows it.
Pressure recorders (not gauges) installed at the pump suction and discharge is another technique you can
use to get a better picture of the system or dynamic head. These gages will show you how the head is
varying with changes in flow. The trouble with these recording devices is they tell you what the present
pump is doing. They do not tell you what pump should be in the system.

S111
Pump selection is simple but not easy. Do not depend upon the knowledge of the local pump salesman to
select the correct pump for you. In many cases he is prepared to sell his pump at a large discount to get
the spare parts business. If you are purchasing pumps at too big a discount something is wrong, there is
no free lunch.
Keep in mind that if several people are involved in the selection process each of them will add a safety
factor to the calculated pump size. These factors added together can cause you to purchase a pump that is
very much over-sized.
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OVERSIZED PUMP
O021. OVERSIZED PUMP
Conduct a survey of any process plant and you will find that a high percentage of the centrifugal pumps
are oversized. There must be a reason why this is such a common problem, so here are a few
possibilities:
● Safety margins were added to the original calculations. Several people are involved in the pump
buying decision and each of them is afraid of recommending a pump that proves to be to small for
the job.
● It was anticipated that a larger pump would be needed in the future, so it was purchased now to
save buying the larger pump later on.
● It was the only pump the dealer had in stock and you needed one badly. He might have offered
you a "special deal" to take the larger size.
● You took the pump out of your spare parts inventory. Capital equipment money is scarce so the
larger pump appeared to be your only choice.
● You purchased the same size pump as the one that came out of the application and that one was
over-sized also.
Obviously this larger pump and motor required a higher investment in power, but since we are not using
the full power, are we really paying too much for the daily operation? The easiest way to find the answer
to this question is to look at a typical pump curve and make our calculations from the numbers we get.
You can use any of the following formulas to make your calculations:
Here is as typical pump curve. It can be used for both inch and metric examples.
Let us assume that the application requires a pump that moves the liquid at:
300 gpm. to a 156 foot head, with an efficiency rating of 60%
required.
As shown in the above drawing, we should be using the smallest diameter impeller "E" to do this, but we
have an oversized pump and we are using the larger impeller "A" with the pump discharge valve throttled
back to 300 gpm. giving us an actual head of 250 feet and a 50% efficiency. Now our Kilowatts look like
this:
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/o-html/o021.htm (1 of 2) [7/21/03 11:14:59 AM]

OVERSIZED PUMP
required to do this.
If 28.2 KW is being used and only 14.7 KW are required, it means that we are paying for an extra 13.5
KW to pump against the throttled discharge valve.
If this pump runs 24 hours per day that would be 8760 hours this year, and at a power cost of $0.05 cents
per Kilowatt-hour it would cost your company an additional:
8760 hours x .05 cents per kilowatt-hour x 13.5 kilowatts = $5913.00 per year, extra operating cost.
Now we will work the same problem in the metric system:
Assume that we need to pump 68m3/hour to a 47-meter head with a pump that is 60% efficient at that
point.
As shown in the drawing, we should be using impeller "E" to do this, but we have an oversized pump and
we are using the larger impeller "A" with the pump discharge valve throttled back to 68 cubic meters per
hour giving us an actual head of 76 meters. Now our kilowatts look like this:
required to do this. So:
28.6 - 14.8 = 13.8 extra kilowatts being used to pump against the throttled discharge valve. If the pump
runs twenty four hours a day that would be 8760 hours per year, times 13.8 extra kilowatts equals
120,880 additional kilowatts pr year.
Multiply this number by how much you spend for a kilowatt-hour of electricity and you will see that the
over sized pump is costing you a lot of money. In this example the extra cost of the electricity could
almost equal the cost of purchasing the pump. As an example if we calculate our kilowatt cost at U.S.
four cents per kilowatt-hour, we would get:
120,880 KW x $0.04 = $4835.20 to pump against the throttled valve.
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b033
B034. BOILER FEED PUMP
Usually a multi-stage, high-pressure water pump used to feed hot, treated water or condensate to a steam
boiler.
This is a difficult application because we generally need a pump with a constant head and varying
capacity. In other words, a centrifugal pump with a flat pump curve.
It also presents problems for a mechanical seal because high temperature water has little to no lubricating
qualities and high pressure usually requires a special high-pressure seal design.
Keep in mind that any leaking high-pressure, high temperature water can be dangerous, so dual seals or
an API gland should be a serious consideration.
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API Gland
A026. API (American Petroleum Institute) GLAND
The API (American Petroleum Institute) gland incorporates several important environmental controls and
safety features:
● DB - Non sparking disaster bushing to support the shaft and prevent sparking of metal parts in the
event of a bearing failure. This close fitting bushing also directs any massive leakage to a drain
connection located 180 degrees from the quench connection. The API specifies a maximum
clearance over the shaft of 0.025 inches (0,65 mm) measured on the diameter.
● Q - Vent and drain connection. Also called a quench connection. You can put low pressure steam
in this connection and heat the area outboard the seal. You can also introduce low pressure water
into this connection to wash away any leakage across the seal faces. Be careful of using too much
steam or water pressure. Excessive leakage through the bushing can get into the bearing cavity.
● F - Flushing connection. Used to introduce clean liquid into the pump stuffing box or vent the
stuffing box in a vertical application
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Quench
Q001. QUENCH
In general usage the term quench is frequently used to describe the cooling of a heated metal, or to
extinguish a flame.
In the seal business, quench is a term used to describe the introduction of a fluid outside the seal. We use
this fluid to:
● To cool the product we are sealing

● To dilute any leakage across the seal faces.
● To introduce low-pressure steam behind the seal to put out a fire.
The Quench connection is labeled "D". A close fitting bushing in the end of the gland directs the quench
fluid down a drain hole on the opposite side of the seal gland
Steam is the most popular quench medium, but care should be taken that the steam pressure is very low,
or the hot steam will penetrate through some bearing seals and contaminate the bearing oil.
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http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/q-html/q001.htm [7/21/03 11:15:06 AM]

Flush
F026. FLUSH
Let's clear up the confusion about flushing seals. Consumers use the term flush to describe six different
methods of bringing fluid to the stuffing box area of a centrifugal pump.
Experienced seal people use different terms to differentiate between the methods.
Let's Look at each of them in detail:
We will start with discharge recirculation:
A line is connected between the discharge of the pump and the stuffing box (A). The high-pressure fluid
is then recirculated through the stuffing box to the back of the impeller and eventually to the pump
discharge. This technique presents several problems for maintenance people:
● If the fluid contains solids (and most of them do) the centrifugal action of the impeller will
concentrate the solids on the inside diameter of the pump volute and it is this dirty fluid that is
being recirculated to the stuffing box. Needless to say this will not be good for the mechanical
seal because the solid particles will act as a "sand blaster" cutting into the lapped seal faces and
clogging the sliding seal components.
● The pump wear rings, critical tolerances and close fitting bushings will experience rapid wear as
the solids pass through the narrow clearances.
The only legitimate use of this technique is to pressurize the stuffing box to prevent a liquid from
vaporizing.
Be careful if you use this method in hot water applications, especially if a heat exchanger is installed in
the recirculation line. A high temperature water or steam leak in any of the fittings could be dangerous
for any personnel in the area and entrained solids can clog up the heat exchanger.
When this line is used to pressurize the stuffing box you should keep several additional things in mind:
● Install a close fitting bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box. It will look like the bushing
described in the above illustration. The clearance vary with the bushing material but should be
about 0.002 inches/ inch (0,002 mm/mm) of shaft diameter.
● Be sure to direct the line away from the lapped seal faces and the thin metal plates if you use a
metal bellows seal.
● If you are using properly installed balanced O-ring seals (and you should be), The sealed product
will not flash between the faces as long as the stuffing box pressure is a least one atmosphere
higher than the liquid vapor pressure. The discharge recirculation line should guarantee you will
have this pressure difference.
Suction recirculation is next:
In this arrangement a line is connected between the suction of the pump and the bottom of the stuffing
box or seal gland connection. Many pumps have a connection already tapped at the suction throat of the
pump for a suction gage but if none is available you can install one in the piping or a pipe flange if the
piping is not thick enough to be drilled and tapped.
Stuffing box pressure is almost always higher than the suction pressure of the pump. Liquid from behind
the impeller will be circulated through the stuffing box to the pump suction. This liquid has been
centrifuged by the impeller and the result is that the liquid in the stuffing box is considerably cleaner than
what you are pumping. In many cases you can eliminate the need for bringing in clean liquid and diluting
your product.
This environment control works very well in closed impeller pump designs and those open impeller
designs that adjust towards the pump volute rather than the back plate. Do not use suction recirculation
if:

Flush
● The product you are pumping is at, or close to its vapor point. Lowering the stuffing box pressure
could cause the fluid to flash.
● If the solids have a specific gravity lower than the liquid.
● Duriron pumps with an open or semi-open impeller that adjusts to the back plate instead of the
volute.
● Double ended pump designs where the stuffing box is at or very close to suction pressure
Flushing has a very specific meaning:
A clean liquid from an outside source is brought into the stuffing box through a regulating valve at one
atmosphere (15 psi. or 1 bar) higher than stuffing box pressure. The liquid should be brought in at the
bottom of the stuffing box to insure thorough cleaning. All of this liquid will eventually go into and
dilute your product.
If you are using balanced O-ring seals you will only need enough liquid to remove solids that might
interfere with the seal movement. You will not need additional liquid to provide cooling because
balanced seals do not generate enough heat to cause problems in most applications.
Seal designs that have the springs out of the fluid require only one to two gallons per hour (4 to 8
ltrs/hour) of flush. NOTE: this is per hour, not per minute. If you are using designs with multiple springs
in the fluid, check with your manufacturer for his recommendations. The clean flush can come from
several sources:
● Clean water
● A compatible fluid
● A solvent
● One of the ingredients in the product
● Finished product will never hurt raw product. Finished product is almost always clean.
● An additive that is going to be put into the product down stream and can be added at the pump
stuffing box instead.
If you are using shop water as the flush, you must be careful or solids in the flushing water will clog up
the flow control valve. The shop water pressure also tends to vary through out the day and in some
instances it can fall below the pump stuffing box pressure. Most states require an air gap in the line if you
want to use shop or city water as a flushing medium. A back flow preventer valve is used many times but
it is illegal in most states.
The next source of liquid is a barrier or buffer fluid between the mechanical seals:
Any time you use two seals in an application you will need a fluid circulating between them. If the fluid
between the seals is higher than stuffing box pressure we call it barrier fluid. If it is lower than stuffing
box pressure we call it buffer fluid The liquid can be circulated either by forced circulation, a pumping
ring or convection. The method that you will use will be dictated by the pressure, pump speed and shaft
size. All seal manufacturers have charts available to give you the correct guidelines.
and out the top connection. This arrangement will insure that the space between the seals is vented and
proper cooling will take place.
to off set the centering of the seal gland and get a small amount of pumping action as the liquid
circulating in the seal changes its velocity at the stuffing box convection tank connections.
arrangement is very necessary when ever oil is used as the barrier fluid. The following illustration shows
a typical convection system that can be used with two balanced seals.

Flush
than the stuffing box pressure. Fluctuating pressures are normal in this business so you should select a
dual seal with the inner seal balanced in both directions to eliminate any problems that might be caused
when the barrier fluid or system pressure varies.
the dual seal and the outlet discharges from the top of the seal. This arrangement will allow the seal to
vent, and insure that the passages are full of liquid.
Jacketing fluid is he next one we will look at:
High temperature pumps have a cooling or heating jacket

(B) installed around the pump stuffing box (see the first
illustration).
If a jacket has not been installed on your pump it can be

purchased from the pump manufacturer or an "after market"
supplier.
The secret to using a jacketed stuffing box is to install a thermal bushing into the bottom of the stuffing
box and then "dead end" the stuffing box liquid. Dead ending means that no suction or discharge
recirculation lines should be installed. Any material that has poor thermal conducting properties will be
satisfactory for the bushing provided it is compatible with what you are sealing. Carbon is an excellent
choice because unlike Teflon® it does not change dimensions too much with a change in temperature.
A small amount of liquid or steam through the jacket can control the stuffing box to whatever
temperature range you need. In some instances cool heat transfer oil is utilized. Keep in mind that this
jacket is also providing cooling to the bearing case as well as the stuffing box.
Be sure the jacketing fluid is free from calcium (hard water) or any substance that can build a film on the
inside of the jacket surface and restrict the heat transfer. A number of cleaners are available if you
experience this problem. Condensate is a good jacketing fluid that presents few problems and is usually
available.
Quenching is the last one. It is sometimes called vent and drain

Flush
Some seal glands have a vent or quench connection (Q) provided behind the stationary face of the seal.
A bushing (DB) is placed in the end of the gland to prevent the steam or water from entering the bearing
case.
● The quench connection is there so that steam or some other fluid can be used to control
temperature in the seal area. A close fitting carbon (or any other non-sparking material) bushing is
installed outboard of this connection to provide a close clearance between the gland and the shaft.
● Refinery applications use a version of the quench gland and call it an API (American Petroleum
Institute) gland. The API version is illustrated
Now that you know the names of the six different methods let's see how we use them in various sealing
applications:
Discharge recirculation
● You can use discharge recirculation to pressurize the stuffing box to prevent product vaporization.
● You can install a heat exchanger in this line but it is only effective when the pump is running.
● Do not install a filter into this line because it will clog up and restrict stuffing box recirculation.
● Many consumers install a "cyclone separator" into the recirculation line. These separators have
never proven to be very effective in removing solids from the stuffing box fluid.
Suction recirculation
● You will need this line to vent a vertical pump.

● Use the line for normal product recirculation and to replace the stuffing box fluid with cleaner
fluid that has been recirculated from behind the impeller.
● This connection provides a safe way to drain the stuffing box prior to seal removal.
● This environment control works very well in closed impeller pump designs and those open
impeller designs that adjust towards the pump volute rather than the back plate. Do not use
suction recirculation if:
● The product you are pumping is at, or close to its vapor point. Lowering the stuffing box pressure
could cause the fluid to flash.
● If the solids have a specific gravity lower than the liquid.
● Duriron pumps with an open or semi-open impeller that adjusts to the back plate instead of the
volute.
● Double ended pump designs where the stuffing box is at or very close to suction pressure
Flushing
● To introduce clean liquid into the stuffing box, to remove solids or any problem fluid.
● You can use it to cool a hot liquid by flushing in a cold one.
● Replace a liquid that is sensitive to changes in either temperature and/ or pressure.
● You can use this connection to cross connect the stuffing boxes in a double ended pump
application, and thereby equalize the pressures in the stuffing boxes.
Barrier or buffer fluid
● To stop a pressure drop across the inboard seal.

● To protect the dynamic O-ring in ethylene oxide applications.
● To control temperature at the seal faces
● To stage pressure in a high pressure application.
● To keep air or oxygen away from a seal face.
● To detect inner seal leakage when used with a convection tank.
● To shift the load to the outboard seal when sealing a non lubricant with the inboard seal.
● This is the normal method of sealing a gas.
● To prevent freezing outboard the inner seal when pumping a fluid that vaporizes and would freeze
moisture in the air. In this instance an anti-freeze is circulated between the dual seals.
Jacketing fluid
● The best method of controlling temperature in the stuffing box when the pump is shut down. Be
sure to install the thermal bushing or it will not work very well.
● Make sure that there are no suction or discharge recirculation lines connected or the jacket will
never be able to keep up with the flow.
Quenching or vent & drain - plus the disaster bushing.
● The disaster bushing will protect the seal from hitting the inside of the stuffing box if you have a
bearing failure. This is a very important feature in those applications where the product will burn
or explode if overheated.
● The disaster bushing will also protect personnel if there is a massive seal failure. The majority of
Flush
the leakage can be directed down the drain connection to a collecting tank or vent.
● Quenching can be used to wash away solids from the outboard side of the seal and prevent "hang
up" as the seal face wears and the seal moves forward.
● Use quench to wash away toxic or corrosive vapors that might leak across the seal faces.
● Use quench to control the temperature in the seal area.
● Quench can be used as a back up to a heating/ cooling jacketing failure.
The rest of the world calls all of these techniques "FLUSHING". Try to acquire the habit of using the
proper terminology so that you will avoid confusion when you communicate with seal people and your
fellow workers.
Return to index

Cyclone Separator
C072. CYCLONE SEPARATOR
● Some times called a centrifugal separator. It uses centrifugal force to throw solids out of the fluid.
It is often recommended as a solution to removing solids in the stuffing box that could clog a
mechanical seal and open the lapped faces.
● Unfortunately it does not work very well in these slurry applications. To be really effective these
units should be used in a bank of several separators, connected in series.
● The normal installation is to have higher pressure discharge fluid connected to the side of the unit
with the bottom connected to the suction side of the pump. The clean outlet, on top, is then
connected to the stuffing box.
● One of the limitations in using this unit in a centrifugal pump application is that often there is very
little pressure differential between the stuffing box and the pump suction. In some instances there
is no differential at all.
● A double suction pump is a good example of no differential. A Duriron pump is another example
of where the stuffing box pressure and the pump suction pressure are almost the same.
● If the solids you are trying to remove float on the liquid (they have a low specific gravity) the
separator will remove the clean liquid and put the solids into the stuffing box.
Return to index

Double Suction Pump
D023. DOUBLE SUCTION PUMP
In this design the bearings are positioned on either side of the impeller.
The closed impeller has an inlet on either side, lowering the friction resistance of the incoming fluid.
These pumps operate with about a 25% reduction in NPSHR compared to a similar size end suction
centrifugal pump
These pumps are used for high capacity applications, or any time you need a low net positive suction
head required (NPSHR).
The double suction also prevents some axial thrusting of the impeller
Return to index

Closed Impeller
C043. CLOSED IMPELLER
The impeller vanes are enclosed by two shrouds. Replaceable wear rings restrict
internal recirculation to the suction side of the impeller. Closed impeller pumps
need wear rings because you cannot adjust the impeller clearances against the
volute or back plate.
In a closed impeller pump the suction eye diameter is taken as the smallest
inside diameter of the shroud. In determining the area of the suction eye the area
occupied by the impeller shaft hub is deducted. The hub is the central part of the
impeller that is bored out to receive the impeller shaft.
Closed impellers are very efficient as long as the wear ring clearance is within
tolerance, but the shrouded vanes can clog up easily with "stringy" material or
solids.
Return to index

Double Ended Pump
D021. DOUBLE ENDED PUMP
● In this design there are bearings on either end of the pump.

● These pumps are available in single or multistage designs.
● Multisage designs have multiple impellers installed on the pump shaft with the dischage of the
first impeller directed to the suction of the next impeller.
● This design allows the manufacturer to build a pump with a high head and a low capacity.
● A two-stage design is shown in the illustration.
Return to index

Convection Tank
C057 CONVECTION TANK
Convection tanks are used to contain either the buffer or barrier fluid used between dual seals.
Better cartridge seal designs use a pumping ring and do not depend upon convection to remove the heat
generated between the dual seal faces.
Sometimes an enclosed heater or cooler can be used in the tank to control the barrier or buffer fluid
temperature.
Return to index

Disaster Bushing
D016. DISASTER BUSHING
Please look for the bushing "DB" in the outboard end of the gland
This bushing is used in API (American Petroleum Institute) glands to support the shaft in the event of a
bearing failure, or to prevent product from rushing to atmosphere after a seal failure.
The close clearance (0.025 in. or 0.5 mm.) directs most of the leakage through a drain connection (180
degrees from the quench connection) in the seal gland to an appropriate container.
Return to index

API
A025. API (American Petroleum Institute)
An industry organization that has written a set of pump standards. The standards cover the minimum
requirements for sealing systems for centrifugal and rotary pumps supplied with:
● Seal sizes from 1.5 to 4.5 inches (30 to 120 mm)

● Stuffing box temperatures from -40°F to 500°F (-40°C to 260°C)
● Stuffing box pressures from 0 psia to 515 psia (0 bar to 34.5 bar).
The standard is designed to default to the equipment types most commonly supplied that have a high
probability of meeting the objective of at least three years of uninterrupted service while complying with
emission regulations.
Seals supplied by a seal manufacturer are subject to the same requirements that apply to seals supplied by
the original equipment manufacturer (OEM)
See: API Standard, What is wrong with it?
Return to index

API Standard
A028. API (AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE) STANDARD
The API (American Petroleum Institute) standard is the one universal standard being used by oil
refineries throughout the world. There is on going talk about combining this standard with the chemical
industry ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard for a single unified pump standard.
The problem with all standards of this type is that they have produced a failure rate in mechanical seals
that exceeds 85%. The only part of a mechanical seal that is sacrificial is the carbon face and in better
than 85% of the cases there is plenty of carbon face left when the seal begins to leak.
The A.P.I. specification addresses just about everything about mechanical seals. The subjects include:
● Seal design
● Materials
● Accessories
● Instrumentation
● Inspection, testing and preparation for shipment.
● Manufacturing.
In this section we will be looking at just a few of those parts of the A.P.I. standard 682 that when
combined with the C.P.I. standard, will be affecting your seal purchases in the near future. Most of this
information was taken from A.P.I. Standard 682, First Edition, dated October 1994. I recommend you get
hold of a copy of this and any future updates to learn the full particulars.
2.1.1
● All standard mechanical seals, regardless of type or arrangement, shall be of the cartridge design.
2.1.2
● The standard single arrangement pusher seal shall be an inside-mounted balanced cartridge seal.
2.1.5
● The standard, un-pressurized dual mechanical seal shall be an inside, balanced, cartridge mounted
mechanical seal (with two rotating flexible elements and two mating rings in series).
● Outer seals shall be designed to the same operating pressure as the inner seal, but do not have to
be balanced.
● Cooling for the inboard seal is achieved by a seal flush. Cooling for the outside seal is
accomplished by a circulating device moving a buffer fluid through an external seal flush system.
2.1.6
● The standard pressurized dual mechanical seal shall be an inside, balanced, cartridge mounted
mechanical seal (with two rotating flexible elements and two mating rings in series). The inner
seal shall have an internal (reverse) balance feature designed and constructed to withstand reverse
pressure differentials without opening.
2.1.7
● The standard configuration for API single pusher and all dual mechanical seals is for the flexible
elements to rotate. For seals having a seal face surface speed greater than 25 meters per second
(5000 feet per minute), the standard alternative of stationary flexible elements shall be provided.
2.2.6
● O-ring grooves shall be sized to accommodate perfluoroelastomer O-rings.
2.27
● For vacuum services, all seal components shall be designed with a positive means of retaining the
sealing components to prevent them from being dislodged.
2.3.3.1
● Seal chambers shall conform to the minimum dimensions shown in Table 1 or Table 2 in the
charts section of this CD. With these dimensions the minimum radial clearance between the
rotating member of the seal and the stationary surfaces of the seal chamber and gland shall be 3
mm (1/8 inch).

API Standard
2.3.5.1
● For horizontally split pumps, slotted glands shall be provided to make disassembly easier.
2.3.5.2
● Provisions shall be made for centering the seal gland and/or chamber with either an inside-or
outside diameter register fit. The register fit surface shall be concentric to the shaft and shall have
a total indicated run out of not more than 125 micrometers (0.005 inch). Shaft centering of
mechanical seal components or the use of seal gland bolts is not acceptable.
2.3.10
● Seal chamber pressure for single seals, and for the inner un-pressurized dual seal, shall be a
minimum of 3.5 bar (50 psi.) or 10 percent above the maximum fluid vapor pressure at seal
chamber fluid temperature. This margin shall be achieved by raising the seal chamber pressure
and/or lowering the seal chamber temperature. Lowering the temperature is always preferable.
Pumps which develop less than 3.5 bar (50 psi) differential pressure may not meet this
requirement and alternate requirements shall be agreed upon by the purchaser and the seal
manufacturer
2.3.18.1
● On vertical pumps the seal chamber or gland plates shall have a port no less than 3 mm, (1/8")
above the seal faces to allow the removal of trapped gas. The port must be orificed and valved.
2.3.20
● For single seals and when specified for dual seals, a non-sparking, floating-throttle bushing shall
be installed in the seal gland or chamber and positively retained against blowout to minimize
leakage if the seal fails.
2.4
● Shaft sleeves shall be supplied by the seal manufacturer.
2.4.1
● Unless otherwise specified a shaft sleeve of wear, corrosion, and erosion resistant material shall
be provided to protect the shaft. The sleeve shall be sealed at one end. The shaft sleeve assembly
shall extend beyond the outer face of the seal gland plate.
2.4.3
● Shaft sleeves shall have a shoulder or shoulders for positively locating the rotating element or
elements.
2.4.4.4
● Shaft to sleeve sealing devices shall be elastomeric O-rings or flexible graphite rings.
2.4.5
● Standard seal sizes shall be in even increments of ten millimeters. It is preferred that alternate
seals be sized in increments of 0.635 mm (0,25 inches) starting with 38.0 mm (1.5 inches).
2.4.6
● Sleeves shall have a minimum radial thickness of 2.5 mm (0.100 inches).
2.4.8
● Sleeves shall be relieved along their bore leaving a locating fit at or near each end.
2.4.9
● Shaft to sleeve diametral clearance shall be 25 micrometers to 75 micrometers (0.001 inch to

0.003 inch
2.4.10.2

API Standard
● Drive collar set screws shall be of sufficient hardness to securely embed in the shaft.
2.5.1
● Seal and mating rings shall be of one homogeneous material. Overlays and coatings shall not be
used as the sole source of wear resistant material. Materials such as silicon or tungsten carbide
may be enhanced by applying additional coating.
2.6.1
● The type A standard pusher seal shall incorporate multiple springs with O-rings as the secondary
sealing elements. When specified on the date sheet option, a single spring shall be furnished.
3.2.2
● One of the seal face rings shall be premium grade, blister resistant carbon graphite with suitable
binders and impregnates to reduce wear and provide chemical resistance. Several grades are
available; therefore, the manufacturer shall state the type of carbon offered for each service.
3.2.3
● The mating ring should be reaction bonded silicon carbide (RBSiC). When specified, self sintered
silicon carbide (SSSiC) shall be furnished.
3.2.4
● Abrasive service may require two hard materials. Unless otherwise specified for this service, the
seal ring shall be reaction bonded silicon carbide and tungsten carbide (WC) with nickel binder
3.6
● Unless otherwise specified metal bellows for the type B seal shall be Hastelloy C. For the type C
seal, Inconel 718.
3.7.2
● Unless otherwise specified, gland plate to seal chamber seal shall be fluoroelastomer O-ring for
services below 150°C (300°F). For temperatures over 150°C (300°F) or when specified, graphite-
filled type 304 stainless steel spiral wound gaskets shall be used.
4.2.1
● If you are using dual mechanical seals, only mechanically forced seal flush and barrier/buffer
fluid systems shall be provided. Systems that rely upon a thermo-syphon to maintain circulation
during normal operation are not allowed.
4.2.3
● Seal systems that utilize internal circulating devices, such as a pumping ring, that rely upon the
rotation of the mechanical seal to maintain circulation shall be designed to thermo-syphon when
the seal is not running.
4.5.4.1.1
● If a dual seal buffer/barrier fluid reservoir is specified, a separate barrier/buffer fluid reservoir
shall be furnished for each mechanical seal
Section 4.4.4 contains numerous references to dual seal system reservoirs.
4.5.5.1
● The purchaser will specify on the date sheets the characteristics of the buffer/barrier fluid.
Section 4.6 addresses the circulation of the buffer/barrier fluid.
There will be some benefits to the user when the API specification is adopted into the CPI industry
● The decision to standardize on balanced seals is a wise one. It will reduce the seal inventory of
most consumers and prevent a lot of premature seal failures.
● Allowing slotted glands for horizontally split pumps is a good idea. It should also extend to end

API Standard
suction centrifugal pumps.

● Requiring seal chamber vents on vertical pump installations makes sense.
● Banning coated or plated seal faces makes sense.
● Requiring the manufacturer to specify the carbon he is supplying is an excellent idea.
What is the problem with this API specification as a standard for the Chemical Process Industry? There
are a lot of things I do not like about it in its present form. If combining with the CPI means a complete
re-writing of the API specification that will be fine, depending upon the final result.
● 2.1.1 Some seal designs do not lend themselves to a cartridge design. Split seals as an example.
You could mount a split seal on a split cartridge, but that would be "over kill" in most cases.
● 2.1.2 I do not like the definition of pusher seal in this standard. The term "pusher seal" is
emotionally charged and misleading. It is used to describe a reliable O-ring seal in the same
category as spring loaded Teflon® wedges, or chevrons, and non-elastomer "U" cup designs. The
implication is that the "non-pusher" metal bellows seal is a better choice. The fact is that O-ring
seals are usually a better choice because of their ability to flex and roll and the O-ring provides a
built in vibration damper that eliminates the need for letting a bellows metal face holder bounce
off the shaft or sleeve.
● 2.1.5 The dual seal specification recognizes only tandem or series mounted rotating seals. It
ignores concentric and "face to face" designs that make sense in some applications where space is
not available for tandem configurations. Over the years the API has failed to recognize that there
are four ways to install dual seals in a pump. They have played with the terminology over the
years but have never got it simplified. It should be:
❍ Face to face
❍ Tandem or series
❍ Back to back
❍ Concentric, or one inside of the other.
On a positive note, I do like their adoption of the terms:
❍Barrier fluid, if the fluid between the dual seals is at a pressure higher than stuffing box
pressure.
❍ Buffer fluid, if the fluid between the dual seals is at a pressure lower than the stuffing box
pressure.
● 2.1.6 The specification calls for the inner seal of a dual seal to be either balanced or reverse
balanced depending upon whether high pressure barrier fluid or lower pressure buffer fluid is
circulated between the dual seals. It totally ignores two way balance of the inner seal that would
allow the consumer his choice between barrier or buffer fluid.
● 2.1.6 The specification call for the dual seals to be mounted in series (tandem), but almost all gas
dual seals supplied to refineries to date have been supplied in the "back to back" configuration
which is the worst possible installation method for slurry and abrasive service, because it places
the slurry at the inner seal inside diameter.
● 2.1.7 The specification approves rotating seals only and recommends stationary seals for speeds
above 5000 fpm (25 m/sec). The fact is that stationary seals are almost always a better choice for
leak free and the more severe fugitive emission sealing.
● 2.1.7 Stationary seals (the spring or springs do not rotate with the shaft) can be cartridge mounted
if you take precautions to insure that the rotating face stays square to the shaft when the cartridge
sleeve is set screwed or tightened to the shaft. It is not an easy problem to solve, but there are
several solutions to the problem. Please see "stationary cartridge seals".
● 2.2.6 The specification calls for O-ring grooves with a larger groove dimension than normally
used to accommodate perfluoroelastomer O-rings.
● 2.3.5.1 Slotted glands make sense for all pumps not just horizontally split pumps.
● 2.3.5.2 The specification assumes all pump manufacturers have provided a machined diameter
concentric to the pump shaft so that the seal gland can be machined to register on an inside or
outside diameter. The fact is that most pumps were manufactured for packing and do not have
these concentric machined surfaces available to the seal manufacturer. In the CPI industry, shaft
centering makes the most sense.
● 2.3.10 Maintaining a seal chamber 50 psi (3.5) bar above vapor pressure does not make any sense
in the majority of balanced seal applications.
● 2.4.1 The specification calls for a shaft sleeve and allows the manufacturer to reduce the diameter
of the solid shaft to accommodate the sleeve. This increasing of the pump shaft L3/D4 adversely
affects the pump and seal performance.
● 2.4.1 The specification calls for sealing the sleeve on one end, but fails to specify the impeller end
except in the case of O-ring seals. If the seal is on the outboard end, the space between the sleeve
and shaft can fill with solids and hamper the removal of the sleeve. This can be a major concern in
hot oil type applications where "coking" is always a problem.
● 2.4.3 A shoulder to locate the rotating element will not allow a re-positioning of the seal if an
open impeller has to be adjusted. API (American Petroleum Institute) pumps are normally closed
impeller designs, but we are talking about the possibility of combining standards with the ANSI
design.
● 2.4.9 A shaft to sleeve diametral clearance of 0.001 inch to 0.003 inch is not practical. You will
never be able to remove the sleeve once some solids get between the sleeve and shaft, and they
will get there!
● 2.4.10.2 The majority of hard set screws are not corrosion resistant. If the set-screws are located
API Standard
out of the stuffing box this could be OK, but many designs have the set-screws positioned in the
sealing fluid.
● 2.6.1 The standard seal is equipped with multiple springs, but the standard does not specify the
springs must be located outside the fluid. If located in the fluid they can easily clog with solids.
● 3.2.3 Reaction bonded silicon carbide is specified as the standard hard face even though it is
sensitive to caustic and other high pH chemicals frequently used to clean lines and systems. In
most cases alpha sintered would be a much better choice.
● 4.2.1 The term "flush" is misleading. Over the years the API has failed to recognize the
differences in bringing liquid to the pump stuffing box area and lumped them all under the
common term "Flush". There is better terminology:
● Discharge recirculation connects the discharge of the pump to the stuffing box to raise stuffing
box pressure.
❍ Suction recirculation connects the bottom of the stuffing box to the suction side of the
pump usually allowing clean fluid to circulate from behind the impeller into the stuffing
box.
❍ Barrier fluid describes a higher-pressure fluid that is circulated between dual seals.
❍ Buffer fluid describes a low-pressure fluid circulating between dual seals.
❍ Quenching fluid is introduced into the seal gland outboard the seal to wash away leakage
and control the environment outboard the seal.

❍ Jacketing fluid circulates around the outside the stuffing box to control stuffing box
temperature.
❍ Flushing fluid is fluid from an outside source introduced into the stuffing box that dilutes
the pumpage. It is seldom desirable, but sometimes necessary.

● The specification allows spring-loaded elastomers (O-rings) that do not have the ability to flex
and roll.
● The specification allows a single spring seal design even if it is sensitive to the direction of
rotation.
● The specification does not prohibit the use of mechanical seals that frett (damage) shafts and
sleeves.
● The specification should call for the seal's dynamic O-ring to move towards a clean surface to
prevent "hang up".
● The standard does not recognize seal designs with both faces spring loaded and hydraulically
balanced.
Return to index

Centrifugal Pump
C025. CENTRIFUGAL PUMP
The centrifugal pump performs a single function.
It uses centripetal force to impart velocity to a fluid. Because most pumps run at a constant speed they
are a constant velocity device.
The centrifugal pump will pump all fluids to the same height or head regardless of their specific gravity.
In other words, the pump will pump #6 fuel oil, or air to the same head or height. The only difference is
the amount of horsepower it takes to do the job. The higher the specific gravity of the fluid you are
pumping, the more horsepower required.
All centrifugal pumps pump a combination of head and capacity. If you increase one, you must decrease
the other. The pump curve describes this relationship.
Centrifugal pumps are available in either a single or multiple stage configuration:
Here is the single stage version with only one impeller.
If you wanted more head or pressure you would have to

increase the diameter of the impeller or increase the pump's
speed.
Increasing the pump's speed creates wear and damage

problems
Multiple stage centrifugal pumps have more than one impeller.
This one has two impellers that let it produce twice the head or
pressure without having to increase the pump speed.
Return to index

s085
S085. STATIC HEAD OR HEIGHT
The maximum height the liquid is being pumped, as long as you take into consideration the siphon affect
in some piping systems.
Please look at:

Return to index

System Head, Metric
C003. CALCULATING THE TOTAL SYSTEM HEAD IN METRIC UNITS:
It turns out that head is a very convenient term in the pumping business. Pressure is not as convenient a
term because the amount of pressure that the pump will deliver depends upon the weight (specific
gravity) of the liquid being pumped and the specific gravity changes with the fluid temperature and
concentration.
Each liter of liquid has weight, so we can easily calculate the kilograms per minute being pumped. Head
or height is measure in meters so if we multiply these two together we get kilogram meters per minute
which converts directly to work at the rate of 610 kgm/min = 1 kilowatt.
If you are more comfortable with metric horsepower units, you should know that 735.5 watts makes one
metric horsepower
If you will refer to Fig #l you should get a clear picture of what is meant by static head. Please note that
we always measure from the centerline of the pump to the highest liquid level
To calculate head accurately we must calculate the total head on both the suction and discharge sides of
the pump. In addition to the static head we will learn that there is a head caused by resistance in the
piping, fittings and valves called friction head, and an additional head caused by any pressure that might
be acting on the liquid in the tanks, including atmospheric pressure. This head is called " surface pressure
head".
Once we know all of these heads it gets simple. We subtract the suction head from the discharge head
and the head remaining will be the amount of head that the pump must be able to generate at its rated
flow.
Here is how it looks in a formula:
System head = total discharge head - total suction head or H = hd - hs
The total discharge head is made from three separate heads:
hd = hsd + hpd + hfd
hd = total discharge head
hsd = discharge static head
hpd = discharge surface pressure head
hfd = discharge friction head
The total suction head also consists of three separate heads
hs = hss + hps - hfs
hs = total suction head
hss = suction static head

System Head, Metric
hps = suction surface pressure head
hfs = suction friction head
As we make these calculations you must be sure that all your calculations are made in either "meters of
liquid gauge" or "meters of liquid absolute". In case you have forgotten "absolute "means that you have
added atmospheric pressure (head) to the gauge reading.
Normally head readings are made in gauge readings and we switch to the absolute readings only when
we want to calculate the net positive suction head available (NPSHA) to find out if our pump is going to
cavitate. We use the absolute term for these calculations because we are often calculating a vacuum or
using negative numbers
We will begin by making some actual calculations. You will not have to look up the friction numbers
because I am going to give them to you, but you can find them in a number of publications and these
charts:
● Piping friction losses, metric, GR028

● Valves and fittings losses, metric, GR027
The next illustration (Figure #2) shows that the discharge head is still measured to the liquid level, but
you will note that it is now below the maximum height of the piping.
Although the pump must deliver enough head to get up to the maximum piping height it will not have to
continue to deliver this head when the pump is running because of the "siphon effect". There is of course
a maximum siphon effect. It is derived from the formula to convert pressure to head:
Since atmospheric pressure at seal level is one bar we get a maximum siphon distance of 10.2 meters
We will begin with the total suction head calculation
● The suction head is negative because the liquid level in the suction tank is below the centerline of
the pump:
❍ hss = -2 meters
● The suction tank is open so the suction surface pressure equals atmospheric pressure :
❍ hps = 0 meters gauge
In these examples you will not be calculating the suction friction head. When you learn how you will
find that there are two ways to do it
● You would look at the charts and add up the K factors for the various fittings and valves in the
piping. You would then multiply these K factors by the velocity head that is shown for each of the
pipe sizes and capacities. This final number would be added to the friction loss in the piping for
the total friction head.
● Or, you can look at a chart that shows the equivalent length of pipe for each of the fittings and add
this number to the length of the piping in the system to determine the total friction loss.
For this example, I will tell you the total friction head on the suction side of the pump is:
System Head, Metric
hfs = 1.5 meters at rated flow
● The total suction head is going to be a gauge value because atmosphere was given as 0,
❍ hs = hss + hps - hfs = - 6 + 0 - 1.5 = - 7.5 meters of liquid gauge at rated flow
● The total discharge head calculation is similar

❍ The static discharge head is:
■ hsd = 40 meters
❍ The discharge tank is also open to atmospheric pressure, so:
■ hpd = 0 feet, gauge
❍ I will give you the discharge friction head as:
■ hfd = 7 meters at rated flow
❍ The total discharge head is:
■ hd = hsd + hpd + hfd = 40 + 0 +7 = 47 meters of liquid gauge at rated flow
The total system head calculation becomes:
Head = hd - hs
= 47 - (-7.5)
= 54.5 meters of liquid at rated flow
Note: Did you notice that when we subtracted a minus number (-10) from a positive number (150) we
ended up with a positive 160 because whenever you subtract minus numbers it is the same as adding
them?
If you have trouble with this concept you can learn more about it from a mathematics book or ask some
one who is good at explaining this type of thing.
Our next example involves a few more calculations, but you should be able to handle them without any
trouble.
If we were pumping from a vented suction tank to an open tank at the end of the discharge piping we
would not have to consider vacuum and absolute pressures. In this example we will be pumping from a
vacuum receiver that is very similar to the hotwell we find in many condenser applications
Again, to make the calculations you will need some pipe friction numbers that are available from charts:
● Piping friction losses, metric, GR028

● Valves and fittings losses, metric, GR027
I will give you the friction numbers for the following examples.
Specifications:
● Transferring 300 m3/hr weak acid from the vacuum receiver to the storage tank
● Specific Gravity = 0.98
● Viscosity = equal to water
● Piping = all 150 mm Schedule 40 steel pipe
● Discharge piping rises 15 meters vertically above the pump centerline and then runs 135 meters
horizontally. There is one 90° elbow in this line
● Suction piping has 1.5 meters of pipe, one gate valve, and one 90° elbow, all of which are 150
mm in diameter.
● The minimum level in the vacuum receiver is 2 meters above the pump centerline.
● The pressure on top of the liquid in the vacuum receiver is 500 mm of mercury, vacuum.

System Head, Metric
To calculate suction surface pressure use the following formula:
Now that you have all of the necessary information we will begin by dividing the system into two
different sections using the pump as the dividing line.
Total suction head calculation
● The suction side of the system shows a minimum static head of 2 meters above suction centerline.
Therefore, the static suction head is
❍ hss = 2 meters
● Using the first conversion formula, the suction surface pressure is
● The suction friction head fs equals the sum of all the friction losses in the suction line. If you
referenced the metric pipe friction loss table you would learn that the friction loss in 150 mm.
pipe at 300 m3/hr is 9 meters per 100 meters of pipe.
In 1.5 meters of pipe, friction loss = 15/100 x 9 = 0.14 meters
Fitting Equivalent length of straight pipe Reference

150 mm normal bend elbow 3.4 meters GR027
150 mm Gate valve 2.1 meters GR027
In a real life pumping application there would be other valves and fittings that experience friction losses.
You might find:
● Check valves
● Foot valves
● Strainers
● Sudden enlargements
● Shut off valves
● Entrance and exit losses
The loss in the suction fittings becomes:
In 5.5 meters of pipe friction loss = 55 / 100 x 9 = 0.50 meters
The total friction loss on the suction side is:
hfs = 0.14 + 0.50 = 0.64 meters at 300 m3/hr
The total suction head then becomes:
hs = hss + hps - hfs = 2 - 7.14 - 0.64

System Head, Metric
= - 5.78 meters gauge at 300 m3/hr
Now we will look at the total discharge head calculation
● Static discharge head = hsd = 15 meters

● Discharge surface pressure = hpd = 0 meters gauge
● Discharge friction head = hfd = sum of the following losses :
Friction loss in 150 mm pipe at 300 m3/hr, from the charts is 9 meters per hundred feet of pipe.
● In 150 meters of pipe the friction loss = 150/100 x 9 = 13.5 meters

● Friction loss in 150 mm. Elbow:= 3.4/100 x 9 = 0.31 meters 1
The discharge friction head is the sum of the above losses, that is:
hfd = 13.5 + .31 = 13.81 meters at 300 m3/hr
The total discharge head then becomes:
= 15 + 0 + 13.81 = 28.81 meters at 300 m3/hr.
Total system head calculation:
H = hd - hs
= 28.81 - (-5.78)
= 34.59 meters at 300 m3/hr
Our next example will be the same as the one we just finished except that there is an additional 3 meters
of pipe and another 90° flanged elbow in the vertical leg.
The total suction head will be the same as in the previous example. Take a look at figure # 4
Nothing has changed on the suction side of the pump so the total suction head will remain the same:
hs = - 5.78 meters at 300 m3/hr
Total discharge head calculation
● The static discharge head (hsd) will change from 15 meters to 12 meters since the highest liquid
surface in the discharge is now only 12 meters above the pump centerline. This value is based on
System Head, Metric
the assumption that the vertical leg in the discharge tank is full of liquid and that as this liquid
falls it will tend to pull the liquid up and over the loop in the pipeline. This arrangement is called a
siphon leg.
● The discharge surface pressure is unchanged:
● hpd = 0 meters
● The additional 3 meters of pipe and the additional elbow will increase the friction loss in the
discharge pipe.
In 3 meters of pipe the friction loss = 3 / 100 x 9 = 0.27 meters
The friction loss in the additional elbow = 3.4 / 100 x 9 = 0.31 meters
The friction head will then increase as follows:
hfd = 0.27 + 0.31 = 0.58 at 300 m3/hr.
The total discharge head becomes:
= 12 + 13.81+ 0 + 0.58
Total system head calculation
Head = hd - hs
= 26.39 - (-5.78)
= 32.17 meters at 300 m3/hr.

gr028
GR028.
SOME NOTES FOR THE METRIC PIPE FRICTION CHART SHOWN BELOW
● The chart is calculated for fresh water at 15°C.

● Use actual bores rather than nominal pipe size.
● For stainless steel pipe multiply the numbers by 1.1.
● For steel pipe multiply the numbers by 1.3
● For cast iron pipe multiply the numbers by 1.7
● The losses are calculated for a fluid viscosity similar to fresh water.
Return to index

gro27
GR027.
FRICTION LOSS FOR METRIC PIPE, VALVES AND

FITTINGS
Return to index

s055
S055. SIPHON AFFECT
In the following illustration we see a "down pipe" that will give the pump discharge head a siphon affect
for 10 feet. It is the same principle we use to siphon gasoline from an automobile to fill a lawn mower.
● Our discharge static head is 40 feet (11 meters) minus 10 feet (3 meters) for a total of 30 feet (8
meters).
● The suction static head is 5 feet (2 meters)
● The total static head is the discharge static head minus the suction static head, or 30 feet (11
meters) minus 5 feet (2 meters) for a total of 25 feet. (9 meters)
The pump will have to develop enough head to overcome the 40 feet (11 meters) inital filling of the
piping, but once running the static head will drop back to 30 feet (8 meters)
Return to index

c004
C004. CALCULATING THE TOTAL SYSTEM HEAD IN USCS UNITS:
USCS stands for "United States Customary System Units" as opposed to the SI (Le Système
International dÙnits) or metric units that have been adopted by the International standards Organization
(ISO).
It turns out that head is a very convenient term in the pumping business. Capacity is measured in gallons
per minute and each gallon of liquid has weight so we can easily calculate the pounds per minute being
pumped.
Head or height is measured in feet, so if we multiply these two together we get foot - pounds per minute
which converts directly to work at the rate of 33,000 foot pounds per minute equals one horsepower.
Pressure is not as convenient a term because the amount of pressure that the pump will deliver depends
upon the weight (specific gravity) of the liquid being pumped and the specific gravity changes with the
fluid temperature and concentration.
If you will refer to the above illustration (Fig #l) you should get a clear picture of what is meant by static
head.
Note that we always measure from the centerline of the pump to the highest liquid level
piping, fittings and valves called friction head and a head caused by any pressure that might be acting on
the liquid in the tanks including atmospheric pressure called " surface pressure head".
Once we know these heads it gets simple; we will subtract the suction head from the discharge head and
the amount remaining will be the amount of head that the pump must be able to generate at its rated flow.
Here is how it looks in a formula:
System head = total discharge head - total suction head
H = hd - hs
● hd = total discharge head

● hsd = discharge static head
● hpd = discharge surface pressure head
● hfd = discharge friction head
● hs = total suction head

● hss = suction static head
● hps = suction surface pressure head
● hfs = suction friction head
As we make these calculations, you must sure that all your calculations are made in either "feet of liquid
gauge" or "feet of liquid absolute". In case you have forgotten "absolute means that you have added
c004
atmospheric pressure (head) to the gauge reading.
Now we will make some actual calculations. You will not have to look up the friction numbers because I
am going to give them to you.
The next illustration (Figure #2) shows that the discharge head is still measured to the liquid level, but
you will note that it is below the maximum height of the piping.
Although the pump must deliver enough head to get up to this maximum piping height it will not have to
a maximum siphon effect. It is derived from:
14.7 psi (atmospheric pressure) x 2.31 feet / psi = 33.4 feet maximum siphon effect.
The suction head is negative because the liquid level in the suction tank is below the centerline of the
pump:
● hss = - 6 feet
The suction tank is open, so the suction surface pressure equals atmospheric pressure:
● hps = 0 feet gauge
You will not have to calculate the suction friction head. In this example I will tell you it is:
● hfs = 4 feet at rated flow
The total suction head is a gauge value because atmosphere was given as 0,
hs = hss + hps &endash; hfs = - 6 + 0 - 4 = -10 feet of liquid gauge at rated flow
The total discharge head calculation
The static discharge head is:
● hsd = 125 feet
The discharge tank is also open to atmospheric pressure, so:
● hpd = 0 feet, gauge
I will give you the discharge friction head as:
● hfd = 25 feet at rated flow
The total discharge head is:
hd = hsd + hpd + hfd = 125 + 0 + 25 = 150 feet of liquid gauge at rated flow
The total system head calculation:

c004
H = hd - hs = 150 - (-10) = 160 feet of liquid at rated flow
them? If you have trouble with this concept you can learn more about it from a mathematics book.
Our next example involves a few more calculations, but you should be able to handle them without any
trouble.
In this example we are going to learn how to handle a vacuum application. Pipe friction numbers are
available from a number of publications. Here are the charts you need:

❍ !.250 to 1.500 inch pipe, GR021
❍ 2.000 to 2.500 inch pipe, GR022
To save you the trouble of looking them up I will give you the friction numbers for the following
examples also.
Specifications:
● Transferring 1000 gpm. weak acid from the vacuum receiver to the storage tank
● Specific Gravity = 0.98
● Viscosity = same as water
● Piping = all 6" Schedule 40 steel pipe
● Discharge piping rises 40 feet vertically above the pump centerline and then runs 400 feet
horizontally. There is one 90° flanged elbow in this line
● Suction piping has a square edge inlet; four feet of pipe, one gate valve, and one 90° flanged
elbow, all of which are 6" in diameter.
● The minimum level in the vacuum receiver is 5 feet above the pump centerline.
● The pressure on top of the liquid in the vacuum receiver is 20 inches of mercury, vacuum.
To calculate suction surface pressure use one of the following formulas:
● inches of mercury x 1.133 / specific gravity = feet of liquid

● pounds per square inch x 2.31 / specific gravity = feet of liquid
● millimeters of mercury x 1 / 22.4 x specific gravity = feet of liquid
The suction side of the system shows a minimum static head of 5 feet above suction centerline.
Therefore, the static suction head is:
● hss = 5 feet
Using the first conversion formula, the suction surface pressure is:

c004
● hps = -20 Hg x 1.1330 / 0.98 = -23.12 feet gauge
The suction friction head fs equals the sum of all the friction losses in the suction line. If you referenced
the correct friction tables you would learn that the friction loss in 6" pipe at 1000 gpm is 6.17 feet per
100 feet of pipe.
● In 4 feet of pipe friction loss = 4100 x 6.17 = 0.3 feet
Friction loss coefficients (K factors) for the inlet, elbow and valve can be added together and multiplied
by the velocity head. These friction losses are also available from published charts:
FITTING K Reference
6" Square edge inlet 0.50 GR025
6" 90 flanged elbow 0.29 GR026
6" Gate valve 0.11 GR026
● Total coefficient K = 0.90

● From the charts the velocity head V2 / 2g = 1.92
● Total friction loss in fittings = K x V2 / 2g = 0.90 x 1.9 =1.7 feet
● Total friction loss on the suction side is:
hfs = 0.3 + 1.7 = 2.0 feet at 1000 gpm.
hs = hss + hps - hfs = 5 + (-23.12) - 2.0 = -20.12 feet, gauge at 1000 gpm.
● Static discharge head = hsd = 40 feet

● Discharge surface pressure = hpd = 0 feet gauge
Friction loss in 6" pipe at 1000 gpm. From the charts is 6.17 feet per hundred feet of pipe.
In 440 feet of pipe the friction loss = 440 / 100 x 6.17 = 27.2 feet
Friction loss in 6" flanged elbow:
● From the charts: K= 0.29

● From the charts: V2 / 2g = 1.92 at 1000 gpm.
● Friction loss = KV2 / 2g = 0.29 x 1.92 = 0.6 feet
The friction loss in the sudden enlargement at the end of the discharge line is called the exit loss. In
systems of this type where the area of the discharge tank is very large in comparison to the area of the
discharge pipe, the loss equals V2/2g, as shown in the chart.
Friction loss at exit = V2/ 2g = 1.9 feet
hfd = 27.2 + 0.6 + 1.9 = 29.7 feet at 1000 gpm.
hd = hsd + hpd + hfd = 40 + 0 + 29.7 = 69.7 feet, gauge at 1000 gpm.
H = hd - hs = 69.7 - (-20.2) = 89.9 feet at 1000 gpm.
Our next example will be the same as the one we just finished except that there is an additional 10 feet of
pipe and another 90° flanged elbow in the vertical leg. The total suction head will be the same as in the
previous example. Take a look at the next illustration ( figure # 4)

c004
● hs = -20.12 feet, gauge at 100 gpm.
The static discharge head hsd will change from 40 feet to 30 feet since the highest liquid surface in the
discharge is now only 30 feet above the pump centerline. This value is based on the assumption that the
vertical leg in the discharge tank is full of liquid and that as this liquid falls it will tend to pull the liquid
up and over the loop in the pipeline. This arrangement is called a siphon leg.
The discharge surface pressure is unchanged:
hpd = 0 feet
The additional 10 feet of pipe and the additional elbow will increase the friction loss in the discharge
pipe.
In 10 feet of pipe the friction loss = 10100 x 6.17 = 0.6 feet
The friction loss in the additional elbow = 0.6 feet
The friction head will then increase as follows
hfd = 29.7 + 0.6 + 0.6 = 30.9 feet at 1000 gpm.
hd = hsd + hpd + hfd = 30 + 0 + 30.9 = 60.9 feet gauge at 1000 gpm.
Head = hd - hs = 60.9 - (-20.12) = 81 feet at 1000 gpm.
For our last example we will look at gauges. Take a look at FIG 5:

c004
Specifications:
● Capacity = 300 gpm.

● Specific gravity = 1.3
● Viscosity = Similar to water
● Piping = 3 inch suction, 2 inch discharge
● Atmospheric pressure = 14.7 psi.
Divide the heads into two sections again:
The discharge gauge head corrected to the centerline of the pump, in feet of liquid absolute is found by
adding the atmospheric pressure to the gauge reading to get absolute pressure, and then converting to
absolute head:
hdg = (130 + 14.7) x 2.31 / 1.3 x Specific Gravity + 4 = 261.1 feet, absolute
Note the 4-foot head correction to the pump centerline.
The discharge velocity head at 300 gpm. is found in the tables
hvd = 12.8 feet at 300 gpm.
The suction gauge reading is in absolute terms so it needs only to be converted to feet of
liquid absolute
= 73.08 feet absolute
Note the 2-foot head correction to the pump centerline.
The suction velocity head at 300 gpm. is found in tables
hvs = 2.6 feet at 300 gpm.
The total head developed by the pump is:
H = (hgd + hvd) - ( hgs + hvs ) = (261.1 + 12.8) - (73.08 + 2.6)
= 198.22 feet absolute at 300 gpm.
Return to index

gr021
GR021.
Return to index

gr022
GR022.
Return to index

gr023
GR023.
Return to index

gr024
GR024.
Return to index

gr025
GR025.
RESISTANCE COEFFICIENTS FOR FITTINGS,

INCH SIZES
Return to index

gr026
GR026.
RESISTANCE COEFFICIENTS FOR VALVES,

INCH SIZES
Return to index

Pressure Head
P033. PRESSURE HEAD
Any pump head calculation is made from a total of three types of head:
● Static head
● Friction head
● Pressure head
Pressure head looks at any pressurized vessels that might be located on the suction or discharge side of
the pump. We use gage pressure for our calculations most of the time and use the conversion:
Head = psig x 2.31 / specific gravity (sg) or Head = bar x 9,8/ specific gravity
Please look at the above drawing Figure #2.
Since both the suction and discharge tanks are open to atmosphere there is no pressure head on the
system.
In this next example #3:
The discharge is to an open tank so there is no discharge

pressure head.
The suction is under a twenty inch vacuum that must be

converted to head if we want to make our calculations.
To do the numbers we will assume the fluid has a specific

gravity of 0.98.
You can use any of the following formulas to convert to head

units
Using the first formula:
Suction pressure head = - 20" hg. x 1.133 / 0.98 = - 23.12 feet
There is a five foot static head that will be deducted from this number when you calculate the total head,
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/p-html/p033.htm (1 of 2) [7/21/03 11:16:41 AM]

Pressure Head
but for this discussion the pressure head is still -23.12 feet
For our next example we will look at the gages mounted on

the piping. Please look at the diagram Fig #5.
We are going to complicate the problem by having the suction

gage show absolute pressure while the discharge gage shows
standard gage pressure
Specifications:

To make our calculations we will divide the heads into two sections:
The discharge gauge head corrected to the centerline of the pump, in feet of liquid absolute, is found by
absolute head:
= 257.1 feet, absolute
Note the 4 foot head correction to the pump centerline.
The suction gauge reading is in absolute terms so it needs only to be converted to feet of liquid, absolute.
= 73.08 feet absolute
The total pressure head developed by the pump is:
Total pressure head = Discharge pressure head - suction pressure head
= 257.1 - 73.08 = 184.02 feet
Return to index

Friction Head
F037. FRICTION HEAD
The loss of head caused by resistance in the piping, fittings and valves in the system. We calculate this
head from charts and graphs
Please look under:

Return to index

Proprietary Product
P037 PROPRIETARY PRODUCT
A product that someone has title to. It is theirs and no one else's product.
Often the product is patented.

w010
W010. WETTED PARTS
All of the parts that get wet from the fluid you are pumping. The wetted parts include:
● The volute
● The stuffing box
● The impeller
● The wear rings
● The inducer if there is one
● The shaft or sleeve.
Return to index

Duplex Metal
D032. DUPLEX METAL
A combination of martensitic and austenitic metals that provide reasonable amounts of both wear and
corrosion resistance.
These duplex metals are commonly used as impeller materials.
In the past, duplex metal referred to a clad metal where a thin cladding of a noble metal was attached to a
base of copper or brass.
Return to index

NON METALIC SEAL
N010. NON METALLIC SEAL
The above illustrations describe two seal designs that operate with no metal parts exposed to the sealing
fluid.
The seals are mounted outside the stuffing box between the stuffing box face and the bearing casing.
Please note that in both cases the seals are clamped to the shaft. You cannot use set-screws in these
designs because non-metallic seals are often used on glass shafts.
Sometimes these designs are specified for exotic metal pumps to save cost and delivery time. If you
decide to do this you will have to drill set screw holes in the holder or come up with some other method
of physically holding the seal at the correct loading.
A collar mounted behind the seal is another option.
Return to index

Head
H005. HEAD
This is the term centrifugal pump people use in place of the word pressure. It turns out that "head" is a
very convenient term in the pumping business.
Capacity is measured in gallons per minute and each gallon of liquid has weight so we can easily
calculate the pounds per minute being pumped. Head or height is measure in feet so if we multiply these
two together we get foot- pounds per minute which converts directly to work at the rate of 33,000 foot
pounds per minute equals one horsepower.
In the metric system each liter of liquid has weight so we can easily calculate the kilograms per minute
being pumped. Head or height is measure in meters so if we multiply these two together we get kilogram
meters per minute which converts directly to work at the rate of 610 kgm/min = 1 kilowatt.
If you are more comfortable with metric horsepower units, you should know that 735.5 watts makes one
metric horsepower
upon the weight (specific gravity) of the liquid being pumped and the specific gravity changes with the
fluid temperature and concentration.
If you will refer to Fig #l you should get a clear picture of what is meant by static suction or discharge
head.
Note that we always measure from the center-line of the pump to the highest liquid level
piping, fittings and valves called friction head and a head caused by any pressure that might be acting on
the liquid in the tanks including atmospheric pressure called " surface pressure head".
Once we know these heads it gets simple. We will subtract the suction head from the discharge head and
the amount remaining will be the amount of head that the pump must be able to generate at its rated flow.
Please refer to other sections of this CD to learn how to calculate the different types of head:
● Total or system head consisting of the:

❍ Discharge head
■ Discharge static head
■ Discharge surface pressure head
■ Discharge friction head
❍ Suction head
■ Suction static head
■ Suction surface pressure head
■ Suction friction head
Return to index

Discharge Head
D017. DISCHARGE HEAD
We have to know the discharge head of a centrifugal pump for several reasons:
● To select the correct size pump for a new application.

● To estimate stuffing box pressure in the event the discharge valve is shut with the pump running.
● To determine if an installed pump is running at its best efficiency point (BEP) Any time we go off
the best efficiency point (BEP) the shaft is subject to radial side loading and potential problems
with mechanical seals, packing, bearings and couplings.
● To be sure the pump will have enough capacity.
● To prevent cavitation problems if the head is too low.
There are two methods of learning the head:
● Look at the discharge pressure gauge that has been installed in the system, or a chart recorder that
is installed on the discharge side of the pump. Subtract this reading from the reading obtained
from a gage or recorder installed on the suction side of the pump. Be aware that the gage is
showing you the pressure only at the time you are looking at the gage. The pressure can vary with:
❍ Opening and closing valves in the system.
❍ Changes in tank pressures.
❍ Changes in tank level, especially if the tank is being filled from the bottom.
● Calculate the discharge and suction heads from losses in the piping and associated hardware in the
lines.
Whenever you deal with a centrifugal pump be sure to remember that any time you change the capacity
of the pump, the head will change also.
Return to index

Pump Curve Shape
P040. PUMP CURVE SHAPE
The shape of the pump curve of a centrifugal pump is determined by the specific speed number of the
impeller.
The following chart will give you an idea of some of these shapes. Most of the centrifugal pumps we find
in industry use "Francis Vane" impellers with specific speed numbers between 1500 and 4000
Return to index

Head, The Reasons For Changes In The
H006. HEAD, THE REASONS FOR CHANGES IN THE DISCHARGE HEAD OF A PUMP

This increase in stuffing box pressure can affect the performance of some mechanical seals.
● To determine if an installed pump is running at its best efficiency point (BEP). Any time we go
off the best efficiency point (BEP) the shaft is subject to radial side loading that could cause
problems with mechanical seals, packing, bearings and couplings.
● To be sure the pump will have enough capacity for the application.
● To prevent cavitation problems if the net positive suction head available (NPSHA) is too low.
There are two methods of determining the head:
from a gage installed on the suction side of the pump.
❍ The chart recorder is the preferred method because it will record the changes in head over
a period of time. The gages only reflect the head reading at the time you are looking at the
dials.
❍ Calculate the discharge and suction heads from numbers you calculate after you look at
elevation, pressure in suction and discharge tanks, and losses in the piping and associated
hardware installed in the lines.
Please keep in mind that these readings will tell you the head being produced by the pump, but that could
be very different than the head required by the system
As easy as taking these readings sounds, we can still have many problems determining accurate head
information because of variations in the discharge system. In the following paragraphs I will describe
how design, operation and maintenance practices can affect this discharge head.
Design problems
● An automatic or manual control valve is opening and closing to control:

❍ Level - Boiler feed systems are typical.
❍ Mixture - Many processes do this routinely.
❍ Pressure - Common with wash down pumps.
❍ Temperature - This is very common in heat exchanger applications.
❍ Flow - Bypassing and flow control are probably the most common applications.
● Two or more pumps are running in parallel:

❍ A larger pump is closing the discharge check valve of a smaller pump.
❍ Only one pump is running and it is not creating enough head to stop it from running on
either side of its best efficiency point (BEP)

● The wrong size pump was originally installed in the system. This is a common problem in new
applications because each individual involved in the selection process has added a safety margin
to the original operating specifications. Every one involved in the pump selection has a real fear
of buying a pump that is too small for the application. It is also a common practice to purchase a
pump that is known to be too large for the application, because of anticipated future needs.
● A storage tank is being filled from the bottom and the discharge head increases as the tank fills.
● The pump is being used as an accumulator because a tower down pipe is keeping a head on the
system. The pump comes on when the level in the tank falls to a pre-determined level. The
problem is that the tank is being filled from the same down pipe and the head increases as the tank
fills. We find this application in municipal water systems.
● The pump motor speed is changing:
❍ The packing was removed from an induction motor. These motors have a slippage from
2% to 5% depending upon their quality and load. A mechanical seal was installed and the
motor has speeded up changing the location of the best efficiency point (BEP) on the pump
curve
❍ A variable speed motor is being used in a system with a high static head. These motors
work best where the head is mainly friction or system head caused by the piping, fittings
and valves that you would find in a typical hot or chill water circulating system.
❍ A higher rpm pump has been substituted because of system demands and the piping is
offering too much resistance at this increased flow. Keep in mind that the pipe resistance
varies by almost the square of the change in pump speed. In other words if you double the
speed of the pump you get almost four times the resistance in the piping.
● The system has been altered to accommodate a change in the process. Another storage tank may
have been added some distance from the pump, along with more valves, fittings and piping.
Operation problems
● A discharge valve is being closed or throttled to save amperage. This is a common practice when
starting centrifugal pumps with lower "specific speed" impellers.
Head, The Reasons For Changes In The
● The product viscosity has changed.

❍ A more viscous product is now going through the piping. This is a continual problem in
pipe-line applications.
❍ You are pumping a dilatant (Its viscosity increases with agitation). Cream is a dilatant.
With agitation it becomes more viscous until it turns into butter.

❍ If the pump was sized for a higher viscosity product and the temperature has increased, or
the product viscosity lowers with agitation (thixotrophic products do this), you can also go
off of the best efficiency point (BEP) to the higher capacity side.
● The specific gravity or density of the product has changed causing a change in the rpm of the
motor:
❍ A different product is now in the system.
❍ A cleaner, steam or solvent is being circulated through the lines to sanitize them.
❍ The temperature of the product has changed. (specific gravity changes with temperature)
Maintenance problems
● A discharge valve is being throttled

❍ A common practice in an attempt to stop cavitation. (The lower the capacity, the less net
positive suction head required (NPSHR).

❍ To lower the liquid velocity in an attempt to compensate for impeller wear or wear on the
impeller wear rings.

❍ To stop water hammer.
● The impeller has been trimmed.

● The discharge of the pump is being restricted.
❍ A foreign object was left in the pipe the last time the system was opened, or maybe the
swing check valve seat has come loose.

❍ There is a buildup of material on the wall of the piping and fittings. Hard water leaving a
layer of calcium on everything is a good example. Many other fluids can coat out on the
pipe walls also.
● The pipe has collapsed (often not visible)
❍ A vehicle ran over it.
❍ A pipe liner has come loose and is restricting the passage.
❍ A frozen water jacket has collapsed the pipe.
● A restricting fitting has been substituted or added to the system.

❍ A reducer was installed.
❍ A globe valve has been substituted for a gate valve. A globe valve can add another 50 to
100 foot of head depending on the flow and pipe size.

● A gasket is protruding into the piping. The wrong width gasket was installed during a pipe repair
or maybe the center of the gasket was not completely removed.
To size a pump properly or to do effective trouble shooting it is important to know where the pump is
running on its curve.
There are low cost chart recorders available to help you identify some of these problems and get a clearer
picture of what the system is actually doing. I strongly recommend the use of these recorders on both the
suction and discharge side of the pump prior to specifying a replacement pump in an existing application.
Return to index

c032_1
C032_1. CHARTS AND GRAPHS

❍ !.250 to 1.500 inch pipe, GR021
❍ 2.000 to 2.500 inch pipe, GR022

● O-ring selection chart. ORINGSE
● Pump cufrve, metric, GR018
Return to index
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/c-html/c032_1.htm [7/21/03 11:17:06 AM]

gr001
GR 001.
ANSI PUMP DIMENSIONS INCH SIZES
Return to index

gr002
GR002.
ANSI PUMP DIMENSIONS METRIC SIZES
Return to index

gr003
GR003.
API (American Petroleum Institute)

TABLE NUMBER 1
Return to index

gr004
GR004.
API (American Petroleum Institute)

TABLE NUMBER 2
Return to index

gr011
GR011.
PURE CARBON COMPANY CARBON PHYSICALS
Return to index

gr005
GR005.
Durco Mark II Group II Pump Radial Bearing Life
Return to index

gr006
GR006.
FLATNESS READING CHART
Return to index

gr007
GR007. GALVANIC SERIES OF METALS AND ALLOYS
CORRODED END ( ANODIC OR LEAST NOBLE)
MAGNESIUM
MAGNESIUM ALLOYS
ZINC
ALUMINUM 5052, 3004, 3003, 1100, 6053
CADMIUM
ALUMINUM 2117, 2017, 2024
MILD STEEL (1018), WROUGHT IRON
CAST IRON, LOW ALLOY HIGH STRENGTH STEEL
CHROME IRON (ACTIVE)
STAINLESS STEEL, 430 SERIES (ACTIVE)
302, 303, 321, 347, 410,416, STAINLESS STEEL (ACTIVE)
NI - RESIST
316, 317, STAINLESS STEEL (ACTIVE)
CARPENTER 20CB-3 STAINLESS (ACTIVE)
ALUMINUM BRONZE (CA 687)
HASTELLOY C (ACTIVE) INCONEL 625 (ACTIVE) TITANIUM (ACTIVE)
LEAD - TIN SOLDERS
LEAD
TIN
INCONEL 600 (ACTIVE)
NICKEL (ACTIVE)
60 NI-15 CR (ACTIVE)
HASTELLOY B (ACTIVE)
BRASSES
COPPER (CA102)
MANGANESE BRONZE (CA 675), TIN BRONZE (CA903, 905)
SILICONE BRONZE
NICKEL SILVER
COPPER - NICKEL ALLOY 90-10
430 STAINLESS STEEL
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gr007
NICKEL, ALUMINUM, BRONZE (CA 630, 632)
MONEL 400, K500
SILVER SOLDER
NICKEL (PASSIVE)
60 NI- 15 CR (PASSIVE)
INCONEL 600 (PASSIVE)
CHROME IRON (PASSIVE)
302, 303, 304, 321, 347, STAINLESS STEEL (PASSIVE)
316, 317, STAINLESS STEEL (PASSIVE)
CARPENTER 20 CB-3 STAINLESS (PASSIVE), INCOLOY 825
NICKEL - MOLYBDEUM - CHROMIUM - IRON ALLOY (PASSIVE)
SILVER
TITANIUM (PASS.) HASTELLOY C & C276 (PASSIVE), INCONEL 625(PASS.)
GRAPHITE
ZIRCONIUM
GOLD
PLATINUM
PROTECTED END (CATHODIC OR MOST NOBLE)
Return to index
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HOO2_1
H002-1. HARD FACE CHART
Elastic Coeff.
Hard face Tensile Tempt.
Hardness Modulus Expansion Conductivity Density of
Material Strength limit
E friction
vs.
Mohs GN/m2 MN/m2 µm/mK Watts/m°K mg/mm3 °C(a)
Carbon
Gray cast iron 5 100 200 10 45 7.2 200 -
Hastelloy "B" 6 230 1300 18 45 8.9 800 -
M-2 Tool steel 7 200 2000 11 25 8.2 500 -
Niresist 4 100 400 18 15 7.4 500 -
316 Stainless 4 200 600 16 16 8 600 -
440C Stainless 5 200 800 10 25 7.8 600 -
Stellite 7 220 1000 14 15 8.4 1000 -
T/C - Cobalt 8 600 1400 4 100 15 400 0.07
T/C - Nickel 8 600 600 5 90 15 250 0.07
Ceramic 85% 8 200 150 5 12 3.4 1400 0.07
Ceramic 99.5% 8 350 250 7 25 3.9 1700 0.07
SiC Alpha
9.7 400 250 4 130 3.1 1000 0.02
Sintered
SiC Reaction
9.7 400 250 4 150 3.1 1000 0.02
Bonded
(a) Severe
oxidation in air,
or significant
loss of hardness,
or changed
microstructure.
Hard Face
Material
Watts/
Vickers N/mm2 Gm/cc. °C(a)
m°C
Siliconized
graphite
PE-8148 2000 16 50 1.95 232
Reaction
Bonded
PR9242 2400 365 145 3.08 1372
Reaction
Bonded
plus graphite
152 153 2.8 538
PG9723
Alpha sintered
Return to index
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gr008
GR008.
Net positive suction head available (NPSHA) vs. capacity at

a Suction Specific Speed Of 8500
Return to index

gr009
GR009.
NPSHR REDUCTIONS AVAILABLE
Return to index

O-RING SELECTION
SELECTING THE O-RING MATERIAL
Click on any of the following to select the correct elastomer, or O-ring for your application
● Abietic Acid to Azobenzene

● Baking soda to Butyryl Chloride
● Cadmium Chloride to Cymene
● Danforth's Oil to Dye Liquors + caustic boil out
● Effluent, Clarified to Ex-Tri
● Fat Lime to Fyrquel 150,220,300,550
● Gallic Acid to Gun Cotton
● Halothane to Hypoid Lubes
● Ice Spar to Kyanol
● Lacquer Solvents to Lye Solutions
● Machine Oil to Mustard
● Napalm to Nutra sweet
● Oil, corn to Ozone
● Propanone to Pyruvic Acid
● Quicklime to Syrup
● Table salt to Type III Fuel MIL-S-3136
● Ucon Hydrolubes to Zirconium Nitrate
The charts noted above will help you to select the correct elastomer or O-ring for satisfactory sealing. As
you will see from the selection, most of the chemicals can be handled by either Fluorocarbon (Viton®
and Fluorel are typical examples) or Ethylene Propylene.
The following paragraphs describe the codes used in the chart.
● V - fluorocarbon. The compound specified is the specific one that has some water immersion
capability. Dupont E60 Viton®, 3M Fluorel 2174, Parker 747-75 and Parker V884-85 are typical
examples.
● E - ethylene propylene
● C - perfluoroelastomers. Chemraz (a registered trademark of Greene, Tweed & Co.) or Kalrez®
(a registered trademark of E.I. Dupont Dow) are typical examples.
● N - neoprene
● B - buna N
● Bu- butyl
● U - Unknown, or unreliable test data. Immersion testing or plant experience is your best bet. If no
elastomer proves to be acceptable a non-elastomer seal may be your only answer.
Keep in mind that this O-ring selection chart is only a guide to help you in selecting the correct elastomer
for your mechanical seal application. It was created from published information, various industry
guidelines and many years of practical experience by field sales and engineering people.
Most mechanical seals use at least one dynamic elastomer so even small amounts of swelling or chemical
attack is almost always unacceptable. When using this chart please keep the following in mind:
● Chemical attack will usually double with a 10°C (18° F) increase in temperature. If the elastomer
is located close to the seal face it will see the additional heat that is being generated by rubbing
friction. Elastomers are poor conductors of heat, so cooling one side of the O-ring does not always
allow the lower temperature to conduct to the hot side.
● If the chemical name is followed by (*), it is called an oxidizer. Oxidizers spontaneously emit
oxygen at either room temperature or under slight heating. The oxygen can then combine with the
carbon in mechanical seal faces or the carbon black used to color O-rings, causing chemical
attack. The largest group of oxidizing materials is comprised of peroxides. Hydrogen peroxide
and benzoyl peroxide are typical. Permanganates, chlorates and some nitrates are also strong
oxidizing agents. These materials additionally constitute a dangerous fire hazard so two seals may
be required.
The chemical concentration and temperature determine the degree of carbon and elastomer attack. The
higher the concentration and the higher the temperature, the more likely the attack.
Plant experience is your best protection in elastomer selection, but if you have no experience in handling
these chemicals it would be wise to immersion test both the black O&endash;ring and carbon face prior
to installing a mechanical seal. Sometimes you can duplicate the operating temperature by placing the
test vessel in an oven or on a hot plate when practical.
● The product you are sealing is often a mixture of several chemicals and/ or may have a trade
name. This chart normally shows only individual chemicals so you may have to rely upon plant
experience or immersion test to determine compatibility. Most plants have prior experience in
handling their chemicals so look for elastomers in other mechanical seals, valves, gages, filters,
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O-RING SELECTION
strainers, hoses, lined pipe, etc.

● In most cases Chemraz or Kalrez® will handle the job if there is no plant experience or if
immersion testing is not practical. It is always worth a try.
● Remember that each of these elastomers has an upper and lower temperature limit. Although the
elastomer may be chemically compatible with the sealing fluid it could still fail if the temperature
limit is exceeded.
● Excessive temperature is usually indicated by a change in weight, shape or appearance of the O-
ring. Compression set is often the first indication of high heat followed by a shrinking and
hardening of the elastomer. If the stuffing box temperature is too high it will be necessary to cool
down the seal area. Using an installed stuffing box heating or cooling jacket is the obvious
solution. Keep in mind that quenching or the use of two seals with a cool barrier or buffer fluid
between them cools only one side of the o-ring. If cooling is not possible you will have to use a
metal bellows or some other type of non-elastomer seal.
ELASTOMER F. TEMPT. RANGE C. TEMPT. RANGE

Fluorocarbon (Viton®) -15 +400° -25 +205°
Ethylene propylene -70 +300° -55 +150°
Chemraz -20 +450° -30 +230°
Kalrez® 0 +500° -20 +260°
Neoprene -45 +300° 45 +150°
Buna N -65 +225° -55 +105°
Buna S -75 +250° -60 +120°
● Solvents, cleaners and steam are often used to flush lines and systems. Be sure the elastomer you
choose is chemically and temperature compatible with these solvents, cleaners and steam. Some
processes will not allow any thing "black" in the system. White colored O-rings are available for
many compounds.
● Ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) is a very common elastomer mentioned in this chart. Be aware
that EPR is easily attacked by any petroleum product so be careful with the type of lubricant you
use to lubricate this elastomer. For all practical purposes silicone grease is probably your safest
lubricant, but to be sure check for compatibility. There is a high temperature version of this
compound available (500°F or 260°C), but it cannot be used if air or oxygen is present on one
side of the O-ring. In other words, the application is limited to the dynamic elastomer on the
inboard side of a dual seal application.
● Many of the chemicals listed are dangerous. Be sure to use an API (American Petroleum Institute)
gland or better still, two mechanical seals in these applications.
● Nuclear, food products, and pharmaceutical often specify specific grades of elastomers and
require cure date information for certain products. If you are working in any of these areas check
for a list of approved materials.
● The term water does not describe a single product. For instance:
● De-ionized and demineralized water have had various ions and minerals removed and as a result
they are constantly trying to replace the minerals as the water moves through the pipes and other
hardware. The result is that sometimes the water can attack stainless steel and some seal face
materials including carbon. You may have to do some immersion testing to be sure if your choices
are satisfactory.
● Water treatment varies with each application. These treatment chemicals and additives can attack
some elastomers.
● Condensate often contains dissolved amines that could attack the elastomer.
● Water hardness varies with geographic locations.
● Wastewater is liable to be any thing.
● The chloride concentration in salt water varies widely.
Ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) is the first choice in most water and water based applications, but the
variance noted above can cause premature O-ring failure. If you have any doubt about your water
conduct an O-ring immersion test prior to installing the mechanical seal.
The four step procedure for selecting the correct elastomer is:
● Look up the chemical in the O-ring selection chart in the back of his book. If your product is not
on the list or is a combination of several chemical on the list, go to step "2".
● Look around the plant for present or past experience. Look for elastomers in valves, other seals,
gages, filters, strainers, etc. If you have no experience with elastomers in this fluid go to step "3".
● Test is the next step. If possible start with two elastomers of the same compound and immerse
only one of them in the fluid and leave it there for one to two weeks. You can then compare that
O-ring to the one that was not immersed. If the elastomer is not compatible with the fluid it will
change weight, shape, or appearance. If the elastomer does not pass this test go to step "4".
● Chemraz or Kalrez® is usually the end of the line. Check the special elastomer chart in this
section, if neither is satisfactory you will have to use a non-elastomer seal such as a metal bellows
design. If a reliable flush is available the elastomer may be compatible with the flush, but
remember that if you lose the flushing fluid the product will attack the elastomer.

O-RING SELECTION
When you are selecting an O-ring, or any other elastomer shape for your mechanical seal application
remember that with the exception of solvents, most chemicals and chemical compounds can be
successfully sealed with either ethylene propylene or a good grade of Viton® as the dynamic elastomer.
Most mechanical seal designs incorporate both dynamic and static elastomers. Dynamic O-rings are
required to flex and roll with the shaft movement. This means that a very low shaft squeeze is important
to prevent seal hang up or hysteresis. They must also be free to flex and roll to compensate for
mechanical seal face wear. Static O-rings do not have to move. They are used as a gasket and are a lot
more forgiving than dynamic O-rings because a small amount of swell can be tolerated that might even
improve their sealing.
There are many elastomer shapes available to you; individual seal companies use wedges, V-rings, U-
cups, Quad rings etc, but O-rings have a lot of advantages over these other elastomer shapes in
mechanical seal design. As an example:
● They can seal both pressure and vacuum.

● They can flex 0.003 to 0.005 inches (0.08 to 0 0.13 mm) before they roll, and then they can roll up
to half of their diameter, making it a lot easier for the seal faces to follow shaft run out and end
play.
● O-rings reduce shaft fretting dramatically because of this ability to flex and roll.
● They are available in a variety of compounds.
● They are the first shape available when a new compound is introduced.
● Most of the O-ring compounds are available in a wide range of durometer or hardness. The
average mechanical seal uses a durometer of 75 to 80 (as measured on the shore A scale), but
harder durometers are available for high-pressure applications similar to those we find in pipe line
sealing.
● The O-ring configuration is usually the first shape available when a new compound becomes
available from the manufacturer.
● They are the most precision rubber part that you can purchase. O-rings are manufactured to a
tolerance of ± 0.003 inches (0.08 mm)
● You can buy them anywhere. There are plenty of distributors.
● Unlike other shapes, most designers have settled on only a few O-ring cross sections, making
spare parts and inventory a lot easier.
● Their cost is low compared to other shapes.
● Because they are self-energizing there is no need to spring-load them to the shaft or sleeve. This
means that the seal spring or springs can be designed for face loading only.
● You cannot put them in backwards.
In recent years the elastomer industry has produced a variety of newer compounds that appear to be
getting closer to the universal rubber that we are all seeking. Unfortunately we are not there yet, so this
article is an attempt to put these "super compounds" into a proper perspective. There are several of these
compounds that you should know about.
KALREZ®, a Dupont product that is not a true elastomer so you will experience some compression set
depending upon the compound you select. You have a few choices of compounds:
● Compound 4079, A "low compression set" compound (about 25% compression at 400°F)
(205°C). Can be used to 600°F (316°C) Not recommended for hot water or steam applications, or
in contact with certain hot aliphatic amines, ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.
● Compound 1050, Slightly harder than 4079. Can be used to 500°F (260°C) in non-oxidizing
environments. Not recommended for pure water or steam at higher temperatures. This compound
is scheduled to be phased out of production.
● Compound 2035, To 425°F (218°C) It is the compound recommended for Ethylene Oxide and
Propylene Oxide service. It also exhibits low swell in organic and inorganic acids, esters, ketones,
and aldehydes.
● Compound 1018, To 550°F (288°C). It has better hot water/ steam resistance than all other
compounds except 3018. Not recommended for use in organic or inorganic acids at high
temperature or for rapid temperature cycling applications.
● Compound 3018, To 600°F (315°C). It has the best hot water/steam resistance and the best high-
pressure extrusion resistance. It is too hard for most mechanical seal applications at temperatures
below 400°F (205°C).
The following compounds are exhibited on the attached compatibility guide.
CHEMRAZ is distributed by Greene, Tweed & Company, telephone (714) 875 3301. It is similar to
KALREZ and can be used to 400°F (205°C). It is available in both black and white O-rings.
FLUORAZ - is another product distributed by Greene Tweed & Company, telephone (714) 875 3301. It
can be used to 400°F (205°C). Field experience indicates that in operation it appears t o be very similar
to AFLAS.
AFLAS is distributed through the 3M company, telephone (612) 733 5353. It can be used to 400°F

O-RING SELECTION
(205°C)
To be classified as a true elastomer you should be able to compress the O-ring and have it return to 90%
of its original shape in less than five seconds after the compression force is removed. It is this elasticity
that gives the compound its memory and eliminates the need for spring loading the elastomer to the seal
shaft or sleeve. If the compound does not return to 90% of its original shape in five seconds or less it is
called a plastic and becomes less desirable as a dynamic seal in mechanical seal design. Many of these
"super compounds" are plastics and present sealing problems in some seal configurations. You are going
to have to depend upon your experience to select individual seal designs that work well with these
materials.
Some distributors of these compounds recommend the use of mechanical seals with spring loaded
dynamic O-rings. They do this to booster their sales of the compound. They forget to mention that when
you spring load one of these compounds you will experience shaft fretting under the O-ring. This shaft
fretting increases the probability of seal failure and dictates the use of shaft sleeves that raise the L3/D4
rating of the shaft, contributing to excessive shaft deflection.
There are many selection charts available to help you pick the correct elastomer compound for your
application. Unfortunately your fluid may not be shown on some of these charts and the temptation is to
go to one of the special elastomers or super compounds for the solution. At other times you will tempted
to standardize on a super compound to avoid the selection process altogether. The next chart will help
you to avoid a mistake in both of these instances.
The special elastomers chart is unique in that it shows you where these "super compounds" cannot be
used. This does not imply that if the chemical is not listed, or if no notation is made, that the compound is
suitable for your service. It means nothing more than what it says; these are the chemicals that each
manufacturer has designated as not suitable for a dynamic O-ring application.
● A = Aflas
● C = Chemraz
● C* = White colored Chemraz
● F = Fluoraz
● K = Kalrez®
● n = According to the manufacturer this compound is not suitable for either dynamic or static
mechanical seal O-ring service. In some cases a compound was given an "n" rating when field
experience proved that the published compatibility information was incorrect.
● c = Caution. May be suitable for static service, but probably not for a dynamic application. The
higher the fluid operating temperature the less acceptable. You may want to check for experience
in your plant or test the O-ring in your fluid to be sure.
● If there is any question about the use of one of these compounds in a given service you can test
the compound by immersing the O-ring in the fluid to be tested for about ten days to two weeks.
If the fluid is going to attack the compound, the O-ring it will change weight, shape, or
appearance. If the application is going to be at a hot temperature, you might want to put the test
container in an oven to duplicate the seal operating conditions.
Return to index

O-ring.A
Please use the following codes with these O-ring compatibility charts.
1. THE O-RING MATERIAL&emdash; (V) VITON grade 747-75, (E) ETHYLENE PROPYLENE,
(B) BUNA N, (Bu) BUTYL, (C) CHEMRAZ OR KALREZ, (N) NEOPRENE
2. SOLUBLE IN WATER&emdash; (C) COLD WATER, (H) HOT WATER , (O) NOT SOLUBLE,
(S) SLIGHTLY SOLUBLE, (V) REACTS VIOLENTLY WITH WATER, (D) DECOMPOSES, (H)
HYDROLIZES, (M) MISCIBLE
3. HAZARDOUS, NEEDS TWO SEALS&emdash; (F) FIRE, (T) TOXIC, (C) CARCINOGEN, [E)
EXPLOSIVE
* OXIDIZER - WILL ATTACK ALL FORMS OF CARBON
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
Abietic Acid C O
Absolut Alchol V M F
Acetaldehyde E M F, T
Acetamide E C
Acetanilide C H
Acetate of lime E C
Acetate solvent E - -
Acetic Acid + Methanol E - -
Acetic Acid < 40 % C M
Acetic Acid < 5% V, E M
Acetic Acid > 40 % C M
Acetic Acid Amide E C
Acetic Acid Crude E - -
Acetic Acid Ethenyl Ester V, E - -
Acetic Acid Methyl Ester E - -
Acetic Acid Vapors V, E - -
Acetic Acid. Glacial C - -
Acetic Aldehyde E - -
Acetic Anhydride C C
Acetic Ester E C F, E
Acetic Ether E C F, E
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O-ring.A
Acetic Oxide C C
Acetoacetic acid C C
Acetol E C
Acetone E M F
Acetone 1 % + water E M
Acetone Carboxylic Acid C C
Acetone Chloroform C S T
Acetone Crboxylic Acid C C
Acetone Cyanohydrin E C T
Acetonitrile E C T, F
Acetonyl Alchol E C
Acetophenetidide C S
Acetophenetidin C S
Acetophenone E S
Acetotoluidide C - -
Acetronitrine C - -
Acetyl Acetone E S
Acetyl Benzene E S
Acetyl Carbinol E C
Acetyl Chloride W V T, F
Acetyl Oxide C C
Acetylene E,V S F, E
Acetylene Gas E - F, E
Acetylene Gas with Water B M -
Acetylene Tetrabromide E, V O T
Acetylene Tetrachloride V S T
Acetylenogen C D E
Acetylmethylcarbinol E M
Acetylphenetidin C S

O-ring.A
Acetylphenol C S
Aconitic Acid C C
Acraldehyde E C F, E
Acridine C O C
Acroleic Acid C M O
Acrolein E C F, E
Acryladehyde E C F, E
Acrylic Acid C M
Acrylic Copolymer C - -
Acryloid 954 C - -
Acrylonitrile C O F
Adipic Acid C S
Advasol 210 C - -
Aerozene 50
(50% Hydrazine, 50% UDM) E - -
Air <200F E, V M
Air <400F V - -
Airpmatic solvent 1040 C - -
Alcohol (Ethyl) E M
Alcohol (Iso-Butyl) V M
Alcohol (Iso-Propyl) E, V M
Alcohol (Methyl) E M
Alcohol (Octyl) E M
Aldehyde Acetaldehyde E - -
Aliphatic Dicarboxylic Acid C - -
Alkanes C - -
Alkanesulphonic Acid C - -
Alkazene V O
Alkoxides C - -

O-ring.A
Alkoxylated amine c2,c3 C - -
Alkyd Resins V - -
Alkyl Acetone C - -
Alkyl Amine C - -
Alkyl Aryl Sulphonates C - -
Alkyl Arylsulphonics C - -
Alkyl Benzene V - -
Alkyl Benzotriazole C - -
Alkyl Chloride C - -
Alkyl Dimethylamine C - -
Alkyl Sulfide C - -
Alkylate (Light) V - -
Alkylate bottoms C - -
Alkylated benzene Sulfonate C - -
Alkylnapthalene Sulfonic Acid C - -
Allyl Acetone C C T
Allyl Aldehyde E C F,E
Allyl Amine C C
Allyl Chloride C O F,T
Allyl Ketone E - -
Allylidene Diacetate C - -
Alpha Pineene C - -
Alpha Picoline C - -
Alum > 10 % E - -
Alum Potash E - -
Alum RT < 10 % E - -
Alum Solution V,E - -
Aluminum Acetate E O
Aluminum Bromide E,V V

O-ring.A
Aluminum Chloride
(forms HCL with water E, V V
Aluminum Ethylate C - -
Aluminum Fluoride E,V S
Aluminum Fluosilicate C H
Aluminum Formate C C
Aluminum Hydrate E O
Aluminum Hydroxide E O
Aluminum Linoledate C - -
Aluminum Nitrate E,V C
Aluminum Oxalate C - -
Aluminum Oxide B O
Aluminum Phosphate C O
Aluminum Potassium Sulfate E C
Aluminum Salts E,V - -
Aluminum silicate (clay) E O
Aluminum Sodium Sulfate C C
Aluminum Sulphate E,V C
Alums-NH3-CR-K E O
Amine: <160F° C O
Amines-Mixed C O
Amino Benzene E O T
Amino Phenol C - -
Aminoanthraquinone C O
Aminoazobenzene E O
Aminobenzene Sulfonic Acid C S
Aminobenzoic Acid C O
Aminoethylethanol-amine C - -
Aminomethane E O F,T

O-ring.A
Aminopyridine C - -
Aminosalicylic Acid C - -
Ammonia alum E - -
Ammonia, anhydrous E C T
Ammonia: Aqueous E C T
Ammonia: Compressor N - -
Ammonia: Gas E - -
Ammonia: Gas, Cold Liquid anhydrous E - -
Ammonium Acetate C C
Ammonium Acid Carbonate E C
Ammonium Arsenate C - -
Ammonium Bicarbonate E C
Ammonium Bichromate C C F
Ammonium Bifluorid C C T
Ammonium Bisulfite C - -
Ammonium Bromide C C
Ammonium Carbamate E C
Ammonium Carbonate E H
Ammonium Chloride V, E C T
Ammonium Citrate, Dibasic C C
Ammonium Dichromate C C F
Ammonium Diphosphate C - -
Ammonium Fluoride C C T
Ammonium Fluosilicate C C T
Ammonium Formate C - -
Ammonium Hydrogen Carbonate E C
Ammonium Hydrogen Fluoride C - -
Ammonium Hydroxide 3 Molar or

E - -
concentrated
Ammonium Iodide C C

O-ring.A
Ammonium Lactate C C
Ammonium Metaphosphate C - -
Ammonium Molybdate C C
Ammonium Mono-Basic C - -
Ammonium Nitrate E C E
Ammonium Nitrate75% E - -
Ammonium Nitrite E - -
Ammonium Oxalate C C T
Ammonium Perchlorate* C C E
Ammonium Perchloride C - -
Ammonium Persulfate 10% B C F
Ammonium Persulfate Solution* E C F
Ammonium Phosphate Dibasic E C
Ammonium Phosphate Mono basic E S
Ammonium Phosphate Tribasic E - -
Ammonium Picrate C C
Ammonium Polysulfide C O T
Ammonium Salicylate C C
Ammonium Salts E C
Ammonium Silicofluoride C C T
Ammonium Sterate E O O
Ammonium Sulfamate C C E
Ammonium Sulfite C - -
Ammonium Sulphate E C
Ammonium Sulphide E C T
Ammonium Thiocyanate C C
Ammonium Thiocyanide V,E - -
Ammonium Thioglycollate C C
Ammonium Thiosulfate V,E C

O-ring.A
Ammonium Tribasic C - -
Ammonium Tungstate C C
Ammonium Valerate C - -
Amonoxylene C O T
Amyl Acetate E - E
Amyl Alcohol E S E
Amyl Borate B - -
Amyl Butyrate C - -
Amyl Chloride V O F
Amyl Chloronaphthalene V - -
Amyl Cinnamic Aldehyde C O
Amyl Hydride V C F,E
Amyl Laurate C - -
Amyl Mercaptan C O F
Amyl Naphthalene V - -
Amyl Nitrate* E -
Amyl Phenol C C
Amyl Propionate C -
Amylene E C F, E
Amylum V, E - -
Analine Sulfate C - -
Analine Sulfite C - -
Anderol L-774(Di-Ester) V - -
Anderol L-826 (Di-Ester) V - -
ANG-25 (Di ester Base) TG749 V - -
ANG-25 (Glyceral Ester) V,E - -
Anhydrous Ammonia E C T
Anhydrous Hydrazine C M E

O-ring.A
Anhydrous Hydrogen Fluoride E - -
Anikline Hydrochlorine C - -
Aniline E O T
Aniline Dyes E - T
Aniline Hydrochloride E C T
Aniline Oil E - -
Aniline Salts E C T
Animal Oil (Lard Oil) V O
Anisole C O
Anisoyle Chloride C D T
ANO-366 V - -
Ansul Ether 161 or 181 C - -
Ant Oil E - -
Anthracine C O C
Anthranilic Acid C H T
Anthraquinone C O
Anti foam agent C -
Antichlor V, E C
Antimony Chlorides E O
Antimony Pentafluoride C H
Antimony Peroxide* C - -
Antimony salts B C T
Antimony Sulfate C D T,F
Antimony Trichloride E O
Antimony Trifluoride C D T
Antimony Trisulfate C D T,F
Antioxidant C - -
Antomonous Chlorice V, E - -
Aqua Ammonia E - T

O-ring.A
Aqua Fortis * C1 M T
Aqua Regia * C O T
Arachidic Acid C O
Argon V,E S
Argon (Gas) V,E S
Arochlor, 1248 V - -
Arochlor1254 V - -
Arochlor1260 V - -
Arochlors V - -
Aromatic Fuel-50% V O
Aromatic Hydrocarbons V O
Aromatic solvent 1083 C - -
Aromatic Spirits V - -
Aromatic Tar V - -
Arquads V - -
Arsenic Acid V, E C T
Arsenic Chloride B D T
Arsenic Oxide C - -
Arsenic Pentoxide E, V C T
Arsenic Trichloride B D T
Arsenic Trioxide C S T
Arsenic Trisulfide C O T
Arsenites C - -
Arsenous Chloride B D T
Arsenous Trichloride B - -
Aryl Orthosilicate C - -
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) C C D
Ash Slurry V, E - -
Ashless dispersant C - -

O-ring.A
Askarel V - -
Aspartic Acid C - -
Asphalt Emulsions V - -
Asphalt to 350F° V O
ASTM Oil. No. 1 ,2,3 or 4 V O
ASTM Reference Fuel A,B.Oor C V O
Astral Oil V - -
Atlantic Ultro Gear-EP lube V - -
Automatic Transmission Fluid V O
Automotive Brake Fluid E O
Azine E - -
Aziotic Acid C M T
Azobenzene C O
Return to index

b o-ring
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
Baking soda E C
Bardol B V O
Barium Carbonate E, V O T
Barium Chlorate C C T
Barium Chloride E, V C T
Barium Chloride 25% V C -
Barium Cyanide E, V C T
Barium Hydrate E, V S T
Barium Hydroxide E, V S T
Barium Iodide C C T
Barium Monohydrate B S T
Barium Monosulfide E, V C T
Barium Nitrate * V C F
Barium Octahydrate B C T
Barium Oxide C V T
Barium Peroxide * C S F, E
Barium Polysulfide C - -
Barium Salts E, V - -
Barium Sulfate V O
Barium Sulfide E, V C T
Barium Sulfonate C - -
Basic Iron Sulfate B - -
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b o-ring
Bay Oil V - -
Bayol D,or 35 V - -
Beer E, V O
Beer Wort B O
Beet Juice & Pulp B O
Beet Sugar Liquors E, V O
Beet Sugar, Liquid E, V O
Belt Drive E - -
Benzadine 3 Sulfonic Acid C - -
Benzadine Acid C - -
Benzal Alcohol V - -
Benzal Amine N
Benzal Chloride C - -
Benzaldehyde E S
Benzaldehyde-disulfonic acid C - -
Benzamide C H
Benzanthrone C - -
Benzene (Benzol) V S F
Benzene Carbanol E - -
Benzene Carboxylic Acid V S
Benzene Hexachloride C - T
Benzene Sulfonic Acid 10% V -
Benzenecarbonitrile C - -
Benzidine C H C
Benzil C 0
BenzIlic Acid C H
Benzin B - -
Benzine ( gasoline) V O F
Benzo-tri-chloride C H

b o-ring
Benzocatechol C - -
Benzochloride V, E - -
Benzoic (Anhydride) C - -
Benzoic Acid (Solution) V S
Benzoic Acid over 250° F C O
Benzol (Benzene) V S F
Benzol Hydride E S
Benzolin V S
Benzonitrile C H T
Benzophenol V C
Benzophenone V C
Benzotrifluoride C O F
Benzoyl Chloride C D T
Benzoyl Peroxide * C S F, E
Benzoylsulfonic Acid C - -
Benzyl Acetate C S
Benzyl Alcohol V S
Benzyl Benzoate V O
Benzyl Bromide C O
Benzyl Butyl Phthalate C - -
Benzyl Cellulose C - -
Benzyl Chloride V O
Benzyl Phenol C S T
Benzyl Salicylate C O
Beryllium Chloride C C T
Beryllium Fluoride C C T
Beryllium Oxide C C T
Beryllium Sulfate C C T
Beta Carotene V - -

b o-ring
Bicarbonate of soda E, V C
Bichloride of Mercury E - -
Biphenyl V - -
Biphenyl Oxides V - -
Bischofite V, E - -
Bismuth Carbonate E, V O
Bismuth Nitrate* C D F
Bismuth Oxychloride C O
Bismuth Subcarbonate E, V O
Bismuthyl Carbonate E, V - -
Bittern C - -
Bivinyl V O F, E
Black Ash E, V - -
Black point 77 E, V - -
Black Sulphate Liquors E C
Black Sulphate liquors over 280° F. C C
Black Sulphite Liquors V C
Blanc Fixe, Synthetic E, V - -
Blank Fixe V - -
Blast furnace gas V - -
Bleach Liquor * E, V C F
Bleach solutions* E C T
Blend lube additive C - -
Blood E C
Blue Copperas E, V C T
Blue Coppreras E, V C
Blue Verdigris E - -
Blue Vitriol E C T
Boiled Linseed Oil V O

b o-ring
Boiler Feed Water (to 290 F. ) E C
Boiler feed water over 290°F C C
Bonderite Solutions V - -
Boracic Acid E, V H
Borax E, V C
Borax Solutions E, V C
Bordeaux mixture E, V - -
Boric Acid E, V H
Borneol C O F
Bornyl Acetate C O
Bornyl Alcohol C O F
Bornyl Chloride C O
Bornyl Formate C - F
Boron Bromide C D E
Boron Chloride C D T
Boron Fluids (HEF) V - -
Boron Fluoride C C T
Boron Hydride C C E
Boron Phosphate C C
Boron Tribromide C D E
Boron Trichloride C D T
Boron Trifluoride C C T
Boron Trioxide C - -
Boronated ashless C - -
Brake Fluid (non petroleum) E -
Brake fluid (petroleum) V - -
Bran Oil E - -
Bray GG-130 V - -
Brayco 719-R (WH 910) E - -

b o-ring
Brayco 885 (MIL-L-6085A) V - -
Bret 710 E - -
Bret 77 E - -
Brine, Sea Water E C
Brine-Calcium Chloride 30% E, V C -
Brine-Copper Chloride to 75% E, V C
Brine-Sodium Chloride E C
Brom 114 V - -
Bromic Acid C C T
Bromine Anhydrous Liquid V - -
Bromine Gas V - -
Bromine Pentafluoride C V E
Bromine Trifluoride C V E
Bromine Water V - -
Bromine* V S T
Bromobenzene V O
Bromobenzene Cyanide C - -
Bromochlorotrifluoroethane V - -
Bromoform C S T
Bromomethane V S
Bromotrifluoromethane C - -
Bronzing Liquid B - -
Brown Acetate E - -
Brown Stock E, V - -
Bruceite E - -
Brucine Sulfate C - -
Brucite E,V - -
Brudium V - T
Bunker C Fuel Oil #6 V O

b o-ring
Bunker Oil V O
Burnt Alum V, E - -
Burnt Lime E O F
Buryronitrile E - -
Butadien V O F, E
Butadien (Monomer) V, E - -
Butanal C S F
Butane V C F, E
Butane 2,2-Dimethyl V - -
Butanediols C - -
Butanoic Acid E, V - -
Butanoic Acid E, V C
Butanol (Butyl Alcohol) V - -
Butenedioic Acid V - -
Butoxethanol E - -
Butryolactone C - -
Butter Milk E, V C
Butter Of Antimony E - -
Butter-Aminal Fat E, V O
Butyl Acetate or N Butyl Acetate E S F
Butyl Acetyl - Ricinoleate E, V O
Butyl Alcohol V S T
Butyl Butanoate E, V - -
Butyl Carbitol E - -
Butyl Cellosolve E - -
Butyl Cellosolve Adipate E - -
Butyl CitratE C O
Butyl Ether E O F, E

b o-ring
Butyl Glycolate C - -
Butyl Hydrate V - -
Butyl Hydride V - -
Butyl Hydroxide V - -
Butyl Lactate C S
Butyl Mercaptan V S F
Butyl Methacrylate C O T
Butyl Oleate V O
Butyl Oxalate C - -
Butyl Oxide B - -
Butyl Phenols C O
Butyl Phthalate E - -
Butylene V O F
Butylene V O F
Butyraldehyde C S F
Butyric Acid V, E C
Butyric Aldehyde C S F
Butyric Anhydride C O
Butyrolactone C M
Butyroyl Chloride C M
Butyryl Chloride C M
Return to index

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/o-ring-selection/c.htm
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME
1 2 3
Cadmium Chloride C C T
Cadmium Cyanide E, V - T
Cadmium Nitrate C C F, E
Cadmium Oxide C O T
Cadmium Sulfate C C T
Cadmium Sulfide C O T
Cajeputene V - -
Cake Alum B - -
Calamine V - -
Calcine Liquors V, E - -
Calcium Acetate E C
Calcium Acid Sulfate E, V C
Calcium Benzoate C - -
Calcium Bicarbonate C - -
Calcium Bisulfate E, V C
Calcium Bisulfide E, V - -
Calcium Bisulfite E, V C
Calcium Bromide C C
Calcium Carbonate Slurry E, V C
Calcium Chlorate * C C F, E
Calcium Chloride E, V C
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Calcium Chromate C S C
Calcium Cyanide E C T
Calcium Dihydrogen Sulfite E, V C
Calcium Disulfate E, V - -
Calcium Fluoride C O T
Calcium Fluorphosphate V - -
Calcium Formate C - -
Calcium Gluconate C H
Calcium Hydrate E, V S
Calcium Hydride C D F
Calcium Hydrogen Sulfide E, V C
Calcium Hydrosulfide V C
Calcium Hydroxide E, V S
Calcium Hydrozide V, E - -
Calcium Hypochloride E, V - -
Calcium Hypochlorite* E, V D F
Calcium Hypophosphite C - -
Calcium Lactate C S
Calcium Magnesium Chloride C S
Calcium Metasilicate E, V C
Calcium Monoxide E - -
Calcium Naphthenate C - -
Calcium Nitrate* E, V S F
Calcium Oxide E C
Calcium Oxlate C O T
Calcium Oxychloride* E, V D F
Calcium Permanganate* C C F
Calcium Peroxide* C O F
Calcium Phenate C - -

Calcium Phenosulphonate C - -
Calcium Phosphate mono basic slurry E, V C
Calcium Propionate C C
Calcium Pyridine Sulfonate C - -
Calcium Salts E, V - -
Calcium Silicate E, V C
Calcium Stearate E, V O
Calcium Sulfaminate C - -
Calcium Sulfate E O
Calcium Sulfhydrate V C
Calcium Sulfide E, V S
Calcium Sulfite E, V S
Calcium Sulfonate C - -
Calcium Thiosulfate E, V C
Calcium Tungstate C S
Calciumn Carbide C D E
Caldium Oxide E - -
Calgon E - -
Caliche Liquors E, V - -
Calx E - -
Camphene C O F
Camphor C S F
Camphoric Acid C C
Candol V - -
Cane Sugar Liquors E, V C
Capric Acid C O
Caprilic Aldehyde E - -
Caprioc Aldehyde E - -
Caproic Acid C S

Caproic Aldehyde C O E
Caprol Hydride V - -
Caprolactam C C T
Capronaldehyde C - -
Caproyl Alcohol E - -
Capryl Alcohol B - -
Caprylic Alcohol E, V - -
Carbamate V - -
Carbamide E, V - -
Carbazotic Acid V C E
Carbinol E - -
Carbitol E - -
Carbolic Acid. (Phenol) V - -
Carbon Bisulphide V - -
Carbon Dioxide, Dry or wet V C
Carbon Disulphide V S
Carbon Fluorides C - -
Carbon Monoxide E, V S T
Carbon Oxychloride E S T
Carbon Tetrabromide C - -
Carbon Tetrachloride V O T
Carbonate of Soda C - -
Carbonated Beverages E M
Carbonic Acid E, V - -
Carbonic Anhydride E, V - -
Carbonyl Chloride E S T
Carbonyl Diamide E, V - -
Carboxy Benzene V S
Casein E, V O

Castor Oil V O
Catalyst Mixture C - -
Catsup V C
Caustic - Baryta E, V - -
Caustic Arsenic B D T
Caustic Chloride of Sodium C - -
Caustic Cyanogen C - -
Caustic Lime E, V - -
Caustic Potash E S T
Caustic Soda, E C
Caustic White water E C
Cellosolve E - -
Cellosolve Acetate E - -
Cellosolve Butyl E - -
Cellosolve Methyl C - -
Celluguard E, V - -
Cellulose Acetobutyrate C - -
Cellulose Ether C O
Cellulose Nitrate C O F, E
Cellulose Tripropionate C - -
Cellulube 300,500 E, V O
Cellulube 90, 100, 150, 220 E O
Cellulube A60 E O
Cellutherm 2505A V - -
Cerium Chloride C C
Cerium Fluoride C O T
Cerium Nitrate* C C F
Cerium Sulfate C C
Cerous Chloride C C

Cerous Fluoride C C T
Cerous Nitrate* C C F
Cetane (Hexadecane) V O O
Cetyl Alcohol C O F
Chaser ( aromatic oils) C - -
Chaulmoogric Acid C - -
Chemax hco-5 C - -
Chile Niter V, E - -
Chile Nitrate* E, V C F, E
Chile Saltpeter* E C F, E
China Clay (Kaoline) E O
China wood oil V O
China Wood Oil (Tung oil) V - -
Chloracetaldehyde C C
Chloracetaldehyde E - -
Chloracetic Acid E - -
Chloral C C
Chloramine C C
Chloranthaquinone C - -
Chlorate Of Lime E - -
Chlordane V O T
Chlorextol V - -
Chlorfoethylbenzene V - -
Chloric Acid * C - F
Chloride of lime E - -
Chlorinated Biphenyl V - -
Chlorinated Lime E, V D T
Chlorinated Salt Brine V C
Chlorinated Solvents, V - -

Chlorinated Water E M
Chlorine (Anhydrous or liquid)* V S F
Chlorine Dioxide* V D E
Chlorine Fluorides C - -
Chlorine Peroxide* V - F
Chlorine Trifluoride C - F
Chlorine water E C
Chlorine, Dry or wet * V S F
Chloro azotic Acid* V O T
Chloro nitrous Acid* V O T
Chloro Xylenois C - -
Chloro-Acetyl Chlorides C - -
Chloro-Alkyl Ethers C - -
Chloroacetic Acid E C
Chloroacetone E C
Chloroacetyl Chloride C - -
Chloroamino Benzoic Acid C - -
Chloroaniline C - -
Chloroazotic Acid V - -
Chlorobenzaldehyde C - -
Chlorobenzene (Mono-, Di-, Tri) V - -
Chlorobenzo-Chloride C - -
Chlorobenzo-Trifluoride C - -
Chlorobenzol V - -
Chlorobenzol V - -
Chlorobromomethane V - -
Chlorobromopropane C - -
Chlorobutadiene V - -
Chlorobutane C - -

Chlorobutanol V, C S T
Chlorodifluoromethane C S T
Chlorododecane V - -
Chloroethane E, V H F
Chloroethane Sulfonic Acid C - -
Chloroethanoic Acid V, E - -
Chloroethanol C - -
Chloroethyl Alcohol E - -
Chloroform V S T
Chlorohydrin C M
Chloromethane V S F
Chloromethyl V - -
Chloromethyl Ether C - -
Chloronitrobenzene C - -
Chloropentafluoro-ethane C O
Chloropentane V - -
Chloroprene V - -
Chloropropylene Oxide E O T
Chlororoformyl chloride E S T
Chlorosilanes C - -
Chlorosulphonic Acid E D T
Chlorotoluene V S T
Chlorotoluene Sulfonic Acid C H O
Chlorotoluidine C - -
Chlorotrifluoroethylene C D F
Chlorotrifluoromethane C -
Chlorous Acid * C - -
Chlorowax 500c C O
Chlorox V - -

Chlorpicrin C - -
Chlorxylois C - -
Cholesterol C - -
Chresylic Acid V - -
Chrome Acid, greater than 50% V C T
Chrome Alum E, V - -
Chrome Ammonium Alum B - -
Chrome Plating solutions V - -
Chromic Acid to 50% V C T
Chromic Chloride C O T
Chromic Fluorides C C T
Chromic Hydroxide C O O
Chromic Nitrates * C C E
Chromic Oxide .88 Wt. Aqueous Solution V, E O
Chromic Phosphate C O
Chromic Sulfate C O
Chromium Chloride C O T
Chromium Fluoride C C T
Chromium Potasium Sulfate E, V C T
Chromium Sulfate (Basic) C O
Chromium Trioxide C - -
Chromyl Chlorides C V T
Chrysolepic Acid V - -
Cider E C
Cinene V - -
Cinene V C
Cinnamic Acid C O
Circo light process oil V - -
Citric Acid V, E C

Citrous Oils V - -
Citrous Pectin Liquor B - -
Clay slurry E, O
Cleaners, Naptha V - -
Coal gas V - -
Coal Tar (Bunker C #6 fuel) V O
Coal Tar Creosote V O
Cobalt Acetate C C
Cobalt Chloride E, V C
Cobalt Chloride 2N C C
Cobalt Linoleate C O
Cobalt Naplthenate C - -
Cobalt Sulfate C - -
Cobaltous Acetate C C
Cobaltous Chloride E, V C
Coca - Cola E C
Coco Butter B - -
Cocoa Butter V - -
Cocoanut Oil E, V - -
Cocoanut-Fatty Acid V - -
Cod Liver Oil E, V -
Coffee E, V C
Coffee Extract E, V C
Coke oven Gas V - -
Coliche liquors E - -
Collodil Silica V - -
Colza Oil E, V - -
Component header C - -
Concrete E C

Condensate less than 280° F. E M
Condensate over 280°F C M
Convelex 10 V - -
Coolanol V - -
Copper Acetate E S
Copper Ammonia Acetate E - -
Copper Arsenate, Basic E, V O T
Copper Borofluoride E, V - -
Copper Carbonate E, V O T
Copper Chloride E, V C
Copper Cyanide E, V O T
Copper Fluoborate V - -
Copper Fluoride E, V S T
Copper Gluconate C C
Copper Lasur V - -
Copper Napthenate C O
Copper Nitrate V C E
Copper Nitrite V S
Copper Plating solution E, V - -
Copper Salts E, V - -
Copper Sulfide V O T
Copper Sulphate V, E C T
Copper Sulphate - Blue Vitrol E, V - -
Copperas E - -
Copra Oil E, V C
Core oil B - -
Corn Oil V O
Corn Starch Slurry E, V C
Corn Syrup V C

Cottonseed Oil V O
Creosois V - -
Creosols V O T
Creosote & Light Oil V O T
Creosote, Coal Tar V O T
Creosote, Wood V O T
Creosylic Acid V - -
Cresol M,O, or P V - -
Cresylic Acid E O
Croton oil V O T
Crotonaldehyde C C F
Crotonolic Acid C S T
Crude Oil V O
Cryolite V - -
Crystal Ammonia B - -
Cubic Niter E, V - -
Cubic Saltpeter E, V - -
Cubnic V E -
Cumaldehyde C O F
Cumene V O T
Cumene-Hydroperoxide * C S F
Cupric Acetate E - -
Cupric Arsenate E,V - -
Cupric Carbonate V - -
Cupric Chloride V - -
Cupric Cyanide E, V - -
Cupric Fluoride E, V - -
Cupric Nitrate E, V - -
Cupric Sulfate E, V C T

Cupric Sulfide V - -
Cupric Sulphate E, V C T
Cuprous Ammonia Acetate (CAA ) C - -
Cuprous Chloride V O E
Cuprous Oxide C - -
Cutting Oil V O
Cyanamide C C
Cyanic Acid E O E
Cyanide Acid Solutions E - -
Cyanide compounds E - -
Cyanoacetic Acid C C
Cyanogen Chloride C C T
Cyanogen Gas C - -
Cyanogen in Water C - -
Cyanohydrin C - -
Cyanuric Chlorides C C
Cyclic Esters E - -
Cyclododectriene C - -
Cyclohexane V O F
Cyclohexanol V S T
Cyclohexanol Esters C - -
Cyclohexanone E S T
Cyclohexatriene V - -
Cyclohexene C O F
Cyclohexylamine E C F
Cyclohexylamine Carbonate C - -
Cyclohexylamine Laurate C - -
Cyclopentadiene C - -
Cyclopentane V O F

Cyclopolyolefins C - -
Cymene V O
Return to index

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/o-ring-selection/d.htm
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
Danforth's Oil V - -
DBD E O T
DC 200, 510,710 E - -
Dcf 200 C - -
De-Butanizer Reflux V - -
De-Ethanizer Charge V - -
Dead Oil E - -
Decahydronaphthalene V O
Decalin V O
Decane V O
Decanol B O
Decene C O
Decylene C O
Defoamers (oil base) V O
Degreasing fluid V C
Dehydrated Alcohol E C
Dehydrated Alcohol E, V C
Deionized Water * E C
Delco Brake Fluid E O
Denatured Alcohol E, V C
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/o-ring-selection/d.htm (1 of 7) [7/21/03 11:18:17 AM]

Detergent, Water Solution E C
Developing Fluids (Photo) V C
Dextrin E, V - -
Dextro Lactic Acid C - -
Dextron V O
Dextrose E, V C
Diacetic Acid C C
Diacetone E - -
Diacetone Alcohol E M F
Diacetylmethane E S O
Dialkyl Sulfates C - -
Diallyl Ether C - -
Diallyl Phthalate C O F
Diamine E M E
Diaminoethane E - -
Diammonium Phosphate C - -
Diamyl Phenol V O T
Diamylamine E S
Diamylene V O F
Diatomaceous Earth E O O
Diazinon V S T
Diazon (insectacide) V - -
Dibenzofuran V O
Dibenzyl Ether E O
Dibenzyl Peroxide* C S F, E
Dibenzyl Sebacate V O O
Dibromethyl Benzene V O O
Dibromoethylbenzene V O
Dibromotetrafluoroethane E, V -

Dibutryl Cellosolve Adipate E - -
Dibutyl Ether E O F, E
Dibutyl Phthalate E O T
Dibutyl Sebacate E O
Dibutylamine C S
Dicalcium Phosphate V - -
Dicalite C O
Dichloro- Isoprpyl- Ether C O
Dichloro-Butane V O F
Dichlorobenzene V O
Dichlorodifluoromethane V C
Dichloroethane V S F
Dichloroethylene V S F
Dichlorohexane V - -
Dichloromethane V S
Dichloropentane V O
Dicyclohexylamine C S
Diesel Oil V O
Diester Lubricant MIL-L-7808 V O
Diester Synthetic Lubricants V O
Diethanolamine (DEA) C C
Diethyl Dioxide E - -
Diethyl Ether C S F
Diethyl Formaldehyde E - -
Diethyl Hydrazine E - -
Diethyl Maleate E C
Diethyl Oxide C S F
Diethyl Sebacate V - -
Diethyl Sulfate E O T

Diethylamine E M F
Diethylaniline E S
Diethylbenzene V O
Diethylcarbanol E, V - -
Diethylene Dioxide E M E
Diethylene Ether E M F
Diethylene Glycol E, V M O
Diethylene Oxide E M F
Diethylene Triamine E C T
Difluorodibromo-methane E - -
Dihydroxyethane E, V - -
Dihydroxypropane E, V - -
Dihydroxysuccinic Acid V - -
Diisobutyl Ketone E O T
Diisobutylene V - F
Diisodecyl Phthalate E O
Diisooctyl Sebacate V -
Diisoprene V - -
Diisopropyl Benzene V O
Diisopropyl Ether B M F
Diisopropyl Ketone E - -
Dilute Acids E - -
Dilute Alkalies E - -
Dimenthyl Formamide (DMF) E - -
Dimethyl V O F
Dimethyl aniline E S T
Dimethyl Acetamide E M T
Dimethyl amine C O F
Dimethyl carbinol V - -

Dimethyl henol V S T
Dimethyl ketol E M
Dimethyl Ketone E M F
Dimethyl methane V S F, E
Dimethyl ormamide E M
Dimethyl phthalate E O T
Dimethyl Polysiloxane E, V C
Dimethyl Polysilozane V - -
Dimethyl sulfoxide C M
Dimethyl Terephthalate V O
Dimethyl ther E C F
Dimethylbenzene V O F
Dinitrobenzene V S T
Dinitrochlorobenzene V S T
Dinitrotoluene C S T
Dioctyl Phthalate E O
Dioctyl Sebacate E O
Dioctyl-Amine C S
Dioform V - -
Dioxane E - -
Dioxolanes E C F
Dioxysuccinic Acid V - -
Dipentene V C
Dipentylamine E - -
Diphenyl V - -
Diphenyl dimide C O
Diphenyl Oxides V O
Diphenyl, Chlorinated V - -
Dipropyl V - -

Dipropyl methane B O F
Dipropyl Methane V O F
Dipropylene Glycol E C
Disodium Phosphate E, V C
Divinyl V O F, E
Divinyl Benzene V O E
DMF (Dimethyl Formamide) E M
DMP (Dimethyl Phthalate) E,V O T
DMT (Dimethyl Terephthalate) V O
Dodecanol B O
Dodecyl Alcohol B O
Dodecyl Benzene V -
Dodecyl Toluene V - -
Dolomite V -
DOP E O
Douglas Fir Oil W - -
Dow 209, 50% solution E O
Dow chemical 50-4 E - -
Dow ET588 E - -
Dow Guard E,V - -
Dow Per V - -
Dowanols E - -
Dowtherm, A,E or F less than 350°F V O
Dregs E,V - -
Drinking Water E C
Dry Cleaning Fluids V - -
DTE light oil E - -
Dye Colors V -
Dye Liquors + caustic boil out C -

Return to index

E
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
Effluent, Clarified E, V C
Effluent, Sludge E, V C
Elco 28-EP Lubricant V - -
Embalming fluid E - -
EMK E - -
Enamel B - -
Epichlorohydrin E O T
Epoxy Resins E - -
Epsom salts E, V C
Erythrene V O F, E
Esam 6 fluid E - -
Esso fluids and oils V - -
Esstic 42,43 V - -
Ethamine E - -
Ethanal E - -
Ethane V O F
Ethane Hydrate V O F
Ethane Nitrile E - -
Ethanedionic Acid V,E - -
Ethanoic Acid C M
Ethanoic Anhydride C - -
Ethanol E - -
Ethanol Amine E - -
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E
Ethanonitrile E - -
Ethanoyl Chloride V V F
Ethenyl Benzene >150F° C - -
Ethers C S F
Ethly Butanol B - -
Ethoxy Ethane C - --
Ethyl Acetate Organic Ester E S F,E
Ethyl acetic acid E,V C
Ethyl Acetoacetate E C
Ethyl Acrylate E C F
Ethyl Alcohol E M F
Ethyl Aldehyde E M F, E
Ethyl Amine E M F
Ethyl Benzene E, V O A
Ethyl Benzoate V O
Ethyl Bromide V S
Ethyl Butyl Alchol B S
Ethyl Cellosolve E - -
Ethyl Cellulose E O
Ethyl Chloride E, V H F
Ethyl Chlorocarbonate V D F
Ethyl Chloroformate V D F
Ethyl Cyanide E C F
Ethyl Cyclopentane V O
Ethyl Ethanoate E - -
Ethyl Ether C S F
Ethyl Formate V S F
Ethyl Hexanol E, V - -
Ethyl Hexyl Alcohol E, V - -

E
Ethyl Hydrate E - -
Ethyl Mercaptan V - -
Ethyl Methyl Ketone E - -
Ethyl Orthosilicate V - -
Ethyl Oxalate V - -
Ethyl Oxide gas C - -
Ethyl Pentachlorobenzene V - -
Ethyl Propyl Carbinol V - -
Ethyl Pyridine E - -
Ethyl Silicate V, E - -
Ethyl Sulfate E - -
Ethylacrylic Acid E - -
Ethylene V S F, E
Ethylene Alcohol E, V - -
Ethylene Bromide V S C
Ethylene Chloride (dry) V S F
Ethylene Chlorohydrin V M T
Ethylene Diamine E C T
Ethylene Dibromide V S C
Ethylene Dichloride V S F
Ethylene Glycol E,V C
Ethylene Oxide C M F
Ethylene Trichloride V - -
Ethylic Acid E - -
Ethylic Alcohol E - -
Ethylmorpholene Stannous Octoate

E,V - -
(50/50 mixture)
Ethyne (acetylene) E,V S F,E
Ethyrene V - -
Ex-Tri V - -

E
Return to index

f
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
Fat Lime E - -
Fatty Acids V - -
FC-43 Heptacosofluoro-tri -Butylamine E, V - -
Ferric Chloride * E, V O
Ferric Dichloride E, V - -
Ferric Nitrate E, V - -
Ferric Perchloride B - -
Ferric Persulfate B - -
Ferric Salts E, V - -
Ferric Sulfate E - -
Ferric Sulphate E - -
Ferric Trisulfate B - -
Ferriferous Chloride B - -
Ferriferous Persulfate B - -
Ferrous Salts E, V - -
Ferrous Ammonium Sulfate V - -
Ferrous Chloride E, V - -
Ferrous Hydroxide E, V - -
Ferrous Nitrate E, V - -
Ferrous Sulfate E, V - -
Ferrous Sulfide B - -
Fertilizer Salts W - -
Film Dope C - -
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f
Filter Alum B - -
Firedamp V - -
Fish Oil V - -
Fisher reagent E - -
Flaxseed Oil V - -
Flores Martis B - -
Fluoboric Acid E - -
Fluorinated Cyclic Esters E - -
Fluorine * C - F
Fluorocarbon oils E - -
Fluorochloroethylene V - -
Fluorolube E - -
Fluosilicic Acid E, V - -
Flurobenzene V - -
Formaldehyde E - -
Formaldehyde-Formalin Bu - -
Formaldehyde-Formalin <10% Bu - -
Formalin Bu - -
Formic Acid E - -
Formonitrile E, V - -
Freon BF V - -
Freon MF,PCA,TF B - -
Freon K-152A,K142B, C318 E - -
Freon 112 ,113 V - -
Freon 114 E, V - -
Freon 115 E, V - -
Freon 21 C - -
Freon 22 E - -
Freon 22 and ASTM Oil #2 (50/50 Mixture) N - -

f
Freon 31 E - -
Freon 32 E - -
Freon 114B2 V - -
Freon 13,13B1,14 E, V - -
Freon 12 and Suniso 4G (50/50 Mixture) V - -
Freon 11 with oil B - -
Freon 12 V - -
Freon 12 and ASTM Oil #2 (50/50 Mixture) V - -
Freon, 11 V - -
Fructose E, V - -
Fruit Juices (Concentrated) N - -
Fruit Juices (Dilute) N - -
Fuel Oil Acedic V - -
Fuel Oil #6 V - -
Fumaric Acid V - -
Fumarole Acid E, V - -
Fuming Sulphuric Acid (20/25% (Oleum)* V - -
Furan (Furfuran) C - -
Furane C - -
Furfuraldehyde E - -
Furfuryl Alcohol E - -
Furic Acid C - -
Furyl Carbinol E - -
Fusel Oil E, V - -
Fyrquel 150,220,300,550 E - -
Return to index

g
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
Gallic Acid V _ _
Gallotannic acid E, V - -
Gas Oil B - -
Gasoline-Refined V O F, E
Gasoline-Sour V O F
Gasoline-Tanker Service V O F
Gelatin E, V - -
Generator Gas V - -
German Saltpeter E, V - -
Gibbsite E - -
Girling brake fluid E - -
Glacial Acetic Acid E - -
Glauber's Salt V - -
Glucose E, V C
Glue E - -
Glue Sizing E - -
Glutamic Acid C - -
Glycerine E, V - -
Glycero Monochlorhydrin C - -
Glycerol E, V - -
Glycerol Dichlorhydrin C - -
Glycerol Triacetate C - -
Glycerophosphoric Acid C - -
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g
Glyceryl Hydroxide E, V - -
Glyceryl Phosphate C - -
Glyceryl Triacetate B - -
Glycidol C - -
Glycol Acetate E, V - -
Glycol Butyl Ether E - -
Glycol Chlorohydrin E - -
Glycol Diethylene E, V - -
Glycol Ether C - -
Glycol Ethylene B - -
Glycol Monoacetate E, V - -
Glycol Propylene E, V - -
Glycolic Acid E - -
Glycols E, V C
Glycoxal, 40% C - -
Glyoxylic Acid C - -
Gold Monocyanide E, V - -
Grain Mash E, V - -
Grape Juice E C
Grease (petroleum base) V O
Green Copperas V - -
Green Sulphate Liquor E H
Gulf Endurance oils V O
Gulf FR fluids E - -
Gulf GS-7050 Grease V S
Gun Cotton C O F, E
Return to index
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h
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
Halothane V - -
Halowax Oil V - -
Hannifin lube A V - -
HCL V - -
Heavy Water E - -
HEF-2 and -3 High Energy Fuel) V - -
Helium E, V - -
Hepar Calis E, V - -
Heptachlor C - -
Heptachlorobutene C - -
Heptaldehyde C - -
Heptalene B - -
Heptanal B - -
Heptane B O F
Heptanolic Acid C - -
Heptyl Aldhyde V - -
Heptyl Carbinol E - -
Heptyl Hydride V - -
Heptylene B - -
Hexachlorbutene C - -
Hexachloro Acetone E - -
Hexachlorobutadiene C - -
Hexachloroethane C - -
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h
Hexadecane V O
Hexadecanoic Acid V - -
Hexaethyl Tetra-phosphate C - -
Hexafluoroethane C - -
Hexafluoroisopropanol C - -
Hexafluoroxylene C - -
Hexahydrobenzene V - -
Hexahydrophenol V - -
Hexalin V - -
Hexamethylene V - -
Hexamethylene Diamine C - -
Hexamethylene Tetramine E - -
Hexamethylenediamine Dimmonium
C - -
Adipate
Hexamethylenediamine Tetramine
C - -
(Urotropine)
Hexamethylphosphoramide C - -
Hexamine E - -
Hexane V - -
Hexanedioic Acid C S
Hexanol V - -
Hexanol Tert V - -
Hexone E - -
Hexyl Acetate C - -
Hexyl Alcohol V - -
Hexyl Hydride B - -
Hexylene V - -
Hexylene Glycol V - -
Hexylresorcinol C - -
Hi-Tri V - -
High Viscosity Lubricant U4,H2 E, V - -

h
Hilo MS#1 E - -
Home Heating Oil V O
Honey E, V H
Houghto-Safe 271 (Water and Glycol

E, V - -
Base)
Hydrargylite E - -
Hydrargyrum E, V - -
Hydrated Baryta E, V - -
Hydrated Lime E, V - -
Hydratite Liquid V - -
Hydraulic Fluids Pydrauls & Skydrauls) E - -
Hydraulic Oil ( Phosphate Ester) E - -
Hydraulic Oil (Petroleum Base) V O
Hydrazine E M E
Hydrazine Hydrachloride C - -
Hydrazine Hydrate C M F
Hydrazine, Unsynmmetrical Dimethyl C - -
Hydrazino Benzene W - -
Hydriodic Acid E, V - -
Hydro-Drive, MIH 50,MIH 10 (Petroleum

V O -
Base)
Hydroabietyl Alcohol C - -
Hydrobromic Acid E, V - -
Hydrobromic Acid Gas V - -
Hydrobutanedioic Acid V - -
Hydrocarbons, Alicylic V O -
Hydrocarbons, Aliphatic V O -
Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated V O -
Hydrocarbons, Light V O -
Hydrocarbons, Normal V O -
Hydrocarbons, Olefinic V O -

h
Hydrocarbons, Saturated V O -
Hydrochloric Acid Concentrated V - -
Hydrochloric Acid 3 Molar E, V - -
Hydrocyanic Acid E, V - -
Hydrofluoric Acid, * V - -
Hydrofluoric Acid, Anhydrous* V - -
Hydrofluosilic Acid E, V - -
Hydrogen Bromide V - -
Hydrogen Chloride gas E - -
Hydrogen Cyanide E - -
Hydrogen Dioxide V - -
Hydrogen Fluoride V - -
Hydrogen Gas E, V - -
Hydrogen Oxide E, V - -
Hydrogen Peroxide * V - F
Hydrogen Sulphide E - -
Hydrolube E, V - -
Hydrolube (Water and Ethylene Glycol) E, V - -
Hydroquinone V - -
Hydroxether E - -
Hydroxy Succinic Acid V - -
Hydroxy Toluene V - -
Hydroxy-2-Propane E C
Hydroxyacetic Acid (Hydro - Acetic) C - -
Hydroxyacetone E C
Hydroxybenzene V - -
Hydroxybutane E, V - -
Hydroxycitronellal C - -
Hydroxyethyl Acetate E, V - -

h
Hydroxyformic Acid E, V - -
Hydroxyoctane B - -
Hydyne E - -
Hyjet - S lll or W E - -
Hypnone E S
Hypo E,V - -
Hypochlorous Acid V - -
Hypoid Lubes V - -
Return to index

l
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
Lacquer Solvents C - -
Lacquers C - -
Lacquers with Ketone solvents C O
Lactams-Amino Acid E - -
Lactic Acid hot W - -
Lactic Acid cold E, V - -
Lactol V - -
Lactones (Cyclic Esters) E - -
Lard, Animal Fat E O
Latex V O
Laughing Gas E, V - -
Lauric Acid V - -
Lauryl Alcohol B - -
Lavender Oil V - -
Lead Acetate E - -
Lead Arsenate C - -
Lead Azide C - -
Lead Bromide C - -
Lead Carbonate C - -
Lead Chloride E, V - -
Lead Chromate C - -
Lead Dioxide C - -
Lead Linoleate C - -
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l
Lead Napthenate C - -
Lead Nitrate E - -
Lead Oxide C - -
Lead Salts E, V - -
Lead Sulphamate E, V - -
Lead Sulphate E, V - -
Lead Tetraethyl V - -
Lehigh X1169 V - -
Lehigh X1170 V - -
Lemon Oil V - -
Leucogen E, V - -
Levolinic acid V - -
Levulinic Acid C - -
Light Analine V - -
Light Grease V O
Light Petroleum Gas (LPG) V O
Ligroin (Petroleum Ether or Benzine) V O
Lime (Calcium Oxide) E - -
Lime Bisulfite V - -
Lime Bleach V,E - -
Lime Hydrate E,V - -
Lime Nitrate E,V - -
Lime Saltpeter E.V - -
Lime Slurries E - -
Lime Soda E - -
Lime Sulphur E,V - -
Lime Water E C
Lime, Caustic E, V - -
Limestone E, V - -

l
Limonene V - -
Limonene V C
Lindol (TCP) C - -
Lindol, Hydraulic Fluid (Phosphate Ester

E - -
Type)
Lineoleic Acid C - -
Linseed Oil V O
Liquid Oxygen C - -
Liquid Petroleum Gas V O F
Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) V O F
Liquid Rosin V - -
Liquid Soap E, V C
Liquimoly V - -
Liquor- Black (sulfite) <350°F V C
Liquor- Black (sulfite) >350°F C H
Liquor-Black (sulphate) <280°F E C
Liquor-Black (sulphate) >280°F C H
Liquor-Green < 280° F E C
Liquor-Green > 280° F C H
Liquor-White <280° F . E C
Liquor-White >280° F C H
Lithium Bromide Brine E, V - -
Lithium Carbonate C - -
Lithium Chloride E, V - -
Lithium Citrate C - -
Lithium Hydroxide E - -
Lubricating Oils,Di-Ester V O
Lubricating Oils,Petroleum Base V O
Lubricating Oils,SAE 10,20,30,40,50 V O
Lye Solutions E S T
Return to index
l

m
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
Machine Oil V O
Maddrell's Salt E, V - -
Magnesium Acetate E - -
Magnesium Ammonium sulfate E, V - -
Magnesium Bisulfite E - -
Magnesium Carbonate V - -
Magnesium Chloride E, V - -
Magnesium Citrate E, V - -
Magnesium Dioxide E, V - -
Magnesium Hydrate E - -
Magnesium Hydroxide E, V - -
Magnesium Nitrate E - -
Magnesium Oxide E, V - -
Magnesium Salts E, V - -
Magnesium Sulphate E, V - -
Magnesium Sulphite E. V - -
Maize Oil V O
Malathion V - -
Maleic Acid V - -
Maleic Anhydride V - -
Malic Acid V - -
Malonyl Nitrile E - -
Malt Beverage E C
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m
Manganese Chloride V - -
Manganese Nitrate B - -
Manganese Salts V - -
Manganese Sulfide V - -
Manganese Sulfite V - -
ManganeseSulfate E, V - -
Maple Sugar Liquors E, V C
Marsh Gas V - F, E
Mash B - -
Mayonnaise V C
Mcnalliumoxide V C
MCS 312 V - -
MCS 352 E - -
MCS 463 E - -
MEA (Monoethanolamine) E - -
Mecuric Sulfate E, V - -
Mecurous salts E, V - -
Medthyl Acetone E - -
Melamine Resins E - -
Mercaptans C - -
Mercuric Chloride E, V - -
Mercuric Cyanide E, V - -
Mercurous Nitrate E, V - -
Mercury E, V O T
Mercury Bichloride E, V - -
Mercury Chloride E, V - -
Mercury Salts V - -
Mercury Vapors E, V - -
Mesityl Oxide (Ketone) E - -

m
Methadiene V - -
Methallyl Alcohol B - -
Methanal E, V - -
Methanamide E - -
Methane V - F, E
Methanoic Acid E - -
Methanol E - -
Methenyl Trichloride V S T
Methyl Acetate E - -
Methyl Acetoacetate E - -
Methyl Acrylate E - -
Methyl acrylic Acid E - -
Methyl Alcohol E - -
Methyl amine E O F,T
Methyl Amyl Alcohol B - -
Methyl Amyl Carbinol B - -
Methyl Benzene V - -
Methyl Benzoate V - -
Methyl Bromide V - -
Methyl Butanol B - -
Methyl butyl ketone E - -
Methyl Carbonate V - -
Methyl Cellosolve E - -
Methyl Cellulose B - -
Methyl Chloride V S E
Methyl Chloroform V - -
Methyl Chloroformate V - -
Methyl Cyanide E C T, F
Methyl Cyclopentane V - -

m
Methyl Dibromide V - -
Methyl Dichloride V - -
Methyl Ether V, E C F
Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) E O F, E
Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide* C - -
Methyl Formate N - -
Methyl Hexane V - -
Methyl Hexanol B - -
Methyl Hydrate B - -
Methyl Hydride V - -
Methyl Hydroxide B - -
Methyl Iodide E - -
Methyl Isobutenyl Ketone(MIBK) C - -
Methyl Isopropyl Ketone E - -
Methyl Mercaptan E - -
Methyl Methacrylate C - -
Methyl Methane V - -
Methyl Oleate V - -
Methyl Oxide E, V C F
Methyl Phenol V - -
Methyl Phenol Ether C O
Methyl Phenyl Ketone E - -
Methyl Polysiloxanes E, V - -
Methyl Propanol E, V - -
Methyl Propyl Carbinol B - -
Methyl Propyl Salicylate E - -
Methyl Sulfoxide C - -
Methylacetal E - -
Methylated Spirits E - -

m
Methylene Bromide C - -
Methylene Chloride V S
Methylene Dichloride V - -
MIL H 22251 E - -
MIL H 7083 E - -
MIL P 27402 E - -
Milk E, V C
Milk of lime E - -
Milk Of Magnesia E, V C
Mine Water E, V C
Mineral Naptha V - -
Mineral Oils V O
Mineral Pitch V O
Mineral Spirits V O
Minesate, Sunoco 3XF V - -
Miribilite E,V - -
Mixed acids C - -
Mobil oil SAE 20 V O
Mobilgas WA200 Typ A automatic

V O
transmission fluid
Molasses V H
Molten Sulfur <350°F V O
Molybdic Acid E, V - -
Molysite E, V - -
Mono bromo benzene V - -
Mono chloro acetic Acid E - -
Mono chloro acetone E - -
Mono chloro benzene V - -
Mono chloro difluoro methane E - -

m
Mono chloro ethane V - -
Mono chloro phenol V - -
Mono ethanol amine E - -
Mono ethyl amine E - -
Mono isopropanol Amine C - -
Mono methyl Amine E - -
Mono methyl Analine E - -
Mono methyl aniline V - -
Mono methyl Ether E, V - -
Mono methyl Hydrazine E - -
Mono nitro chloro benzene V - -
Mono vinyl Acetylene V - -
Mono vinyl Arsenate E, V - -
Monoammonium Phosphate E - -
Monsel's Salt E, V - -
Mopar Brake Fluid E - -
Morrhua Oil E, V - -
Mosaic Gold B - -
Motor Oil V O
Mullite (clay) E O
Muriate Of Ammonia E, V - -
Muriatic Acid E, V - -
Mustard E, V C
Return to index

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/o-ring-selection/n.htm
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
Napalm V - F
Naphtha V - F
Naphthalene V - -
Naphthalenic V - -
Naphthenic Acid V - -
Natural Gas V O F, E
Neatsfoot Oil V - -
Neohexane V - -
Neon E, V - -
Neosol B - -
Neville Acid V - -
Niacin E - -
Nickel E, V - -
Nickel Acetate E - -
Nickel Ammonia Sulfate V - -
Nickel Chloride E, V - -
Nickel Nitrate E, V - -
Nickel Plating Solution B - -
Nickel Salts E,V - -
Nickel Sulfate -E,V - -
Nickel Sulphate E,V - -
Nicotine V - -
Nicotine Bentonite B - -
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Nicotine Sulfate B - -
Nicotinic Acid E - -
Niter Cake E,V - -
Niter-potassium Nitrate E,V - -
Niter-sodium Nitrate E - -
Nitrating Acid N - -
Nitric Acid to 100%* C1 - F
Nitro carbol E - -
Nitro benzene V - -
Nitro benzine V - -
Nitro benzol V - -
Nitro calcatite E, V - -
Nitro cellulose C O F, E
Nitro Cotton C O F, E
Nitro ethane C - -
Nitro hydrochloric acid V O T
Nitro methane E - -
Nitro muriatic Acid V - -
Nitro propane E - -
Nitrogen Gas E, V - -
Nitrogen Monoxide E, V - -
Nitrogene Tetroxide C - -
Nitrous acid V - -
Nitrous Monoxide E, V - -
Nitrous Oxide E, V - -
Nitroxanthic Acid V - -
Nonanoic Acid B - -
Nonenes B - -
Norge Niter E, V - -

Norge Saltpeter E, V - -
Norway Saltpeter E, V - -
Noryl G.E. phenolic E - -
NRRO V - -
Nut Oil V - -
Nutra sweet E, V - -
Return to index

o
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
Oil, Corn V - -
Oil, Asphalt Base V O
Oil, Bay V - -
Oil, Bone V - -
Oil, Castor V - -
Oil, Cinammon V - -
Oil, Citric V - -
Oil, Clove V - -
Oil, Cocanut V - -
Oil, Cod Liver V - -
Oil, Cotton Seed V - -
Oil, Creosote V - -
Oil, diesel V - -
Oil, Ginger E, V - -
Oil, Hydraulic (petroleun base) V - -
Oil, Lemon V - -
Oil, Linseed V - -
Oil, Lubricating V - -
Oil, MIneral V - -
Oil, Mineral Base V - -
Oil, Mirbane V - -
Oil, Olive V - -
Oil, Orange V - -
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o
Oil, Palm V - -
Oil, Peanut V - -
Oil, Peppermint V - -
Oil, Petroleum Crude V - -
Oil, Pine V - -
Oil, Rapeseed E, V - -
Oil, Red V - -
Oil, Rosin V - -
Oil, Sesamee Seed V - -
Oil, Silicone E, V - -
Oil, Soybean V - -
Oil, Sperm V - -
Oil, Tanning V - -
Oil, Turbine V - -
Oil, Turpentine V - -
Oil, Ucon V - -
Oil, Vegetable V - -
Oil, Vitriol V - -
Oleic Acid V - -
Oleum (Fuming Sulfuric Acid) * V O F
Oleum Lini V - -
Oleum Spirits V - -
Oleyl Alcohol C - -
Olive Oil V - -
Oronite 8200 V - -
Oronite 8515 V - -
Orthcarsenic Acid E, V C T
Ortho Chloranaline C - -
Ortho Chloro ethyl benzene V - -

o
Ortho Chloro phenol C - -
Ortho Cresol C - -
Ortho Dichlor benene V - -
Ortho dichloro benzol V - -
Ortho Nitro toluene C - -
Ortho Phosphoric Acid V - -
Orthoboric Acid E, V - -
Orthoxylene V - -
Oxalic Acid (Weak) E, V - -
Oxy ethylene Succinic Acid V - -
Oxygen to 210 F E, V - -
Ozone E, V - -
Return to index

p
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
2-Propanone E M F
n- Propyl Acetone E - -
n-Propyl Acetate E - -
Paint Thinner, Duco V - -
Palm Oil V - -
Palmetic Acid V - -
Palmitic Acid V - -
Paper stock E O
Par aldehyde C - -
Par-al-ketone C - -
Para xylene V - -
Para cymene V - -
Para Dichloro benzol V - -
Para thion C - -
Para-acetylphenetidin C S
Para-Amino benzoic Acid C - -
Para-Amino salicylic Acid C - -
Para-Bromo benzyl penyl ether C - -
Para-Chloro phenol C - -
Para-Cresol C - -
Para-Diaminodiphenyl C H C
Para-Dichloro benzene V - -
Para-ethoxyacetanilide C S
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Para-Formaldehyde C - -
Para-Nitro analine C - -
Para-Nitro benzoic Acid C - -
Para-Nitro phenol C - -
Para-Toluene Sulfonic Acid C - -
Paraffin (Molten) V - -
Parker O Lube V - -
Patent Alum E, V - -
Peanut Oil V - -
Pearl Ash V, E - -
Pectin Liquor V - -
Pella Oil V - -
Penta chloro diphenol V - -
Penta chloro ethane C -
Penta chloro phenol C - -
Penta erythritol C - -
Penta erythritol Tetranitrate C - -
Pentane 2 Methyl or 3 Methyl V - -
Pentane (Liquid) V C F, E
Pentane 2-4 Dimethyl V - -
Pentane n-Penta V - -
Pentanedione 2-4 E S
Pentanoic Acid E - -
Pentyl Penta noate C - -
Peppermint Oil V - -
Per fluoro tri ethylamine C - -
Per manganic acid C - -
Per sulfuric Acid C - -
Peracetic Acid C - -

p
Peralgonic Acid C - -
Perchloric Acid-2N * V - -
Perchloro ethylene to 170° F V - -
Perchloro methane V O T
Perester C - -
Peroxide* V - -
Peroxydol E, V - -
Peroxyhydrate B - -
Perphosphate E, V - -
Peru Saltpeter E, V - -
Petrol V - -
Petrolatum V - -
Petrolene V - -
Petroleum Ether V - -
Petroleum Jelly V - -
Petroleum Oil, Crude V - -
Petroleum, Naptha V - -
Phen oxy benzene V - -
Phenacetin C S
Phene V - -
Phenol V C
Phenol (10% Aqueous) V - -
Phenol Sulfonic Acid C - -
Phenol-Formaldehyde C - -
Phenolic Sulfonate C - -
Phenoxin V - -
Phenyl Acetate C S
Phenyl Acetamide C - -
Phenyl Acetic Acid E - -

p
Phenyl Amine E - -
Phenyl Benzene V - -
Phenyl Bisulfide V - -
Phenyl Cellosolve E, V - -
Phenyl Chloride V - -
Phenyl Ethane V - -
Phenyl Ether V - -
Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol C - -
Phenyl Ethyl Ether C - -
Phenyl Ethyl Molonic Ester C - -
Phenyl Ethylene V - -
Phenyl Formic Acid V - -
Phenyl glycine C - -
Phenyl Hydrazine V - -
Phenyl Hydride V - -
Phenyl Hydroxide V - -
Phenyl Mercuric Acetate C - -
Phenyl Methane V - -
Phenyl Methyl Ketone E S
Phenyl Sulfonic Acid V - -
Phenylene Diamine C - -
Phenylic Acid V - -
Phorne C - -
Phorone E- - -
Phosgene gas or liquid E S T
Phosphate Esters E - -
Phosphoric Acid (crude) V - -
Phosphoric Acid Triphenyl Ester E, V - -
Phosphorous Pentoxide E, V - -

p
Phosphorous Trichloride E, V - -
Photagraphic Developers V - -
Photogen V - -
Photographic Emulsion E, V - -
Phthalate Esters C - -
Phthalic Acid E, V - -
Phthalic Acid Anhydride E - -
Phthalic Anhydride E - -
Phthalic Terephthalic Acid C - -
Pickle Alum E, V - -
Pickling Solution V - -
Picoline, Alpha E - -
Picric Acid, H20 Solution V C E
Picric Acid, Molten V C E
Pimelic Ketone E - -
Pimilic Ketone E - -
Pine Oil V - -
Pinene V - -
Piperazine C - -
Piperdine C - -
Piric Acid Molten C - -
Piric Acid Water Solution C - -
Pitch V - -
Plasticizer C - -
Plating Solutions, Antimony V - -
Plating Solutions, Arsenic V - -
Plating Solutions, Brass E, V - -
Plating Solutions, Bronze E, V - -
Plating Solutions, Cadmium E, V - -

p
Plating Solutions, Chrome E, V - -
Plating Solutions, Cobalt C - -
Plating Solutions, Copper E - -
Plating Solutions, Gold E, V - -
Plating Solutions, Indium V - -
Plating Solutions, Iron V - -
Plating Solutions, Lead E, V - -
Plating Solutions, Nickel E, V - -
Plating Solutions, Others E, V - -
Plating Solutions, Platinum V - -
Plating Solutions, Rhodium E, V - -
Plating Solutions, Silver E, V - -
Plating Solutions, Tin E, V - -
Plating Solutions, Zinc E. V - -
Pneumatic Service V - -
Poly Butadiene C - -
Poly Ethylene C - -
Poly Ethylene Terephthalate C - -
Poly Glycerol C - -
Poly Gycols E, V - -
Poly Isobutylene C - -
Poly Isoprene C - -
Poly Methyl Methacrylate C - -
Poly Proplylene C - -
Poly Styrene C - -
Poly Vinyl Acetates E - -
Poly Vinylidene Chloride C - -
Polyester Monomers C - -
Polyethylene Glycol E, V - -

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Polyv Vinyl Alchol V - -
Potash E, V - -
Potash Alum E, V - -
Potash Caustic E - -
Potasium Aluminum Sulfate E, V - -
Potasium Thiosulphate V - -
Potassium Chromic Sulfate E, V - -
Potassium Stannate C - -
Potassium Acetate E - -
Potassium Acid Sulfate C - -
Potassium Alum E, V - -
Potassium Antimonate C O -
Potassium Bicarbonate E, V - -
Potassium Bichromate E, V - -
Potassium Bifluoride C - -
Potassium Bisulfate E, V - -
Potassium Bisulfite E, V - -
Potassium Bitartrate C - -
Potassium Borates E, V - -
Potassium Bromate E, V - -
Potassium Bromide E, V - -
Potassium Carbonate E, V - -
Potassium Chlorate E, V - -
Potassium Chloride E. V - -
Potassium Chromate E, V - -
Potassium Citrate C - -
Potassium Cupro Cyanide E, V - -
Potassium Cyanide E, V - -
Potassium Dichromate E, V - -

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Potassium Diphosphate C - -
Potassium Ferricyanide E, V - -
Potassium Ferrocyanide C - -
Potassium Fluoride E, V - -
Potassium Glucocyanate C - -
Potassium Hydrate Z S
Potassium Hydrogen C - -
Potassium Hydroxide E - -
Potassium Hypochlorite E - -
Potassium Iodate C - -
Potassium Iodide E, V - -
Potassium Metra bisulfite C - -
Potassium Metra silicate C - -
Potassium Monochromate C - -
Potassium Muriate E, V - -
Potassium Nitrate E, V - -
Potassium Nitrite E, V - -
Potassium Per fluoro acetate E - -
Potassium Per manganate * B - -
Potassium Perchlorate V - -
Potassium Peroxide* C - -
Potassium Persulfate E, V - -
Potassium Phosphate,Di or Tri E, V - -
Potassium Rhodanid C - -
Potassium Salts E, V - -
Potassium Silicate E, V - -
Potassium Sodium Tartrate C - -
Potassium Stearate C - -
Potassium Sulfate E - -

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Potassium Sulfate Hydroxide C - -
Potassium Sulfide E, V - -
Potassium Sulfite E, V - -
Potassium Sulphate E, V - -
Potassium Sulphite E, V - -
Potassium Tartrate C - -
Potassium Triphosphate E, V - -
Potato Oil E, V - -
Potato Spirit E, V - -
Potsassium Oxalate C - -
Poyassium Pyrosulfate C - -
Prestone Antifreeze E, V - -
PRL - High Temp. Hydr. Oil. V - -
Producer Gas V - -
Propane V S F,E
Propane Propionitrile V - -
Propanediol E, V - -
Propanetriol E, V - -
Propanol E, V - -
Propene V - -
Propene Nitrile C O F
Propenoic Acid C M
Propenoic Acid Nitrile C - -
Propenol E, V - -
Propenol V - -
Propenyl Hydrate E, V - -
Propio nitrile E - -
Propion Aldehide E - -
Propionic Acid E - -

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Propy Benzene C - -
Propyl Acetate E - -
Propyl Acetone E - -
Propyl Alchol E, V - -
Propyl Alcohol E, V - -
Propyl Amine C - -
Propyl Amine E - -
Propyl Cyanide E - -
Propyl formic Acid E, V C
Propyl Nitrate E - -
Propyl Propionate C - -
Propylene V - -
Propylene Carbonate C - -
Propylene Chloride C - -
Propylene Dichloride V - -
Propylene Glycol B - -
Propylene Oxide E - -
Propylene Polymer C - -
Prussic Acid E, V - -
Pulp Stock E - -
Pydraul, 135, A200, 312 V - -
Pydraul, 150 E,V - -
Pydraul, AC, F9, 600, 625 V - -
Pyracetic Acid V - -
Pyranol V - -
Pyranol, Transformer oil V - -
Pyrene V - -

p
Pyrex V - -
Pyridine Oil E - -
Pyridine Sulfate C - -
Pyridine Sulfonic Acid C - -
Pyrite B - -
Pyroacetic Spirit E - -
Pyrogallic Acid V - -
Pyrogallol V - -
Pyrogallolcarboxylic Acid V - -
Pyrogard 42,43,53,55 (Phosphate Ester) E - -
Pyrogard C, D V - -
Pyroligneous Acid E - -
Pyroligneous Spirit B - -
Pyrolube V - -
Pyrosulfuric Acid C - -
Pyrosulfuryl Chloride C - -
Pyroxylic Spirit B - -
Pyruvic Acid E C
Return to index

r
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
Quicklime E - -
Quicksilver E, V - -
Quinine C - -
Quinine Bisulphate E, V - -
Quinine Hydrochloride C - -
Quinine Tartrate C - -
Quinizarin C - -
Quinne Sulphate E, V - -
Quinoine C - -
Quinone A - -
Radiation E - -
Raffinate C - -
Range Oil E O
Rape Oil E, V - -
Rapeseed Oil E, V - -
Raw Linsed Oil V - -
Red Oil RJ-I (MIL-F-25558) V - -
Red Oil RP-I (MIL-R-25576) V - -
Red Oil (Mil-H-5606 B - -
Refined Linseed Oil V - -
Resins less than 350 F° V - -
Resorcinol V - -
Retinol V - -
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Rhigolene V - -
Rhodan Salts E, V - -
Rhodium C - -
Riboflavin C - -
Ricinoleic Acid C - -
Ricinus Oil V - -
Road binders V - -
Rock Salt E, V - -
Roman Vitriol E, V - -
Rose Oil V - -
Rosin Oil V - -
Rosin Size E, V - -
Rosins E, V - -
Rotenone And Water E, V - -
Rum E, V C
Rust Inhibitors V - -
Saccharose E, V - -
Saccharum Solutions E, V - -
Safety Kleen (mixed solvents) C - -
Sal Ammonia E, V - -
Sal Ammoniac E, V C
Sal Chalybdis E, V - -
Sal Soda E, V - -
Sal Tartan E, V - -
Sal Volatile E, V - -
Salad Dressing V C
Salicyladehyde E, V - -
Salicylic Acid E, V - -
Salimiak E, V - -

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Saliter E, V - -
Salt E, V - -
Salt Brine Z - -
Salt Cake E, V - -
Salt Of Lemery E, V - -
Salt Of Tartar E, V - -
Salt Of Vitriol E, V - -
Salt Water E - -
Saltpeter- Calcium Nitrate Potsassium

E, V - -
Nitrate or Sodium Nitrate
Sand Acid (Fluorosilicacid) V - -
Santo Safe 300 V - -
Sea (Salt) Water E - -
Seed oil E, V - -
Sesame seed Oil V - -
Sewage E - -
Shale Naptha V, E - -
Shellac V - -
Sherwood Oil V - -
Shortening V - -
Sieman's Gas V - -
Silent Spirit E - -
Silicate Esters V - -
Silicate Of Soda E, V - -
Silicic Acid E, V - -
Silicofluoric Acid V - -
Silicone Fluid E - -
Silicone Greases E, V - -
Silicone Oils E, V - -
Silver Acetate V - -

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Silver Cyanide E, V - -
Silver Nitrate E, V - -
Silver Salts E, V - -
Silver Sulfate E, V - -
Skelly, Solvent B,C,E V - -
Skydrol 500 E - -
Skydrol 7000 E - -
Slaked Lime E, V - -
Sludge Acid E - -
Soap Liquor V - -
Soap Solutions E, V - -
Soda E, V - -
Soda ,Baking E, V - -
Soda Ash E, V - -
Soda Niter E, V - -
Soda Saltpeter E, V - -
Soda, Caustic E - -
Soda, Lime E - -
Soda, Washing E - -
Sodan B - -
Sodium to 350° F. V - -
Sodium Acetate E - -
Sodium Acid Carbonate E, V - -
Sodium Acid Sulfate E, V - -
Sodium Allum E, V - -
Sodium Aluminate E, V - -
Sodium Aluminum Sulfate E, V - -
Sodium Arsenate V - -
Sodium Benzoate E, V - -

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Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) E, V - -
Sodium Bichromate E, V - -
Sodium Bisulfate E, V - -
Sodium Bisulfite E, V - -
Sodium Borate E, V C
Sodium Borohydride V - -
Sodium Bromides E, V - -
Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash) E, V - -
Sodium Chlorate C - -
Sodium Chloride E, V - -
Sodium Cyanide E - -
Sodium Diphosphate B - -
Sodium Ethoxide B - -
Sodium Ferricyanide E, V - -
Sodium Ferrocyanide E, V - -
Sodium Fluoaluminate E, V - -
Sodium Fluoborate V - -
Sodium Fluoride E, V - -
Sodium Hexa meta\ phosphate E, V - -
Sodium Hydrate E, V - -
Sodium Hydrochlorite V - -
Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate E, V - -
Sodium hydrogen Sulfate E, V - -
Sodium Hydrosulfite E, V - -
Sodium Hydroxide E C
Sodium Hypochlorite < 20% V - -
Sodium Hypochlorite > 20 % C - -
Sodium Metaphosphate E, V - -
Sodium Metasilicate V - -

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Sodium Nitrate E, V - -
Sodium Nitrite E, V - -
Sodium Perborate E, V - -
Sodium Peroxide * E, V - -
Sodium Phosphate (Mono) E, V - -
Sodium Phosphate (Tribasic) E, V - -
Sodium Phosphate Dibasic) E, V - -
Sodium Plumbite B - -
Sodium Polyphosphate E, V - -
Sodium Pyroborate E, V - -
Sodium Salts E, V - -
Sodium Silicate E, V - -
Sodium Subsulfite E, V - -
Sodium Sulfhydrate E - -
Sodium Sulfide E, V - -
Sodium Sulfite E, V - -
Sodium Sulphate E, V - -
Sodium Sulphide & Sulphite V - -
Sodium Superoxide V - -
Sodium Tetraborate (Borax) E - -
Sodium Thiocyanate E, V - -
Sodium Thiophosphates E, V C
Sodium Thiosulfate E, V - -
Sodium Triphosphates B - -
Sodium Tripolyphosphate B - -
Solene V - -
Soluble Glass E - -
Solvents, General C - -
Sorgum V - -

r
Sour Crude Oil N - -
Sour Natural Gas N - -
Sovasol No. 73 & 74 V - -
Sovasol No. 1,2& 3 V - -
Soy Sauce V - -
Soya Oil V - -
Soybean Oil V - -
Spent sulfite liquor V - -
Sperm Oil V - -
Spirit E, V - -
Spirits Of Turpentine V - -
Spry V - -
SR-10 Fuel V - -
SR-6 Fuel V - -
Standard Oil Mobilube GX-90 EP Lube V - -
Stannic Chloride E, V - -
Stannic Fluoborate V O -
Stannic Salts V - -
Stannic Sulfide B - -
Stannous Chloride 15% E, V - -
Stannous Sulfide B - -
Starch Gum E, V - -
Starch Slurry E, V - -
Starch Syrup E, V - -
Stauffer 7700 V - -
Steam, Below 300F E - -
Stearic & Oleic Acid C - -
Stearic Acid B - -
Stearin E - -

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Steep Liquor (Water) C - -
Stoddard Solvent V - -
Styrene (Monomer) V - -
Styrene (Monomer) above 150 F C - -
Styrene Polymer V - -
Succinic Acid E, V - -
Sucrose Solution E, V C
Sucrose Solutions V - -
Sugar Of Lead E - -
Sugar Solutions E, V C
Sulfamic Acid V - -
Sulfate Liquors E - -
Sulfite Liquors V - -
Sulfolane V - -
Sulfonic Acid C - -
Sulfuric Acid greater than 50% C - -
Sulfuric Acid V - -
Sulfuric Acid Diethyl Ester E - -
Sulfuric Chlorohdrin E D T
Sulfurous Anhydride V - -
Sulphite Liquors V - -
Sulphite Pulp V - -
Sulphur E, V - -
Sulphur Chloride V - -
Sulphur Dichloride V - -
Sulphur Dioxide E - -
Sulphur Hexafluoride E - -
Sulphur Liquors V - -
Sulphur Molten < 350°F V - -

r
Sulphur Trioxide * dry or wet C - -
Sulphuric Acid *greater than 50% C1 - -
Sulphuric Acid Fuming * C1 - -
Sulphurous Acid V - -
Sunsafe (Fire Resist. Hydr. Fluid) V - -
Super Shell Gas V - -
Swan Finch EP Lube C - -
Sym-tetrabromethane E, V O T
Sym-tetrachloroethane W S T
Syrup (High Sugar) V - -
Return to index

t
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
Table salt E, V - -
Tail liquor V - -
Tall oil B - -
Tallol B - -
Tallow B - -
Tan V - -
Tannic Acid E, V - -
Tannin E, V - -
Tar Camphor V - -
Tar, Bituminous V - -
Tar, Hot (350 F max.) V - -
Tartaric Acid V - -
Terpene V - -
Terpineol V - -
Tertiary Butyl Calectechol V - -
Tertiary Butyl Mercaptan V - -
Tertiary Butyl Alcohol V - -
Tetra bromo ethane V - -
Tetra butyl Titanate V - -
Tetra chloro ethane V - -
Tetra chloro ethylene V - -
Tetra chloro methane V - -
Tetra decanol B - -
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Tetra ethyl Lead V - -
Tetra ethyl Lead blend V - -
Tetra ethyl Orthosilicate B - -
Tetra ethylene Glycol V - -
Tetra hydro furan E - -
Tetra hydro naphthalene V - -
Tetra methylene Oxide E - -
Tetralin V - -
Tetrane V - -
Thenardite E, V - -
Therminol <350°F V O F
Thio Acid Chloride C - -
Thio amyl Alcohol C - -
Thio diacetic Acid C - -
Thio ethanol C - -
Thio glycolic Acid C - -
Thio phosphoryl Chloride C - -
Thiokol E, V - -
Thionl Chloride V - -
Thionyl Chloride C - -
Thiophene C - -
Thioreau C - -
Thorium Nitrate C - -
Tide water oil V - -
Tiglic Acid C S T
Tin Ammonium Chloride C - -
Tin Bichloride V - -
Tin Chlorides V - -
Tin Crystals V - -

t
Tin Dichloride V - -
Tin Protochloride V - -
Tin Salts V - -
Tin Tetrachloride E, V - -
Tincal E, V - -
Titanic Acid C - -
Titanium Dioxide E - -
Titanium Salts V - -
Titanium Sulfate C - -
Titanium Tetrachloride V - -
Tolu quinone C - -
Toluene sulphonic Acid C- - -
Toluene Bisodium Sulfite C - -
Toluene Diisocyanide E - -
Toluene Sulfonamide C - -
Toluene Sulphfonyl Chloride C - -
Toluene-Toluol V - -
Toluidine C - -
Toluidine C - -
Toluol V - -
Tolylaidehyde C - -
Tomato Juice B - -
Torula Yeast V - -
Town Gas V - -
Toxaphene C - -
Transformer Oil V - -
Transmission Fluid Type A V - -
Tri alkyl pentaborane V - -
Tri ammonium Phosphate E, V - -

t
Tri bromethyl benzene C - -
Tri but oxyethyl Phosphate E, V - -
Tri calcium Phosphates V - -
Tri chloro acetic Acid E - -
Tri chloro benzene V - -
Tri chloro ethane V - -
Tri chloro ethane, Dry V - -
Tri chloro ethane, Wet V - -
Tri chloro ethanol amine C - -
Tri chloro ethylene V - -
Tri chloro ethylene, Dry V - -
Tri chloro ethylene, Wet V - -
Tri chloro fluoro methane B - -
Tri chloro methane V S T
Tri chloro monofluoro methane V - -
Tri chloro nitro methane C - -
Tri chloro trifluororthane C - -
Tri cresyl Phosphate V, E - -
Tri ethanol amine V - -
Tri ethyl Aluminun V - -
Tri ethyl Borane V - -
Tri ethyl Phosphate C - -
Tri ethylamine V - -
Tri ethylene Glycol V - -
Tri ethylene tetramine C - -
Tri fluorethane V - -
Tri fluoro acetic Acid C - -
Tri fluoro choloro ethylene C - -
Tri fluoro ethane V - -

t
Tri fluoro methane C - -
Tri fluoro vinyl Chloride V - -
Tri hydrox benzoic Acid E, V - -
Tri methyl benzene C - -
Tri methyl methane V - -
Tri methyl pentane V - -
Tri methylene Glycol E, V - -
Tri octyl Phosphate E - -
Tri poly phosphate E - -
Tri potassium Phosphate C - -
Tri sodium Phosphate C - -
Tri sodium Phosphate E - -
Tri-normal-butyl Phosphate E - -
Triacetin E - -
Triaryl Phosphate E, V - -
Triazane E - -
Tributly Phthalate E - -
Tributyl Amine C - -
Tributyl Citrate C O
Tributyl Mercaptan V - -
Tributyl Phosphate E - -
Trichloro acetyl Chloride C - -
Trichloro-tert-butyl Alchol C S T
Trichloropane V - -
Trii sopropyl benzyl chloride C - -
Trinidad Pitch V - -
Trinitrophenol V, E - -
Trinitrotoluene V - -
Tritium C - -

t
Tung Oil (China Wood Oil) V - -
Turbine Oil V O
Turbine Oil #15 (MIL-L-7808A) V O
Turbo Oil #35 V O
Turpentine V - -
Turps V O
Type I Fuel(ASTM Ref. Fuel A) V O
Type I Fuel(MIL-S-3136) V O
Type II Fuel MIL-S-3136 V O
Type III Fuel MIL-S-3136 V O
Return to index

u
EXPLOSIVE
CHEMICAL NAME 1 2 3
Ucon Hydrolubes V - -
UDMH V - -
Undecycenic Acid C - -
Undecylic Acid C - -
Univis 35 (mineral oil) V - -
Univis 40 (hydraulic Fluid) V - -
Unslaked Lime E - -
Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine

E - -
(UDMH)
Uranium C - -
Uranium Hexachloride V - -
Uranium Sulfate C - -
Urea E, V - -
Urea Carbamate E - -
Urea Formaldehyde B - -
Urine E, V - -
Valeric Acid E - -
Vanadium Oxide C - -
Vanadium Pentoxide C - -
Vanilla Extract B C
Varnish V O
Vasoline V O
Vegetable Juices V - -
Vegetable Oil E, V - -
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u
Versilube F-50 V - -
Vinegar E, V - -
Vinyl Acetate E, V - -
Vinyl Acrylate C - -
Vinyl Benzene V - -
Vinyl Benzoate C - -
Vinyl Chloride, C - -
Vinyl Cyanide C O F
Vinyl ethylene V O F, E
Vinyl Fluoride V - -
Vinyl Pyridine C - -
Vinyl Toluene V - -
Vinyl Trichloride V - -
Vinylidene Chloride V - -
Vitriol, Oil of V - -
VV-H-910 E, V - -
Wagner 21B Brake Fluid E O
Walnut Oil V O
Washing Soda E, V O
Water Glass E, V - -
Water, Acid mine E C
Water, Deionized * E C
Water, Distilled E C
Water, to 280 F E C
Wax E, V O
Wemco C V - -
Whey V - -
Whiskey & Wines V - -
White Copperas E, V - -

u
White Lead Sulfate V - -
White liquor E - -
White Oil V - -
White Pine Oil V - -
White Spirit V - -
White Vitriol E, V -
White water E C O
Whiting E, V - -
Wines E, V C
Wolmar Salts E, V - -
Wood Alcohol E C
Wood ether E, V C F
Wood Oil V - -
Wort N C
Xenon E, V - -
Xylene V O F
Xylidines C - -
Xylol V - -
Yeast E, V - -
Zeolites C - -
Zeolites E, V - -
Zinc Acetate E - -
Zinc Ammonium Chloride C - -
Zinc Carbonate C - -
Zinc Chloride E, V - -
Zinc Chromate C - -
Zinc Cyanide C - -
Zinc Diethyl dithio carbamate C - -
Zinc Dihydrogen Phosphate C - -

u
Zinc Fluoro silicate C - -
Zinc Hydrosulfite E - -
Zinc Napthenate C - -
Zinc Nitrate B - -
Zinc Oxide C - -
Zinc Phenol sulfonate C - -
Zinc Phosphate C - -
Zinc Salts E, V - -
Zinc Silico fluoride C - -
Zinc Stearate C - -
Zinc Sulfide C - -
Zinc Sulphate E, V - -
Zirconium Nitrate C - -
Return to index

Dyamic Elastomer
D036. DYNAMIC ELASTOMER
The rubber part that has to move to move or flex to compensate for seal face wear or shaft movement.
A rubber bellows is a common dynamic elastomer in low cost seal designs.
It is important that the bellows attaches to the shaft and provides the torque needed at the seal faces, so be
very careful about the type of lubricant put on this bellows during the assembly process.
See: rubber bellows seal.
O-rings are usually the best choice because of the wide

variety of materials available, ease of installation, and they
can flex before they are required to roll preventing some
fretting problems.
In this drawing the dynamic elastomer (O-ring) is located

between the inner and outer sleeve.
The static elastomer seals the inner sleeve to the shaft.
The squeeze or interference fit of this dynamic elastomer is much less than that shown in conventional O-
ring charts.
O-ring charts reference static and reciprocating elastomers. Mechanical seal companies have established
their own rules for dynamic O-ring interference fits on polished shafts or sleeves.
The metal bellows seal allows you to eliminate the dynamic

elastomer completely.
to prevent seal hang up or hysteresis. They must also be free to flex and roll to compensate for
mechanical seal face wear.
Static O-rings do not have to move. They are used as a gasket and are a lot more forgiving than dynamic
O-rings because a small amount of swell can be tolerated that might even improve their sealing.
Return to index

SPECIAL ELASTOMERS
SE001. THE SPECIAL ELASTOMERS
The special elastomers chart shown below is unique in that it shows you where these "super compounds"
cannot be used. This does not imply that if the chemical is not listed, or if no notation is made, that the
compound is suitable for your service. It means nothing more than what it says. These are the chemicals
that each manufacturer has designated as not suitable for a dynamic, or moving O-ring application.
● A = Aflas
● C = Chemraz
● F = Fluoraz
in your plant, or test the O-ring in your fluid to be sure.
If there is any question about the use of one of these compounds in a given service you can test the
compound by immersing the O-ring in the fluid to be tested for about ten days to two weeks. If the fluid
is going to attack the compound, the O-ring it will change weight, shape, or appearance. If the
application is going to be at a hot temperature, you might want to put the test container in an oven to
duplicate the seal operating conditions
CHEMICAL NAME F C A C*
Acetaldehyde
c n
Acetate Solvents
n c
Acetic Anhydride
c c
Acetone,Dry
n n
Acetyl Acetone
n
Acid, Acetic - hot or cold concentrated

n n c
Acid, Acetic - cold dilute

c n
Acid, Acetic 10% Sodium Chloride

c
Acid, Acrylic
n n
Acid, Alkyl-arylsuphonic
n
Acid, Chloroacetic( Ethyl Chloracetic)

n
Acid, Chlorosulfonic - cool <50%

c
Acid, Chromic
c
Acid, Hydrochloric concentrated and cold

n n
Acid, Hydroxyacetic
n
Acid, Monochloric Acetic

n
Acid, Nitric (fuming) hot

c
Acid, Phenyl Acetic

n
Acid, Pyrogallic
n
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SPECIAL ELASTOMERS
Acid, Pyroligneous
n
Acid, Stearic (Octadecandic Acid)

c
Acid, Sulfonic 140°F dilute

c
Acid, Terephthalic
c
Aerozene 50 (50% hydrazine, 50% UDMH)

c c
Acetyl Acetone
n
Acetylene
n n
Acrylonitrile
c
Aldehyde
c
Alkly Amine
n n
Alkyl-arylsulphonics
n
Alkyl Acetone
c
Alkyl Benzene
n
Alkyl Chloride
n n n
Alkylate, Light
n
Aluminum Hydroxide
c
Amines, Mixed (EG:Allyl, Ethyl, Etc.)

c
Amine. N-Butyl
c
Aminobenzoic Acid
n n
Aminopyridine
n n
Ammonia Gas, dry

c
Ammonium Bicarbonate (Aqueous)

n
Ammonium Carbonate
n
Ammonium Chloride (Sal Ammonia)

n
Ammonia, Anhydrous Liquid

c
Ammonia + Lithium metal solution

c n n
Ammonium Hydroxide (concentrated)

n n
Ammonium Nitrate (Mono, Di & Tri Basic)

n
Ammonium Phosphate
n n

SPECIAL ELASTOMERS
Ammonium Thiocyanate
c
Amyl Acetate
n
Amyl Nitrate
n
Anti Freeze ( Water,Alchol or Glycol)

c
Antimony Trioxide
n n
Arochlor 1248
n
Aqua Regia
c n
Barium Hydroxide
c
Benzaldehyde
n c c c
Benzene (Coal Tar Product) (Benzol)

n n
Benzene?Methanol 30/70 or 50/50

c
Benzene Sulfon ic Acid

n n
Benzine (Petroleum Product)

c n
Benzol
n
Benzol Chloride
n n
Benzyl Alchol
n n
Benzyl Benzoate
n n
Black Liquor
n n
Bleach Soluions
n n
Blood
c
Borax Solutions
n n
Bordeaux Mixture
n n
Brine
n n
Brine, Chloride
c
Bromine Anhydrous
n n
Bromine, Wet
c
Bromine Pentafluoride
n c
Bromine Trifluoride
n c
Bromo Methane
c

SPECIAL ELASTOMERS
Bunker C Fuel Oil

n n
Butadiene
n
Butyl Acetate
n n
Butyl Amine
c
Butyl Phthalate
n
Butyraldehyde
n n
Caproic Acid
c
Carbon Bisulphide
n
Carbon Dioxide (Dry or wet)

c
Carbon Tetrachloride (Anhydrous) >10%

n n
Cadmium Cyanide
n n
Calcine Liquors
n
Calcium Arsenate
n n
Calcium Hydroxide
c
Camphor
n n
Cane Sugar Liquors

n n
Caprolactam
n n
Carbon Bisulfide
n n
Carbon Tetrachloride
c c
Caustic Cyanogen
n
Chlorine (Dry or wet)

n n c
Chlorine Dioxide
n c
Chlorine Trifluoride
n c
Chloroacetone
n
Chloroaniline
n n
Chlorobenzene
c
Chloroform
n n
Chlorohydrin
n n
Chloropicrin
c

SPECIAL ELASTOMERS
Chlorosulfonic Acid
c
Chromium Potassium Sulphate (Aqueous) 10%

c
Coal Tar
n n
Coppper Acetate (Blue Verdigris)

n
Copper Ammonium Acetate (Aqueous) CAA

n
Coppper Cyanide
c
Creosote (coal tar)

n n
Cresol (Methol Phenol)

n n
Cupric Sulphate (Aqueous)

c
Cupros Ammonia Acetate (Aqueous)

n
Cyanide (Aqueous)
n
Cyanogen in water
n
Cyanogen Chloride
n n
Cyclohexane
c
Cyclohexanone
c c c
Cyclohexene (Tetrahydrobenzene)
n
Cycloxexanone
c
DDT solution (Toluene Solvent)

n
DDT soplution (Kerosene Solvent)

n
Diacetone Alchol
n
Diazinon
n n
Dibutyl Cellusolve Adipate

n
Dibutyl Phthalate
c
Dibromoethyl Benzene
n
Dibutylether
n
Dichlorobenzene
n
Dichloroethane
n
Diesel Fuel #2
n
Diethyl Sulfate
n n

SPECIAL ELASTOMERS
Diethyl Ether
n n
Diethylamine
n n
Diethylbenzene
n n
Diethylene Glycol
n n
Di-isobutyl Ketone
n
Di-sopropyl Ketone
n
DI Water
n
Dimethyl Formaldehyde
n
Dimethyl Formide (DMF)

n n
Dimethyl Hydrazine (UDMH)

n
Dimethyl Phthalate
c
Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO)

n n
Dinitrochloro Benzene & Styrene

n
Dinitro-Chloro-Benzene (DNCB)
n
Dinitrotoluene
n
Dioxane
n
Diphenyl
n c
Diphenyl Oxide
c
Dow Chemical 50-4 ET588

c c
Dow Chemical ET 378

c c
Dowtherm A (Dry)
c
Drinking Water
c
Dry Cleaning Fluids

c c
Epichlorohydrin
c c
Ether
n
Ethyl Acetate
n n
Ethyl Acrylate
n
Ethyl Benzene
n c
Ethyl Benzoate
c n

SPECIAL ELASTOMERS
Ethyl Cellosolve
n
Ethyl Chlorocarbonate
c
Ethyl Chloroformate
c
Ethyl Ether (Ethyl Oxide)

n
Ethyl Formate
c n
Ethyl Pyridine
n
Ethylene (Ethene)
n
Ethylene Diamine
c c
Ethylene Dichloride
n
Ethylene Oxide
n n n
Ethylene Oxide + Freon 12 12/80 concentration

n
Ethylene Trichloride
n
FC-43 Heptacosofluorotributylamine
n n
FC 75
n n
Fluorolube
c c c
Formaldehyde (Methanol)
c n n
Formalin 40% concentration

n
Formamide
n n
Formic Acid
c c c
Freon TF
n
Freon 11 & Refrig. oil

n c c

n c c

n
Freon 112 with or without oil

c c

n n n

n n n
Freon 114B2
n n
Freon 115
n n
Freon 142B
n n

SPECIAL ELASTOMERS
Freon C318
n n
Freon MF (F11)
c c
Freon PCA
n n
Freon TF
n n
Freons, Liquid
n
Fuel B or C
n
Fufural
c
Furaldehyde
c c
Furfuraldhyde
c c
Fuming Sulfuric Acid (20-25% Oleum)

c c n
Gasoline Aromatic
c n c n
Gasoline, 100 & 130 Octane

c n c n
Gasoline, Hi test with Mercaptan, Dydrogen Sulfide

c n n
Green Sulfate Liquor

c n
Halothane
c c
Halowax Oil
c c
Heptane
n n
Hexachloro Acetone
n n n
Hexane
c c
Hexene (Butylethylene)
n
Hexone
n
Hydrazine (mineral filled compound)

c c c
Hydrogen Chloride Gas

c
Hydrogen Cyanide
n n
Hydrogen Peroxide >90%

n c
Hydroquinol
c c
Hydroquinone
c c
Ink
n
Insecticides both Aromatic and Non-aromatic

n

SPECIAL ELASTOMERS
Iodine Pentafloride
n c
Iodoform
n
Iso-Amyl Acetate
n
Isobutane
n
Isobutylene
n
Isobutyraldehyde
c n
Isobutyl Methyl Ketone

n
Iso-Octane
c c
Isopentane
n
Isophorone
c
Isopropyl- Acetate
n
Isopropyl- Acetone
n
Isopropal-Amine
c
Isopropyl-Chloride
n
Isopropyl-Ether
n n
JP-3,4,5,6, or x
c c
KEl-F Liquids
n n
Kerosene
c n c n
Lacquer (MEK Solvent)

n
Lacquer thinner
n
Lead Acetate, Liquid

n
Lead, molten
n
Lead Nitrate
c
Lead Oxide
n n
Lme Bleach
c
Liquid Oxygen
n n c
Liquor, Pulp mill

c
Liquor, Steep
c
Liquor, Sulphate
c

SPECIAL ELASTOMERS
Lithium Hydroxide
n n
Lye
n
Manganese
n n
Magnesium Hydroxide
c
Maleic Hydrazide
c
Marsh gas (Methane)

n
Marsh, with solvent

n
Mayonnaise
n
Melamine Resins
n
Mercaptan
n
Mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT)
n n
Mesityl Oxide (Ketone)

n n
Methacrylic Acid
c
Methane (marsh gas)

n
Methyl Acetate
n
Methyl Acrylate
n
Methy Butyl Ketone

n
Methyl Chloride
n
Methyl Chloroform
n
Methyl Cyclopentane
n
Methyl Dichloride
n
Methyl Ether
n
Metyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK)

n n
Methyl Formate
n
Methyl Isobutyl Ketone (MIBK)

n n
Methyl Isopropyl Ketone

n
Methyl Salicylate
n
Methylene Chloride (Dichloromethane)

n c
Methylene Dichloride
n

SPECIAL ELASTOMERS
MIL-23699 Lubricants
n n
MIL-L-7808 Lubricants
n n
Monobromobenzene
c
Monochlorobenzene
n
Monomethyl Hydrazine
c c
Naphthalene
n c
Nickel Acetate
n
Nitric Acid Fuming

c c n
Nitric Acid 98%

c c
Nitric Acid 20%

c c
Nitro Chloroform
c
Nitro Ethane
n c
Nitro Methane
n
Nitro Propane
c c
Nitrogen Tetroxide
n c
NMP
c
Oil, Kerosene
c
Oleic Acid
n n
Oleum
n
Orthodichloro Benzene
c
OS 45 type IV
n
Oxygen, liquid
n n c
Ozone
c
Para-Al-Ketone
n n
Paracymene
c
Para-Dichlorobenzene
c n
Penicillin, Liquid
n
Pentaerythritol
n n
Perchlorethylene
n

SPECIAL ELASTOMERS
Perchloric Acid
c
Peroxide Of Hydrogen, cold >90%

n
Petroleum Ether
n
Phenol Formaldehyde Mix

c
Phosphate Tributyl
n
Photographic Developers
c
Phthalate Dibutyl
c
Phthalate Dioctyl
c
Phthalic Esters
n
Phthalic Anhydride (Anhydrous)

c n n
Pickiling Solution
n n
Pineridine
c
Polyphenyl Ether
n
Poly Vinyl Acetate

n
Potassium Hydroxide
c
Potassium Perfluoro Acetate

n
Propiolactone, beta 70°F

c
Propionaldehyde
n
Popylene Glycol
n n
Propylene Oxide
n
Pydraul 230C, 312C & 540C

c c
Pydraul 29ELT, 30E, 50E, 65E & 90E

c c
Pydraul 10E
c c
Pydraul 115E
c c
Pyridine
c
Pyridine opil
c
Radiation
c c
Raffinate
c
Rescorcinol
n n

SPECIAL ELASTOMERS
Salt Water
c
Sea Water
c
Sewage
c
Shellac
n
Skydrol 55 B4
c
Slop Distillers
c
Soap Solutions
c
Sodium Acetate (Anhydrous)

c
Sodium Chlorite (10%)

c
Sodium Cyanide (Aqueous)

n
Sodium Hydroxide
n
Sodium Metasilicate
c
Return to index

gr010
GR010.
PROPERTIES OF WATER FROM 32°F. (0°C.) TO 705°F.

(374.1°C.)
Return to index

gr012
GR012.
SPECIFIC SPEED DATA
Return to index

gr013
GR013.
VAPOR PRESSURES FOR VARIOUS LIQUIDS

-180°F TO 60°F
* John Cockayne of the SAIC Company, informs that the chart shows two zero labels on the right side. The
bottom zero should be interpreted as 1 inch of mercury.
Return to index

gr015
GR015.
VISCOSITY CORRECTION CHART
Return to index

gr016
GR016.
THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HEAD, CAPACITY,

HORSEPOWER, AND EFFICIENCY
Return to index

gr017
GR017.
PUMP CURVE, INCH DIMENSIONS
Return to index

gr018
GR018.
PUMP CURVE, METRIC DIMENSIONS
Return to index

gr019
GR019.
Return to index

gr020
GR020.
Return to index

w011
W011. WINDOW
Refers to the distance the pump can operate of its best efficiency point (BEP.) without causing damage to
the shaft, mechanical seal, bearings, etc.
Most American National Standards Institute (ANSI) pumps recommend operation no more than 10%
from the best efficiency point (BEP.).
Return to index

NPSHA
N001. NPSHA. CALCULATING NET POSITIVE SUCTION HEAD AVAILABLE IN USCS

(INCH) UNITS
The definition of net positive suction head available (NPSHA) is simple to understand:
NPSHA = Atmospheric pressure(converted to head) + static head + pressure head - the vapor pressure of
your product - the friction losses in the piping, valves and fittings.
But to really understand it you first have to understand a couple of other concepts:
● Cavitation is what net positive suction head (NPSH) is all about, so you need to know a little
about cavitation.
● Vapor pressure is another term we will be using. The product's vapor pressure varies with the
product's temperature.
● Specific gravity plays an important part in all calculations involving liquid. You have to be
familiar with this term.
● You must be able to read a pump curve to learn the net positive suction head required (NPSHR)
for your pump.
● You need to understand how the liquid's velocity affects its pressure or head.
● It is important to understand why we use the term "Head" instead of "Pressure" when we make
our calculations.
● "Head loss" is an awkward term, but you need to understand it.
● You have to be able to calculate the head loss through piping, valves and fittings.
● You must know the difference between gage pressure and absolute pressure.
● Vacuum is often a part of the calculations so you are going to have to be familiar with the terms
we use to describe vacuum.
Lets look at each of these concepts in a little more detail:
● Cavitation means cavities or holes in liquid. Another name for a hole in a liquid is a bubble so
cavitation is all about bubbles forming and bubbles collapsing.
● Bubbles take up space, so the capacity of our pump drops.
● Collapsing bubbles can damage the impeller and volute. That makes cavitation a problem for both
the pump and the mechanical seal.
● Vapor pressure is about liquids boiling. If I asked you "at what temperature does water boil?" You
could say 212° F. or 100° C., but that is only true at atmospheric pressure. Every product will boil
(make bubbles) at some combination of pressure and temperature. If you know the temperature of
your product you need to know its vapor pressure to prevent boiling and the formation of bubbles.
In the charts section you will find a typical vapor pressure chart for several common liquids.
● Specific gravity is about the weight of the fluid. Using 4°C (39°F) as our temperature standard we
assign fresh water a value of one. If the fluid floats on this fresh water its specific gravity is less
than one. If the fluid sinks in this water the specific gravity of the fluid is greater than one.
● Look at any pump curve and make sure you can locate the values for head, capacity, best
efficiency point (BEP), efficiency, net positive suction head (NPSH), and horsepower required. If
you cannot do this have someone show you where they are located.
● Liquid velocity is another import concept. As a liquid's velocity increases, its pressure (90° to the
flow) decreases. If the velocity decreases, the pressure increases. The rule is: velocity plus
pressure must remain a constant.
● "Head" is the term we use in place of pressure. The pump will pump any liquid to a given height
or head depending upon the diameter and speed of the impeller. The amount of pressure you get
depends upon the weight (specific gravity) of the liquid. The pump manufacturer does not know
what liquid the pump will be pumping so he gives you the head that the pump will generate. You
have to figure out the pressure using a formula described later on in this paper.
● Head (feet or meters) is a convenient term because when combined with capacity (gallons or
pounds per minute or cubic meters per second) you come up with the conversion for horsepower
(foot pounds per minute or Kg. meters/minute).
● "Head loss through the piping, valves and fittings" is another term we will be using. Pressure drop
is a more comfortable term for most people, but the term "pressure" is not used in most pump
calculations, so we substitute the term "head drop" or "loss of head" in the system. To calculate
this loss you will need to be able to read charts like those you will find in the charts section.
● Here are some you will be using:
❍ !.250 to 1.500 inch pipe, GR021
❍ 2.000 to 2.500 inch pipe, GR022
● Gage and absolute pressure are sometimes confusing. Add atmospheric pressure to the gage
pressure and you get absolute pressure.
● Vacuum is defined as less than atmospheric pressure. At sea level atmospheric pressure is 29.9
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/n-html/n001.htm (1 of 5) [7/21/03 11:20:10 AM]
NPSHA
inches or 14.7 psi. (760 mm or 1 bar). Vacuum gages are normally calibrated in inches or
millimeters of mercury.
To calculate the net positive suction head available (NPSHA) of your pump and determine if you are
going to have a cavitation problem, you will need access to several additional pieces of information:
● The curve for your pump. This pump curve is supplied by the pump manufacturer. Someone in
your plant should have a copy. The curve is going to show you the net positive suction head
required (NPSHR) for your pump at a given capacity. Each pump is different so make sure you
have the correct curve for your pump and use the numbers for the impeller diameter mounted on
your pump. Keep in mind that this net positive suction head required (NPSHR) was for cold, fresh
water.
● A chart or some type of publication that will give you the vapor pressure of the fluid you are
pumping. You will find two in the charts section labeled "Vapor pressure- various liquids".
● A chart to show the possible reduction in NPSH required if you are pumping hot water or light
hydrocarbons. I will cover this subject in great detail in another section of this book
● You need to know the specific gravity of your fluid. Keep in mind that the number is temperature
sensitive. You can get this number from a published chart, ask some knowledgeable person at
your plant, or take a reading of the fluid using a hydrometer.
● Charts showing the head loss through the size of piping you are using between the source and the
suction eye of your pump. You will also need charts to calculate the loss in any fittings, valves, or
other hardware that might have been installed in the suction piping. You will find examples of
these charts in the charts and graphs section.
● Is the tank you are pumping from at atmospheric pressure, or is it pressurized in some manner.
Maybe the tank is under a vacuum?
● You need to know the atmospheric pressure at the time you are making your calculation. We all
know atmospheric pressure changes through out the day, but you have to start somewhere.
● The formulas for converting pressure to head and head to pressure in the USCS system are as
follows:
❍ sg.= specific gravity

❍ pressure = pounds per square inch
❍ head = feet
● You also need to know the formulas that show you how to convert vacuum readings to feet of
head. Use one of the following formulas:
There are different ways to think about net positive suction head (NPSH) but they all have two terms in
common.
● Net positive suction head available (NPSHA)

● Net positive suction head required (NPSHR)
Net positive suction head required (NPSHR) is defined as the net positive suction head at which the
pump total head (first stage head in multi stage pumps) has decreased by three percent (3%) due to low
suction head and resultant cavitation within the pump. This number is shown on your pump curve, but it
is going to be too low if you are pumping hydrocarbon liquids or hot water.
Cavitation begins as small harmless bubbles before you get any indication of loss of head or capacity.
This is called the point of incipient cavitation. Testing has shown that it takes from two to twenty times
the net positive suction head required (NPSHR) to fully suppress incipient cavitation. The actual amount
depends upon the impeller shape (specific speed number) and operating conditions.
To stop a product from vaporizing or boiling at the low pressure side of the pump; net positive suction
head available (NPSHA) must be equal to or greater than the net positive suction head required
(NPSHR)).
As I mentioned at the beginning, NPSHA is defined as:

NPSHA
Atmospheric pressure (converted to head) + static head + pressure head - the vapor
pressure of your product - loss in the piping, valves and fittings
In the following paragraphs you will determine if you have a problem with net positive suction head
available (NPSHA). Here is where you locate the numbers to put into the formula shown above:
● Atmospheric pressure. Convert the pressure to head using one of the following formulas.
❍ sg.= specific gravity

❍ head = feet
● Static head. Measure it from the centerline of the pump suction to the top of the liquid level. If the
level is below the centerline of the pump it is a negative or minus number.
● Pressure head. Convert the gage pressure to feet of liquid using the following formula.If it is a
vacuum you will get a minus number.
● Vapor pressure of your product. Look at the vapor pressure chart. You will have to convert the
pressure to head. If you use the absolute pressure shown on the left side of the chart, you can use
the above formula
● Specific gravity of your product. You can measure it with a hydrometer if no one in your facility
has the correct chart or knows the number.
● Loss of pressure in the piping etc. Use the friction loss for water and resistance coefficient charts
in the charts and graphs section.
● Find the chart for the proper pipe size, go down to the gpm and read across to the loss through one
hundred feet of pipe directly from the last column in the chart. As an example: two inch pipe, 65
gpm = 7.69 feet of loss for each 100 feet of pipe.
● For valves and fittings look up the resistance coefficient numbers (K numbers) for all the valves
and fittings, add them together and multiply the total by the V2/2g number shown in the fourth
column of the friction loss piping chart. Example: A 2-inch, long radius, screwed elbow has a K
number of 0.4 and a 2-inch globe valve has a K number of 8. Adding them together = 8.4 x 0.6
(for 65 gpm) = 5 feet of loss.
In the following examples we will be looking only at the suction side of the pump. If we were calculating
the pump's total head we would look at both the suction and discharge sides.
Let's go through the first example and see if our pump is going to cavitate.
Given:

● Gage pressure = 0. The tank is open to atmospheric pressure.
● Liquid level above pump centerline = 5 feet
● Piping = a total of 10 feet of 2 inch pipe plus one 90° long radius screwed elbow.
● Pumping = 100 gpm. 68°F. fresh water with a specific gravity of one (1).
● Vapor pressure of 68°F. Water = 0.27 psia from the vapor chart.
● Specific gravity = 1
● NPSHR (net positive suction head required) = 9 feet

NPSHA
Now for the calculations:
NPSHA = Atmospheric pressure(converted to head) + static head + pressure head - vapor pressure of
your product - loss in the piping, valves and fittings
● Atmospheric pressure converted to head =
● Static head = 5 feet

● Gage pressure = 0 feet
● Vapor pressure of 68°F. water converted to head =
Looking at the friction charts GR022, GR025
● 100 gpm flowing through 2 inch pipe shows a loss of 17.4 feet for each 100 feet of pipe or
17.4/10 = 1.74 feet of head loss in the piping
● The K factor for one 2 inch elbow is 0.4 x 1.42 = 0.6 feet
For a total of: 1.74 + 0.6 = 2.34 feet head loss in the pipe and fitting.
NPSHA (net positive suction head available) = 34 + 5 + 0 - 0.62 - 2.34 = 36.04 feet
The pump required 9 feet of head at 100 gpm. The calculations show we have 36.04 feet, so we have
plenty to spare.
Example number 2. This time we are going to be pumping from a tank under vacuum.
Given:

● Gage pressure = -20 inches of vacuum
● Pumping = 100 gpm. 68°F fresh water with a specific gravity of one (1).
● Vapor pressure of 68°F water = 0.27 psia from the vapor chart.
● Atmospheric pressure converted to head:
● Gage pressure = -20 inches of vacuum converted to head:

NPSHA
● Vapor pressure of 68°F. Water =
● Looking at the friction charts GR022, GR025

❍ 100 gpm flowing through 2.5 inch pipe shows a loss of 17.4 feet or each 100 feet of pipe
or 17.4/10 = 1.74 feet loss in the piping

❍ The K factor for one 2 inch elbow is 0.4 x 1.42 = 0.6 feet
For a total of 1.74 + 0.6 = 2.34 feet friction loss in the pipe and fitting.
NPSHA (net positive suction head available) = 34 + 5 - 22.7 - 0.62 - 2.34 = 13.34 feet. This is enough to
stop cavitation also.
For the third example we will keep everything the same except that we will be pumping 180° F. hot
condensate from the vacuum tank.
The vapor pressure of 180°f condensate is 7 psi according to the chart. We get the specific gravity from
other sources and find it is 0.97 for 180°F. fresh water.
Putting this into the pressure conversion formula we get:
NPSHA (net positive suction head available) = 34 + 5 - 22.7 - 16.7 - 2.34 = -2.74 feet.
We need 9 feet, so the pump is going to cavitate for sure.
If you are given the absolute and vapor pressures in psia. You can use the following formula:
Pp = Absolute pressure expressed in psia.
Pvpa = Vapor pressure expressed in psia.
W = Specific weight of liquid at the pumping temperature in pounds per

cubic foot.
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v007
V007. VAPOR PRESSURE
The pressure (usually expressed in millimeters of mercury) characteristic at any given temperature of a
vapor in equilibrium with its liquid or solid form. Sometimes called "vapor tension."
Vapor pressure is about liquids boiling. If I asked you "at what temperature does water boil?" You could
say 212° F. or 100° C., but that is only true at atmospheric pressure. Every product will boil (make
bubbles) at some combination of pressure and temperature.
If you know the temperature of the product you are pumping or sealing, you need to know its vapor
pressure to prevent boiling and the formation of bubbles in the pump or stufing box.
In the charts section of this CD you will find vapor pressure charts for several common liquids.

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pt007
PT007. VAPORIZATION CAVITATION
A fluid vaporizes when its pressure gets too low or its temperature too high. All centrifugal pumps have a
required head (pressure) at the suction side of the pump to prevent this vaporization. This net positive
suction head required (NPSHR) is supplied to us by the pump manufacturer and is calculated with the
assumption that fresh water at 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Centigrade) is the fluid being pumped.
Since there are losses in the piping from the source to the suction of the pump, we must determine the
head after these losses are calculated. Another way to say this is that a net positive suction head is
required (NPSHR) to prevent the fluid from vaporizing.
We take the net positive suction head available (NPSHA), subtract the vapor pressure of the product we
are pumping, along with the losses in the suction lines and this number must be equal to or greater than
the net positive suction head required (NPSHR)
If you find this somewhat confusing, please look in the alphabetical section for an article on how to
calculate net positive suction head available (NPSHA)
To cure vaporization problems you must increase the suction head, lower the fluid temperature, or
decrease the net positive suction head required (NPSHR). We shall look at each possibility:
How to increase the suction head

● Retrofit the pump with a higher specific speed impeller. This will lower the NPSH required.
● Install a booster pump between the suction tank and the pump
● Pressurize the suction tank
● The system was designed incorrectly. There are too many fittings and/or the piping is too small in
diameter.
● A pipe liner has collapsed.
● Solids have built up on the inside of the pipe.
● The suction pipe collapsed when it was run over by a heavy vehicle.
● A suction strainer is clogged
● Something is stuck in the pipe. It either grew there or was left the last time the system was
opened. Maybe a check valve is broken and the seat is stuck in the pipe.
● The inside of the pipe, or a fitting has corroded.
● A bigger pump has been installed and the existing system has too much loss for the increased
capacity.
● A globe valve was used to replace a gate valve.
● A heating jacket has frozen and collapsed the pipe.
● A gasket is protruding into the piping.
● The pump speed has increased.
● Injecting a small amount of cooler fluid at the suction is sometimes practical.

● If the system is located outside in the weather, you can insulate the piping from the sun's rays.
● Be careful of discharge recirculation and vent lines recirculated to the pump suction. These lines
can heat up the fluid at the pump's suction.
● Use a double suction pump. This can reduce the net positive suction head required by as much as
27%, or in some cases it will allow you to raise the pump speed by 41%
● Use a bigger lower speed pump.
● If possible install an inducer. These inducers can cut net positive suction head required by almost
50%.
● It is a general rule of thumb that hot water and gas free hydrocarbons can use up to 50% of normal
cold water net positive suction head requirements or 10 feet (3 meters), whichever is smaller. This
is because mixed hydrocarbons do not all vaporize at the same time and hot water expands to a
lower volume than cold water. I would suggest you use this as a safety margin rather than design
for it.
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pt009
PT009. INTERNAL RECIRCULATION CAVITATION
This condition is visible on the leading edge of the impeller and will usually be found at the discharge tip
working its way back to the suction. It can also be found at the suction eye of the pump.
As the name implies the fluid re-circulates increasing its velocity until it vaporizes and then collapses in
the surrounding higher pressure. This has always been a problem with low net positive suction head
required (NPSHR) pumps and the term "suction specific speed" was coined to give you a guide in
determining how close you have to operate to the best efficiency point (BEP) of a pump to prevent the
problem.
The higher the numbers, the smaller the windows in which you have to operate. The numbers range
between 3,000 and 20,000 (1,800 to 12,000 metric). Water pumps should stay between 3,000 and 12,000
(1,800 and 7,400 metric). .
● Q = Capacity in gpm. or liters per second
● NPSH = is the net positive suction head required (NPSHR) by the pump to prevent cavitation. The
measurement is either in feet or meters.
We use this number to predict possible cavitation problems with your impeller selection.
● A desired value would be below 8500 (5200 in metric) with impellers having a flow angle of
about seventeen degrees and five to seven vanes. The higher the flow angle number, the faster the
liquid will travel and the lower suction head (pressure) we will get.
(7400 metric) to 18,000 (11,000 to 12,000 metric) because of the temperature and pressure of the
water. To get to these values the impeller inlet flow angle is reduced to a low as ten degrees and
the number of vanes reduced to as little as four. Fewer and thinner vanes help to reduce the
blockage in the impeller inlet. A disadvantage to these low flow angles is that the pump will
probably run very rough at below fifty percent of capacity.
● Water applications can run at these higher numbers because the amount of fluid expansion is very
low for hot water. Mixed hydrocarbons have this same advantage because unlike a single product,
the flashing of the mixed hydrocarbons does not take place all at the same time.
● The higher the suction specific speed numbers the narrower the stable window of operation.
● Should the net positive suction head available (NPSHA) be so low that a suction specific speed
number of more than 18,000 (11,000 metric) is required, then a separate axial flow impeller (an
inducer) can be used ahead of the centrifugal impeller to prevent cavitation. An inducer has a flow
angle some where between five and ten degrees with typically two vanes and no more than four.
Inducers have been used successfully with suction specific speed numbers of approximately
24,000 (14,400 metric). In other instances a booster pump can be installed between the pump and
the source.
will cut away the impeller inlet vanes to reduce fluid drag and thereby lower the net positive
suction head required (NPSHR). If this has been done with your application you must insure that
the impeller to volute clearance is adjusted correctly with open impeller designs, and the wear
ring clearance meets the manufacturers specifications with closed impeller designs, or you will
experience internal recirculation problems and cavitation at the impeller outlet vane tips. Keep the
suction specific speed number below 8500 and this problem should never come up.
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so42
S042. SHAFT DEFLECTION - DIFFERENT TYPES
There are a number of forces acting on the shaft to cause it to deflect from the centerline of the bearings.
These forces or loads include:
● The forces causing rotation (torque) of the shaft.

● The weight of the parts.
● Radial and axial hydraulic forces.
● Vibration.
The deflection can be along the length of the shaft (axial) or 90° to the length of the shaft (radial). In the
following paragraphs we will be looking at both kinds of deflection.
Let's start with the axial deflection of the rotating shaft.
● Remember that sleeve bearings allow a lot of axial movement. Precision bearings limit axial
movement, but can still allow enough radial movement to open lapped mechanical seal faces.
● Up to 65% of its efficiency a centrifugal pump thrusts towards the thrust bearing. Beyond 65% of
its efficiency the shaft thrusts towards the volute. At pump start up there is a lot of axial
movement of the shaft. This is one of the reasons why we lose so many mechanical seals at pump
start up.
● Attaching a mechanical seal to the shaft adds to the axial thrust of the shaft because the stuffing
box pressure works on the seal area attached to the shaft or sleeve. The resultant thrust is normally
towards the bearings.
● Thermal growth causes shaft axial growth that can be compensated for in the coupling internal
clearances. Unfortunately this does not help the mechanical seal.
● Impeller adjustment of open and semi-open impellers can move the shaft towards or away from
the volute depending upon the pump design. In the United States the Duriron Pump Company is
unique in that impeller adjustment move the shaft in the direction of the bearings. Remember that
there is an inital impeller setting and "on going" settings that have to be made for casing and
impeller wear.
The main causes of a radial deflection of the rotating shaft from the pump centerline
● Operating off the best efficiency point (BEP) causes the shaft to deflect in a radial direction. The
deflection is normally 60° or 240° from the pump cutwater, measured in the direction of shaft
rotation if you are using conventional Francis Vane impellers with a specific speed between 1500
and 4000. Other specific speed numbers deflect in the same manner, but in a different axial
direction.
● Dynamic unbalance of the rotating assembly is a continual problem. Impeller wear and damage
from solids in the pumpage contribute to the unbalance.
● A bent shaft. Many shafts are distorted during the bearing and seal removal process.
● A non-concentric shaft sleeve.
● A non-concentric mechanical seal attached to a sleeve or shaft.
● Misalignment between the pump and its driver. Couplings cannot compensate for this
misalignment.
● Pipe strain. Either physical or thermal.
● Thermal growth in a non-centerline pump design.
A combination of radial and axial shaft deflection from the pump centerline
● Bad bearings.
● Poor bearing fit.
● Cavitation. There are five types to consider.
● Water hammer.
● Running at or passing through a critical shaft speed.
● Any kind of severe vibration problems will cause this.
The shaft is not centered in the stuffing box.
● A bolted on stuffing box has slipped.

● The pillow block bearings of a double-ended pump are not on the same centerline as the pump
stuffing boxes.
● The seal gland was not centered off the shaft. It was referenced against the inside of the stuffing
box or a shoulder on the stuffing box face.
Vibration of the rotating shaft. There are multiple causes of vibration:
● Mechanical causes of vibration

❍ Unbalanced rotating components. Damaged impellers and non-concentric shaft sleeves are
common.
❍ A bent or warped shaft. This often happens during the bearing and seal removal process.

so42
❍ Pump and driver misalignment.

❍ Pipe strain. Either by design or as a result of thermal growth.
❍ Thermal growth of various components, especially shafts.
❍ Rubbing parts.
❍ Worn or loose bearings.
❍ Loose hold down bolts.
❍ Loose parts.
❍ The product is attaching to a rotating component, probably the impeller.
❍ Damaged parts.
❍ There is not enough mass or weight in the pedestal. If you weigh the pump and its driver
there should be a least five times that mass in the pump pedestal.
❍ The pedestal is not wide enough. If you drop a vertical line from the center of the motor,
two lines radiating out thirty degrees from this centerline should pass through the base, not
the sides of the pedestal.
● Hydraulic causes of vibration
❍ Operating off of the best efficiency point (BEP) of the pump.
❍ Vaporization cavitation.
❍ Impeller vane running too close to the pump cutwater.
❍ Internal recirculation
❍ Air getting into the system through vortexing etc.
❍ Turbulence in the system (non-laminar flow).
❍ Water hammer.
● Other causes of vibration.

❍ Harmonic vibration from nearby equipment.
❍ Operating the pump at a critical speed. Watch out for this problem in variable speed and
pulley driven pumps.

❍ Seal "slip stick" at the seal faces.
❍ The product is vaporizing at the seal faces
❍ A pump discharge recirculation line aimed at the seal faces. Each pass of an impeller vane
gives a pulse to the fluid going to the stuffing box.
Return to index

Alignment
A014. ALIGNMENT
The centerline of the pump has to be perfectly aligned with the centerline of the driver (usually an
electric motor). If it is not aligned properly you can have problems:
● Extreme heat can be generated in the coupling

● Misalignment can cause severe wear in gear couplings
● Cracked or failed shafts from the constant flexing of the rotating shaft.
● Too much load on the bearings, causing overheating and fatigue problems. Misalignment will
cause an un-even face loading with stationary design mechanical seals.
● Excessive axial movement of rotating design seals.
A flexible coupling cannot compensate for pump to driver misalignment. The coupling is used to
transmit torque to the pump and to compensate for axial movement of the shaft due to thrusting or
thermal growth. Radial misalignment must be corrected by other means.
Prior to doing any type of alignment the pump must be leveled to insure that you have the correct level of
oil in the bearings.
There are three popular alignment methods being used in industry:
With the reverse indicator method alignment is done in three stages:
● Determine where the components are located in relationship to each other

● Calculate what has to be moved and how far, to make the centerline of the pump line up with the
centerline of the driver. These calculations have to be made at operating temperature.
● Move the hardware, usually the driver
Laser equipment does an excellent job of making the measurements and calculating the amount of
movement necessary, but you still have to move the hardware and that is always the most difficult part of
alignment because of the lack of jack bolts on the smaller pumps.

Alignment
All things considered the C or D frame adapter is the easiest for most people. Many pumps are never
aligned because of production's insistence on getting the pump back on stream as soon as possible.
The "C" or "D" frame adapter lets you do that and still get a good alignment.
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Rotating Seal
R020. ROTATING SEAL
When the spring loaded or moveable portion of the seal rotates with the shaft we call it a rotating seal.
If the spring-loaded part of the seal does not rotate we call it a stationary seal.
Stationary is better.
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Coupling
C063. COUPLING
A device used to connect the pump to the driver. It transmits torque and compensates for axial growth,
but cannot compensate for radial misalignment between the pump and driver.
The pump should be aligned at operating temperature before the coupling is installed.
Some coupling literature makes statements about the coupling's ability to take a certain amount of
misalignment.
Remember that the literature is referring to the coupling, not the pump.
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Radial Deflection Of The Pump Shaft
R003. RADIAL DEFLECTION OF THE PUMP SHAFT
There are multiple causes of a radial deflection of the rotating shaft from the pump centerline. They
include:
deflection is normally 60° or 240° from the pump cut water, measured in the direction of shaft
direction.
● Dynamic unbalance of the rotating assembly is a continual problem. Impeller wear and damage
from solids in the pumpage contribute to the unbalance.
● A bent shaft. Many shafts are distorted during the bearing and seal removal process.
● Misalignment between the pump and its driver. The coupling installed between the pump and its
driver cannot compensate for this misalignment.
● Pipe strain. Either physical or thermal.
● Vibration will cause radial deflection. Vibration includes cavitation and water hammer.
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v016
V016. VIBRATION
Any object made from an elastic material (and metal is an elastic material) has a natural period of
vibration. This happens because the pump rotating assembly is not absolutely uniform around the center-
line of the shaft. We get variations in the density of the materials as well as manufacturing tolerances and
casting irregularities contributing to the problem.
There are multiple causes of vibration in pumps:

common.
❍ A bent or warped shaft.
❍ Rubbing parts.
❍ Loose parts.
❍ Product attaching to a rotating component.
❍ Damaged parts.
❍ There is not enough mass in the foundation. If you weigh the pump, driver and its base-
plate there should be a least five times that mass in the pump foundation.
❍ The foundation is not wide enough. If you drop a vertical line from the center of the motor,
two lines radiating out thirty degrees from this center-line should pass through the base,
not the sides of the foundation.
● Some hydraulic causes of vibration
❍ Internal recirculation.
❍ Air getting into the system through vortexing etc..
❍ Water hammer.


❍ Seal slip-stick at the seal faces.
❍ The product is vaporizing at the seal faces A pump discharge recirculation line aimed at
the seal faces.
The obvious solution to all of this is to adopt good maintenance practices that will eliminate most of the
vibration and then try to install hardware that can live with the vibration you have left. Recording and
analyzing vibration makes sense only after good maintenance practices are in force.
Mechanical problem solutions
● Balance all of your rotating equipment. If you do not have dynamic balancing equipment in your
plant there are contractors and vendors anxious to work with you. Balance is always a problem
when you are pumping abrasives, or a slurry, because the rapid wear always destroys balance. In
the higher speed pumps this wear can be very severe.
● Bent shafts are a problem. If you can straighten them go ahead and do it, but most attempts are
unsuccessful. In the majority of cases you are better off replacing the shaft.
● Do a proper pump-driver alignment using either a laser or the reverse indicator method.
Upgrading the pump power end to a "C" or "D" frame motor adapter is a more sensible and
economical decision. Once the conversion is made misalignment ceases to be a concern. These
adapters are available for most motors and will maintain the proper motor to pump alignment as
the equipment goes through its normal temperature transients.
● Always pipe from the pump suction to the pipe rack, never the other way. There are some more
piping practices that you should follow:
● If you are experiencing pipe strain because of thermal growth at the suction, you might convert to
a centerline design wet end and solve the problem. Center line designs make sense any time you
are pumping a fluid in excess of 200 degrees Fahrenheit (100 Centigrade)
● Try to use at least ten diameters of pipe between the pump suction and the first elbow.
● Valve stems, T branches and elbows should be perpendicular to the pump shaft not at a right
angle to it. This is especially important with double suction pumps because uneven inlet flow will
cause the impeller to thrust in one direction causing bearing problems on one end of the pump.
● Pipe supports and hangers should be installed at unequal distances.
● Use lots of hangers to support the piping.
● Use lots of loops and expansion joints in the piping system.
● After fabrication and testing remove all supports and lock pins from the spring hangers, loosen

v016
pipe flanges and adjust the system to free the pump from pipe strain.
● Reference the "Hydraulic Institute Manual", or a similar publication to learn the proper methods
of piping several pumps from the same suction source to prevent vortexing etc.
● The mass of the pump concrete foundation should be five times the mass of the pump, base plate
and other equipment being supported.
● The foundation should be three inches (75 mm) wider than the base plate, all around, up to 500
horsepower (375 KW) and six inches (150 mm) above 500 horse power (375 KW).
● Imaginary lines, extended downward 30 degrees to either side of a vertical through the pump
shaft, should pass through the bottom of the foundation and not the sides.
● Every inch of stainless steel grows 0.001 inch for every 100° Fahrenheit rise in temperature (
0,001 mm/mm/50° Centigrade) This thermal growth can cause the impeller to rub the pump
casing as well as cause rubbing in many close tolerance clearances such as the wear rings. Carbon
steel grows about 30% less than stainless steel.
● Any time the shaft moves there is the danger of parts rubbing. Thermal imaging equipment can
detect this rubbing easily. Whenever you set tight tolerances be sure to allow for thermal growth
and ANSI pump impeller adjustment.
● Worn or loose bearings are caused by improper installation or allowing water to enter the bearing
cavity. Labyrinth seals or positive face seals are the easiest solution to the water problem. Install
bearings by using a proper induction heater to prevent contamination during the installation
process.
● The answer to loose hold down bolts is obvious and requires no explanation.
Hydraulic problem solutions
● You may be able to increase or reduce the impeller diameter to get close to the pump best
efficiency point (BEP) but if this is not practical your best bet is to reduce the by going to a solid
shaft or upgrading the power end to a larger shaft diameter. In some instances you can install a
support bushing in the bottom of the packing stuffing box and install a mechanical seal closer to
the bearings. Split seals are ideal for this conversion. In a few instances, changing the shaft speed
will solve the problem. A closed loop system with a high system head is an ideal candidate for a
variable speed pump
● Insure that you have enough net positive suction head available (NPSHA) for your application. If
there is not enough an inducer or booster pump might solve the problem. See cavitation.
● An impeller running too close to the pump cutwater will cause vibration and damage. An impeller
tip to cutwater clearance of 4% (of the impeller diameter) in the smaller impeller sizes (to 14 inch
or 355 mm) and 6% in the larger sizes will solve this problem. This becomes a problem with most
self-priming pumps and the only solution is to contact your pump supplier for his
recommendation, if he has one. Repaired impellers sometimes experience this problem.
● Internal recirculation problems can be solved by either adjusting the open impeller or replacing
the closed impeller with an alternative design.
● Air can get into a system through valves above the water line or flanges, but the easiest way for
air to enter a system is through the stuffing box of a packed pump. The easiest solution is to
replace the pump packing with a balanced O-ring seal. If vortexing is the problem, consult the
"Hydraulic Institute Manual" for information on vortex breakers and proper piping layouts to
prevent turbulence in the lines, and at the pump suction.
● Water hammer is not very well understood by our industry, but we know how important it is to
keep air out of the piping system.
● It is good practice to use one size larger suction pipe and then use a reducer to connect the piping
to the pump. Do not use concentric reducers. Eccentric types are much better, as long as you do
not install them upside down.
Solutions to other types of vibration
● The pump, or one of its components can vibrate in harmony with another piece of equipment
located in close proximity. Isolation by vibration damping is the easiest solution to this problem.
This is a big problem with many metal bellows seal designs because they are lacking an elastomer
that functions as a vibration damper.
● Critical speed operation is not a common problem unless you are operating with a variable speed
drive. Changing the speed is the obvious solution. If that is not practical, changing the impeller
diameter is another solution.
● Seal slipstick is a problem with non-lubricants such as hot water or most solvents. If you are using
O-ring seals, the O-ring is a natural vibration damper. Metal bellows seals require that a separate
vibration damper be installed, usually in the form of a metal component vibrating and sliding on
the shaft. The problem is caused by an alternating sticking of the seal faces because of the poor
lubricant and a slipping that occurs when the drive lugs engage the faces. The same thing happens
when a bellows "winds up and then slips" on the seal faces
● Pump discharge recirculation lines can cause a vibration every time the impeller passes the
recirculation line "tap off". This vibration will affect the mechanical seal and like all vibration,
can be recognized by chipping of the outside diameter of the carbon face and worn drive lugs.
Most of us cannot stop all of the vibration that is causing our seal, packing, bearing, and critical
clearance problems so our only solution is to live with it. Unfortunately the standard pump and original
equipment seal is not prepared to handle vibration without experiencing some damage.

v016
Return to index

Jack Bolts
J001. JACK BOLTS
These bolts are used to move either the pump or its driver to obtain a pump/driver alignment.
Some jack bolts are welded to the base plate, others (as shown) are available in a kit form for use on
multiple pumps.
The term "jack bolts" is also used to describe some of the bolts located on the rear plate of most ANSI
pumps. Please look a the following illustration:
The adjusting bolts shown on the left of this drawing are used to move the impeller towards and away
from the volute or wet end. The jack bolts (positioned inbetween these adjusting bolts) are used to pull
the shaft and impeller back against the adjusting bolts to fix the impeller to volute clearance.
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http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/j-html/j001.htm [7/21/03 11:20:36 AM]

Driver
D026. DRIVER
Refers to the component driving, or turning the pump shaft.
You have several options that include:
● A constant speed induction motor.

● A constant speed synchronous motor .
● A variable speed motor.
● A diesel or gasoline engine.
● A turbine.
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ANSI pump
A023. ANSI PUMP
The following illustration describes the individual parts of an ANSI (American National Standards
Institute) pump.
1. Casing 2. Impeller 6. Pump shaft
11. Backplate and stuffing box 16. Inboard radial bearing 17. Seal gland
18. Outboard thrust bearing 19. Power end or bearing frame 22. Bearing locknut
37. Thrust bearing cover 46. Coupling key 47. Bearing seal
49. Bearing seal 69. Lock washer 71. Adapter
73. Gasket
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ANSI Standard
A022. ANSI (American National Standards Institute)
This pump standard evolved from the American Voluntary Standard (AVS) that was first proposed by
the Manufacturing Chemists Association in the late nineteen fifties and adopted in 1963.
It is a set of standards that describes the envelope dimensions of a back pull out, centrifugal pump.
In recent years there is talk about combining the ANSI standard with the API (American Petroleum
Institute) standard to make one overall US standard.
See:
● ANSI Pump, A023

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ANSI Specifications
A024. ANSI SPECIFICATIONS
A set of specifications (envelope dimensions) for centrifugal pumps manufactured in the United States.
The following charts describe both the inch and metric dimensions:
Among the standardized dimensions you will find:
● The locations of the pump hold down bolts.

● The distance between the suction and discharge nozzle centerlines.
● The height of the pump coupling.
● The length of the pump
There are currently three overall standard pump lengths:
● 17.5 inches or 445 mm

● 23.5 inches or 597 mm
● 33.875 inches or 860 mm.
The European equivalent of this standard would be the I.S.O. (International Standards Organization)
standard. The European community has not totally adopted the metric dimensions proposed in the ANSI
(American National Standards Institute) standard.
The ANSI standard has gone through several revisions since it was originally adopted and there is lots of
talk about combining it with the API (American Petroleum Institute) standard to create a single standard
for centrifugal pumps in the United States.
The main problem with this and similar standards is that they were written for packed pumps and are
only now changing to reflect the increasing usage of mechanical seals. The most obvious change has
been the acceptance of oversize stuffing boxes, but these standards still have a very long way to go.
Ultimately the ANSI committee is going to have to accept the fact that shorter pumps with very low shaft
L3/D4 numbers is the logical approach for centrifugal pump designs incorporating mechanical face seals.
At this writing many of the pump manufacturers oppose any change to the basic ANSI specifications
because of the need for re-tooling the castings used to make the present pumps.

ANSI Specifications
There is also a set of dimensions for a metric version of the pump. Please take a look at the following
chart:
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ISO
I024. ISO
These letters mean International Standards Organization.
It is this non-profit group that wrote the dimensional data for metric pumps in Europe.
The United States equivalent is ANSI (American National Standards Institute)
See: ANSI, A022
● ANSI Pump, A023

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c022.5
C022-5 CENTER LINE DESIGN
The illustration on the right shows a standard centrifugal pump with the feet attached to the bottom of the
pump volute. Thermal expansion of the volute causes the volute to move straight up causing several
problems:
● Pipe strain of the suction piping.

● The mechanical seal stationary face will move off center from the rotating seal face.
● In a stationary seal design the stationary face will "wipe" across the rotating face.
● The rotating wear ring can contact the stationary wear ring in closed impeller designs.
Now take a look at the illustration on the left that describes a "center-line" design.
This design allows the volute to thermally expand both up and down, eliminating the growth problems.
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http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/c-html/c022-5.htm [7/21/03 11:20:53 AM]

Critical Speed
C067. CRITICAL SPEED
Any object made of an elastic material has a natural period of vibration. At the speed at which the
centrifugal force exceeds the elastic restoring force, the rotating element will vibrate as though it were
seriously unbalanced. If it runs at that speed without restraining forces, the deflection will continue until
the shaft fails.
There is a radial deflection when the pump operates off of is best efficiency point (BEP)
We calculate the magnitude of the deflection from the basic formula:
If the centrifugal pump is of a double ended design with sag occurring between two bearings, the bending
formula will change slightly. The new formula looks like this:
● Y = The deflection in inches or millimeters

● W = Force on the impeller, in pounds or Newtons (includes the weight of the shaft)
● L = The length of the shaft from the center of the inboard bearing to the center of the impeller (in
inches or millimeter. For double ended pumps it is the length of the shaft between the bearing
supports.)
● E = The modulus of elasticity of the shaft material (lbs./ square inch or Newtons / square
millimeter)
● I = The moment of inertia for solid shafts is (¼ d4 / 64). For tubular shafts we would use (¼ (d04 -
di4) / 64)
● Substituting (¼ d4/ 64) for "I" in the first formula, we get:
We use this formula to make comparisons between competitor pumps specified for the same application.
We do this by eliminating the non variables from the formula. The non-variables are:
● W = The force on the shaft will be the same in the designs we are comparing.
● 3 or 384 = This is a factor that describes the shaft support method and load distribution. We
eliminated it because the pumps we are comparing are similar in construction.
● E = The modulus of elasticity is similar for all common shaft materials.
● ¼ = 3.1416 (does not change with application).
● 64 = is a constant
This leaves us with Y = L3/D4
I reviewed this formula with you because we are going to use the same formula to learn the first critical
speed of a centrifugal pump.
At this point it is important to note that any object made from an elastic material (and metal is an elastic
material) has a natural period of vibration. This happens because the pump rotating assembly is not
absolutely uniform around the center-line of the shaft. We get variations in the density of the materials as
well as manufacturing tolerances and casting irregularities contributing to the problem.
This eccentricity produces deflection when the rotating assembly rotates at the speed the centrifugal force
exceeds the elastic restoring forces. At this speed the assembly will vibrate as if it were unbalanced, and
could fail the seal, bearings or fatigue the shaft itself. The lowest speed at which this happens is called
the first critical speed.
The first critical speed is linked to the pump's static deflection. We can calculate this deflection by going
back to the original formula and substituting the weight of the rotating assembly for the "W" in the
formula. You can use either pounds or Newtons.
It should also be noted that this critical speed can be very destructive in mixer and agitator applications
because of their very high L3/D4 numbers.
Now that you have calculated the static deflection (sag) of the shaft as measured at the impeller, we will
use this number to calculate the first critical speed of the pump. For all practical purposes you can
calculate the first critical speed by using one of the following formulas:

Critical Speed
● Nc = Critical speed
● Y = The deflection that we calculated.
To maintain internal clearances of the wear rings in a closed impeller pump and to prevent the impeller
from hitting the volute or back plate in an open impeller pump, most pump companies would like to limit
shaft deflection to between 0.005 and 0.006 inches (0,125 and 0,150 mm.). Putting these desirable
numbers into the formula we get:
As you can see, these numbers are well in excess of the 1750 or 1450 rpm. that we normally use for
centrifugal pump speed. They are, however, lower than the higher speed pumps that run at 3500 rpm. or
3000 rpm. This means that higher speed pumps and variable speed pumps will experience shaft
deflection as they pass through, or run at these critical speeds.
Since operation off of the best efficiency point (BEP) is common for centrifugal pumps, you will be
experiencing shaft loads well in excess of those noted in the above examples; meaning that your critical
speed will actually be experienced at a much lower rpm. than noted.
The numbers we calculated reference a shaft running in air. In actual practice the impeller and a major
portion of the rotating assembly is immersed in liquid that provides a hydrodynamic support to help
stabilize the assembly. Pump people call this hydrodynamic stabilizing the "Lomakin Effect."
Shaft packing provided an additional stabilization affect, but it was lost when the modern pumps were
converted to mechanical face seals. Closed impeller pumps continue to retain some of the effect in their
wear rings. This is in fact the major cause of wear ring wear.
In addition to the radial force created by passing through a critical speed the rotating assembly is
subjected to additional radial loads that include:
● Misalignment between the pump and its driver.

● Bent or warped shafts.
● An unbalanced rotating assembly.
● Operating off of the best efficiency point (BEP).
● Pressure surges and water hammer.
● Corrosion and erosion of the rotating parts, especially the impeller.
● Thermal growth.
● Some centrifugal pumps are belt driven.
● Piping misalignment.
● Cavitation.
All of these radial forces will have a major affect on the life of the seal and bearings as well as the shaft
itself. Since it is almost impossible to calculate all of these changing forces in advance, it is important for
you to stabilize the shaft as best you can to hold the deflection to an absolute minimum. Your options
include:
● Eliminate shaft sleeves and use only solid, corrosion resistant shafts. This will make a major
difference in any piece of rotating equipment.
● You can increase the shaft diameter by up-grading the centrifugal pump power end to a more
robust model. Many pump and after market suppliers have adapters and up-grade kits readily
available.
● Stabilize the shaft with a sleeve or journal bearing in the packing chamber and move the
mechanical seal closer to the precision bearings. You can use any suitable material for the sleeve
bearing with carbon, Ryertex, and Teflon® being the most popular. Most people prefer to use split
mechanical seals with these stabilization bushings.
Changing the shaft material will not help. All the common shaft materials have just about the same
modulus of elasticity:
● In USCS units the modulus is 28 to 30 x 106 psi.

● In SI units the modulus is 1,96 to 2,10 x 106 Kg/ cm2

Critical Speed
If you are purchasing a new pump try to purchase solid, larger diameter or shorter shafts when ever
possible. An L3/D4 number of less than 60 (2 in the metric system) is as good a guide as any thing else
you can use.
Converting packed pumps to a mechanical seal presents a major shaft stabilization problem to the pump
manufacturer. Some day the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and ISO (International
Standards Organization) standards will be modified to compensate for this change.
Between now and then you will have to provide your own stabilization if you want to achieve
satisfactory seal and bearing life.
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s060
S060. SLIP STICK
An alternating slipping and sticking of the seal faces caused by a poor lubricant between the lapped
faces.
Slip stick will cause vibration problems at the seal face unless the vibration is dampened in some manner.
Mechanical seals that use an O-ring as the secondary seal utilize the O-ring as a vibration damper. Metal
bellows seals have a problem unless a damper is designed into the product.
The bellows seal damping device is shown in this illustration. In this example the rotating face is allowed
to touch the shaft. In other designs, the face holder I.D. is decreased and performs the same function
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NPSHR REDUCTIONS
N003 NPSHR REDUCTIONS
Please take a look at the pump curve shown in the next drawing.
It demonstrates that if you had a 13-inch (330-mm) impeller and you wanted to pump 300 gpm
(68m3/hr.) you would need at least 10 feet (3 meters) of NPSH. If you are pumping hot water or some
hydrocarbons you can operate with a lower NPSH required than shown on the pump curve.
In another section of this book we used a similar reduction when we were calculating the suction specific
speed number (SSS) of the impeller.
The next chart will show you how to calculate this reduction. As you use this chart please keep the
following in mind:
● This chart was created using pure liquids. This is the type of liquid you find in tank farms. Many
liquids are mixtures and have entrained gases or air that could require additional net positive
suction head required (NPSHR)
● Your product may be a combination of several hydrocarbons with different vapor pressures.
● Sometimes the temperature at the suction side of the pump can vary with outside or ambient
temperature.
● Pump discharge recirculation lines can have a major affect on the pump suction temperature.
These recirculation lines frequently raise the temperature of the liquid at the pump inlet.
● If a cleaner or solvent is going to be pumped through the lines at the end of a batch, depending
upon the fluid, you could get into a cavitation situation.
● This reduction is possible because the expansion rate of hot water and some hydrocarbons is not
as great as that of cold water.
Using the chart is not very complicated:
Find the temperature of you product and proceed either up or down to the vapor pressure of your product
in either psia. or kPa. (100 kPa = 1 atmosphere)
From this point follow along or parallel to the sloping lines to the right side of the chart where you can
read the NPSH reduction in feet or meters.
● If this value is greater than one half of the cold water NPSH required by the pump manufacturer,
deduct one half of the value from the pump manufacturer's cold water NPSH to obtain the
corrected NPSH required.
● If this value is less than one half of the cold water NPSH required by the pump manufacturer,
deduct the chart value from the pump manufacturer's cold water NPSH to obtain the corrected
NPSH required
● The chart is restricted to a maximum reduction of ten feet (3 meters) It is recommended that you
do not extrapolate beyond this number or in any case use a reduction of more than 50% of the
NPSH required by the pump for cold water.
Example #1:

NPSHR REDUCTIONS
● Your pump curve says you need a 16 foot (5 meters) net positive suction head required (NPSHR)
for the capacity you are pumping.
● The product you are pumping is liquid propane at 55° F (13°C) which has a vapor pressure of 100
psia (700 kPa).
● The chart says you could take a reduction of 9.5 feet (2.9 meters) which is greater than one half of
the net positive suction head required (NPSHR).
● The corrected value of net positive suction head required (NPSHR) is therefore one half the cold
water requirement given to you by the pump manufacturer or 8 feet (16 - 8 = 8), or (5.0 meters -
2.9 meters = 2.1 meters.)
Example #2:
● Lets assume the same pump is now going to handle propane at 14°F (3.3°C) where it has a vapor
pressure of 50 psia (345 kPa).
● The chart now shows a reduction of 6 feet (1.8 meters), which is less than one half of the cold
water requirement. The corrected value of NPSH is therefore 16 feet minus 6 feet or a new value
of 10 feet (16 - 6 = 10 feet) ( 5 meters - 1.8 meters = 3.2 meters)
If your calculations show that you have a potential cavitation problem you have several choices:
● Reduce the NPSH required by changing to another pump design. A double-ended pump can
reduce NPSHR by as much as 40%.
● Increase the head on the suction side of the pump.
● Lower the temperature of the incoming liquid.
Please look up cavitation in another part of this alphabetical section, and you will see that I have covered
the subject in good detail.
Here are a couple of additional thoughts on the subject:
● If your pump is a multi-stage design this same discussion applies to the first stage head. The
following stages are not considered because they should have plenty of head available to them.
● Where dissolved air or other non-condensable gases are present in the liquid, pump performance
may be adversely affected even though you have the NPSH required as shown on your pump
curve. You are going to have to increase the NPSH available to prevent the release of these gases.
● Absolute pressure can vary with weather conditions. If you are playing it close, and we often do,
this could lead to a cavitation problem.
● Low flow usually means a lower NPSH required, but low flow can also mean a temperature build
up inside the pump.
Some operators have been known to throttle the suction of a pump to reduce capacity. This may be valid
NPSHR REDUCTIONS
for some unique dangerous products that would become a hazard if the discharge were throttled and the
heat increased inside the pump, but except for these special cases suction throttling is a bad idea.
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Inducer
I011. INDUCER
A small low head, axial flow impeller that attaches to the conventional impeller of a centrifugal pump to
increase the pump's suction head (pressure), and prevent cavitation problems.
An inducer should be specified any time the calculated suction specific speed number is above 18,000 in
USCS units or 11,000 in SI units. The inducer will reduce the net positive suction head required
(NPSHR) of the pump or permit the pump to run at a higher speed.
The inducer flow angle is some where between five and ten degrees with typically two vanes and no
more than four. Inducers have been used successfully with suction specific speed numbers of
approximately 24,000 (14,700 metric).
Although the efficiency of the inducer is low, it will not reduce the pump overall efficiency significantly.
Not all pump manufacturers have this feature available
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b035
B035. BOOSTER PUMP
Sometimes there is not enough net positive suction head available (NPSHA) for your pump, causing it to
cavitate.
One option to top caitation is to install a booster pump between the suction of your pump and the source
of the fluid you are pumping. This reduces the amount of friction loss in the piping and in most cases
solves the net positive suction head available (NPSHA) problem.
Booster pumps are frequently located between condensate pumps and the boiler feed pump in steam
power applications.
Another option is to use an inducer that attaches to your present pump's impeller.
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Positive Displacement Pump
P020. POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMP
These pumps are also called PD pumps or rotary pumps. They come in a variety of designs that include:
● Gear
● Sliding vane
● Progressive cavity
● Lobe
● Etc.
The capacity of a rotary pump is determined by the speed of the shaft. The head or pressure output of a
rotary pump is determined by the horsepower available and the strength of the casing.
See: Rotary pumps, R019
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End Suction Centrifugal Pump
E010. END SUCTION CENTRIFUGAL PUMP
In this design the fluid enters the center of the impeller at the end of the pump and is discharged out the
nozzle shown on the top of the pump.
The bearings are located on only one side of the impeller.
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Parallel Operation
P006. PARALLEL PUMP OPERATION
The two pumps are discharging to a common header.
It is important that the impeller speed, and outside diameters be the same, or the larger pump will throttle
the smaller pump causing it to operate off of its best efficiency point (BEP)
In this illustration you can see the affect on the pump curve when two pumps are connected in parallel.
You can also see the affect if the same pumps are connected in series.
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High Speed Pumps
H019. HIGH SPEED PUMPS
The process industry uses pumps that run at speeds as high as 30,000 to 40,000 rpm. There are several
reasons you might want to run at these elevated speeds:
● You need a high head pump, but you have need for a capacity greater than can be supplied by a
rotary design. Instead of throttling a centrifugal pump, the high speed design may allow you run
close to the pump's best efficiency point (BEP)
● Too save cost. Large impellers and multistage pumps can be very expensive.
These higher speed can be obtained by:
● An electric motor running through a gear box.

● A diesel or gasoline engine
● A turbine of some type.
There is a down side to high speed operation.
● Erosion and abrasive wear can be a problem.

● The pump is more likely to cavitate. These pumps are almost always equipped with an inducer.
● Sealing becomes a more severe problem for both the product and the bearing oil seals.
● Bearings are subject to more heat related problems.
● Operating off the BEP. (best efficiency point) causes more severe shaft deflection problems
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High Head Low Capacity Pumps
H017. HIGH HEAD, LOW CAPACITY PUMPS
We sometimes need a low capacity pump that can put out a high pressure or large head. Here are some
ways to get those features:
● High speed centrifugal pumps are the most popular choice. There are centrifugal pump designs
that run at 30,000 rpm and above. Narrow width impellers may give you the low capacity you are
looking for.
● Multistage vertical and horizontal pumps are another option.
● Regenerative turbine pumps work well, but the necessary close clearances dictate only clean
fluids.
● Gear or rotary positive displacement pumps work well, but they have slippage problems in low
viscosity service and their very low capacities may not be sufficient for the application.
● Metering pumps are good for very low flow, but the inherent pulsations can damage some
instrumentation.
● You can connect single stage centrifugal pumps in series if a single pump cannot meet the head
requirements.
● Partial emission pumps can operate at a specific speed of as little as two (2).They utilize a
"Baske" straight vane impeller with a diffuser that allows flow from a small section of the
impeller channels to pass to the pump discharge at any time (hence partial emission). This pump
was developed during World War II to handle the high head low flow rate requirements of the
German ram jet fuel pump.
● Throttling a centrifugal pump to get a high head will cause some problems:
❍ The resultant shaft deflection can damage the seal or break the shaft.
❍ Internal recirculation can overheat the volute and cause cavitation problems.
❍ A high differential pressure across the pump can damage close internal clearances.
❍ The power loss can be expensive.
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s033
S033. SELF PRIMING PUMP
A centrifugal pump adds velocity to a liquid, but it needs the liquid to add velocity to. As the pump
throws liquid out from the eye of the impeller it creates a low-pressure area where the liquid used to be.
At that point either atmospheric pressure, gravity, or a combination of the two will fill up the low
pressure area with either more liquid or additional air.
The problem with centrifugal pumps is that a given impeller diameter and speed will throw all fluids
(either a liquid or a gas) to the same height. Since air is a fluid it will throw air to the same height as
water and that height is not enough to overcome atmospheric pressure, so the centrifugal pump has to
have all of its air removed before it will pump a liquid and we call that priming the centrifugal pump.
There are several methods you can use to remove the air from a centrifugal pump:
● You can fill the pump and suction piping with liquid.
● You can attach a priming pump to the discharge side of the pump to remove any air in the pump
and suction piping. Be sure this pump has a mechanical seal. You never want to use packing in a
priming pump because air will leak in through the packing.
● You might be able to install a foot valve at the end of the suction piping to insure that the fluid
will not drain from the pump and suction piping. These valves seldom work out because, like all
check valves, they leak.
And this brings us to the subject of this discussion, the self-priming pump. The concept is simple.
Change the pump design so that the pump will retain enough fluid when it stops to start again without
having to worry about re-priming. A toilet or sink trap performs a similar function when it retains liquid
to prevent vapors and odors from coming into your house.
There are a couple of ways to do this:
● Changing the volute and impeller casing so that it retains the liquid in a built in reservoir that is
filled during the initial priming phase and retains this fluid when the pump completes its pumping
task and shuts down. An internal recirculation port then connects the discharge of the pump back
to the suction cavity allowing a continuous recirculation of liquid during the priming phase.
● Design a suction and discharge cavity above the centerline of the impeller eye insuring that the
pump is always full of liquid.
Take a look at the two drawings. They describe two versions of the same idea.
● You should be able to see how the centrifugal pump is retaining the fluid at the eye of the impeller
when it is not running.
● The concept is similar to the water trap in a toilet.
Be sure to use balanced, O-ring seals in these self-priming pumps. The

hydraulically balanced seals will seal both vacuum and pressure and
the O-ring seals will seal pressure in either direction.
Packing will allow air to leak into the volute and create problems
during priming.
Remember that you cannot vent a running pump.
Centrifugal force throws the liquid away from the eye of the impeller so you will only get liquid through
the vent. The air will remain trapped in the eye of the impeller and can eventually collect enough air to
s033
cause the pump to lose its prime.
See: Priming a centrifugal pump, P036
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Priming A Centrifugal Pump
P036. PRIMING A CENTRIFUGAL PUMP
Although the term pressure is not normally a part of a centrifugal pump man's vocabulary we are going to
have to discuss it for a couple of minutes.
The earth's atmosphere extends approximately fifty miles (80 Km.) above the earth, and rests on the earth
with a weight equivalent to a layer of fresh water thirty four feet (10 meters) deep at sea level. To remove
air from the pump cavities and the suction piping, the pump must develop enough head to equal the
equivalent of this 14.7 psi or one bar pressure. In another section of this book we learned how to convert
this height (head) to a pressure reading by use of the following formulas:
Unlike a positive displacement pump that can pump a liquid to any head, as long as the pump body is
strong enough, and there is enough horsepower available, the centrifugal pump can only pump a fluid to
its rated head. You will recall that this head was determined by, and limited to the diameter of the
impeller and the impeller speed (rpm.)
Since the weight of water is approximately 8000 times that of air (50 miles vs. 34 feet) or (80 km. vs. 10
m). The centrifugal pump can produce only 1/8000 of its rated liquid pressure. In other words for every
one foot water has to be raised to prime the pump, the centrifugal pump must produce a discharge head
of approximately 8000 feet (each meter requires a head of 8000 meters), and that is impossible with
conventional impeller diameters and speeds.
All of this means that if you intend to use a centrifugal pump you are going to have to come up with
some sensible method of priming it. Your choices will include:
● Install a foot valve in the suction piping to insure the liquid will not drain from the pump casing
and suction piping. Keep in mind that these valves have a nasty habit of leaking, but the leak is
usually a slow one so you should have time to fill the suction piping and get the pump started
before the liquid leaks out.
● Evacuate the air in the system with a positive displacement priming pump operating between the
pump and a closed discharge valve.
● Fill the pump with liquid prior to starting it.
● Convert the application to a self-priming pump that maintains a reservoir of liquid at its suction.
● Install a priming tank in either the suction line, the discharge line or both.
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Heavy Duty Pump
H013. HEAVY DUTY PUMP
Heavy duty means different things to different people.
My definition is, "A pump that can operate in a wide operating window without breaking something or
experiencing premature seal and bearing failure".
Among the features would be:
● Low shaft diameter to length ratio (less than 60 L3 /D4) less than 2 in the metric system.
● Large operating window.
● C or D frame adapter to simplify driver to pump alignment
● Centerline design for thermal expansion.
● Oversize stuffing box.
● Adequate bearing retention (no snap rings).
● Positive bearing sealing. No grease or lip seals that will cut the pump shaft.
● Reliable bearing oil level indication.
● Bearing oil-cooling availability.
● Low net positive suction head required (NPSHR).
● A double volute to prevent shaft deflection.
● Suction specific speed number below 8500 (5200 metric).
● Dynamically balanced rotating assembly.
● Impeller specific speed number selected for the application.
● Duplex metal impeller.
● The impeller should be investment cast.
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s040
S040. SHAFT BENDING, MAKING THE CALCULATION
We all know that is a convenient method of talking about shaft deflection and this number has proven to
be an accurate method of predicting premature seal and bearing failure in a single stage centrifugal pump
with an overhung impeller. In the section titled shaft bending, learning the L3/D4 formula I gave you the
formula we use to calculate the force on the end of the shaft of a single stage centrifugal pump with an
overhung impeller.
This is the most popular pump being used in the process industry today. Here again is the formula we use
to calculate the hydraulic force on the end of the pump shaft:
● P = The resultant force, in pounds

● K = The radial thrust factor. This number comes from a chart that relates to specific speed.
● H = Total head at Q gpm measured in feet.
● D2 = Outside diameter of the impeller, measured in inches.
● B2 = Width of the impeller in inches.
● Sg. = The specific gravity of the fluid
● 2.31= The conversion from feet of head to pounds/ square inch
● Kq = A capacity factor equal to:
● Q = The capacity in gpm at which the radial thrust is to be calculated.

● Qn = The capacity in gpm at the best efficiency point (BEP) of the pump
I will be working the numbers in both the imperial and metric systems. First we will work the numbers in
the imperial system and at the end of this article we will make the same calculations in the metric system.
I will use a direct conversion to metric to show you that the conversion works. In reality we would not be
using these exact numbers, but it is important to develop confidence in your ability to work in either
system. Because I am working with a direct conversion I will continue to use 1750 rpm or the numbers
will come out differently. I am well aware that your calculations will probably be at 1450 or 2900 rpm.
We are now going to use this formula to make an actual calculation of the shaft deflection on a typical
ANSI standard pump running at shut off. This is a normal starting method for centrifugal pumps of this
type. The following information would have been read off the pump curve that came with the pump and
a radial thrust factor chart (K) you will find if you see "shaft bending, learning the L3/D4 formula" in
another part of this CD.
● P = The resultant force, in pounds

● K = 0.37 from the chart
● H = 184 feet.
● D2 = 13 inches.
● B2 = 1 inch.
● Q = 0 gpm at shut off.
● Qn = 300 gpm
● specific gravity 1.0
Putting these numbers into the formula we get:
If we add the weight of the impeller estimated to be ten pounds, the total force on the end of the shaft
becomes 393 pounds.
Now that we have the total force, we will use this information to calculate how much the overhung shaft
will bend. To make the calculation we will use the following bending formula:
"I" describes the moment of inertia for a solid, round shaft and the formula looks like this:
Substituting this term into the bending formula we get:

s040
● Y = The amount of shaft bending in inches.

● F = The total force on the shaft.
● L = The length of the shaft from the center of the radial bearing to the center of the impeller.
● E = The modulus of elasticity. The numbers for common shaft materials will vary from 28 to 30
million psi. (28 - 30 X106)
● D = The diameter of the solid shaft under the sleeve, if there is sleeve on the shaft.
● I = The moment of inertia for a solid round shaft:
If we simplify the formula we would get:
Now let's put in the actual numbers and see how much the shaft will bend with 393 pounds of force on
the end of it:
● F = 393 pounds
● L = 9 inches
● D = I.5 inches with a 1.750 sleeve.
Thirteen thousands of an inch bending is enough bending to cause problems with the impeller, wear
rings, mechanical seals and bearings.
● The impeller could hit the pump volute or the back plate.
● The stationary and rotating wear ring components could come into contact.
● The shaft could contact the end of the stuffing box.
● The rotating part of the mechanical seal could hit the inside of the stuffing box.
● The rotating shaft could contact the inside diameter of the stationary seal face.
● The bearings could become overloaded.
● The deflection could cause excessive movement of both stationary and rotating seal designs.
● Any shaft fretting will be accelerated.
Here is the metric force formula;
Here are the original numbers converted to a metric value:
● P = The resultant force, in kilograms

● K = 0.37. from the chart
● H = 56.08 meters.
● D2 = 33.02 centimeters.
● B2 = 2.54 centimeters
● Q = 0 m3/hr. at shut off.
● Qn = 68 m3/hr.
● Specific gravity =1.0
If we add the weight of the impeller estimated to be 4.54 kg, the total force on the end of the shaft
becomes 182.12 kg.

s040
"I" describes the moment of inertia for a solid, round shaft and the formula looks like this:
● Y = The amount of shaft bending in centimeters

● F = The total force on the shaft in kilograms.
● L = The length of the shaft from the center of the radial bearing to the center of the impeller in
centimeters.
● E = The modulus of elasticity. The numbers for common shaft materials will vary from 1.96 to
2.1 million kilograms per square centimeter)
● D = The diameter of the solid shaft under the sleeve, if there is a sleeve on the shaft, measured in
centimeters.
● I = The moment of inertia for a solid round shaft:
Now let's put in the actual numbers and see how much the shaft will bend with 182.12 kilograms force
on the end of it:
● F = 182.12 kilograms
● L = 22.86 centimeters
● D = 3.75 centimeters.
A deflection of 0.036 cm. is enough to do wear ring damage to the closed impeller design commonly
used in European pumps and pumps specified by petroleum refineries throughout the world.
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OVER SIZE STUFFING BOX
O020. OVER SIZE STUFFING BOX
Next to stabilizing the pump shaft, without question the single most effective action you can take to
increase the life of your mechanical seal is to replace the present narrow stuffing box with one of the
newer more open designs. Look at the following diagram.
This stuffing box was designed to accommodate the 5/16-inch to

3/8 inch (8 to 10 mm.) packing that you find in most of the
standard design pumps, such as ANSI, DIN and ISO.
When these pumps are converted to a mechanical seal it leaves

very little clearance between the out side diameter of the
mechanical seal and the inside diameter of the stuffing box.
Clearances of 0.015 inches (0,4 mm) are typical.
Further compounding the problem is the fact that many products stick to the inside of the stuffing box
rough casting, restricting the clearance even more.
movement will open the seal faces enough to let plenty of solids in. It is these small solids that cause
most of the face damage we see in premature seal failures.

● Prevent air from entering the stuffing box if it is running with a negative pressure. This happens
anytime the pump is lifting liquid, pumping from an evaporator or condenser, etc.
● The clean flush enters the product stream unrestricted, diluting the product.
● The shaft radial movement can cause the rotating parts of the seal to contact a stationary part of
the narrow clearance stuffing box, causing the lapped faces to open and the solids to penetrate, or
to possibly damage one of the seal components. There are many causes for shaft radial movement
and it is impossible for you to prevent all of them :
❍ Operating the pump off of the best efficiency point (B.E.P.)
❍ Cavitation.
❍ Water hammer.
❍ The stuffing box is not centered to the shaft.
❍ The seal gland bolt circle is not concentric to the shaft.
● This radial displacement of the shaft and seal can cause the stationary portion of the seal to be hit
by the rotating shaft or the rotating portion of the seal to contact:
❍ Solids built up in the stuffing box.
❍ A protruding gasket between the seal gland and the stuffing box face.
❍ A protruding gasket between the halves of a split case pump.
❍ A loose piece of hardware in the stuffing box.
❍ A protruding flush connection.
The problem is identifiable when you notice a rubbing mark around the rotating portion of the seal and a
partial rubbing mark around the component described in the above paragraph.
In a vertical application the standard lantern ring location will not vent air away from the seal faces. This
will cause the seal faces to run dry and possibly be damaged by the heat that will be generated at
conventional motor speeds. If the dynamic elastomer (the rubber part) is located close to the seal faces it
will almost certainly be damaged during any dry running period. Look for evidence of the elastomer
changing weight, shape, or appearance.
OVER SIZE STUFFING BOX
One solution to the problem of a restricted stuffing box area is to open the space around the seal. One
method of doing this is to install an enlarged or bored out stuffing box. Now the solids have some place
to go when centrifugal force acts upon them
You can argue the merits of an enlarged or tapered stuffing box.
I like the open type shown in the left drawing because I have seen many seals ruined when abrasives
were drawn to the narrow end of the tapered box shown in the right drawing.
I have also seen what appears to be cavitation damage at the narrow end of this tapered box, that could be
caused by high velocity fluid vaporizing.
stuffing box?
● Is the circulation connection located at or above the seal faces in a vertical application?
keep the product cool when the pump is running or warm when the pump has stopped. Caustic
and heat transfer oils are good examples of these applications.
the higher-pressure discharge side. With this arrangement you can take advantage of the fact that the
stuffing box pressure is higher than the pump suction, causing the fluid to flow form behind the impeller
pump.
Whenever you use a mechanical seal this suction recirculation should be your normal set up.
recirculation would not make any sense. As an example:
● The pump has a flow through semi- open impeller that adjusts to the back plate rather than the
Return to index

s105
S105. SUCTION SPECIFIC SPEED
Suction specific speed problems are recognized by a random crackling noise around the pump suction,
accompanied by high intensity knocks.
The main function of the suction specific speed number is to predict a special cavitation problem. The
formula looks the same as the specific speed formula, but in this formula we use the net positive suction
head required (NPSHR) number rather than the total head produced by the pump.
● NS = Specific speed
● Q = Capacity in GPM.
● NPSH = Net positive suction head required to prevent cavitation. Remember that this number is
for 68°F. (20°C.) fresh water. You are going to have to add the vapor pressure of you product to
this number to get the real number that you will be using.
As mentioned in the above paragraph, we use this number to predict cavitation problems with your
impeller selection.
● The flow angle of the inlet vanes and the number of vanes will affect this number.
● A desired value would be below 8500 with impellers having a flow angle of about seventeen
degrees and five to seven vanes. The higher the flow angle number, the faster the liquid will travel
and the lower suction head (pressure) we will get.
to 18,000 because of the temperature and pressure of the water. To get to these values the impeller
inlet flow angle is reduced to a low as ten degrees and the number of vanes reduced to as little as
four. Fewer and thinner vanes help to reduce the blockage in the impeller inlet. A disadvantage to
these low flow angles is that the pump will probably run very rough at below fifty percent of
capacity.
time.
● Inducers have been used successfully with suction specific speed numbers of approximately
24,000
impeller to prevent cavitation. Its flow angle is some where between five and ten degrees with
typically two vanes and no more than four. In other instances a booster pump can be installed
between the pump and the source.
will cut away the impeller inlet vanes to reduce fluid drag and thereby lower the net positive
suction head required. If this has been done with your application, you must insure that the
impeller to volute clearance is adjusted correctly with open impeller designs, and the wear ring
clearance meets the manufacturers specifications with closed impeller designs, or you will
experience internal recirculation problems and cavitation at the impeller outlet vane tips. Keep the
suction specific speed number below 8500 and this problem should never comes up.
● In the metric system we calculate the capacity in liters/sec and the NPSH in meters. You should
try to keep the final SSS number below 5200. Above 7800 you are going to have trouble with
internal recirculation and cavitation.
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Investment Casting
I023. INVESTMENT CASTING
Also called the "lost wax" process.
The piece is shaped from wax, coated with ceramic and then the wax is melted out to leave a hollow
vessel for the metal to be poured in.
Investment cast impellers are preferred because you can cast in a compound curve that allows the
impeller to pump abrasives with less energy and wear.
The compound curve in the impeller acts in the same manner as the angle on a snowplow. Without the
angle directing the snow to the curb, it would require a lot of energy to push the plow.
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st018_5
ST018_5. YOU HAVE VIBRATION PROBLEMS
There are several different types of vibration that include:

common.
❍ A bent or warped shaft. This often happens during the removal of the shaft sleeve, the
bearing, or the mechanical seal.

❍ Thermal growth of various components especially shafts.
❍ Rubbing parts.
❍ Loose parts.
❍ Damaged parts.
❍ The impeller vanes are running too close to the pump cutwater.
❍ Air is getting into the system through vortexing etc.
❍ Water hammer.


● A pump discharge recirculation line is aimed at the seal faces. Each pass of an impeller vane gives
a pulse to the fluid going to the stuffing box.
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Magnetic Drive
M002. MAGNETIC DRIVE
A type of seal-less pump that is limited to pumping clean lubricating liquids.
It is similar in concept to a canned pump.
See "Canned pump
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Canned Pump
C005. CANNED PUMP
"No leak" pumps have been the dream of pump designers ever since the first pump was invented back in
the dark ages. We all want a non-leaking pump for the obvious reasons:
● Pollution problems that brings on government intervention.

● Cost of the product that will reflect in your cost to do business.
● Housekeeping problems.
● If the product leaked it could be a potential danger to personnel in the area.
● Leaking seals are the major cause of premature pump failure.
● Most bearing failure is caused by water contamination of the bearing oil when a water hose is
used to wash down the pump area. No leak means you can eliminate the area wash down.
Because of this desire there are a number of companies willing to supply just about any kind of
"Voodoo" you are looking for.
Let's take a look at the non-seal pump subject and see if this type of pump make sense in your
application.
Most designs fall into three categories:
● The canned pump

● The magnetic pump
● The repeller pump.
The first two designs are very similar in operation. Please look at the following illustration:
The canned pump (figure "A")
An electric motor stator is attached to the shaft and the magnetic fields are placed outside of the "can".
Current flows from the windings, through the product and the "can" to the stator causing it to rotate. The
pumped fluid flows through the pump bearings and around the stator.
Since the pump is in a "can" the fluid cannot leak out.
The magnetic pump (figure "B")

Canned Pump
A magnet is attached to the shaft. An electric motor turns some magnets outside of the can and the
magnetic field is transferred to the magnet inside the "can" causing it to turn. The magnets are covered
with a corrosion resistant covering.
Although this version costs more money, it has the advantage of being able to use a "can" with a larger
cross section. Depending upon the design this can be as much as 0.125" or 3 mm.
Both versions have the same limitations
● The pumped fluid must provide lubrication to the sleeve bearings. To be considered a lubricant
the fluid must have a film thickness of at least one-micron at operating temperature and load or
the sleeve bearings will experience severe wear. Many fluids including hot water and most
solvents are not considered lubricants.
● The pumped fluid must be clean or the solids will collect in the close passages surrounding the
armature or magnet as well as in the close tolerances between the sleeve bearing and the shaft.
This will interfere with the pump performance and cause premature bearing failure. Acids and
solvents clean the lines they are pumped through and as a result the fluid often ends up full of
solids and oxides removed from the passivated piping.
● These pumps are less efficient than conventional centrifugal pumps and therefore generate more
internal heat.
● They operate in a narrow window.
● They use sleeve or journal bearings instead of precision bearings with correspondingly more
radial movement.
● Because of the close internal clearances, dynamic balance of the rotating components is critical to
reliable operation
● If the "can" ruptures you will have a catastrophic failure.
● If you do not have a positive method of pumping the fluid through the bearings and around the
"can" , overheating of the area will become a problem. The result can be flashing of the product
and a potential loss of lubricating ability as the fluid increases in temperature and decreases in
viscosity.
● For the pump to operate satisfactorily you must pump a cool, clean, lubricating liquid and that is
not where most people want to operate these pumps. Cool, clean, lubricating liquids have never
been a problem for mechanical seals.
● Do not run the pump dry; you will trash it
● Be careful of pumping products that are sensitive to an increase in temperature. The fluid will get
warmer in the close clearances you find in magnetic drive pumps.
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Journal Bearing
J005. JOURNAL BEARING
Journal bearings are sometimes called sleeve, babbitt, or poured bearings.
They are non-precision bearing used in those applications that require a great deal of axial movement or
growth. They can be manufactured from babbitt, carbon, Teflon®, brass etc.
Sleeve or journal bearings allow some amount of imbedded dirt and contaminants without becoming
significantly damaged, but they allow too much axial and radial movement for most mechanical seal
applications.
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v025
V025. VORTEX PUMP
● This is a cross section of a Blackmeer. vortex pump. This type of pump is used for excessive
solids in the pumping liquid.
● The impeller is recessed into the volute so the incoming fluid, containing the solids, does not
cause an impeller wear problem.
● Like all vortex pumps, a very low efficiency design, but practical in many applications.
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s062
S062. SLURRY PUMPS
Slurry pumps have some features that make them different than chemical pumps.
● The pumps are more massive

● They have looser tolerances.
● The clearances are more open.
● The parts have blunt rather than tapered edges.
● The metal parts are harder.
● They utilize "through bolt construction" because it is difficult to drill and tap the harder metal.
● Some designs are rubber lined to absorb the impact of abrasive fluids.
● They are less efficient than chemical pumps.
● Many slurries are dilatants. Their viscosity increases with agitation. You may have to convert to a
positive displacement design if you have this problem. Kaoline or china clay is a good example of
a dilatant. Some sugar syrups fall into this category also.
The speed of slurry pumps is important because of the wear rate of the pump volute, impeller and wear
rings. The wear is generally proportional to relative velocity between the slurry and the pump elements to
the power of two or three. In other words if you went from 1750 (1450) rpm to 3500 (2900) rpm. You
would get four to eight times the wear.
Although we often talk about shaft speed, impeller tip speed is often used as the guide in selecting slurry
pumps:
● For dirty water type applications limit the tip speed to 130 feet/sec (40 m/s0
● For medium slurries up to 25% solids concentration by weight and solids size of 200 microns,
limit the tip speed to 115 feet/sec (35 m/s)
● For slurries with higher concentration and larger solids, limit tip speed to 100 feet/sec (30 m/s)
● Pumps fitted with elastomeric impellers (rubber like) are commonly limited to 85 feet/sec (26
m/s) tip speed.
Slurry, S061

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s061
S061. SLURRY
A slurry is defined as solids in liquid.
It is impossible to define when the quantity and size of the particles becomes too much for a mechanical
seal because the design of some mechanical seals incorporate non-clogging seal features.
If the fluid you are pumping is a mixture of a liquid and a solid we have a useful formula to calculate the
specific gravity of a slurry:
● Sm = Specific gravity of the mixture or slurry

● Sl = Specific gravity of the liquid phase
● SS = Specific gravity of the solids phase
● CW = Concentration of the solids by weight
The formula for the concentration of solids by weight (Cw ) is:
See:

● Slurry pumps, S062
● Non clogging seal features, N008
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s074
S074. SPEED LIMITS FOR SLURRY PUMPS
Impeller tip speed is the guide we use for slurry pumps to prevent excessive wear rates.
● With dirty water, limit the impeller tip speed to 130 feet/ second (40 m/s)
● Up to 25% solids and solids size to 200 microns, limit the tip speed to 115 feet per second (35
m/s).
● For slurries with higher concentrations than 25%, and solids larger than 200 microns, limit tip
speed to 100 feet/ second (30 m/s).
● Rubber type impellers are usually limited to 85 feet/ second (26 m/s)
Here is some more information you can use:
● You must pump the slurry at a velocity of 4 to 7 ft/sec. (1,2 to 2,3 meters / sec. to prevent a bed of
solids in the pipe.
● The frictional loss in a pipe increases approximately as the square of the flow velocity Try to keep
the velocity as low as possible
● Pipe abrasion becomes a problem when you pump greater than 10 Ft./sec. (>3 Meters/ sec)
● The slurry can cause several problems with the pump and any mechanical seal that might be
installed:
❍ Internal pump passaasges can clog, restricting product flow
❍ The impeller can be put out of balance, causing excessive shaft movement and vibration
problems that will afect both the seal and bearings.

❍ If you are using semi-open or open impellers, you will need frequent impeller adjustments
to prevent internal recirculation problems. Without a cartridge seal design, sensible

impeller adjustment is almost impossible
❍ Closed impeller, wear ring excessive wear can become a problem causing internal
recirculation problems
❍ If you are using welded metal bellows seals you will experience wear of the bellows plates
and a possible rupture at higher pressures.
See: Slurry sealing SA010
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NON CLOGGING SEAL FEATURES
N008. NON CLOGGING SEAL FEATURES
There are some real nice non-clogging features available in today's seal designs. Not all of them are
available in the same seal, but try to get as many as you can:
● Be sure any dynamic elastomers have a low friction contact with the shaft or sleeve. O- rings are
your best choice here. A built in seal sleeve will give you a better interference fit than trying to
run a dynamic elastomer on a pump shaft or sleeve. An O-ring sliding on a polished metal surface
creates less friction than an O-ring sliding on a carbon/graphite surface. There is also less "break-
away torque".
This means that you should avoid most outside seal designs.
components. The Teflon® will also reduce any hysteresis problems you are having with the seal.
● A quench gland can be used to inject small amounts of steam or water outboard of the seal to
prevent solids from entering below the sliding parts and restrict the seal's axial movement.
Return to index

Pump Standards
P048. PUMP STANDARDS
A Quick check of existing pump standards will reveal that there are a number of them. The list includes:
● ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Standards for Chemical Pumps

● B73.1 for Horizontal type.
● B73.2 for Vertical Inline
● Hydraulic Institute Standards
● API (American Petroleum Institute) 682 for centrifugal Pumps
● API 674 for Reciprocating Pumps
● API 675 for Controlled Volume Pumps
● API 676 for Rotary Positive Displacement Pumps
● ISO (International Standards Organization) aimed at the medium duty single stage pumps (
Metric)
● DIN. West German industrial norm standard
● VDMA West German standard for pump seals.
The fact is that nationalism has caused many countries to adopt a standard for their own domestic pumps
that is sometimes in conflict with the ISO (International Standards Organization) standard. There are two
problems with almost all of these standards:
● They were written for pumps equipped with jam-packing. Most of the standards were first written
in the nineteen fifties at a time mechanical seals were not popular. In those days we had a lack of
the modern materials that make mechanical seals practical. As an example Viton® was not
invented until 1958 and did not come into general use until the sixties. Kalrez® did not come out
until 1975 and in the eighties the duplex metals came into their own.
● The customer believes that by purchasing a standard design he is getting a high quality pump.
Customers have the same problem with pump efficiency. They believe there is a correlation
between efficiency and the quality of the pump. Needless to say there is none! Problems caused
by these standards are reflected in continual poor seal performance. The fact of the matter is that
these standards reflect only an attempt to standardize envelope (outside) dimensions, nothing
more!
Unfortunately standardizing the envelope of pumps prevented manufacturers from designing shorter
impeller shafts that were not prone to the bending problems associated with low cost ANSI and ISO
(International Standards Organization) design pumps when they are operating off of their best efficiency
point (BEP).
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Multistage Pump
M030. MULTISTAGE PUMP
● Multi-stage means that the pump is fitted with more than one impeller.
● Additional impellers are added to increase the pump's final head without having to increase the
pump's capacity..
● The discharge of each stage should be positioned 180 degrees from the previous stage to reduce
shaft deflection when operating off the best efficiency point (BEP).
In a good multistage design the first stage would discharge to a second stage mounted on the other end of
the pump. The stages would then alternate on either end of the pump causing a reduction in axial thrust
and a simpler sealing problem. In this design it would be a common practice to cross connect the stuffing
boxes of the first and second stages located on the pump ends.
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s035
S035. SEMI-OPEN IMPELLER
The semi-open impeller looks like an open impeller but there is a shroud on one side of the vanes.
In some designs the impeller is designed to run with a close clearance to the pump back plate. This puts
the shroud on the opposite side of the vanes requiring a "flow through" design.
Most Duriron (Floserve) brand impellers are made this way.
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w007
W007. WEAR RING CLEARANCE
Wear rings should be replaced when their clearance doubles. This additional clearance will increase the
pump power requirements with the amount of power varying according to the specific speed (NS ) of the
impeller
● NS 200 14% increase

● NS 500 7% increase
● NS 2500 Insignificant increase
If the wear-ring clearance is too large the pump will take on excessive vibration caused by internal
recirculation. This can cause seal and bearing component damage.
Another problem is that the pump will not meet its designed capacity because of the internal
recirculation.
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Close Coupled
C042 CLOSE COUPLED
The pump impeller is mounted directly on the

motor shaft.
This eliminates the need for a power end containing

bearings, and the need to do a pump to motor
alignment.
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s036
S036. SERIES OPERATION
The pumps are connected in series (one behind the other) with the discharge of the first pump entering
the suction of the second pump.
This arrangement allows us to double the head (pressure) of the pump without increasing the capacity
(flow). Multi-stage pumps perform the same function.
The most common use for this series arrangement is in petroleum pipeline applications or any time you
need a booster pump to compensate for head losses in a long piping arrangement. The shaft speed and
impeller widths must be the same in any series configuration or the difference in the pumps' capacities
could cause cavitation, or over heating problems.
● In this illustration you can see the affect on the pump curve when two pumps are connected in
series.
● You can also see the affect if the same pumps are connected in parallel.
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Difference between Spcific Speed And Suction Specific Speed
D013. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPECIFIC SPEED AND SUCTION SPECIFIC SPEED
The best way to describe the shape of an impeller is to use its specific speed number. This is a
dimensionless number that was generated by the formula:
● H = Total head in feet
● Pumps for high head low capacity occupy the range 500 to 1000. While low head high capacity
● For a given head and capacity the good news is that the pump having the highest specific speed
that will meet the requirements probably will be the smallest size and the least expensive. The bad
news it that it will run at the highest speed where abrasive wear and cavitation damage become a
problem.
flashing of the product and a type of cavitation known as The vane passing syndrome.
percent of the impeller diameter. If you are using greater than fourteen-inch diameter impellers the
If you work in both metric and imperial units as I do, the subject of specific speed becomes very
In the metric system the capacity is calculated in liters/ minute and the head in meters. Knowledgeable
people in this area feel that if the calculations are done in imperial or other metric units the final number
should be reduced by the following amount:
● If you are using U.S. Gallons/ minute and feet, divide the result by 1.63
● If you are using U.K. Imperial gallons and feet, divide the result by 1.93
● If you are using M3/hour and meters, divide the result by 1.50
SUCTION SPECIFIC SPEED
This is another number that we use in pump selection. The formula looks the same as the regular specific
speed formula, but in this formula we use the NPSH required number rather than the total head produced
by the pump.
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Difference between Spcific Speed And Suction Specific Speed
● NPSH = Net positive suction head required to prevent cavitation. Remember that this number is
for sixty five-degree fresh water. You are going to have to add the vapor pressure of you product
to this number to get the real number that you will be using.
We use this number to predict cavitation problems with your impeller selection.
four. Fewer and thinner vanes help to reduce the blockage in the impeller inlet. A disadvantage to
capacity.
time.
● Inducers have been used successfully with suction specific speed numbers of approximately
24,000
● In their desire to quote a low NPSH required some manufacturers will cut away the impeller inlet
vanes to reduce fluid drag and thereby lower the NPSH required. If this has been done with your
application, you must insure that the impeller to volute clearance is adjusted correctly with open
impeller designs and the wear ring clearance meets the manufacturers specifications with closed
impeller designs, or you will experience internal recirculation problems and cavitation at the
impeller outlet vane tips. Keep the suction specific speed number below 8500 and this problem
should never comes up.
In the metric system we calculate the capacity in liters/sec and the NPSH in meters. You should try to
keep the final SSS number below 5200. Above 7800 you are going to have trouble with internal
recirculation and cavitation.
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Iteration
I025. ITERATION
A technique used in impeller design.
You repeat the action, making fine adjustments until you get to the final result.
Impellers that have been iterated perform more efficiently. It is like the old technique of "cutting and
trying" except you do it on a computer.
The final result is deemed satisfactory when you get to within five decimal points (0.00001) of the
number.
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OPEN IMPELER
O011. OPEN IMPELLER
The impeller vanes are not enclosed between shrouds. They attach to,
and are supported by the hub of the impeller.
The open impeller has to be adjusted to either the volute or backplate to

prevent internal re-circulation of the pumpage.
A clearance of 0.015 to 0.020 inches (0.4 to 0.5 mm) between the

imeller vanes and the volute or back plate would be typical.
Return to index
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/o-html/o011.htm [7/21/03 11:22:35 AM]

Motor Selection
M029. MOTOR SELECTION
Electric motors operate at their best power factor and efficiency when fully loaded so you do not want to
purchase a motor that is too big, and common sense dictates that one that is too small is even worse.
In the following paragraphs we are going to learn how to select the correct motor for your centrifugal
pump application.
Let's assume we will be selecting the motor for the pump described by the pump curve shown below.
The first thing we must do is decide what diameter impeller we will be using. The above curve shows
impeller diameters from "A " to "E".
I have selected letters rather than numbers so that we can work the examples in either metric or inch
units.
For our example we will use impeller size "A". You will want to look to the right hand side of the curve
to select the last efficiency line. In this case it is the 50% line. This will give you the maximum capacity
for that size impeller.
Note the capacity at this point (400) and then transfer this capacity and impeller size to a second graph
(many times this information is part of the pump curve or located very close to the pump curve) that is
supplied by the pump manufacturer.
The second graph will look something like the one illustrated below.
The numbers on the left side of the graph show either the brake horsepower or the kilowatts being
consumed. You can select the appropriate units for your application. According to this graph we will be
using about 20 (brake horsepower or kilowatts) at the last efficiency line (400).
One assumption we made during this selection process was that the specific gravity of the fluid we were
pumping was one (like fresh water). If the fluid has a higher or lower specific gravity we must multiply
the number on the left-hand side of the graph by the specific gravity of the fluid to get the correct
horsepower or kilowatts for your application.
If the pump were sized correctly for the application it would run within ten percent of its best efficiency
point. For impeller size "A" that would be approximately 325 (as shown on the first graph) so we are
going to take advantage of the pump service factor (I'll explain that in a few minutes) to give us the
needed horse power if we should occasionally run at this higher capacity (400) or get into any other
temporary overload condition such as starting a pump that is rotating backwards.
The service factor rating is supplied by the motor manufacturer and is usually available in three ranges:
● A service factor of: 1.00 / 1.10 - most of these are older motors and a majority of them have
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Motor Selection
undesirable aluminum windings.

● A service factor of 1.15 - this is the most common service factor used in modern motors.
● A service factor of 2.00/ 2.50 - These motors are seldom in stock and have to be built at a
premium price.
Motors are available in a variety of horsepower and kilowatt ratings. Typical horsepower ratings would
be: 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 5.0, 7.0, 10, 15, 20, 30, etc.
Our graph showed that we needed a 17 horse power motor, but a 15 horse power motor will work in this
application because of the service factor (15 x 1.15 = 17.25 horsepower available). Keep in mind that any
heat generation computations made by the motor manufacturer were made for the motor when it was
running at its rated horsepower and not at the service factor rating. All this means is that the motor will
run hotter than anticipated, but still within acceptable limits.
Oil refinery applications use a second factor recommended by the American Petroleum Institute (API.).
This organization specifies that the factor should be used as an additional safety margin. These factors
are:
● To 25 horsepower (18,7 kw.) = 1.25

● From 30 to 70 horsepower (22,4 to 52,2 kw.) = 1.15
● A 100 horse power (74.6 kw.) or more = 1.10
If we take the same example as noted above, and insert the API (American Petroleum Institute)
additional requirement, we would come up with:
● If 20 horsepower is needed x 1.25 (A.P.I. specification) = 25 horsepower needed.
There are instances where you can combine the two service factors and come up with a compromise. As
an example, suppose that the horse power requirement was 8.7 instead of the 20:
According to the A.P.I. (American Petroleum Institute) you would need 8.7 x 1.25 = 10.8 horsepower, so
you would have to go to a 15 horse power motor because there is nothing in between 10 and 15
horsepower. According to the above information a 10 horse power motor has a service factor rating of
1.15 so, 10 x 1.15 = 11.5 horsepower or more than enough to satisfy the API (American Petroleum
Institute) recommendation.
Electric motors are sized considering the specific gravity of the liquid being pumped. If a low specific
gravity pump is tested with water, or any higher specific gravity fluid, the increase in motor amperage
could burn out the motor.
Return to index

v010
V010. VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE
If you operate too far off the pump's BEP (best efficiency point) the shaft will deflect radially and that
could lead to both seal and bearing problems. So what do you do if you have to vary the capacity of a
centrifugal pump?
The classic discharge control valve is not a logical solution because if you alter the capacity of a
centrifugal pump the head alters also, and in most cases this will guarantee you will be operating off the
best efficiency point (BEP). It turns out there are several solutions to preventing the problem of shaft
deflection while running off the pump's best efficiency point.
● Switch to a double volute pump design.

● Install a pump discharge bypass line back to the storage tank such as the type commonly used on
boiler feed pumps.
● Convert to a low L3/D4 pump design that will operate in a wide window.
● Install a support bushing in the end of the stuffing box, move the seal closer to the bearings and
accept a small amount of shaft deflection.
● And the big question, "how about a variable speed drive"?
You have several choices when selecting a variable speed drive:
● A variable speed electric motor

● A gasoline or diesel engine.
● A variable pulley arrangement.
● A changeable gear box.
● Electrical switch gear
● A hydraulic coupling.
So what is the correct answer ? Is the variable speed drive a sensible choice? The correct answer is
"sometimes"! Let's take a look at what happens when you change the speed of a pump. In the following
drawing the "H" axis is the head (feet or meters) and the "Q" axis is the capacity (gpm or M3/hr.)
Changing the speed of a centrifugal pump has just about the

same affect as changing the diameter of the impeller. The
"Affinity Laws" allow you to predict the results of this change.
The area within the curved lines (ABCD) is called the operating
window. Notice that the sloping best efficiency point line
intersects the capacity leg (Q) at an angle. This causes a problem
with many pumping applications.
For the variable speed drive to be a sensible solution to your pumping application the system curve
would have to fall on, or close to this best efficiency point line or you will experience radial loads that
will translate to shaft deflection. Most pump companies want you to operate within 5% to 10% of the
BEP(best efficiency point). Heavy duty pumps that have a low L3/D4 (shaft diameter to shaft length
ratio) have a much larger operating window.
The above diagram shows that the head is going to have to increase at a pre-determined rate as the
capacity increases. In another part of this alphabetical section you learned that there are three kinds of
head that will have an affect on the pump's capacity:
● Static head. The distance from the discharge of the pump center line to highest liquid level minus
any distance caused by the siphon affect.
● Pressure head. The head caused by pumping into a pressurized vessel.
● System or friction head. The loss of head caused by friction in the piping, valves and fittings.
You also learned that a system curve is constructed by the end user of the pump and describes the head/
capacity relationship over the desired operating range of the pump that is going to be specified. The
pump manufacturer places his pump curve on top of this system curve and the point where they intersect
is where the pump is going to operate.
Lets take a look at a system curve for a typical boiler feed pump or any pump that will be discharging
into a constant pressure vessel:

v010
The boiler is running at a constant pressure, but the steam demand is

changing. The boiler feed water capacity must vary with the steam
demand, but the pressure or head must remain constant.
The system curve is a straight horizontal line because the dominant head is
the pressure head. The amount of piping and elevation is minimal.
Laying the best efficiency point (BEP) sloping line from a

varying speed drive on top of the system curve (EF) would
show that we are at the best efficiency point only at one point.
Allowing the tolerances of the operating window (ABCD) you

can see that we are operating efficiently over only a portion of
the desired system curve. A similar application would be
pumping a varying capacity to a very high tower or elevation
where the static head is the dominant head.
A hot or cold water circulating system describes a different type of system

curve. The dominant head in this example is the friction head and that
varies by almost the square of the capacity.
In other words, two times the capacity gives you four times the head, or
three times the capacity would give you nine times the head. If you plot
this on a piece of chart paper you would get an "exponential curve" as
shown on the left.
If you lay the best efficiency point line on this "exponential curve E-
F" you would get a pretty good match and just about all of the system
curve falls within the operating window (ABCD), so this becomes
the ideal variable speed application.
In other words you use a variable speed drive any time the system
head is dominated by friction in the lines, fittings and valves.
You will find this last curve in many common applications:
● Circulating hot or chill water systems.

● Loading liquid cargo or fuel to a ship from a distant tank farm.
● A piping system with many outlets and a varying demand for product.
● A fire hose.
Many systems are a combination of all three types of heads. You are
going to have to decide which head is the dominant one.
One of the most common methods of varying pump shaft speed is to use a Variable Frequency Drive
(VFD). These drives take advantage of the fact that torque, speed and horsepower of an AC electric
motor are related to the frequency and voltage of the electrical power supply. Here is the relationship:
v010
● hz = frequency or number of cycles per minute. In the U.S we run 60 cycles per minute (hertz),
most of the rest of the world uses 50 hertz.
● Torque capability = F(volts/hz)
● Horse Power Capability =f(Torque x speed)
VFDs convert incoming alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) and then invert the DC power
into variable frequencies and voltage AC power. Most VFDs produce a constant voltage/frequency (hz)
ratio.
A low L3/D4 shaft is still your best protection against damage caused by operating off the pump's best
efficiency point. Any pump that experiences frequent starts and stops has this problem.
If the dominate head in the system is pipe friction losses a variable speed device can have some
advantages:
● They can deliver a broad range of head / capacity figures so your estimate of flow needs does not
have to be exact.
● You can eliminate the need for a throttling valve. Valves can leak and they require maintenance.
● Often an inefficient bypass line can be eliminated.
● Throttling a pump discharge produces unwanted heat in a pump that can be eliminated by
changing the pump speed instead. This heat can cause the pumping fluid to:
❍ Vaporize or flash
❍ Crystallize
❍ Change viscosity
❍ Coke or build a film on sliding seal parts.
❍ Become more corrosive.
❍ The heat can also change critical dimensions and could cause lapped seal faces to go "out
of flat".
The bad news is that pumps with variable speed drives have several potential problems:
● The fluid viscosity can change with speed if it is a non Newtonian fluid. As an example, the
viscosity of dilatants increases with agitation requiring additional power.
● The shaft can hit a critical speed on its way to the ideal operating speed.
● You can dial in too much capacity that can, in turn, burn out the electric motor.
● Operating off the BEP can cause shaft deflection.
● Explosion proof motors must be approved to operate over the entire operating range. At the lower
rpms the cooling fan is often not rotating fast enough.
● Variable speed demands may affect the electrical power distribution system by reducing electrical
demand.
● The mechanical seal has to be designed to operate over the entire speed range. At higher speeds
the design has to be of the stationary type with the spring face load reduced.
● At higher shaft speeds the NPSH requirement is increased to prevent cavitation problems. You
may have to install an inducer on the pump's impeller
● Higher speed almost always dictates increased maintenance costs because of increased wear and
corrosion.
● They cannot be used if the pump or equipment feeds multiple users because more than one flow
cannot be controlled by a single control unit.
● The pump or mechanical equipment must be able to operate at reduced speeds. A liquid ring
vacuum pump could have trouble at lower shaft speeds because many of these designs will not
produce a vacuum below 80% of their rated speed.
● Remember that a variable speed drive is another piece of equipment installed in the system that
will experience its own set of problems and require its own maintenance.
Return to index

v020
V020. VISCOSITY CORRECTIONS
Viscosity means resistance to pouring. The higher the viscosity the thicker the fluid. Here is what is
going to change when you pump viscous fluids with a centrifugal pump:
● The brake horsepower requirement will increase.

● You will notice a reduction in the head the pump will produce.
● Some reduction in capacity will occur with moderate and high viscosities.
● The pump's efficiency will decrease.
The attached chart is typical of the charts supplied by the hydraulic Institute and other similar
publications. You can use it to:
● Act as an aid in selecting the pump you need for your application.
● Determine the performance of a conventional centrifugal pump pumping a viscous fluid when its
performance on only water is known.
In this section we will address the first use of the chart and let it assist us in selecting the centrifugal
pump for viscous fluids. Centrifugal pumps have been used with viscosities below 3,000 SSU (660
centistokes) and as high as 15,000 SSU (3,300 centistokes) but they are sensitive to changing viscosity.
High viscosity fluids are better handled with positive displacement pumps that are affected differently
than centrifugal pumps by a change in fluid viscosity:
● At a constant speed, changes in viscosity will have very little affect on capacity.
● The total head will probably increase with viscosity because of higher system resistance.
● The brake horsepower (kilowatts) will increase with capacity.
● The efficiency probably will not be affected because of less leakage through the internal pump
clearances.
Viscous fluids are very common in the petroleum industry so the attached chart was prepared using
petroleum oils as the test fluid, and like all charts of this type the information is general.
If you need very accurate information you will use this chart only as a guide and then conduct your own
test with your specific fluid. This information will get you into the "ball park". Use the chart only for:
● Conventional centrifugal pump hydraulic designs only.

● Pumps operating in their normal range, and not at the far ends of the pump curve.
● Pumps operating with enough net positive suction head available (NPSHA) to prevent cavitation.
● Newtonian fluids. These are the type that do not change their viscosity with agitation. Non-
Newtonian fluids can increase or decrease their viscosity with agitation. As an example if you
agitate cream it will increase in viscosity and become butter.
● The information in the chart and formulas is generally valid for both open and closed impellers.
We will be using the following conventional symbols in our formulas with the exception of the "N" for
efficiency. The efficiency symbol used in most formulas is a Greek letter and looks a little different, but
this is the best I can do at this time, so bear with me:
Qvis Viscous capacity in gpm. (m3/hr). The capacity when pumping a viscous fluid
Hvis Viscous head in feet (meters). The head when pumping a viscous fluid.
Nvis Viscous efficiency in percent. The efficiency when pumping a viscous fluid
bhpvis Viscous brake horse power. The horsepower ( Kilowatts) required by the pump for the viscous
conditions.
Qw Water capacity in gpm.(m3/hr) The capacity when pumping water.

Hw Water head in feet (meters). The head when pumping water.
Nw Water efficiency in percent. The efficiency when pumping water.
S Specific gravity.
v020
Cq Capacity correction factor.

Ch Head correction factor.
Cn Efficiency correction factor.
Qnw Water capacity at which maximum efficiency is obtained
The following equations are used for determining the viscous performance when the water performance
of the pump is known. As you can see they are not very hard to understand or calculate once you get the
terms straight.
Cq , Ch and Cn are determined from the correction chart which is based on water performance.
The following equations are used for approximating the water performance when the desired viscous
capacity and head are given and the values of Cq and Ch must be estimated from the chart using
Qvis and Hvis as :
If you are not comfortable working with formulas all of these numbers look real scary, but the formulas
are really quite basic and require nothing more than the ability to multiply and divide simple numbers.
Almost every calculation in the pump and seal business can be done with a low cost hand calculator. So
jump right in and get wet.
With all of that said, we will use this information to select a pump for a given head-capacity-viscosity
condition. The first two examples will be in inch units and then we will show an example in metric units.
We are looking for a pump to pump 750 gpm to a total head (this includes the static, pressure and friction
heads combined) of 100 feet with a liquid having a viscosity of 1000 SSU and a specific gravity of 0.90
at the pumping temperature.
Please take a look at the following chart:

v020
At the bottom of the chart enter at 750 go up to 100 feet, over to 1000 SSU and then up to the correction
factors shown below :
● Cq = 0.95
● Ch = 0.92 (for 1.0 Qnw water capacity))
● Cn = 0.635
● Qw = 750/0.95 = 790 gpm (see the last formulas shown above)
● Hw = 100/0.92 = 108.8 or 109 feet head (see the formula above)
This means that you need a pump with a water capacity of 790 gpm. At a head of 109 feet.
If the pump selected has an efficiency of 81% when it is pumping water the efficiency pumping the
viscous fluid will drop to Nvis = 0.635 x 81% = 51.5 percent efficient.
The brake horsepower for the viscous fluid will become:
That wasn't too bad was it? Here is another example. See if you come up with similar results. This time
the pump is going to handle 500 gpm (114 m3/hr) of 3000 SSU (660 centistokes) liquid against a head of
150 feet (46 meters) Looking at the chart :

v020
Cq = 0.80 and Ch = 0.81

The water capacity becomes:
● In USCS units Qw = 500/0.80 = 625 gpm

● In SI units Qw = 114/0.80 = 142 m3/hr
The water head is :
● In USCS Qh = 150/0.81 = 185 ft.

● In SI units Qh = 46/0.81 = 57 meters
Going to the graph for 625 gpm (142 m3/hr), 185 feet (57 meters), 3000 SSU (660 cSt), the graph shows
Cq = 0.83
Adjusting the water capacity we get
● Qw x (0.80/0.83) = 602 gpm or 137m3/hr.

Adjusting the water head we get
● Hw x (0.81/0.84) = 178 feet (55 meters)

The efficiency will drop to Nvis = 0.75 x 42% = 31.5 percent
● In USCS units the brake horsepower for the viscous fluid will become:
● In SI units the brake kilowatts for the viscous fluid will become:
Return to index

b029
B029. BEST PUMP TECHNOLOGY
If you are going to purchase a new centrifugal pump you might as well get the best technology available.
Here is a list of some features I think you should be specifying:
● Specify a low shaft diameter to length ratio (less than 60 L3/D4 or less than 2 in the metric
system). This will allow the pump to function in a large operating window and it will reduce a lot
of shaft deflection that is deadly to bearings and mechanical seals.
● You should use a C or D frame adapter to simplify driver to pump alignment, especially when
down time is costly.
● A centerline design will compensate for thermal expansion at the wet end of the pump and
eliminate some pipe strain problems.
● An oversized stuffing box will allow the seal to run cooler and last longer in most slurry
applications.
● You need adequate bearing retention. Above 65% of its efficiency most centrifugal pumps thrust
towards the volute rather than the thrust bearing. A simple snap ring is not good enough.
● Specify positive bearing sealing with a mechanical seal or use a labyrinth seal. Do not use grease
or lip seals that will cut the pump shaft.
● Be sure you have reliable bearing oil level indication. To high an oil level is as bad as too low a
level.
● There should be connections for bearing oil cooling if it is necessary. Do not allow a cooling
jacket on the bearing case outside diameter. This will cool the outside of the bearing, cause it to
shrink and increase the loading on the bearing balls.
● You want, as low a net positive suction head required (NPSHR) as possible.
● Try to specify a double volute pump to prevent shaft deflection. It is sometimes difficult to get
double volute designs in the smaller pump sizes
● Be sure the suction specific speed number is below 8500 (5200 metric).
● Look for any features that makes dynamic balancing of the rotating assembly easier.
● Be sure you have the correct impeller specific speed number for your application.
● When ever possible the impeller should be manufactured from a duplex metal.
● The impeller should be investment cast and not sand cast.
● It is desirable to adjust the semi-open or open impeller from the wet end to prevent seal face load
change. Look for designs that allow you to do this.
Return to index

w009
W009. WET END
This is the part of the pump that gets wet from the pumping fluid.
It includes the:
● Volute
● Impeller
● Shaft or sleeve, (sometimes both)
● Back plate and stufing box
Return to index

p038
P038. PUMP CURVE
Please look at the illustration. You will note that I have plotted the head of the pump against its capacity.
The Head of a pump is read in feet or meters. The Capacity units will be either gallons per minute or
cubic meters per hour.
According to the illustration this pump will pump a 40 capacity to a 110 head, or a 70 capacity to a 85
head (you can substitute the proper metric or imperial units as you see fit)
The maximum head of this pump is 115 units. This is called the Maximum Shutoff Head of the pump.
Also note that the best efficiency point (B.E.P). of this impeller is between 80% and 85% of the shutoff
head. This 80% to 85% is typical of centrifugal pumps, but if you want to know the exact best efficiency
point (B.E.P) you must refer to the manufacturers pump curve.
Ideally a pump would run at its best efficiency point all of the time, but we seldom hit ideal conditions.
As you move away from the best efficiency point (B.E.P). the shaft will bend and the pump will
experience some vibration. You will have to check with your pump manufacturer to see how far you can
deviate from the best efficiency point (B.E.P). It is a function of the shaft (a maximum of 10% either side
is typical).
Now look at the following illustration:
Note that I have added some additional curves to the original illustration. These curves show what
happens when you change the diameter of the impeller.
Impeller diameter is measured in either inches or millimeters. If we wanted to pump at the best efficiency
point with an 11.5 impeller we would have to pump a capacity of 50 to a 75 head.
The bottom half of the illustration shows the power consumption at various capacities and impeller
diameters. I have labeled the power consumption Horsepower, but in the metric system it would be called
Kilowatts
Each of the lines represents an impeller diameter. The top line would be for the 13 impeller the second
for the 12.5 etc. If we were pumping a capacity of 70 with a 13 impeller it would take about 35
horsepower. A capacity of 60 with the 12 impeller would take about 20 horsepower
Most pump curves would show you the percent of efficiency at the best efficiency point. The number
p038
varies with impeller design but numbers from 60% to 80% are considered normal.
Return to index

s050
S051. SHUT OFF HEAD, HOW TO ESTIMATE IT
The maximum head that the pump can generate with a given impeller diameter and a given horsepower
driver.
At shut off the pump would have no capacity. You can estimate the shut off head of a single stage
centrifugal pump with the following formulas:
How to estimate the shut off head of an inch size pump
● At 1750 rpm. Shut off head = Diameter of the impeller squared

● At 3500 rpm. Shut off head = Diameter of the impeller squared x 4
● For other speeds you can use the formula : Shut Off Head = D2 x (rpm / 1750)2
Estimating metric head is a little bit more involved, but it still works:
● Measure the impeller outside diameter in mm. (ie. 250 mm)

● Mark off two places to convert to decimeters. (2,5)
● Square the number. (6,25 )
● For 1450 rpm, multiply by 3 (18,75)
● Add 10 % to your answer (21 meters )
NOTE: For 3000 rpm, you would multiply by 12 instead of 3. Although you can estimate shut off head
with these formulas you cannot estimate the pump capacity (gpm or m3/hr). You will need the pump
curve that was supplied by the pump manufacturer for that number.
Return to index

t012
T012. THREE FORMULAS TO LINK HEAD, PRESSURE AND VELOCITY
It is important to know how to convert head units to pressure units because pump curve head readings are
shown in feet or meters of head, and pump pressure gage readings are calibrated in psi or bar. You have
to know how to make the conversion to be able to reference the gage readings to the pump curve.
Here are the formulas for conveting head to pressure:
Here are the formulas for converting pressure to head:
● sg. = specific gravity
The last formula you need to know is how velocity converts to head because the only thing a pump can
do is impart velocity to the fluid. Since most pumps run at one speed, the pump is a constant velocity
device.
Here is how to convert velocity to head:
● g= the velocity of gravity. 32.2 feet/ second2 or 9,8 meters per second2
You do not need to know Bernoulli's equation to understand pumps, but it would be good information to
have to help you understand the hydraulics inside the pump and its piping. Bernoulli said that assuming
no flow loses, "the total head is the same for any point along a stream".
The formula looks like this in USCS units:
In metric units it looks like this:
The individual terms have the following meanings:
● 144/y = static pressure head (0.102p/y in metric)

● C2/2g = dynamic head. "C" is the velocity in this equation
● y = elevation as measured from the pump inlet centerline.
Return to index

tn003
TN003. CENTRIFUGAL PUMP INSTALLATION
Some one has to install the pump and all of its associated hardware. The quality of this pump and driver
installation will have a major affect on the performance and reliability of the pump, especially if it is
equipped with a mechanical seal.
The pump will be installed on a baseplate. The baseplate will be attached to a foundation and grout will
be placed between the baseplate and the foundation to transmit any vibrations from the pump to the
foundation.
Once the pump and driver are firmly on the foundation it will be time to connect the piping. Be sure to
pipe from the pump to the pipe rack and not the other way, so as to avoid pipe strain that will interfere
with the operation of the mechanical seal and bearings.
There are many piping recommendations that you should be familiar with. The leveling, and pump to
driver alignment can be made at this point, but you should check the alignment after the pump has come
up to its operating temperature because metal parts expand and contract with a change in temperature.
If this is a new piping system some people like to install packing in the pump and run on packing until
the new piping has been cleaned of slag or any junk that might be left in the piping system. If it is not a
new installation, and there is a mechanical seal in the stuffing box, then installing the mechanical seal
environmental controls will come next.
If the pump has an open or semi-open impeller it is time to make the initial impeller clearance setting.
The final clearance can be set when the pump comes up to its operating temperature. It is important to
note that if you do not have a cartridge seal installed in the pump the seal face loading will change as you
make both the initial and subsequent impeller settings and there is nothing you can do about it.
You will now want to do a proper venting of the pump. If it is a vertical installation you will have to pay
particular attention to keeping air vented from the stuffing box while the pump is running and be sure to
vent the space between dual seals if they have been installed.
After you have done all of the above, it is time to check out the mechanical seal environmental controls
to be sure they are working properly. In most cases the environmental control will continue to run after
the pump has stopped. Be sure the operators understand this or they might be tempted to shut the control
off when the pump is between batches. Seal quench is always a problem with operators because the
steam or water dripping out of the seal gland looks like the seal is leaking.
A constant monitoring of the pump is a good idea. Are you familiar with some of the more popular
monitoring methods? Unlike vibration analysis, monitoring can tell you if some part of the pump is
getting into trouble before the vibration starts.
Return to index
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/narratives/tn003.htm [7/21/03 11:23:06 AM]

b016
B016. BASE PLATE
The pump and motor are mounted on a base plate. The base plate is attached to the foundation with
grouting inserted between the base plate and the foundation. The pump and motor feet closest to the
coupling should be doweled to the base plate.
In the following illustration you can see the pump and motor mounted on a base plate
The fact that the motor and pump were aligned by the manufacturer or distributor after he installed them
on the base plate does not guarantee they will still be aligned after the base plate has been grouted and
attached to the pump foundation.
Be sure to check the alignment when the pump is at, or close to operating temperature.
Return to index

Grout
G012. GROUT
The forces and vibrations present in our rotating equipment must be absorbed by the foundation or they
will be transmitted to the mechanical seal and pump bearings, causing higher stresses and premature
failure of one or both of these components.
In another section in we learned several rules about this foundation including the one that states, "the
foundation must be at least five times the mass of the hardware attached to it".
The grout, in conjunction with the anchor bolts and shims, will act as the connector between the pump
base and the foundation ensuring that the forces and vibrations will be absorbed and dampened as much
as possible. This grout can be installed before, during or after the installation.
Be sure to leave vent holes in the base plate for the air to
escape as the grout fills all the voids
In the past, iron filled and gas expansive inorganic grouts were employed causing frequent replacement.
Modern grouts, when properly installed can last for ten or fifteen years or the expected life of most pump
and motor combinations. In the following paragraphs we will be looking as some of these modern grouts
to help you in making your final selection.
Regardless of the brand you select you are going to have to consider the "pour ability" of the grout to
avoid air pockets and voids that can become trapped between the pump base and the foundation it will
rest upon. Shrinkage is another consideration along with chemical compatibility and resistance to
"creep".
You should also consider that in many process plants the floors are constantly wet from pump and valve
leakage, steam leaks and wash down hoses. Be sure the grout you select will not be damaged by this
additional moisture.
The U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Specification CRD-C-621-89 describes various levels of "pour
ability" for non shrinking grout:
● FLUID. Like tomato soup. It can easily be pumped or poured.

● FLOWABLE. Like a milkshake. It can also be pumped or poured.
● PLASTIC. Like molasses. Too viscous to pump, but can be poured. These grouts are usually
"troweled" in place.
● DAMP PACK. Can be formed into a ball.
Most of the modern grouts fall into two categories:
Cement plus a natural or metallic aggregate.
● Significantly lower in cost than the epoxy type. In many cases it is only one third of the cost.
● They can easily be mixed at the installation site.
● By changing the amount of water you can easily change the "pour ability".
● Curing takes longer than the epoxy type and this can be an important consideration in many
applications.
● Chemicals can be added to the mixture to generate heat and accelerate the curing time, but the
proper amounts are often hard to calculate.
● Pouring forms are needed, but waxing of the forms is seldom needed.
● The foundation surface must be clean and saturated with water at least twenty four (24) hours
prior to the grouting application.
● Chemical resistance of these grouts is rated poor to fair.
● Replacement is simplified because the grout does not bond to metal.
Epoxy grout, consisting of three parts: a resin, a hardener, and an aggregate.
● All of the parts are usually pre measured so it is hard to make a mistake.
● The cost can be high. As much as three times as much as the cement types, and waste is always a
problem.
● It sets in about twelve hours so you can get "on line" a whole lot faster.
● Because it is so hard it can be very difficult to replace.
● This type is often your best choice for aggressive chemicals.
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Grout
● Excellent for high electrical resistance. This helps if the welder is using the pump for a ground
and he is about to weld the bearings to the shaft in the process.
● Pouring forms must be waxed or wrapped in polyethylene to make removal easier.
Return to index
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Foundation
F033. FOUNDATION OR PEDESTAL
The pump and driver are attached to a baseplate that is bolted to a foundation. The grout is placed
between the base plate and the foundation to lessen vibration problems.
There are a few things you should know about foundations:
● The mass of the foundation should be at least five times the mass of the hardware sitting on it.
● A foundation poured with conventional concrete needs a full month to cure. There is some quick
setting concrete on the market, but approach it with caution.
● The only way to fix a bad foundation is to pour a new one. Sometimes there is room behind the
old foundation and you can continue to use the old one while you wait a month for the new one to
settle. Moving from the old foundation should then only involve the use of a spool piece on the
piping and you might get lucky and remove an elbow that was too close to the pump suction.
● Tack welding the foundation bolts to the re-bar will add strength to the foundation system.
● Do not try to get one set of bolts to do both the jobs of anchoring and leveling by bolting the base
plate down with a leveling nut underneath. This puts the anchor bolts under compression, and they
should be in tension to prevent forcing the bolt into the concrete where it can crack it.
● Up to 500 horsepower (375 KW), the foundation must be 3 inches (76 mm.) wider than the base
plate all around. Above 500 horsepower (375 KW) the foundation should be a minimum of 6
inches (150 mm.) wider.
Return to index

Environmental Control
E013. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
In the seal business this term means to control the environment in the stuffing box area to give the
mechanical seal a better chance of operating without a premature failure.
The mechanical seal would prefer to seal a cool, clean, lubricating liquid. Unfortunately you are required
to seal everything but that. With the proper use of environmental controls we attempt to change the fluid
you are sealing into a cool, clean, lubricating liquid.
It turns out there are only a few things you can do in the stuffing box area to control the environment
around the mechanical seal. As an example you can:
● Control the temperature in and outside the stuffing box. You can raise the temperature, lower it or
keep it within certain limits
● You can control the pressure in the stuffing box. You might want to raise it to prevent a product
from vaporizing or you might want to lower it to save the expense of going to a high pressure
seal.
● You can control the pressure between dual seals. There are occasions when you will have to raise
this pressure, lower it or keep it within narrow limits.
● You can replace the fluid in the stuffing box. The replacement fluid may be less dangerous, a
good lubricant or just easier to seal.
● You can keep atmosphere away from the outside of the seal because the moisture in atmosphere
can cause problems with some seal applications.
See: seal application
Return to index

Seal application
SA001. SEAL APPLICATION, LOOKING AT THE WHOLE SUBJECT
Seal application is divided into three parts:
● Classifying the fluid you will be sealing into its proper categories.
● Specifying the correct seal materials
● When necessary, applying sensible environmental controls
CLASSIFYING THE FLUIDS WE WILL BE SEALING
To be able to seal the wide variety of chemicals used in the process industry you need a method of
classifying chemicals that puts them into neat, logical categories. These categories can be handled by the
use of an off the shelf seal, a special seal design or by controlling the environment in the stuffing box and
outside the seal faces.
Any fluid can be classified as either a liquid or a gas and placed into seven sealing categorizes.
● Fluids sensitive to small changes in temperature and/or pressure.

● Fluids that require two mechanical seals.
● Non lubricating liquids, gases and solids.
● Slurries classified as solids in liquid. The solids may or may not be abrasive.
● Liquids sensitive to agitation.
● Liquids that react with each other to form a solid.
● Lubricating liquids.
Let's look at each of these categories in detail and learn how they affect the life of a mechanical seal:
Any fluid will be affected by a large change in temperature or pressure, but many fluids are sensitive to
small changes of either. By a small change I mean one atmosphere of pressure (15 psi or one bar) or 10
degrees Centigrade (18 degrees Fahrenheit) of temperature.
I have chosen these numbers because the best of seal designs can generate that amount of temperature
between the lapped faces, and any seal can experience a pressure drop of one atmosphere across the
lapped faces.
● Corrosive liquids are sensitive to an increase in temperature. Most corrosives will double their
corrosion rate with an 18 degree Fahrenheit (10 C.) rise in temperature. The temperature at the
seal face is always hotter than the temperature recorded in the stuffing box or seal chamber. Keep
in mind that any contact between the rotating shaft and a stationary component will cause high
heat and will be detected as localized corrosion. Wear rings and throttle bushings are subject to
this rubbing. If the equipment you are sealing is provided with a cooling jacket, and the jacket is
not being utilized, the trapped air can act as an insulator increasing the heat in the stuffing box
considerably.
● Liquids that vaporize. Most any liquid will vaporize if it becomes hot enough, or if the stuffing
box pressure gets too low. It is the product with a low specific gravity that gives us the most
trouble. If the product vaporizes between the lapped seal faces it will separate the faces as the
gases expand. When hot water vaporizes it leaves behind any chemicals that were dissolved in the
water. Most of these chemicals are left in a hard crystal form that will damage the lapped faces.
❍ Fluids such as benzene and others with a low specific gravity will freeze as they vaporize.
If any oil or lubricant was placed on the seal face it will freeze and possibly damage the
lapped faces. Moisture on the outboard side of the seal will also freeze and restrict
movement of the sliding or flexing seal components.
● Liquids that solidify. Some solidify with an increase in temperature, others with a decrease in
temperature. Solvents vaporize with lower pressure leaving any solids behind. Paint is a good
example of a product where the solvent will vaporize at or below atmospheric pressure. In most
cases you can reference a vapor pressure chart to learn when the solvent or carrier will vaporize in
your application.
● Viscous Products. Their viscosity usually decreases with an increase in temperature and increases
with a decrease in temperature. Oil is a good example of this type of fluid. High viscosity can
interfere with free seal movement and cause seal faces to separate. Lowering the viscosity often
increases the seal face wear because there is not enough film thickness to keep the surfaces
separated. You need a film thickness of at least one micron (0.000039") to keep the lapped seal
faces separated.
● Film building liquids.
❍ Petroleum products will form a varnish when first heated and then gradually form a layer
of coke as the temperature is elevated. These transformations are not reversible and the
resultant hard film restricts sliding and/or flexing of the seal components.
❍ Hard water is another example of a film building fluid.
❍ Hot water systems pick up magnetite (Ferric Oxide) from the inside of the pipes. It is black
or reddish in color and will be attracted by a magnet. This abrasive material will collect on
the seal components and destroy the dynamic O-ring as well as restrict the movement of

Seal application
the seal causing the lapped faces to open. Magnetite is a severe problem in new, hot water
systems. The problem will lessen as the system ages and the protective film stabilizes.
● Liquids that crystallize. Sugar and salt solutions are two examples of these fluids. If the crystals
form between the faces they can destroy the carbon. If they form in the sliding or flexing
components they will open the seal faces as the shaft moves. Any leakage across the seal faces
will form a solids build up on the other side of the seal causing interference as the seal tries to
move when it compensates for face wear.
The names of these chemicals are not important. If you knew how to seal any one of them you could seal
all of them. It is just a matter of fitting the particular chemical into the right categories and learning how
to seal that category.
Common sense would dictate that the product temperature and/or pressure must be controlled in the seal
area to prevent any of the above from occurring. In most cases you should try to avoid the use of two
hard faces in these applications because of the additional heat that will be generated between the faces as
a result of the higher friction.
Needless to say, only hydraulically balanced seals are acceptable in any temperature or pressure sensitive
fluid.
The next category we will look at is those liquids that require two mechanical seals.
These seals are installed with a circulating barrier or buffer fluid that can be a forced circulation, or in
many cases a convection system. The pressure of the barrier or buffer fluid can be regulated to indicate a
failure in either of the mechanical seals allowing time for a pump shut down, isolation of the system, and
no subsequent loss in the pumping fluid.
● Costly products fit into this category. Sometimes the product costs so much you just cannot afford
to have it leak. There are plenty of charts to show how much leakage you get from various sized
drips or steady streams. The smallest steady stream you can produce will be between twenty five
and thirty U.S. gallons per day (95 to 115 liters/day)
● Dangerous products require dual seals. These fluids are given a special category because even
small amounts of leakage are not acceptable. The danger could fall into many categories:
radiation, toxic, fire, explosion, bacteria, etc. The new United States' "right to know law" is
having a major affect on how mechanical seals used in these types of products will be repaired.
● Pollutants also qualify. If a pollutant leaks a penalty or fine is involved and the bad publicity does
no one any good. In this day and age a responsible company will not let pollutants leak to the
atmosphere or to the earth for any reason. Fugitive emission legislation has increased the need for
these types of mechanical seals.
● Any time an unexpected seal failure would be inconvenient dual seals make sense. Down time can
be a very costly in many plants. Two seals prevent the unexpected seal failure shut down. This is
especially important with batch operations or when there is no back up pump installed. I spent six
years on a nuclear submarine; the back up shaft seal allowed us to get to the surface if a main
shaft seal failed while we were submerged.
Sealing non-lubricants comes next:
● Non-lubricating liquids such as solvents and hot water fall into this category. We experience more
rapid face wear with these types of fluids. In most cases their film thickness is less than one
micron and cannot support a load generated between two sliding surfaces
● Dry gases are a bigger problem than non-lubricating liquids. Unlike non-lubricating liquids they
will not conduct heat very well and often are dangerous at the same time. This is a common
problem if you forget to vent the stuffing box of a vertical pump. A top entering mixer is another
example of this type of application.
❍ Unless moisture is present, the graphite will not separate from the carbon/graphite face and
deposit on the hard face. It is this graphite that provides the face lubrication in many
marginal and dry running applications.
● Dry solids are the biggest problem of all. They can clog the seal sliding components and provide
no lubrication for seal faces. Once the faces are open they penetrate between the lapped faces and
usually destroy the lapped surfaces. Pharmaceuticals, freeze dried coffee and cake mix are
examples of this category. I am sure you can think of many more.
Slurries, especially abrasive slurries are another sealing problem. They clog the seal components and
destroy faces like the dry solids mentioned above.
● The list of these products is without end. Slurry is defined as solids in liquid that cannot be
dissolved by normal control of the fluid temperature or pressure. The number of solids or their
size is not important. They will collect in the sliding or flexing components of the mechanical seal
causing the faces to open, and then the soilds will penetrate between the lapped faces causing
leakage and face damage. In some designs the springs or bellows (metallic or elastomer) will
experience severe wear in a short period of time.

Seal application
❍ In these designs it is important to rotate the fluid with the mechanicl seal rather than have
the seal bellows component rotate within the abrasive slurry.
Liquids sensitive to agitation can become more or less viscous in the stuffing box of the pump:
● Dilatants increase their viscosity with agitation. This is how cream becomes butter. Some clay
slurries have the same problem. The resulting high viscosities will restrict the free movement of
the seal.
❍ When dealing with dilatants it is important that you do not continually rotate the fluid in
the stuffing box area.

● Thixotropic fluids lower their viscosity with agitation. They seldom present a problem for
mechanical seals except for an increase in seal face wear.
● Plastic fluids change their viscosity suddenly. Catsup is a good example of this type of fluid.
● Newtonian fluids do not change viscosity with agitation. Unless they fall into other categories,
they present no special problem for mechanical seals.
Liquids that combine together to form a solid is our next category.
We seldom have problems with these liquids in pumps because the blending almost always takes place
outside of the pump, but the problem sometimes comes up in mixer applications. You will note that I
have not included anerobic fluids (they solidify in the absence of air) in any of the categories (super glue
is the product that first comes to mind).
● Epoxy is a combination of a resin and a hardener.

● Combining several liquids together makes Styrofoam plastic material.
Lubricating liquids is the last catagory on our list:
● This is the ideal application for a mechanical seal but we seldom see it. More often than not we
are sealing raw product that falls into one or more of the above categories. Back in the days when
we were using packing in pumps we did not pay too much attention to these categories because
we were either prepared to let the product leak on the ground or we would flush in clean liquid
and concentrate on sealing the clean flush instead.
Now that leakage is no longer tolerable and product dilution is no longer desirable, you must have
knowledge of these chemical categories to approach the job of effective sealing.
In most cases the fluid you are sealing will fall into several of the above mentioned categories. Using
heat transfer oil as an example we note that it falls into the following five categories:
● Hot. This oil is pumped at 600 -700 Fahrenheit (315 -370 C); the fluid is too hot for available
elastomers.
● Film Building. The product cokes at these temperatures.
● Dangerous. You do not need this high temperature oil leaking out. It is not only a fire hazard, but
a personnel hazard as well. Recent information indicates that some of these oils are also classified
as carcinogens.
● Costly. Most of these transfer oils cost between $12.00 to $20.00 per gallon (3,8 Ltrs.)
● Slurry. Because of the coking, solids are always present.
To successfully seal heat transfer oil you would have to address all of these problems at the same time.
As is the case with all slurry applications, you would also have to recognize the problems with vibration
(impeller imbalance), thermal growth, and frequent impeller adjustments if you were using open
impellers.
In addition to handling various chemicals we are often faced with extreme or severe operating conditions.
These conditions fall into seven categories also:
● Hot products - Defined as too hot for one of the seal components, or hot enough to cause the
fluid to change from a liquid to a gas or solid. Heat transfer oil is a good example of a fluid that
will "coke" at elevated temperature.
● Cryogenic fluids - They present a problem for elastomers and some carbon faces. Liquid nitrogen
or oxygen would be an example.
● High Pressure - Defined as stuffing box, (not discharge) pressure in excess of 400 psi. (28 bar).
Pipe line and boiler-circulating pumps can have stuffing box pressures of this magnitude.
● Hard Vacuum - Defined as 10-2 Torr or below. This number is well below most condenser or
evaporator applications, but does come up every once in a while.
● High Speed - Defined as the seal faces moving greater than 5000 feet per minute (fpm.) or 25
meters per second. Most process pumps do not approach this speed. The Sundstrand "Sundyne"
pump is typical of a high-speed application.
● Excessive motion - defined as more than 0.005 inches (0,15 mm.) in a radial or axial direction.
Mixers, agitators and specialized equipment have shaft movements up to 1/8 inch (3 mm). Long
shaft vertical pumps and pumps equipped with sleeve or journal bearings, are another application
Seal application
for excessive motion.

● Excessive vibration - Unfortunately there are no reliable numbers for the vibration limits of
mechanical seals. Most vibration studies have addressed only the bearings. It is important to know
that excessive vibration can:
❍ Open the lapped seal faces.
❍ Chip the outside diameter of the carbon face.
❍ Break the metal bellows used in some seal designs.
❍ Wear the driving mechanism used to transmit torque from the set-screws to the seal faces.
❍ Loosen drive screws.
❍ Shorten bearing life
❍ Most seal designs can damage (frett) expensive sleeves and shafts.
❍ Some, but not all designs have built in vibration dampers to relieve some of these
problems.
Now we will look at choosing the materials for the individual seal components. There are usually three
materials to choose:
● The face combination.

● The elastomer or rubber parts.
● The metal components.
CHOOSING THE METAL PARTS FOR THE SEAL
Selecting the best metal for the seal components is usually a simple task.
If the pump's wetted (they get wet from the pumpage) parts are manufactured from a non-metallic
material such as Teflon®, Kynar, Polyethylene, etc. we choose non-metallic seal components.
fluid. Please note that in both cases the seals are clamped, not set-screwed to the shaft. You cannot use
sets-crews in these designs because non-metallic seals are often used on glass coated shafts.
● If the wetted parts of the seal are manufactured from iron, steel, stainless steel or bronze, and they
are not showing signs of corrosion, the seal components (with the exception of the springs) can
usually be manufactured from grade 316 Stainless Steel.
● The springs must be manufactured from "Hastelloy C" or a similar corrosion resistant material to
avoid the problems associated with Chloride Stress Corrosion and the 300 series of stainless steel.
There are exceptions to all general rules however, and it turns out that there are a number of places we
cannot use grade 316 stainless steel seal components successfully and yet iron, steel, other grades of
stainless steel or bronze are usually satisfactory.
The following list describes some of those chemicals and identifies the metal normally selected by the
equipment manufacturer for chemical resistance. Keep in mind that temperature, concentration, stress
etc. affect the chemical resistance of any material, so check with someone knowledgeable before you
specify any metal components.

Seal application
CHEMICAL METAL
Aroclor Bronze Bronze
Barium Carbonate Bronze
Benzene Carbon Steel or Bronze
Benzene, Hot Bronze
Bromine Gas Bronze
Calcium Carbonate 303/304 Stainless
Phenol (Carbolic Acid) 303/304 Stainless
Butyl Phthalate Bronze
Dichlorodifluoromethane (F12) 303/304 Stainless
Diethyl Ether 430 Stainless
Ethanol Bronze
Ethanolamine 303/304 Stainless
Fluorine Gas, Dry 430 Stainless
Hydrogen Chloride Gas, Wet Carbon Steel
Magnesium Sulfate 303/304 Stainless
Monoethanolamine 303/304/430 Stainless
Mixed Acids Bronze
Nickel Chloride 303/304 Stainless
Nuclear Primary Water Systems 304 Stainless
Potassium Bicarbonate 303/304 Stainless
Potassium Chlorate 303/304 Stainless
Potassium Hydrate 303/304/430 Stainless
Potassium Oxalate Bronze
Potassium Permanganate Bronze
Pyrogallic Acid Bronze
Sodium Benzoate Bronze
Sodium Bichromate Bronze
Sodium Bromide Bronze
Sodium Chlorate Bronze

Seal application
Sodium Citrate Bronze
Sodium Dichromate Bronze
Sodium Ferricyanide Bronze
Sodium Fluoride Bronze
Sulfuric Acid Carbon Steel or 430 Stainless
Titanium Tetrachloride Carbon steel
Uric Acid Bronze
If you have any doubt about the compatibility of 316 Stainless Steel with your pump, you can check your
facility for any experience you might have with 316 stainless parts in a similar service. If no such
experience exists and you are uncomfortable making the selection, contact a qualified metallurgist.
As an additional matter of interest the material we refer to as grade 316 stainless steel is made from the
following ingredients:
● Chrome 18-20 %
● Nickel 8-12 %
● Carbon 0.08 %
● Iron 64-70 %
● Silicone 1%
● Manganese 2%
● Sulphur 0.030 %
● Phosphorous 0.045 %
The designation 316 stainless steel is not used in all countries. The following list shows the designations
used by some other nations for a similar product:
● Germany 1.4571 or V4A

● England EN58J
● Sweden 2343
● Hungary KO35
● Czechoslovakia 17246
CHOOSING THE SEAL FACE COMBINATION
SELECTING THE CARBON/ GRAPHITE FACE
The most common face combination you will be selecting is a good grade of carbon-graphite running
against a corrosion resistant hard face. The seal face we refer to as a carbon is really a compound of
carbon and graphite. We use graphite for its lubricating qualities and good heat conductivity. We use the
carbon for its corrosion resistance and strength.
With few exceptions mechanical seal companies purchase carbon-graphite molded faces from one of
several carbon manufacturers. The seal companies pay for the necessary molds and then retain the
exclusive use of them. A really good seal face would be a mixture of carbon, graphite and nothing else.
The carbon is purchased as a by-product of a manufacturing process while the graphite is mined with the
main sources being in Canada and Madagascar. Two things determine the cost of these elements:
● How finely is the product milled? A fine talc is desirable.

● How pure is the product? There will always be some impurities, but the fewer the better because
these impurities could possibly present a chemical compatibility problem and a difference in face
density.
A good carbon-graphite mixture would be about 80% carbon and 20% graphite. Graphite is a good
conductor of heat, a natural lubricant and has a laminar grain structure similar to a deck of playing cards
allowing the individual grains to slide over one another. It is this laminar structure that allows the
graphite to release from the carbon/ graphite face and deposit on the hard face in the same manner a
graphite pencil will write on a sheet of paper.
Carbon is a very different element. It is manufactured by heating an organic material (it once was alive)
to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit (1000°C). It is not a very good conductor of heat and is a poor lubricant
Seal application
because of its crystal structure. If carbon is heated to 4000 degrees Fahrenheit (2000°C) under pressure, it
will convert to graphite.
To manufacture the finished product we place this carbon-graphite mixture in an oversized mold using a
hydrocarbon as the glue to hold the powder together. The mixture is then compressed and placed in an
oven at 2000° Fahrenheit (1000° C) for a period of thirty to sixty days. The hydrocarbon will convert to
carbon at this temperature. The piece must be heated slowly or otherwise the carbon will combine with
oxygen to form carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide, which will in either case ruin it. At the end of this
time the piece has shrunk a small amount but still resembles a real carbon face. The problem is:
● It has poor tensile strength

● It has low heat conductivity because the mixture is very porous.
● It has low density that would present a problem in vacuum applications, as well as pharmaceutical
and food products because of the difficulties in cleaning the lapped seal faces..
At this point any inorganic (it never lived) material can be imbedded into the carbon/graphite shape. If
you should use such an impregnation you would have to be concerned about the chemical compatibility
of the filler material with the product you are trying to seal. Metal salts are inorganics frequently used by
some manufacturers.
If you want a serious carbon you must place the component into a tank like appatatus called an autoclave,
where a vacuum will remove impurities that may have imbedded into the porous face. The autoclave will
then be filled with a liquid hydrocarbon and pressurized to force the hydrocarbon into the porous face
under high pressure. In the old days the hydrocarbon was "pitch" from a tree but in modern times a
variety of hydrocarbons are available.
This first impregnation will penetrate approximately 25 mm. (one inch) meaning that 50 mm (2 inches)
will be impregnated if the hydrocarbon can penetrate from all sides of the shape. The face is then placed
back into the oven and fired at 2000° Fahrenheit (1000 C.) for an additional 30 to 60 days where the
impregnate is converted to carbon. There is also a certain amount of shrinking that takes place during this
converting process.
You now have a denser carbon/graphite, but you are a long way from a good one. Two more
impregnations at 3,0 mm. (0.125 inches) and 0,5 mm (0.020 inches) will complete the impregnations,
each taking 30 to 60 days in the oven.
About this time you hit a point of diminishing returns, so the third impregnation is pushed into the
carbon/graphite, but not fired in the furnace. This type of seal face is referred to as an "unfilled carbon
and is available from several manufacturers both in the United States and abroad.
● C = 25,0 mm (1 inch) impregnation

● B = 3,0 mm (0.125 inches) impregnation
● A = 0,5 mm (0.020 inches) impregnation
As shown in the diagram, the last impregnate will wear away from the seal face, but will remain on the
outside and inside diameters providing the density the face needs to hold vacuum and provide the surface
needed to prevent bacteria and other un-desirable elements from penetrating into the composite.
If a seal manufacturer needs a only a few seal faces for test purposes he can machine them out of a good
grade of unfilled carbon and then send them back to the carbon manufacturer for the final impregnations.
Small batch applications are handled like this also.
When ever possible carbon-graphite is the face that should be the standard in all of your mechanical
seals. It can be used in any chemical or combination of chemicals except an oxidizing agent, a halogen
and some special applications.
As mentioned, the oxidizing agents will combine with the carbon to form carbon dioxide and carbon
monoxide. Here is a list of some of the common oxidizers:
Seal application
● Aqua Regia (a combination of nitric and hydrochloric acid) used for dissolving metals.
● Chloric acid ignites organic material on contact.
● Chlorous acid, over 200 degrees Fahrenheit (100 C).
● Ferric chloride used in sewage treatment photography, medicine and feed additives.
● Hot sulfuric acid, the most widely used industrial chemical.
● Hydrofluoric acid used for etching, cleaning castings and fermentation.
● Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) a common solvent.
● Nitric acid used in fertilizer, dyeing, explosives, drugs, etching and medicine.
● Oleum used in the manufacture of detergents and explosives.
● Perchloric Acid - 2N
● Perchloric acid used in the manufacture of medicine, explosives, and esters.
● Sodium hypochlorite, used in bleaching paper pulp, textiles, and tanning textiles.
● Sulfur trioxide used to manufacture sulfuric acid.
Additionally look for any chemical whose name contains the word:
● Chlorate
● Nitrate
● Perchlorate
● Permanganate
● Peroxide
The Halogens are another group of chemicals that will attack carbon. They are easy to identify because
their chemical name ends in the letters "ine":
● Astintine
● Bromine
● Chlorine
● Fluorine
● Iodine
The oxidizer's chemical concentration and temperature will affect the degree of attack. If you are
handling any of these chemicals or any chemical you suspect might attack carbon, it would pay to test an
unfilled carbon for compatibility prior to installing a mechanical seal.
● Immerse the carbon into the liquid and leave it there for a reasonable period of time. A couple of
weeks should be enough in most cases.
Recent experience shows that all grades of carbon are no longer being recommended in the following
applications:
● If there is a possibility of color contamination of the product. Some paper, pharmaceutical and
paint applications have this potential color problem.
● If you are sealing hot oil and have to meet fugitive emission standards.
● Some de-ionized water applications can attack carbon.
Original equipment manufacturers (OEM) use filled carbon in their seals, and as a result you end up with
a spare parts problem. It is not unusual to find five similar seals, with five different part numbers and the
only difference between them are the grades of carbon/ graphite.
Cryogenic service uses a special carbon that has some inorganic compounds added to compensate for the
fact that adsorbable gases or vapors are not present to weaken the interlacing bonding forces between the
carbon and the graphite. It is these adsorbable gases and/ or vapors that allow the graphite to release from
the compound and coat the hard surface with a low friction-lubricating layer.
Children recognize this problem when they lick the end of a graphite pencil to make the writing darker.
Most sealing applications can be satisfied with an unfilled carbon running against one of several hard
faces. You should contact the carbon manufacturers for their catalog showing you the grades they have
available and the physicals (specifications) of their unfilled carbon. You can then check with your seal
supplier to be sure he is using the proper unfilled grade in your mechanical seals.
A carbon company can provide several unfilled grades depending upon the number of impregnations
(density) and special characteristics, such as the ability to fracture without producing many dust particles.
This is an important characteristic in some split seal designs.
I have included a typical specification chart for you. It is a reproduction of a page from the advertising
literature of the Pure Carbon Company of St. Marys, Pennsylvania, USA. Their grade P658RC would be
a typical unfilled carbon.
You can locate these carbon companies on the "Web" or find them in various technical directories such
Seal application
as the Thomas Register in the United States.
Now that we know which carbon-graphite to use we can look at the hard faces that are available to us.
SELECTING THE CORRECT HARD FACE MATERIAL
The ideal hard face material would incorporate many features including the following:
● Excellent corrosion resistance.

● Self-lubricating.
● High strength in compression, shear and tension.
● High modulus of elasticity to prevent face distortion.
● Good heat conductivity.
● Good wearing characteristics (hardness).
● High temperature capability.
● Temperature cycling capability.
● Easy insertion into a metal holder
● Low coefficient of friction.
● The ability to be molded in thin cross-sections.
Needless to say all of these characteristics are not available in the same face material. The idea is to get
as many of them as you can in a properly chosen face combination.
With just a few exceptions seal companies purchase hard face materials from outside vendors. Be sure
the face component you choose is identified by material, type and grade so that you can check out the
physicals. Some companies change the generic name of the material to confuse you. Make sure you
know exactly what you are purchasing or you will never be able to trouble shoot a seal failure caused by
a wrong material selection.
Takde a look at the chart labeled: "HARD FACE MATERIALS" This chart lists the physicals for some
of the most common hard face materials used in the mechanical seal industry. Most of the information
was supplied by the Pure Carbon Company of St. Mary's, Pennsylvania.
Use these numbers only as a guide. Individual manufacturers use different testing methods and express
the results in different metric and imperial units. I have also listed some of the hard face manufacturers
so that you can contact them directly for test results, latest specifications, newer materials, availability,
etc.
There is some additional information you should know about the materials listed in the chart:
Reaction bonded silicon carbide
● Reaction bonded silicon carbide is produced by adding molten silicon to a mixture of silicon
carbide and carbon. A reaction between the silicon and carbon bonds the structure while the
excess silicon metal fills the majority of the pits left in the resultant material. There is almost no
shrinkage during the process.
● The silicon content is about 8% to 15%. Be aware that high pH chemicals such as caustic can
attack this grade of silicon carbide.
● As of this writing carbon-graphite vs. reaction bonded silicon carbide has been demonstrated to
have the best wear characteristics of all the possible face combinations.
● Reaction bonded silicon carbide is difficult to insert into a metal holder so it is usually supplied in
a solid rather than a composite configuration.
● There are many manufacturers of reaction bonded silicon carbide. The following chart shows
some of them.
COMPANY DESIGNATION
Carborundum KT
BNFL Refel
Coors SC-2
Norton HD-630
Pure Carbon PS-9242
● ESK, Shunk and Hoechst of West Germany are also manufacturers of reaction bonded silicon
carbide.
● Reaction bonded silicon carbide has proven to be more chip resistant than the sintered version
● Avoid the following hifg pH chemicals when using reaction bonded silicon carbide :
❍ Sodium Hydroxide
❍ Potassium Hydroxide
❍ Nitric Acid *
❍ Green Sulfate Liquor *

Seal application
❍ Calcium Hydroxide *
❍ Hydrofluoric Acid
❍ Caustics and strong acids
❍ Most high pH chemicals
* Results vary with temperature and concentration.
The above chemicals can leach the silicon out of the silicon carbide leaving a weakened, hard matrix that
can act like a grinding wheel against the softer carbon face.
Self sintered silicon carbide (sometimes called Alpha sintered, direct sintered or pressure less sintered)
● This material begins as a mixture of silicon carbide grains and a sintering aid that is pressed and
subsequently sintered as its name implies. Unlike reaction bonded SiC there is no free silicon
present. These direct sintered materials have no metal phase and are therefore more resistant to
chemical attack.
● There are two grain shapes available to the manufacturer. Alpha (hexagonal structure) and Beta
(cubic structure). There does not appear to be any great difference in the chemical resistance, wear
or friction of these two grain shapes.
● Most process chemicals will not attack these self sintered materials.
● In the following box you will find some of the bigger manufacturers of self sintered silicon
carbide:
COMPANY DESIGNATION
Carborundum SA-80
General Electric Sintride
Kyocera SC-201
● Sintered silicon carbide is almost impossible to shrink into a metal holder.

● Self-sintered silicon carbide carries a slight price premium compared to the reaction bonded
version.
● Although the preferred seal face material, it often is too brittle for some seal face designs using
thin cross section components.
Siliconized graphite
● The manufacturing process uses a permeable form of carbon graphite that is reaction sintered in
silicon at elevated temperature. This forms an outer layer of silicon carbide on the graphite base.
● A resin impregnate is added to increase the density.
Tungsten Carbide
● Cobalt and nickel are the common binders used to hold the tungsten particles together. Each is
susceptible to selective chemical attack of this metallic binder that will leave a skeletal surface
structure of tungsten carbide particles.
● Galvanic corrosion can take place between a passivated stainless steel shaft or seal face holder
and the active nickel in the nickel base tungsten carbide seal face. This can be a real problem in
caustic and other high pH fluids. The temperature at the seal face is higher than the temperature of
the sealing fluid so the attack takes place quicker.
● The metallic binders in tungsten carbide are also subject to galvanic attack near copper, brass or
bronze.
● Tungsten carbide is less difficult to insert into a metal holder so it is the most common material
used in metal bellows and other hard face metal composite designs.
Here are some additional thoughts about hard seal faces:
● Many sales people promote two hard faces running against each other as the ideal face
combination for slurry and similar services. Keep in mind that solids cannot penetrate between
seal faces unless they open. Seal faces are lapped to a flatness of less than one micron (three
helium light bands) and as long as they stay in contact solids are filtered out. Here are some of the
main disadvantages of using two hard faces in a seal application:
❍ Higher cost compared to using carbon-graphite as a seal face.
❍ If either face is "out of flat" it is almost impossible for the faces to lap themselves back
together again.
❍ Carbon graphite provides an additional lubricating film if you are sealing a poor or non-
lubricating fluid. It should be noted that many fluids fall into that category. It takes a film
thickness of at least one micron at operating temperature and face load to be classified as a
lubricating fluid. Without this lubricating fluid you will generate undesireable heat at the
seal faces
❍ Carbon graphite can easily be inserted into a metal holder.

Seal application
In the event the equipment is "run dry" carbon/ graphite is self-lubricating.

❍
● Use two hard faces in the following applications:

❍ If you are sealing hot oil or almost any hot hydrocarbon. Most oils coke between the seal
faces and can pull out pieces of carbon causing fugitive emissions problems.
❍ If the product tends to stick the faces together.
❍ If the product you are sealing is an oxidizer that will attack all forms of carbon, including
black O-rings. Oxidizing chemicals are listed in another section of this manual.
❍ Halogens can attack all forms of carbon. These Halogen fluids include:
■ chlorine
■ fluorine
■ bromine
■ astintine
■ iodine
❍ If you are pumping a slurry and you cannot keep the two lapped faces together by flushing
with a clean liquid, suction recirculation, a large diameter stuffing box or some other
method usually employed to seal a large percentage of solids.
❍ If nothing black is allowed in the system because of a possible color contamination of the
product you are pumping.

❍ Some deionized (DI) water applications can attack any form of carbon.
● Hard faces have their own problems:

❍ Plated or coated faces can "heat check" and crack due to the differential expansion of the
coating and the base material.

❍ Sometimes PV numbers dictate the use of two hard faces. Keep in mind that PV (pressure
x velocity) factors as a design tool are unreliable because carbon is sensitive to "P" but not
to "V".
❍ Hot water can cause cracking problems with both 85% and 99.5% ceramic. The cause is
not fully understood, but hydrogen embrittlement is suspected as the culprit. Cracks have
been observed after seven to eight temperature cycles. Because hot water is often a non-
lubricant you can develop "slip stick" vibration problems.
Unfilled carbon should be your first choice for a material to run against the above mentioned hard faces.
Use an unfilled carbon in all applications except in those applications that require two hard faces and:
● Cryogenic and dry running applications require a special carbon with an embedded organic to
release the graphite.
● Hot oil if the seal has to meet fugitive emission standards.
CHOOSING THE CORRECT ELASTOMER
The O-ring selection chart is an attempt to select the fewest number of elastomers that will give you
satisfactory sealing. As you can see from the selection, most of the chemicals can be handled by either
fluorocarbon (Viton® and Fluorel are typical examples) or ethylene propylene. The following paragraphs
describe the codes used in the chart.
examples.
● C - perfluoroelastomers. Chemraz (a registered trademark of Greene, Tweed & Co.) or Kalrez® (a
registered trademark of E.I. Dupont Dow) are typical examples.
● N - neoprene
● B - buna N
● Bu- butyl
elastomer proves to be acceptable a non-elastomer (metal bellows) seal may be your only answer.
carbon in mechanical seal faces, or the carbon black used to color O-rings, causing chemical

Seal application
oxidizing agents. These materials additionally constitute a dangerous fire hazard, so two seals
may be required.
test vessel in an oven or on a hot plate when ever practical.
limit is exceeded.

Chemraz -20 +450° -30 +230°
Kalrez® 0 +500° -20 +260°
Neoprene -45 +300° 45 +150°
Buna N -65 +225° -55 +105°
Buna S -75 +250° -60 +120°
many compounds.
lubricant, but to be sure check for compatibility. There is a high temperature version of EPR
available (500°F or 260°C), but it cannot be used if air or oxygen is present on one side of the O-
ring. In other words, the application is limited to the dynamic elastomer on the inboard side of a
dual seal application.
● Nuclear, food products, and pharmaceutical plants often specify specific grades of elastomers and
❍ De-ionized and demineralized water have had various ions and minerals removed and as a
result they are constantly trying to replace the minerals as the water moves through the
pipes and other hardware. The result is that sometimes the water can attack stainless steel
and some seal face materials including carbon. You may have to do some immersion
testing to be sure if your choices are satisfactory.
❍ Water treatment varies with each application. These treatment chemicals and additives can
attack some elastomers.

❍ Condensate often contains dissolved amines that could attack the elastomer.
❍ Water hardness varies with geographic locations.
❍ Wastewater is liable to be any thing.
❍ The chloride concentration in salt water varies widely.
Ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) is the first choice in most water and water based applications but the
variance noted above can cause premature O-ring failure. If you have any doubt about your water
Seal application
● Look up the chemical in the O-ring selection chart . If your product is not on the list or is a
combination of several chemical on the list, go to the next step.
● "Test" is the next step. If possible start with two elastomers of the same compound and immerse
change weight, shape or appearance. If the elastomer does not pass this test go to the last step
● Chemraz or Kalrez® is usually the end of the line. Check the special elastomers chart. If neither
of these materials is satisfactory you will have to use a non-elastomer seal such as a metal bellows
Most mechanical seal designs incorporate both dynamic and static elastomers.
● Dynamic O-rings are required to flex and roll with the shaft movement. This means that a very
low shaft squeeze and a smooth shaft finish are important to prevent seal hang up or hysteresis.
They must also be free to flex and roll to compensate for mechanical seal face wear.
● Static O-rings do not have to move. They are used as a gasket and are a lot more forgiving than
dynamic O-rings because a small amount of swell can be tolerated that might even improve their
sealing.

play.
sealing.
article is an attempt to put these "super compounds" into a proper perspective. There are several of these

Seal application
and aldehydes.
below 400°F (205°C).
The following compounds are exhibited on the special elastomers chart
to AFLAS.
(205°C)
materials.
fretting increases the probability of seal failure, and dictates the use of shaft sleeves that raise the L3/D4
There are many charts available to help you pick the correct elastomer compound for your application.
Unfortunately your fluid may not be shown on some of these charts and the temptation is to go to one of
the special elastomers for the solution. At other times you will tempted to standardize on a special
elastomers to avoid the selection process altogether. The next chart should help you to avoid a mistake in
both of these instances.
The special elastomers chart is unique in that it shows you where these "super compounds" should not be
suitable for your service. It means nothing more than what it says; these are the chemicals that each
manufacturer has designated as not suitable for a dynamic O-ring application.
● A = Aflas
● C = Chemraz
● F = Fluoraz
● K = Kalrez®
duplicate the seal operating conditions.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS
For any given seal application problem there are three generally accepted solutions:
● Put in a standard or "off the shelf" seal and hope it works.

● Build a special seal that can compensate for the problem once it occurs.
● Control the environment surrounding the seal to prevent the problem from occurring in the first
Seal application
place. If you control the seal environment you will avoid the inventory and delivery problems
associated with special seals.
In the following paragraphs I will:
● Address the subject of environmental controls in detail.

● Show you how to seal each of the categories.
● Show you how to seal the special operating conditions.
● Discuss some special seals
● Control the temperature in and around the stuffing box. You can raise the temperature, lower it or
seal.
Here are some ways to control the temperature in the stuffing box area.
● Flush the stuffing box with a compatible cool clean liquid. Many seal glands have this connection
available in a more convenient location than the stuffing box lantern ring connection.
● Flush is a misunderstood term. It describes six very different functions. Please look at the
following illustrations and note the connections.
Discharge recirculation. In this arrangement a line is

connected from the discharge side of the pump to the
lantern ring connection in the stuffing box (A) or an
appropriate connection in the gland.
The fluid flows from the discharge side of the pump

through the stuffing box to the back of the impeller.
Suction recirculation. This time the recirculation line is

connected from the bottom of the stuffing box to the
suction side of the pump or some other low pressure point
in the system.
It uses the same connection (A) but on the bottom side of

the stuffing box. The bushing in the bottom of the stuffing
box must be locked into place with a snap ring or it could
move with the differential pressure.
Jacketing fluid. The cooling or heating fluid flows through

a jacket (B) that is surrounding the stuffing box.
Be sure to go in the bottom and out the top of the jacket to

prevent an air pocket

Seal application
Barrier or buffer fluid. The fluid is circulated between two

seals (E) either by convection, a seal pumping ring, or by
a separate circulation system.
If the circulating fluid is at a higher pressure than the

stuffing box it is called barrier fluid. If it is at a lower
pressure it is called buffer fluid.
Quench. Please look at connection (D). The fluid (usually

low-pressure steam) is passed between the seal and a
disaster bushing that has been installed in the rear of the
seal gland.
This is also called an API (American Petroleum Institute)

gland
Flush. Please look at connection (C). A liquid, from an

outside source is injected into the stuffing box at one
atmosphere above stuffing box pressure and dilutes the
● Use two seals with a cool liquid circulating between them. A two way balanced cartridge seal
would be an excellent choice. This arrangement provides cooling at the seal faces where it will
often do the most good.
● Use the jacketed stuffing box that came installed on the pump (connection "B") or install one if it
is missing. These jackets are available as a replacement part for the back plate on most popular
pumps or as an after market bolt on accessory. To use the jacket properly:
❍ Dead end the fluid you are trying to control. This means no lines in or out of the stuffing
box except those used to circulate the jacketing fluid.

❍ Install a thermal bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box. Carbon is a good choice
because it is a poor conductor of heat compared to the metal pump components. A typical
clearance over the shaft would be 0.002 inches per inch of shaft diameter (0,01 mm/mm of
shaft diameter).
❍ Circulate the heating or cooling fluid through the jacket to control the temperature. Six to
eight gpm. (25 to 30 liters /min.) is typical of the amount of cool water needed to cool
down heat transfer fluid to the point where it will stop "coking" and viton O-rings will be
acceptable. If your water is too hard you should substitute condensate or low pressure
steam.
● An API (American Petroleum Institute) gland is available for most mechanical seals (connections
C & D). The gland has several features to provide various functions. It can be used as:
❍ A quench connection (D) to provide heating or cooling outboard of the seal or to remove
any liquid or vapors that might escape between the seal faces. Steam can be injected to
lower the seal temperature in the event of a fire. In the event of a major seal failure this
quench connection can be used in conjunction with the gland disaster bushing to direct seal
fluid leakage to point where it can be collected. Be careful of using too much steam
pressure because the steam will leak through the disaster bushing and blow through the lip
seal trying to protect the bearings.
❍ A flush connection (C) to provide clean fluid to the stuffing box, or it can be used to vent
air out of the stuffing box in a vertical pump application.

❍ A close fitting, non sparking disaster bushing to provide shaft support in the event of a
bearing failure or to protect personnel in the event of a massive seal failure. The bushing
will direct most of the leakage to a drain or tank where it can be collected.
● Heat tape or tracing lines can be installed around the stuffing box to provide a limited amount of
temperature control.
● Install a cooler in the line between the pump discharge and the stuffing box. Keep in mind that
this system only works while the pump is operating so it would be of no value if the application
problem occurs during pump shut down or when the pump is used in a "standby mode".
● Use only balanced seals in these applications to avoid the heat problems associated with
unbalanced seal designs. Elastomers positioned close to the lapped faces or the use of two hard
faces should also be avoided for the same reason.
Controlling the pressure in the stuffing box area

Seal application
● Increase stuffing box pressure by installing a recirculation line from the pump discharge back to
the stuffing box (connection A) with a close fitting bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box. Try
to avoid positioning the recirculation line so that it aimed at the lapped seal faces or thin bellows
seal plate materials. Many fluids contain solids that will abrade these parts. Be sure the close
fitting bushing is positively retained in the bottom of the stuffing box. A snap ring is generally
good enough to hold the bushing against the bottom of the suffing box.
● Eliminate the pressure drop between seal faces by using two seals with a higher-pressure barrier
fluid circulating between them. This is very important in the sealing of chemicals such as ethylene
oxide that will penetrate into the dynamic elastomer, expand and blow out the other side causing
severe damage to the elastomer and unwanted leakage.
● Flush the stuffing box with a higher-pressure liquid. This is the best solution if the fluid contains
solid particles that could interfere with the seal movement. If you are using balanced mechanical
seals designed with the springs out of the fluid you will need only a small amount of flushing.
● The only reason you would want to lower stuffing box pressure is because your seal does not have
high pressure sealing capability. It is possible to lower stuffing box pressure by the use of
environmental controls, but a high-pressure seal would be a much better choice. In an emergency
you could lower the pressure by one of the following environmental controls:
● Equalize the pressure in the stuffing boxes of a double ended pump by connecting the stuffing
boxes together to get even seal wear. This is a common application for a double ended centrifugal
pump.
● It is possible to lower stuffing box pressure by installing a close fitting bushing in the bottom of
the stuffing box and recirculate to the suction side of the pump. Be sure to "lock in" the position
of this bushing with either a snap ring or some other retaining device to prevent it from moving
towards the seal. Be careful of using this control on a vertical turbine pump because the high
velocity liquid recirculating to the suction can heat up the line to the point where it can become
"red hot".
● Lower the sealing pressure differential on the inside seal of a dual seal application by utilizing an
intermediate fluid pressure between two tandem seals. Be sure the inner seal is balanced in both
directions." Balancing a seal in two directions is sometimes called "two way balance".
Replacing the fluid, or provide a lubricant if the sealing product is a non-lubricant (non-lubricants
have a film thickness less than one micron)
● Use two seals with a higher-pressure lubricant as the barrier fluid. This is an excellent choice in
most gas applications or liquids that have little to no lubricating properties. This form of
lubrication will often solve the problems associated with seal "slipstick" and some other types of
vibration. Some new seal designs have hydrodynamic or hydrostatic faces that allow you to seal
gases with a small amount of controlled gas leakage into the product.
● Flush the stuffing box with a liquid lubricant.
● Cooling the product will sometimes turn a non-lubricant such as hot water into a lubricating
liquid.
● For some vacuum applications it makes sense to install a discharge recirculation line to help
destroy the vacuum in the stuffing box area. This works well with mechanical seals, but does not
work as well with conventional packing.
NOTE. If an open impeller has been adjusted too close to the back plate, the "pump out vanes" behind
the impeller can cause a vacuum to occur in the stuffing box. The problem exists with those open
impeller designs that adjust towards the volute (Goulds is an example) and the mechanic is used to
adjusting the impeller to the backplate (Duriron as an example). Someone must inform the mechanic that
Goulds and Duriron impellers adjust in opposite directions.
Decreasing the amount of liquid agitation in the stuffing box.
This becomes very important if you have to seal a liquid that increases its viscosity with agitation. We
call these liquids "dilatants". Connect the bottom of the stuffing box to the suction side of the pump to
allow a single pass of the liquid through the stuffing box. Make sure the connection is very close to the
seal faces. You will be better off using the seal gland flush connection rather than the stuffing box lantern
ring connection.
Some liquids decrease their viscosity with agitation. We call these liquids "thixotrophic". In some
instances the thinner liquid film can cause more face wear and seal "slip stick". If this problem exists use
one of the environmental controls mentioned above.
You will recall that there were seven categories of liquids to seal.

Seal application
In the next section we will look at each of these categories in detail and I will recommend various
environmental controls to help you seal these fluids reliably.
SEALING FLUIDS SENSITIVE TO A SMALL CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE OR PRESSURE
Liquids and gases are both called fluids and a fluid can shorten the life of a seal in only two ways:
● It can cause the seal faces to open allowing solids to penetrate.

● It can damage one of the seal materials.
In this discussion we will be considering how small changes in either temperature or pressure will cause
one or both of these failures to occur and learn how to prevent these changes especially when the pump is
stopped and often subject to both temperature and pressure fluctuations.
A change in temperature can:
● Cause a fluid to crystallize. The crystals will make the seal stick to the shaft and open the faces
when the shaft moves. Caustic and sugar solutions are examples of this.
● Cause a liquid to vaporize; blowing the lapped seal faces apart, letting solids penetrate between
the faces or causing damage as the faces bounce open and shut. This happens any time water
flashes to steam.
● Cause some liquids to become viscous, preventing the seal faces from staying in contact. Bunker
fuel oil becomes very thick when it gets cold.
● Cause some liquids to solidify, either sticking the seal to the shaft, preventing the flexible seal
parts from moving, or causing the seal faces to stick together. Sugar syrups do this when they get
hot. Some fluids do it when they get cold.
● Cause a film to build on the seal sliding components or between the faces. Oil varnish or "coking"
is as typical example of this problem. Hard water will build a film on the seal sliding components
as the water temperature increases. If the system is new and has not been passivated (protective
oxide film on the metal surface) Ferric oxide or a similar oxide can build up on the sealing
components. This build up will accelerate with temperature.
● Cause a liquid to become a non-lubricant. Water becomes less of a lubricant as its temperature
increases. This lack of lubrication can cause "slip stick" problems between the lapped faces.
● The corrosion rate of most corrosives increases with a rise in temperature. A general rule of
thumb says that the corrosion rate of an acid will double with an 18°F (10°C) rise in temperature.
This is the reason we avoid the use of packing in acid pumps. You will recall the packing
generates almost six times the heat of a balanced mechanical seal
If you are not using a dual seal with a pressurized barrier fluid between the seals, then you will get some
sort of a pressure drop across the seal face. A pressure drop could:
● Cause the fluid to vaporize and blow open the lapped faces. If this happens several problems
might occur:
● Solids penetrate between the faces, imbed themselves into the softer carbon and destroy the
lapped hard face.
● As the product passes across the faces a cooling occurs, causing the faces to close. When the faces
close the cycle repeats its self and the alternating closing and opening will probably crack the
carbon as it bangs against the drive lugs or you will chip the carbon face on its outside diameter.
● If the product freezes when it evaporates, it could freeze any oil or grease that was put on the seal
face causing damage to the carbon. This vaporization will also freeze the moisture on the
outboard side of the seal causing ice that can restrict the movement of the seal. You can see the
ice on the shaft outboard of the mechanical seal.
● Cause the liquid to solidify. Paint is a mixture of a solid and a solvent. If the solvent evaporates
the paint will solidify between the faces. This can also occur if the suction of the pump is under a
vacuum (negative suction head) because the pump is trying to lift the fluid.
If the temperature or pressure of the pumping fluid never changed we would seldom have any application
problems. Since pumpage pressure and temperature changes are normal (especially at shut down) we are
going to have to become skillful in controlling the temperature and pressure in the stuffing box area to
prevent a premature seal failure.
In the next few paragraphs we will look at various methods of controlling temperature and pressure in the
stuffing box area. We will begin with the jacketed pump.

Seal application
If your pump is not equipped with a jacket (B), one is probably

available from the pump manufacturer or an after market
supplier
A carbon thermal bushing is installed in the end of the stuffing

box to reduce the heat transfer between the product you are
pumping and the fluid in the stuffing box.
When you use this technique be sure to check:
● The cooling jacket must be free from scale and calcium build-up. There are many cleaning
products on the market you can flush through the jacket to insure that it is clean with out having to
disassemble the pump.
● Dead-end the fluid; no recirculation lines either into or out of the stuffing box. Check carefully
because some of these lines can be hidden by insulation. We are trying to trap a small amount of
liquid in the stuffing box that will be easy to either heat or cool.
● The best fluids to circulate through this jacket are steam or condensate. Shop, river water, or city
water is generally too hard and will form a calcium film on the inside of the jacket.
● Remember that steam will act as a coolant with hot oil applications.
● The steam temperature can be controlled by the use of a regulator on the outboard side of the
jacket. The temperature of steam is directly related to its pressure.
● You can use a mixer valve that will blend the steam and some condensate to give you a very
precise control over the stuffing box temperature.
● The main advantage of this environmental control is that it lets you regulate the stuffing box
temperature when the pump is shut down. That far outweighs the disadvantage of having to
provide circulation to the jacket.
● Be sure to bring the coolant into the bottom of the jacket and out the top. This will insure that
there are no bubbles trapped to restrict heat transfer.
● Because you are "dead ending" the fluid, centrifugal force will throw the solids away from the
seal components and very soon the seal will be positioned in a clean environment at exactly the
right temperature.
The quench and drain connection is next
Steam or water can be injected into port (D) and

drained out the drain port on the other side of the gland
(not shown)
A non sparking disaster bushing is placed in the end of

the gland with a small clearance (0.025") over the
rotating shaft
This connection is used to heat or cool the outboard side of a single seal and wash away any product the
might leak across the faces or build up outboard of the seal.
● Use only low-pressure steam or water. You do not want these products to penetrate through the
disaster bushing and get into the bearings. This is another reason to replace those bearing grease
or lip seals with either a labyrinth or a positive face seal.
● The non sparking disaster bushing has two functions:
❍ To direct most of the seal leakage to a drain where it can be collected, or a flare where it
can be burned.
❍ To prevent the rotating shaft from hitting the stationary seal face if you have a bearing
failure. If the product you are pumping ignites, this could cause a fire or an explosion. In
any case the damage would be severe without this non-sparking disaster bushing.
● A steam line hooked up to this connection can be used to put out a fire in the stuffing box area.
All you need is a solenoid valve and a melt switch that will open the solenoid when it senses high
temperature (same as a fire sprinkler system).
Discharge recirculation is the next environmental control

Seal application
A line is connected from the discharge side of the pump

to the stuffing box through the stuffing box lantern ring
connection (A).
This line can be used to pressurize the stuffing box area with the discharge pressure available at the
pump.
● Do not aim this connection at the seal faces or sliding components. The abrasive action of
entrained solids can injure the lapped faces or destroy a seal component. Thin wall metal bellows
seals are very sensitive to this abrasive action.
● The high velocity fluid can also interfere with the seal movement so be very careful how you
make the connection.
● Use a restrictive bushing in the end of the stuffing box to assist in keeping a higher pressure at the
seal faces. You can see this bushing in the above illustration.
The dual seal is another option:
In this illustration the dual seals are connected in

a tandem configuration.
Either low pressure buffer fluid or high pressure

barrier fluid is circulated between the seals
Dual seals are another way to control either temperature or pressure at the seal faces. You can:
● Circulate a fluid at the correct temperature between the seals. You can cool the area, heat the area
or hold the temperature at precise limits if that is desirable. Be sure to bring the fluid in the
bottom and out the top of the gland to avoid air pockets.
● You can pressurize between the dual seals to prevent a pressure drop across the seal faces. If you
use the two way balanced version of a dual seal you can choose either a higher barrier or lower
pressure buffer fluid between the seals.
● Fill the system and convection tank with anti-freeze and you will prevent ice from forming out
board the inner seal. This can happen any time you seal a product that can freeze moisture in the
atmosphere. CAUTION: Do not use automotive anti-freeze because some brands contain a
chemical used to plug up leaks in the radiator and other parts of the system.
Here are a few more considerations about controlling pressure and temperature in the seal area:
● A cooler in the line between the pump discharge and the stuffing box is not a good method of
controlling stuffing box temperature because it functions only when the pump is running, and
many problems with crystallization, solidifying, becoming viscous, etc. occur when the pump is
shut down or in a "standby mode."
● Flushing the system between batches seldom cleans the stuffing box area and the mechanical seal.
● Flushing the stuffing box with an outside fluid is the universal environmental control. You can
always replace the fluid that is giving you trouble by flushing in a clean liquid at the right
temperature and pressure. It will cause product dilution, but maybe you can flush in finished
product or a fluid that is compatible with the fluid you are trying to seal.
● Heat tracer lines are often used in piping systems, but are seldom placed on the stuffing box.
Maybe you will find it practical to trace and insulate the stuffing box for your application.
There is little need to lower the pressure in the stuffing box area. If you find that the stuffing box
pressure is to high for your mechanical seal, you are better off purchasing a high pressure mechanical
seal that will satisfy your application.
SEALING FLUIDS THAT REQUIRE TWO SEALS
We can use dual seals to:
● Control the temperature at a seal face.

● Prevent a pressure drop across a seal face.
Seal application
● Eliminate atmospheric conditions outboard of a mechanical seal.

● To break down the pressure in a high-pressure application, by inserting an intermediate pressure
between the seals. Two lower pressure seals can then be used to seal a high-pressure fluid that
would normally require a very expensive high-pressure mechanical seal.
● To provide a lubricant if one is needed to prevent "slip stick" between lapped seal faces. This is
always a problem when you are sealing a gas or non-lubricating liquid.
● As a back up if the first seal fails.
Certain products require the use of two mechanical seals. The list would include
● Radioactive material.
● High temperature heat transfer fluids that can start a fire if they leak to the atmosphere or any high
temperature fluid that would present a danger to personnel in the area.
● Many products are considered to be toxic to humans. Hydrogen sulfide is a good example.
● Cryogenic fluids. Products like liquid nitrogen, oxygen etc.
● High-pressure fluids. Many boiler feed pumps and pipeline applications fall into this category.
● Carcinogens (cancer producing chemicals)
● Bacteria laden fluids.
● Expensive fluids.
● Non lubricating gases.
● Hard vacuum applications.
Dual seals can be of either the rotating or stationary version and can be installed in four different
configurations.
● Back to back, facing in opposite directions

● Tandem, facing in the same direction
● Face to face, facing towards each other
● Concentric, one inside the other.
The fluid that circulates between the seals is called barrier fluid if it is higher than stuffing box pressure.
It is called buffer fluid if it is lower than stuffing box pressure. It can be circulated between the two seals
by:
● Natural convection using a convection tank. Insulated piping coming from the top of the gland to
the convection tank and finned piping coming out of the tank will aid convection if heat removal
is a problem.
● A pumping ring can be installed between the seals for those instances where natural convection is
not sufficient to remove the heat being generated between the faces. This is very necessary when
oil is used as the barrier fluid. Oil has a low specific heat and poor conductivity, making it a poor
choice as a barrier fluid. Most of the newer cartridge dual seals come equipped with a built in
pumping ring.
● When you are introducing the fluid between the seals from an external source be sure to bring the
fluid in at the bottom of the dual seal gland and out the top to prevent an air pocket from forming
in the gland.
The following illustrations describe the rotating version (the spring or springs rotate with the shaft) of
these dual seal configurations. You should be aware that a stationary version is also available from any of
the major seal companies. You should also consider:
● Use only the hydraulically balanced version of these seals to prevent the generation of excessive
heat between the seal faces.
● Two way balance is always desirable in any dual seal application to allow you the option of using
either a high or low-pressure barrier fluid, and to prevent the seal faces from opening if either the
system or the barrier fluid pressure fluctuates. o Select seal faces with good thermal conductivity.
● Try to locate any elastomers away from the seal faces. Elastomers are very sensitive to heat.
The first configuration we will look at is the "back to back" version of a rotating seal.
The two rotating faces can be separated by a single

spring, multiple springs, or two metal or rubber
bellows.
Many versions of this seal use two separate seals

independently attached to the shaft.
The rotating back to back version would be your worst possible choice. Here are some of the reasons:

Seal application
● This configuration requires a higher barrier fluid pressure between the seals. This means that an
inner seal leak will cause a dilution of your product. There will be no visible evidence of this
happening unless someone notices a change in the product concentration or tank level.
● In operation the outboard seal is carrying the higher differential pressure and should be the first
seal to wear out or fail. When this occurs the barrier fluid pressure will drop and the inner seal can
blow open. In other words, if the seal works as designed, both seals will fail at the same time.
● High barrier fluid pressures are hard to maintain because of pressure fluctuations and varying
system pressures. Water hammer and pressure surges are not that uncommon.
● A reversing pressure can blow the inner seal open. Seals should shut with pressure. They should
not "blow open" when something goes wrong.
● If a connection in the barrier fluid system is ruptured the inner seal can blow open, dumping the
pump contents to the environment. The second seal would be of no use.
● Note the snap ring holding the inner stationary face against the end of the stuffing box. This part
is missing in just about every application I have ever seen. Without this snap ring, higher process
fluid pressure can over compress the inner seal spring force moving the stationary face into the
rotating face, causing massive face wear and very high rubbing temperatures.
● A common version of this seal utilizes spring loaded dynamic O-rings. O-rings should be placed
in O-ring grooves; they should not be spring-loaded. The Durametallic CRO seal is typical of that
configuration.
● This version is known as the "double fretter" in the sealing industry. It will groove the shaft in two
places just beneath the O-rings.
● This seal is often used in slurry applications. Centrifugal force will throw the slurry into the inner
faces causing excessive carbon wear. The slurry will then pack in front of the moveable face
preventing it from moving as it tries to slide forward to compensate for normal face wear, thermal
growth, most impeller adjustment and shaft end play.
Tandem is the next version. This is the configuration you find in most oil refinery applications.
The seals are connected in series with a low

pressure buffer fluid circulating between
them.
Here are a few comments about the tandem version:
● It takes the most axial space of the four types, and as a result is seldom found in the process
industry, although newer designs are being made shorter as a result of computer finite analysis
programs.
● You need two glands and this adds to the cost as well as the axial space required.
● A low pressure buffer fluid is circulated between the seals, eliminating the possibility of product
dilution.
● A loss of buffer fluid will not cause the seal faces to open.
The face to face version is next. In some designs the two rotating faces run against a single stationary
face that has circulating holes drilled through the face.
This face to face version is a

compromise between the "back to
back" and the tandem version:
● You normally run a lower pressure buffer fluid between the faces. If you lose this pressure the
seal faces do not open.
● Half the seal is in the stuffing box with the other half outside. This means the seal does not take an
excessive amount of either axial or radial space.
● Many versions of this seal specify a common stationary unit with holes drilled in the stationary
for circulation. I do not like this configuration because if you break the stationary face you could
lose both seals. There should be two separate faces specified for maximum safety.
The concentric version is next:

Seal application
In this version we have one of the seals inside the other, sharing a common stationary face. The
stationary face holder is drilled between the rotating faces to allow circulation of the buffer fluid (A).
Like the tandem and "face to face" versions you normally circulate a low pressure buffer fluid between
the faces.
● This configuration takes the least amount of axial space, but requires the most amount of radial
space. You will sometimes find them used on a top entering mixer application, but you will
seldom find them in a pump application because of the radial space required.
● Because of the common stationary used there is the danger of losing both seals if you break the
stationary face.
Here is a drawing of the convection system I mentioned a few paragraphs back.
The convection tank is a unit you can either purchase or

manufacture your self. When a manufacturer supplies this unit,
it requires a Boilermaker Stamp and a 600 psi (40 bar) rating,
making it very expensive to purchase.
You can probably manufacture one for your purposes at a

much lower cost.
You have many choices when it comes to your choice of the buffer or barrier fluid:
● Anti-freeze is popular in northern climates. Do not use the commercial brand that contains a
chemical used to plug leaks in radiator hoses.
● Finished product is always acceptable.
● A fluid compatible with your product is often used.
● You might consider a cleaner or solvent that will be used to clean the system.
● If a flush is being used in the system, you can always use that as a barrier fluid.
● Once again, try to avoid using any type of mineral, petroleum or vegetable oil as a barrier fluid.
Oil has a low specific heat and poor conductivity that can cause varnishing and coking problems
between the seals. Some of the newer synthetic and heat transfer oils can be used if the temperate
is not too high.
Now that you have all of the basics under control, we will use a dual seal to solve some of our common
application problems:
Use a pressure higher than stuffing box pressure (barrier) between the seals to:
● Prevent kaolin (china clay) or other micron size solids from penetrating between the faces.
● To provide face lubrication if the product you are sealing is a non-lubricant. This will prevent
excessive wear and "slip-stick" problems.
● To prevent a pressure drop across the faces that could:
❍ Cause a product to vaporize and open the lapped faces
❍ Cause a fluid to solidify, paint is a good example
❍ Cause Ethylene Oxide to attack the dynamic O-ring in the inboard seal. Ethylene Oxide
can penetrate the elastomer and blow out the other side if there is a differential pressure
across the O-ring.
Use a lower pressure (buffer) between the seals to:
● Create an intermediate pressure in a high-pressure application.

● Use a low pressure, with an anti-freeze as barrier fluid, to prevent ice from forming outboard of
the seal when sealing products that freeze at atmospheric pressure. You will see ice on the outside
Seal application
of the pump if you trying to seal one of these applications.

● To be able to identify which seal has failed.
CAUTION: do not put one half the stuffing box pressure between the dual seals. This will put an equal
hydraulic load on both seals and they will wear out at the same rate.
Circulate the correct temperature fluid between the seals especially when the pump is shut down. You are
going to have to make the decision as to what barrier fluid temperature is needed. You can increase the
temperature, decrease it, or hold it within narrow limits:
● To prevent a product from crystallizing.

● To prevent a product from vaporizing.
● To prevent a product from becoming viscous.
● To prevent a product from solidifying.
● To prevent a product from building a film on the seal faces.
● To prevent the product corrosion rate from increasing with heat.
Here are a couple more considerations:
● With the proper selection of barrier or buffer fluid pressure you can transfer the hydraulic load to
either the inboard or outboard seal. It is never wise to use the barrier fluid at a pressure of half the
stuffing box pressure because this would cause both seals to share the load and they would be
expected to wear out at the same time. It is always better to select one of the seals to carry the
load.
● A transmitter can be installed on the convection tank that will send a signal to a control panel
informing the operator which seal has failed or worn out.
● Some people are tempted to run the outboard seal dry. With the correct selection of the seal type
and the proper materials this is sometimes possible at the lower shaft speeds, but not
recommended. You should use a convection tank under some fluid pressure to be able to tell if
you have had a seal failure, and which seal has failed.
● Use the cartridge version of these seals to ease the installation problem and allow you to make
impeller adjustments and compensate for thermal shaft growth. Be sure the cartridge sleeve is
sealed to the shaft inside the stuffing box, or fluid will flow between the cartridge and the shaft
making cartridge removal difficult. Some manufacturers seal on the outboard end, but this is not
desirable.
● If you use the stationary version of these seals:
❍ Back to back is acceptable; the fluid will be at the seal O.D.
❍ Tandem is acceptable if the stationary units are positioned in the glands.
❍ Face to face is not acceptable. The fluid will be at the I.D. of the inner faces and
centrifugal force will work against you.

❍ Concentric is OK. if you can locate a concentric version of a dual seal.
If you are going to use a cartridge version of the stationary dual seal be sure it has some type of self-
aligning feature to prevent excessive movement as a result of "cocking" when the cartridge sleeve is
attached to the shaft.
SEALING NON LUBRICANTS
When we are discussing mechanical seals a lubricant is defined as a fluid that has a film thickness of at
least one micron (0.000039 inches) at its operating temperature and load. If the product we are sealing is
not a lubricant we are forced to use the self-lubricating characteristics of the carbon/ graphite mixture in
the seal face.
The key to this self-lubrication is that carbon can form strong chemical bonds with gases such as water
vapor. The adsorbed gas then weaken the interlacing bonding forces, releasing the graphite, which in turn
reduces the rubbing friction. Many other types of vapors and gases can be readily adsorbed by carbon/
graphite and in some instances inorganic compounds can be added to the carbon/ graphite if adsorbable
gases are not present or in short supply. Graphitizing of the carbon (heating it to 4000 degrees Fahrenheit
or 2200 degree Centigrade) is another approach to self-lubrication.
In the seal business we are faced with the challenge of sealing three types of non-lubricants. I will
address the problems in order of their difficulty, starting with:
The non-lubricating liquid. Hot water and many solvents fit into this category. The lack of lubrication
at the seal faces causes more rapid wear of the carbon face.
This carbon face is really a combination of carbon and graphite with the graphite being a good dry
lubricant. As the seal face wears the graphite is deposited on the hard face (you can see the black ring)
leaving the carbon behind. The function of the hard face is to give the graphite a place to deposit.
Testing has shown that when we seal a lubricating fluid the lubricant becomes trapped between these
asperities (the peaks the graphite leaves when it deposits on the hard face) and in many cases becomes a

Seal application
vapor, separating the two running surfaces.
A lack of lubrication between the seal faces can also cause a destructive form of vibration called
slipstick. Without proper lubrication the lapped seal faces try to stick together, but "slip" when the seal
drive mechanism engages the drive lugs and inertia accelerates the faces off of these lugs. The faces then
slow down as a result of the poor lubrication. This alternating "slipping" and "sticking" causes severe
vibration with a resultant "chipping" at the out side diameter of the carbon face along with drive lug and
slot wear.
The amount of wear experienced by the carbon /graphite mixture is affected by:
● The surface speed of the seal faces. (a combination of shaft rpm. and seal face diameter). PV
(pressure x velocity) numbers are not really valid because the carbon is sensitive to "P" but not to
"V"
● The spring load on the seal faces and the area of the seal faces.
● The stuffing box pressure. Keep in mind that this number can vary during pump operation.
● The quality and grade of the carbon/ graphite face.
● The surface finish and hardness of the hard face.
● The cleanliness of the sealing fluid.
● The accuracy of the initial installation dimension.
● The hydraulic balance designed into the face.
● The hardness of the carbon.
● The thickness of the lubricating film.
● The affect of centrifugal and hydrodynamic forces on the face loading.
There is little chance of excessive heat developing between the seal faces and in the stuffing box area
because the generated heat can be carried away by the conductivity of the non-lubricating liquid
surrounding the seal.
All of the above means that the extra heat will probably not affect the elastomer (O-ring) generated
between the seal faces, as a result of the poor or no lubricating properties of the fluid you are sealing.
The non-lubricating gas is next:
This application has all of the problems associated with the sealing of non lubricating liquids, but now
you have the additional problem of heat, because gases are for the most part good insulators and do not
let the heat generated between the faces dissipate to the surrounding product and metal stuffing box. Heat
can affect a seal several ways:
● Filled carbon faces can be damaged depending on the filler or binder that was selected. There are
special filled carbons manufactured if the gas can not be adsorbed into the carbon/ graphite
releasing the graphite to provide dry lubrication.
● The elastomer (rubber part) is probably the most sensitive to an increase in heat. Its proximity to
the seal faces is very important in dry running applications. Heat can cause an initial compression
set off the elastomer and eventual complete destruction. Each elastomer compound has a
temperature limit as well as sensitivity to certain chemicals and compounds.
● Most fluids are affected by an increase in heat. They can crystallize, solidify, lose their viscosity,
vaporize, or build a film. In each of these cases, seal life will be affected.
● The corrosion rate of most corrosive fluids will double with an 18° Fahrenheit (10°C) increase in
temperature.
● Seal flatness, face load, carbon squeeze, elastomer interference and many other tolerances can be
affected by a change in stuffing box temperature.
Sealing a dry solid is the worst of the lot.
You now have all of the problems associated with the sealing of a gas, with the additional problem of a
bunch of solids thrown into the mix. This application is seldom associated with pumps but is commonly
found in mixer applications. The application is very similar to sealing a slurry so you should try to select
those seal designs that have non-clogging features. These features would include:
● Springs out of the fluid.

● Rotate the seal in the powder to take advantage of centrifugal force to throw the solids away from
the sliding components.
● The elastomer must move to a clean surface as the seal face wears.
● Select non-fretting designs. They are especially important in dry solids applications.
● Teflon® coating of the rotating parts helps to prevent the solids from sticking to the moving
components.
The majority of mixers designed with bottom entering stuffing boxes are especially sensitive to this
problem. Try to locate the seal inside of the mixer and out of the narrow stuffing box or you will have
trouble with the solids packing around the outside diameter of the mechanical seal.

Seal application
A clean flush with air or a suitable gas seldom works in this application because the air channels through
the dry solids, or the vessel pressure will equalize with the incoming air pressure stopping the flow.
Most of these applications are slow speed (less than 500 rpm.) so a non-clogging type seal works well. A
non-metallic, outside seal can be used if you are prepared to clean it out with air or some other gas
between batches.
A split seal with air introduced into the bottom of the gland is getting good results in many applications.
In some applications it is acceptable to use a compatible grease in the stuffing box to prevent the ingress
of solids. A balanced O-ring type seal, running at lower motor speeds should not generate enough heat to
affect the lubricating qualities of the grease.
SEALING SLURRIES
you must consider:
cartridge seals.
open.
microns.

components.
Seal application
their problems:
Comment:


dirty fluid.
Comment:


Comment:


pump.
Seal application
Good Solution #1.
liquid :
● Finished, clean product or one of the mixture's clean ingredients
● A liquid compatible with what you are sealing.
● A solvent.
● An additive that is going to be added down stream and could be injected into the stuffing box
location.
● Clean water.
● NOTE: Never introduce live steam into the stuffing box as it could cause the product to flash and
Good Solution #2.
Good Solution #3.
Good Solution #4.
applications.
pressure.

Seal application
questionable.
adjustment.
of wear ring wear.
● If you elect to use a rotating metal bellows in a slurry application, remember that the bellows
should rotate the fluid in the sealing chamber. Most bellows designs allow the thin bellows plates
to cut through the abrasive slurry and experience severe wear and breakage in a short period of
time.
SEALING LIQUIDS SENSITIVE TO AGITATION
This category of sealing is the one that is the least understood by most of the people that are involved in
the process industry. It is easy to understand how temperature can change an "easy to seal liquid" into a
difficult to seal crystallized product, a solid, or a gas, but it is hard to see how agitation alone can have
much of an affect because pumped liquids are continually being agitated.
Whether or not you are going to have a problem often depends upon how long the fluid is going to be
agitated, and how fast the agitation takes place. We all know that cream becomes butter with agitation
and if you beat it fast enough and long enough an egg white (a fluid) will become a solid.
The fluid we find in a pump stuffing box seldom gets the proper circulation. The stuffing box lantern ring
Seal application
connection (A) is commonly used for this purpose and if you will look at the area closely you will see
that the fluid is trapped in the seal face area where it is exposed to long periods of high-speed agitation.
If the fluid is not affected by agitation or mixing we say it is a Newtonian fluid (you remember, the apple
fell on his head and he discovered gravity). These fluids are not considered a sealing problem for us
unless they are sensitive to temperature or pressure changes, or contain lots of solids. The fluids we are
concerned about are the non Newtonian fluids, and the problem ones fall into three neat categories:
Dilatants. The more you agitate them the more viscous they become and in many cases they can solidify.
Any time a fluid becomes viscous it can interfere with the ability of the mechanical seal to follow shaft
"run out" or vibration. This hysteresis or delay will allow solids to penetrate between the lapped faces or
allow fugitive emissions to escape to the atmosphere.
● Dilatants are commonly used in industries that manufacture cleaners. You need this increased
viscosity to hold the cleaner on a vertical surface. Many sugar syrups and clay slurries fall into the
same category. In the paper industry the product "Kaoline" or china clay is a common example.
● To insure proper sealing you must insure that the product circulates through the stuffing box only
one time. This would be the case if you used a suction recirculation line connected close to the
face of the seal, at the bottom of the stuffing box, to the suction side of the pump, or some other
low pressure point in the system. In this application it is important to use either seals that have no
spring or springs in the fluid or metal bellows seals.
Thixothrophic fluids are the opposite of dilatants. Their viscosity decreases with agitation.
● Non drip paint is a good example of this type of application, along with automobile wax or most
of the very viscous hand cleaners you find available on store shelves.
● The decreased viscosity can cause the product to become a non-lubricant as the film thickness
diminishes to less than one micron between the lapped seal faces. This will cause an increase in
face wear and in the case of carbon/graphite seal faces, create a potential color contamination
problem with some color sensitive products.
Plastic materials release their viscosity suddenly and present the very same problems as thixotrophic
fluids.
● Ketchup or the tomato sauce product you find in restaurant bottles is a good example of a plastic
fluid.
When dealing with any of these problems be sure to keep the agitation in the stuffing box to a minimum.
In some isolated cases the seal hydraulic balance diameter could be lowered and/or the spring face load
reduced to lower the amount of shear. If you are running at higher than conventional motor speeds this
can be a real problem.
The use of two seals with a pressurized lubricant as a barrier fluid can keep a lubricant between the faces
and diminish the color contamination problem. If color contamination is a real problem, the use of two
hard faces is recommended.
As is the case with just about any fluid sealing problem, the use of a reliable, clean, compatible, liquid
flush is the universal solution. It is often the only solution if you find that none of the above suggestions
are practical in your application.
SEALING LIQUIDS THAT COMBINE TOGETHER TO FORM A SOLID COMPOUND
We want to be sure that we do not confuse this application with fluids that set-up or harden because of:
● A change in temperature. Chocolate solidifies when it cools

● A change in pressure. Paint solidifies when you lower the pressure enough to let the solvents
evaporate.
● Agitation. Cream becomes butter.
In this application we are talking about liquids that are combined together and then the hardening takes
place. If you mix a resin and hardener together you get epoxy glue. Some of the newer coatings and
many plastics are made this way
Most of the time the liquids are combined outside the pump to form the compound, so sealing never
becomes a problem. We only have to seal the individual fluids and they fall into the convenient
categories we list under "Seal application".
Occasionally we run into a batch mixer application where two or more liquids are mixed and then
pumped out of the mixer before the setting-up or hardening takes place. The mixer is then flushed with a
solvent of some type to remove the resultant compound and the solvent is then pumped through the
system to clean the piping.

Seal application
The problem occurs with the pump emptying the mixer, because the stuffing box area never gets the
proper flushing necessary to prevent the compound from setting up and restricting the seal movement.
The time element takes over and the compound solidifies in the seal components restricting their
movement and sometimes it solidifies between the lapped seal faces causing them to break when the
pump shaft rotates.
The solution to the problem is obvious. We need a more thorough cleaning of the pump stuffing box
area.
Please look at the following illustration:
● Fluids "A" an "B" are added to the mixer and blended together.
● The pump empties the mixer, but some of the compound is left inside and it will solidify unless it
is flushed away.
● The solvent flush valve is opened and solvent "C" is added to the mixer. The mixer is filled,
agitated and then emptied by the same pump. This action also flushes the compound from the
lines.
● There is always some of the compound trapped in the pump stuffing box. Flushing the mixer and
lines will not remove it.
The illustration also describes the solution to the problem.
● An inlet line is connected from the solvent flush to the bottom of the pump stuffing box and an
outlet line is connected from the top of the stuffing box to the pump discharge.
● The solenoid valve opens when the solvent flush valve opens and mixer flushing begins. This
flow provides a constant cleaning of the stuffing while the mixer is filling. Bringing the fluid into
the bottom of the stuffing box and out the top is critical to the success of this application.
Sometimes it is difficult to install a fitting at the bottom of the box, so get it as close as you can.
● When the solvent flush valve closes, the solenoid valve is wired to close also.
I have some recommendations for the seal that you will be using in this application:
● Installing an oversize stuffing box makes sense.

● This is an instance where using a seal with two hard faces is a sensible choice.
● Because most solvents attack popular O-ring materials, you will probably be using Chemraz or
Kalrez® as the dynamic elastomer.
● Select a design with the springs out of the fluid. A metal bellows seal without a dynamic
elastomer is another choice that is logical.
● Be sure the fluid in the stuffing box is at the seal outside diameter. It will be a lot easier to flush
away.
● If you prefer a dual seal in this application, be sure to use a tandem design with the compound and
solvent at the outside diameter of the inner seal.
SEALING LUBRICATING LIQUIDS
This is the sealing application everyone wants. Unless the fluid also falls into any of the categories
Seal application
mentioned above, it should be just a matter of picking the correct materials, installing the seal correctly
and then stand back and watch the seal work beautifully.
Now that you understand the basics, we will take a look at a couple of typical hot applications that cause
a lot of seal problems:
● Hot water
● Hot oil
SEALING HOT WATER
Water is normally considered a good lubricant and can do an adequate job of providing lubrication
between the lapped faces of a mechanical seal, but there are a few problems:
● At a temperature above 180°F (80°C) the water lubricating film is not thick enough to separate the
sliding surfaces of the seal faces. Cold water has a film thickness of about one micron which will
keep lapped seal faces separated most of the time. Hot water has a film thickness of only one third
to one half of that amount depending upon the temperature.
● At some combination of temperature and pressure the water will vaporize, expand and open up
the lapped seal faces. When this occurs:
❍ The carbon outside diameter can become chipped and damaged as the constant vaporizing
and subsequent cooling vibrates the seal faces causing them to bang together. Drive lugs
will wear, metal bellows can break and lug driven hard or soft, faces can crack.
❍ Solids dissolved or suspended in the water will be left between the seal faces when the
water vaporizes. They will imbed into the softer face causing severe wear and damage to
the hard face.
❍ A phonograph finish can form on the carbon if a large particle of scale or any foreign
matter is blown across the two faces. The seal will leak through this damaged face.
❍ Slip stick can occur because the faces are trying to stick together due to a lack of
lubrication between them. The alternating sticking and slipping will produce a vibration
that will chip carbon, break bellows and crack lug driven faces unless some form of
vibration damping has been installed.
● In many piping systems magnetite (Fe304) forms on the inside surfaces as a corrosion resistant
covering. This magnetite breaks loose from the piping walls and often collects on the seal
components. It can be recognized by its black color and attraction to a magnet. The magnetite
affects the seal a couple of ways:
❍ Being an abrasive material it will mechanically attack the seal sliding elastomer by
penetrating into it. This will cause "hang up" and eventual leakage.
❍ It will wear the sliding elastomer sealing surface.
❍ Loose magnetite is very common in new water systems. The problem wills eventually
clear its self up after the system has been in use for about a year and the ferric oxide has
formed into a stable layer.
● Hot water is dangerous. The leakage will be invisible as it flashes to steam. If the hot water is part
of a condensate system it may have to be sealed under vacuum conditions.
In order to seal this product effectively, you must address all five problems at the same time. We will
begin by learning how to pick the correct materials for the seal components, then we will choose a seal
design and finally apply the correct environmental controls to insure that the above problems are being
addressed.
Picking the materials:
● The seal face combination should be unfilled carbon graphite, or graphite impregnated silicon
carbide running against either solid silicon carbide or tungsten carbide as your first choice. Plated
or coated faces should not be used in this application.
● The elastomer. Use ethylene propylene to 275 degrees Fahrenheit (135 C.) If you seal at a higher
temperature, either Kalrez® or an equivalent will be necessary. In most cases you should be
trying to cool the water to increase the face life. If the water is cooled, a high temperature
elastomer is not necessary.
● The metal components, 316-grade stainless steel is preferred. Metal bellows or springs should not
be manufactured from stainless steel to avoid chloride stress corrosion problems. Hastelloy "C" is
your best choice for the springs or metal bellows.
Choosing the mechanical seal
● A balanced, O-ring mechanical seal should be used. Both rotating and stationary versions are
acceptable although stationary is preferred. The O-ring will allow sealing in both directions if the
application alternates between vacuum and pressure.
● A cartridge seal should be used for ease of installation and in the case of open impeller pumps, to
allow for impeller adjustment as the pump cycles between operating and ambient temperature. Do
not use cartridge mounted stationary seals unless they have been fitted with some type of self-
aligning feature.
Seal application
● A motion seal should be specified if the pump is equipped with sleeve or journal bearings. This is
a very common arrangement with multiple stage boiler feed pumps.
● A high-pressure seal should be used if the seal chamber pressure (not the pump discharge
pressure) exceeds 350 psi. (24 bar). High-pressure seals are of a more rugged construction that
prevents face distortion and elastomer extrusion.
● Split seals can be used in some of these applications, but a few of the commercial designs have
trouble when the stuffing box pressure alternates between a positive pressure and vacuum. Sleeve
mounting the split seal helps with impeller adjustment, or in the case of vacuum applications the
seal can be installed backwards, or with a discharge recirculation line installed to keep a positive
pressure in the stuffing box. Note: many hot water applications are dangerous so dual seals are
recommended. Care must be exercised if you use a stationary metal bellows seal design. Flow
through the normal flush or recirculation connection can cause a substantial temperature
differential across the seal face that can cause the lapped seal faces to become distorted.
The environmental controls you will need to seal hot water:
To insure the longest possible seal life, the water should be cooled as close to ambient temperature as
possible. The cooler the water the better it will lubricate the faces.
● Install a carbon bushing into the bottom of the stuffing box to act as a thermal barrier. Utilize the
jacketed stuffing box on the pump to cool down the stuffing box fluid. Be sure there are no
recirculation or flush lines coming into or out of the stuffing box. If there is no jacket installed on
the stuffing box one can be purchased from the pump manufacturer or an outside vendor. If you
purchase the jacket from an outside vendor be sure to order the enlarged, jacketed seal chamber or
replacement back plate with the large, jacketed seal chamber cast into it.
❍ NOTE: Be sure the cooling jacket is functioning. If you are in an area that has hard water,
calcium can coat the jacket surfaces interfering with the heat transfer. In that instance you
must provide for jacket cleaning on a regular basis or substitute condensate as the cooling
medium. The cooling jacket is also necessary to prevent heat transfer to the bearing case.
Each 18 degree Fahrenheit (10 C.) rise in oil temperature will cut the life of the oil in half.
● If cooling is not at all possible another alternative is to pressurize the stuffing box to at least one
atmosphere above the water vaporization pressure. Installing a close fitting bushing into the
bottom of the stuffing box and using a recirculation line from the pump discharge to pressurize
the box can do this. As noted above be careful of leaks in the fittings. This could be dangerous in
some high-pressure boiler feed pump or boiler circulating pump applications. Depending upon the
pressures involved you may be better off with a special high-pressure seal design.
❍ NOTE: You are going to have trouble when the heat transfers back to the bearing oil.
Many pumps have a bearing oil cooler available to provide the necessary cooling. Check
with the manufacturer for this accessory. At 200° Fahrenheit (100° C.) non-contaminated
oil has a useful life of only three months. The lip or grease seals used in these applications
have a useful life of only three months also, even when the temperature is closely
controlled. These seals should be replaced with labyrinth or positive face seals.
● It is not wise to install a cooler between the pump discharge and a pump stuffing box. Although
this arrangement will provide adequate cooling, in most cases it is too dangerous at elevated
temperatures because of possible leaks in the additional piping and fittings.
● Tandem seals, with a pumping ring and cooler installed between the seals is another alternative,
but this application takes a great deal of axial room.
● An API (American Petroleum Institute) type gland with a cool quench connection is not a good
choice for this application.
● The quench water will vaporize when it hits the hot surfaces under the seal, causing solids to form
that will restrict the seal movement and contribute to the corrosion of the seal sleeve and other
components.
● Those designs that have the springs out of the sealing fluid can easily clog the springs in this
solution.
● Excess quenching water can leak back into the bearings through the grease or lip seal.
SEALING HOT OIL
● The largest user of hot oil pumps is the heat transfer oil customer. Many consumers use these
products with oil temperatures exceeding 500° Fahrenheit (260° C) and 600° to 700° F (315° to
370° C) becoming common. Some hotels have recently installed these systems in their laundry to
dry clothing.
● Heat transfer oils have many advantages over the steam that was formally used in these
applications.
❍ The product does not flash.
❍ No boiler blow-down.
❍ No deaeration heat loss.
❍ No high-pressure. This means it is not only safer but also tends to leak less.
❍ No licensed boiler operator needed.
❍ The temperature can be kept uniform over a large processing area.
❍ You can heat and cool with the same system.
❍ These oils are excellent in systems that are water/ steam sensitive.
❍ The product is kept in a closed system. This means that all leakage can be stopped.

Seal application
❍ There is less corrosion in the system.
In addition to these heat transfer oils you will encounter hot petroleum oil applications in refineries and
hot organic oil applications in various other industries. There are several problems associated with
sealing these hot oil products and each of them has to be solved if satisfactory seal life is ever to be
obtained.
● High temperature oil is generally too hot for most commercially available elastomers. (the rubber
parts)
● The product "cokes".
❍ These coke particles form at the elevated temperatures and coat them selves inside the
system piping, hardware and on the mechanical seal working parts.

❍ The "coke" particles restrict the movement of sliding and flexing seal components causing
the lapped seal faces to open.

❍ The amount of coke that forms is a function of time and temperature. In other words
coking will be a more severe problem in a closed loop system than it will be in the oil
refining business.
❍ Contrary to popular opinion, testing has shown that air or oxygen is not needed for the
formation of coke. This means that seal designs that try to eliminate oxygen by quenching
or some other method will not work. The use of steam quenching is limited to its cooling
effect only.
● The product is always a fire hazard and depending upon the type and brand you purchase there
could be toxicological problems. Keep in mind that the seal is going to wear out or fail at some
time and the product is going to leak out to the atmosphere.
● Thermal growth of the pump parts will cause problems in maintaining proper pump "wear ring"
and impeller clearances as well as the correct seal compression.
● Misalignment between the driver and the pump and between the piping and the pump suction is a
serious problem at elevated temperatures.
● The product is costly. Leakage represents large monetary losses and personnel danger as well as
environmental problems.
● Heat tracing must be provided throughout the system to prevent the product from becoming too
viscous during periods of prolonged shut down. Unfortunately no one ever heat traces the stuffing
box.
● Vibration is always a problem with hot oil pumps because the coke attaches to rotating
components interfering with the dynamic balance.
● You always end up pumping slurry, which means frequent impeller adjustments or wear ring
replacement and excessive vibration due to the imbalance caused by wear of the rotating parts.
● As the coke builds up on the inside of the discharge piping the pump will operate further off of its
best efficiency point (BEP) causing shaft deflection, vibration, and excessive seal movement.
Coking on the inside of the suction piping can also cause cavitation problems
Although there are many techniques available to address each of these problems, the combination of
these problems eliminates most of the common techniques and leaves the customer with very few options
to get good seal life. Regardless of the seal selected you must address all of the problems or the seal life
will be shortened.
Oil refineries pump hot oil with closed impeller pumps and as a result have to put up with the additional
problems associated with replacing "closed impeller" wear rings. Unlike the chemical industry they
cannot take advantage of the features of an open impeller design that can be easily adjusted to maintain
maximum efficiency. There are two reasons why oil refineries chose closed impeller designs with
mechanical seals and API (American Petroleum Institute) glands:
● Fear of a bearing failure that could cause sparking as the metal impeller contacted the metal
volute. The soft non sparking metal wear ring on one end of the shaft and the carbon disaster
bushing installed in the API (American Petroleum Institute) gland on the other would insure no
hard metal contact if a bearing failed as the shaft was turning.
● Shaft expansion or impeller adjustment could cause the rotating, open impeller to contact the
stationary volute. To prevent sparking, the impeller or volute would have to be manufactured
from a soft non-sparking metal such as aluminum or bronze and this would not be very practical.
Hence the closed impeller with the soft wear rings
To insure long seal life you must do the following:
The product has to be cooled in the seal chamber:
● The oil must be cooled to stop the coking. Coke is a function of heat. Many years ago it was
believed that oxygen had to be present for coking to occur, but testing has shown that this is not
true. You can coke any petroleum product in an inert atmosphere as long as the temperature is
high enough. The finest lubricating oil available will start to coke at 300° F (150° C). The oil
temperature and time determine the amount of coking that you get.
● The oil must be cooled to prevent damage to any elastomers that might be installed in the seal or
shaft sleeve. Elastomers that are subjected to high heat will first take a compression set and then

Seal application
shrink in volume. They will eventually grow hard, crack and leak excessively.
● The oil must be cooled to reduce the amount of heat that will be transferred through the shaft to
the bearing oil or grease. This heat will reduce the viscosity of the lubricating oil or grease and
eventually cause premature bearing failure. The SKF bearing company states in their lubrication
literature, that the life of bearing oil is cut in half for each ten degrees Centigrade (18° F) increase
in bearing oil temperature. They recommend 60° C to 70° C (140° F to 158° F) as an ideal oil
temperature.
● The grease or lip seals are sensitive to any increase in shaft temperature. A stainless steel shaft is a
good choice in these applications because stainless steel is a poor conductor of heat compared to
carbon steel. This is the reason there are no stainless steel frying pans unless they are clad with
either aluminum or copper.
You must install a back up seal for the following reasons:
● The product is dangerous. Leaking hot oil can start a fire or injure any personnel in the area.
Many brands are toxic and some have been identified as possibly carcinogenic.
● The product is too costly to tolerate even small amounts of leakage.
● Back up cooling is necessary if the primary cooling method fails. A back up seal, with a cool
barrier fluid system, can provide this cooling
● If you elect not to use a back up seal, then be sure to install an American Petroleum Institute
(API.) type gland.
Take a look at the illustration below. This is an API (American Petroleum Institute) gland that can
perform several functions:
● The disaster bushing (DB) can provide shaft support if you lose a bearing.
● The leakage will be directed to the quench and drain connection (Q) when the seal wears out or
fails.
● The quench connection (Q) will allow you to use steam for product cooling, but do not use too
much because it could penetrate into the bearing case.
● You can connect steam to the quench connection and use it to put out a fire, should it occur on the
outboard side of the seal.
● In this application the flush connection (F) is not used. The stuffing box is "dead ended" to take
full advantage of the heating/ cooling jacket.
Whenever possible a large diameter cooled sealing chamber should be installed on the pump:
● To allow room for centrifugal force to throw solid coke particles away from the seal faces and
sliding, or flexing components
● Misalignment is always a problem in these pumps. This shaft displacement can cause the rotating
seal to rub against stationary parts in a conventional stuffing box.
● Vibration means movement. The seal must be free to move within the seal chamber.
● When the pump stops gravity will pull solid particles to the bottom of the stuffing box. A large
seal chamber will almost guarantee that the particles will not collect around the seal at this time.
A cartridge seal is necessary in most applications.
● Thermal growth will cause volute, casing and shaft expansion. Only a cartridge seal can
compensate for this movement and allow for the impeller adjustment that will be necessary.
● The wear caused by the slurry will cause frequent impeller adjustments. The average pump used
in these applications has almost 0.250 inches (6 mm) of adjustment possible.
To compensate for misalignment you will have to:
● Use a "C" or "D" fame adapter to compensate for misalignment between the pump and its driver.
● These adapters are available from all good pump companies and will compensate for
misalignment as the pump goes through its temperature transients.
● No other method of alignment works anywhere near as well. If you are going to do a conventional
alignment with dual indicators or a laser aligner be sure your calculations compensate for thermal
growth.
Seal application
● Use a "centerline" wet end to prevent excessive wear ring wear and pipe strain at the pump
suction. If your pump did not come equipped with this type of wet end it can easily be installed in
the maintenance shop. Look at the following illustration:
The centerline wet end has the feet attached to the sides of the pump at
the centerline instead of the bottom of the pump
The centerline design allows the hot volute to expand up and down
and eliminates a lot of pipe strain due to thermal expansion.
Now that we have discussed these important points let's take a look at some solutions that are often
offered, but we should not adopt as our solution. Here are the things that do not work well:
Bad solution #1.
● Use a metal bellows seal to eliminate the need for cooling in the seal area. Although the metal
bellows does not have rubber parts that are sensitive to high temperature cooling is still needed for
the coking. Most bellow suppliers offer an A.P.I. type gland to provide low-pressure steam behind
the seal for cooling purposes and thereby eliminate the option of backup sealing. This quenching
should be limited to only a back up cooling status. If quenching is done with water rather than
steam, watch out for a calcium build up outboard of the seal. This "hard water" build up can
restrict the movement of the flexing portion of the seal as it tries to compensate for face wear.
● If you substitute condensate for the quenching fluid the build up can be eliminated almost
entirely.
Bad solution #2.
● Run a line from the discharge of the pump through a cooler and filter to cool down and clean up
the oil going into the stuffing box. The problems with this solution are obvious. The filter will
clog and the cooler will become inoperative as coke builds up on the tubes.
Bad solution #3.
● Use two seals and run cool oil between them. You have addressed the cooling problem but you
have not addressed the problem of the slurry with this solution.
What then is the best solution that addresses all of the problems?
You should install a large jacketed sealing chamber. These bolt-on accessories are available from your
local pump or seal supplier.
Many pump manufacturers and suppliers can provide a replaceable pump back plate with a large seal
chamber cast into the plate. These chambers are available for just about any ANSI (American National
Standards Institute) pump
● Be sure to dead end the stuffing box. In other words no lines coming into or away from the inner
seal chamber. Do not worry about the heat. With a six to eight gallon per minute (20 to 30 liters/
minute) flow through the cooling chamber the cooling jacket can keep the temperature down to
200° to 250° Fahrenheit (95° to 120° C) without any trouble. If you have hard water in your area
condensate may be the best choice to use as the cooling medium. In some cases low pressure
stream is satisfactory. If you anticipate long periods of shut down, low-pressure steam will be
your best choice because it will keep the heat transfer oil at the proper low viscosity during these
shut down periods.
❍ You should install a cartridge dual seal that has built in slurry features with the inner seal
balanced in both directions. If the pump does not have precision bearings a dual motion
seal with the same features will work just as well. "Two way" balance is necessary because
Seal application
the system and barrier fluid pressure can and will vary.
❍ The dual seal is necessary to conserve the expensive product and to provide a safety
feature when the inboard seal wears out or fails. It will also allow you time to schedule a
seal replacement.
❍ Install a convection tank between the two seals and use cool heat transfer oil as the barrier
or buffer fluid. A lower pressure or buffer fluid is preferred. A slight pressure on the tank
will allow you determine which seal has worn out or failed first. A pumping ring or forced
lubrication between the seals is necessary
❍ Install a carbon restrictive bushing into the bottom of the stuffing box to act as a thermal
barrier. Applications have worked without this bushing but not as well as with it. Any
materials that have poor heat conductivity will work as well as carbon as long as they are
non-sparking and dimensionally stable.
That is all there is to the application. Centrifugal force will clean up the small amount of fluid in the
sealing chamber while the cooling jacket holds the temperature low enough to prevent coking and
damaging the seal elastomer.
The only problem with this system is that it works so well we often forget to clean the cooling jacket on
the pump. A small layer of calcium inside this jacket will act as an insulation and destroy the cooling
affect of the jacket. Be sure to keep this jacket clean or substitute steam or condensate for the cooling
water, and then don't worry about it.
Here are a few additional thoughts:
● A cartridge dual bellows seal can be substituted as long as adequate vibration damping has been
provided to prevent breakage of the bellows. With metal bellows seals try to rotate the fluid in the
sealing chamber to prevent excessive wear of the thin bellows plates. In the past, heat treated
AM350 stainless steel was the bellows material of choice. In recent years Inconel 718 is
becoming popular.
● The bearing grease or lip seals should be replaced with labyrinth or positive face seals. The
original equipment manufacturer (OEM) lip seals have a design life of about two thousand hours
(84 days) and they will cause costly shaft fretting damage. These grease or lip seals will also
allow moisture to penetrate into the bearing case dramatically reducing bearing life.
● If you eliminate these lip seals, you will be able to convert to a solid shaft and improve the
"stiffness ratio" enough to prevent some of the shaft bending and vibration that is experienced at
start up, and as the pump runs off of its' best efficiency point.
● Cool oil flush with a restriction bushing installed into the bottom of the stuffing box, is another
choice. Be sure that the flushing pressure remains at least one atmosphere (15 psi. or 1 bar) higher
● Do not hydrostatically test the seal with water. Any moisture left in the seal or trapped in a gasket
will flash to steam when the hot oil enters the seal. This could be dangerous.
● When using an API (American Petroleum Institute) type gland be sure to check that the quench
and drain ports have not been confused with the flush ports. If these ports are connected
incorrectly it could be very dangerous.
● If you are using stationary bellows seals with a cool oil flush be careful to direct the flushing fluid
away from the seal face. Since the bellows is not rotating the cooling on one side and the hot
system temperature on the other can cause the bellows seal face to go "out of flat".
● Recent tests show that carbon faces always experience some pitting in hot oil applications. In the
past these pits were ignored, but fugitive emission standards dictate that two hard faces should be
use in all hot oil applications.
Return to index

Special seals sealing
SS001_5. SEALING WITH SPECIAL SEAL DESIGNS
If you prefer to solve your sealing problem by using a special seal rather than an environmental control
the following thoughts might help in making your selection.
Seal design features that address the problems of extremes in hot and cold.
● Metal bellows seals. An excellent choice for cryogenic and high temperature, non-petroleum
liquids. Petroleum products are the exception because they "coke" in the presence of high heat so
cooling is necessary in petroleum applications. Heat treated Inconel 718 is the preferred bellows
material
● Carbon pressed into metal holders to conduct heat away from the seal faces. Do not use "glued in
carbon" versions.
● Low expansion metals such as Carpenter 42 and Invar 36 that will still retain the carbon or hard
face in the holder even though the temperature changes greatly. Be aware that low expansion
metals have poor chemical resistance so be careful in using them.
● Elastomers located some distance from the seal face to protect the elastomer (rubber part) from
the additional heat generated at the seal faces
● Low friction face combinations. Carbon/ tungsten carbide or carbon/ silicon carbide are among
the best. Some duplex material faces are showing good results in these applications. Carbon
impregnated silicon carbide is an example of such a material that is finding wide use in hot water
applications.
● Elastomers and plastics that have a wide range of operating temperature. Kalrez® and Chemraz
are examples of these elastomer like materials.
● Stationary seal designs are subject to a differential temperature across the seal face and body if a
recirculation line or flush is being used. This differential temperature can cause the face to go out
of flat. You might be better off with a rotating design in this instance.
If you elect to solve only the sealing problem you must keep in mind that the extremes in heat and cold
will also affect the bearing seals as well as the bearing oil. Unless you address these problems separately
you will be better off controlling the temperature in the stuffing box area and solving most of the bearing
area problems at the same time.
Seal design features that address the problem with slurries.
● Springs out of the fluid, the most common place to clog a seal.
● Vibration damping because the excessive wear of exposed components causes the rotating
assembly to go out of balance.
● Be sure the dynamic elastomer moves to a clean surface as the seal carbon face wears.
● Take advantage of centrifugal force to clean the sliding seal components.
● Bake on non-stick coatings on the metal parts to prevent a build up of solids on the sliding
components. These coatings are porous so do not use them for corrosion resistance.
● If possible, rotate the slurry in the stuffing box with the mechanical seal to reduce seal component
wear.
Seal design features that address fugitive emission problems.
● Stationary dual seal designs that eliminate most of the seal movement caused by mis-alignment
and operating off the pump's best efficiency point (BEP).
● Dual hydrodynamic gas seals.
● Dual hydrostatic gas seals
Now we will take a look at some special seals that include:
● High speed applications.

● High pressure sealing.
● Sealing vacuum.
● Sealing cryogenic fluids.
● Sealing mixers and agitators with excessive shaft movement.
SEALING HIGH SPEED APPLICATIONS
High speed is defined as a surface speed in excess of 5000 fpm. (25 m/sec.) as measured at the middle
diameter of the rotating seal face.
There are several problems involved in sealing at these speeds:
● It is easy to generate too much heat at the seal faces.

● Vibration is a common problem. The equipment sometimes passes through a critical speed on its
way to the operating speed.
● Misalignment and dynamic balance problems are magnified.
● Lubrication between the lapped faces is critical because of potential slip stick vibration problems.
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● You might exceed the tensile strength of the rotating face, and cause it to go out of flat.
● Centrifugal force will cause the rotating face of a rotating seal to become square to the shaft and
pull away from the stationary face.
● Centrifugal force can also act on the single spring in some rotating seal designs causing the seal to
loose its face loading and letting the lapped faces separate.
High-speed sealing requires:
● A lower spring load at the seal faces. The 10-30 psi is lowered to 8-15 psi. (0,7-2 bar is lowered to
0,5 - 1,0 bar)
● The hydraulic balance ratio is reduced to 60/40 from the conventional 70/30 because of potential
heat problems at these higher speeds.
● Select low friction face combinations. Carbon-graphite vs. silicon carbide is a good one.
● Try to use faces with good heat conducting ability. Graphite impregnated silicon carbide vs.
silicon carbide is very good.
● Stationary seal designs are necessary but great care must be taken with the cartridge version of
these stationary seals. See stationary cartridge seals in the alphabetical section for a detailed
description of the problems.
To calculate the surface speed at the mean or middle diameter of the rotating face:
In USCS units, feet per minute = 0.261 x face mean diameter x shaft rpm
In SI units, meters per second = 0.188 x face mean diameter x shaft rpm
SEALING HIGH PRESSURE
High pressure causes at least three problems with mechanical seals:
● The high pressure will create a high axial hydraulic load on the seal faces. This load will be in
addition to the axial force created by the single spring, multiple springs, or metal bellows that are
used to create the initial face loading in popular seal designs. This excessive axial loading can:
❍ Generate heat that could be detrimental to one or more of the seal components such as
some seal faces, the elastomer or in many cases the product that you are sealing.
❍ It can cause excessive face wear in a short period of time. This will be a very important
consideration when you are sealing non or poor lubricating fluids. Thixotrophic fluids
(they lose their viscosity when agitated) will also be affected.
❍ If the product is a poor lubricant or a non-lubricant a high axial load can cause "slip stick"
problems that can chip the carbon outside diameter and possibly open the lapped seal
faces.
❍ High pressure in the pump's stuffing box can change critical dimensions such as the
roundness of the sleeve or seal barrel

● The high pressure can distort one or more of the seal components:
❍ Distortion can cause the lapped seal faces to go "out of flat". Seal faces are subjected to
hoop stresses that attempt to shrink the material. Since these faces are seldom designed as
a "solid block" the affect is to alter the lapped face flatness. Finite element analysis design
techniques help, but are still limited in practice.
❍ Distortion of a seal sleeve can increase the hysteresis problems with the dynamic elastomer
(the O-ring or elastomer will drag on the sleeve).

● High pressure can extrude the elastomer (rubber part) in many seal designs, either "locking up"
the seal or causing leakage where the elastomer was extruded. In almost every case the elastomer
suffers permanent damage unless a back-up ring has been installed to prevent the extrusion.
The excessive hydraulic pressure can come from several sources that include:
● The normal system pressure. In most single stage pump applications the stuffing box pressure is
slightly higher than suction pressure, but multi stage pump applications, boiler circulating pumps
and some pipe line service pumps can experience very high stuffing box pressures.
● Water hammer and pressure surges can cause a very high temporary pressure in the system.
● Unusual system operation is another cause. The rapid opening and closing of valves can cause
these surges of pressure.
● A loss of power to a running pump can cause vacuum pockets in the lines. As the liquid rushes to
fill up these vacuum voids, very high pressures can be experienced.
The solution to high-pressure sealing falls into three separate categories. You must decide which of the
approaches makes the best sense in any given application. The three approaches you can use are:
● Build a seal that can handle the excessive pressure.

● Stage the pressure between dual seals.
● Reduce the pressure in the stuffing box.
In the next paragraphs we will look at each of these alternatives:
● Let's start with building a seal that can take the excessive pressure without distorting.
❍ Select hydraulic pressure balanced seal designs to lower the axial load.
❍ Higher modulus materials are seldom available so:
■ You will have to go to a finite element stress analyzed design.
■ Look for seal components that have uniform thickness cross sections
■ Go to larger cross section seals that will require more stuffing box radial room.
❍ Laminated bellows are available for many higher-pressure metal bellows applications (just
like plywood).
❍ Higher durometer O-rings with non-metallic back up rings are available to prevent
elastomer extrusion.
● The next approach will be to stage the seals in an application so that several seals will be sharing
the pressure.
❍ Tandem sealing with an intermediate lower buffer fluid pressure is the most common. In
some nuclear applications three seals have been connected in tandem to handle the high
pressure. Tandem and other types of multiple seal arrangements take a great deal of axial
room. In every case you are moving the first seal further away from the bearings so shaft
stabilization becomes very important. You should also remember that the multiple units
are acting as a single seal. In other words if you fail one of the seals, you fail them all.
● The last choice is to lower the pressure in the stuffing box.
❍ Locking a restriction bushing into the bottom of the stuffing box and then connecting a
suction recirculation line from the bottom of the stuffing box to a lower pressure location
in the system is the normal way to accomplish this. Watch out for erosion of this bushing,
especially in abrasive applications. Be aware that if stuffing box pressure is near the
product vapor pressure, flashing could occur in the stuffing box or between the lapped seal
faces.
❍ You can cross-connect stuffing boxes in a multiple stage double-ended pump design. Keep
in mind that this will not work with single stage centrifugal pumps.
SEALING VACUUM
Vacuum means less than atmospheric pressure, and vacuum sealing falls into two neat categories:
● Normal vacuum
● Hard vacuum
Normal vacuum. This vacuum is usually measured in inches or millimeters of mercury.
● This is the vacuum found in condensers, evaporators and at the suction side of the pump every
time you use the centrifugal pump to lift liquid.
● Hydraulic balanced seal designs can handle this vacuum because vacuum only means one
atmosphere of pressure (15 psi. or one bar) coming from the other side of the seal.
● O-rings are preferred for the elastomer design. Continuous O-rings can seal either vacuum or
pressure. They also have the ability to flex and roll to compensate for shaft movement.
● Carbon metal composite seal faces are satisfactory as long as the carbon is sealed at the inside
diameter to prevent the pressure from penetrating behind the carbon, upsetting the hydraulic face
balance and possible blowing the carbon out of its holder.
● Tandem seals with a higher pressure lubricating barrier fluid circulating between the seals are the
most common solution to vacuum sealing.
Hard vacuum. This vacuum is measured in microns, micro inches or portions of a Torr (one millimeter of
mercury).
● Elastomers are not acceptable for hard vacuums. The vacuum will cause the elastomer to "out
gas" increasing the elastomer's density and reducing the volume to a point where O-ring leakage
is possible. All metal bellows seal designs will probably be your first choice.
● Seal face density and self-lubrication can be a real problem in hard vacuum applications because
of the lack of moisture to release the graphite from the carbon/ graphite compound. Conventional
carbon-graphite designs are seldom satisfactory in these applications. A great many materials
exist that can solve the problem, so you will want to contact your seal supplier for the availability
of higher density and self lubricating carbons for these special applications.
● Because of the dry running problems we encounter in many of these applications, dual metal
bellows seals with a lubricating barrier fluid circulating between the two seals will be your first
choice.
SEALING CRYOGENICS
Cryogenics are identified as extremely cold fluids that seldom present a corrosion problem, but do
present at least five other problems to mechanical seals:

● The product is too cold for an O-ring or any other type of elastomer.
● Many cryogenic fluids are non-lubricants. A special carbon graphite seal face is used in these
applications that has some organic material embedded in the mixture that will release the graphite
to provide a lubricating film.
● Cold fluids freeze the moisture in the atmosphere outboard the seal and restrict the seal
movement.
● The seal faces must be dried prior to installing the seal, or any lubricant or moisture on the faces
will freeze.
● The cryogenic is often dangerous.
Applying an environmental control that would heat the cryogenic

fluid would not be sensible.
A tandem metal bellows seal application with an anti-freeze type

barrier or buffer fluid is your best bet.
The bellows seal will allow you to eliminate all elastomers from
the application.
The bellows seals can be sleeve mounted with stainless steel

gaskets to eliminate all elastomers and plastics
You can choose between rotating and stationary bellows, but be sure whichever one you choose has
adequate vibration damping installed to prevent "slip stick" vibration problems.
SEALING MIXERS AND AGITATORS
Mixer applications are the same as process pump applications except for a couple of details:
● The mixer seal is subject to much more radial and axial shaft movement.
● Dual seals are often required (especially in top entering mixers) because the seal is frequently
located above the fluid level.
● Many mixers run under vacuum conditions requiring the use of balanced seals.
● Bottom entering designs usually have a lot of solids in the seal area.
Please refer to the drawing figure (A) for the bearing arrangement of a typical mixer. You will note that
the motor turns the shaft through some gearing that is well supported by bearings. The problem starts
when the mixer shaft passes through the stuffing box area.

As the impeller turns in the liquid it can cause excessive shaft whip and radial movement. As shown in
figure (A) the packing helps to stabilize the shaft and is acting as another support bearing. Packing never
was designed to act as a bearing so the result is major shaft wear and excessive leakage problems. The
shaft movement is aggravated by several factors:
● If the liquid level in the tank is too low it can cause "vortexing". To prevent this vortexing you
should measure the diameter of the mixer blade and then insure that the fluid level is at least one
and one half times this distance above the turning blade.
● In many instances we are mixing a combination of liquid and a solid. Since it is customary to add
the solids first they can cause "skidding" of the blade as it rides on these solids.
● The length of the shaft is too long for the diameter. In pumping we call this the L3/D4 ratio and
recommend that the number never go over 60 (2 in the metric scale). In most mixer applications
the number runs excessively high.
If you attempt to convert mixer packing to a mechanical seal you usually run into trouble with the
excessive shaft motion. Some consumers have attempted to solve the motion problem by installing
another anti- friction bearing closer to the mechanical seal. Unless the equipment is "line bored" (and it
never is) it is not wise to put three anti- friction bearings on any rotating shaft.
Picture (B) is one method of solving the problem. The mixer shaft is placed inside a "Quill Shaft" that is
well supported by bearings and this quill shaft is then coupled to the mixer shaft. This design will allow
the manufacture to place the second shaft bearing closer to the stuffing box area where it should have
been in the first place. Unfortunately this new design adds several thousand dollars to the mixer cost. The
manufacture typically packages a double seal and bearing into a spool piece that can be inserted into the
two piece shaft.
The original equipment seal is a poor choice because most mixer manufacturers choose an inferior "back
to back" double seal that will damage the expensive stub shaft and clog easily if there are solids in the
mixing liquid.
The illustration describes this " back to back" double or dual

seal seal
As the seal faces wear and the inner seal attempts to move forward it will hang up on the solids collected
in front of the inside rotating face. Centrifugal force will throw the solids into the inside faces causing
excessive wear in a short period of time.
The best and lowest cost solution is to install a motion seal in the stuffing box and solve the problem
once and for all. I do not have an illustration for a motion seal, but you can check with your seal supplier
for a catalog that will explain the seal in great detail.
Motion seals are different than pump seals:

● Because of the misalignment potential they are almost always a stationary design. (The springs do
not rotate with the shaft)
● The inner seal should be hydraulically balanced in both directions because many of these
applications can fluctuate between pressure and vacuum. This feature will also prevent the inner
seal from blowing open and allowing the barrier fluid to contaminate the product if you loose
barrier fluid pressure between the seals.
● The rotating hard faces must be wider than normal to accommodate the excessive radial motion.
A design movement of plus or minus 0.125 inches (3 mm) would be typical.
● The internal clearances must be greater than pump seals to prevent contact during excessive radial
movement.
● The stationary faces must be spring loaded in some manner to prevent loading one seal and
unloading the other during periods of axial movement. The easiest way to do this is to spring load
the faces together.
● Cartridge designs are necessary for correct and easy installation and to allow you to change seals
without emptying the mixer in "Side Entering" and "Bottom Entering" applications. Be sure the
seal has some sort of self-aligning feature to compensate for misalignment caused by the set-
screws in the cartridge.
Single split seals, mounted on a split sleeve have become very

popular for mixer type applications (see the following
illustration).
The shaft movement can be partially stabilized by installing a

split sleeve bearing in the stuffing box. A wide variety of
materials are available for this split bearing.
The split seal is also a good choice for those mixers that have a moveable shaft that seals a Teflon® ring
against the tank wall and allows you to change the seal without emptying the mixer. This is a major
improvement over the original equipment design because you do not have to remove the shaft spool
piece.
It should be obvious that when the spool piece is removed there is usually no force to hold the Teflon®
ring against the mixer wall.
Bottom entering shafts create a different set of problems. Look at the following illustration:
Dirt and solids fall into the stuffing box and cannot be
centrifuged out. Flushing liquid tends to channel
through the solids and does a poor job of removing
them from the stuffing box.
There are a couple of possible solutions
● Cut off the stuffing box and move the seal into
the vessel so that centrifugal force will throw
the solids away from the flexible seal
components.
● Use a higher specific gravity fluid in the
stuffing box to prevent gravity from pulling the
solids into the seal area. High-density grease
could be a good solution. If you cannot tolerate
grease you should be able to find some type of a
compatible fluid that will work.
Return to index

b024
B024. BELLOWS SEALS
Metal bellows seals can perform several functions very well. Unfortunately all the functions are not
available in the same seal.
● They can be used to eliminate elastomers (rubber like parts) in the chemical process industry.
Most chemicals and chemical combinations can be sealed with either a good grade of Viton® or
ethylene propylene, but someone has to make the decision which to use and many responsible
people are not capable, so mistakes are often made.
● Most solvents present a real problem for elastomer selection. Expensive super compounds like
Kalrez® and Chemraz are often the only solution. You would be better off if you could eliminate
these special materials all together
● Metal bellows are also used to eliminate elastomers because of temperature limits. All elastomers
have both an upper and lower temperature limits that prevents them from sealing many hot resins,
polymers and cryogenic applications. Hot oils are another high temperature sealing problem, but
their coking characteristic dictates that you have to cool the stuffing box area.
The individual bellows convolutions can be formed in different ways:
● Convoluted, stamped plates can be welded. This is the most popular type used in mechanical
seals. End fittings are welded to the bellows to hold the seal faces, sleeve and gland attachments.
● Forcing a metal tube into a die will form a bellows. Here you are limited to ductile material that
has to be stretched to conform to the die, leaving thin and thick cross sections. "Crushed formed"
techniques have helped but they still lack the reliability of welded bellows. You have seen many
of these formed bellows used in commercial expansion joints.
● The bellows configuration can be plated onto a wax mold that can later be melted away to leave
the bellows shape. The resultant thin bellows section eliminates this style for mechanical seals,
but they are frequently used in instrumentation. This design is called a plated bellows.
In the following drawing we will learn the names of the individual parts of a typical nested convolution
welded metal bellows seal
Please take a look at the following diagram for some more bellows terminology:
A convolution is two stamped plates welded together. You can

count the number of convolutions in the seal by counting the
spaces between the end fittings.
The weld bead fusing the plates together is about 2.5 times the
thickness of an individual plate (0.004" or 0.10 mm).
● The span is the width of the plate. A 0.250 inch (6 mm) span is the most popular but seldom the
most sensible. Most bellows seals come in this cross section because the tooling is readily
available. The wider the span the less convolutions you need to get the desired spring rate for the
proper face loading. If you use too many convolutions you end up, with a "slinky toy".
● The pitch is the distance between the plates. You measure the pitch from the center of a weld bead
to the center of an adjacent weld bead. 0.040 inches (0.10 mm) is typical in mechanical seal
applications
The driving end of the bellows seal can be attached to the shaft in several ways:

b024
It can be welded to a sleeve and the sleeve clamped to the shaft

by the impeller. A stainless steel gasket can prevent leakage
between the sleeve and the shaft. This method is also used to
attach the bellows to a stationary gland.
Soft Aluminum gaskets have been tried in this location, but they
never worked out very well
The end fitting can be sealed to the shaft with a combination of

setscrews and a graphite wedge or V rings.
This is a popular attachment method in the chemical industry.

Sometimes a Teflon® wedge is substituted for the graphite
wedge
The seal can be held and sealed to the shaft with hydraulic force.
As shown in the sketch, when you tighten the cap screw the
expanding fluid in the adapter exerts a holding and sealing force
on the thin metal section touching the shaft.
This hydraulic method shows a lot of promise for elevated temperature applications, but should not be
used in cryogenic applications.
You have a choice of different metals for the bellows plates:
● Hastelloy "C" is a good choice for most pumps because of its chemical compatibility but it may
not be thick enough for a hastelloy "C" pump. Most bellows convolutions are only 0.004 inches
(0.10 mm) thick and the definition of corrosion resistant is that the material can corrode up to
0.002 inches (0.05 mm) per year.
● The 300 series of stainless steel should never be used as a bellows because of the probability of
chloride stress corrosion problems.
● AM 350 is a heat treatable form of stainless steel that has been used successfully for many years
in high temperature and cryogenic seal applications. You need a heat treated material because it
has to retain its strength and spring rate at these elevated temperatures. Unfortunately heat treated
material is not very corrosion resistant and AM 350 material becomes a problem when you begin
to experience long seal life.
● Inconel 718 is a metal that has good corrosion resistant properties in an annealed form and retains
some of the corrosion resistant properties after heat testament. It has become the favorite of oil
refinery people because of corrosion problems they have experienced with AM 350 after five or
six years of service.
● Titanium, 17-4 PH and variety of other materials have been used as bellows seals. In every case
you are looking for high strength and chemical resistance. A tough combination to put together.
There are two ways to retain the seal face in the bellows end fitting:
● Shrink the metal holder around the carbon.

● Press the carbon into the metal holder
● Some companies have tried gluing the carbon into the holder, but that is not a good idea because
the product you are sealing could attack the glue.
Shrink fitting the carbon in a metal holder is not usually a good

idea. Both the holder and the face are out of round to some
degree.
When the holder is expanded and allowed to shrink around the

seal face it will put uneven stresses on the face outside diameter
causing the carbon to go out of flat
If you install the carbon face this way you will have to stress relieve the assembly to keep the seal face
flat. This can be done by taking the assembly through a series of temperature transients or leaving the
assembly on the shelf for several months to relax, and then relap the seal face.

b024
A press fit makes sense with carbon because the carbon will
shear to conform to the "out of roundness" of the harder metal
holder.
Metal bellows seals have been used successfully since the late 1950s, but they are not trouble free. If they
were we would use them all the time. Here are a few of their limitations:
● Elastomer seals have a built in vibration damper. Metal bellows seals lack this feature so a damper
must be built in. The most common method is to let the seal face holder come into contact with
the shaft when the vibration starts. You can see this feature in the first illustration of this article.
● Slip stick vibration is the most common type of vibration. It occurs if the product you are sealing
is not a good lubricant (hot water as an example). The resultant "slipping and sticking" between
the lapped faces causes the vibration.
● In the stationary version of the seal it is hard to get an even cooling or heating of the bellows and
seal faces unless you have paid close attention to the location of the stuffing box recirculation
lines.
● In abrasive, slurry service the bellows plates may prove to be too thin. Try to rotate the slurry with
the bellows and you will reduce the plate wear.
● Thicker plates are always desirable but their higher spring rate would cause the use of too many
convolutions to get the desirable spring load of about 30 psi (207 kPa) on the seal faces. When the
carbon face is worn down there should still be a load of about 10-psi (69 kPa) on the faces to
prevent vibration from causing them to open.
● Hard face retention in a holder is a persistent problem, and there are times you really need two
hard seal faces. Shrinking a hard face in a metal holder has the same problems we discussed about
carbon a few paragraphs back.
● When bellows seals are used in temperature extremes they should be provided with an API gland
(American Petroleum Institute) or back up seal.
● Since the face holder has a different expansion and shrink rate than the seal face, high temperature
applications require that the face holder be manufactured from low expansion metals such as
Invar 36 or Carpenter 42 materials. These metals have poor corrosion resistance.
Return to index

Elastomer
E006. ELASTOMER
A rubber like material that when compressed and released will return to 90% of its original shape in less
than five seconds.
If it takes more than five seconds, or if the part returns to less than 90% of its original shape we say the
material is a plastic.
Viton® is an elastomer. Teflon® is a plastic.
This is the reason O-rings are made 10% oversize. If you measure a 1/8 inch cross section O-ring it does
not measure 0.125 inches, it measures 0.139 inches instead, even though the tolerance is plus or minus
0.003 inches
® E.I. Dupont
See: Selection of the O-ring, SA005
Return to index

sa005
SA005. CHOOSING THE CORRECT ELASTOMER
examples.
● N - neoprene
● B - buna N
● Bu- butyl
may be required.
limit is exceeded.

Chemraz -20 +450° -30 +230°
Kalrez® 0 +500° -20 +260°
Neoprene -45 +300° 45 +150°
sa005
Buna N -65 +225° -55 +105°

Buna S -75 +250° -60 +120°
many compounds.

variance noted above can cause premature O-ring failure. If you have any doubt about your water,
change weight, shape, or appearance. If the elastomer does not pass this test go to the last step
low shaft squeeze is important to prevent seal hang up or hysteresis. They must also be free to flex
and roll to compensate for mechanical seal face wear.
sealing.


sa005
play.
sealing.
getting closer to the universal rubber that we are all seeking.
Unfortunately we are not there yet, so this article is an attempt to put these "super compounds" into a
proper perspective. There are several of these compounds that you should know about.
and aldehydes.
below 400°F (205°C).
to AFLAS.
(205°C)
materials.

sa005
elastomers to avoid the selection process altogether. The next chart will help you to avoid a mistake in
suitable for your service.
It means nothing more than what it says; these are the chemicals that each manufacturer has designated
as not suitable for a dynamic O-ring application.
● A = Aflas
● C = Chemraz
● F = Fluoraz
● K = Kalrez®
compound by immersing the O-ring in the fluid to be tested for about ten days to two weeks.
If the fluid is going to attack the compound, the O-ring it will change weight, shape, or appearance. If the
Return to index

Chemraz
C035. CHEMRAZ
A very expensive "rubber like" material manufactured by Green Tweed of England and used to seal
many solvents and other aggressive fluids.
Chemraz is available in most popular O-ring sizes.
Return to index

Kalrez
K001. KALREZ®
A very expensive "rubber like" material manufactured by E.I.Dupont and used to seal most solvents and
other aggressive fluids.
Kalrez is available in several different grades.
CHEMRAZ is Green Tweed's (a British manufacturer) version of this compound.
See: Where special elastomers do not workReturn to index

Compression Set
C050. COMPRESSION SET
The elastomer changes shape when it has been exposed to too much heat.
Any time the temperature of an elastomer is raised to its curing temperature the elastomer will conform
to the shape of its mold.
O-rings are located in O-ring grooves that are machined square not round. That is the reason we
sometimes put in a round O-ring and take out a square one.
The change in shape is telling you the O-ring got too hot.
Return to index

Finite Element Analysis
F013 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS
A computer generated method of predicting seal face distortion. Each element of the seal is analyzed
finitely to see what happens when the part is subjected to various temperature and pressure transients.
The promise of finite element analysis is that we will be able to design small cross section seals that will
work as well as the present heavy duty versions that take up too much stuffing box volume.
Unfortunately many finite analysis results are compromised because of the movement of the dynamic O-
ring or elastomer in mechanical seal designs.
Return to index

Hysteresis
H035. HYSTERESIS
This word describes the delay or lag that prevents two seal faces from staying in contact if there is
misalignment between the faces or vibration is bouncing them apart.
Electricians use the term to describe the delay or lag that causes sparking between electrical contacts and
circuit breakers, if they do not open or close fast enough.
Return to index

Modulus Of Elasticity
M024. MODULUS OF ELASTICITY
Also called Young's modulus. The ratio of unit stress to unit strain within the elastic limit of the metal
without fracturing the part.
The term generally refers to the stiffness of the pump shaft. The higher the modulus the stiffer the shaft.
Most pump shaft materials have similar modulus numbers so changing the shaft material seldom
increases the shaft's reliability.
Return to index

t003
T003. TANDEM SEALS
In this version the rotating seals are facing in the same direction with a low pressure buffer fluid
circulating between them.
Tandem seals are available in both the rotary and stationary configuration. The rotary version is shown in
this illustration.
Return to index

Dry Running
D027. DRY RUNNING
A term normally asociated with mechanical seals that means running without a lubricating fluid at the
seal face.
A good carbon-graphite face will seldom be injured by the additional friction caused by dry running, but
if the dynamic elastomer (rubber part) is located in, or near the seal face, the elastomer can be damaged
by the increase in face heat.
Dry running is also a major cause of slip stick vibration problems.
See:sealing gases and non-lubricants
Return to index

sa009
SA009. SEALING NON LUBRICANTS
When we are discussing mechanical seals a lubricant is defined as a fluid that has a film thickness of at
not a lubricant we are forced to use the self-lubricating characteristics of the carbon/ graphite mixture in
the seal face.
The key to this self-lubrication is that carbon can form strong chemical bonds with gases such as water
vapor. The adsorbed gas then weaken the interlacing bonding forces, releasing the graphite, which in turn
reduces the rubbing friction. Many other types of vapors and gases can be readily adsorbed by carbon/
graphite and in some instances inorganic compounds can be added to the carbon/ graphite if adsorbable
gases are not present or in short supply. Graphitizing of the carbon (heating it to 4000 degrees Fahrenheit
or 2200 degree Centigrade) is another approach to self-lubrication.
In the seal business we are faced with the challenge of sealing three types of non-lubricants. I will
address the problems in order of their difficulty, starting with:
The non-lubricating liquid. Hot water and many solvents fit into this category. The lack of lubrication
at the seal faces causes more rapid wear of the carbon face.
lubricant. As the seal face wears the graphite is deposited on the hard face (you can see the black ring)
leaving the carbon behind. The function of the hard face is to give the graphite a place to deposit.
Testing has shown that when we seal a lubricating fluid the lubricant becomes trapped between these
vapor, separating the two running surfaces.
slipstick. Without proper lubrication the lapped seal faces try to stick together, but "slip" when the seal
vibration with a resultant "chipping" at the out side diameter of the carbon face along with drive lug and
slot wear.
(pressure x velocity) numbers are not really valid because the carbon is sensitive to "P" but not to
"V"
because the generated heat can be carried away by the conductivity of the non-lubricating liquid
All of the above means that the extra heat will probably not affect the elastomer (O-ring) generated
between the seal faces, as a result of the poor or no lubricating properties of the fluid you are sealing.
The non-lubricating gas is next:
you have the additional problem of heat, because gases are for the most part good insulators and do not
let the heat generated between the faces dissipate to the surrounding product and metal stuffing box. Heat

sa009
● Most fluids are affected by an increase in heat. They can crystallize, solidify, lose their viscosity,
temperature.
Sealing a dry solid is the worst of the lot.
You now have all of the problems associated with the sealing of a gas, with the additional problem of a
those seal designs that have non-clogging features. These features would include:

● Rotate the seal in the powder to take advantage of centrifugal force to throw the solids away from
the sliding components.
● Select non-fretting designs. They are especially important in dry solids applications.
● Teflon® coating of the rotating parts helps to prevent the solids from sticking to the moving
components.
trouble with the solids packing around the outside diameter of the mechanical seal.
A clean flush with air or a suitable gas seldom works in this application because the air channels through
the dry solids, or the vessel pressure will equalize with the incoming air pressure stopping the flow.
Most of these applications are slow speed (less than 500 rpm.) so a non-clogging type seal works well. A
non-metallic, outside seal can be used if you are prepared to clean it out with air or some other gas
between batches.
Return to index

Adsorbed
A008. ADSORBED
This means to take up and cause to adhere in a thin film on the surface of a solid.
Moisture is adsorbed on to the carbon graphite combination we use for a mechanical seal face, allowing
the graphite to release as a lubricating film.
This same action takes place when we wet the tip of a graphite pencil to make the writing on the paper
darker and easier to read.
Return to index

sa006
SA006. THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS
For any given seal application problem there are three generally accepted solutions:
● Put in a standard or "off the shelf" seal and hope it works.

In the following paragraphs I will:
● Address the subject of environmental controls in detail.

● Show you how to seal each of the categories.
● Show you how to seal the special operating conditions.
● Discuss some special seals
● Control the temperature in and around the stuffing box. You can raise the temperature, lower it or
seal.
Here are some ways to control the temperature in the stuffing box area.
● Flush the stuffing box with a compatible cool clean liquid. Many seal glands have this connection
available in a more convenient location than the stuffing box lantern ring connection.
● Flush is a misunderstood term. It describes six very different functions. Please look at the
following illustrations and note the connections.
Discharge recirculation. In this arrangement a line is

connected from the discharge side of the pump to the
lantern ring connection in the stuffing box (A) or an
appropriate connection in the gland.
The fluid flows from the discharge side of the pump

through the stuffing box to the back of the impeller.
Suction recirculation. This time the recirculation line is

connected from the bottom of the stuffing box to the
suction side of the pump or some other low pressure point
in the system.
It uses the same connection (A) but on the bottom side of

the stuffing box. The bushing in the bottom of the stuffing
box must be locked into place with a snap ring or it could
move with the differential pressure.
Jacketing fluid. The cooling or heating fluid flows through

a jacket (B) that is surrounding the stuffing box.
Be sure to go in the bottom and out the top of the jacket to

prevent an air pocket

sa006
Barrier or buffer fluid. The fluid is circulated between two

seals (E) either by convection, a seal pumping ring, or by
a separate circulation system.
If the circulating fluid is at a higher pressure than the

stuffing box it is called barrier fluid. If it is at a lower
pressure it is called buffer fluid.
Quench. Please look at connection (D). The fluid (usually

low-pressure steam) is passed between the seal and a
disaster bushing that has been installed in the rear of the
seal gland.
This is also called an API (American Petroleum Institute)

gland
Flush. Please look at connection (C). A liquid, from an

outside source is injected into the stuffing box at one
atmosphere above stuffing box pressure and dilutes the
● Use two seals with a cool liquid circulating between them. A two way balanced cartridge seal
● Use the jacketed stuffing box that came installed on the pump (connection "B") or install one if it
is missing. These jackets are available as a replacement part for the back plate on most popular

clearance over the shaft would be 0.002 inches per inch of shaft diameter (0,01 mm/mm of
shaft diameter).
❍ Circulate the heating or cooling fluid through the jacket to control the temperature. Six to
down heat transfer fluid to the point where it will stop "coking" and viton O-rings will be
acceptable. If your water is too hard you should substitute condensate or low pressure
steam.
● An API (American Petroleum Institute) gland is available for most mechanical seals (connections
C & D). The gland has several features to provide various functions. It can be used as:
❍ A quench connection (D) to provide heating or cooling outboard of the seal or to remove
any liquid or vapors that might escape between the seal faces. Steam can be injected to
lower the seal temperature in the event of a fire. In the event of a major seal failure this
quench connection can be used in conjunction with the gland disaster bushing to direct seal
fluid leakage to point where it can be collected. Be careful of using too much steam
pressure because the steam will leak through the disaster bushing and blow through the lip
seal trying to protect the bearings.
❍ A flush connection (C) to provide clean fluid to the stuffing box, or it can be used to vent
air out of the stuffing box in a vertical pump application.

❍ A close fitting, non sparking disaster bushing to provide shaft support in the event of a
bearing failure or to protect personnel in the event of a massive seal failure. The bushing
will direct most of the leakage to a drain or tank where it can be collected.
● Heat tape or tracing lines can be installed around the stuffing box to provide a limited amount of
this system only works while the pump is operating so it would be of no value if the application
problem occurs during pump shut down
unbalanced seal designs. Elastomers designed in the lapped faces and two hard faces should also
be avoided for the same reason.
Controlling the pressure in the stuffing box area

sa006
the stuffing box (connection A) with a close fitting bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box. Try
to avoid positioning the recirculation line so that it aimed at the lapped seal faces or thin bellows
seal plate materials. Many fluids contain solids that will abrade these parts.
● Eliminate the pressure drop between seal faces by using two seals with a higher-pressure barrier
oxide that will penetrate into the dynamic elastomer, expand and blow out the other side causing
severe damage to the elastomer and unwanted leakage.
● Flush the stuffing box with a higher-pressure liquid. This is the best solution if the fluid contains
solid particles that could interfere with the seal movement. If you are using balanced mechanical
seals designed with the springs out of the fluid you will need only a small amount of flushing.
● The only reason you would want to lower stuffing box pressure is because your seal does not have
high pressure sealing capability. It is possible to lower stuffing box pressure by the use of
environmental controls, but a high-pressure seal would be a much better choice. In an emergency
you could lower the pressure by one of the following environmental controls:
● Equalize the pressure in the stuffing boxes of a double ended pump by connecting the stuffing
boxes together to get even seal wear. This is a common application for a double ended centrifugal
pump.
● It is possible to lower stuffing box pressure by installing a close fitting bushing in the bottom of
the stuffing box and recirculate to the suction side of the pump. Be sure to "lock in" the position
of this bushing with either a snap ring or some other retaining device to prevent it from moving
towards the seal. Be careful of using this control on a vertical turbine pump because the high
velocity liquid recirculating to the suction can heat up the line to the point where it can become
"red hot".
● Lower the sealing pressure differential on the inside seal of a dual seal application by utilizing an
intermediate fluid pressure between two tandem seals. Be sure the inner seal is balanced in both
directions." Balancing a seal in two directions is sometimes called "two way balance".
Replacing the fluid, or provide a lubricant if the sealing product is a non-lubricant (non-lubricants
have a film thickness less than one micron)
● Use two seals with a higher-pressure lubricant as the barrier fluid. This is an excellent choice in
vibration. Some new seal designs have hydrodynamic or hydrostatic faces that allow you to seal
gases with a small amount of controlled leakage.
● Cooling the product will sometimes turn a non-lubricant such as hot water into a lubricating
liquid.
● For some vacuum applications it makes sense to install a discharge recirculation line to help
destroy the vacuum in the stuffing box area. This works well with mechanical seals, but does not
work as well with conventional packing.
NOTE. If an open impeller has been adjusted too close to the back plate the "pump out vanes" behind the
impeller can cause a vacuum to occur in the stuffing box. The problem exists with those open impeller
designs that adjust towards the volute (Goulds is an example) and the mechanic is used to adjusting the
impeller to the backplate (Duriron as an example). Someone must inform the mechanic that Goulds and
Duriron impellers adjust in opposite directions.
Decreasing the amount of liquid agitation in the stuffing box.
call these liquids "dilatants". Connect the bottom of the stuffing box to the suction side of the pump to
ring connection.
Some liquids decrease their viscosity with agitation. We call these liquids "thixotrophic". In some
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t006
T006. THERMAL BUSHING
This bushing is mounted in the end of the stuffing box to provide a thermal barrier for the stuffing box.
The bushing should be manufactured from a material that is chemically compatible with the fluid you are
pumping and has poor heat conducting qualities. Carbon graphite is the most popular choice.
When used in this arrangement the stuffing box should be "dead ended" and the stuffing box cooling/
heating jacket (B) should be used to control the stuffing box temperature.
This is one of the better methods of controlling stuffing box temperature when the pump is stopped.
Try to make the close fitting thermal bushing as long as possible. At least 1/2" (15mm) is desirable and
try to keep the shaft to bushing clearance as small as practical.
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b043
B043. BUSHING
Bushings have multiple uses in the pump and seal business that include:
● To thermally isolate a liquid from the pump stuffing box

● Located in the bottom of the stuffing box to stabilize a moving shaft.
● In an API (American Petroleum Institute) gland to support the shaft in the event of a bearing
failure.
● To restrict the amount of flushing fluid flowing between the stuffing box and the rear of the
impeller.
Most pump bushings are manufactured from carbon or Teflon®.
In recent years there have been many man made materials doing a good job of restricting fluid flow,
reducing thermal conductivity, and reducing shaft radial movement in the stuffing box of centrifugal
pumps.
The shaft to bushing clearance varies with the material but 0.002"/ inch (0.002 mm/ mm) of shaft
diameter is typical.
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Discharge Recirculation
D018. DISCHARGE RECIRCULATION
A line is connected from the discharge of the pump to the stuffing box.
The high-pressure discharge fluid is then recirculated through the stuffing box to the back of the impeller
and eventually to the pump discharge. This technique presents several problems for maintenance people:
vaporizing.
Be careful if you use this method in hot water applications especially if a heat exchanger is installed in
for any personnel in the area, and the solids can clog up the heat exchanger.
● Install a close fitting bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box. The clearance varies with the
bushing material but it should be about 0.002 inches/ inch (0,002 mm/mm) of shaft diameter.
● Be sure to direct the discharge recirculation line away from the lapped seal faces and the thin
metal plates if you use a metal bellows seal.
● If you are using properly installed, balanced O-ring seals (and you should be), The sealed product
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Pump Out Vanes
P044. PUMP OUT VANES
The pump out vanes are raised vanes on the backside of the open impeller.
They were put there to:
● Reduce stuffing box pressure.

● Reduce axial shaft thrust
● Make the flushing of packing more effective.
If the impeller has been adjusted too close to the back plate the pump out vanes can cause a vacuum to
occur in the stuffing box any time you are using mechanical seals.
This mistake can happen if the mechanic has been taught to adjust the open impeller towards the back
plate in a Duriron pump and then makes the same adjustment in a Goulds pump that should have the
impeller adjusted forward to the volute.
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Back plate
B002. BACK PLATE
The back plate in centrifugal pump designs holds the stuffing box and in some cases provides an impeller
wear surface.
Most pump companies adjust their open impellers to the pump volute, but the Duriron pump company is
an example of a manufacturer that adjusts their open impeller pump to the back plate.
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Lapped
L007. LAPPED
In the seal business the term is used to describe seal face flatness, not polish.
Seal faces should be lapped flat to within three helium light bands. This is 0.000033 inches or just under
one micron.
Testing has shown that seals begin to leak at about five light bands. The smallest thing that can be seen
with the human eye is 40 microns, so we are talking about a very small distance.
Carbon-graphite seal faces should be lapped flat on ceramic stones of varying roughness. If you use
lapping powder the abrasive particles will embed into the carbon-graphite mixture and in operation,
damage the mating hard face.
Hard seal faces are lapped on ceramic or cast iron plates that have been impregnated with diamond
particles.
See: Flatness Readings, GR006
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Pressure Drop
P031. PRESSURE DROP
Generally referring to the loss of pressure from the outside to the inside of the mechanical seal faces.
The term is sometimes used to explain a reduction in pressure through pipes, fittings and valves.
Loss of head is a better term when you are discussing centrifugal pumps and piping systems. Positive
displacement pump people use the term "pressure drop".
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Atmospheric pressure
A033. ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
At sea level, atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi. or in the metric system, 1 bar of pressure. The atmospheric
pressure changes with altitude and weather conditions.
In the pump business we add atmospheric pressure to gage pressure to obtain the absolute pressure we
need to calculate net positive suction head available (NPSHA), that will tell us if the pump is going to
cavitate.
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Magnetite
M004. MAGNETITE
Magnetite is the common names for black ferric oxide (Fe3O4 ), a protective coating the forms on the
inside of iron pipe to reduce further rapid corrosion.
Magnetite is sold commercially as a polishing compound and is known as "black rouge".
Once the magnetite forms on the mechanical seal sliding parts several events can occur that will fail the
mechanical seal prematurely:
● The sliding parts will experience premature wear.

● The hard oxide film will restrict movement of the sliding components causing the lapped seal
faces to open and the hard particles to penetrate between the faces and stick into the softer carbon
face.
● Magnetite will stick into the sliding elastomer (O-ring) causing further damage to the close
tolerance-sliding surface.
A red form of magnetite (Fe2O3) is also found on the inside of the iron piping we often find in hot water
systems. Like the black version (Fe3O4 ) it is also very abrasive.
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b041
B041. BUFFER FLUID
Any time you use dual seals (two seals) in an application, you should have a fluid circulating between
them.
If the pressure of the fluid between the seals is higher than stuffing box pressure we call it barrier fluid. If
the pressure is lower than stuffing box pressure we call it buffer fluid
The liquid can be circulated either by forced circulation, a pumping ring or convection. The method that
you will use will be dictated by the pressure in the stufing box, pump speed and shaft size. All seal
manufacturers have charts available to give you the correct guidelines.
and out the top connection of the seal gland. This arrangement will insure that the space between the
seals is vented and proper cooling will take place.
circulating in the seal changes its velocity at the convection tank connections.
arrangement is very necessary whenever oil is used as the barrier fluid because of oil's low specific heat
and poor conductivity.
The illustration shows a typical convection system that can be used with two balanced seals.
than the stuffing box pressure. Fluctuating pressures are normal in this business so you should select
seals that are hydraulically balanced in both directions to eliminate any problems that might be caused
when the barrier fluid or system pressure varies.
the dual seal and the outlet discharges from the top of the seal. This arrangement will allow the seal to
vent and insure that the passages are full of liquid.

b041
The low pressure fluid that is circulated between dual mechanical seals is called buffer fluid. If the fluid
is at a higher pressure than stuffing box pressure it is called barrier fluid.
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OSHA 1910 SEALING
O016. OSHA 1910 SEALING REGULATIONS
The Process Safety Management Standard was created to prevent the unwanted releases of hazardous
chemicals. The standard identifies more than 130 specific toxic and reactive chemicals covered in
specific quantities and processes that involve flammable liquids and gases in quantities of 10,000 pounds
or more. At this writing, hydrocarbon fuels may be excluded if used solely as a fuel.
A process is covered if it involves toxic or reactive, highly hazardous chemicals at or above the specified
threshold quantity of the standard. The threshold quantity is the amount of the chemical present at any
given point in time, not aggregated over a period of time.
The clean air act was created in 1990 to address the escape to atmosphere of Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOC). The proposed amendments for chemical plants apply to any component in contact
with a substance that is at least ten percent applicable VOC, and is in gaseous or light liquid VOC service
more than 300 hour annually.
To determine the amount of VOC in a gaseous leak, the VOC is measured at a distance no more than one
centimeter (less than a half inch) from the source.
PUMP STANDARDS
● Phase 1 at the onset ................... greater than 10000 ppm.

● Phase 2 one year later ................... greater than 5000 ppm.
● Phase 3 two and one half years later.... greater than 1000 ppm.
❍ Polymerizing polymer greater than 5000 ppm.
❍ Food/ Medical greater than 2000 ppm.
❍ All other pumps greater than 1000 ppm.
For components with moving parts (pumps and mixers) the first attempt to repair a leak must be made
within two days after the leak is detected. The standard also requires the monthly visual inspection of all
single mechanical seals.
Pumps with dual mechanical seals can be exempted from the monthly inspection if the barrier fluid
pressure between the seals is at a higher pressure than the pump stuffing box pressure at all times and the
barrier fluid is not a light liquid VHAP (Volatile hazardous air pollutant), or is equipped with one of the
following three features designed to prevent VOC emissions from the outboard seal:
● A barrier degassing reservoir that transports the gas or vapor to a VOC control apparatus. That
system prevents applicable VOC from accumulating where it can be emitted from the outboard
seal.
● A closed-loop system that purges the barrier fluid into a process stream and returns process fluid
to the process without venting to the atmosphere.
● A sensor that detects failure of the seal system, the barrier fluid system or both.
If a leak is detected between the seals, the first attempt at repair must be no later than five days and the
repair or replacement no later than 15 days.
Single seals are available that can satisfy current standards. They must be monitored monthly (EPA
Method 21) and visually inspected weekly. If they are detected leaking:
● The first attempt at repair must take place within five days.
● Repair or replacement within fifteen days.
● Phase three pumps, when the leak is greater than 2000 ppm.
The only sensible approach to the sealing of fluids and gases identified in these acts is the use of dual
seals designed with a two way hydraulic balance and the barrier fluid pressurized at least one atmosphere
above maximum stuffing box pressure. The tandem configuration would be a logical choice for both
rotating and stationary versions of a dual seal.
In this diagram I am showing a simple, unbalanced version of

a dual tandem seal for demonstration purposes.
The preferred configuration for the dual seal would be:
● Hydraulically balanced seals with the inner seal balanced in two directions (two-way balance.)
● The stationary version of the tandem configuration is the most desirable.
● A pressurized convection tank connected between the seals.
OSHA 1910 SEALING
● A remote indication of the pressure in the convection tank.

● A pumping ring built into the seal to increase the circulation between the seals.
● A cartridge version of the seal, with some sort of "self aligning" feature to prevent excessive face
movement of the stationary seals.
● Dual hydrodynamic and hydrostatic gas seals are becoming very popular in these applications.
The preferred arrangement should not only satisfy the regulations, but also will provide additional safety
features:
● The seal will not blow open if the barrier fluid pressure is lost. The two way balance will insure
that the inner seal faces will stay closed when the pressure reverses.
● The seal will be less sensitive to solids in the fluid. Centrifugal force will work for you throwing
the heavier solids away from the lapped faces.
● The higher barrier fluid pressure will help to lubricate the seal faces in some gas applications.
● You can easily detect if either of the seals fails prematurely. The convection tank pressure will
either drop to system or atmospheric pressure depending upon which seal wears out or fails first.
● The higher barrier fluid pressure will prevent some fluids such as ethylene oxide from penetrating
into and destroying the dynamic elastomer in the inboard seal.
● The barrier fluid can prevent the formation of ice outboard the seal in some low specific gravity
applications.
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b017
B017. BATCH OPERATION
A batch operation means that the product is manufactured in small quantities as opposed to a continuous
operation where the equipment operates for twenty four hours.
These batch operations can cause many sealing problems because of some product's tendency to
crystallize, solidify, become viscous, etc. during the time interval between batches.
The cleaning that goes on between batches is another source of potential sealing problems, because of the
cleaning steam or solvents that can attack the mechanical seal's elastomers. (O-rings).
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Micron
M017. MICRON
One millionth of a meter or 0.000039 inches.
The smallest object that can be seen with the human eye is 40 microns.
Seal faces are lapped to a flatness of just under one micron.
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s101
S101. STUFFING BOX VENT
A vent hole can be drilled into the end of the stuffing box as shown in the drawing.
In vertical pump applications the stuffing box has to be vented to prevent the mechanical seal from
running dry in trapped air.
With vertical pump applications this vent is better located in the seal gland rather than the pump stuffing
box.
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Graphite
G009. GRAPHITE
Graphite is carbon that has been heated under pressure. The next step in the process would be industrial
diamonds.
Graphite occurs naturally in Madagascar, Mexico, Korea and China. It is the portion of the carbon-
graphite seal face that provides the lubrication for dry running applications.
Graphite can be produced synthetically by heating petroleum coke to about 3000°F (1700°C) in an
electric resistance furnace.
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sa015
SA015. SEALING HOT OIL
The largest user of hot oil pumps is the heat transfer oil customer. Many consumers use these products
with oil temperatures exceeding 500° Fahrenheit (260° C) and 600° to 700° F (315° to 370° C) becoming
common. Some hotels have recently installed these systems in their laundry to dry clothing.
Heat transfer oils have many advantages over the steam that was formally used in these applications.
● The product does not flash.

● No boiler blow-down.
● No deaeration heat loss.
● No high-pressure. This means it is not only safer but also tends to leak less.
● No licensed boiler operator needed.
● The temperature can be kept uniform over a large processing area.
● You can heat and cool with the same system.
● These oils are excellent in systems that are water/ steam sensitive.
● The product is kept in a closed system. This means that all leakage can be stopped.
● There is less corrosion in the system.
obtained.
parts)
● The product "cokes".
❍ These coke particles form at the elevated temperatures and coat them selves inside the
system piping, hardware and on the mechanical seal working parts.

❍ The "coke" particles restrict the movement of sliding and flexing seal components causing
the lapped seal faces to open.

❍ The amount of coke that forms is a function of time and temperature. In other words
coking will be a more severe problem in a closed loop system than it will be in the oil
refining business.
❍ Contrary to popular opinion, testing has shown that air or oxygen is not needed for the
formation of coke. This means that seal designs that try to eliminate oxygen by quenching
or some other method will not work. The use of steam quenching is limited to its cooling
effect only.
● The product is always a fire hazard and depending upon the type and brand you purchase there
time and the product is going to leak out to the atmosphere.
and impeller clearances as well as the correct seal compression.
viscous during periods of prolonged shut down. Unfortunately no one ever heat traces the stuffing
box.
● You always end up pumping slurry, which means frequent impeller adjustments or wear ring
best efficiency point (BEP) causing shaft deflection, vibration, and excessive seal movement.
Coking on the inside of the suction piping can also cause cavitation problems
Although there are many techniques available to address each of these problems, the combination of
these problems eliminates most of the common techniques and leaves the customer with very few options
to get good seal life. Regardless of the seal selected you must address all of the problems or the seal life
will be shortened.
mechanical seals and API (American Petroleum Institute) glands:
volute. The soft non sparking metal wear ring on one end of the shaft and the carbon disaster
bushing installed in the API (American Petroleum Institute) gland on the other would insure no
hard metal contact if a bearing failed as the shaft was turning.
sa015
stationary volute. To prevent sparking, the impeller or volute would have to be manufactured
from a soft non-sparking metal such as aluminum or bronze and this would not be very practical.
Hence the closed impeller with the soft wear rings
The product has to be cooled in the seal chamber:
high enough. The finest lubricating oil available will start to coke at 300° F (150° C). The oil
temperature and time determine the amount of coking that you get.
temperature.
(API.) type gland.
Take a look at the illustration below. This is an API (American Petroleum Institute) gland that can
perform several functions:
● The disaster bushing (DB) can provide shaft support if you lose a bearing.
● The leakage will be directed to the quench and drain connection (Q) when the seal wears out or
fails.
● The quench connection (Q) will allow you to use steam for product cooling, but do not use too
much because it could penetrate into the bearing case.
● In this application the flush connection (F) is not used. The stuffing box is "dead ended" to take
full advantage of the heating/ cooling jacket.
Whenever possible a large diameter cooled sealing chamber should be installed on the pump:
● To allow room for centrifugal force to throw solid coke particles away from the seal faces and
sliding, or flexing components
● Vibration means movement. The seal must be free to move within the seal chamber.

sa015
A cartridge seal is necessary in most applications.
● Thermal growth will cause volute, casing and shaft expansion. Only a cartridge seal can
To compensate for misalignment you will have to:
● These adapters are available from all good pump companies and will compensate for
● No other method of alignment works anywhere near as well. If you are going to do a conventional
alignment with dual indicators or a laser aligner be sure your calculations compensate for thermal
growth.
The centerline wet end has the feet attached to the sides of the pump at
the centerline instead of the bottom of the pump
The centerline design allows the hot volute to expand up and down
and eliminates a lot of pipe strain due to thermal expansion.
Now that we have discussed these important points let's take a look at some solutions that are often
offered, but we should not adopt as our solution. Here are the things that do not work well:
Bad solution #1.
● Use a metal bellows seal to eliminate the need for cooling in the seal area. Although the metal
bellows does not have rubber parts that are sensitive to high temperature cooling is still needed for
the coking. Most bellow suppliers offer an A.P.I. type gland to provide low-pressure steam behind
the seal for cooling purposes and thereby eliminate the option of backup sealing. This quenching
should be limited to only a back up cooling status. If quenching is done with water rather than
steam, watch out for a calcium build up outboard of the seal. This "hard water" build up can
restrict the movement of the flexing portion of the seal as it tries to compensate for face wear.
● If you substitute condensate for the quenching fluid the build up can be eliminated almost
entirely.
Bad solution #2.
● Run a line from the discharge of the pump through a cooler and filter to cool down and clean up
the oil going into the stuffing box. The problems with this solution are obvious. The filter will
clog and the cooler will become inoperative as coke builds up on the tubes.
Bad solution #3.
● Use two seals and run cool oil between them. You have addressed the cooling problem but you
have not addressed the problem of the slurry with this solution.
What then is the best solution that addresses all of the problems?
You should install a large jacketed sealing chamber. These bolt-on accessories are available from your
local pump or seal supplier.

sa015
Many pump manufacturers and suppliers can provide a replaceable pump back plate with a large seal
chamber cast into the plate. These chambers are available for just about any ANSI (American National
Standards Institute) pump
● Be sure to dead end the stuffing box. In other words no lines coming into or away from the inner
seal chamber. Do not worry about the heat. With a six to eight gallon per minute (20 to 30 liters/
200° to 250° Fahrenheit (95° to 120° C) without any trouble. If you have hard water in your area
stream is satisfactory. If you anticipate long periods of shut down, low-pressure steam will be
your best choice because it will keep the heat transfer oil at the proper low viscosity during these
shut down periods.
❍ You should install a cartridge dual seal that has built in slurry features with the inner seal
balanced in both directions. If the pump does not have precision bearings a dual motion
seal with the same features will work just as well. "Two way" balance is necessary because
the system and barrier fluid pressure can and will vary.
❍ The dual seal is necessary to conserve the expensive product and to provide a safety
feature when the inboard seal wears out or fails. It will also allow you time to schedule a
seal replacement.
❍ Install a convection tank between the two seals and use cool heat transfer oil as the barrier
or buffer fluid. A lower pressure or buffer fluid is preferred. A slight pressure on the tank
will allow you determine which seal has worn out or failed first. A pumping ring or forced
lubrication between the seals is necessary
❍ Install a carbon restrictive bushing into the bottom of the stuffing box to act as a thermal
barrier. Applications have worked without this bushing but not as well as with it. Any
materials that have poor heat conductivity will work as well as carbon as long as they are
non-sparking and dimensionally stable.
damaging the seal elastomer.
the pump. A small layer of calcium inside this jacket will act as an insulation and destroy the cooling
sealing chamber to prevent excessive wear of the thin bellows plates. In the past, heat treated
AM350 stainless steel was the bellows material of choice. In recent years Inconel 718 is
becoming popular.
original equipment manufacturer (OEM) lip seals have a design life of about two thousand hours
(84 days) and they will cause costly shaft fretting damage. These grease or lip seals will also
allow moisture to penetrate into the bearing case dramatically reducing bearing life.
● Cool oil flush with a restriction bushing installed into the bottom of the stuffing box, is another
● When using an API (American Petroleum Institute) type gland be sure to check that the quench
and drain ports have not been confused with the flush ports. If these ports are connected
incorrectly it could be very dangerous.
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Dead Ending
D005. DEAD ENDING
Dead ending means to isolate the stuffing box. No lines in, no lines out.
We do this when we want to control the stuffing box temperature to prevent a seal failure due to the fluid
becoming viscous, crystallizing, coking or changing state from a liquid to a gas or solid.
The normal dead ending procedure is to install a close fitting bushing into the end of the stuffing box and
then control the stuffing box temperature with a heating/ cooling jacket (B) surrounding the stuffing box.
A thermal bushing in the end of the stuffing box is necessary if you want to do a good job.
Return to index

Damping
D004. DAMPING
Any time you touch the rear view mirror in your automobile to stop it from vibrating you are applying
vibration damping.
Damping is the physical touching of a component to arrest or interrupt vibration. This becomes necessary
in mechanical seals if you are pumping a product with poor lubricating qualities such as a gas or hot
water.
The seal faces tend to stick together and slip as the drive lugs engage the face or the metal bellows winds
up and releases. This alternating "sticking and slipping" of the faces causes the seal components to
vibrate.
Along with "slip stick" the seals and bearings are subject to other types of vibration that include:
Mechanical causes of vibration
● Unbalanced rotating components. Damaged impellers and non-concentric shaft sleeves are
common.
● A bent or warped shaft.
● Pump and driver misalignment.
● Pipe strain. Either by design or as a result of thermal growth.
● The mass of the pump base is too small.
● Thermal growth of various components, especially shafts.
● Rubbing parts.
● Worn or loose bearings.
● Loose hold down bolts.
● Loose parts.
● Product attaching to a rotating component.
● Damaged parts.
● There is not enough mass in the pedestal. If you weigh the base plate, pump and driver there
should be a least five times that mass in the pump pedestal.
● The pedestal is not wide enough. If you drop a vertical line from the center of the motor two lines
radiating out thirty degrees from this center-line should pass through the base, not the sides of the
pedestal.
Hydraulic causes of vibration
● Operating off of the best efficiency point (B.E.P.) of the pump.

● Impeller vane running too close to the pump cutwater.
● Internal recirculation
● Air getting into the system through vortexing.
● Turbulence in the system (non-laminar flow).
● Water hammer.
Other causes of vibration.
● Harmonic vibration from nearby equipment.

● Operating the pump at a critical speed. Watch out for this problem in variable speed and pulley
driven pumps.
● Seal "slip stick" at the seal faces.
● The product is vaporizing at the seal faces
● A pump discharge recirculation line aimed at the seal faces.
In an O-ring mechanical seal the dynamic elastomer provides a damping effect. Metal bellows seals do
not have a dynamic elastomer so they have to be provided with some method of providing damping
The most common solution is to let the rotating seal face holder bounce off the shaft or sleeve.

Damping
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Lip seal
L016. LIP,GREASE, OR OIL SEAL
The seal is shown in the top half of the drawing. It is a spring loaded elastomer seal commonly used to
seal bearings. Sometimes called a "lip seal".
would be:
● A labyrinth seal shown in the bottom half or

why this happens
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s089
S089. STIFFNESS RATIO
This is another name for L3/D4 . You will also hear it referred to as the:
● Slenderness ratio or
● Flexibility factor
It is a guideline for determining mechanical seal reliability in single stage centrifugal pumps with an
overhung impeller. It is an indicator of how seal and bearing reliability relates to pump shaft stiffness.
In this ratio the length of the shaft cubed is compared to its diameter to the fourth power. The number
should be below 60 in imperial units (inches) and 2.0 in metric units (millimeters).
The length of the shaft is measured from the center of the radial bearing to the center of the impeller
vane. The diameter is measured on the solid shaft and beneath the sleeve if one has been installed
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s039
S039. SHAFT BENDING, LEARNING THE L3/D4 FORMULA
When a centrifugal volute type pump is operating at its best efficiency point (BEP) the bending forces
are evenly distributed around the impeller.
If the pump discharge is throttled from this best efficiency point (BEP) then the fluid velocity
recirculating through the cutwater will increase, causing a reduction in pressure, and you will experience
an increase in force at approximately 240 degrees from the cutwater in the direction of shaft rotation.
It also follows that if the pump capacity increases because of a lack of sufficient head then this increase
in flow will cause a decrease in pressure and an increase in force in the opposite direction, at
approximately 60 degrees from the cutwater.
● The illustration shows the direction of these forces.

● Please note that the degrees are measured from the pump cutwater (The lip that directs the flow
out the discharge) in the direction of shaft rotation
The amount of force that is generated can be calculated from the following formula:
THE BENDING FORCE FORMULA
● P = Pounds of force being generated

● K = Radial thrust factor 0.3 to 0.35 (see chart A1 below)
● H = Total head @ B.E.P.
● Sg. = Specific Gravity of the liquid
● B2 = Width of the impeller including the shrouds (walls)
● D2 = Outside diameter of the impeller (inches)
❍ Q = Gallons per minute actually pumping

❍ Qn = Gpm @ the B.E.P.
METRIC BENDING FORCE FORMULA
● P= Kilograms of force being generated

● K= Radial thrust factor 0.3 to 0.35 (See chart A1 below)
● Sg. = Specific Gravity of the liquid
● H = Total head @ best efficiency point (BEP) (meters)
● B2 = Width of the impeller including shrouds (walls) (cm)
● D2 = O.D. of the impeller (cm)
❍ Q= M3/hr. actually pumping

❍ Qn= M3/hr. @ the best efficiency point (BEP).

s039
PLEASE NOTE:
● The radial load is the greatest at shut off when Q = "0" and Kq = 1 (see the above drawing). Note
that the thrust is at 240 degrees from the cutwater, in the direction of shaft rotation.
● As capacity Q increases, Kq and the radial load decreases to "0" at the best efficiency point where
Q = Qn.
● As capacity Q increases to a value greater than Qn, Kq and the resultant load increases as negative
values. The load is now in the opposite direction, or 60 degrees
CHART A1
In the above graph the term specific speed describes the shape of the impeller.
CALCULATING SHAFT DEFLECTION
The formula for the calculation of a multi-diameter shaft looks like this:
● Y = Shaft deflection at the impeller center line measured in inches

● F = Hydraulic Radial imbalance, pounds ( "P" in the previous calculation)
● M & N = Distances from the impeller centerline to the steps on the shaft, inches
● L = Distance from impeller centerline to centerline of the inboard bearing, inches
● X = Span between bearing centerlines, inches
● IL, IM, IN, IX = Moments of inertia of the various diameters, inches 4
● E = Modulus of elasticity of the shaft material (psi.)
How much the shaft bends depends upon the length of the shaft and its diameter. The strength of the
shaft has nothing to do with this. The strength only determines if the shaft will break.
The following formula is a simplified version of this longer formula. It is the formula we use for a single
stage centrifugal pump with a solid, round shaft and an over hung impeller.
You will note that shaft strength does not enter into the formula. The important number is the Modulus
Of Elasticity (E), and as you will learn just about every shaft we use in the pumping business has the
same modulus.

s039
● F = The force we calculated in the previous formula plus the weight of the impeller.
● L = The length of the shaft from the center of the inboard bearing to the center of the impeller.
● 3 = A factor used for an end suction centrifugal pump. A double-ended design would use a
different number
● E = Modulus of elasticity; 28 to 30 x 106 psi. ( 0,196 to 0,201 X 106 N/mm2) for most metals with
the exception of Titanium
● I = Moment of inertia for a solid, round shaft =
Substuting the Moment of Inertia in to the formula gives us:
Since the F is the same in both pumps, along with 3, ¼ and 64; and since the Modulus of Elasticity is just
about the same for all shaft materials, we can cancel out those terms and we are left with Y = L3 /D4 This
ratio then becomes a logical method of comparing two competing pumps that have different shaft sizes.
This ratio is often called the stiffness ratio, slenderness ratio, or the flexibility factor.
If we assume that the length of the shaft from the center of the inboard bearing to the center of the
impeller is a fixed amount (8 inches or 200 mm.) then we can easily see the affect of varying the shaft
diameter in the stuffing box area. The following table shows the relationship:
STIFFNESS RATIO
L = Assume 8" (200 mm) SHAFT
Diameter L3/D4 Diameter L3/D4

1" 512 25 mm 20.48
1 3/8" 143 35 mm 5.33
1 1/2" 101 38 mm 3.84
1 3/4" 55 45 mm 1.95
1 7/8" 42 48 mm 1.51
2" 32 50 mm 50
If you keep this ratio below 60 (2 in the metric system) you will not have too much trouble with shaft
bending. If, however, you do not have a low L3/D4 you will have problems with the shaft packing,
mechanical seals and the pump bearings. Keep in mind that we are measuring the shaft diameter. If there
is a sleeve on the shaft, do not measure the diameter of the sleeve.
Pump packing has a very poor memory and is not able to follow the bending or deflection of a badly
designed shaft. Some packings can be readjusted for the changing leak rate, but in almost every case
additional heat will be generated requiring even more flush water to remove the extra heat. If the packing
is not re-adjusted with the changing of the pump discharge head excessive leakage will follow and along
with it, all of the problems associated with too much leakage.
A bending shaft can be deadly to a mechanical seal because it increases the opportunity for the rotating
part of the seal to contact a stationary portion of the pump causing the lapped seal faces to open and let
solids penetrate. If we can keep the lapped seal faces together the seal will not leak and solids cannot
penetrate between them. The more shaft movement we have the more likely the faces are to open.
Bearings are affected by the shaft movement in the same way they are affected by pump to motor
misalignment. There will be an increase in the bearing loading and a corresponding increase in the
lubricating oil temperature.
Another problem with shaft movement is often overlooked. The pump has several critical tolerances and
shaft movement changes them. The most obvious are wear ring clearance, impeller clearance, bearing fit,
and seal face loading. These changes can cause additional heat generation, loss of capacity and loss of
efficiency.
In summary then, shaft deflection is certainly undesirable. If the L3/D4 is too high you will not be able to
operate in slight cavitation or very far from the BEP. (best efficiency point) and in the real world that is
not very practical.
Be especially careful with most small pumps, they frequently operate above 3000 rpm and their L3/D4
s039
ratio is atrocious.
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t018
T018. TORQUE
The product of force and the length of the shaft (moment arm) on which it acts.
● In the U.S. we use the term foot-pounds to quantify torque.

● In the metric system we use kilogram-meters or Newtons.
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s038
S038. SET SCREWS
The illustration shows two types of set screws:
● The cup point is used to hold two parts together.

● We attach a seal to a shaft with cup point set screws.
● The dog point version positions parts. They can be used to deform a sleeve to a shaft.
● Usually both types are used in the same application.
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Precision Bearing
P026. PRECISION OR BALL BEARING
A precision bearing is a ball or roller bearing as opposed to a sleeve, journal or babbitt bearing.
In the following illustrations the precision ball bearing is shown on the left and the sleeve bearing on the
right.
See: Precision vs.sleeve bearings, B013
See: Roller bearing, R018
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Roller Bearing
R018. ROLLER BEARING
These bearings should be specified for radial loads only.
This means that their application in centrifugal pumps is limited because most centrifugal and rotary
pump bearings are required to carry a combined radial and axial load.
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Radial
R001. RADIAL
The radial direction is 90 degrees or at a right angles to the centerline of the shaft. Axial movement
means along the length of the shaft.
When we heat a pump shaft it grows both axially and radially
A pump has both radial and thrust bearings. The radial bearing resists shaft defection radially, the thrust
bearing resists movement axially.
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Axial growth
A037. AXIAL GROWTH
Metal expands with an increase in temperature, and shrinks with a decrease in temperature.
A rule of thumb states that a stainless steel shaft will expand or contract 0.001 inch per inch of shaft
length or diameter, for each 100°F change in temperature (0,001 millimeter per millimeter of shaft for
each 50°C change in temperature).
Axial growth will affect both the open impeller to volute clearance setting and the mechanical seal face
loading.
Radial growth can affect the load on the precision bearings and the dynamic elastomer squeeze in
rotating seal designs.
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Hastelloy “C”
H004. HASTELLOY "C"
A nickel rich, corrosion resistant metal used for mechanical seal springs and welded metal bellows.
We use hastelloy C springs and bellows in mechanical seals to avoid chloride stress corrosion problems
with stainless steel parts.
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Corrosion Problems With Stainless Steel
C061. CORROSION PROBLEMS WITH STAINLESS STEEL
We use a lot of stainless steel in both the pump and seal business. Here are some of the different types of
corrosion we find with this metal:

● Hydrogen embrittlement, H030
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Crevice Corrosion
C064. CREVICE CORROSION
Sometimes called concentrated cell corrosion, this corrosion occurs any time liquid flow is kept away
from the attacked surface. It is common between nut and bolt surfaces, under O-rings and gaskets, and
between the clamps and stainless steel shafts we find in many split seal applications.
Salt water applications are the most severe problem because of the salt water low pH (8.0&endash;9.0)
and high chloride content.
Here is the mechanism:
● Chlorides pit the passivated stainless steel surface (the ceramic).

● The low pH salt water attacks the active layer that is exposed below the pits.
● Because of the lack of fluid flow over the attacked surface, oxygen is not available to re-passivate
the stainless steel.
● Corrosion continues unhampered under the rubber and tight fitting clamp.
● The inside of the O-ring groove experiences the same corrosion as the shaft or sleeve.
The solution to crevice corrosion problems with stainless steel, in salt water applications, is to coat the
surfaces of the parts in contact with zinc oxide.
The zinc will act as the sacrificial anode
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Electrolysis
E008. ELECTROLYSIS
A process involving chemical change of the fluid caused by the passage of an electric current through a
liquid.
The word is sometimes used in error to explain galvanic corrosion.
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Erosion Corrosion
E014. EROSION CORROSION
This is an accelerated attack on metal resulting from the combination of mechanical and chemical wear.
The liquid velocities in some pumps prevents the protective oxide passive layer from forming on the
metal surface.
The suspended solids also remove some of the passivated layer increasing the galvanic action.
You see this type of corrosion very frequently at the eye of the pump impeller, or the inside of 90°
elbows on the discharge side of a pump that is pumping fluid containing abrasive solids.
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Galvanic Corrosion
G002. GALVANIC CORROSION
If you put two dissimilar metals or alloys in a common electrolyte and connect them with a voltmeter the
voltmeter will show an electric current flowing between the two. This is how the battery in your
automobile works.
When the current flows, material will be removed from one of the metals or alloys (the ANODE ) and
dissolve into the electrolyte. The other metal (the CATHODE) will be protected.
Now let's take a look at the Galvanic Series chart. The further apart the materials are located on this chart
the more likely that the one on the ANODIC end will corrode if they are both immersed in a fluid that is
considered to be an electrolyte. Salt water (water with a lot of chlorides) is one of the best.
Example #1.
A ship has lots of bronze fittings and a steel hull. Note that steel is located seven lines from the ANODIC
end, and bronze is listed at twenty seven rows from the same end. Sea water is a perfect electrolyte so the
bronze fittings would immediately attack the steel hull unless something could be done to either protect
the steel or give the bronze something else to attack. The classic way to solve this problem is to attach
sacrificial zinc pieces to the hull and let the bronze go after them. Again, looking at the chart, you will
note that zinc is found on line three from the top of the chart. In other words the zinc is further away
from the bronze than the iron is, so the galvanic action takes place between the zinc and the bronze rather
than between the steel and the bronze. Zinc paint is used for the same reason in many applications.
Example #2
Nickel base tungsten carbide contains active nickel. When this face material is used in a dual seal it is
common to circulate water or antifreeze, containing water, between the seals (as mentioned in the
beginning, water can be an excellent electrolyte because of the addition of chlorine and fluorine). You
will note that active nickel is located twenty one rows from the top of the chart. Passivated 316 stainless
steel is positioned nine rows from the bottom. This means that the stainless steel can attack the nickel in
the tungsten carbide causing it to corrode.
The rate at which corrosion takes place is determined by :
● The distance separating the metals on the galvanic series chart

● The temperature and concentration of the electrolyte. The higher the temperature, the faster it
happens. Any stray electrical currents in the electrolyte will increase the corrosion also.
● The relative size of the metal pieces. A large cross section piece will not be affected as much as a
smaller one.
Many metal seal components are isolated from each other by the use of rubber O-rings or similar
materials and designs. Shaft movement that causes fretting of the 316 stainless steel rubs off the
passivated layer and exposes the active stainless to the electrolyte until the metal part becomes passivated
once more. This is one of the reasons we see corrosion under O-rings, Teflon®, and similar materials.
Look under "corrosion-stainless steel" for a list of the common corrosion problems we experience with
stainless steel seal components and concentrated cell or crevice corrosion where I discuss specific
corrosion beneath rubber parts.
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Galvanic Chart
G001. GALVANIC CHART
● MAGNESIUM
● MAGNESIUM ALLOYS
● ZINC
● ALUMINUM 5052, 3004, 3003, 1100, 6053
● CADMIUM
● ALUMINUM 2117, 2017, 2024
● MILD STEEL (1018), WROUGHT IRON
● CAST IRON, LOW ALLOY HIGH STRENGTH STEEL
● CHROME IRON (ACTIVE)
● STAINLESS STEEL, 430 SERIES (ACTIVE)
● 302, 303, 304, 321, 347, 410,416, STAINLESS STEEL (ACTIVE)
● NI - RESIST
● 316, 317, STAINLESS STEEL (ACTIVE)
● CARPENTER 20 CB-3 STAINLESS (ACTIVE)
● ALUMINUM BRONZE (CA 687)
● HASTELLOY C (ACTIVE) INCONEL 625 (ACTIVE) TITANIUM (ACTIVE)
● LEAD - TIN SOLDERS
● LEAD
● TIN
● INCONEL 600 (ACTIVE)
● NICKEL (ACTIVE)
● 60 NI-15 CR (ACTIVE)
● 80 NI-20 CR (ACTIVE)
● HASTELLOY B (ACTIVE)
● BRASSES
● COPPER (CA102)
● MANGANESE BRONZE (CA 675), TIN BRONZE (CA903, 905)
● SILICON BRONZE
● NICKEL SILVER
● COPPER - NICKEL ALLOY 90-10
● COPPER - NICKEL ALLOY 80-20
● 430 STAINLESS STEEL
● NICKEL, ALUMINUM, BRONZE (CA 630, 632)
● MONEL 400, K500
● SILVER SOLDER
● NICKEL (PASSIVE)
● 60 NI- 15 CR (PASSIVE)
● INCONEL 600 (PASSIVE)
● 80 NI- 20 CR (PASSIVE)
● CHROME IRON (PASSIVE)
● 302, 303, 304, 321, 347, STAINLESS STEEL (PASSIVE)
● 316, 317, STAINLESS STEEL (PASSIVE)
● CARPENTER 20 CB-3 STAINLESS (PASSIVE), INCOLOY 825
● NICKEL - MOLYBDEUM - CHROMIUM - IRON ALLOY (PASSIVE)
● SILVER
● TITANIUM (PASS.) HASTELLOY C & C276 (PASSIVE), INCONEL 625(PASS.)
● GRAPHITE
● ZIRCONIUM
● GOLD
● PLATINUM
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General Corrosion
G006 GENERAL CORROSION
This type of corrosion occurs when there is an overall breakdown of the passive film formed on stainless
steel. It is the easiest to recognize as the entire surface of the metal shows a uniform "sponge like"
appearance.
The rate of attack is affected by the fluid concentration, temperature, fluid velocity and stress in the metal
parts subject to attack. As a general rule the rate of attack will double with an eighteen degree Fahrenheit
rise in temperature (10° C) of either the product or the metal part.
If the rotating portion of a mechanical seal is rubbing against some stationary component, such as a
protruding gasket or fitting, the protective oxide layer will be polished off and the heat generated will
increase the corrosion as noted above. This explains why corrosion is often limited to only one portion of
the metal case.
There are many good publications available to help you select the proper metal for any given mechanical
seal application. As a general rule, if the wetted parts of the equipment are manufactured from iron, steel,
stainless steel or bronze, and they are showing no signs of corrosion, grade 316 stainless is acceptable as
long as you do not use stainless steel springs or metal bellows because of chloride stress corrosion
problems.
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Hydrogen Embrittlement
H030. HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT
A premature fatigue of metal and ceramic caused by the presence of free hydrogen.
This is a major cause of ceramic breakage in hot water seal applications and premature bearing fatigue, if
moisture penetrates into the bearing case.
The free hydrogen gas is created when the water or moisture separates into atomic hydrogen and oxygen.
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Intergranular Corrosion
I018. INTERGRANULAR CORROSION
All austenitic stainless steels (the 300 series is one of them) contain a small amount of carbon in solution
in the austenite.
Carbon is precipitated out at the grain boundaries of the steel in the temperature range of 1050-1600°F.
(565-870° C.). Unfortunately this is a normal temperature range during the welding of stainless steel.
At these elevated temperatures the carbon combines with the chrome in the stainless steel to form
chromium carbide, starving the adjacent areas of the chrome they need for corrosion protection.
In the presence of some strong corrosives an electrochemical action is initiated between the chrome rich
and chrome poor areas with the areas being low in chrome becoming attacked.
The grain boundaries are then dissolved and become non existent.
There are three ways to combat the formation of chrome carbide:
● Anneal the stainless after it has been heated to this sensitive range. This means bringing it up to
the proper annealing temperature and then quickly cooling it down through the sensitive
temperature range to prevent the carbides from forming.
● When possible use low carbon content stainless steel if you intend to do any welding on it. A
carbon content of less than 0.3% will not precipitate into a continuous film of chrome carbide at
the grain boundaries. 316L is as good example of a low carbon stainless steel.
● Alloy the metal with a strong carbide former. The best is columbium, but sometimes titanium is
used. The carbon will now form columbium carbide rather than going after the chrome to form
chrome carbide. The material is now said to be stabilized.
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Mico Organisms Corrosion
M016. MICRO ORGANISMS CORROSION
These organisms are commonly used in sewage treatment, oil spills and other cleaning processes.
Although there are many different uses for these "bugs" a common one is for them to eat the carbon you
find in waste and other hydrocarbons and convert it to carbon dioxide. The "bugs" fall into three
categories:
● Aerobic, the kind that need oxygen.

● Anaerobic, the kind that do not need oxygen.
● Facultative, the type that goes both ways. They operate with or without oxygen
If the protective oxide layer is removed from stainless steel because of rubbing or damage the "bugs" can
penetrate through the damaged area and attack the carbon in the metal.
Once in, the attack can continue on in a manner similar to that which happens when rust starts to spread
under the paint on an automobile.
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Pitting Corrosion
P016. PITTING CORROSION
This is an accelerated form of chemical attack in which the rate of corrosion is greater in some areas than
others.
It occurs when the corrosive environment penetrates the passivated protective film in only a few areas as
opposed to the overall surface.
Be aware that halogens will penetrate passivated stainless steel. Referring to the galvanic chart you will
note that passivated 316 stainless steel is located nine lines from the bottom and active 316 stainless steel
is located thirteen lines from the top.
Pit-type corrosion is therefore simple galvanic corrosion as the small active area is being attacked by the
large passivated area. This difference in relative areas accelerates the corrosion causing the pits to
penetrate deeper.
The electrolyte fills the pits and prevents the oxygen from passivating the active metal so the problem
gets even worse.
This type of corrosion is often called concentrated cell corrosion. You will also see it under rubber parts
that tend to keep oxygen away from the active metal parts, retarding its ability to form the passivated
layer.
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Halogen
H001. HALOGEN
The halogens are a series of elements that attack all forms of carbon and the passivated layer formed on
the 300 series of stainless steel.
They include:
● fluorine
● bromine
● chlorine
● astatine
● iodine.
Although these words end in the letters "ine" it does not imply that all such words are halogens.
Turpentine is not a halogen.
When you choose seal materials for the sealing of halogens you should avoid carbon- graphite seal faces
and black O-rings. Two hard faces would be a sensible choice and many O-ring compounds are available
in a white color.
When making your choices remember we are talking about tank farm concentrations and not a little
fluorine or chlorine in water.
See: Oxidizers that attack carbon, O023
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OXIDIZER
O023. OXIDIZER
A fluid that will combine with carbon to form carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide. Oxidizers attack all
forms of carbon so that means they will attack anything black in color, and that included black O-rings.
There are many oxidizers used in industry, here are some of the most popular ones we see:
● Ferric chloride used in sewage treatment, photography, medicine and feed additives.
● Chlorate
● Nitrate
● Perchlorate
● Permanganate
● Peroxide
See: Halogens that also attack all forms of carbon, H001
You can also look in the "Selecting an O-ring" chart where oxidizers are identified with an asterisk *
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s031
S031. SELECTIVE LEACHING CORROSION
The process fluid selectively removes elements from the piping or any other component that might be
exposed to the liquid flow. The mechanism is as follows:
● Metals are removed from the liquid during a de-ionization or de-mineralizing process.
● The liquid tries to replace the missing elements as it flows through the system.
● The un-dissolved metals often coat themselves on the mechanical seal faces or the sliding
components and cause a premature seal failure.
● Heat accelerates the process.
See:
De-ionized (DI) water, D009
Demineralized water, D010
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De-Ionized Water
D009. DE-IONIZED WATER
Water can be soften and purified with ion-exchange agents which may be specially prepared synthetic
resins.
Cation-exchange agents substitute sodium for calcium and magnesium ions, and produce soft waters.
This is how a typical home water softener works.
When the water is treated with a hydrogen derivative of a resin, the metal cations form acids from the
salts. The carbonates are converted to carbonic acid which goes off in the air. When it is treated again
with a basic resin derivative, or anion-exchange agent, the acids are removed.
Water receiving this double treatment is equal to distilled water.
You should be aware that there are instances where some di-ionized water has been know to chemically
attack carbon seal faces. If you run into this problem you will have to use two hard seal faces. Tungsten
carbide against Alpha sinterd silicon carbide would be a good choice.
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De-Mineralized
D010. DE-MINERALIZED WATER
The removal of mineral contaminants from water, usually present in an ionized form. If you are curious,
an ion is defined as a charged atom.
There are several removal techniques that include:
● Ion-exchange. This is the technique used by most commercial water softeners.

● Flash distillation. Commonly used for sea-water desalination.
● Electrodialysis. In this method an electric current is used to separate substances that ionize in
water. Often used in large scale water desalination.
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Lubricant
L021. LUBRICANT
In the mechanical seal business a lubricant is defined as any fluid that will maintain a film thickness of
one micron or more at its operating temperature and load.
Cold water is a lubricant, hot water is not. Many solvents are not lubricants, but most liquids are.
Seal faces get part of their lubrication from the graphite in the carbon- graphite seal face leaching out and
depositing on the lapped hard face.
Moisture must be present for this to occur, so hot, dry running applications present some sealing
problems unless a special carbon is provided that contains an organic material that will release the
graphite.
Many lubricants cause corrosion problems so their use is limited in bearing lubrication.
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t005
T005. TENSILE STRENGTH
Tensile srength is a measure of the strength of a material when you are pulling on it.
It is the maximum tensile load per square unit of original cross section that a material is able to
withstand. Most materials are stronger in compression than they are in tension
Tensile strength is the most common measure of the strength and ductility of metals. As an example:
● Ceramic = 40,000 psi (275 Mpa) tensile strength

● High strength steel = 300,000, psi (2068 Mpa) tensile strength
Low tensile strength seal faces should be pressurized at their outside diameter. This is a frequent problem
with "outside mounted" seals such as the non-metallic versions used in non-metallic pumps.
If an elastomer mounted at the inside diameter of the seal face is chemically attacked, and swells up it
will put the seal face into tensile stress.
Drive lugs can create tensile stress problems also; especially if they are engaging a carbon, ceramic, or
carbide face that has low tensile strength.
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OUTSIDE SEALS
O018. OUTSIDE SEALS
These seals are designed to run without any metal parts in contact with the sealing fluid.
Most of them are hydraulically balanced and many of them are designed to prevent shaft fretting.
The main problem with outside seals is that centrifugal force throws solids and dirt into the lapped seal
faces. A second problem occurs when solids build up in front of the seal preventing it from moving
forward to compensate for wear.
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Density
D011. DENSITY
A measure of the weight of a fluid.
Density is a much better term than specific gravity and should eventually replace it as the most popular
term.
Density is measured in gm/cm3 or lb/in 3

V002
V002. VACUUM SEALING
Vacuum is any pressure less than atmospheric pressure, and vacuum sealing falls into two sealing
categories:
time you use a centrifugal pump to lift liquid.
Hard vacuum. This vacuum is normally measured in microns, micro inches, or portions of a millimeter
of mercury (Torr).
gas" increasing the elastomer's density and reducing the volume to a point where leakage is
possible. Metal bellows seal designs will probably be your first choice.
of the lack of moisture to release the graphite from the carbon-graphite compound. Conventional
seal designs are seldom satisfactory in these applications. A great many materials exist that can
solve the problem, so you will want to contact your seal supplier for the availability of higher
density and self-lubricating carbons for these special hard vacuum applications.
Most seal companies recommend tandem seals with a higher pressure lubricating barrier fluid and two-
way hydraulic balance for the inner seal, as the most common solution to hard vacuum sealing.
The following applications can cause a vacuum to be present in the pump stuffing box.
● Pumps that lift liquid.

● Heater drain pumps.
● Pumping from an evaporator.
● Pumping from the hot well of a condenser.
● Pumps that prime other pumps.
● The open impeller was adjusted in the wrong direction and the impeller pump-out vanes are
causing the vacuum in the stuffing box.
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O.E.M. SEAL PROBLEMS
O003. O.E.M. SEAL PROBLEMS
The next time you purchase a pump, mixer or some other type of rotating equipment and request that it
be supplied with mechanical seals, you are going to be very disappointed in the performance of those
seals unless you specify exactly which brand, model and materials you want.
If you fail to do this you will be supplied with an unbalanced mechanical seal, manufactured from
unnamed grades of materials, and you will find that the seal will leak long before the sacrificial seal faces
are worn out. In other words the seal will have plenty of wearable carbon face left when it starts to leak.
In addition to supplying a poor performing seal, the manufacturer will attempt to put the seal into a piece
of equipment that was designed for soft packing. The result will be both poor seal and bearing
performance as well as a premature failure of both of them.
What is wrong with these original equipment manufacturer seals? The following paragraphs will describe
a few of the problems. The seal that came in your pump was probably supplied with:
● An unidentified grade of carbon-graphite with binders and fillers that could be attacked by the
product or cleaners used to flush the lines. In most cases the seal will not have enough density for
higher temperature applications
● An unidentified grade of elastomer that has a temperature limit, chemical compatibility problems,
possible shelf life and sensitivity to steam cleaning or some lubricants that might be used during
the installation process.
● Stainless steel springs that are subject to chloride stress corrosion failure.
● Multiple springs located in the sealing medium that can easily clog when solids are present.
● A spring-loaded dynamic elastomer, Teflon® wedge, or V-rings that are not free to flex and roll
on the shaft. These designs will damage the expensive shaft (this is called fretting) so the
manufacturer will be forced to reduce the shaft diameter and supply a sacrificial sleeve that will
weaken the shaft.
● No method of compensating for axial growth or impeller adjustment. This is a major problem
with seals that position against a shoulder on the shaft. You will need a cartridge seal to solve this
problem.
● Seal designs that are sensitive to the diameter, tolerance and surface finish of the shaft or sleeve.
● A discharge recirculation line that will fill the narrow stuffing box with solids and abrasives that
can interfere with the free movement of the seal or even worse, a filter in this line that will clog up
and cause overheating in the stuffing box.
● Rubber bellows designs that are very sensitive to the installation lubricant, shelf life and heat.
These designs will experience massive failure as the bellows ruptures (and it will)
● Piloted glands with drilled bolt holes that require a large spare parts inventory and prevent you
from using the same gland on most pumps of the same shaft size
● Single spring designs that are wound in one direction and sensitive to the direction of shaft
rotation.
● Please look at the following diagram:
This diagram describes a rotating back to back dual seal with a whole series of problems that include:
● Spring loaded elastomers that cause fretting damage in two places on the shaft or sleeve.
● A design in which the spring-load on the seal faces increases and decreases as the shaft moves
axially.
● The inner rotating face moves into the solids as the carbon wears causing "face hang up" and
premature failure along with product dilution.
● Faces that are kept closed by barrier fluid pressure and will open if there is a surge of pressure in
the system or the barrier fluid pressure is lost.
● Dirt and solid particles are centrifuged into the lapped seal faces of the inner seal.
● If the outside seal fails or wears out (and it is supposed to) the inner seal will blow open when the
barrier fluid pressure is lost making the design unsafe with dangerous or expensive products.
● No way of venting air from the seal faces when the seal is mounted in vertical applications.
What can you do about these problems? The answer is obvious; do not use original equipment seals. Do
you remember how you handled the packing that came in pumps? You threw that stuff away and used the
O.E.M. SEAL PROBLEMS
type that worked in your applications. Tell your supplier that you want balanced O-ring seals or balanced
metal bellows seals made from proper materials and the material grades must be identified because you
cannot run your facility on "mystery materials".
To insure longer mechanical seal life, do the following:
● Specify balanced O-ring seals.

● Require that all seal materials are identified by compound and grade.
● Use split or cartridge seals for ease of assembly.
● Connect a suction recirculation line between the front of the stuffing box and the suction side of
the pump or any other low pressure point in the system. Please refer to suction recirculation for
the details of this arrangement.
CAUTION: A suction recirculating line will lower stuffing box pressure so do not do this if you are
pumping close to the vapor point of the liquid. In this case you would connect the line between the
stuffing box and the discharge side of the pump to raise stuffing box pressure. A throttle bushing
installed in the bottom of the stuffing box will also aid in raising the pressure in the stuffing box.
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Cryogenic
C069. CRYOGENIC
Cryogenic temperatures are very cold temperatures.
In the seal business we are concerned about elastomer temperature limits, so we get concerned any time
the temperature falls bellow -40°F or -40°C.(at this temperature Centigrade and Fahrenheit are the same)
Most grades of carbon/graphite will not perform at cryogenic temperatures because the graphite will not
release from the carbon/ graphite mixture and provide the lubrication we need between the lapped faces.
Moisture must be present for this releasing to take place.
Cryogenic fluids can be dangerous so dual sealing is always recommended
See "cryogenic sealing"
Return to index

ss004
SS004. SEALING CRYOGENICS
Cryogenics are identified as extremely cold fluids that seldom present a corrosion problem, but do
present at least five other problems to mechanical seals:
● The product is too cold for an O-ring or any other type of elastomer.
● Many cryogenic fluids are non-lubricants. A special carbon graphite seal face is used in these
applications that has some organic material embedded in the mixture that will release the graphite
to provide a lubricating film.
● Cold fluids freeze the moisture in the atmosphere outboard the seal and restrict the seal
movement.
● The seal faces must be dried prior to installing the seal, or any lubricant or moisture on the faces
will freeze.
● The cryogenic is often dangerous.
Applying an environmental control that would heat the cryogenic

fluid would not be sensible.
A tandem metal bellows seal application with an anti-freeze type

barrier or buffer fluid is your best bet.
The bellows seal will allow you to eliminate all elastomers from
the application.
The bellows seals can be sleeve mounted with stainless steel

gaskets to eliminate all elastomers and plastics
You can choose between rotating and stationary bellows, but be sure whichever one you choose has
adequate vibration damping installed to prevent "slip stick" vibration problems.
Return to index
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Composite
C047 COMPOSITE
The drawing on the left describes a carbon graphite face that is called a monolithic design by some seal
manufacturers. They use this terminology to differentiate the solid carbon/ graphite face from an inserted
carbon-graphite face that is installed into a metal holder and often called a composite.
The composite is shown in the drawing on the right hand side.
If you are going to use a composite, the carbon/graphite should be pushed into the metal holder rather
than "shrunk" in by heating the holder and dropping in the carbon/graphite face.
Return to index

Carbon seal face
CARBON IN A METAL HOLDER C011_2
Carbon Graphite is probably the best seal face you can use in most of your water and chemical
applications. Its corrosion resistance and natural lubricity provides two of the features we need in a good
seal face material. The question sometimes comes up about how to insert the carbon into the mechanical
seal. Should it be captured into some type of a metal holder or would you be better off using a
"monolithic" or solid version?
And to make it even more confusing, the top seal companies use both versions interchangeably. Let's see
if we can make any sense out of the subject
Here is a picture of a carbon/graphite seal face sometimes called a

"monolithic" face
This is a picture of a carbon/graphite face inserted into a metal

holder. This design is often called a "composite.
Although monolithic faces have become popular in recent years, there are some real advantages in using
a carbon/metal holder composite over a solid carbon/graphite face:
● You can use a smaller cross section carbon that, when impregnated, tends to be more homogenous
eliminating unwanted air pockets and making it a better conductor of heat.
● Carbon is stronger in compression than it is in tension. The metal holder keeps the carbon face in
compression
● The metal holder makes a good "heat sink' to carry unwanted heat away from the seal face.
● Dynamic O-rings and other elastomer shapes slide on a metal holder easier than they do on
carbon. When the shaft is not turning the elastomer tends to creep into the porosity of the carbon
causing a higher "breakaway friction" at start up that can translate into the lapped seal faces
opening.
● Metal anti-rotation pins and slots work best when metal is contacting metal
The are some disadvantages to a carbon/metal composite:
● At elevated temperatures the differences in thermal expansion between the two materials can
cause the carbon to loosen in the holder and leak or spin. Low expansion metals such as Carpenter
42 and Invar 36 are available for those applications.
● There are problems keeping the carbon face flat after it has been installed in the metal holder.
Differential expansion is just one of these problems. The stresses caused by inserting the carbon
into the metal holder can cause it to go "out of flat".
● Sometimes a filler material is inserted behind the carbon face between it and the metal holder to
prevent pressure from penetrating in vacuum and reverse pressure applications. You have to be
careful of the corrosion resistance of this filler material. Also be aware that many of these filler
materials are poor conductors of heat.
There are at least three ways to insert the carbon into the metal holder:
● Glue it in.
● Shrink it in.
● Press it in.
Let's look at each of the methods:
● Gluing is never acceptable. The fluid you are sealing could attack the glue and the glue will act as
an insulator that will prevent the conduction of heat generated at the seal faces, back to the metal
holder.
● Heating the metal holder, dropping in the carbon and letting the metal holder grab the carbon as it
cools, causes all kinds of stress problems that will allow the lapped carbon face to go "out of flat".
The out of roundness of the carbon outside diameter does not match the out of roundness of the
metal holder. This means that the metal holder will engage the carbon at high spots and introduce
stress into the lapped face. This insertion method is still used by some seal manufacturers causing
them serious flatness problems.
● Pressing the carbon into a metal holder with an arbor press causes the carbon to shear and
conform to the "out of roundness" of the metal part. The stress is greatly reduced and this is
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Carbon seal face
without question the best method if you intend to use a carbon / metal composite.
There does not appear to be a straightforward answer to this composite / monolithic subject so seal
designers choose one or the other to simplify or lower the cost the of their particular seal design. Metal
bellows designs almost exclusively use the composite version because of problems attaching a
monolithic face to a welded metal bellows.
Now you know about the advantages and disadvantages of both designs for those few times you get to
make a choice.
See: Where carbon does not work
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Carbon / Graphite
C011 CARBON/ GRAPHITE
A common seal face material chemically inert to most fluids with the exception of oxidizers, bleaches
and halogens.
80% carbon and 20% graphite is a very popular mixture for the seal face we use in mechanical seals. The
graphite is the part of the combination that is providing the lubrication when needed. Graphite has a
laminar structure so it makes a good dry lubricant. Carbon has a hard crystal structure and adds strength
to the compound.
In practice the graphite releases from the compound and deposits its self on the hard seal face. This is the
black wear track we commonly see on the hard face.
See: Where carbon does not work
Return to index

C011_1
C011_1. CARBON, WHERE IT DOES NOT WORK
Carbon-graphite is the face that should be the standard in all of your mechanical seals. It can be used in
any chemical or combination of chemicals except an oxidizing agent, a halogen and some special
applications.
The oxidizing agents will combine with the carbon to form carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Here is
a list of some of the common oxidizers:
● Chlorate
● Nitrate
● Perchlorate
● Permanganate
● Peroxide
● Astintine
● Bromine
● Chlorine
● Fluorine
● Iodine
applications:
paint applications have this problem.
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c044.1
CO44_1. COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION
The ratio of the force needed to overcome friction to the normal force pessing the two surfaces together
The coefficient of friction between lapped mechanical seal faces vaies from 0.02 to 2.00, with the face
materials, and lubricant between the lapped faces being variables
Return to index

Passivated
P009. PASSIVATED
A protective oxide layer (ceramic) has formed on the metal surface.
You can see the chalky white layer on aluminum, but the passivated layer is invisible on stainless steel.
The passivated layer that forms on stainless steel is chrome oxide (Cr2O3).
When the metal becomes passivated the corrosion rate slows down to less than 0.002 inches per year
(0.05 mm/ year)
Return to index

Heat Generation its Affect
H010. HEAT GENERATION, ITS AFFECT
The heat generated in the pump stuffing box, between the seal faces, and other parts of the system will
affect you in multiple ways. It can:
● Increase the corrosion rate of any corrosive liquid.

● Change critical tolerances.
● Destroy some mechanical seal faces.
● Shorten the life of any elastomer in the system including grease seals.
● Change the state of the product you are pumping from a liquid to a gas or solid.
● Increase pipe strain.
● Waste valuable energy
● Change the viscosity of the bearing oil and eventually cause bearing failure
● On the suction side of the pump it can cause cavitation.
We will look at each of these areas in detail, and at the end of this discussion make some
recommendations to improve both the pump and seal life. We will start with where the heat comes from:
Heat generated at the seal faces
● This number can easily be calculated: Please see heat generated at the seal faces.
The heat from the ambient conditions is another source.
● If pipes, pumps, valves and other equipment are placed next to hot boilers or exposed to extreme
changes in weather we will have to consider this addition or removal of heat in troubleshooting
temperature related problems.
The heat in the product its self.
● All fluids are processed at some temperature range. It is this heat that we will be adding to, or
subtracting from. Many fluids are pumped close to the temperature at which they will vaporize,
solidify, coke, crystallize etc.
● It is critical that you determine the desired operating range for the fluid before you make any
attempt to alter it.
The heat generated by parts rubbing together.
● Rotating parts rub against stationary parts when the pump shaft experiences deflection.
The heat generated by the bearing seal.
● These seals add heat at the worst possible location. Grease or lip seals will also cause shaft wear
at the point the seal material touches the rotating shaft.
What affect can additional heat have on the liquid in the pump?
The corrosion rate of the liquid will increase:
● A general rule of thumb is that all chemical reactions double with a eighteen degree Fahrenheit
rise in temperature (10 degrees Celsius). Corrosion is a chemical reaction and therefore corrosion
increases with temperature. This is the best reason for converting any acid pump from packing to
a mechanical seal.
Critical tolerances will change.
● Critical tolerances include: Wear ring clearance, seal face loading, throttle/ thermal bushing
clearance, bearing interference, Impeller/ case clearance, pump/motor alignment, etc.
● A general rule to remember is that each inch of stainless steel will grow 0.001" of an inch for each
100 degrees Fahrenheit temperature rise. In the metric system it grows 0,001 mm. per millimeter
for each 50 degree Celsius rise.
● Open impellers must be set to a specified clearance from the pump case or back plate. A 0.015"
(0.5 mm.) clearance would be typical. If you increase this clearance 0.002" (0,05 mm.) the pump
will lose 1% of its pumping capacity.
● In closed impeller applications the general rule is that each additional 0.001" (0,03 mm) of wear
ring clearance will decrease pump capacity by one percent.
● Unfortunately all materials do not grow at the same rate and in the same direction. As an example
steel grows about 60% to 70% less than stainless steel and most mechanical seal faces grow at
about one third the rate of stainless steel. This is important to remember when you make critical
settings and interferences and one of the main reasons we should do everything we can to keep
down excessive temperature rises within the system.
● This also explains why we have less trouble with mechanical seals and bearings in equipment that
Heat Generation its Affect
runs continuously as opposed to intermittent service equipment that goes through many
temperature cycles.
Some mechanical seal faces can be destroyed.
● Many of the popular carbon/ graphite seal faces have binders and impregnates that can be melted
or otherwise destroyed by excessive heat. Some of the lower cost carbons will blister when sub
surface air expands because of elevated temperature. This is the main reason I have advocated
unfilled carbon/ graphite seal faces at all of my Rotating Equipment Seminars.
● Plated and coated hard faces are subject to heat checking and cracking if improper bonding
methods have been used. I do not recommend plasma spray processes for this reason.
● Some of the cheaper ceramic faces can be cracked with as little as a 100 degree Fahrenheit
(55°C.) temperature differential across the seal face.
● Pressed in carbons and hard faces can become loose in their holders. This has caused some seal
manufacturers to glue in seal faces and as you can imagine, not a very satisfactory solution.
● Some seal face designs can go out of flat with very little temperature differential. This is very
critical in cryogenic (cold) applications and we often have to lap the seal faces at cryogenic
temperatures to prevent them from distorting in operation.
The elastomer (rubber part) life can be drastically shortened
● Heat will cause elastomers to take a compression set and if enough heat is added the elastomer
will probably become very hard and crack. All elastomer compounds have a rated operating
temperature range that can found in another section of this series
The product can change from a liquid to either a solid or a gas.
● Water becomes steam. Glue, paint and all kinds of polymers with odd sounding names can
solidify. Oil changes its viscosity, caustic and sugar syrups crystallize and the list goes on and on.
Centrifugal pumps and mechanical seals can handle liquids, they have problems with vapors and
solids.
● If a cryogenic evaporates across a mechanical seal face it can freeze any lubricant that might have
been put on the face and either tear up the carbon or break the hard face.
● The easiest product to pump or seal is a cool, clean, lubricating liquid. Heat can cause that liquid
to vaporize, crystallize, solidify, carbonize, build a film on surfaces, become dangerous etc.
● The finest lubricating oils will not work when the oil breaks down to form first varnish then coke.
The bearing oil will start to do this if the oil gets above 240°F. (115°C.). Remember that a
properly installed bearing is running about 10 degrees F. (5°C) hotter than the oil temperature.
You can only guess what kind of temperature rise we get in improperly installed bearings. You
should also remember that lubricating oil and grease has a useful life of thirty years at 30°C.
(86°F.) and the life of the lubricant is cut in half for each 10°C. (18°F.) rise in temperature
Pipe strain
● Pipe strain causes the shaft to be displaced from the center of the pump assembly. Rubbing,
premature seal / bearing failure and misalignment are always the result of this problem.
The wasting of costly energy.
● The energy we pay for can be used to move fluid in your process or heat it up. The pump's job is
to move fluid not generate heat. If you want to add heat to a liquid there are far more economical
and efficient methods of doing so.
Cavitation
● Cavitation is defined as cavities or bubbles in the liquid. A major cause of cavitation is caused by
heating the incoming liquid beyond its vapor/ pressure point. See another section of this manual
for a detailed explanation of the various types of cavitation.
Changing the viscosity of the bearing oil
● Heat lowers the viscosity of the bearing oil causing increasing wear. As the oil heats up it will
change state, first forming a varnish coating and then turning into a black coke.
Return to index

Heat Generation At The Seal Faces
H008. HEAT GENERATION AT THE SEAL FACES
The following numbers are typical of the conditions you find in a centrifugal pump stuffing box when
you are sealing liquid with an unbalanced mechanical seal of the type supplied by most pump
manufacturers.
ITEM INCH SIZE METRIC SIZE

Stuffing box pressure 100 psi. 10 kg/cm2
Seal face diameter 2 inches 50 mm
Seal face area 1 inch2 6.5 cm2
Spring load 30 psi 2.0 kg/cm2
Face load (from spring) 30 pounds 13 kg
Shaft speed 3600 2900
Stuffing box volume 1 pint of water 500 cc of water
Coefficient of friction at seal faces 0.2 average 0.2 average
We will make the first calculation in the inch size:
Surface speed at the seal face.
● Hydraulic closing force = 100 lbs/in2 x 1 in2 = 100 lbs

● Hydraulic Opening force = An average of 50 psi on the faces x 1 in2 = 50 lbs.
● 100 lbs closing + 30 lbs Spring force - 50 lbs opening = 80 lbs closing
● 80 lbs x 0.2 x 1885 fpm = 30160 Ft lbs./ minute of heat being generated at the seal faces
❍ 778 ft lbs. / min. = 1 Btu.
● So: 30160 / 778 = 38.8 Btu../min. being generated in the stuffing box.
38.8 Btu./ min would raise 1 pint of water 38.8 degrees Fahrenheit each minute, so we would have to
flush in 38.8 pints (4.84 gallons per minute) of cooling water if we did not want the product to get hot.
Metric looks like this :
65 Kg closing - 32,5 Kg. opening + 13 Kg. Spring pressure = 45.5 Kg. closing
45.5 x 0.2 x 455.5 = 4145.3 Kg Met./Min.
A Newton Meter is a Joule so we have 690 Joules/ sec.
690 Joules/Sec. x 60 Sec./Min. = 41,400 Joules per minute.
41,400 x 0.239 joules per calorie = 9,895 calories (9.9 Kilo Calories) per minute.
9.9 Kilo calories per minute would raise 9.9 liters of water one degree Centigrade per minute.
Since we have only one half a liter (500 cc ) in the stuffing box, we would have to flush in 9.9 x 2 or 19.8
liters / minute to prevent a temperature rise in the stuffing box.
The amount of heat generated by a properly installed balanced mechanical seal is insignificant.
The amount of heat generated by packing varies with the type of packing and the individual packing the
pump. On the average you will find that packing generates six times the heat of a balanced mechanical
seal.
In addition to the heat generated by the pressure in the stuffing box we have the heat caused by too much
spring compression on the lapped faces.
● There are lots of chances to make an installation error.

❍ No print was used during the assembly, or the mechanic cannot read the print he was
given.
❍ The shaft was marked in the wrong location.
❍ The mechanic used the wrong marking tool. The mark is too wide.
❍ The sleeve moved when the impeller was tightened.
❍ The impeller was adjusted after the seal was installed.
❍ A cartridge seal was installed on the shaft, by pushing on the gland. Interference from the
sleeve elastomer has caused an over compression of the seal. In some dual seal
applications the outer seal will become under compressed.
● The shaft moved because of thrust. Above 65% of a pump's efficiency the shaft thrusts towards
the volute. This will compress the seal faces if you have an outside mounted non-metallic seal. In
some dual seal designs the inner faces will overload with shaft thrust.
● Thermal growth of the shaft can cause the same problems as shaft thrusting.
Problems with the pump operation that causes high heat at the mechanical seal faces.
● Operating off of the best efficiency point (BEP) is a major cause of high heat and vibration in
centrifugal pumps. The degree of the problem is determined by the L3/D4 ratio of the shaft.
● Operating too close to the product's vapor point can cause cavitation problems.
● Running dry will cause lots of heat.
❍ Pumping a tank dry.
❍ Losing barrier fluid in a dual seal application.
❍ Vacuum applications.
❍ Vertical pumps not vented in the stuffing box.
● The liquid is not a lubricant.

● Shutting off the flushing water.
● Pump out rings on the back of the impeller running too close to the pump back plate, can cause a
vacuum in the stuffing box.
Other causes of high heat in the stuffing box.
● The shaft or sleeve is rubbing a stationary component.

❍ The gland.
❍ The bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box.
❍ The disaster bushing in the API (American Petroleum Institute) gland.
❍ A wear ring
❍ A protruding gasket.
❍ A fitting.
❍ The stationary portion of a mechanical seal.
● The shaft, or sleeve is not straight.

❍ It is bending because the pump is operating off of its best efficiency point.
❍ It is bent. This often happens when the sleeve is removed.
❍ The rotating assembly is not dynamically balanced.
❍ The shaft never was straight.
● There is not enough circulation around the seal.

❍ Install a large diameter stuffing box. You should be able to get at least 1" (25 mm.) all
around the rotating unit.

❍ Connect a recirculation line from the bottom of the stuffing box to the suction side of the
pump. You can do this in almost every case except when you are pumping a product at its
vapor point or if the solids have a specific gravity lower than the fluid.
● The cooling jacket is clogged.
● There is no carbon restriction bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box and you are using the
pump's cooling jacket. The restriction bushing slows down the heat transfer.
● Loss of an environmental control.
❍ The flush is not constant. The pressure is changing.
❍ Quenching steam or water has been shut off during pump shut down.
❍ The dual seal barrier fluid is not circulating.
❍ The cooling jacket has become clogged by calcium in the hard water. Try circulating with
condensate instead.
❍ The filter or separator is clogged.
❍ Either the suction or discharge recirculation line is clogged.
❍ If you are using dual seals remember that two seals generate twice as much heat, and
conventional cooling may not be sufficient. Contact the manufacturer for his
recommendations when using convection tanks and dual seals. You may need a "built in"

pumping ring or some type of forced circulation between the seals.
Return to index

Heat Check
H007. HEAT CHECK
A cracking of the seal face caused by the differential expansion rate between the heavier base material
and the thin hard coating. The cracks act as knife blades that will shave the carbon face in a short period
of time
Most hard face coatings have an expansion rate about one third that of the base stainless steel material.
With the appearance of silicon and tungsten carbide solid face materials, the need for hard facing has just
about disappeared
Return to index

Fugitive Emissions
F039. FUGITIVE EMISSIONS
The U.S. government has designated certain chemicals as hazardous to the environment. If any of these
chemicals is released to the atmosphere they are called fugitive emissions. The list includes:
● Acetaldehyde *
● Acryilic Acid *
● Acrylonitrile *
● Allyl chloride Aniline *
● Benzene
● Benzyl Chloride
● 1,3-Butadiene
● Caprolactam *
● Carbon Tetrachloride
● Chlorine
● Chlorobenzene
● Chloroform
● Cresols/ cresylic acid
● Cumene Diethanolamine *
● Dimethyl Phthalate
● Epichlorohydrin *
● Ethyl Benzene
● Ethyl Chloride
● Ethylene Dichloride *
● Ethylene Glycol *
● Ethylene Oxide *
● Formaldehyde *
● Glycol Ethers
❍ mono- and di-ethers of ethylene
❍ diethylene glycols
❍ triethylene glycol's
● Hydrochloric Acid *
● Hydrofluoric acid *
● Maleic Anhydride
● Methanol (methyl alcohol) *
● Methyl Methacrylate
● Methylene Chloride
● Phenol*
● Phosphorus
● Phthallic Anhydride
● Propylene Oxide*
● Styrene
● Styrene Oxide
● Perchloroethylene
● Titanium Trichloride
● Toluene
● Trichloroethylene
● Vinyl Acetate
● Vinyl Bromide
● Vinyl Chloride
● Xylenes
Compounds based on :
● Arsenic
● Beryllium
● Cadmium
● Chromium
● Cobalt
● Cyanide
● Lead
● Manganese
● Mercury
● Nickel
● Selenium
Also
● Polycyclic Organics
● Coke oven emissions
● Radionuclides
● Radon
● Asbestos

Fugitive Emissions
● Fine Mineral fibers
If you are pumping or mixing any of these fluids, or processing them in equipment with rotating shafts,
you should be using dual mechanical seals. In recent years dual gas seals have become popular in these
applications.
Please see "hydrodynamic seal" & "hydrostatic seal".
Return to index

U005
V001. VACUUM
Describes any pressure less than atmospheric.
Hard vacuum is defined as less than one Torr (one millimeter of mercury) and it can present a problem
for the elastomer (O-ring) in many seal applications
Vacuum is the same as "nothing". If you want to see nothing, pretend you have two eyes in the back of
your head and they are blind. What do you see?
That's nothing!
Please see: Torr, T019
Return to index

t019
T019. TORR
Torr is a measurement of hard vacuum.
Atmospheric pressure at seal level is 760 mm of mercury. Any thing less than 760 mm is described as a
vacuum.
One Torr is defined as one millimeter of mercury. The term is used when seal or pump people are
describing hard vacuum.
Mechanical seals can seal hard vacuums to about 0.001 Torr. Below this point, the air in the elastomer (O-
ring) will out-gas causing the O-ring to shrink and leak.
Return to index

S064
S064. SNAP RING
In this illustration, a snap ring is holding the inner stationary seal face against the end of the stuffing box.
In some centrifugal pump designs a simple snap ring is used to prevent the radial bearing from moving
towards the wet end of the pump.
This is not a good design. You need a more positive retention method.
Return to index

ss002
SS002. SEALING HIGH PRESSURE
faces.
❍ High pressure in the pump's stuffing box can change critical dimensions such as the
roundness of the sleeve or seal barrel

hoop stresses that attempt to shrink the material. Since these faces are seldom designed as
a "solid block" the affect is to alter the lapped face flatness. Finite element analysis design
techniques help, but are still limited in practice.

suffers permanent damage unless a back-up ring has been installed to prevent the extrusion.

● Stage the pressure between dual seals.
● Reduce the pressure in the stuffing box.
In the next paragraphs we will look at each of these alternatives:
● Let's start with building a seal that can take the excessive pressure without distorting.
❍ Laminated bellows are available for many higher-pressure metal bellows applications (just
like plywood).
● The next approach will be to stage the seals in an application so that several seals will be sharing
the pressure.
❍ Tandem sealing with an intermediate lower buffer fluid pressure is the most common. In
● The last choice is to lower the pressure in the stuffing box.
faces.
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ss002
Return to index

ss003
SS003. SEALING VACUUM
Vacuum means less than atmospheric pressure, and vacuum sealing falls into two neat categories:
● Normal vacuum
● Hard vacuum
● Tandem seals with a higher pressure lubricating barrier fluid circulating between the seals are the
most common solution to vacuum sealing.
Hard vacuum. This vacuum is measured in microns, micro inches or portions of a Torr (one millimeter of
mercury).
gas" increasing the elastomer's density and reducing the volume to a point where O-ring leakage
is possible. All metal bellows seal designs will probably be your first choice.
carbon-graphite designs are seldom satisfactory in these applications. A great many materials
exist that can solve the problem, so you will want to contact your seal supplier for the availability
of higher density and self lubricating carbons for these special applications.
● Because of the dry running problems we encounter in many of these applications, dual metal
bellows seals with a lubricating barrier fluid circulating between the two seals will be your first
choice.
Return to index

Coated Seal Face
C044 COATED SEAL FACE
A hard coating is plated or welded to a softer base material such as stainless steel.
The difference in these materials presents problems with different thermal expansion rates. Most hard
coating expand and contract at one third the rate of the base material.
With the introduction of the silicon and tungsten carbides, coated materials are no longer considered
reliable seal faces.
When the cracking occurred in these coated materials it is said to have heat checked.
Some people attempt to coat or "plate" a pump shaft to get corrosion resistance. Unfortunately these
coatings are not thick enough.
To get corrosion resistance you need a thickness of at least 1/16 inches (1.5 mm).
Return to index

High Pressure Seal
H018. HIGH PRESSURE SEAL
faces.
❍ It can change critical dimensions such as the roundness of the sleeve or seal barrel
"hoop stresses" that attempt to shrink the material. Since these faces are seldom designed
as a "solid block" the affect is to alter the lapped face flatness. Finite element analysis
design techniques help, but are still limited in practice.

suffers permanent damage unless a "back-up" ring has been installed to prevent the extrusion.

■ Laminated bellows are available for many higher-pressure metal bellows
applications (just like plywood).

■ Higher durometer O-rings with non-metallic back up rings are available to prevent
● Stage the seals in an application so that several seals will be sharing the pressure.
❍ Tandem sealing with an intermediate lower buffer fluid pressure between the seals is the
most common. In some nuclear applications three seals have been connected in tandem to
handle the high pressure. Tandem and other types of multiple seal arrangements take a
great deal of axial room. In every case you are moving the first seal further away from the
bearings so shaft stabilization becomes very important. You should also remember that the
multiple units are acting as a single seal. In other words if you fail one of the seals, you fail
them all.
● Lower the pressure in the stuffing box.
faces.

Extrusion
E020. EXTRUSION
A permanent displacement of part of the O-ring into the small clearance

between the seal and shaft as a result of the action of a high fluid
pressure.
If you have a high-pressure application you will need a back-up ring

installed in the O-ring groove to prevent the extrusion.
Here is a picture of the back up ring. You can see it cross-hatched in the
illustration.
The back up ring is often made of Teflon® and does a good job of
preventing O-ring extrusion in higher pressure applications.
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Back up ring
B005. BACK UP RING
Back up rings are used in high pressure seal applications, along with higher durometer O-ring material.
The backup ring is used to prevent extrusion of the O-ring through the close clearance between the O-
ring groove and the shaft.
Teflon® is a common back up ring material.
The seal loses some of its flexibility with the installation of this back up ring, but at the higher system
pressures, flexibility is not all that important.
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S104
S104. SUCTION RECIRCULATION
A line is connected between the suction of the pump and the bottom of the stuffing box or seal gland
connection. Many pumps have a connection already tapped at the suction throat of the pump for a suction
gage, but if none is available you can install one in the piping or a pipe flange if the piping is not thick
enough to be drilled and tapped. Try to make the stuffing box connection as close to the seal faces as
possible to insure a good circulation through the stuffing box.
the impeller will be circulated through the stuffing box to the pump suction. The impeller has centrifuged
this liquid and the result is that the liquid going into the stuffing box is considerably cleaner than what
you are pumping. In many cases you can eliminate the need for bringing in clean liquid and diluting your
product.
designs that adjust towards the pump volute rather than the back plate such as most Duriron pump.
You should not use suction recirculation in the following applications:
● If you are pumping at, or close to the product's vapor point.

● If the entrained solids have a low specific gravity. In other words, they float.
● If you are using a Duriron pump or any impeller that adjusts to the back plate.
● If you are using a double suction pump where the stuffing boxes are at suction pressure.
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v006
V006. VAPOR POINT
This is the combination of temperature and pressure at which a liquid becomes a gas.
See: Vapor pressure V007
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s076
S076. SPLIT MECHANICAL SEALS
A split mechanical seal is defined as having all components split at the time of installation.
It is important to note that no dynamic elastomers should be glued together because the hard spot that
develops will not allow the elastomer to be functional.
The following illustration describes the rotating version of a split seal. It is called rotating because the
spring loaded face rotates with the shaft.
Here is the stationary version of a split seal. Please note that the spring loaded face does not rotate.
Finger springs are used in this design instead of the more familiar coiled type. Finger springs are often
used when axial space is at a premium.
Stationary seals do not experience as much axial movement as rotating seals and therefore present fewer
problems. The stationary version should always be your first choice.
The split seal is the one seal that every consumer wanted. The main reason that people continue to use
conventional jam packing in pump stuffing boxes is that no one wanted to take the pump apart just to fix
a leak. Taking a pump apart involves several problems:
● The mechanic must have enough skill to put it back together again, insuring that all tolerances,
balance and fits are correct. In a world of multicraft workers that skill is rapidly disappearing.
● You must go through a complete realignment between the pump and the driver. That can take
hours.
● In some instances insulation has to be removed to move the pump. This can involve serious
hazardous materials disposal problems.
● In many facilities seal replacement involves many crafts. An electrician to blank out the motor, a
pipe fitter to remove the piping, a rigger to bring the pump back to the shop, a mechanic to fix it
and several work orders to reverse the process when the pump goes back.
● When the pump is disassembled to replace the seal, the bearings are often replaced at the same
time. More often than not seal replacement often means a complete pump overhaul.
● In some cases the system has to be sterilized if the pump is disassembled. This can involve many
hours of heating, flushing, etc.
Note that the split seal is an extension of the stuffing box and is not installed in a typical "outside seal"
configuration. In other words, as the seal faces wear they move away from the solids in the product and
not into them. You will also note that the elastomer always moves to a clean surface, as the faces wear.
This is a very important feature if there are solids in the sealing fluid.
The first successful split seals were used on the US. atomic submarine Nautilus main propeller shafts
back in 1954. They were of the stationary configuration and proved to be as reliable as solid seals but
they were very expensive because of a lack of good technology for cutting the lapped faces or joining the
O-ring seals. There are three accepted methods of joining the split elastomer components:
● Vulcanize the components together around the shaft. This is the method that was used on the
atomic submarine Nautilus. Its only limitation is that you are not able to manufacture small

s076
diameter rings because the stock must go around the shaft and then through the vulcanizing tool.
Present technology limits this technique to shaft diameters larger than six inches (150 mm.).
● Install extra elastomers over the shaft and into the seal assembly. You can then move them out
and use them as needed. This is a good technique, but presents major difficulties in seal design.
● Use the "ball and socket" design supplied by some manufacturers or any other sensible design that
makes sense to you.
Gluing O-rings or any other type of elastomer together is never acceptable for a dynamic or moving
elastomer. The glue creates a "hard spot" that will prevent proper sealing.
Early split designs were cut in half by "cut off saws" and re-machined to concentricity. This involved a
lot of handling and hand finishing operations that added to the original high cost. Today we use lasers,
high-pressure water tools, fracturing techniques and other types of sophisticated machinery to
accomplish the same thing at much lower costs. The fact is that reliable split seals are just about the same
price as any balanced, O-ring, cartridge seal made out of the same materials. Spare part kits are
considerably cheaper than comparable solid seal spare parts.
Depending upon the brand and size of split seal that you select, the temperature, speed and pressure
limits are just about the same as any other balanced O-ring mechanical seal. The major difference comes
in the sealing of vacuum. Some older design splits seals need a positive pressure to hold the faces
together, so if you intend to use these seals in vacuum service they must be turned around so that
atmospheric pressure is on the sealing side. There are split seals available now that can seal either
pressure or vacuum. This is very important in many mixer applications.
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Carbon Bushing
C009 CARBON BUSHING
A machined cylinder used as:
● A restrictive bushing in flushing applications

● A thermal barrier in high temperature applications
● A disaster bushing in an API (American Petroleum Institute) gland, and used to support a
deflecting shaft in many mechanical seal applications.
A good grade of carbon- graphite is often used because of its chemical compatibility with most chemicals
and its non-sparking characteristic. Teflon® is another widely used material
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v015
V015. VENTING OF A CENTRIFUGAL PUMP
Here is the proper way to vent a centrifugal pump after it has been installed, or the system has been
opened. I am assuming the pump is empty of liquid and both the suction and discharge valves are shut.
● Open the suction valve. The pump fills part way.

● Close the suction valve.
● Open the discharge valve part way. Once the pressure equalizes the air will rise in the discharge
piping.
● Open the suction valve.
● Start the pump.
Vertical pump installations present a special venting problem because the stuffing box lantern ring
connection is below the mechanical seal faces. Cartridge seals often have a vent or flush connection close
to the seal faces that can be connected to the suction side of the pump for venting.
If you do not have a cartridge seal you may want to install a drilled and tapped plate between the face of
the stuffing box and the stationary part of the mechanical seal. A vent line can be connected from the
plate connection to the pump suction.
Dual seals can present venting problems when used in a vertical pump. Check to see that your design has
some sort of a sensible venting method for the area between the dual seals.
Self priming pumps need a vent or bleed line installed between the pump discharge flange and the
discharge check valve, back to the suction source.
Without this vent the pump will not be able to deliver enough pressure to open the check valve. There
will be some loss through this line when the pump is operating, but the alternative is to have someone
open and close the valve every time you start the pump or install some type of an automatic valve that
will open and close at the correct time
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Monitoring The Centrifugal Pump
M026. MONITORING THE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP.
A sensible predictive maintenance program for centrifugal pumps is still an elusive dream for most
plants. Unexpected pump shut down continues to be the rule. Most premature pump shutdowns are
related to seal and bearing failures and the classic predictive maintenance techniques of machinery
history, visual inspection and vibration analysis do not work well with products that fail prematurely,
rather than wear out.
● Vibration analysis tells you that the destruction has already begun, not that it is going to happen.
To use vibration analysis with mechanical seals we would have to know the frequency of a seal
and with the many designs available, the wide choice of seal materials and the many fluids being
sealed that is just about impossible.
● Machinery history is only valid if the equipment experiences traditional wear. Otherwise you are
trying to predict an accident. Remember that no one wears out seals and bearings. They always
fail prematurely. The life of pump bearings is rated in hundreds of years. Seals are supposed to
run until the carbon wears down. When is the last time you saw one of those?
● Back up sealing is valid if you want to prevent unexpected seal shut down, but outside of
purchasing a backup pump this approach is not practical for the bearings.
● Visual inspection of the remaining carbon on the seal face is possible with stationary seal designs
by installing a pin that sticks out the back of the gland. This information would be valid if carbon
faces wore out, but as you well know it seldom happens.
If we elected to monitor the pump performance and use this data to predict an upcoming seal or bearing
failure what exactly should we monitor? Lets look at some of the options:
THE WET END OF THE PUMP
You can monitor:
● The temperature at the pump suction and discharge flanges. Temperature and cavitation are
closely related.
● The pressure at the pump suction and discharge flanges. Pressure and cavitation are related also.
● A proximity gage can record the distance between the open impeller and the pump volute. This
clearance relates to internal recirculation problems.
● Shaft deflection can be measured by proximity gages around the volute.
● Product flow can be measured by a variety of instruments without penetrating the piping.
● Strain gages could tell you if the rotating shaft has locked up when the pump is stopped.
● Vibration can be measured at several locations on the volute.
● Noise is easily detected and a valuable source of emerging problems.
● The amount of amperage being drawn by the motor combined with pump flow and capacity can
be an excellent indication of pump performance.
THE STUFFING BOX AND SEAL AREA
You can monitor:
● Stuffing box temperature.

● Stuffing box pressure.
● Liquid leakages out of the stuffing box, or air leakage in.
● Stuffing box jacket inlet and outlet flow
● Stuffing box jacket inlet and outlet temperature.
● Seal gland flush pressure, flow and temperature.
● The temperature, pressure and flow of the fluid between dual seals.
● Convection tank temperature, pressure and level.
● Quench temperate and flow.
● Vibration.
THE BEARING CASE
You can monitor:
● Oil temperature to let you know if the oil is about to form varnish or coke.
● Oil level. Over lubrication relates to excessive heat problems.
● Case pressure. A positive pressure will keep airborne moisture out.
● Shaft movement or thrust
● The amount of water present in the oil.
● Shaft speed.
● Vibration
● Cooling coil inlet and outlet temperature, pressure and flow.
In an ideal preventative maintenance program all of these readouts would be incorporated into a single,
multi-pin outlet similar to the type found in all automobiles manufactured in the past few years. This
outlet would then feed the information into a hand held computer that would be supplied with additional
information retrieved off a bar code, on a tag hung on the pump.
The bar tag information could be entered by anyone familiar with the process in addition to information
supplied by both the pump and seal supplier. It would contain data about the fluid you were pumping,
critical dimensions, and information about the bearing lubricant. It could include:
● The specific gravity of the fluid.

● The specific heat of the fluid and bearing lubricant.
● The temperature-pressure combination when the fluids would change state and:
❍ Vaporize.
❍ Become viscous.
❍ Solidify.
❍ Coke.
❍ Build a film on the seal faces or sliding metal parts.
❍ Become a non-lubricant.
● The bar tag would also contain information about:

❍ The correct impeller clearance to the back plate or volute.
❍ The temperature limit of the bearing lubricant.
❍ The maximum differential temperature across the pump.
❍ The temperature limits of any of the seal components including the faces and rubber parts.
❍ The pump best efficiency point (BEP).
❍ Desired flow through the cooling-heating jacket. You get this number from the seal
supplier.
❍ Desired level, pressure and temperature in the dual seal convection tank.
❍ The specified flush amount.
Now that we have an idea about what we can monitor, exactly what is it we would like to predict about
pump performance? Wouldn't it be great to know the following?
● The pump differential pressure, flow and amperage tells us if the pump is running close to its best
efficiency point? If it is not we are going to have lots of problems:
❍ We will get excessive shaft deflection that translates to premature wear ring, seal and
bearing failure. The impeller could deflect into the volute or back plate causing permanent
damage to both pieces.
❍ The lost power will convert to unwanted heat that can change critical shaft dimensions and
tolerances. This can be a big problem in the bearing area where internal clearances are very
critical.
❍ You could break the shaft if the force generated is high enough.
❍ If the suction pressure decreases or the suction temperature increases there is a probability
that we going to have a cavitation problem during the operation of the pump.
● Is the temperature or pressure change in the stuffing box going to affect any of the seal
components? Many of these affects are non-reversible.
❍ There are many face combinations used in mechanical seals. Too many of them are
sensitive to changes in temperature and pressure. Some ceramics, filled carbons and plated
hard faces are especially sensitive to temperature changes.
❍ The elastomer (rubber part) is always sensitive to a temperature change either up or down.
❍ Corrosion always increases with an increase in temperature. This can be very important in
acid applications.
❍ Seal flatness can be compromised in both high and low temperature applications.
● A temperature change in the stuffing box tells us if the product going to change from a lubricating
liquid to a non-lubricating gas or solid. Most of these changes occur when the pump is shut down
or a cleaner or solvent is being flushed through the lines. Will shut down cause solid particles to
appear in the fluid? Every fluid has a maximum and minimum operating temperature. Exceed
these limits and all kinds of bad things happen. A change in stuffing box temperature or pressure
can cause a lubricating liquid to :
❍ Vaporize and blow open the lapped seal faces.
❍ Crystallize and restrict the seal movement. Caustic is typical of this type of problem.
❍ Become viscous and interfere with the seal movement.
❍ Solidify between the lapped seal faces and destroy them, as well as restrict the free
movement of the seal components.

❍ Build a film on the sliding seal parts restricting their movement and separating the lapped
faces. Both paint and hard water can do this.

❍ Become a non-lubricant. This is a problem with hot water applications that will lead to
"slip stick" vibration problems between the lapped seal faces.

❍ Cause the liquid to form solid particles that will get into the sliding components and
restrict their movement. This is the "coking problem" we typically experience with all hot
oil applications.
● Are the bearings in danger of failing?
❍ Is the lubricant temperature too high and increasing?
❍ Is the lubrication level too high or low?
❍ Has moisture penetrated the bearing case? Moisture can cause hydrogen embrittlement
problems in the bearing.

❍ Are the seal faces glued together at start up? Any product that can solidify will cause this
failure.
❍ When do you need an adjustment of your open or semi-open impeller? If you miss the
impeller to volute or back plate clearance by as little as 0.002 inches (0.05 mm) you will
lose one percent of the pump's capacity. This loss will be converted into heat and vibration.
❍ Do the wear rings need replacement? Internal recirculation wastes power and increases the
pump internal temperature. Ten degrees centigrade (18°F) is considered the maximum
temperature rise allowable across the pump volute.
❍ Are the seal's environmental controls functioning?
■ Are you getting too much product dilution?
■ Is the quench working?
■ Is there enough stuffing box circulation to prevent the seal from being overheated?
■ Is the cooling jacket becoming clogged from a build up in calcium?
■ Is the inner seal of a dual seal application functioning?
■ Is the flush fluid doing its job?
■ Is the stuffing box being maintained at the correct temperature- especially at pump
shutdown?
Now that we know what can be done and any instrument technician should have no problem figuring out
how to install the indicators, what are you going to do with the data you can collect? Here are some
ideas.
First you need the base information:
● What should be the head, flow and power consumption at the best efficiency point? You get this
information right off the pump curve. You will need the specific gravity of the fluid to convert the
pressure reading from the gauge to head units so that you can read the pump curve. Be sure to
adjust the numbers for the actual pump speed that you can read with a tachometer. Use the affinity
laws for this.
● What is the maximum and minimum temperatures the product can tolerate without changing state
from a liquid to a gas, crystal, solid, or becomes viscous? Your facility knows more about this
subject than any one else. Check with people in the engineering department or chemistry
laboratory. Production people are another source of this information.
● What are the upper and lower temperature limits of the seal elastomer? The seal supplier can give
you this information. Remember that there are different grades of various elastomers. Be sure you
are getting the information about the grade you are using in your seal.
● Does the seal face combination have a temperature limit more restrictive than the elastomer? This
is a consideration in most metal bellows seal designs. Make the seal people identify the material
grade and have them supply the temperature limits.
● Some seal designs have restricted pressure or vacuum limits. Check with your seal supplier for
this information. High pressure can cause elastomer extrusion and deformation of the lapped seal
faces.
● What is the maximum pump inlet temperature or minimum suction head to prevent cavitation?
The NPSHR information comes off the curve. Remember that the curve was generated using
water as the pumping fluid. You will have to add the vapor pressure of your product to this
number for an accurate NPSH required.
● What is the proper open impeller clearance? Get this from the pump supplier. You want the hot or
operating clearance. You will need to use a cartridge seal if you are going to adjust an open
impeller without interfering with the seal setting.
● What are the seal environmental control limits? The seal supplier has specified a pressure,
temperature and flow in most cases.
Now that we have the base information and the pump readings we should be able to prevent some of the
most common seal and bearing premature failures.
● Is the pump about to cavitate? Cavitation can injure the seal components and shorten the bearing
life. You must solve the problem before the cavitation begins. Cavitation can occur if:
❍ The pump capacity increases.
❍ The discharge head drops.
❍ The suction temperature rises.
❍ The suction pressure drops.
❍ The outside diameter of the impeller is too close to the volute cutwater.
❍ The speed of the pump increases.
❍ Remember that the pump pumps the difference between the suction and discharge heads. If
the suction head is increased and the discharge head is not increased the pump is now
pumping at a lower head and the capacity will increase along with the possibility of
cavitation.

● Is the product close to changing state in the stuffing box? If it does change from a liquid to a gas
or solid, the seal failure will soon follow.
● Is the stuffing box temperature increasing?
❍ Maybe the cooling jacket is not functioning. Calcium may be building up inside the jacket
❍ Maybe there is too much flow through the stuffing box cooling jacket. Remember that the
cooling fluid should come into the bottom of the cooling jacket and out the top.
❍ Has the shaft axial thrust over compressed the seal faces?
❍ Was the stuffing box vented in a vertical installation?
❍ Was the space between dual seals vented din vertical pump applications
❍ Is their flow between the dual seals? Has convection stopped?
● Is the stuffing box temperature decreasing?

❍ Maybe the cooling jacket is too effective.
❍ Is the buffer or barrier fluid between the dual seals at the correct temperature?
● Is the stuffing box pressure dropping?

❍ The discharge recirculation line may be coming clogged.
❍ Has a restrictive bushing been placed in the end of the stuffing box Is the clearance
between the bushing and the shaft small?

❍ Is the seal leaking?
❍ Have you accidentally hooked up suction recirculation instead?
❍ Is the impeller clearance correct? Too much slippage will generate excessive heat and
vibration. This heat and vibration will translate to premature seal failure.
● Is the bearing oil too hot? If it is you are going to have a bearing failure.
❍ Too high an oil level or overfilling with grease is the most likely problem.
● Face seals can maintain a positive pressure in the bearing case. As long as you have a positive
pressure in the bearing case there is not much fear of water or solids penetrating inside. Water and
solids, along with the high heat caused by over lubrication, are the main problems you have to
prevent.
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tn004
TN004. CENTRIFUGAL PUMP MODIFICATION
If you find that your present centrifugal pump is not satisfying your application and running as trouble
free as you would like, and you have checked:
● All of the internal tolerances are correct.

● There is no excessive pipe strain.
● The open impeller has been adjusted to the volute or backplate after the pump came up to
operating temperature.
● The pump to driver alignment was made.
● The rotating parts were dynamically balanced.
● The wear ring clearance is within manufacturers specifications.
● The pump is running at the correct speed, in the right direction, with the correct size impeller.
Then you may have to purchase a different centrifugal pump, or you might want to consider modifying
the existing pump to get the performance and reliability you are looking for.
Here are a few modifications and pump upgrades you can consider:
● Modifying the impeller diameter could get you closer to the best efficiency point. The affinity
laws will predict the affect the trimming will have on the pump's head; capacity, net positive
suction head required (NPSHR), and horsepower requirement.
● Converting to an impeller with a different specific speed number will change the shape of the
pump curve, power consumption and the NPSH required.
● Changing to a heavy-duty power end can stop a lot of shaft deflection, and with some pump
manufacturers get you the pilot diameter you need to install a "C or D" frame adapter to eliminate
pump alignment.
● Converting from a sleeved to a solid, corrosion resistant shaft will often reduce or stop shaft
deflection problems caused by operating off the best efficiency point (BEP). If you are using
mechanical seals be sure that you are using the type that prevents fretting corrosion. Most original
equipment manufactured (OEM) seals damage shafts, and that is one of the main reasons they
supply a sacrificial sleeve.
● Reducing the overhung shaft length can solve many shaft deflection problems. You should be able
to get the L3/D4 number down to a desirable 15-20 (0,5 &endash; 0,6 metric) by either reducing
the shaft length or increasing the shaft diameter.
● Changing the wet end to a double volute configuration will allow the pump to operate in a larger
window without the danger of deflecting the shaft too much.
● You can drill a hole in the end of the stuffing box, at the top, to increase stuffing box venting.
● Change the flushing or recirculation connection from the top lantern ring connection to the bottom
of the stuffing box to insure a better fluid flow through the stuffing box. Try to get close to the
seal faces.
● Enlarging the inside diameter of the stuffing box or going to an oversize stuffing box can solve
some persistent seal problems.
● Converting the wet end of the pump to a centerline design might solve some pipe strain problems
by compensating for radial thermal growth.
● Increasing the impeller to cutwater clearance could stop a cavitation problem
● Installing a sight glass in the bearing case can help you maintain the correct oil level and prevent
overheating problems in the bearings.
● Replacing the bearing case grease or lip seals with either labyrinth or positive face seals for
bearings will keep moisture out of the bearing case and eliminate a lot of premature bearing
failure.
● Converting the radial bearing retention snap ring to a more rugged holding device will eliminate
many of he problems associated with axial movement of the shaft.
● Converting the packed pump to a good mechanical seal will reduce power consumption and
product leakage.
● Converting solid mechanical seals to split mechanical seals can reduce the time it takes to change
seals and eliminate the need for other trades to become involved in the process of disassembling a
pump and bringing it into the shop.
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http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/narratives/tn004.htm [7/21/03 11:27:06 AM]

Pipe Strain
P014. PIPE STRAIN
The strain on the pump volute caused by stresses in the piping.
Pipe strain will cause excessive mechanical seal movement and possible contact between rotating and
stationary pump and seal components.
To prevent pipe strain you should pipe from the pump to the rack and not the other way.
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Dyamic Balance
D035. DYNAMIC BALANCE
Everyone agrees that balancing the rotating components of a centrifugal pump is a good idea, but it is
seldom done. Evidently it doesn't appear to be too important or it would be receiving some sort of
priority when the pump is being overhauled or rebuilt.
To understand the importance of dynamic balance visualize yourself going down the highway in your
automobile at sixty miles an hour, and you throw off a small, lead wheel weight; suddenly you notice a
severe vibration in the steering wheel that makes you feel very uncomfortable. Do you have any idea
how many rpms the wheels were making at sixty miles an hour or 100 kilometer per hour? Do you think
it was slower or faster than the rpm of your centrifugal pump? Let's figure it out in the inch size and then
we will do it in metric:
A typical fourteen inch automobile wheel has a tire that is approximately twenty five inches in diameter.
This means that the circumference of that tire is 25 inches times 3.14 (pi) or 78.5 inches. Divide the 78.5
inches by 12 and you get 6.5 feet for the circumference of the tire.
At sixty miles an hour you car is going a mile a minute or 5280 feet a minute. Since the 6.5 feet
represents one revolution of the wheel we divide that into the 5280 feet and we get 812 rpm at sixty miles
an hour.
A common metric tire would have a diameter of 635 mm. Multiply that by 3.14 and you would get just a
little bit less than two meters for the circumference. At 100 Km/hr you would be going 1.7 Km or 1700
meters/ minute.
1700 divided by two meters for one revolution of the wheel is 850 rpm.
This means that if a small lead weight can become that significant at 812 rpm or 850 rpm what does an
out of balance shaft in your pump do at electric motor speeds?
Several things:
● The bearings will experience higher loading that will translate to premature failure.
● The mechanical seal faces can separate because of the induced vibration and shaft run out.
● The seal faces can become damaged as the vibration causes the carbon to bounce against the hard
face. This bouncing can cause a chipping of the carbon outside diameter.
● Seal drive lugs will experience premature wear.
● Shaft fretting will increase dramatically under bearing grease seals and original equipment
mechanical seal designs.
What cause a pump shaft to go out of dynamic balance assuming it was balanced at pump assembly?
● Product attaches to the impeller.

● Impeller wear and damage caused by erosion and corrosion.
● A seal or sleeve that is not concentric to the shaft. Set-screws guarantee that the seal will not be
concentric to the shaft or sleeve.
● The coupling, impeller, mechanical seal, bearings, sleeve, keys, etc. were not balanced as an
assembly.
● The impeller diameter was reduced and not rebalanced. Impeller material is not homogeneous.
You can purchase equipment to do in house dynamic balancing or you can send the assembly to an
outside vendor. The newer electronic vibration analysis equipment has a balancing program available for
an additional charge over the vibration package. Check with your vendor for its availability.
If you send the rotating assembly to an outside vendor for balancing be aware of several potential
problems:
● Unlike automobile tire balancing it is not simple to calculate how much weight to remove and
exactly where to remove it.
● Many of these people are experienced in only balancing electric motor armatures where it is
common to remove weight by removing portions of the fan blades.
● Outside vendors frequently do not know how to remove weight from an impeller. I have seen
instances where weld bead was added to the impeller that interfered with the pump hydraulics.
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Modifying The Impeller To Increase Pump Performance
M023. MODIFYING THE IMPELLER TO INCREASE PUMP PERFORMANCE
The following information will apply to closed, semi-open and open impellers unless noted otherwise:
● We will be using the term gap "A" to describe the clearance

between the impeller shrouds to the volute or casing and
● Gap "B" describes the clearance between the impeller
vanes and the casing or volute.
● "D" describes the diameters of the vanes and shrouds
What happens when you reduce the impeller vane diameter? Several things:
● The affinity laws predict the result of this action, but they are not as accurate as we would like
them to be, especially if we are making more than a 10% reduction in impeller diameter. There
are several reasons why this is true :
❍ The affinity laws assume the impeller shrouds are parallel. This is true only in low specific
speed pumps.
❍ There is increased turbulence at the vane tips as the impeller is trimmed because the
shroud to casing clearance (Gap "A") is increasing. This is sometimes referred to as "slip"
❍ The liquid exit angle is changed as the impeller is cut back, so the head/capacity curve
becomes steeper.
❍ Mixed flow (the popular version) are more affected than low specific speed, radial vane
impellers (high head/low capacity).

❍ I would recommend using only 75% of the calculated cut to stay on the safe side.
● The greater the impeller reduction and the higher the specific speed of the impeller, the more the
pump efficiency will decrease with impeller trimming.
● Impeller diameter reductions greater than 5% to 10% of the maximum will increase the NPSHR
(net positive suction head required). If there is a close margin between NPSHA (net positive
suction head available) and NPSHR (net positive suction head required) be sure to check with
your pump manufacturer for information on how these two will be affected by an impeller
reduction. Unfortunately many pump manufacturers do not publish this information along with
their pump curve.
● Excessive shroud to casing clearance (gap "A") and the resultant recirculation to the low pressure
side of the pump will produce "eddy flows" around the impeller, causing low frequency axial
vibrations that can translate to mechanical seal problems. This can be a real concern in large
pumps of over 250 horsepower (195 KW) or pumps pumping heads in excess of 650 feet (198
meters).
● For many years pump people have been machining the vane tips to reduce the vane passing
frequency vibrations (gap "B") while carefully maintaining gap "A". The pulsating forces acting
on the impeller can be reduced by 80% to 85% by increasing gap "B" from 1% to 6%.
● For impeller diameters up to 14 inches (355 mm) gap "B" should be at least 4% of the impeller
diameter to prevent vane passing syndrome cavitation problems. Above 14" (355 mm) gap "B"
should be at least 6% of the impeller diameter to prevent this type of cavitation.
Although both the vanes and shrouds are often cut, in end suction volute type centrifugal pumps, it is not
a good idea to do this in double suction designs. With these types of pumps you can reduce the vane
diameters, but the shrouds should remain untouched.
● Structural strength is a consideration when deciding how much to reduce the vane diameter in
double-ended pumps because you could leave too much unsupported shroud. Some manufacturers
recommend an oblique cut that will improve the vane exit flow and add some strength to the
shrouds.
● Machining a radius where the trimmed vane meets the shroud is another good idea to add strength
to the assembly. Square corners are never a good idea.
Under-filing the exit vanes is usually a good idea. Please look at the following diagram:

Modifying The Impeller To Increase Pump Performance
(d) is the distance before filling
(df) is the distance after filing
● Under-filing will increase the pump capacity, especially for large circulating pumps. One look at
the above diagram will make this obvious.
● The exit angle of the fluid will change, resulting in a higher head at design flow, but no change in
shut off head.
● Because of reductions in the wake of the fluid exiting the vanes. The efficiency of the pump
should improve slightly. The smaller the size of the pump the larger the effect.
● The technique of under-filing is critical. Sharp corners, where the vane joins the shroud, can
initiate cracks and eventual impeller failure.
● At least 0.0125 inches (3 mm) of vane tip thickness must remain after the under-filing.
Return to index

Pilot Diameter
P013. PILOT DIAMETER
The pilot diameter on the face of an ANSI pump will center the seal gland to the stuffing box and
hopefully the rotating shaft.
Pilot diameters allow a registered fit. You will also find these diameters where the "C or D" frame
adapter attaches to the power end of some centrifugal pumps.
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Converting Packed Pumps To A Mechanical Seal, The Advantages
C058. CONVERTING PACKED PUMPS TO A MECHANICAL SEAL, THE ADVANTAGES.
Packing conversion is a subject that has become increasingly more important in recent years. In the
following paragraphs I will try to divide the subject into three areas.
● The "obvious" dollar savings that can be realized by making the conversion.
● The "non-obvious" additional reasons for converting packing to a mechanical seal.
● The reasons you should convert to split mechanical seals whenever possible, rather than the solid
type that requires taking the equipment apart .
We will begin with the savings that are real and easily measurable.
Cost of the product.
● A leak equivalent to the smallest steady stream that you can produce, is equal to one to two
gallons (3,5 to 8,0 liters) per hour. At a cost of $0.25 per gallon this would come to $3285.00 each
year. Enough money to purchase several mechanical seals.
Treatment of waste.
● Depending on the type of waste, the cost of disposal can be several times the cost of the product
that was leaking. Household sewage is a good example. The sewage portion of your water bill is
normally larger than the water portion.
Chemical addition
● Chill water, hot water, cooling towers and boiler feed water are examples of systems that need
chemical addition to protect the equipment against corrosion, bacteria etc. These chemicals are
very expensive and add to the cost of the leakage.
Bearings
● The major cause of bearing failure is contamination of the bearing oil. As little as 0.002% water in
bearing oil can reduce the rated bearing life as much as 48%. Most of this water comes from
packing leakage and the water hose you use to wash the leakage down the drain. When the pump
is running, heated air vents out through the oil filling connection. At shut down moisture laden air
re-enters through this vent.
Packing sleeves.
● To install a sleeve the shaft diameter often has to be reduced and in the process of doing so the
shaft is weakened.
● Packing damages the sleeve as it removes the corrosion resistant metal's protective oxide layer.
● Because sleeves are so hard to remove we generally end up replacing the bearings at the same
time because the bearings are often destroyed during the sleeve removal process.
Power consumption
● Packing a pump is like driving your car with the emergency brake engaged. Although the car
would run, it would consume more gasoline. On the average packing consumes six times the
power of a mechanical seal. Here is an easy test you can perform :
❍ Pack the pump properly and run it long enough to stabilize the operating temperature and
pressure. Take an amperage reading at the motor or starter (not the breaker) when the
pump has stabilized. You should also record the pump rpm. at this time.
❍ Remove the packing, install a split mechanical seal and record the amperage difference.
Combine this data with the amount of money you have to pay for electricity and the results
will be obvious. Be sure to use a split seal so hat you will not alter any pump internal
clearances.
❍ In the event you do not record a drop in amperage you will notice an increase in motor
speed. Many marginal motors are being "bogged down" by the friction from five or six
rings of packing.
Eliminate the flushing fluid.
● Depending upon the flushing fluid you were using, the cost can be very high and often unreliable.
If you will install an oversized seal chamber and then connect a line from the bottom of the
stuffing box back to the suction side of the pump most flushing fluids can be eliminated.
❍ Caution : Do not install this line if you are pumping close to the vapor pressure of the
liquid, as the lower pressure may cause the fluid to vaporize in the stuffing box or between
the lapped seal faces.
● In the event a flushing fluid is required, only a small amount will be needed with a balanced O-
ring type mechanical seal. One to two gallons (3,5 to 8 liters) per hour (not per minute) would be
typical if the springs are not in the fluid and the stuffing box internal diameter has been increased.
Stop product dilution.
● As mentioned in the above paragraph, if you have eliminated flushing there will be no product
dilution. Once you dilute a product there is additional cost involved in removing the diluent. This
is normally done through an evaporation process that involves costly power and/or the creation of
a vacuum.
Housekeeping costs.
● If nothing leaked there would be very little corrosion and repainting would never be necessary.
Most leakage comes from valves, flanges and rotating shafts. They can all be sealed to prevent
leakage.
Packing material waste.
● Find out how much you are paying for these modern packings and then observe the waste that is
produced during the cutting and fitting process.
Unskilled mechanics
● Multicraft, operator maintenance, and contract labor are becoming a way of life in many plants.
The life of packing is directly related to the skill of the man that packed the pump, and the skilled
craftsman is disappearing fast.
Additional reasons to convert from packing to a leak proof mechanical seal.
Pollution
● Leakage to the ground ends up in the ground water table. Leakage to the air contributes to
airborne pollution and all of the problems associated with polluting the atmosphere. Fugitive
emission laws are restricting some types of leakage to parts per million.
Vertical pump applications
● Vapors escaping from the packing gland of a vertical pump are the major cause of electrical motor
failure. The vapors not only contaminate the grease lubricant, but are the main cause of damage to
the insulation of the motor's windings.
Vacuum
● There is no packing that can seal vacuum. Flushing water looks like it is doing the job but testing
has shown that flush water can go down one side of the packing as the vacuum lets air come in the
other side. In a condensate pump carbon dioxide (CO2)ingestion will lower the pH of the boiler
feed water causing the addition of more chemicals and additional boiler blow downs. Air
ingestion will also add additional cost, because deaeration is almost always necessary to lower the
oxygen content of the water.
Reliability
● This is the reason you use a mechanical seal on the water pump of your car and the pump in your
household washing machine. Changing sleeves and packing in these applications would not only
be too costly but the leakage would be intolerable.
Safety
● The list of hazardous materials is getting bigger every day. Unfortunately the hazard is not always
visible. Human beings should be breathing nothing but clean fresh air. Keep the other stuff inside
the machinery where it belongs.
● Any product classified as a fugitive emission or hazardous should be dual sealed to protect the
environment and any personnel that might be close by. Sewage, with hydrogen sulfide and
methane gas always present, is a good example of a product that should always be dual sealed.
Packing these pumps should be classified as a criminal activity.
Fugitive emissions
● Recent legislation is restricting the leakage of some fluids to as little as a few hundred parts per
million. Packing is out of the question in these applications and dual mechanical seals are the only
sensible solution. If the product is a clean lubricating liquid, a magnetic drive or canned pump is
another logical choice.

Seals are self-adjusting
● Once the mechanical seal is installed correctly there is nothing to do unless the impeller needs
adjusting. Packing, unless it is live loaded, needs frequent adjustment to prevent excessive
leakage.
We are all familiar with the utility man that has a roll of electrician's tape in one pocket and a twenty six
inch adjustable wrench in the other. He is the one that adjusts the packing on the back shift and
weekends.
Converting to mechanical seals is an excellent way to keep him away from your equipment.
Return to index

tn005
TN005. MECHANICAL SEAL SELECTION
In the following pages I will be using the word "pump" to describe the piece of equipment that you will
be sealing. If your equipment is anything other than a single stage centrifugal pump with an over hung
impeller, the information still applies with a couple of exceptions:
● Mixers, agitators and similar pieces of equipment sometimes have severe axial thrust and shaft
deflection problems due to their high L3/D4 numbers (The ratio of the shaft length to its diameter).
● Sleeve or journal bearing equipment allows more axial movement of the shaft than those pieces of
equipment provided with precision bearings. Axial movement is a problem for mechanical seals
because of the changing face load; especially at start up when the axial thrust reverses in a
centrifugal pump.
● Open impeller pumps require impeller adjustment that could cause excessive axial movement of
the shaft that will affect the seal face loading. Depending upon the severity of the abrasives being
pumped, this could be a frequent occurrence.
● Multi-stage pumps are seldom as sensitive to operating off the best efficiency point (BEP) as
single stage centrifugal pumps. The opposing cutwaters in these pumps tend to cancel out the
radial forces created when the pump is operating off of its best efficiency point (BEP).
● Centrifugal pumps equipped with double volutes are not too sensitive to operating off the best
efficiency point (BEP), but do experience all of the other types of shaft deflection.
● Specialized equipment such as a refiner in a paper mill will experience a great deal of axial travel
as the internal clearances are adjusted.
Whenever I use the word fluid, I am talking about either a liquid or a gas. If I say either liquid or gas, I
am limiting my discussion to that one phase of the fluid.
Any discussion of mechanical face seals requires that you have many different types of knowledge. The
first is, "should you be converting packed pumps to a mechanical seal?" Seals cost a lot more money than
conventional packing and unless you are using split seals, they can be a lot more difficult to install. There
is a packing conversion down side.
Assuming you have made the decision that the mechanical seal is your best choice for sealing, you must
know how to select the correct design for your application. There are many different kinds of seals to
choose from:
● Rotating seals where the springs or bellows rotate with the shaft.
● Stationary seals where the springs or bellows do not rotate with the shaft.
● Metal bellows seals used to eliminate elastomers that can have trouble with temperature extremes
or fluid compatibility.
● Elastomer type seals utilizing O-rings and other shape elastomers.
● Single seals for most applications.
● Dual seal designs for dangerous and expensive products or any time back up protection is needed.
● Inside mounted designs that take advantage of centrifugal force to throw solids away from the
lapped seal faces.
● Outside seals. Usually the non-metallic variety for pumps manufactured from non-metallic
materials.
● Cartridge seals to ease installation and allow you to make impeller adjustments without disturbing
the seal face loading.
● Split seal designs that allow you to install and change seals without taking the pump apart and
disturbing the alignment.
● Hydrodynamic or non-contacting seals used for the sealing of gases.
● Hydrostatic designs are another version of non-contacting vapor seals.
There are some very desirable design features that you should specify for your mechanical seals:
● The ability to seal fugitive emissions without the use of dual seals, other than having the dual seal
installed as a "back-up" or spare seal.
● Will the seal dynamic elastomer damage or cause fretting corrosion of the pump shaft? Almost all-
original equipment designs do. Spring-loaded Teflon® and graphite are notorious for shaft
destruction. There are many seal designs available that will not cause fretting corrosion or damage
shafts and sleeves, and that is the kind you should be using.
● The seal should have built in non-clogging features such as springs out of the fluid.
● The seal should be able to compensate for a reasonable amount of both radial and axial movement
of the shaft. There are special mixer seal designs that can compensate for axial and radial travel in
excess of 0.125 inches (3 mm) and you should know about them
● The seal should be designed to be positioned as close to the bearings as possible to lessen the
affects of shaft deflection. Ideally the seal would be located between the stuffing box face and the
bearing case with a large diameter seal gland allowing plenty of internal radial clearance for the
seal.
● The seal should generate only a small amount of heat. Seal face heat generation can be a problem

tn005
with many fluids and there is no advantage in letting the seal faces, or the fluid surrounding them
get hot
❍ Any heat generation between the seal faces should be efficiently removed by conduction
away from the lapped faces and dynamic elastomer. Check to see if your design does it
efficiently.
● Any dynamic elastomer (an O-ring is typical) should have the ability to flex and then roll, or slide
to a clean surface as the carbon face wears.
● The seal face load should be adjustable to compensate for open impeller adjustments and axial
growth of the shaft. Cartridge seals do this very well.
● Can you use universal materials to lower your inventory costs and avoid mix-up problems? All of
the seal materials should be clearly identified by type and grade. You will need this information if
you have to analyze a premature seal failure. Some seal companies try to make everything a
secret, do not tolerate it!
● Will the seals be hydraulically balanced to prevent the generation of unwanted heat between the
lapped faces? What is the percentage of balance? If you are using dual seals will the inner seal be
a double balanced seal that is hydraulically balanced in both directions? Pressures can reverse in
dual seal applications.
● You will want to become familiar with the effects of heat on:
❍ The seal faces, especially the carbon and plated or coated hard faces
❍ The elastomers, especially the dynamic elastomer
❍ Excessive corrosion of the seal components.
❍ The product. It can change with heat. It can vaporize, solidify, crystallize, coke or build a
film with an increase in the product's temperature.

❍ Internal tolerances of the seal especially face flatness and elastomer squeeze. Heat causes
thermal growth of these components that will alter their critical tolerances.
We would like to be able to install the seal without having to modify the pump. The seal should be the
shortest, thinnest design that will satisfy all of the operating conditions. Once you have the shortest,
thinnest design that will satisfy the operating conditions there is seldom a need to modify any seal design.
The specific sealing application will dictate which seal design you should choose. If your seal application
falls within the following parameters any stationary or rotating, "off the shelf" balanced O-ring seal
should be able to handle the application without any serious problems.
● Stuffing box pressures from a one Torr vacuum to 400 psi. (28 bar). Note that stuffing box
pressure is normally closer to suction than discharge pressure
● Stuffing box temperature from -40°F to 400°F. (-40°C to 200°C)
● Shaft speed within electric motor speeds. If the surface speed at the seal faces exceeds 5000 fpm.
(25 m/sec) you will have to select the stationary version of the seal.
● Shaft sizes from 1 inch to 4 inches. (25 mm to 100 mm)
You may have to go to a special seal design if your application falls into any of the following categories:
● Stuffing box pressures in excess of 400 psi. (28 bar) require heavy duty seals.
● Excessive shaft movement of the type you find in mixers, agitators, and some types of sleeve or
journal bearing equipment.
● The seal must meet fugitive emission standards.
● No metal parts are allowed in the system. You need a non-metallic seal.
● Nothing black is allowed in the system because of a fear of color contamination. You cannot use
any form of carbon face; you must use two hard faces.
● There is not enough room to install a standard seal.
● You are not allowed to use an environmental control or no environmental control is available.
● Odd shaft sizes often dictate special seals.
● If the seal components must be manufactured from an exotic metal.
If any of the following are part of the application, you may need a metal bellows design that eliminates
all elastomers.
● You are sealing a non-petroleum fluid and the stuffing box temperature exceeds 400°F (200°C)
Petroleum fluids have coking problems that require cooling in the seal area.
● Cryogenic temperatures.
You should go to a dual seal application if your product falls into any of the following categories:
● You need two seals to control the seal environment outside the stuffing box.
● To control the temperature at a seal face to stop a product from vaporizing, solidifying,
crystallizing, or building a film.
● To prevent a pressure drop across a seal face that can cause a liquid to vaporize.
● To eliminate atmospheric conditions outboard of a mechanical seal when there is a possibility of
freezing water vapor in the air.
tn005

● To provide a lubricant if one is needed to prevent slip stick between lapped seal faces. This is
You need dual seals as a protection for personnel in the area if your product is any of the following
categories:
● A toxic liquid or gas.

● A fire hazard
● A pollutant
● A carcinogen
● A radioactive fluid
● An explosive fluid
● Etc.
The other places we use dual seals are:
● Expensive products that are too valuable to let leak.

● You cannot afford to be shut down in the middle of a batch operation.
● You do not have a standby pump and experience shows that the seal failure is your highest
probability of an unexpected shut down.
In the Sealing Application section you will learn:
● How to choose the correct seal materials.

● How to classify the fluid into specific sealing categories
● The environmental controls you might need to insure the seal will not fail prematurely.
Return to index

AGITATOR SEALING
A012. AGITATOR OR MIXER SEALING
the motor turns the shaft through some gearing that is well supported by bearings.
The problem starts when the mixer shaft passes through the stuffing box area.
been in the first place.
Unfortunately this new design adds several thousand dollars to the mixer cost. The manufacture typically
packages a double seal and bearing into a spool piece that can be inserted into the two piece shaft.

AGITATOR SEALING
mixing liquid.
The illustration describes this " back to back" double seal.
As the seal faces wear and the inner seal attempts to move
forward it will hang up on the solids collected in front of the
inside rotating face. Centrifugal force will throw the solids into
the inside faces causing excessive wear in a short period of
time.
movement.
the faces together.

popular for mixer type applications (see the following illustration).
The shaft movement can be partially stabilized by installing a split

sleeve bearing in the stuffing box. A wide variety of materials are
available for this split bearing.
piece.

AGITATOR SEALING
centrifuged out. Flushing liquid tends to channel through the
solids and does a poor job of removing them from the stuffing
box.
● Cut off the stuffing box and move the seal into the vessel
so that centrifugal force will throw the solids away from
the flexible seal components.
● Use a higher specific gravity fluid in the stuffing box to
prevent gravity from pulling the solids into the seal area.
High-density grease could be a good solution. If you
cannot tolerate grease you should be able to find some
type of a compatible fluid that will work.
Return to index

Line Bored
L014. LINE BORED
This term means that the drilling or boring is done on a jig that insures every component is in a straight
line.
You should not install more than two precision bearings on a shaft that has not been line bored. This
error is frequently made when a mixer or agitator is converted from conventional packing to a
mechanical seal.
In an attempt to stabilize the shaft movement a third precision bearing is often installed near the
mechanical seal. With three bearings on the shaft and the unit not line bored, one of the bearings will be
overloaded.
Return to index

Quill Shaft
Q002. QUILL SHAFT
A hollow shaft with a second shaft inside it.
You sometimes see these shafts on mixers and agitators, but never on pumps.
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s078
S078. SPOOL PIECE
Usually refers to a fabrication containing a seal and bearing combination that is supplied for some mixer
applications.
The fabrication is supplied in an attempt to stabalize and seal the mixer shaft.
Return to index

Axial thrust
A038. AXIAL THRUST
The pressures generated inside a centrifugal pump work on both the stationary and rotating components.
On single inlet impellers an axial force exists because of differences in pressure on the front and back of
the impeller and the difference in the areas subject to the pressure. Axial thrust is the sum of these
unbalanced forces acting in an axial direction.
Theoretically a double suction impeller design would eliminate these forces, but there are some variables
that interfere with the balance. The variables include:
● Unequal leakage through the stuffing boxes when packing is used instead of a mechanical seal.
● The two suction passages may not provide equal or uniform flow to both sides.
● An elbow located too close to the suction flange may provide non-equal flow to both sides of the
impeller.
● The closed impeller may be located off center.
● The two sides of the discharge casing may not be symmetrical.
● Discharge or suction, stuffing box recirculation lines can affect the stuffing box pressure.
There are several approaches to compensating for this axial thrust:
● The installation of a double row thrust bearing in the end of the casing next to the coupling.
● Installing a wear ring on the back of the impeller with holes drilled through the impeller to
equalize some of the forces.
● "Pump out vanes" or radial ribs on the back of the impeller to reduce the pressure behind the
impeller.
● Some multi-stage pumps use a hydraulic balancing device mounted in a chamber that is connected
to the suction side of the pump or a low point in the system
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s057
S057. SLEEVE BEARING.
Sleeve bearings are sometimes called journal, babbitt, or poured bearings.
They are non-precision bearings used in those applications that require a great deal of shaft axial
movement or growth. They can be manufactured from babbitt, carbon, Teflon®, brass etc.
Sleeve or journal bearings allow some amount of imbedded dirt and contaminants without becoming
significantly damaged, but they allow too much axial and radial movement for most mechanical seal
applications.
In a vertical application they allow the lubricant to drain away.
The failure modes most commonly observed in sleeve bearings are:
● Fatigue, because of cyclic loads normal to the bearing surface.

● Wiping occurs in babbitt bearings if you experience a lubrication failure and get surface to surface
contact.
● Wear results from solids in the lubricant and is visible as scoring marks.
● Overheating shows up as a discoloration on the surface of the babbitt or a glazing of carbon.
Corrosion will also increase with an increase in the bearing temperature.
● Corrosion is common with lead based babbitt which will react with the acids in some fluids
Return to index

Packing Conversion The Down Side
P004. PACKING CONVERSION, THE DOWN SIDE
Mechanical seal sales people constantly preach the virtues of converting that nasty, greasy packing to a
brand new shiny, expensive mechanical seal. Their presentation makes a lot of sense and besides that the
government is passing new legislation that is making conventional packing more obsolete by the minute.
If you are about to make one of these conversions in your plant there are some things that you should
know to make the transition easier. Packing conversion does have its down side. Let's look at a few of the
problems. We will then discuss some of the solutions and end this discussion with the advantages of
converting to a better mechanical seal.
First the problems with the types of seal supplied by your pump company or the original equipment
manufacturers (OEM):
● Unlike packing, mechanical seals are very sensitive to installation errors.

❍ You have to measure the installation dimension very carefully. If you use the improper
face load the seal will either overheat or lose its spring tension before the carbon face is
worn.
❍ The shaft or sleeve tolerance and finish are critical for many seal designs. A typical shaft
tolerance for a mechanical seal should be +0.00 inches - 0.002 inches. A finish of at least
32 rms is required to prevent a sliding elastomer or Teflon® piece from hanging up.
❍ You cannot make the initial impeller setting for ANSI pumps or any back pull out pump
without disturbing the seal setting.

❍ Poor packaging during shipment, or improper handling at the installation site damages
many seals. Seal faces are lapped to a tolerance of less than one micron (0.000039 inches).
There are not very many pieces of equipment in your shop with that tight a tolerance.
● Without the radial support being supplied by the packing the shaft can deflect severely when the
pump operates outside of its very narrow operating window. This is a major problem at start up
when the pump is frequently running against a throttled discharge valve. The packing acted as a
support bushing in this instance.
● Packing is not sensitive to axial movement of the shaft. Seals have a very small axial movement
capability.
● Mechanical seals are very sensitive to pump/ driver misalignment.
● Cavitation and other types of vibration are deadly for mechanical seals. Although never desirable
this type of shaft deflection did not often cause catastrophic failure with packing as it often does
with mechanical seals. Packing acts as a natural vibration damper.
● You could change packing without having to dismantle the pump. Most seal installations require
pump disassembly and all the problems associated with it.
● Many pump and mixer applications alternate between a positive stuffing box pressure and a
vacuum (condensate pumps are typical). Original equipment manufactured (OEM) seals can be
blown open during the vacuum cycle.
● Most mechanical seals require some sort of an environmental control to function properly:
❍ Cooling to prevent a product from flashing or coking.
❍ Heating to prevent a liquid from solidifying or crystallizing
❍ Flushing to wash away solid particles from the seal components.
❍ Quenching to prevent crystals and ice from forming outboard of the seal interfering with
its movement.
● Mechanical seals are very sensitive to fluctuating flushing pressures. Lose the pressure and you
often lose the seal. Needless to say this is a very common failure.
● Seal failure is typically catastrophic and occurs at the worst possible time.
● Mechanical seals have to be centered in the stuffing box. You never worried about that with
packing. If you fail to center the rotating seal's stationary face the rotating face can run off the
edge. With stationary seals the failure to center can cause a wiping action across the seal faces.
● Impeller adjustment was easy with packing. With a non-cartridge seal it is almost impossible.
Remember that with ANSI pumps the impeller has to be adjusted after the power end of the pump
has been installed into the wet end that was left hanging on the piping. At this point the seal has
already been set screwed to the shaft or sleeve and impossible to move.
● Seal materials have to be selected for chemical compatibility with the product you are sealing and
any cleaners or solvents that will be flushed through the lines. You need an in depth knowledge of
mechanical seals and chemicals to do this properly because of the wide variety of materials
currently being used by seal manufacturers. This was seldom a problem with choosing packing
material.
● Intermittent service pumps have more problems with mechanical seals because the fluid can
solidify, crystallize, become viscous, etc. when the pump is not running. This change in the state
of the product will almost guarantee a failure the next time the pump is started. Packed pumps had
the same problem with the product changing state, but the catastrophic failure at start up seldom
happened. Standby pumps experience the same difficulty.
● Spare parts are always a problem with mechanical seals. The subject never came up with packing.
● The stuffing boxes of vertical pumps have to be vented after a mechanical seal is installed. There
is also a problem with venting between dual seals when they have been installed in a vertical
application. Packed pump vent all the time.
● Horizontally split case pumps are a nightmare for mechanical seals. You get massive
misalignment between the rotating and stationary seal faces because the top and bottom halves of
the casing are never lined up properly. This subject never came up when packing was in the
Packing Conversion The Down Side
pump.
● Most original equipment seals will damage a shaft or sleeve so you have the same problem with
sleeve removal that you had with packing. When the seal damages the shaft it is called fretting,
but no matter what name you give it, it is still shaft damage requiring a disassemble of the pump
to replace either the shaft or the sleeve.
● Pumps of the same shaft size seldom take the same seal gland.
Now that you know the bad news, here is the good news. You can purchase mechanical seals that solve
many of the above problems. I have discussed them in detail in other sections in this book, but here is a
quick overview:
● Hydraulically balanced seals do not generate a lot of heat so they seldom require any cooling. A
suction recirculation line is almost always satisfactory.
● Cartridge seals solve most of the installation problems.
● Cartridge designs have solved the impeller adjustment and centering problems that were common
with the ANSI standard pumps.
● Most modern cartridge seals have built in connections that allow you to vent the stuffing box in
vertical applications.
● The closer you move the seal to the bearing, the less affect of vibration and shaft displacement.
Newer cartridge designs are located closer to the pump bearings.
● Stationary seals and self-aligning designs solve most of the problems you experience with
horizontally split case pumps.
● There are plenty of non-fretting seal design on the market today so shaft damage can be
eliminated.
● Newer face materials and the latest elastomers are chemically compatible with a wide cross
section of chemicals and cleaners. With few exceptions you should be able to put the same seal in
every pump of the same shaft size. The exceptions are non-metallic and exotic metal pumps that
require different seal metallurgy
● Split seal designs have solved the problem of having to dismantle the pump to change a seal.
● Dual seals will solve the catastrophic seal failure problem.
There is no question that mechanical seals are better than packing if you know how to deal with the
problems mentioned above. The advantages of the cartridge mounted balanced seal over conventional
packings are numerous, here are a few:
● Balanced seals consume one-sixth the power of conventional packing. At today's electricity cost
you will pay for the seal in no time at all. Even if the seal leaked at the same rate as the packing it
would be a better investment because of the power cost difference.
● Pollution and fugitive emission legislation prohibits the leakage of even small amounts of many
chemicals, and packing does leak.
● Most products are costly. Even a small steady leak represents substantial money.
● Leakage always presents a safety and housekeeping problem.
● The waste treatment of leakage can exceed the cost of the leakage its self.
● Packing requires cooling that is often accomplished by the use of a flush that will dilute your
product. The cost of removing the flush water at some later part in the process is another costly
item.
● Packing leakage is a major cause of premature bearing failure. Not only from the liquid leaking
out of the pump getting into the bearings but because a water hose is often used to wash leakage
away from base plates, and that is the moisture that is our major concern
● Sleeve damage is costly not only because of the sleeve cost, but also the costs involved in the
sleeve removal. Seal removal almost always means changing the bearings and wear rings also.
Also many parts get broken or lost when pumps are disassembled.
● Balanced O-ring seals can seal either vacuum or pressure.
● Unlike packing, mechanical seals do not have to be adjusted to compensate for wear. Manpower
to make packing adjustment is not as available as it once was.
● There are many seals available today that can be installed on shafts that have been damaged by
packing or fretted by other mechanical seals. Many of these new designs install outside of the
stuffing box where the shaft is still in good shape.
Return to index

O-RING
O004. O-RING ADVANTAGES
In this illustration you can see the O-ring positioned in an O-

ring groove.
A Teflon® back up ring has been provided to prevent the O-

ring from extruding when it is subjected to high pressure
O-rings are the most popular elastomer shape used in mechanical seals. They have many advantages over
wedges, U-cups, chevrons, etc:

to half of their diameter making it a lot easier for the seal faces to follow shaft run out and end
play.
sealing.
● Because they are self-energizing there is no need to spring load them to the shaft or sleeve. This
● And finally, as a wise old man once said, "you can't put them in backwards".
Return to index

Exotic Metal
E019. EXOTIC METAL
Usually referring to metals other than steel and stainless steel.
Some of these metals are not available in the tube stock that is needed to manufacture mechanical seals,
making the cost of the finished seal very high.
Return to index

Troubleshooting
GT001. GENERAL TROUBLESHOOTING
In the following pages we will be troubleshooting:
● Centrifugal pumps
● Positive displacement pumps
● Precision or ball bearings.
Before we get too wrapped up in the troubleshooting procedures there are some questions we have to
think about:
● Is this a brand new application we are troubleshooting? In other words do we have experience with
this type of failure, in this model of pump, handling this product, at these temperatures, speeds and
pressures?
● Is the failed item a new design or model? Maybe there is a design problem
● Is the failed item working satisfactorily in a similar application? If it is, you can probably rule out
a design problem and concentrate on what is different in the two systems.
● Does the failure occur only at certain times?
❍ Does the seal failure happen soon after the pump starts? If a product has solidified or
crystallized in the system during a shut down the seal has to "break away" at start up.
❍ Does the failure happen only during certain times of the year? Different seasons can
produce different ambient temperatures.

❍ Does the seal failure occur within two weeks of the system being flushed with a cleaner or
solvent of some type? It takes about two weeks for a solvent to attack the elastomers we use
in mechanical seals.
● Has the failed pump or seal been rebuilt recently? Was it rebuilt by the original manufacturer using
the same materials? Remember that rebuilding does not always remove rub marks and evidence of
damage. These previous rub marks and damage might confuse the troubleshooter
● Has the failure rate increased after the system was altered? Changes in the piping, valves and
fittings will change the friction head of the system that can cause shaft deflection problems. Shaft
deflection can cause premature seal and bearing problems
Whether you are going to be troubleshooting mechanical seals, bearings or individual parts of the pump it
is important that you remember several things about centrifugal pumps in general:
● The centrifugal pump always pumps the difference between the suction and discharge heads. If the
suction head increases, the pump head will decrease to meet the system requirements. If the
suction head decreases, the pump head will increase to meet the system requirements.
● A centrifugal pump always pumps a combination of head and capacity. These two numbers added
together must remain a constant. In other words, if the head increases the capacity must decrease.
Likewise if the head decreases the capacity must increase.
● The centrifugal pump will pump where the pump curve intersects the system curve.
● If the pump is not meeting the system curve requirements the problem could be in the pump, the
suction side of the pump including the piping and source tank, or somewhere in the discharge
system.
● Most pumps are oversized because of safety factors that were added at the time the pump was
sized. This means that throttling is a normal condition in most plants causing the pump to run on
the left-hand side of its curve.
● Most pumps come into the shop for repair because of two reasons:
❍ Something is wrong with the bearings.
❍ The pump is leaking too much.
There are two main reasons why bearings fail prematurely:
● Overheating. Over lubrication is the most common cause of overheating.

● Contamination of the bearing oil. Water or moisture is the biggest problem
Most of your seal problems are caused by the fact that you are trying to install a mechanical seal in a
pump that was designed for packing. There are two main reasons that seals leak prematurely:
● One of the seal components becomes damaged.

● The lapped seal faces open.
One of the Japanese automobile manufacturers has a unique method of troubleshooting any type of
mechanical failure. The system is called the "five whys" and it is worth learning. It is a simple but
powerful idea based on the concept that nothing has been solved until the question "why?" has been asked
at least five times and a sensible answer has been given for each of the "why" questions asked. As an
example, let's look at some premature seal failures:
1. Why did the seal fail?
● The lapped faces opened and solids penetrated between them. (solids can't get in until the faces
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Troubleshooting
open)
2. Why did the faces open?
● The set screws holding the rotary unit slipped due to a combination of vibration and system
pressure.
3. Set screws are not supposed to slip. Why did the set screws slip?
● The seal was installed on a hardened sleeve.
4. Why was the seal installed on a hardened sleeve?
● This was a packing conversion and a stock standard sleeve was used.
5. Why couldn't the mechanic tell the difference between a hardened sleeve and a soft one?
● They were both stored in the same parts bin.
6. Why were they stored in the same parts bin?
● Because they had the same part number.
7. Why did they have the same part number?
● They should have had different part numbers. Once that problem is corrected, the failures will
stop.
Now you get the idea! Needless to say you may have to go further than just five "whys". In this case it
took seven. Let's try another example:
● The pump was cavitating and the vibration caused the carbon face to crack.
2. Why was the pump cavitating?
● It did not have enough suction head.
3. Why didn't it have enough suction head?
● The level in the tank got too low.
4. Why did the level in the tank get too low?
● I don't know.
You have not finished "five whys" so you better go find out why the level in the tank got too low, or the
problem is going to repeat its self.
In this example I learned that the indicator float got stuck on a corroded rod giving an incorrect level
indication.
One more example should do it. I ran into this one at an Opal factory in Germany.
1. Why did the seal start to leak?
● The dynamic elastomer (O-ring) became hard and cracked.
2. Why did the elastomer get hard and crack?
● It got too hot.
3. Why did it get too hot?
● The pump stuffing box ran dry.
4. Why did the stuffing box run dry?
● It was running under a vacuum and it was not supposed to.

Troubleshooting
5. Why was it running under a vacuum?
● A Goulds pump impeller was adjusted backwards to the back plate and the impeller pump-out
rings emptied the stuffing box.
6. Why was it adjusted backwards?
● Most of the pumps in the facility are of the Duriron brand and they normally adjust to the back
plate. The mechanic confused the impeller adjustment method. He has since been retrained
This is a powerful trouble shooting technique. I hope you make good use of it.
In the next paragraphs we will be looking at some of the different practices that cause premature seal and
bearing failure. We will be looking at:
● Specification practices
● Operation practices
● Maintenance practices.
PUMP SPECIFICATION PRACTICES THAT CAUSE SEAL AND BEARING PROBLEMS.
Purchasing well-designed hardware does not bring automatic trouble free performance along with it. The
very best equipment will cause problems if it was not designed for your particular application. Here are a
few of the more common selection problems we find with centrifugal pumps:
● Buying the same size pump as the one that came out of the application. That's OK. If the old pump
was the correct size, but the odds are that it was too big because of the safety factors that were
added at the time of purchase. This will cause the pump to run off of its best efficiency point
(BEP) and you will spend a lot of production money for the additional power that is needed to run
against a throttled discharge valve or orifice installed in the discharge piping.
● Buying to a standard, or making a decision based on efficiency and believing that these two some
how relate to quality. Standards were written for packed pumps. When a mechanical seal is being
used, the shaft L3/D4 number is almost always too large. Efficiency is always gained at the
expense of maintenance. Efficiency means maintaining tight tolerances and smooth passages that
will eliminate reliable double volute designs and keep the maintenance department busy adjusting
tight tolerances to maintain the efficiency that you paid for.
● Series and parallel installation problems. We often find pumps installed in parallel, but no one
knows it because the second pump was installed at a much later date and no one has bothered to
trace the piping. Pumps in parallel require that they have the same diameter impeller and that they
run at the same speed or the larger pump will throttle the smaller one causing it to run off the best
efficiency point, deflecting the shaft. The capacity should be considered if the higher capacity
pump might exceed the net positive suction head available (NPSHA).
● When pumps are installed in series the impellers must be the same width and they must run at the
same speed. If not, the higher capacity pump will either cavitate because the smaller capacity
pump can not feed liquid at the proper volume, or it will run throttled if it is feeding the smaller
pump. In either case the larger of the two pumps will be adversely affected.
● Purchasing a larger pump because it will be needed in the future is a common mistake. This will
raise the operating cost to unacceptable levels (Power = head x capacity) as the pump is run
against a throttled discharge valve. This inefficient use of power will translate to a higher heat
environment for the seal, along with all of the problems associated with shaft deflection.
● Using a variable speed motor to compensate for a pump curve that is not flat enough for the
application. Many boiler feed pumps require a flat curve so that the pump can put out varying
capacities at a constant boiler pressure (head). We see this same need if we are pumping a varying
amount of liquid to a very high constant height.
❍ Varying the speed of a pump is similar to changing the diameter of the impeller. If you look
at a typical pump curve you will observe that the best efficiency point (BEP) comes down
with impeller size to form an angle with the base line (capacity line) of the graph. This
means that if you vary the speed of the impeller, the pump always runs off the best
efficiency point (BEP). The exceptions are:
■ The point where the system curve intersects the pump curve.
■ Any time the pre-dominate head is system or friction head. You find this type of
head in un-loading pumps, and circulating systems.

● Installing double-ended pumps in a vertical position to save floor space makes seal replacement a
nightmare, unless you are using split or cartridge designs.
● Specifying a desired capacity without knowing the true system head. You can't guess with this
one. Some one has to make the calculations and "walk the system". The present pump is not a
reliable guide because we seldom know where it is pumping on its curve. Chart recorders installed
on both the suction and discharge side of the pump can give a more accurate reading of the head if
they are left on long enough to record the differences in flow. The trouble with this method is that
the recorders will also record a false head caused by a throttled valve, an orifice, or any other
restriction that might be present in the piping.
● Requesting too low a net positive suction head required (NPSHR) will cause you to end up with a
Troubleshooting
different kind of cavitation problem. See suction specific speed.

● Failure to request a center line design when pumping temperature exceeds 200°F (100°C) will
cause pipe strain that will translate to wear ring damage and excessive mechanical seal movement.
● The use of inline pumps to save floor space. Many of these designs are close coupled with the
motor bearings carrying the radial and thrust loads. Because their L3/D4 numbers are usually very
high, the wear rings act as "steady bearings" after the pump is converted to a mechanical seal. The
pump should have been designed with a separate bearing case and a C or D frame adapter installed
to connect a motor to the bearing case.
● Thrust bearings being retained by a simple snap ring is a design problem found in many low cost
pumps. Beyond 65% of its rated efficiency most centrifugal pumps thrust towards the pump
volute. The thin snap ring has to absorb all of this axial thrust and most of them cannot do it very
well. Intermittent service pumps experience trouble with the snap ring wearing the snap ring
groove, allowing excessive axial movement of the bearing and impeller.
● The mechanical seal has been installed in a stuffing box that is too narrow to allow free seal
movement. These original equipment stuffing boxes were designed for small cross-section
packing. If a mechanical seal was specified, the pump back plate should have been manufactured
with a large diameter seal chamber. In most cases the stuffing box recirculation line should be
installed from the bottom of this large seal chamber to the suction side of the pump, or a low
pressure point in the system. There are some exceptions to this:
❍ If you are pumping at or close to the fluid's vapor point.
❍ If the entrained solids have a low specific gravity.
❍ If you are using a Duriron pump that adjusts to the back plate.
❍ If you are using a double suction pump where the stuffing boxes are at suction pressure.
● High temperature pump applications have several special needs:

❍ A jacketed stuffing box that isolates the pumpage from the stuffing box contents by a
carbon bushing to retard heat transfer.

❍ A centerline design to compensate for thermal expansion.
❍ A cartridge seal design that allows open impeller adjustment after the pump has come up to
❍ A stainless steel shaft to retard heat transfer to the bearings.
❍ A method of cooling the bearing oil, but never the bearings.
❍ A coupling that will compensate for axial expansion.
❍ A "C" or "D" frame adapter to compensate for motor to driver misalignment.
PUMP OPERATION PRACTICES THAT CAUSE SEAL AND BEARING MAINTENANCE

PROBLEMS
Wouldn't it be wonderful if the plant operation and maintenance departments could work independently?
The fact of the matter is that there are several types of problems we encounter with centrifugal pumps and
poor operation is just one of them.
Seals and bearings account for over eighty five percent (85%) of premature centrifugal pump failure. In
the following paragraphs we will be looking at only those operation practices that can, and will cause
premature seal and bearing failure.
When pumps were supplied with jam packing, the soft packing stabilized the shaft to prevent excessive
vibration and deflection. In an effort to save flushing water and to conserve power, many of these same
pumps have since been converted to a mechanical seal and the radial stabilization the packing provided
has been lost.
Some bad pump operating practices include:
Running the pump dry will cause over-heating and excessive vibration problems that will shorten seal
life. Here are some of the reasons why a pump is run dry:
● Failing to vent the pump prior to start-up.

● Running the tank dry at the end of the operation cycle.
● Emptying the tank for steaming or introduction of the next product.
● Running on the steam that is being used to flush the tank.
● Starting the standby pump without venting it. Venting a hazardous product can cause a lot of
problems with the liquid disposal. Many operators have stopped venting for that reason.
● Tank vents sometimes freeze during cold weather. This will cause a vacuum in the suction tank,
and in some cases could collapse the tank.
● Sump fluids are often dirty, corrosive or both. The vertical rod for the float switch will often "gum
up" or corrode and give a false reading to the operator. He may think that there is an adequate
level, when in fact the tank is empty.
Deadheading the pump can cause severe shaft deflection as the pump moves off of its best efficiency
point (BEP). This deflection translates to excessive heat that will affect the seal and the bearings, as well
as cause the seal faces to open. It also opens the possibility of the impeller contacting the volute when the
shaft deflects.
● Starting the centrifugal pump with a shut discharge valve is standard practice with many operation
Troubleshooting
departments. The concern is to save power without realizing the damage that is being done to the
mechanical seal, impeller, wear rings and bearings.
● Some pumps are equipped with a recirculation valve that must be opened to lessen the problem,
but many times the valve is not opened, or the bypass line is clogged or not of the correct diameter
to prevent the excessive head. Another point to remember is that if the bypass line is discharged to
the suction side of the pump the increased suction temperature could cause cavitation problems.
● After a system has been blocked out the pump is started with one or more valves not opened.
● Discharge valves are shut before the pump has been stopped.
Operating off of the best efficiency point (BEP) is a major cause of premature seal and bearing failure.
Changing the flow rate of the liquid causes shaft deflection that can fail the mechanical seal and over-load
the bearings.
● Starting the pump with the discharge valve throttled or closed to save power.
● The level in the suction tank is changing. Remember that the pump must pump the difference
between the discharge and suction heads. If the suction head varies, the pump moves to a different
point on its curve.
● Any upset in the system such as closing, throttling or opening a valve will cause the pump to move
to a new point on the curve as the tank fills.
● Pumping to the bottom of a tank will cause the pump to move to a different point on the curve as
the tank fills. Some systems were designed for a low capacity, positive displacement pump and
have since been converted to a centrifugal design because of a need for higher capacity.
Centrifugal pumps must discharge to the top of the tank to keep a constant head and prevent this
problem.
● If the discharge piping is restricted because of product build up on the inside walls, the pump will
run throttled. This is one of the reasons that it is important to take periodic flow and amperage
readings.
● Increasing the flow will often cause cavitation problems.
● Clogged nozzles will increase the head and reduce the pump's capacity.
Seal environmental controls are necessary to insure long mechanical seal life. It is important that
operations understand their function and need because many times we find the controls installed but not
functioning.
● Cooling-heating jackets should show a differential temperature between the inlet and outlet lines.
If the jacket clogs up, this differential temperature will be lost and seal failure will shortly follow.
● Barrier or buffer fluid is circulated between two mechanical seals. There may or may not be a
differential temperature depending upon the flow rate. If a convection tank is installed there should
be a temperature differential between the inlet and outlet lines on the tank. The line coming out of
the top of the seal to the side of the tank should be warmer than the line from the bottom of the
tank to the bottom of the seals; otherwise the system is running backwards and may fail
completely. The level in the tank is also critical. It should be above the tank inlet line or no
convection will occur. Some convection tanks are pressurized with a gas of some type. Many
original equipment (OEM) seal designs will fail if this differential pressure is lost.
● Some seal glands are equipped with a quench connection outboard the mechanical seal that looks
like the seal is leaking water or steam. If there is too much steam pressure on this quench
connection the excessive leakage will get into the bearings causing premature failure. The steam is
often used to keep the product warm to prevent it from solidifying, crystallizing, getting too
viscous, building a film on the faces etc. Operating people frequently shut off the quench fluid to
stop the condensate from leaking.
● Flushing fluids are used for a variety of purposes but most of the time they are used to get rid of
unwanted solids. The flush can be closely controlled with a flow meter or throttling valve. The
amount of flush you will need is determined by the seal design. As an example: those designs that
have springs in the product requires more flush.
● It is important to check that the stuffing box has been vented in vertical pumps. The vent should be
coming out of the seal gland above the lapped faces and dynamic elastomer. It should not be
connected to the stuffing box lantern ring connection.
● Be sure to vent the space between dual mechanical seals, especially if they have been installed in a
vertical pump application.
There are some additional points that all operators should know, to insure longer rotating equipment life.
As an example:
● Mechanical seals have an 85% or more failure rate that is normally correctable. This is causing
unnecessary down time and excessive operating expense. Seals should run until the sacrificial
carbon face is worn away, but in more that 85% of the cases the seal fails before this happens.
● There are five different causes of cavitation.
● You should know where the best efficiency point (BEP) is on a particular pump, and how far it is
safe to operate off the best efficiency point (BEP) with a mechanical seal installed.
● You should be aware that washing down the pump area with a water hose would cause premature
bearing failure when the water penetrates the bearing case.
● Learn about the affect of shaft L3/D4 on pump operation.
● Know how the pumped product affects the life of the mechanical seal and why environmental

Troubleshooting
controls are necessary.

● If you are not using cartridge seals, adjusting the open impeller for efficiency will shorten the seal
life. In most cases the seal will open as the impeller is being adjusted to the volute. Durco pumps
are the best example of the exception to this rule. The most popular Durco pumps adjust to the
back plate causing a compression of the seal faces that can create mechanical seal "over heating"
problems.
● Cycling pumps for test will often cause a mechanical seal failure unless an environmental control
has been installed to prevent the failure.
● Mechanical seals should be positioned after the impeller has been adjusted for thermal growth.
This is important on any pump that is operated above 200°F (100°C) or you will experience
premature seal failure.
● Some elastomers will be affected by steaming the system. A great deal of caution must be
exercised if a flushing fluid such as caustic is going to be circulated through the lines or used to
clean a tank. Both the elastomer and some seal faces (reaction bonded silicon carbide is a good
example) can be damaged. If the elastomer is attacked, the failure usually occurs within one week
of the cleaning procedure.
● The stuffing box must be vented on all vertical centrifugal pumps or otherwise air will be trapped
at the seal faces that can cause premature failure of many seal designs.
● Most original equipment seal designs cause shaft damage (fretting) necessitating the use of shaft
sleeves that weaken the shaft and restrict pump operation to a narrow range at the best efficiency
point (BEP).
Here are a few common misconceptions that cause friction between maintenance and operation
departments. None of the following statements are true:
● Shutting the pump discharge valve suddenly, will blow the mechanical seal faces open.
● All ceramics crack when cold shocked by a rapid change in temperature.
● High head, low capacity consumes a lot of power.
● The pump must come into the shop to change a mechanical seal.
● If you use two hard faces or dual mechanical seals in slurry applications you will not need flushing
water with its corresponding product dilution.
● If you use metal bellows seals for hot oil applications you will not need the stuffing box cooling
jacket operating.
● It is OK. to use an oversized impeller because throttling back will save power.
A few more thoughts on the subject
● Operators should receive proper schooling on the trouble shooting and maintenance of pumps. In
the military and many modern plants, the operator and the maintenance mechanic are often the
same person. If the operator knows how the pump works he will have no trouble figuring out the
solution to his problem. Too often he is told to keep the flow gage at a certain point, or between
two values without understanding what is actually happening with the equipment. If the operator
recognizes cavitation he can tell the maintenance department and help them with their trouble
shooting.
● As you wander around the plant look out for painters that paint the springs of outside and dual
mechanical seals. There is a trend to putting two seals in a pump for environmental reasons and the
painting of springs is becoming a common problem.
● If someone is adjusting the impeller make sure he is resetting the seal spring tension at the same
time. Cartridge seals solve this problem.
● If the pump is getting hot or making excessive noises, report it immediately. After the failure it
does no good to tell maintenance that it was making noise for two weeks.
● If you are the floor operator it is common knowledge that taking temperature and pressure
readings is very boring, especially on those gages that are located in hot or awkward locations.
Avoid the temptation to "radio" these readings. From hot to failure is a very short trip.
● Maintenance's favorite expression is "there is never time to do it right, but there is always time to
fix it." Try to keep this in mind when the pressure is on to get the equipment running again.
● Do not let cleaning people direct their "wash down" hoses directly at the pump. Water entering the
bearings through the lip or grease seals is a major cause of premature bearing failure. Most water
wash downs are used to dilute and wash away seal leakage. Stop the leak and you have eliminated
the reason for the hose.
❍ A great many motor and electrical problems are caused by these same wash down hoses.
● Cooling a bearing outside diameter will cause it to shrink and the bearing will get hotter as the
radial load increases. Keep the water hose and all other forms of cooling off of the bearing casing.
MAINTENANCE PRACTICES THAT CAUSE SEAL AND BEARING PROBLEMS
Maintenance departments seldom return savings to the company management. They fear that if they do
not spend this year's budget next year's allocation will be reduced. Management views maintenance
savings as bottom line money and works at reducing maintenance manpower and inventory costs. Here
are some of the maintenance practices that increase the pump failure rate:
We will start with problems with pump maintenance that can cause excessive shaft movement and
deflection. This shaft deflection or displacement is a major cause of premature seal and bearing failure.

Troubleshooting
● Failure to align the pump and driver. Misalignment will cause the mechanical seal to move
excessively, increasing the chance for the seal faces to open and fail the seal.
● Pipe strain is another cause of misalignment between the seal's stationary and rotating faces. Wear
ring damage is common if pipe strain is present.
● Failure to dynamically balance the rotating assembly can result in "whip, wobble, and run-out
problems." Shops commonly balance the impeller but not the entire rotating assembly that
includes the impeller, shaft, sleeve, mechanical seal, coupling, drive keys, pulleys, etc.
● Damage to the shaft and bearings during the sleeve removal process. Banging on the sleeve with a
large hammer or heating the shaft with a torch are common methods used to remove sleeves.
Needless to say the seal and bearings stand a good chance of being destroyed in the process along
with the shaft that will be bent or warped.
● Damage to the impeller during the removal process. Many impellers do not have a convenient
tightening nut that can be loosened.
● Trying to use the coupling to compensate for misalignment. A coupling is designed to transmit
torque and compensate for axial growth of the shaft, nothing else! It cannot compensate for
misalignment between the pump and its driver. You must do an alignment to solve that problem.
● Trimming the impeller without dynamically re-balancing it. The impeller casting is not
homogeneous; it must be re-balanced after any machining operation has taken place.
● Throttling the pump discharge to stop a cavitation problem. The more you pump the more net
positive suction head available (NPSHA) you need, so throttling does work, but you may be now
operating off the pumps' best efficiency point (BEP) resulting in shaft deflection.
● Failure to machine the stuffing box square to the shaft will result in excessive seal movement
unless you are using stationary mechanical seals. You can prevent excessive movement of rotating
seals by going to a self-aligning design.
● Failure to level the pump. Without leveling it is almost impossible to maintain the correct bearing
lubrication level.
● Repairing the cutwater to the wrong length can cause a cavitation problem known as the "Vane
Passing Syndrome" that will damage the tips of the impeller blades and damage the volute just
beyond the discharge nozzle.
● Failure to properly adjust the open impeller clearance or letting the closed impeller wear ring
clearance become excessive can make the pump run inefficiently and vibrate.
● Turning down a shaft and repairing fretting or packing damage with a polymer material will
weaken the shaft making it more sensitive to deflection forces. That practice was common with
packed pumps, but should be avoided when mechanical seals are being used.
● Substituting a globe valve for a gate valve will throw the pump off of its best efficiency point
(BEP), causing shaft deflection.
● Any alteration in the piping system or failure to prevent solids "build up" in the lines will have the
same affect.
● Mounting the pump and motor on too light a foundation. The foundation should be at least five
times the mass of the equipment sitting on it or vibration will become a problem. Proper grouting
is also necessary to mate the base of the pump to the foundation.
● Check that the cut-waters are 180 degrees apart in double volute applications. Wear and improper
repair can cause one of he cut-waters to be "off", causing shaft deflection.
Seal handling practices can also lead to premature seal failure.
● Some of the problems occur during installation.

❍ The seal is installed at the wrong length.
■ No print was available so the old set-screw marks were used.
■ The shaft sleeve moved after the impeller was tightened on the shaft.
■ The mechanic did not compensate for thermal growth when he set the face load.
■ The mechanic used the shaft shoulder instead of the stuffing box face as his
reference dimension.
■ The seal was installed before the impeller setting was made or an impeller
adjustment was made without resetting the mechanical seal. In most cases this will
cause the seal faces to open prematurely.
❍ The wrong lubricant was used on the dynamic rubber part causing it to be chemically
attacked. Petroleum grease on ethylene propylene O-rings is a good example of this

problem. In salt water applications zinc oxide should be used on all rubber parts and metal
components that clamp together.
❍ The shaft or sleeve is out of tolerance. This can cause serious problems with those seal
designs that have a dynamic elastomer sliding on the shaft (most original equipment seals
fit into this category).
❍ The sleeve was hardened to resist packing wear causing the seal set-screws to slip and the
faces to open.
❍ The elastomer (rubber part) exceeded its shelf life. This is a real problem with the Buna
"N" material found in most rubber bellows seals.

❍ Installing a stationary seal on a cartridge will cause the rotating face to "cock" when the set-
screws are attached to the shaft.

● An environmental control was lost while the seal was installed in the pump. Typical environmental
controls include:
❍ Clean flushing liquid to keep solids away from the moving seal parts. Be sure to check that
the clean flushing fluid is coming into the bottom of the stuffing box or seal gland and not
the top
Troubleshooting
❍ Controlling stuffing box temperature with a cooling or heating jacket. If the circulating
water is "hard" condensate may have to be substituted to prevent the cooling jacket from
becoming coated with calcium and other solids that will interfere with the heat transfer.
❍ Barrier or buffer fluid is used to circulate between two mechanical seals. Sometimes the
circulation is done by simple convection, but pumping rings and forced circulation are
common also. Check to see if your convection tank has to be pressurized. This is a common
problem with many original equipment seals. Feel the convection lines to make sure the
convection is taking place in the right direction. Newer seal designs sometimes use inert
gas as the barrier fluid.
❍ A steam quench is often used to remove dangerous vapors and to keep the seal area warm
when the pump is shut down. Metal bellows applications use the steam quench to cool
down hot oil to prevent unwanted "coking".
● A stuffing box vent should be connected from an area above the seal faces to the suction side of
the pump, or some other low-pressure area to prevent air from being trapped at the seal faces.
● A discharge recirculation line and a bushing in the end of the stuffing box are often used to
pressurize the stuffing box to prevent the product from vaporizing at or between the lapped seal
faces.
● Is there enough clearance between the seal outside diameter and the inside of the stuffing box?
Solids build up in the stuffing box can interfere with the free movement of the seal.
● The seal was installed with unidentified materials making troubleshooting almost impossible.
❍ Which carbon seal face is being used? There are a hundred available and they are not all
alike.
❍ Which elastomer was selected? Do you know both the material and the grade?
❍ What material are the metal components manufactured from? Not all stainless steel grades
are alike, and stainless steel springs or metal bellows should never be used because of
potential problems with chloride stress corrosion.
❍ There are many hard seal faces in use. All ceramics, silicon carbides and tungsten carbides
are not alike.

● The outside springs were painted on a dual or double seal when the pump area was refurbished.
● The pump discharge recirculation line is handling abrasive solids. They are being directed at the
lapped seal faces or at the thin metal bellows.
● If the open impeller is adjusted backwards (this can be a common problem if a facility has both
Duriron and Goulds pumps) it can create a vacuum in the stuffing box as the impeller "pump out
vanes" are running too close to the back plate.
● Do not shut off the stuffing box cooling jacket when a metal bellows seal is installed. The stuffing
box is cooling down the shaft as well as the seal area. Shaft cooling is necessary to prevent heat
conduction to the bearings.
Poor bearing maintenance practices are a major cause of premature bearing failure.
● If the oil level is too high or the bearings are over greased the low specific heat of the lubrication
and its poor conductivity will cause the bearing area to over heat.
● The inside of the bearing case must be protected against rust when it is stored as a spare. The
bearings should be coated with an appropriate grease because they can rust also.
● During storage or while in a standby condition, nearby equipment that is vibrating can induce
vibration into the static bearings causing false brinneling or hardening of the bearing balls and
races.
● If the oil becomes contaminated with water you will experience a very rapid bearing failure. The
water can enter through the grease or lip seals from several sources:
❍ Leakage through the packing or mechanical seal.
❍ From the water hose that is used to wash down the base plates and pump area.
❍ From moisture in the air. We call this aspiration.
❍ From the steam or water connected to the quench gland used on some mechanical seals.
● The bearing was installed improperly:

❍ The shaft outside diameter has the wrong tolerance. Remember that the tolerance is given
in tenths of thousands of an inch or thousands of a millimeter.

❍ Too much pressure was put on the arbor press during the assembly sequence.
❍ The bearing was heated in contaminated oil that has deposited the contaminates in the
bearing races
❍ The oil was over heated and varnish particles are now in the bearing raceways.
❍ The bearing was pushed too far up a tapered shaft.
❍ A simple snap ring is retaining the thrust bearing. During operation the shaft thrust is
usually toward the volute and against this thin ring.
Return to index

pt014
PT014. TROUBLESHOOTING A DISASSEMBLED PUMP
The pump has been disassembled. You were not present but the parts are available for your inspection.
What can you do with these parts?
● You can see evidence of wear, rubbing or discoloration of the components.

● You can see evidence of corrosion.
● You can see if any parts are missing.
● You can see if any material or coating has attached its self to one of the components. As an
example, calcium can build up on the inside of pipes and restrict flow, or magnetite (Fe304) builds
up on the seal components.
Whenever a rotating piece of hardware hits a stationary piece, it leaves a mark on both pieces that is
clearly visible and capable of being analyzed for cause. This type of rub mark should never be confused
with the dull appearance we see on a piece of metal that has been rotating in abrasive slurry. In strong
corrosive applications the rub mark may not be visible. The contact will cause an increase in the metal
temperature causing rapid chemical attack. This condition is easy to identify because the corrosion is
localized at the rubbing location.
Shaft fretting is another common mark that should not be confused with the rub marks we will be
discussing in the following paragraphs. Fretting is visible between the dynamic elastomer in the
mechanical seal and the shaft that the elastomer is sealing against. You will also observe this type of
damage immediately under the grease or lip seals that we find being used to seal most bearing
applications.
There are five possible rubbing combinations that can be seen when a rotating part hits a stationary part:
● All around the rotary and one spot on the stationary.

● All around the stationary and one spot on the rotary.
● All around both the rotary and stationary.
● One spot on both the rotary and stationary.
● One spot on the rotating component.
You should look for the rub marks on those pieces that normally come in close contact. Common sense
will dictate that the further the hardware is located from the bearings, the more likely the contact will
occur. Here are some likely candidates for rubbing when the pump experiences shaft deflection or any
other type of radial displacement. Look for contact between:
● The stationary and rotary parts of the wear rings that are installed in most closed impeller pump
designs.
● The shaft&endash;sleeve and the mechanical seal stationary face inside diameter.
● The shaft&endash;sleeve and the end of the pump stuffing box, or stuffing box restrictive
bushing.
● The shaft&endash;sleeve and the American Petroleum Institute (API) gland disaster bushing.
● The outside diameter of the mechanical seal rotating element and the inside diameter of the
stuffing box. You will need a mirror and flashlight to see the stuffing box inside diameter.
● The impeller and the volute casing or the pump back plate.
● The outside diameter of the rotating seal and a protruding gasket or fitting.
In the following paragraphs I will list the observations, explain the causes and where practical, list some
of the conditions that can initiate the problem with centrifugal pumps. If you would like to learn more
about how to trouble shoot the rubbing marks we normally find in ball bearings, please refer to that part
of the troubleshooting section.
Observation - All around the rotary, one spot on the stationary. The shaft is being deflected from its
true position, or the hardware surrounding the rotating piece is being forced into the stationary partt.
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This illustration shows the location of the rub marks when the pump is operating off of its best efficiency
point (BEP)
If the pump is running on the high capacity side of the curve there will be a rub mark on the stationary
part at 240° from the cutwater.
If the pump is running throttled on the left-hand side of the curve, the rub mark will be at 60° on the
stationary part.
The illustration shows the location of the force. The rub marks are opposite this force.
● The pump is operating off of its best efficiency point (BEP). The stationary mark will be visible at
either 240° or 60° from the discharge "cut-water" as measured in the direction of shaft rotation.
❍ Some one has throttled the pump discharge valve.
❍ The capacity has increased.
❍ The discharge lines have a solids build up on the inside diameter or there is a restriction in
the discharge piping.

❍ The tank is being filled from the bottom. The head is increasing as the tank fills.
❍ The discharge by-pass line is not functioning.
❍ You have the wrong size pump.
❍ Two pumps are piped in parallel. The larger pump is shutting the discharge check valve of
the smaller pump.

❍ The pump speed has changed.
❍ The system has been altered. Piping and fittings have been added or removed.
❍ The pump was started with the discharge valve fully open or shut.
❍ The viscosity of the liquid has changed.
❍ The impeller has been trimmed.
❍ The discharge piping or a fitting on the discharge has been damaged.
❍ The motor is running at the wrong speed. This could be caused by a change in the specific
gravity of the pumped fluid.

❍ The suction head has changed and the discharge head changed to compensate.
❍ An in-line filter is clogged.
● Misalignment between the pump and the driver.

❍ They never were aligned.
❍ Thermal growth.
❍ Vibration has loosened the hold down bolts.
❍ The seal was changed and the pump was not realigned.
❍ The shaft is pulley driven. The offset driver is causing the deflection.
❍ A universal joint has been installed between the pump and the driver.
● Pipe strain
❍ Thermal growth - no expansion joints.
❍ During the installation process the piping was forced to the pump suction instead of piping
from the suction to the pipe rack.

❍ A centerline design pump was not specified for elevated temperatures.
● A protruding piece of stationary hardware is contacting the rotating part.

❍ A fitting is protruding into the stuffing box through the lantern ring connection.
❍ A gasket on the gland face is extruding into the stuffing box.
● A recirculation line aimed at the seal will give the appearance of rubbing marks if there is a lot of
abrasives in the re-circulating fluid.
● The mechanical seal gland has slipped and is now contacting the rotating shaft.
● A bad foot bearing on a mixer.
● The stationary seal face was not centered on the shaft and now the inside diameter of the seal face
is rubbing on the shaft. A severe cocking of the seal face can cause the same problem.
Observation - All around the stationary, one spot on the rotary.
● The shaft is bent.

❍ It never was straight.
❍ The shaft was damaged when it was dropped.
❍ The shaft was overheated and warped when the sleeve was removed.
● The rotary unit is out of balance. You must balance everything that rotates with the shaft such as
the impeller, sleeve, sleeve gasket, drive key, seal, bearings, coupling, motor etc.
❍ It never was balanced.
❍ Cavitation damage caused the impeller to become un-balanced.
❍ Some of the product has attached it self to the rotating assembly.
❍ The impeller is the most logical place to look for un-balance problems, especially in the
balancing holes.
❍ Erosion can remove metal from the rotating parts. Corrosion can do the same.
❍ Temperature distortion.
❍ A non-concentric sleeve, seal, impeller, coupling, etc.
❍ The impeller was trimmed and not re&endash;balanced.
❍ A rotating part was damaged during the installation process.

pt014
● The rotary unit is dragging something around with it.

❍ A piece left over from the last seal change. No one notices that one of the springs has
fallen out and is resting in the bottom of the stuffing box, getting ready to be picked up by
the new seal.
❍ A piece of the seal has come loose. Look for set-screws, springs, drive lugs and all of the
obvious seal parts.

● The seal or sleeve is not concentric with the shaft.
Observation - The mark is all around both units.
● Look for a combination of the first two observations we discussed. This is not an un-common
condition.
● Thermal expansion.
❍ The shaft usually expands faster than restriction bushings placed in the end of the stuffing
box.
❍ Hot oil applications use a thermal bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box to gain more
efficiency from the cooling jacket.

❍ Steam is often used as a quench with an API (American Petroleum Institute) gland. This
gland has a close fitting disaster bushing that can be overheated by the quench
temperature.
● Excessive vibration.
❍ Cavitation - there are five types.
❍ Seal slip stick.
❍ The pump is running at a critical speed or it has passed through a critical speed.
● Bad bearings or a loose bearing fit.

❍ Lack of lubrication
❍ Too much lubrication
❍ Damaged during the installation process
❍ Bearing housing out of tolerance
Observation - One spot on both the stationary and rotary units.
● This is caused by a momentary deflection of the rotary unit.

● Just about the only time it happens is when some one drops the pump while it is being transported.
Observation - One spot on the rotating unit.
● Someone has hit the piece with a hammer. Maybe the workers do not like the seal salesman and
this is how they are going to get rid of him.
Return to index

tbb002
TBB002. ANALYZING THE INDIVIDUAL PARTS OF THE BEARING
In a properly operating bearing, the raceways and rolling elements will become dull in appearance. This
dullness is not an indication of wear and has no affect on the life of the bearing. These dull surfaces form
the visible paths that I will be referring to in the following paragraphs so their appearance and location is
important in analyzing any type of bearing failure.
When we install a bearing into a piece of rotating equipment the general rule is to have the interference
fit on the race that is rotating and, therefore, carrying the load. Almost all centrifugal pumps, motors, and
a high percentage of other types of rotating equipment have the bearings installed with the inner race an
interference fit and rotating with the shaft. The outer race remains stationary or in a fixed position.
In the following paragraphs I will be discussing various load conditions and the resultant appearance of
the raceways and rotating elements in this type of an installation Now lets have a look at the ball bearing
parts and do some troubleshooting:
The radial load is rotating with the shaft. An unbalanced rotating assembly or a bent shaft causes this.
● The inner ring appearance. The load acts all of the time at the same place in the raceway. Here the
path pattern is at its widest, tapering off at the ends. If the load is only radial, the pattern will be in
the center of the raceway and will extend around slightly less the half the raceway circumference.
● The outer ring appearance. The path will extend around the entire raceway. It will be uniform in
width and if the load is only radial, it will be in the center of the raceway.
The radial load is uni&endash;directional. This is what we would expect to find with a properly
operating piece of equipment. If the equipment is operating off of its best efficiency point, is misaligned,
or if there is excessive pipe strain the pattern will be the same; only more pronounced.
● The inner ring appearance. The path will be in the center of the raceway, uniform in width and
visible around the entire circumference of the raceway.
● The outer ring appearance. The pattern will be widest at the load point and tapering towards the
ends. If the fit and clearances are normal the pattern will extend around to slightly less than one
half of the raceway. It will be located in the center of the raceway, if the load is only radial.
The radial load is multi&endash;directional. Cavitation, too tight an interference fit, pre&endash;loading,
or cooling a bearing outside diameter are all common causes of this problem.
● The inner ring appearance. All around the raceway, widest where the load was the greatest.
● The outer ring appearance. All around the raceway, widest where the load was the greatest.
The axial load is uni&endash;directional. This is the normal condition of all end suction centrifugal
pumps.
● Both the inner and outer rings. The pattern will extend around both raceways and is displaced
axially from the center. A centrifugal pump thrusts towards the thrust bearing until it reaches 65%
of its efficiency and then it thrusts towards the volute or wet end during normal operation.
An oval compression of the outer ring. Caused by an out of round housing.
● The inner ring appearance. The path extends around the entire ring and is uniform in width.
● The outer ring appearance. Two wider paths where the ring was distorted to the oval shape.
The inner ring was misaligned. Normally happens during the installation process.
● The inner ring appearance. The pattern extends around the entire ring and is uniform in
appearance.
● The outer ring appearance. The ball path will be oval, extending from one side of the raceway to
the other, and wider in two diametrically opposite sections.
Now that we know what some typical wear paths look like, we will inspect the only two things that are
visible to the trained troubleshooter.
● Evidence of rubbing.
● Evidence of corrosion and damage.
Look for damage caused by solid particles. These particles will be rolled into the race ways and can:
● Score, or cause small indentations in the precision races and rolling elements.
● Interfere with the transfer of heat within the tight tolerances, causing discoloration, thermal
expansion, seizing etc. The particles come from:
❍ Varnish and coke that form where the lubricant overheated.
❍ Parts of the ball cage that have broken loose due to a lack of lubrication. Brass cage parts
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tbb002
will turn the lubricant green.

❍ Pieces from a failed grease or lip seal.
❍ A contaminated lubricant.
❍ Lack of cleanliness during the installation process.
❍ The bearing lubricant could have been over heated during the installation process.
❍ Rust coming off the inside of the casting.
❍ Silica or other minerals leaching out of the bearing housing casting.
❍ Particles of material flaking off of the protective coating put on the inside of the housing to
prevent rust.
❍ Airborne - through the seals or the vent.on top of the bearing housing.
Look for lack of lubrication that can eventually cause the bearing to seize:
● You will see mirror like surfaces on the metal parts that look lik the part was lapped
● The metal will become discolored and soften as it anneals. Annealing can occur any time the
temperature exceeds 300°F (150°C):
❍ Straw yellow 600° F. 315° C.
❍ Brown 700° F. 370° C.
❍ Blue 800° F. 425° C.
❍ Black 900° F. 480° C.
● If a pre- lubricated bearing was heated by immersing it in a hot oil bath (200°F or 100°C), the hot
oil will wash out the grease and leave the bearing with little to no lubrication.
● Many pre-lubricated bearings actually have no lubricant at all installed. Check yours to be sure.
Bearing quality is a serious maintenance problem.
● A clogged oil level gauge can give a false reading of lubrication level.
● If the bearing case has no expansion chamber installed, a build up of internal pressure as the
bearing case comes up to temperature can blow out of the seals. At shut down moisture laden air
will return to the case through the same seals.
● A poorly designed labyrinth seal can pump hot oil out of the bearing case. The lubricating oil
level should be at the middle of the lower bearing ball when the pump is at rest.
● Be sure the pump has been leveled prior to alignment to insure the correct lubrication height.
Look for smearing of the metal. When two non-lubricated surfaces slide against each other, under load,
the material can transfer from one surface to the other.
● The metal melts and then re-hardens causing localized stress that can produce cracks in the metal.
● The load was too light for the speed. Centrifugal force threw the balls out.
● The outer race will smear on the outside diameter if it slides during operation due to an improper
"slip fit". This slipping can also cause fretting corrosion as the protective oxide film is worn away
from the metal surface.
Look for evidence of static vibration. You will see indents in the raceway that could be either shiny or
rusted in the bottom. The frequency of the vibration has no affect, but greater energy causes greater
damage. Roller bearings are more susceptible to this type of damage because the balls in a ball bearing
can roll in many directions. Rollers, how ever, can roll in only one direction. Movement in the other
directions takes the form of "sliding".
There are multiple causes of static vibration that include:
● The pump was located too close to another piece of equipment that was vibrating. This can be a
big problem during storage or with standby pumps
● The shaft was not locked during shipment.
● In addition to vibration, equally spaced indents can be caused by:
❍ An induction heater was used during assembly, causing false brinelling.
❍ The bearing was installed using an arbor press on the wrong race.
❍ The bearing was driven too far up a tapered shaft.
Look for electric current damage. It will show up on both the races and the rolling element. The bottom
of the depression will be dark in color.
● This happens when the pump was used as an electrical ground for a welding rig.
Look for flaking or spalling of the metal raceway. Since there is nothing in a bearing to wear out, flaking
or spalling is a sign of normal fatigue. Overloading however, can cause premature fatigue. Look for the
following causes of bearing overloading:
● The bearing housing is out of round.

● The shaft is over size.
● The bearing was driven up too far on a tapered shaft.
● The rotating assembly is out of balance.

tbb002
● The pump is operating too far off of its best efficiency point (BEP).
● Pipe strain.
● Water hammer in the lines.
● Cavitation.
● The bearing had a quality problem to start with.
● Shaft thermal expansion.
● The bearing housing is being cooled, causing the outer race to shrink, increasing the load.
● Excessive axial thrust.
● Pulley driven designs.
● Hydrogen embrittlement of the metal caused by moisture entering the lubricant.
● Pumping a high specific gravity fluid such as sulfuric acid can almost double the radial load.
Overloading is often accompanied by a change in appearance of the lubricant. You will see varnish or
coke as the lubricant is subjected to this high heat.
In addition to overloading there are additional sources of heat that can destroy the lubricant:
● Soak temperatures through the shaft. This can be a big problem in either hot oil or hot water
applications.
● Over lubrication of the bearing.
● Plugged oil return holes.
● Constant oil cups at the wrong level.
● Insufficient clearance in labyrinth seals.
● The oil gage breather hole is blocked and showing the wrong lubrication level.
● Bent lock washer prongs can rub against the bearing race.
● Grease or lip seals are too tight on the shaft.
● The pump stuffing box cooling jacket was shut off and drained when the metal bellows seal was
installed in a high temperature oil application.
● Someone is cooling the pump's power end casing causing the bearing outer race to shrink.
● Friction with the seal cage.
● Sliding friction caused by small changes in the shaft speed. Inertia keeps the balls moving as the
shaft slows down.
● The stuffing box packing has been over tightened.
Look for cracks in the bearing metal.
● Mishandling.
● The bearing was driven too far up a tapered shaft.
● Any type of flaking or smearing can cause a fracture notch that will lead to cracking.
Look for signs of corrosion.
● Moisture is in the lubricant. It came from:

❍ Packing or seal leakage.
❍ A water hose is being used to wash down the area.
❍ Normal aspiration as the pump cooled down, and the moisture ladened atmosphere entered
the bearing case.

❍ Steam or water dripping from a seal quench gland. This is a common problem with the
API (American Petroleum Institute) gland that is commonly used in oil refineries.
● Regardless of the protective coating put on the bearing races, (cadmium, chromium, zinc, etc.) the
rolling elements are almost always fabricated from 52100 bearing steel, and it rusts.
The major bearing companies do a great job of providing the literature and photographs that you need to
do effective comparison troubleshooting. Check with your bearing supplier for the availability of this
information.
Return to index

Expansion Chamber
E018. EXPANSION CHAMBER
An expansion chamber is screwed into the filling/vent

connection of the pump bearing case. It is used with positive
face seals for bearings to keep a positive pressure in the
bearing case.
Without this expansion chamber a typical pump bearing case

would build up about 15 psi. (1 bar) pressure when sealed with
the newer positive face seals. With the expansion chamber the
pressure is held to about one psi.
This positive pressure will keep moisture from entering the

bearing lubrication.
● The rubber diaphragm is often manufactured from Buna N material or any appropriate elastomer.
Return to index

False Burnelling
F007. FALSE BURNELLING
The bearing races show a series of dents or impressions where the balls have forced themselves into the
hard metal.
The term false burnelling is used because the dents were caused by vibration of the bearing when the
pump was at rest and not as a result of any overloading condition.
Some people feel that the induction heaters used to expand bearings for installation can be one of the
causes of false burnelling problems.
Return to index

Inline Pump
I017. INLINE PUMP
The pump is mounted in the piping. No base plate, grout or foundation is required and you do not have to
do an alignment between the pump and motor.
Since the pump is mounted in the piping you also eliminate all of the seal and bearing problems
associated with pipe strain.
Return to index

Globe Valves
G008. GLOBE VALVES
The globe valve is shown on the left of the drawing and the gate valve on the right.
Globe valves offer ten times the resistance of gate valves in pump piping systems. For most applications
the gate valve is a beter choice.
Return to index

pt001
PT001. PUMP TROUBLESHOOTING OVERVIEW
It would be nice if new pumps were trouble free but they never are so we are going to have to become
pretty good troubleshooters if we intend to be more than just parts changers. To be an effective
troubleshooter you will need to understand a lot of pump basics. Most of the information you need will
be found in this pump troubleshooting section. There are some other concepts you need that can be found
in the alphabetical section of this book. I have shown these concepts and words in italic to help you find
them easier.
You must understand three formulas that link head, pressure and velocity.
● First you have to know how to convert head to pressure because pump curves are shown in feet or
meters of head. You have to know how to make the conversion to be able to reference the gage
readings to the pump curve.
● Next you have to know how to convert pressure to head because pressure gages are calibrated in
psi or bar and you have to make the conversion to read the pump curve.
● The last formula you need to know is how velocity converts to head. The only thing a pump can
do is impart velocity to the fluid. Since most pumps run at one speed, the pump is a constant
velocity device. You have to understand how that velocity converts to head.
● You do not need to know Bernoulli's equation, but it would be good information to have to help
you understand the hydraulics inside the pump and its piping. Bernoulli said that assuming no
flow loses, the total head is the same for any point along a stream.
You also need to understand three rules that explain shaft deflection. They are very simple rules but
important:
● Head plus velocity must remain a constant

● Area times velocity must remain a constant.
● Area times pressure creates a force.
We get several opportunities to analyze pump problems. Most of the time when we describe pump
problems we mean:
● The mechanical seal is leaking prematurely. You are not getting the proper seal life.
● The bearings are failing prematurely. You are not getting good ball bearing life.
● The centrifugal pump is not developing enough pressure. You have a low head problem.
● The centrifugal pump is not pumping enough fluid. You have a low capacity problem
● The centrifugal pump is using too much amperage. You have a high amperage use problem
● The pump is experiencing a corrosion problem. Some of the components are not corrosion
resistant. You should be especially familiar with corrosion problems with stainless steel.
● The pump has to be primed. Positive displacement pumps are self-priming but centrifugal pumps
have to be primed (air removed) prior to start up. If you do not know how to prime a centrifugal
pump check priming a centrifugal pump.
● The pump works for a while and then loses suction. See priming- the pump looses its prime.
● The centrifugal pump is cavitating. There are five types of cavitation to learn about and you need
to know about all of them.
● There is excessive vibration. You need to know something about vibration readings.
● There is too much heat generation in the pump.
● The centrifugal pump is making too much noise.
At some point you are going to have to become familiar with all of these problems and a lot of
misconceptions about pumps. There are numerous sections in this manual to help you.
Shaft deflection accounts for a great many of the premature seal and bearing failures we experience. This
is especially true with the original equipment seal (OEM) seals that came originally installed in the
pump. There are several things you should know about shaft deflection:
● The different types of shaft deflection.

● Shaft deflection. The problem it causes.
● Shaft bending, the L3/D4 formula predicts if you are going to have a problem with your pump.
● Shaft deflection. How to reduce it.
The pump can be supplied with various types of bearings:
● Sleeve or poured type

● Ball bearings sometimes called precision bearings.
● Roller bearings
There is a great deal to learn about the ball bearings we use in centrifugal pump:
● What is a reasonable ball bearing life in a centrifugal pump?

● The various ball bearing lubrication methods.
pt001
❍ Grease
❍ Oil bath
❍ Oil mist
● Different ball bearing sealing methods.

❍ Grease or lip seals
❍ Labyrinth seals
❍ Positive face seals
● Why do bearings fail so frequently long before their L10 life is completed?
● Ball bearing failure, analyzing the individual parts.
● Why do the OEM grease or lip seals damage or frett the shaft? You need to know about fretting
corrosion.
There are different kinds of maintenance being done in pump shops throughout the world. You should be
familiar with some of the preventive maintenance and programs being tried.
When it comes to analyzing pump failure you get several opportunities that require different
troubleshooting techniques:
● Troubleshooting a running pump. You can learn a great deal by analyzing the problem while the
pump is still operating. Noise, leakage and vibration are visible.
● Troubleshooting a stopped pump. You can also learn how to analyze the problem when the pump
has stopped, but has not been taken into the shop and disassembled.
● Troubleshooting a disassembled pump. You can look at the various damaged components and rub
marks after the pump has been disassembled in the shop and by the marks and damage determine
the cause of the problem.
Troubleshooting positive displacement pumps is just as much fun as troubleshooting centrifugal pumps,
but there are some differences. The common problems with positive displacement pumps (PD pumps)
are:
● There is no liquid discharge coming from the pump.

● The pump is putting out a low capacity.
● The pump loses its prime after it has run for a while.
● The pump is using too much power.
● The pump is making excessive noise.
● The components are wearing too rapidly.
"Troubleshooting" Pump Links
● Analyzing Rub marks, PT014

● Cavitation problems, PT006
● Corrosion, Stainless Steel, PT015
● Disassembled pump, PT014
● High amperage pump problem, PT005, H016
● Loses prime, PT012
● Low head, PT004
● Noise in the pump, N007
● Not enough capacity, PT003
● Not enough head, PT004
● Operation problems, GT003
● Overview, PT001
● Positive displacement pumps, PT016
● Power failure problem, P025
● Pump operations that cause failures, GT003
● Pump speciications that cause failures, GT002
● Rules of thumb for pumps, R023
● Running centrifugal pump, PT002
● Stopped centrifugal pump, PT013
● Stuffing box getting hot, ST018_2
● Stuffing box noise, ST018_3
● Using too much amperagre, PT005
● Vibration, V016
Return to index

pt001

T013
T013. THREE FORMULAS OR RULES TO EXPLAIN SHAFT DEFLECTION
In my seminars I talk about the three magic formulas or rules you need to know if you want to
understand how centrifugal pumps function. Here are the formulas I show:
● Velocity plus head must remain a constant. As the velocity of a liquid increases, the pressure
(ninety degrees to the flow) will decrease and as the velocity of a liquid decreases, the pressure
(ninety degrees to the flow) will increase.
● Velocity times area must remain a constant if liquid is to flow.
● Pressure acting on an area creates a force.
Let's will look at each of these formulas in detail:
Formula #1. Velocity + head = a constant.
This formula explains how airplanes fly. It all started when the Wright brothers discovered the correct
wing shape for an aircraft.
Please take a look at the following diagram. You will note that the air is flowing under the wing at some
velocity. The air going over the top of the wing has a longer path to travel so its velocity must increase if
it is to join with the air coming underneath the wing.
The air underneath the wing is at atmospheric pressure, but since the velocity is greater on the top of the
wing the pressure falls to some value below atmospheric pressure. This causes atmospheric pressure to
push on the bottom of the wing, lifting the wing, the airplane, and all the people inside, up into the air. It
will continue to do so as long as the wing is moving forward and the configuration of the wing does not
change.
Gravity offsets this lifting force and the aircraft flies between these two forces. This same principle
explains how an automobile carburetor works, why the shower curtain comes into the bath tub when you
take a shower, and how a sailboat can sail faster than the wind.
Let's skip to formula #3 to learn why the wing lifted into the air.
Formula #3: pressure x area = force.
PRESSURE x AREA = FORCE Pressure is measure in pounds per square inch (kilograms per
square centimeter)
Area is measured in square inches (square centimeters)
The units for force then become pounds (kilograms)
It is important for us to know the forces being generated because force over distance in a given time
period is a measure of work, energy expended, or heat depending upon which units we use.
Formula #2: velocity x area = a constant
This formula explains the action of a venturi and explains what happens when the traveling liquid
encounters different diameter passages in the pump and pumping system.
As the area inside a venturi goes down the velocity of the fluid goes up. This increase in velocity causes
the pressure to decrease (formula #1) allowing atmospheric pressure to push a fluid into the venturi.
We use the venturi principle to push paint to a spray gun, remove air from a condenser, add chemical to a
boiler etc. It is the same principle we use to get fuel to the carburetor of your automobile.

T013
Now we will look at the cross section of a centrifugal pump and these three formulas will explain why
mechanical seals have so much trouble with shaft deflection.
This illustration describes a volute pump because the impeller is not in the center of the casing. You will
note that there is less clearance between the impeller and the cut-water than there is between the impeller
and the rest of the casing.
You will also note that this volute area is increasing as you move from the cutwater, around the casing to
the discharge nozzle.
Circular pumps have an equal area around the impeller. They are used to pump greater quantities of
liquid without having to create a high head. The volute design is the most popular design because it does
produce a head.
When we removed the packing from a centrifugal pump we lost a big part of the shaft support system. It
therefore becomes very important that we keep the forces equal around the impeller to prevent shaft
displacement. If the force increases on one side of the impeller it will deflect the attached shaft and
interfere with the performance of the mechanical seal.
Since the impeller is symmetrical in shape (the area is the same all around the impeller) It is important
that we do not let the pressure vary around the impeller or the resultant forces will not be equal (formula
#3). To keep the pressure equal around the impeller, you have to keep the velocity of the liquid constant
around the impeller (formula #1).
The pump could be operating at one of three points on the pump curve:
● On the right hand side of the curve where you will get a high capacity and a low head
● On the left hand side of the curve where you will get high head and low capacity
● At the best efficiency point (BEP) where the head and capacity are exactly right for that pump.
Assuming you are on the right hand side of the curve (high capacity side) the liquid velocity will increase
as it approaches the discharge because there is not enough head on the system. As the liquid velocity
increases the pressure will decrease (rule #1) and the shaft will deflect radially at 60° from the cutwater
because pressure times area will create a force.
If you are on the left-hand side of the curve (high head) the liquid will not be able to flow out the
discharge so a portion of it will recirculate by the cutwater. As the velocity of the liquid increases (rule
#2) the pressure will decrease (rule #1) and the shaft will deflect radially at 240° from the cutwater
because pressure times area will create a force.

T013
Between these two extremes there is a point where there will be no radial shaft deflection caused by the
wrong capacity. This is called the best efficiency point (BEP) of the pump. Look at the diagram again
and note those deflections:
In another section of this CD I talk about methods of stabilizing the shaft for these "off design"
operations, but the fact remains that shaft deflection continues to be a major source of mechanical seal
problems and will continue to be so until the pump manufacturer accepts the responsibility of building a
sensible pump.
Your solutions to this deflection problem are limited because changing the shaft material will not help.
You can:
● Decrease the length of the shaft.

● Increase the diameter of the shaft.
● Convert to a double volute design.
● Support the shaft in the stuffing box with some type of support bushing.
● Put in the correct size pump and operate at the best efficiency point (BEP)
● In some limited cases a variable speed driver would help.
If you would like to calculate the actual forces involved, please see: Shaft Bending
Return to index

pt012
PT012. THE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP LOSES ITS PRIME
The centrifugal pump works for a while and then looses suction. Cavitation is a main cause of loosing
pump suction, but in this section we will be looking at only the intermittent loss of suction fluid. You
will be looking at several possibilities:
● A recurring restriction in the suction piping that may or may not be causing a cavitation problem
within the pump.
● Intermittent cavitation problems as opposed to a design or operation problem that causes a
constant cavitation condition.
● A repetitive need for an increase in the pump's capacity.
Now we will take a look at each of these possibilities in detail:
A re-occurring restriction in the suction piping that may or may not be causing a cavitation problem
within the pump.
● A foot valve or any valve in the suction piping is sticking.

● Something is occasionally plugging up the suction piping. If the pump suction is coming from a
river, pond or the ocean, grass is a strong possibility.
● A loose rag is another common cause.
● A collapsed pipe liner will restrict the piping at higher velocities.
● The pump suction is being throttled instead of the discharge to prevent heating of the process
fluid. This can happen with some volatile fuel applications.
● A filter or strainer is gradually clogging up.
● Air is being introduced into the suction side of the pump to reduce the capacity. This is sometimes
done with low specific gravity fluids to avoid throttling the discharge that might overheat and
flash the product.
Intermittent incidents that cause cavitation problems
● The suction tank vent partially freezes in cold weather.

● The sun is heating the suction piping; raising the product temperature close to its vapor point.
● The level in the suction tank increases, decreasing the differential head across the pump. This will
increase the pump capacity until the level in the tank drops.
● The level in the open suction tank decreases causing vortex problems that allow air into the pump
suction.
● Several pumps in the same sump are running, lowering the level too much.
● The suction tank float is stuck. It will sometimes show a higher level than you really have.
● A discharge recirculation line, piped to the pump suction, opens and heats the incoming liquid.
● Sometimes the suction lift is too high. The increase in pipe friction at higher capacities will reduce
the suction head.
● The vapor pressure of the product is very close to atmospheric pressure. The pump cavitates every
time it rains because of a drop in atmospheric pressure.
● The tank is being heated to de-aerate the fluid. Sometimes it is being heated too much.
● The process fluid specific gravity is changing. This can happen with a change in product
operating temperature or if a cleaner or solvent is being flushed through the lines.
● A booster pump is malfunctioning or leaking excessively.
● The source tank is changing from a positive pressure to a vacuum due to the process. If the pump
is taking its suction on a mixer this becomes a common problem because many mixers alternate
between a positive and negative pressure.
● A packed valve in the suction piping is at a negative pressure and air is leaking in through the
packing.
● The tank is being pumped dry.
A repetitive need for an increase in the pump's capacity.
● A bypass line, or relief valve opens decreasing the discharge resistance and increasing the
capacity.
● A break or leak in the line down stream of the pump will increase the capacity of the pump as the
head drops.
● The pump is supplying many sources and too many valves are open at one time.
● The pump discharge is being directed to several different tank farm locations. The changing
piping resistance is changing the pump's head and capacity.
● You are trying to maintain a boiler level and the steam demand is changing. A ship answering
bells is a good example of this problem.
Return to index

pt002
PT002. TROUBLESHOOTING A RUNNING CENTRIFUGAL PUMP
The pump is hooked up to the piping and it is running:
● You can observe leakage from the stuffing box or some other areas that would include gaskets,
bearing seals and cracks or holes in the piping or pump casting.
● You can hear an abnormal noise. You can probably "pin point" the source if you try. Sometimes
you can hear air leaking into a mechanical seal or pipefitting. Vacuum leaks can be checked with
smoke.
● You can smell high temperatures and you can see evidence of excessive heat in one or more of the
components. When stainless steel gets hot it turns color. If there is a question as to whether the
color is on or in the metal, try to erase it with a common pencil eraser. If the color comes off, it
means the piece did not get hot, something was stuck or coated on the stainless steel.
● The following chart will give you an indication of the temperature by looking at the color of the
stainless steel:
TEMPERATURE °F. COLOR TEMPERATURE °C

700-800 Straw Yellow 370-425
900-1000 Brown 480-540
1100 Blue 600
1200 Black 650
● Oil will blacken when exposed to high heat.

● You can detect excessive vibration either from the use of instruments, or one of your senses.
● You can check if stuffing box environmental controls are hooked up properly, and in many cases
tell if they are functioning correctly. You should be able to detect flow in the lines by a
temperature difference between the inlet and outlet lines.
● You can check the position of control and isolation valves throughout the system. This is
especially important to check while the pump is running.
● If there are meters available you can check :
❍ Flow.
❍ Differential pressure
❍ Power consumption.
❍ Temperature in the volute, stuffing box and bearing case.
❍ Shaft speed.
❍ Sight glasses will show liquid levels.
● You can estimate if the foundation is too weak. It should be five times the mass of the hardware
sitting on it.
● If you are using cartridge seals you can estimate the face load by measuring the gap that held the
retention clips
Return to index

pt013
PT013. TROUBLESHOOTING A STOPPED PUMP.
We will assume the pump is still hooked up to the piping but it is not running. We will also assume you
will be present during the removal process:
● You can check alignment between the pump and driver.

● You can see "soft foot". Soft foot is the tendency for one of the pump's feet to rise when the hold-
down bolt is loosened. Very bad for alignment.
● During the removal process you can check for excessive pipe strain.
● You can check if the piping has been installed according to good engineering practices. This is a
major factor in many cavitation problems.
The pump has been taken into the workshop, but has not yet been disassembled and you will be present
at the disassembly.
● You can check the seal installation dimension.

● You can feel if there is restricted movement of any of the rotating parts.
● You can see if there is any loose hardware in the assembly
Return to index

pt004
PT003. THE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP IS NOT PRODUCING ENOUGH CAPACITY
The low capacity problem could be in the pump its self
● The impeller diameter is too small.

● The impeller width is too narrow.
● For high capacity you will need a double-ended design with a very wide impeller or maybe two
pumps running in parallel.
● The impeller is running at too slow a speed
❍ You are running an induction motor. Induction motor speed is different than synchronous
motors; it's always slower. The pump curve was created using a variable frequency motor
that ran at a constant speed. Put a tachometer on your motor to record its actual speed.
❍ Your pulley driven pump is running on the wrong pulley diameter.
❍ A variable frequency motor is running at the wrong frequency.
❍ Check the speed of the driver if the pump is driven by something other than an electric
motor. A governor could be set incorrectly.

❍ There is something physically wrong with the motor. Check the bearings etc.
❍ Check the voltage of the electric motor. It may be too low.
● The impeller is damaged. The damage could be caused by excessive wear, erosion, corrosion or
some type of physical damage.
❍ Physical damage often occurs during the assembly process when the impeller is driven on
or off the shaft with a wooden block and a mallet. Many impeller designs do not have a nut
cast into the impeller hub to ease removal.
❍ Erosion occurs when solids enter the eye of the impeller. The solids can chip off pieces of
the oxide (ceramic) that are passivating the impeller, causing localized corrosion.
❍ Damage can occur if the impeller to volute, or back plate clearance is too small and the
shaft experiences some type of deflection. The original clearance could have diminished
with thermal growth of the shaft. Keep in mind that some open impellers adjust to the
volute (Goulds) while other designs adjust to the back plate (Duriron).
❍ In an ANSI, and similar design centrifugal pumps the normal thrust towards the volute has
bent the snap ring designed for bearing retention. This can allow the rotating impeller to
move axially and contact the stationary volute slowing down the impeller.
● There are a variety of reasons why a pump shaft will deflect from the centerline of the pump or
move axially an excessive amount. You will find a list of these reasons in the alphabetical section
of this book. See Shaft deflection. Different types.
● The impeller is clogged. This is a major problem with closed impellers, but it happens with open
and semi-open impellers also. With the exception of finished product most of what you will be
pumping contains entrained solids. Remember that some products can solidify or they can
crystallize with a change in fluid temperature or pressure.
● Impeller balance holes may have been drilled between the eye and the wear rings of a closed
impeller. The resultant reverse flow is interfering with the product entering the impeller eye. A
discharge recirculation line should have been used in place of the balance holes to reduce the axial
thrust.
● The double volute casting is clogged with solids, or solids have built up on the surface of the
casting.
● The open impeller to volute clearance is too large. 0.015" to 0.020" (0,5 mm) is a typical proper
clearance. This excessive clearance will cause internal recirculation problems. A bad installation,
thermal growth, or normal wear could be the cause of this excessive clearance.
● A large impeller to cutwater clearance can cause a problem called "discharge recirculation".
Excessive impeller wear is a common symptom of this condition.
● If the impeller is positioned too close to the cutwater you could have a cavitation problem that
will interfere with the final head. See "vane passing syndrome cavitation".
● The impeller specific speed number is too high. Lower specific speed impellers are used to build
higher heads.
● An impeller inducer was left off at the time of assembly. Inducers are almost always needed with
high specific speed impellers. Leaving off the inducer can cause cavitation problems that will
interfere with the capacity.
● The impeller is loose on the shaft.
● The wear ring clearance is too large. This can happen if the shaft L3/D4 number is greater than 60
(2 in the metric system). Excessive shaft deflection will erode the wear rings so you should
replace them when the original clearance doubles. Needless to say this can only be determined by
inspection.
● If you are pumping a product at 200°F (100°C) or more; you should use a centerline design volute
to prevent excessive wear ring wear as the volute grows from the base straight up, engaging the
wear rings.
● The impeller is running backwards. You will notice a slight reduction in head and a larger
reduction in capacity.
❍ The shaft is running backwards because of a wiring problem.
❍ The pump is running backwards because the discharge check valve is not holding and
system pressure is causing the reverse rotation. This is a common problem with pumps
installed in a parallel configuration. Check valves are notoriously unreliable.
❍ The impeller has been installed backwards. This can happen with closed impellers on
double ended pumps

❍ The second stage of a two-stage pump is wired backwards. The pump reverses when the

pt004
second stage kicks in. You should have heard a loud noise when this happened.
● A wear ring is missing. It was probably left off during the installation process.
● The wear ring clearance is too large.
3 4
❍ This is a problem if the shaft L /D number is greater than 60 (2 in the metric system).
Excessive shaft deflection will erode the wear rings and increase their clearance causing
possible internal re-circulation problems.
❍ You should replace the wear rings when the original clearance doubles. Needless to say
this can only be determined by inspection.

● A low suction tank level is increasing the differential pressure across the pump decreasing its
capacity. The pump always pumps the difference between the suction and discharge heads.
● A bubble is trapped in the eye of the impeller. The eye is the lowest pressure area. When this
bubble forms it shuts off all liquid coming into the pump suction. This could cause the pump to
lose its prime.
● You cannot vent a running pump because centrifugal force will throw the liquid out the vent
leaving the air trapped inside.
● Air is coming directly into the pump. Negative suction happens when the pump is lifting liquid,
pumping from a condenser hot well etc.
● Air is coming into the stuffing box through the pump packing. This is a real problem if the pump
has been fitted with a repeller to lower stuffing box pressure.
● Air is coming into the stuffing box through an unbalanced mechanical seal. As the carbon face
wears the spring load holding the faces together diminishes.
● If you are using mechanical seals in vacuum service they should be of the O-ring design. Unlike
other designs, O-rings are the only shape that seals both pressure and vacuum.
● The pump was not primed prior to start up. With the exception of the self-priming version,
centrifugal pumps must be full of liquid at start up.
● Air can enter the stuffing box if the gasket between the two halves of a double-ended pump is
defective or does not extend to the stuffing box face. Any small gaps between the face of the
stuffing box and the split at the side of the stuffing box will allow either air in, or product out.
Bolt on stuffing boxes can have the same problem.
● Air is coming into the suction side of the pump through a pinhole in the casing. Pumps are
manufactured from castings and some of them are porous.
● Air is entering the stuffing box between the sleeve and the shaft. This can happen if you convert a
double-ended pump from packing to a mechanical seal and fail to install a gasket or O-ring
between the impeller hub and the sleeve.
● The open impeller was adjusted backwards, and now the close fitting pump out vanes are creating
a vacuum in the stuffing box. Watch out for this problem if the mechanics are familiar with
Duriron brand pumps and are now servicing another brand.
● You need a concentric casing instead of a volute casing. Concentric casings are much better for
producing capacity.
● You have the wrong size pump. It cannot meet the system curve requirements:
● The pump was not selected to meet the system curve requirements because no system curve was
given to the pump supplier.
● The pump was specified for a different application. It was in the plant inventory and someone is
trying to use it in this application. It is not unusual for a company to purchase someone's
excessive inventory.
● At replacement time the same size pump was purchased because no one had calculated losses in
the system.
● The pump was sized from a piping diagram that was thirty-five years old. There have been
numerous piping changes and additions since the original layout. In many instances additional
pumps have been installed and this pump is running in parallel with them, but nobody knows it.
The problem is on the suction side of the pump; the pump could be cavitating.
● Air is entering the suction piping at some point.

● Air is being pumped into the suction piping to reduce cavitation problems
● Fluid returning to the sump is being aerated by too far a free fall. The return line should terminate
below the liquid level.
● The fluid is vortexing at the pump inlet because the sump level is too low and the pump capacity
is too high.
● Air is coming into the system through valves above the water line or gaskets in the piping flanges.
● The liquid source is being pumped dry. If this is a problem in your application you might want to
consider a self-priming pump in the future.
● The vapor pressure of the fluid is too close to atmospheric pressure. When it rains the drop in
atmospheric pressure causes the inlet fluid to vaporize.
● There is a problem with the piping layout. It is reducing the head on the suction side of the pump.
● There is too much piping between the pump suction and the source tank. You may need a booster
pump or an inducer. The higher the pump speeds the bigger the problem.
● There is an elbow too close to the pump suction. There should be at least ten diameters of pipe
between the elbow and the pump suction. Suction piping should never run parallel with the pump
shaft in a double-ended pump installation. This can cause unnecessary shaft thrusting.
● A piece of pipe of reduced diameter has been installed in the suction piping.
● Piping was added on the inlet side of the pump to bypass a piece of equipment that was installed
on the floor. The added piping is causing an excessive loss of head at the pump suction.
● A piping to pump reducer has been installed upside down causing an air pocket. Concentric
pt004
reducers can cause the same problem.

● Multiple pump inlets are too close together.
● The pump inlet is too close to the tank floor. The increased velocity is causing a pressure drop at
the pump suction.
● The suction lift is too high.
● A gasket with too small an inside diameter has been installed in the suction piping restricting the
liquid flow.
● A gasket was replaced and the center of the gasket was not cut out.
● A gasket in the suction piping is not centered and is protruding into the product stream.
● A globe valve has been substituted for a gate valve in the suction piping. The loss of head in a
globe valve is many times that of a gate valve.
● Two pumps are connected in series. The first pump is not sending enough capacity to the second
pump.
● The piping inlet is clogged.
● A filter or strainer is clogged or covered with something.
● Intermittent plugging of the suction inlet.
❍ Loose rags can do this.
❍ If the suction is from a pond, river, or the sea, grass can be pulled into the suction inlet.
● A foot valve is stuck.

● A check valve is stuck partially closed
● The foot valve is too small.
● A small clam or marine animal cleared the suction screen, but has now grown large on the pump
side of the screen.
● The suction piping diameter has been reduced.
❍ The suction piping collapsed when a heavy object either hit or ran over the piping.
❍ Solids have built up on the piping walls. Hard water is a good example of this problem
❍ A liner has broken away from the piping wall and has collapsed in the piping. Look for
corrosion in the piping caused by a hole in the liner.

❍ A foreign object is stuck in the piping. It was left there when the piping was repaired or a
valve was replaced.

❍ The suction is being throttled to prevent the heating of the process fluid. This is a common
operating procedure with fuel pumps where discharge throttling could cause a fire or
explosion.
● The pump inlet temperature is too high.
❍ The tank is being heated to deaerate the fluid, but it is heating the fluid up too much. Look
for this problem in boiler feed pump applications.

❍ The sun is heating the inlet piping. The piping should be insulated to prevent this problem.
❍ The operating temperature of the pumped fluid has been increased to accommodate the
process requirements.
❍ A discharge recirculation line is heating the incoming fluid. You should direct this line to a
reservoir rather than the pump suction.

❍ Steam or some other hot cleaner is being circulated through the lines.
❍ Some heaters are designed to be on when the pump is stopped and to be shut off when the
pump is running. Maybe they are stuck in the "on" position.

● The problem is in the tank connected to the suction of the pump.
❍ The pump capacity is too high for the tank volume.
❍ The tank float is stuck, showing a higher tank level that does not exist. A corroded float
rod is not that uncommon.

❍ The tank vent is partially shut or frozen, lowering the suction pressure.
❍ There is not enough net positive suction head available (NPSHA) for the fluid you are
pumping. Maybe you can use an inducer or booster pump to increase the suction pressure.
❍ A high suction tank level is reducing the differential pressure across the pump, increasing
its capacity and lowering the head.
Problems on the discharge side of the pump including the piping
● Two pumps are in connected in series. The first pump does not have enough capacity for the
second pump. They should be running at the same speed with the same width impeller.
● The pump discharge is connected to the bottom of a tank. The head is low until the level in the
tank increases. As the tank fills the head increases and the capacity decreases. Centrifugal pump
discharges should be piped to the top of tanks, not the bottom.
● Equipment in the discharge piping should not be shut off, it should be by-passed to prevent too
much of a change in the pump's capacity.
● If too many units are being by-passed in the discharge system the head will decrease as the
capacity increases. This can also happen if an extra storage tank farm is being by-passed because
the storage capacity is no longer needed.
● Piping or fittings have been added to the discharge side of the pump increasing piping resistance.
● The pump is acting as an accumulator, coming on when the tank level drops. The capacity will
decrease when the accumulator is recharging.
● Consider the possibility of a siphon affect in the discharge piping. This will occur if the pump
discharge piping is entering above a tank and discharging at a lower level. The pump must build
enough head initially to take advantage of the siphoning action. You will see a decrease in
capacity until the siphon takes affect.
● A discharge valve (manual or automatic) is throttled too much.
pt004
Return to index

p005
PT005. THE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP IS USING TOO MUCH AMPERAGE.
A pump that is too large for the application can cause the increased amperage.
● A large pump was specified in anticipation of future needs.

● The pump was sized for the maximum operating condition, but does not run anywhere near that
point most of the time. It runs with an orifice installed in the discharge piping.
● The capacity requirement has been lowered and the pump is being throttled instead of reducing
the impeller diameter.
● The pump was oversized because of safety factors that were added at the time the pump was
sized.
● Increasing the speed of the pump causes a dramatic change in the amperage required. The
amperage changes by the cube of the change in speed or impeller diameter. If you double the
speed of a pump you will need eight times the amperage.
The increased amperage can be caused by a change in the product.
● The motor was sized for a low specific gravity fluid, but the lines are being flushed or tested with
water.
● The specific gravity of the fluid you are pumping has increased for some reason.
● The viscosity of the liquid is increasing with a change in temperature. Some viscosities increase
with a lower temperature, some with a higher temperature.
● The viscosity of a liquid can increase with agitation. That is how cream becomes butter.
Two parts rubbing together when the shaft displaces can cause the increased amperage. There are many
parts that can come into contact when the shaft moves:
● The impeller can contact the pump volute or back plate. This can also happen with an improper
impeller adjustment or thermal growth.
● The end of the stuffing box can be rubbed by the shaft or sleeve. There is often a close fitting
bushing installed in this location.
● The outside diameter of the rotating mechanical seal and the inside of the stuffing box.
● A gasket or fitting protruding into the stuffing box that rubs against the mechanical seal.
● The rotating shaft and the inside diameter of the stationary seal face.
● The shaft and the API (American Petroleum Institute) gland disaster bushing.
● The closed impeller wear rings are a common source of rubbing.
The increased amperage can be caused by an increase in bearing loading.
● Check the shaft and housing tolerances along with the bearing installation method.
● Cooling a bearing's outside diameter causes it to shrink and over compress.
● You have the wrong lubrication level. There is too much lubricant in the bearing
The starting procedure could be the problem.
● The radial flow pump is being started with the discharge valve open. Radial flow pumps use the
most horsepower at high capacity.
● The axial flow pump is being started with the discharge valve shut. Axial flow pumps use the
most horsepower at high head.
Check to see if there is too much axial thrust.
● See if the impeller balance holes are clogged.

● If there is an elbow too close to the suction of a double-ended pump, and the piping is running
parallel with the shaft, The change in velocity of the incoming fluid will cause axial thrust.
● Converting packing to a mechanical seal can increase the axial loading on the bearing. The
rotating part of the mechanical seal is acting as an additional shoulder on the shaft.
Here are a few more reasons why you might be using too much amperage.
● The stuffing box packing has been tightened too much.

● An unbalanced mechanical seal is being used in a high-pressure application. There is too much
face load
● The impeller has been installed backwards.
● The shaft is running in the wrong direction.
● The open impeller needs adjusting. You have too much clearance between the impeller and the
volute or back plate. The direction of the impeller clearance is dependent upon the pump design.
Return to index

NOISE IN THE PUMP
N007. NOISE IN THE PUMP
There are a number of things that can cause noise in a centrifugal pump:
● The product is cavitating in the pump. There are at least four types of cavitation:
❍ Flow turbulence cavitation, F022
❍ Internal recirculation cavitation, PT009
❍ Vane passing syndrome cavitation, PT011
❍ Vaporization cavitation,PT007
❍ And one that resembles cavitation. Air ingestion, A013
● The pump is experiencing water hammer.

● A component is rubbing.
❍ The impeller is rubbing against the volute because of thermal expansion or improper
adjustment.
❍ The sleeve is hitting an API (American Petroleum Institute) disaster bushing.
❍ The shaft is hitting a thermal bushing in the end of the stuffing box.
● The bearings are bad.

● The mechanical seal has come loose from the shaft.
● A foreign object has entered into the stuffing box.
● The seal faces are running dry. They will make a whistling noise.
● You have hit a critical speed.
● Coupling misalignment.
● The noise is coming from the motor or some near by equipment.
● Slip stick at the seal faces.
Return to index

pt006
PT006. THE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP IS CAVITATING

● The formation of bubbles in a low-pressure area of the pump volute.
Just what then is this thing called cavitation? Actually it is all of the above.
bubbles, so cavitation is really about the formation of bubbles and their collapse. Bubbles can form
whenever liquid boils. Be careful not to associate boiling with hot to the touch. Liquid oxygen will boil
and no one would ever call that hot.
ambient sea level pressure of 14.7 psia (one bar) water will boil at 212°F. (100°C). If you lower the
vapor pressure for any temperature of water. If you fall below this vapor pressure the water will boil. As
an example:
Vapor pressure
Fahrenheit Centigrade Vapor pressure lb./in2 absolute
Bar absolute
40 4.4 0.1217 0.00839

100 37.8 0.9492 0.06546
180 82.2 7.510 0.5179
212 100 14.696 1.0135
300 148.9 67.01 4.621
a pump to keep everything in absolute numbers to avoid making computations with minus or negative
numbers.
Instead of calling atmospheric pressure zero, we say one atmosphere is 14.7 psia at seal level and in the
metric system the term commonly used is one bar, or 100 kPa if you are more comfortable with those
units.
The capacity of the pump is reduced:
require priming.
The head is often reduced
● Bubbles unlike liquid are compressible. It is this compression that can change the head.
The bubbles form in a lower pressure area because they cannot form in a high-pressure area.
● You should keep in mind that as the velocity of a fluid increases the pressure of the fluid
A noise is heard
● Any time a fluid moves faster than the speed of sound, in the medium you are pumping, a sonic

pt006
3,273 miles per hour (5,267 kilometers per hour). The cavitation bubbles are collapsing at the
speed of sound.
Pump parts show damage.
● The bubble tries to collapse on its self. This is called imploding, the opposite of exploding. The
bubble is trying to collapse from all sides, but if the bubble is lying against a piece of metal such
as the impeller or volute it cannot collapse from that side. The fluid comes in from the opposite
side at this high velocity proceeded by a shock wave that can cause all kinds of damage. There is
a very characteristic round shape to the liquid as it bangs against the metal creating the impression
that the metal was hit with a "ball peen hammer".
● This damage would normally occur at right angles to the metal, but experience shows that the
high velocity liquid seems to come at the metal from a variety of angles. This can be explained by
the fact that dirt particles get stuck on the surface of the bubble and are held there by the surface
tension of the fluid. Since the dirt particle has weakened the surface tension of the bubble, it
becomes the weakest part and the section where the collapse will probably take place.
suction of the pump to reduce this capacity and lower the possibility of cavitation. They choose this
solution because they fear that throttling the discharge of a high temperature application will heat the
fluid in the pump and almost guarantee the cavitation. In this case air injection is the better choice of two
evils.
As stated earlier, cavitation means that cavities or holes are forming in the liquid that we are pumping.
classification of cavitation. This is an error because we will learn that to correct each of these conditions
we must understand why they occur and how to fix them. Here they are in no particular order:
Return to index

pt015
PT015. CORROSION PROBLEMS WITH STAINLESS STEEL
We use a lot of stainless steel in both the pump and seal business. Here are some of the different types of
corrosion we find with this metal:,

Return to index

High Amperage Pump Problem
H016. HIGH AMPERAGE PUMP PROBLEM
The problem is that the centrifugal pump is drawing too much amperage. There are a couple of things
you must keep in mind when troubleshooting centrifugal pump problems:
● The centrifugal pump always pumps the difference between the suction and discharge heads. If
the suction head increases, the pump head will decrease to meet the system requirements. If the
suction head decreases the pump head will increase to meet the system requirements.
● A centrifugal pump always pumps a combination of head and capacity. These two numbers
multiplied together must remain a constant. In other words, if the head increases the capacity must
decrease. Likewise if the head decreases, the capacity must increase.
● The pump will pump where the pump curve intersects the system curve.
suction side including the piping and source tank, or somewhere in the discharge system.
selected. This means that throttling is a normal condition in most plants, causing the pump to run
on the left hand side of its curve.
The increased amperage can be caused by a pump that is too large for the application.

point most of the time.
● The capacity requirement has been lowered and the pump is being throttled rather than reducing
sized.
water.
● The specific gravity of the fluid has increased for some reason.,
The increased amperage is caused by two part rubbing together as a result of shaft displacement. Here are
some common causes of shaft displacement:
● Pipe strain
● Misalignment between the pump and driver.
● A bent shaft.
● The rotating assembly is not dynamically balanced.
● Cavitation.
● Water hammer.
● Operating off the best efficiency point (BEP).
● Thermal growth.
● Pulley driven pumps.
● Different types of vibration including harmonic, slipstick, induced, etc...
There are many parts that can come into contact when the shaft displaces.
● The end of the stuffing box can be hit by the shaft or sleeve. There is often a close fitting bushing
installed in this location.
● The rotating shaft and the stationary seal face.
● The shaft and the API gland disaster bushing.
● Check the shaft and housing tolerances along with the installation method.
● Cooling a bearing outside diameter causes it to shrink and over compress.
● The wrong lubrication level. There is too much lubricant in the bearing

High Amperage Pump Problem

● If there is an elbow too close to the suction of a double ended pump, and the piping is running
● Converting packing to a mechanical seal can increase the axial loading on the bearing

● An unbalanced mechanical seal is being used in a high pressure application. There is too much
face load
volute, or back plate, depending upon the pump design.
Return to index

pt004
PT004. THE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP IS NOT PRODUCING ENOUGH HEAD
The low head problem could be in the pump its self

❍ It is easy to miscalculate the total head in a pump.
❍ The pump may have originally been specified for a different application.
❍ You may have to go to a multi-stage design or run two pumps in series.
● The impeller is running at too slow a speed

❍ You are running an induction motor. Induction motor speed is different than synchronous
motors; it's always slower. The pump curve was created using a variable frequency motor
that ran at a constant speed. Put a tachometer on your motor to record its actual speed.
❍ A variable frequency motor is running at the wrong frequency.
motor. A governor could be set incorrectly.

❍ There is something physically wrong with the motor. Check the bearings etc.
❍ Check the voltage of the electric motor. It may be too low.
● The impeller is damaged. Excessive wear, erosion, corrosion or some type of physical damage
could cause the damage.
the oxide (ceramic) that are passivating the impeller, causing localized corrosion.
❍ In an ANSI, and similar design centrifugal pumps the normal thrust towards the volute has
bent the snap ring designed for bearing retention. This can allow the rotating impeller to
move axially and contact the stationary volute.
● There are a variety of reasons why a pump shaft will deflect from the centerline of the pump or
move axially an excessive amount. You will find a list of these reasons in the alphabetical section
of this book. See Shaft deflection. Different types.
● The impeller is clogged. This is a major problem with closed impellers, but it happens with open
and semi-open impellers also. With the exception of finished product most of what you will be
pumping contains entrained solids. Remember that some products can solidify or they can
crystallize with a change in fluid temperature or pressure.
● Impeller balance holes may have been drilled between the eye and the wear rings of a closed
impeller. The resultant reverse flow is interfering with the product entering the impeller eye. A
discharge recirculation line should have been used in place of the balance holes to reduce the axial
thrust.
● The double volute casting is clogged with solids or solids have built up on the surface of the
casting.
● The open impeller to volute clearance is too large. 0.015" to 0.020" (0,5 mm) is a typical proper
clearance. This excessive clearance will cause internal recirculation problems. A bad installation,
thermal growth, or normal wear could be the cause of this excessive clearance.
● A large impeller to cutwater clearance can cause a problem called "discharge recirculation".
Excessive impeller wear is a common symptom of this condition.
● If the impeller is positioned too close to the cutwater you could have a cavitation problem that
will interfere with the final head. Please see "vane passing syndrome cavitation".
● The impeller specific speed number is too high. Lower specific speed impellers are used to build
higher heads.
interfere with the head.
● The impeller is running backwards. You will notice a slight reduction in head and a larger
reduction in capacity.
❍ The shaft is running backwards because of a wiring problem.
❍ The pump is running backwards because the discharge check valve is not holding and
system pressure is causing the reverse rotation. This is a common problem with pumps
installed in a parallel configuration. Check valves are notoriously unreliable.
❍ The impeller has been installed backwards. This can happen with closed impellers on
double ended pumps

❍ The second stage of a two-stage pump is wired backwards. The pump reverses when the
second stage kicks in. You should have heard a loud noise when this happened.
3 4
❍ This is a problem if the shaft L /D number is greater than 60 (2 in the metric system).
Excessive shaft deflection will erode the wear rings and increase their clearance causing
possible internal recirculation problems.
❍ You should replace the wear rings when the original clearance doubles. Needless to say
this can only be determined by inspection.

pt004
❍ If you are pumping a product at 200°F (100°C) or more you should use a centerline design
volute to prevent excessive wear ring wear as the volute grows from the base straight up,
engaging the wear rings.
❍ A wear ring is missing. It was probably left off during the installation process.
● A high suction tank level is reducing the differential pressure across the pump increasing its
capacity. The pump always pumps the difference between the suction and discharge heads.
lose its prime.
● Air is coming directly into the pump. Negative suction happens when the pump is lifting liquid,
pumping from a condenser hot well etc.
❍ Air is coming into the stuffing box through the pump packing. This is a real problem if the
pump has been fitted with a repeller to lower stuffing box pressure.
❍ Air is coming into the stuffing box through an unbalanced mechanical seal. As the carbon
face wears the spring load holding the faces together diminishes.
❍ If you are using mechanical seals in vacuum service they should be of the O-ring design.
Unlike other designs, O-rings are the only shape that seals both pressure and vacuum.
❍ The pump was not primed prior to start up. With the exception of the self-priming version,

❍ Air can enter the stuffing box if the gasket between the two halves of a double-ended pump
is defective or does not extend to the stuffing box face. Any small gaps between the face of
the stuffing box and the split at the side of the stuffing box will allow either air in, or
product out. Bolt on stuffing boxes can have the same problem.
❍ Air is coming into the suction side of the pump through a pinhole in the casing. Pumps are
manufactured from castings and some of them are porous.

❍ Air is entering the stuffing box between the sleeve and the shaft. This can happen if you
convert a double-ended pump from packing to a mechanical seal and fail to install a gasket
or O-ring between the impeller hub and the sleeve.
● The open impeller was adjusted backwards and now the close fitting pump out vanes are creating
a vacuum in the stuffing box. Watch out for this problem if the mechanics are familiar with
Duriron pumps and are now servicing another brand.
● You need a volute casing instead of a concentric casing. Volute casings are much better for
producing head.
❍ The pump was not selected to meet the system curve requirements because no system
curve was given to the pump supplier.

❍ The pump was specified for a different application. It was in the inventory and someone is
trying to use it in this application. It is not unusual for a company to purchase someone's
excessive inventory.
❍ At replacement time the same size pump was purchased because no one had calculated
losses in the system.

❍ The pump was sized from a piping diagram that was thirty-five years old. There have been
numerous piping changes and additions since the original layout. In many instances
additional pumps have been installed and this pump is running in parallel with them, but
nobody knows it.
The problem is on the suction side of the pump. The pump could be cavitating.

❍ Air is being pumped into the suction piping to reduce cavitation problems
❍ Fluid returning to the sump is being aerated by too far a free fall. The return line should
terminate below the liquid level.

❍ The fluid is vortexing at the pump inlet because the sump level is too low and the pump
capacity is too high.

❍ Air is coming into the system through valves above the water line or gaskets in the piping
flanges.
❍ The liquid source is being pumped dry. If this is a problem in your application you might
want to consider a self-priming pump in the future.

❍ There is too much piping between the pump suction and the source tank. You may need a
booster pump or an inducer. The higher the pump speeds the bigger the problem.
❍ There is an elbow too close to the pump suction. There should be at least ten diameters of
pipe between the elbow and the pump suction. Suction piping should never run parallel
with the pump shaft in a double-ended pump installation. This can cause unnecessary shaft
thrusting.
❍ A piece of pipe of reduced diameter has been installed in the suction piping.
❍ Piping was added on the inlet side of the pump to bypass a piece of equipment that was
installed on the floor.

❍ A piping to pump reducer has been installed upside down causing an air pocket.
Concentric reducers can cause the same problem.

pt004
❍ Multiple pump inlets are too close together.

❍ The pump inlet is too close to the tank floor.
❍ The suction lift is too high.
❍ A gasket with too small an inside diameter has been installed in the suction piping
restricting the liquid flow.

❍ The center was not cut out of the flange gasket.
❍ A gasket in the suction piping is not centered and is protruding into the product stream.
❍ A globe valve has been substituted for a gate valve in the suction piping. The loss of head
in a globe valve is many times that of a gate valve.

❍ Two pumps are connected in series. The first pump is not sending enough capacity to the
second pump.
❍ The piping inlet is clogged.
■ A filter or strainer is clogged or covered with something.
■ Intermittent plugging of the suction inlet.
■ Loose rags can do this.
■ If the suction is from a pond, river, or the sea, grass can be pulled into the suction
inlet.
■ A foot valve is stuck.
■ A check valve is stuck partially closed
■ The foot valve is too small.
■ A small clam or marine animal cleared the suction screen, but has now grown large
on the pump side of the screen.


❍ A foreign object is stuck in the piping. It was left there when the piping was repaired or a
valve was replaced.

● The suction is being throttled to prevent the heating of the process fluid. This is a common
operating procedure with fuel pumps where discharge throttling could cause a fire or explosion.


❍ Some heaters are designed to be on when the pump is stopped and to be shut off when the
pump is running. Maybe they are stuck in the "on" position.

❍ The tank float is stuck, showing a higher tank level that does not exist. A corroded float
rod is not that uncommon.

❍ There is not enough net positive suction head available (NPSHA) for the fluid you are
pumping. Maybe you can use an inducer or booster pump to increase the suction pressure.
Problems on the discharge side of the pump including the piping
● The pump discharge is connected to the bottom of the tank. The head is low until the level in the
tank increases. Centrifugal pump discharges should be piped to the top of tanks, not the bottom.
● Equipment in the discharge piping should not be shut off, it should be by-passed to prevent too
much of a change in the pump's capacity.
❍ If too many units are being by-passed in the discharge system, the head will decrease as
the capacity increases. This can also happen if an extra storage tank farm is being by-
passed because the storage capacity is no longer needed.
● A bypass line has been installed in the pump discharge increasing the capacity and lowering the
head.
● Piping or fittings have been removed from the discharge side of the pump, reducing piping
resistance.
● Connections have been installed in the discharge piping that have increased the need for more
capacity.
● The pump is acting as an accumulator, coming on when the tank level drops. The head will be low
until the accumulator is recharged.
discharge piping is entering above a tank and discharging at a lower level. The pump must build
enough head initially to take advantage of the siphoning action.
pt004
● A discharge valve (manual or automatic) is opened too much.
Return to index

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/troubleshooting/general-roubleshooting/gt004.htm
GT004. MAINTENANCE PRACTICES THAT CAUSE SEAL AND BEARING PROBLEMS
not spend this year's budget next year's allocation will be reduced. Management views maintenance
savings as bottom line money and works at reducing maintenance manpower and inventory costs. Here
are some of the maintenance practices that increase the pump failure rate:
We will start with problems with pump maintenance that can cause excessive shaft movement and
deflection. This shaft deflection or displacement is a major cause of premature seal and bearing failure.
problems." Shops commonly balance the impeller but not the entire rotating assembly that
includes the impeller, shaft, sleeve, mechanical seal, coupling, drive keys, pulleys, etc.
Needless to say the seal and bearings stand a good chance of being destroyed in the process along
● Damage to the impeller during the removal process. Many impellers do not have a convenient
tightening nut that can be loosened.
● Trying to use the coupling to compensate for misalignment. A coupling is designed to transmit
torque and compensate for axial growth of the shaft, nothing else! It cannot compensate for
misalignment between the pump and its driver. You must do an alignment to solve that problem.
homogeneous; it must be re-balanced after any machining operation has taken place.
● Throttling the pump discharge to stop a cavitation problem. The more you pump the more net
positive suction head available (NPSHA) you need, so throttling does work, but you may be now
operating off the pumps' best efficiency point (BEP) resulting in shaft deflection.
● Failure to machine the stuffing box square to the shaft will result in excessive seal movement
unless you are using stationary mechanical seals. You can prevent excessive movement of rotating
seals by going to a self-aligning design.
● Failure to level the pump. Without leveling it is almost impossible to maintain the correct bearing
lubrication level.
● Turning down a shaft and repairing fretting or packing damage with a polymer material will
weaken the shaft making it more sensitive to deflection forces. That practice was common with
packed pumps, but should be avoided when mechanical seals are being used.
● Substituting a globe valve for a gate valve will throw the pump off of its best efficiency point
(BEP), causing shaft deflection.
same affect.
● Check that the cut-waters are 180 degrees apart in double volute applications. Wear and improper
repair can cause one of he cut-waters to be "off", causing shaft deflection.
● Some of the problems occur during installation.

❍ The seal is installed at the wrong length.
■ No print was available so the old set-screw marks were used.
■ The shaft sleeve moved after the impeller was tightened on the shaft.
■ The mechanic did not compensate for thermal growth when he set the face load.
■ The mechanic used the shaft shoulder instead of the stuffing box face as his
reference dimension.
■ The seal was installed before the impeller setting was made or an impeller
adjustment was made without resetting the mechanical seal. In most cases this will
cause the seal faces to open prematurely.
attacked. Petroleum grease on ethylene propylene O-rings is a good example of this

❍ The sleeve was hardened to resist packing wear causing the seal set-screws to slip and the

faces to open.
❍ The elastomer (rubber part) exceeded its shelf life. This is a real problem with the Buna

❍ Installing a stationary seal on a cartridge will cause the rotating face to "cock" when the set-

● An environmental control was lost while the seal was installed in the pump. Typical environmental
controls include:
❍ Clean flushing liquid to keep solids away from the moving seal parts. Be sure to check that
the clean flushing fluid is coming into the bottom of the stuffing box or seal gland and not
the top
❍ Barrier or buffer fluid is used to circulate between two mechanical seals. Sometimes the
circulation is done by simple convection, but pumping rings and forced circulation are
common also. Check to see if your convection tank has to be pressurized. This is a common
problem with many original equipment seals. Feel the convection lines to make sure the
convection is taking place in the right direction. Newer seal designs sometimes use inert
gas as the barrier fluid.
● A stuffing box vent should be connected from an area above the seal faces to the suction side of
the pump, or some other low-pressure area to prevent air from being trapped at the seal faces.
● A discharge recirculation line and a bushing in the end of the stuffing box are often used to
pressurize the stuffing box to prevent the product from vaporizing at or between the lapped seal
faces.
● The seal was installed with unidentified materials making troubleshooting almost impossible.
❍ Which carbon seal face is being used? There are a hundred available and they are not all
alike.
❍ Which elastomer was selected? Do you know both the material and the grade?
❍ What material are the metal components manufactured from? Not all stainless steel grades
are alike, and stainless steel springs or metal bellows should never be used because of
potential problems with chloride stress corrosion.
❍ There are many hard seal faces in use. All ceramics, silicon carbides and tungsten carbides
are not alike.

● The outside springs were painted on a dual or double seal when the pump area was refurbished.
● If the open impeller is adjusted backwards (this can be a common problem if a facility has both
Duriron and Goulds pumps) it can create a vacuum in the stuffing box as the impeller "pump out
vanes" are running too close to the back plate.
box is cooling down the shaft as well as the seal area. Shaft cooling is necessary to prevent heat
● If the oil level is too high or the bearings are over greased the low specific heat of the lubrication
● During storage or while in a standby condition, nearby equipment that is vibrating can induce
vibration into the static bearings causing false brinneling or hardening of the bearing balls and
races.
❍ Leakage through the packing or mechanical seal.
❍ From moisture in the air. We call this aspiration.
❍ From the steam or water connected to the quench gland used on some mechanical seals.

❍ The shaft outside diameter has the wrong tolerance. Remember that the tolerance is given

bearing races
❍ The oil was over heated and varnish particles are now in the bearing raceways.
❍ A simple snap ring is retaining the thrust bearing. During operation the shaft thrust is
usually toward the volute and against this thin ring.

Return to index

gt003
GT003. PUMP OPERATION PRACTICES THAT CAUSE SEAL AND BEARING

MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS
The fact of the matter is that there are several types of problems we encounter with centrifugal pumps
and poor operation is just one of them.
premature seal and bearing failure.
When pumps were supplied with jam packing, the soft packing stabilized the shaft to prevent excessive
vibration and deflection. In an effort to save flushing water and to conserve power, many of these same
pumps have since been converted to a mechanical seal and the radial stabilization the packing provided
has been lost.
Some bad pump operating practices include:
life. Here are some of the reasons why a pump is run dry:

● Sump fluids are often dirty, corrosive or both. The vertical rod for the float switch will often "gum
up" or corrode and give a false reading to the operator. He may think that there is an adequate
level, when in fact the tank is empty.
Deadheading the pump can cause severe shaft deflection as the pump moves off of its best efficiency
point (BEP). This deflection translates to excessive heat that will affect the seal and the bearings, as well
as cause the seal faces to open. It also opens the possibility of the impeller contacting the volute when the
shaft deflects.
but many times the valve is not opened, or the bypass line is clogged or not of the correct
diameter to prevent the excessive head. Another point to remember is that if the bypass line is
discharged to the suction side of the pump the increased suction temperature could cause
cavitation problems.
Operating off of the best efficiency point (BEP) is a major cause of premature seal and bearing failure.
Changing the flow rate of the liquid causes shaft deflection that can fail the mechanical seal and over-
load the bearings.
● Starting the pump with the discharge valve throttled or closed to save power.
● The level in the suction tank is changing. Remember that the pump must pump the difference
between the discharge and suction heads. If the suction head varies, the pump moves to a different
point on its curve.
● Any upset in the system such as closing, throttling or opening a valve will cause the pump to
move to a new point on the curve as the tank fills.
the tank fills. Some systems were designed for a low capacity, positive displacement pump and
Centrifugal pumps must discharge to the top of the tank to keep a constant head and prevent this
problem.
readings.
● Clogged nozzles will increase the head and reduce the pump's capacity.
operations understand their function and need because many times we find the controls installed but not
functioning.
gt003
If the jacket clogs up, this differential temperature will be lost and seal failure will shortly follow.
● Barrier or buffer fluid is circulated between two mechanical seals. There may or may not be a
differential temperature depending upon the flow rate. If a convection tank is installed there
should be a temperature differential between the inlet and outlet lines on the tank. The line
coming out of the top of the seal to the side of the tank should be warmer than the line from the
bottom of the tank to the bottom of the seals; otherwise the system is running backwards and may
fail completely. The level in the tank is also critical. It should be above the tank inlet line or no
convection will occur. Some convection tanks are pressurized with a gas of some type. Many
original equipment (OEM) seal designs will fail if this differential pressure is lost.
● Some seal glands are equipped with a quench connection outboard the mechanical seal that looks
like the seal is leaking water or steam. If there is too much steam pressure on this quench
connection the excessive leakage will get into the bearings causing premature failure. The steam
is often used to keep the product warm to prevent it from solidifying, crystallizing, getting too
viscous, building a film on the faces etc. Operating people frequently shut off the quench fluid to
stop the condensate from leaking.
● Flushing fluids are used for a variety of purposes but most of the time they are used to get rid of
amount of flush you will need is determined by the seal design. As an example: those designs that
have springs in the product requires more flush.
● It is important to check that the stuffing box has been vented in vertical pumps. The vent should
be coming out of the seal gland above the lapped faces and dynamic elastomer. It should not be
connected to the stuffing box lantern ring connection.
● Be sure to vent the space between dual mechanical seals, especially if they have been installed in
a vertical pump application.
There are some additional points that all operators should know, to insure longer rotating equipment life.
As an example:
● You should be aware that washing down the pump area with a water hose would cause premature
are the best example of the exception to this rule. The most popular Durco pumps adjust to the
back plate causing a compression of the seal faces that can create mechanical seal "over heating"
problems.
point (BEP).
departments. None of the following statements are true:
● Shutting the pump discharge valve suddenly, will blow the mechanical seal faces open.
● All ceramics crack when cold shocked by a rapid change in temperature.
● If you use two hard faces or dual mechanical seals in slurry applications you will not need
flushing water with its corresponding product dilution.
● If you use metal bellows seals for hot oil applications you will not need the stuffing box cooling
jacket operating.
● It is OK. to use an oversized impeller because throttling back will save power.
gt003
shooting.
mechanical seals. There is a trend to putting two seals in a pump for environmental reasons and
the painting of springs is becoming a common problem.
time.
● Do not let cleaning people direct their "wash down" hoses directly at the pump. Water entering
the bearings through the lip or grease seals is a major cause of premature bearing failure. Most
water wash downs are used to dilute and wash away seal leakage. Stop the leak and you have
eliminated the reason for the hose.
❍ A great many motor and electrical problems are caused by these same wash down hoses.
❍ Cooling a bearing outside diameter will cause it to shrink and the bearing will get hotter as
the radial load increases. Keep the water hose and all other forms of cooling off of the
bearing casing.
Return to index

OPERATING WINDOW ON THE PUMP CURVE
O013. OPERATING WINDOW ON THE PUMP CURVE
This is the distance you can move off the pump's best efficiency point (BEP) without causing excessive
shaft deflection or vibration.
Most ANSI (American National Standards Institute) pumps limit you to about 10% off the best
efficiency point (BEP).
The lower the L3/D4 number of your shaft, the larger the operating window.
Return to index

pt016
PT016. TROUBLESHOOTING THE POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT ROTARY PUMP.
No liquid discharge.
● The pump is not primed. Prime it from the outlet side by keeping the outlet air vent open until
liquid comes out the vent.
● The rotating unit is turning in the wrong direction.
● Valves are closed or there is an obstruction in the inlet or outlet line. Check that the flange gaskets
have their center cut out.
● The end of the inlet pipe is not submerged. You can either increase the length of the inlet pipe into
the liquid level or raise the level in the tank.
● The foot valve is stuck.
● A strainer or filter is clogged.
● The net inlet pressure is too low.
● A bypass valve is open.
● There is an air leak some where in the inlet line. Air can come in through gaskets or valves above
the fluid line.
● The stuffing box is under negative pressure. Packing is allowing air to get into the system. You
should convert the packing to a mechanical seal
● The pump is worn. The critical clearances have increased. Something is broken. Check the shaft,
coupling, internal parts, etc.
● There is no power to the pump.
The pump is putting out a low capacity.
● The pump's internal clearances have increased. It is time to change some parts.
● The net inlet pressure is too low; the pump is cavitating.
● A strainer or filter is partially clogged.
● The speed is too low. Check the voltage.
● The tank vent is partially frozen shut.
● A bypass line is partially open.
● A relief valve is stuck partially open.
● The inlet piping is damaged. Something ran over it
● A corrosion resistant liner has collapsed in the inlet piping.
● Air is leaking through the packing. You should go to a mechanical seal.
The pump looses its prime after it has been running for a while.
● The liquid supply is exhausted. Check the tank level; sometimes the float is stuck, giving an
incorrect level reading.
● The liquid velocity has increased dramatically.
● The liquid is vaporizing at the pump inlet because a bypass line is heating the incoming fluid.
● An air leak has developed in the suction piping.
●
The pump is using too much power
● The speed is too high.

● The liquid viscosity is higher than expected.
● The discharge pressure is higher than calculated
● The packing has been over tightened. You should convert to a mechanical seal.
● A rotating element is binding. Misalignment could be the problem or something is stuck in a close
clearance and binding the rotating element.
Excessive noise and vibration.
● Relief valve chatter.

● Foundation or anchor bolts have come loose.
● The pump and driver are misaligned.
● The piping is not supported properly.
● The liquid viscosity is too high. The pump is starving. Check the temperature of the incoming
liquid to see if the supply tank heater has failed.
Excessive noise or a loss of capacity is frequently caused by cavitation. Here is how the NPSH required
was determined initially:
With the pump operating at a 0 psig inlet pressure and a constant differential pressure, temperature, speed
and viscosity; a valve in the inlet line is gradually closed until cavitation noise is clearly audible, there is
a sudden drop off in capacity, or there is a 5% overall reduction in output flow. Cavitation occurs with:
● A loss of suction pressure.

● An increase in fluid velocity.

pt016
● An increase in inlet temperature.
Here are some common causes of vibration problems:

● A collapsed pipe liner.
● The tank vent partially freezes in cold weather.
● The sun is heating the suction piping, raising the product temperature close to its vapor point.
suction.
● Several pumps in the same sump are running, decreasing the level too much.
● Sometimes the suction lift is too high. The increase in pipe friction will reduce the suction head.
● The source tank is changing from a positive pressure to a vacuum due to the process.
packing.
● The inlet piping has been moved or altered in some way. Has a foot valve, strainer, elbow, or
some other type of hardware been installed in the suction piping?
● Has a layer of hard water calcium or some other type of solid formed on the inside of the suction
piping reducing its inside diameter over some period of time?
You are experiencing rapid pump wear.
● There are abrasives in the liquid you are pumping causing erosion problems. You may have to go
to a larger pump running at a slower speed.
● There is some corrosion in one or more of the pump elements.
● There is a lack of lubrication.
● You have a severe pipe strain problem. It could have been caused by thermal growth of the
hardware.
● Too much misalignment.
● The pump is running dry.
Return to index

Power Failure
P025. POWER FAILURE PROBLEMS
A sudden power failure to the pump and driver can cause serious damage to the pumping system.
Because of its low inertia, the pump will slow down rapidly while the fluid stays in motion. This can
cause fluid separation, reversed fluid flow, and water hammer in the lines that could rupture the piping or
the pump casing
Return to index

Reversed Fluid Flow
R012. REVERSED FLUID FLOW
A couple of operating conditions could cause a reversal of the fluid flow in the piping:
● A leaking discharge check valve in a parallel pump application.

● Fluid separation caused by a sudden power failure to a running pump.
If reversed flow is not checked, the flow will enter the discharge side of the pump, and the pump will run
as a turbine at the runaway speed determined by the available static head minus any losses in the lines
and fittings. This reversed speed could reach a value in excess of 150% of normal speed
The magnitude of the reverse speed increases with:
● Increasing pump efficiency.

● Increasing specific speed.
The affect of this high speed reverse rotation:
● Possible damage to the driver because of overload.

● Water hammer in the lines that could rupture the pump casing or the lines.
● Mechanical seal damage caused by the water hammer.
● You could also get face separation in some single spring designs where the direction of the spring
winding provides torque to the rotating seal face. Many Flexibox brand seals are manufactured
this way.
Return to index

gt002
GT002. PUMP SPECIFICATION PRACTICES THAT CAUSE SEAL AND BEARING

PROBLEMS.
Purchasing well-designed hardware does not bring automatic trouble free performance along with it. The
very best equipment will cause problems if it was not designed for your particular application. Here are a
few of the more common selection problems we find with centrifugal pumps:
● Buying the same size pump as the one that came out of the application. That's OK. If the old
pump was the correct size, but the odds are that it was too big because of the safety factors that
were added at the time of purchase. This will cause the pump to run off of its best efficiency point
(BEP) and you will spend a lot of production money for the additional power that is needed to run
against a throttled discharge valve or orifice installed in the discharge piping.
● Buying to a standard, or making a decision based on efficiency and believing that these two some
used, the shaft L3/D4 number is almost always too large. Efficiency is always gained at the
expense of maintenance. Efficiency means maintaining tight tolerances and smooth passages that
will eliminate reliable double volute designs and keep the maintenance department busy adjusting
tight tolerances to maintain the efficiency that you paid for.
run at the same speed or the larger pump will throttle the smaller one causing it to run off the best
efficiency point, deflecting the shaft. The capacity should be considered if the higher capacity
pump might exceed the net positive suction head available (NPSHA).
same speed. If not, the higher capacity pump will either cavitate because the smaller capacity
pump can not feed liquid at the proper volume, or it will run throttled if it is feeding the smaller
pump. In either case the larger of the two pumps will be adversely affected.
● Purchasing a larger pump because it will be needed in the future is a common mistake. This will
raise the operating cost to unacceptable levels (Power = head x capacity) as the pump is run
against a throttled discharge valve. This inefficient use of power will translate to a higher heat
environment for the seal, along with all of the problems associated with shaft deflection.
● Using a variable speed motor to compensate for a pump curve that is not flat enough for the
application. Many boiler feed pumps require a flat curve so that the pump can put out varying
capacities at a constant boiler pressure (head). We see this same need if we are pumping a varying
amount of liquid to a very high constant height.
❍ Varying the speed of a pump is similar to changing the diameter of the impeller. If you
look at a typical pump curve you will observe that the best efficiency point (BEP) comes
down with impeller size to form an angle with the base line (capacity line) of the graph.
This means that if you vary the speed of the impeller, the pump always runs off the best
efficiency point (BEP). The exceptions are:
■ The point where the system curve intersects the pump curve.
■ Any time the pre-dominate head is system or friction head. You find this type of
head in un-loading pumps, and circulating systems.

● Installing double-ended pumps in a vertical position to save floor space makes seal replacement a
nightmare, unless you are using split or cartridge designs.
reliable guide because we seldom know where it is pumping on its curve. Chart recorders installed
on both the suction and discharge side of the pump can give a more accurate reading of the head if
they are left on long enough to record the differences in flow. The trouble with this method is that
the recorders will also record a false head caused by a throttled valve, an orifice, or any other
restriction that might be present in the piping.
● Requesting too low a net positive suction head required (NPSHR) will cause you to end up with a
different kind of cavitation problem. See suction specific speed.
● Failure to request a center line design when pumping temperature exceeds 200°F (100°C) will
● The use of inline pumps to save floor space. Many of these designs are close coupled with the
motor bearings carrying the radial and thrust loads. Because their L3/D4 numbers are usually very
pump should have been designed with a separate bearing case and a C or D frame adapter
installed to connect a motor to the bearing case.
● Thrust bearings being retained by a simple snap ring is a design problem found in many low cost
pumps. Beyond 65% of its rated efficiency most centrifugal pumps thrust towards the pump
volute. The thin snap ring has to absorb all of this axial thrust and most of them cannot do it very
well. Intermittent service pumps experience trouble with the snap ring wearing the snap ring
groove, allowing excessive axial movement of the bearing and impeller.
● The mechanical seal has been installed in a stuffing box that is too narrow to allow free seal
movement. These original equipment stuffing boxes were designed for small cross-section
packing. If a mechanical seal was specified, the pump back plate should have been manufactured
with a large diameter seal chamber. In most cases the stuffing box recirculation line should be
installed from the bottom of this large seal chamber to the suction side of the pump, or a low
pressure point in the system. There are some exceptions to this:
❍ If you are pumping at or close to the fluid's vapor point.

gt002

● High temperature pump applications have several special needs:


❍ A cartridge seal design that allows open impeller adjustment after the pump has come up
to operating temperature.
❍ A "C" or "D" frame adapter to compensate for motor to driver misalignment.
Return to index

Rules Of Thumb For Pumps
R023. RULES OF THUMB FOR PUMPS
If you want to know a pumps capabilities the rules are simple; look at the manufacturer's published pump
curve. The problem is that you do not always have the curve available.
Pump companies test their pump to determine its performance; they have no need for general guidelines
or "rules of thumb." Over the years I have accumulated many of these guide lines to help me estimate
pump performance; here are a few of them:
PUMP BASICS
● How to estimate the shut off head of a pump (Inch sizes)

❍ At 1750 rpm. Shut off head = Diameter of the impeller squared
❍ At 3500 rpm. Shut off head = Diameter of the impeller squared x 4
2
❍ For other speeds you can use the formula : Shut Off Head = D x (rpm / 1750)
2
● Estimating metric head is a little bit more involved, but it still works:
❍ Measure the shaft in mm. (250)
❍ Mark off two places. (2,5)
❍ Square the number. (6,25)
❍ For 1450 rpm, multiply by 3 (18,75)
❍ Add 10 % (21 meters )
NOTE: For 3000 rpm, you would multiply by 12 instead of 3. Although you can estimate shutoff
head with these formulas you cannot estimate the pump capacity. You will need the pump curves
for that.
● The pumps best efficiency point (BEP) is between 80% and 85% of the shut off head. At this
point there is little to no radial thrust on the impeller. Also the "power in" is closest to the "power
out".
● The L3/D4 ratio should be below 60 (2.0 in metric) to prevent excessive shaft bending. To
calculate the ratio for end suction centrifugal pumps :
❍ L = length of the shaft from the center of the inboard bearing to the center of the impeller
(inches or millimeters). Caution: do not use centimeters, the numbers will come out wrong.
❍ D = diameter of the shaft (under the sleeve) in the stuffing box area (inches or millimeters)
Do not use Centimeters.

● Since most shaft materials have a similar modulus of elasticity, changing shaft materials will not
prevent shaft bending when you operate off of the best efficiency point (BEP). Lowering the
L3/D4 is the only logical and efficient solution. When pump manufacturers discuss operating off
of the best efficiency point (BEP) they relate problems to the heat that will build up in a minimum
flow condition and ignore the problems with shaft bending.
● A double suction pump can run with 27% less N.P.S.H. or at a 40% faster speed without
cavitating.
● If you double the speed of a pump you will get twice the capacity, four times the head, and it will
take eight times the horsepower to do it.
● If you double the speed of a pump you will get almost four times the shaft whip, wobble or run
out and eight times the wear.
● A stainless steel shaft has only a small portion of the conductivity of a carbon steel shaft. This is
very important when you are pumping fluids at elevated temperatures because we do not want to
transmit the high temperature back to the bearing oil.
● Multistage pumps reduce efficiency 2% to 4%.
● In many instances an inducer can lower Net Positive Suction Head Required by as much as 50%.
● If you are pumping paper stock modify the curves for head, capacity, and efficiency as follows:
❍ 0.725 for 6% stock
❍ 0.825 for 5.5% stock
❍ 0.90 for 5%
❍ 0.94 for 4.5%
❍ 0.98 for 4%
❍ 1.0 for 3.5% or less
● Open impeller clearance settings are determined by the pump manufacturer and normally run
between 0.008" and 0.015" (0, 2 to 0, 5 mm). You lose 1% of the pump's capacity for each 0.002"
(0,05 mm) you miss this setting.
● Wear ring clearances are very similar to impeller clearances, but you lose 1% pump capacity for
each 0.001" (0,025 mm) of wear. A typical clearance would be 0.003 inch/inch diameter with
0.010 inches (0,3 mm) minimum clearance for wear rings less than two inches (50 mm.) in
outside diameter.
● Bearing grease or lip seals have a design life of less than 2000 hours. In a constantly running
pump this would be only 83 days. These seals will also damage the expensive shaft and place a
stress point at the maximum bending moment arm. Substitute non-fretting labyrinth seals, or
positive face seals in these locations. It is a good idea to install them in electric motors also to
prevent moisture from entering and damaging the motor windings and bearings.
● Do not use a vent on the top of the bearing case. At shut down the outside moisture will enter the
bearing housing through this vent. Let the moisture attempt to enter the case through the labyrinth
seals instead, they will do a better job of directing the moisture to the external drain hole. If you

install positive face seals you can forget about this problem.
● The axial clearance in a bearing is ten times the radial clearance. This is the reason proper
installation is so critical. If the bearing is over compressed the bearing balls will distort and roll
instead of spin causing excessive heat and premature failure. The temperature at the bearing race
of a properly installed bearing is at least 10 degrees Fahrenheit (5 C.) higher than the oil sump
temperature.
● The life of bearing oil is directly related to its temperature. The rule of thumb used by the SKF
Bearing Company is that the service life of an oil is specified as 30 years at 30 degrees Centigrade
(86 F.) and is cut in half for each 10 degree Centigrade (10 F.) temperature increase. This
corresponds to :
❍ A life of 3 months at 100 C. (212 F.)
These life numbers assume that the lubricating oil is not being contaminated by water from one or
all of the following sources:
❍ Packing leakage
❍ The water hose used to wash the packing leakage away from the pump area.
❍ Aspiration, as moisture-laden air enters the bearing case.
● An automobile engine running at 1750 rpm. would cover about 100,000 miles (160,000
kilometers) every 2000 hours (83 days in the life of a constantly running pump). Auto
manufacturers recommend changing their automatic transmission oil every 25,000 miles ( 40,000
kilometers)
● Increasing the impeller speed increases the efficiency of centrifugal pumps.
❍ About 15% for an increase from 1500 to 3600 rpm.
❍ Less dramatic at lower speeds.
❍ Maximum efficiency is obtained in the specific speed range of 2000 to <3000
● If the wear ring clearance is too large:

❍ The pump will take on excessive vibration caused by internal recirculation. This can cause
seal and bearing component damage.

❍ The pump will not meet its designed capacity because of internal recirculation.
❍ Wear rings should be replaced when their clearance doubles. This additional clearance will
increase the pump power requirements with the amount varying according to the specific
speed ( NS ) of the impeller
■ N 200 14% increase
S
■ N 500 7% increase
S
■ N 2500 Insignificant increase
S
● Pumps are normally throttled with a discharge valve but in rare cases it can be done with a suction
valve.
❍ You must have sufficient NPSH to prevent cavitation.
❍ Suction throttling prevents the over heating caused by discharge regulation. This can be
important with fluids like jet fuel where the additional heat could vaporize the fluid.
● Because an overhung impeller does not require the extension of a shaft into the impeller suction
eye, single stage impellers are preferred for pumps handling suspended matter such as sewage.
● Do not hydrostatically test a high temperature pump with water. Water trapped in small recesses
and gaskets will flash to steam in high temperature applications, expand and then break
something.
● Operating off the BEP can break the pump shaft because the force is always in the same direction
while the shaft is turning. This has the affect of flexing the shaft twice per revolution. In many
cases you can easily exceed the endurance limit of the shaft material.
❍ The stresses imposed in reverse bending are cumulative.
❍ Most fatigue failure occurs in one million cycles or less. At 1750 rpm you get 2,520,000
cycles per day.

● If a 300 series stainless steel shaft is running in a fluid containing chlorides, the shaft is subject to
chloride stress corrosion problems that can be another cause of shaft cracking and breakage.
APPLICATION
● Do not specify a pump with the largest impeller available. Give yourself an additional 5% or 10%
you might need it.
● The maximum viscosity a centrifugal pump can handle would be a product similar to 30-weight
oil at room temperature.
● Use a variable speed pump if your head is mainly system head. Circulating hot or cold water
would be typical applications. If you have a high static or pressure head, as is the case with a
boiler feed pump, the variable speed will not be of much help in keeping you on or near the best
efficiency point.
● Pumps piped in series must have the same capacity (impeller width)
● Pumps piped in parallel must have the same head (impeller diameter)
● Use a rotary positive displacement pump if your capacity is going to be less than 20 gpm.(4,5
cubic meters per hour)
● A centrifugal pump can handle 0.5% air by volume. At 6% it will probably become air bound and
stop pumping. Cavitation can occur with any amount of air.
● Use double volute pumps any time your impeller diameter is 14 inches (355 mm) or greater. They
should also be used on long shaft vertical pumps to prevent excessive shaft movement that will
cause problems with the packing, seals, bearings and critical dimensions.
● A vortex pump is 10% to 15% less efficient than a comparable size end suction centrifugal pump.
● The API (American Petroleum Institute) sixth edition states: High energy pumps, defined as
pumping to a head greater than 650 feet (198 meters) and more than 300 horsepower (224 kw) per
stage, require special consideration to avoid blade passing frequency vibrations and low frequency
vibrations at reduced flow rates.
TROUBLESHOOTING
● Cavitation damage on the trailing edge of the impeller blade means :

❍ The N.P.S.H. available is too low.
❍ Air is entering at the pump suction.
❍ There is liquid turbulence at the pump suction.
● Cavitation damage on the leading edge of the impeller blade indicates internal recirculation.
Check the suction specific speed number to see if it is below 8500 (5200 metric). Higher numbers
mean that the problem is with the impeller shape or adjustment. The problem was created when
the pump manufacture tried to come up with too low a net positive suction head required
(NPSHR).
● Cavitation damage just beyond the cut water on the casing and tip of the impeller blade indicates
the impeller blade is too close to the cut water. This clearance should be at least 4% of the
impeller diameter up to a 14-inch (356-mm) impeller, and 6% greater than 14 inch ( 356 mm).
Some self-priming pump manufacturers want a maximum clearance of 1/8" (3 mm) and, as a
result often experience this cavitation problem. A repaired or substituted impeller is often the
cause of the problem in a non self-priming pump.
● Do not use packing in any pump that runs under a vacuum, as air will enter the system through the
pump stuffing box. These applications include :
❍ Pumps that lift liquid.
❍ Pumps that take their suction from a condenser or evaporator.
❍ Any pump that takes its suction from a negative pressure. Heater drain pumps are a typical
application.
❍ Self-priming pumps.
● If the specific gravity of the pumping liquid should increase due to temperature there is a danger
of overloading the motor and therefore motors having sufficient power should be used. The same
overloading power will occur if the pump is run too far to the right of its best efficiency point
(BEP). This is a very common problem because of the great number of oversized pumps in
existence.
Return to index

st018_2
ST018_2. THE STUFFING BOX AREA IS GETTING HOT.
There could be several reasons for the exra heat:
Too much heat is being generated at the seal faces. Remember that unbalanced seals generate more heat
than balanced seals.
● The carbon is being insulated by a gasket of some type and cannot dissipate the heat.
● You are using high friction face materials. Two hard faces usually generate more heat than carbon
vs. a hard face.
● The carbon-graphite seal faces are positioned too far away from the circulating barrier or buffer
fluid in a dual seal application. Carbon-graphite is a poor conductor of heat compared to either
silicon or tungsten carbide hard faces.
● The faces are running dry.
❍ The stuffing box has not been vented. This is especially important in vertical applications.
❍ You do not have a barrier fluid between the seals in a dual seal application.
● You have lost an environmental control.

❍ Flushing has been shut off.
❍ The quenching connection is not operating.
❍ The cooling jacket is clogged or not functioning for some reason.
❍ The discharge or suction recirculation line is clogged.
❍ The barrier fluid has stopped circulating in a dual seal application or you are using oil as a
barrier fluid. Oil has a low specific heat and poor conductivity making it a poor choice as a
heat transfer medium. If you must use oil as the barrier fluid you may have to forsake
convection and go to a forced circulation system or a pumping ring.
❍ An API (American Petroleum Institute) type gland has been piped incorrectly
● Poor heat conductivity of the hard face. Silicon carbide is better than 99.5 ceramic.
● There is too much spring load on the seal faces:
❍ A wrong installation measurement.
❍ The impeller was adjusted after the seal was installed. Any pump impeller that adjusts
against the back plate has this problem. Durco pumps are a good example.
❍ Excessive axial movement of the shaft.
❍ Thermal expansion
A seal component is rubbing the inside diameter of the stuffing box or against a product that has attached
its self to the inside of the stuffing box. Hard water forms calcium deposits and petroleum fluids can
form coke solids at elevated temperature.
● The seal is not concentric with the shaft.

● The shaft is out of balance.
● The pump and driver are misaligned
● There is a pipe strain problem.
The sleeve, shaft or rotating seal is hitting a stationary component.
● A protruding gasket or fitting.

● A bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box.
● A thermometer well could be penetrating into the stuffing box.
A foreign object is loose in the stuffing box.
A suction recirculation line was used to lower stuffing box pressure. The high velocity re-circulation in
this line is heating up the return line.
Return to index

st018_3
ST018_3. YOU ARE HEARING NOISE IN THE STUFFING BOX.
● The product is cavitating in the pump. There are five types of cavitation:
❍ Vaporization.
❍ The Vane Passing Syndrome
❍ Turbulence
❍ Air ingestion
● A rotating component is rubbing.

● The seal has come loose from the shaft. The soft stainless steel set screws have vibrated loose
from a hardened shaft or sleeve.
● A foreign object has entered into the stuffing box or was left in the stuffing box during the last
seal change.
● The sleeve is hitting an API (American Petroleum Institute) disaster bushing.
● "Slip stick" at the seal faces.
Return to index

Troubleshooting ball bearings
TBB001. TROUBLESHOOTING BALL BEARINGS
Ball bearings are not designed to wear out. Unlike mechanical seals they have no wearable surfaces or
components. The life of a bearing should be determined by fatigue and is referred to as the L10 life of a
bearing
To understand the term "fatigue" we will conduct an experiment:
● Straighten out a standard paper clip.

● Flex it a little and then let it go. You will notice that it returns to the straightened position. You
could repeat this cycle many times (many years actually) without breaking (fatiguing) the metal
because you are cycling the metal in its elastic range (it has a memory similar to piece of rubber).
● Now we will bend (stress) the paper clip a lot further and you will note that it did not return to the
straightened position. This time you stressed the metal in its plastic range where it did not have a
memory.
● If you bend the metal back and forth in this plastic range it will crack and break in less than
twenty cycles. The metal fatigued more quickly because it work hardened and became brittle. The
more you stress the metal by flexing it, the quicker it will work harden and break.
● You have just demonstrated that fatigue is a function of the material, the amount of stress on the
material, and the number of cycles.
● When the bearing is pressed on a rotating shaft the load passes from the inner race (inside ring)
through the balls to the bearing outer race (the outside ring).
● Each ball carries a portion of the stress as the ball roll under the load. It is this stress that can
eventually fatigue the metal parts.
When a pump is operating at its best efficiency point (BEP) the only loads the bearing has to carry is:
● The weight of the rotating assembly.

● The stress caused by the interference fit on the shaft.
● Any bearing preload specified by the manufacturer.
The fact is that most bearings become overloaded because of:
● The wrong interference fit between the bearing and the shaft (the shaft was out of tolerance).
● Bent shafts.
● An unbalanced rotating element.
● Pushing the bearing too far up a tapered sleeve.
● Operating the pump off of its best efficiency point (BEP.).
● Shaft radial thermal expansion.
● A futile attempt to cool the bearings by cooling the bearing housing with a water hose or some
other similar system. Cooling the outside diameter of a bearing causes it to shrink, increasing the
interference and causing additional stress.
● Cavitation.
● Water hammer.
● Axial thrust.
● The bearing housing is sometimes out of round.
● Vibration of almost any form.
● The impeller is located too far away from the bearing. This is a common problem in many mixer/
agitator applications.
● A bad bearing was supplied. This is becoming more of a problem with the increase in counterfeit
parts we are finding in industry.
This overloading will cause excessive heat to be generated and heat is another common cause of
premature bearing failure. Heat will cause the lubricant to:
● Decrease in viscosity, causing more heat as it loses its ability to support the load.
● Form a "varnish" residue and then "coke" at the elevated temperature. This "coking" will destroy
the ability of the grease or oil to lubricate the bearing. It will also introduce solid particles into the
lubricant.
In addition to the heat generated by overloading, we get additional heat from:
● The oil level is too high or too low. Too often pumps are aligned but not leveled.
● The bearing was over greased. Bearings should be hand packed, a grease gun should not be used.
● The shaft material is conducting heat from the pumpage back to the bearing housing. This is a
problem with heat transfer oil pumps, or any time a metal bellows seal is used in an application
and the stuffing box cooling jacket is shut off or inoperative.
● A loss of barrier or buffer fluid between dual seals, causing a temperature rise that conducts heat
back to the bearings.
● A failed cooling jacket in the bearing housing around the stuffing box or built into the seal gland.
● Grease or lip seal contact on the shaft, right next to the bearings. These seals can add as much as
38°C (100°F) to the shaft temperature
● A failed cooling quench in an API (American Petroleum Institute) seal gland.
A leading ball bearing manufacturer states that the life of bearing oil is directly related to heat. Non-
contaminated oil cannot wear out and has a useful life of about thirty years at thirty degrees Centigrade
(86 F). They further state that the life of the bearing oil is cut in half for each ten-degree centigrade rise
(18 F) in temperature of the oil. This means that oil temperature regulation is critical in any attempt to
increase the useful life of anti-friction bearings.
Probably the major cause of premature bearing failure is the contamination of the bearing lubrication by
moisture and solids. As little as 0.002% water in the lubricant can reduce bearing life by 48%. Six-
percent water can reduce bearing life by 83% percent.
There are several methods used by pump companies to keep this water and moisture out of the bearing
housing:
● A flinger ring to deflect packing or seal leakage away from the bearings. A silly arrangement at
best.
● Keeping the bearing oil hot to prevent the forming of condensation inside the bearing case. A
ridiculous system when you consider that bearing life is directly related to heat. Most
commercially available pumps do not have enough oil capacity. Two liters should be a minimum,
with the oil level half way through the bottom ball when the pump is at rest.
● The use of "so called" sealed bearings. You can call them any thing you want, but the seals are not
very effective, especially against moisture or water.
● Grease or lip seals that have a useful life of about two thousand hours (84 days at 24 hours per
day) and will cut the expensive shaft directly under the seal lip. Double lip seals will cut the shaft
in two places.
● Labyrinth seals that are superior to lip seals but not totally effective because you are still trying to
seal with non-contacting surfaces that are less than desirable statically.
The moisture that is getting into the bearings comes from multiple sources:
● Packing leakage flows back to the bearing area.

● Because of packing leakage a water hose is used to wash down the area. This washing splashes on
to the bearing case also.
● Aspiration. This means that moist air enters through the lip or labyrinth seals when the bearing
case cools down. The cooler atmospheric air is replacing the heated air that went out the bearing
casing vent
● A seal quench gland that often has steam, condensate or cooling water leaking out and directed at
the radial bearing.
The moisture causes several problems:
● Pitting and corrosion of the bearing races and rolling elements that will increase the fatigue of the
metal components.
● Free atomic hydrogen in the water appears to cause hydrogen embrittlement of the bearing metal
accelerating the fatigue.
● A water and oil emulsion does not provide a very good lubricating film.
We get solids into the bearing lubricant from several sources:
● Metal seal cage wear. This is the part the separates the balls that are held between the bearing
races. It is often manufactured from brass or a non-metallic material.
● Abrasive particles leach out of the bearing housing casting.
● Often solid particles were already contaminating the grease or oil we are using for the lubricant.
● Solids were introduced into the system during the assembly process because of a lack of
cleanliness.
● Airborne particles penetrate the bearing seals.
● Particles worn off of the grease or lip seals penetrate into the bearings.
How to keep solids and moisture out of the bearing housing.
● Seal the metal inside of the bearing housing with epoxy or some other suitable material to stop
rusting and to prevent solids from leaching out of the metal case. If you apply this coating be
careful about using some of the new high detergent oils. They might be powerful enough to
remove this protective coating.
● Replace the grease or labyrinth seals with positive face seals. In the future you are going to need
these seals to prevent hydrocarbon fugitive emissions.
● Install an expansion chamber outside of the bearing casing to accept the air (approximately 16 oz.
or 475 ml. in a typical process pump) that expands as the bearing casing increases in temperature.

Without this expansion chamber approximately one atmosphere of pressure will build up in the
bearing housing. This is not a problem for a mechanical seal, but during long periods of shut
down the pressure could be lost.
● Clean the oil in the bearing casing by installing a simple oil circulating and filtering system or
change the oil frequently.
The past several years have seen a decrease in the quality of the bearings available for rotating
equipment. We find prepacked bearing being shipped with too much or no grease at all. Stabilization
temperatures have changed and overall quality has diminished.
Much of the blame for these conditions is caused by an increase in counterfeit bearings appearing on the
market. If you adopt the above suggestions you should not have to be changing your bearings as
frequently as you are now.
ANALYZING THE INDIVIDUAL PARTS OF THE BEARING
In a properly operating bearing, the raceways and rolling elements will become dull in appearance. This
the visible paths that I will be referring to in the following paragraphs so their appearance and location is
interference fit and rotating with the shaft. The outer race remains stationary or in a fixed position.
the raceways and rotating elements in this type of an installation Now lets have a look at the ball bearing
parts and do some troubleshooting:
The radial load is rotating with the shaft. An unbalanced rotating assembly or a bent shaft causes this.
● The inner ring appearance. The load acts all of the time at the same place in the raceway. Here the
path pattern is at its widest, tapering off at the ends. If the load is only radial, the pattern will be in
the center of the raceway and will extend around slightly less the half the raceway circumference.
● The outer ring appearance. The path will extend around the entire raceway. It will be uniform in
width and if the load is only radial, it will be in the center of the raceway.
The radial load is unidirectional. This is what we would expect to find with a properly operating piece of
equipment. If the equipment is operating off of its best efficiency point, is misaligned, or if there is
excessive pipe strain the pattern will be the same; only more pronounced.
● The inner ring appearance. The path will be in the center of the raceway, uniform in width and
visible around the entire circumference of the raceway.
half of the raceway. It will be located in the center of the raceway, if the load is only radial.
The radial load is multidirectional. Cavitation, too tight an interference fit, preloading, or cooling a
bearing outside diameter are all common causes of this problem.
● The inner ring appearance. All around the raceway, widest where the load was the greatest.
● The outer ring appearance. All around the raceway, widest where the load was the greatest.
The axial load is unidirectional. This is the normal condition of all end suction centrifugal pumps.
appearance.
● The outer ring appearance. The ball path will be oval, extending from one side of the raceway to

visible to the trained troubleshooter.
expansion, seizing etc. The particles come from:
❍ Varnish and coke that form where the lubricant overheated.

❍ Lack of cleanliness during the installation process.
❍ Silica or other minerals leaching out of the bearing housing casting.
prevent rust.
❍ Airborne - through the seals or the vent.on top of the bearing housing.
● You will see mirror like surfaces on the metal parts that look lik the part was lapped
❍ Brown 700° F. 370° C.
❍ Blue 800° F. 425° C.
❍ Black 900° F. 480° C.
● Many pre-lubricated bearings actually have no lubricant at all installed. Check yours to be sure.
Bearing quality is a serious maintenance problem.
● If the bearing case has no expansion chamber installed, a build up of internal pressure as the
bearing case comes up to temperature can blow out of the seals. At shut down moisture laden air
● Be sure the pump has been leveled prior to alignment to insure the correct lubrication height.
Look for smearing of the metal. When two non-lubricated surfaces slide against each other, under load,
the material can transfer from one surface to the other.
● The metal melts and then re-hardens causing localized stress that can produce cracks in the metal.
"slip fit". This slipping can also cause fretting corrosion as the protective oxide film is worn away
from the metal surface.
damage. Roller bearings are more susceptible to this type of damage because the balls in a ball bearing
There are multiple causes of static vibration that include:
big problem during storage or with standby pumps
❍ An induction heater was used during assembly, causing false brinelling.
❍ The bearing was installed using an arbor press on the wrong race.

● This happens when the pump was used as an electrical ground for a welding rig.
Look for flaking or spalling of the metal raceway. Since there is nothing in a bearing to wear out, flaking

● The pump is operating too far off of its best efficiency point (BEP).
● Pipe strain.
● Cavitation.
In addition to overloading there are additional sources of heat that can destroy the lubricant:
applications.
● Someone is cooling the pump's power end casing causing the bearing outer race to shrink.
shaft slows down.
Look for cracks in the bearing metal.
● Mishandling.

❍ A water hose is being used to wash down the area.
the bearing case.

❍ Steam or water dripping from a seal quench gland. This is a common problem with the
API (American Petroleum Institute) gland that is commonly used in oil refineries.
The major bearing companies do a great job of providing the literature and photographs that you need to
do effective comparison troubleshooting. Check with your bearing supplier for the availability of this
information.
Return to index


Fatigue
F008. FATIGUE
The tendency of a metal to break because of a combination of stress and cycles.
The L10 life of a bearing is a description of its fatigue life
Fatigue happens rapidly if you are operating in the plastic range of the metal. To understand the term
"fatigue" we will conduct an experiment:

because you are cycling the metal in its elastic range (it has a memory similar to piece of rubber).
straightened position. This time you stressed the metal in its plastic range where it did not have a
memory.
twenty cycles. The metal fatigued more quickly because it work hardened and became brittle. The
more you stress the metal by flexing it, the quicker it will work harden and break.
You have just demonstrated that fatigue is a function of the material, the amount of stress on the material,
and the number of cycles.
Please see: endurance limit
Return to index

Endurance Limit
E011. ENDURANCE LIMIT.
The endurance limit is the highest stress or range of stress, that can be repeated indefiniely without
failure of the metal.
Usually ten million cycles of deflection is called "infinite life" and is satisfactory for determining this
limit.
Return to index

Friction Within The Pump
F038. FRICTION WITHIN THE PUMP
No pump is 100% efficient.
If a pump is rated 60% efficient that means that 40% of the power is doing something other than moving
liquid, and it turns out a lot of it is being converted to heat.
In a normal temperature stabilized pump, running at its best efficiency point (BEP), the temperature rise
within the pump is calculated from the following formulas:
BHP = Brake Horse Power (you get his number from the pump curve supplied by the
manufacturer
42.41 = Conversion of HP to Btu./min.
lbs./ min. = Gpm. x 8.33 x Specific Gravity
S.H. = Specific Heat (1 for water)
BKW = Brake Kilowatts ( From the pump curve)
14.34 = Conversion of Kilowatts to Kilocalories
A temperature rise across the pump of 18 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Centigrade is considered
excessive. This can occur if the pump is run with a shut, or excessively throttled discharge. If you would
like to calculate the temperature rise of the liquid in a running pump when the discharge is shut,
use the following formulas :
Temperature rise in degrees Fahrenheit per minute equals:
● BHP. = Brake Horse Power at shut off

● 42.4 = Conversion from Brake Horse Power (B.H.P.) to BTU/ minute
● W = Net weight of the liquid, in the pump, in pounds (lbs.)
● C = Specific Heat of the liquid
● Temperature rise in degrees Centigrade per minute equals:
● BKW. = Brake Kilowatt at shut off

● 7.97 = Conversion from Brake Kilowatts (BKW) to Kilo calories/ minute
● W = Net weight of the liquid, in the pump, in kilograms (Kg.)
There are other sources of heat you must also consider:
Heat from the ambient conditions
● If pipes, pumps, valves and other types of equipment are placed next to hot boilers or exposed to
extreme changes in weather, we will have to consider this addition or removal of heat in
troubleshooting temperature related problems.
Heat in the product its self

Friction Within The Pump

Heat generated by parts rubbing together
● Rotating parts rub against stationary parts when the pump shaft experiences deflection or you
have excessive pipe strain.
Heat generated by the bearing seals
Heat generated by the packing or mechanical seal
● See "Seal face heat generation" for a detailed explanation of this heat source.
Return to index

st018_4
ST018_4. A PIECE OF AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT IS FAILING.
The convection tank
● It is running backwards. There are multiple causes of this problem:

❍ The inlet and outlet ports are not drilled properly. Centrifugal force is working against
convection.
❍ A cartridge dual seal has not been centered properly.
❍ Connections have been made to the wrong fittings.
❍ The piping fitting has bottomed into the gland fitting shutting off or restricting the flow.
● The pressure or level in the tank changes.

❍ Temperature change of the barrier or buffer fluid.
❍ No air pocket was left in the top of the tank.
❍ One of the seals is leaking. The pressure or level change should tell you which one. If the
inboard seal is leaking the level will increase. An outboard seal leak will cause the tank
level to drop or empty completely.
● The level in the tank drops a little and then holds.
❍ The outboard seal is leaking. Without a vent on the top of the convection tank the dropping
fluid level created a vacuum in the tank stopping the level at a new height. This is similar
to the level you can hold in a drinking straw if you keep your finger on one end of the
straw.
● The convection tank is not convecting at all. The tank was installed incorrectly. The minimum and
maximum dimensions for the pipe locations were ignored.
Flow meter not indicating.
● The meter is broke.

● Line clogged.
● The flow is not high enough.
● The gage graduations are too large for the desired flow.
No flow through the quench and drain connections.
● You are piped to the wrong connection. Most glands that have been drilled for a quench
connection, have a flush connection also.
● Valve not open.
● Line clogged.
● Operators love to shut this quench connection off to stop what they think is a seal leak.
Loss of jacket cooling. The incoming and out going lines are at the same temperature.
● A layer of calcium has built up on the inside of the cooling jacket.

● A discharge recirculation line is connected to the stuffing box (it may be hidden inside the
insulation and no one can see it).
● Someone has shut off the cooling water or steam.
Return to index

st020
ST020. CARTRIDGE SEALS OVERHEATING PROBLEMS
Excessive heat can cause multiple problems with mechanical seals:
● The elastomer (rubber part) can be damaged.

● Some seal faces can be damaged.
❍ Carbon-graphite faces can pit as trapped air expands within the carbon, or the product
carbonizes and pulls out pieces of the seal face.

❍ Plated faces can heat check and crack, causing rapid carbon face wear.
❍ The filler in some carbon /graphite compounds can melt or oxidize at elevated
temperatures.
● Critical dimensions can change, causing the lapped seal faces to go out of flat and leak
prematurely (especially fugitive emissions).
● The sealed product can change state and :
❍ Vaporize between the faces opening them.
❍ Crystallize on the moving components, restricting their movement.
❍ Change fluid viscosity restricting the ability of the seal to follow run out.
❍ Solidify, making the seal inoperable.
❍ Build a film on sliding components and the lapped seal faces.
❍ Carbonize or coke restricting the seal movement and opening the lapped faces.
● Corrosion always increases with increasing product temperature.
Some heat problems are not seal design or seal installation related:
● An inefficient heating-cooling jacket.

❍ A layer of calcium or some other similar product has built up on the jacket walls
interfering with the heat transfer.

❍ The coolant is flowing too rapidly through the cooling jacket.
❍ A thermal bushing was not located in the end of the stuffing box.
❍ If steam is being used as the coolant, the pressure is too high. The temperature of steam is
directly related to its temperature.

❍ The fluid is not dead-ended in the stuffing box. There is either suction or discharge
recirculation of the pumping fluid.

● Clearance between the seal outside diameter and the stuffing box bore is not sufficient.
● The shaft material is conducting the product heat to the cartridge static elastomer and other
components. As an example: carbon steel conducts heat much better than a stainless steel shaft.
● The convection tank is not convecting properly.
❍ The convection tank is running backwards.
❍ The dual seal barrier or buffer fluid has been shut off.
❍ The product has a low specific heat and poor conductivity. Oil is a good example of such a
product.
● The outside quench has failed, or an operator has shut off the quenching fluid thinking he has
solved a seal leak.
● The seal faces were over-compressed during the installation process.
❍ A wrong measurement was used.
❍ The mechanic did not read or understand the print dimension.
❍ The pump sleeve moved as the impeller was tightened on the shaft.
❍ The spring compression measurement was taken at the wrong place. The stuffing box face
is the only safe reference point.
The cartridge seal design has a major affect on heat generation and heat sensitivity:
● Unbalanced mechanical seals generate more heat than hydraulically balanced mechanical seals.
● Two hard faces generate more heat than carbon/graphite vs. a hard face.
● Silicon carbide and tungsten carbide dissipate heat faster than 99.5 ceramic or
carbon&endash;graphite.
● The location as well as the grade of the elastomer can be critical in temperature sensitive
applications.
● In dual seal applications, convection systems are not as efficient as pumping rings or forced
circulation of the barrier fluid system. When oil is used as a barrier fluid forced circulation, or the
use of a pumping ring is mandatory.
The above problems are not unique to cartridge seals. There are however, some problems that are unique:
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st020
This is an illustration of a stationary cartridge seal design. It is called a stationary design because the
spring loaded seal face does not rotate with the shaft. It is called a cartridge because the rotating unit is
mounted on a sleeve that is attached to the shaft, outside the stuffing box.
● Pushing the seal gland along the shaft and against the stuffing box face can over compress the seal
because of the friction between the shaft and the cartridge sleeve static elastomer. In dual seal
applications, the inner seal can over compress as the outside seal looses some of its compression.
Be sure to reset the spacing device (usually "clips" of some type) prior to locking the seal to the
shaft.
● Some open impeller pump designs (Duriron as an example) Adjust to the back plate rather than
the volute. Be sure to reset the cartridge after the impeller adjustment.
● Cartridge set screws can slip on a hardened sleeve. The system pressure can then over compress
the seal.
● Higher pressure applications or water hammer can move the set-screws and over compress the
seal faces.
● Be sure to re-tighten the adjusting nuts after making the impeller micrometer adjustment on those
pumps that uses that adjustment method. The Chesterton System #1 pump is a good example of
this design.
● Make sure the centering-positioning clips are in place when installing or resetting the seal for
proper face loading.
Return to index

st017
ST017. DAMAGE OF THE CLOSE FITTING BUSHINGS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE

STUFFING BOX OR IN AN API SEAL GLAND
Please refer to DB in the following illustration:
Rubbing marks at the inside diameter of the disaster bushing (DB)
● Partial rubbing at the inside diameter.

❍ The API (American Petroleum Institute) gland has slipped.
❍ Improper installation. The bushing was not centered to the shaft.
❍ The shaft is bending because the pump is operating off its best efficiency point (BEP).
❍ The gland bolt holes are often not concentric with the shaft/ sleeve.
❍ Misalignment between the pump and its driver.
❍ Excessive pipe strain.
● Rubbing all around the inside diameter.

❍ The shaft is not concentric with the sleeve.
❍ The seal is not concentric with the sleeve.
❍ Bad bearings.
❍ Bent shaft.
❍ Unbalanced impeller or rotating assembly
❍ Cavitation.
❍ Any severe vibration will cause this symptom
❍ Thermal expansion of the shaft or sleeve
Please take a look at the close fitting bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box in the next illustration.
This bushing is called a resrictive or thermal bushing:
Erosion at the inside diameter of the stuffing box bushing
● Dirt and solids are present in the discharge or suction recirculating fluid. The fluid accelerates
through the close fitting bushing in the end of the stuffing box, increasing the rate of erosion. This
can be a big problem if you are using suction re-circulation.
Rubbing on the ends of the restrictive or thermal bushing caused by the bushing rotating in the stuffing
box. A snap ring, sleeve, etc did not positively retain the bushing.
● A differential pressure across the bushing can push the bushing into the rotating portion of a
mechanical seal.

st017
● This is similar to what happens with "back to back" dual seals when the stationary inside face is
pushed into the inside rotating face.
● Please notice that a "snap ring" has been installed inside the stuffing box to hold the stationary
face if a pressure differential should occur.
Return to index

st008
ST008. DAMAGE OF THE CARBON-GRAPHITE FACE:
Chipping on the outside diameter of the carbon. Indicating vibration of some type.
● Slipstick can occur if you are pumping a fluid with poor lubricating qualities.
● Mishandling is a common problem. Look for evidence of drive lug wear to eliminate this as a
possibility. Chipping without drive lug wear is a good indication of mishandling.
● Vaporization of the liquid between the lapped faces causing the faces to rapidly open and then
close as the leaking vapor cools the faces.
● A discharge recirculation line is aimed at the carbon seal face. Each pass of an impeller vane puts
a pulse into the recirculation line.
● The pump is cavitating. Remember there are five types of cavitation.
● Water hammer is an another possibility.
● Running at, or passing through a critical speed will cause vibration problems
Pits in the carbon face. This problem is usually associated with poor grades of carbon/ graphite.
● Exploded carbon. Air trapped in the pores of the carbon expands and expels pieces of the carbon
when the seal faces get hot. Prior to ejection polished patches will be visible, usually with small
cracks visible in the center.
● If the product solidifies between the faces it will tear out pieces of the carbon at start up. This is a
common occurrence with ammonia compressor seals because petroleum oil is mixed with the
ammonia and the oil can coke at the elevated face temperature.
● Most petroleum products will "coke" because of the higher face temperature, and pull out small
pieces of the carbon as the faces rotate. You will see evidence of these small pits if you inspect
the carbon face under a magnifying glass. This is one of the main reasons that carbon/ graphite
seal faces have trouble passing fugitive emission standards in hot petroleum applications.
Chipping at the inside diameter of the carbon
● Solids or a foreign object of some type from outside of the pump is getting under the gland and is
being thrown into the seal faces. This can occur if the seal leaked at some time and the product
solidified on the outboard side of the seal. It can also occur if liquid containing solids is used in
the quench connection of an API (American Petroleum Institute) type gland.
● If the seal was installed outside of the stuffing box, as is the case with non-metallic seals, solid
particles in the fluid can be centrifuged into the rotating carbon face.
● If the stationary face is manufactured from carbon it can be chipped if it comes into contact with
the rotating shaft. This is a common problem at pump start up, or if the pump is operating off of
its best efficiency point (BEP)
● Vertical pumps experience this problem when solids fall between the seal and the shaft.
Phonograph finish on the carbon face.
● A solid product was blown across the seal face. Since one of the faces is rotating the solid particle
follows a circular path until it is expelled out of the inside diameter of the lapped faces. This
happens frequently in boiler feed water applications.
Chemical attack of the carbon.
● You are using the wrong grade of carbon/ graphite. Something in the product or the flush is
attacking the carbon filler. Switch to an unfilled carbon such as Pure grade 658 RC or C.T.I. grade
CNFJ.
● You are trying to seal an oxidizing agent. Oxidizers attack all forms of carbon including the
unfilled type. The carbon combines with the oxygen to form either carbon monoxide or carbon
dioxide.
● You are trying to seal a halogen like chlorine, fluorine , bromine, astintine or iodine.
● Some forms of de-ionized water will pit and corrode carbon faces
Cracked or damaged carbon face.
● The product is solidifying between the faces. Carbons are strong in compression but weak in
tension or shear. This problem is common with intermittent service or standby pumps each time
they start up.
● Excessive vibration can bang the carbon against a metal drive lug.
● A cryogenic fluid is freezing a lubricant that was put on the face.
● The elastomer is swelling up under a carbon face.
● The shaft is hitting the stationary face or the rotating seal face is hitting a stationary object.
● Mishandling.
● Poor packaging. The lapped seal faces should be able to survive a 39" (one meter) drop.
● The fluid, containing solids, is underneath the carbon face. Centrifugal force is throwing solids or
abrasive material into the soft carbon. You see this problem in dual, back to back, rotating seals
and outside mounted non-metallic seals.

st008
A coating or layer of product is forming on the carbon face:
● Look for a change in temperature in the stuffing box. Many products solidify at temperature
extremes, but some solidify or build a film with a minor change in temperature.
● The product is taking a pressure drop across the seal faces and solidifying as it passes through the
lapped faces.
● The fluid you are pumping has been demineralized or deionized. Selective leaching is picking up
one or more missing elements from the piping system and depositing them on the seal face. This
accounts for the copper plating you sometimes see on the carbon face in boiler feed pump
applications.
● The stuffing box is running under a vacuum because the impeller was adjusted backwards and the
impeller "pump out vanes" are pumping out the stuffing box.
● Corrosion resistant materials form a protective oxide coating. This protective oxide is depositing
at the faces. In cast iron pipe hot water systems we experience this problem with magnetite
(Fe3O4) until the system stabilizes.
Coking. The forming of a hard black layer on the seal face. It is difficult to see on carbon, but you might
notice that the carbon nosepiece is getting longer.
● Coking is a problem with all oils, and petroleum products in particular.

● Coking is caused by the combination of high temperature and time. Contrary to popular belief the
presence of air or oxygen is not necessary.
Shiny spots, cracks and raised portions of carbon.
● The carbon does not have enough density, causing the expanding gases trapped beneath the
surface of the carbon to bubble at the face.
Excessive carbon wear in a short period of time. Evidence of excessive heat is usually present.
● Heat checking of the hard face. It shows up as a cracking of the hard face. This is a problem with
coated or plated hard faces. Cobalt base tungsten carbide is a typical example. These cracks will
act as knife blades and shave the carbon face. You often find carbon dust underneath the carbon
face.
● The shaft is moving in an axial direction because of thrust. This can cause an over compression
and heating of the seal faces. Pumps equipped with sleeve bearings are a bigger problem
● The impeller is being adjusted towards the back plate. This is problem with seals installed in
Duriron pumps or any other pump that adjusts the open impeller against the back plate.
● A number of installation problems can cause excessive wear of the carbon face:
❍ The inner face of a "back to back" double seal application is not positively locked in
position. A snap ring must be installed to prevent the inboard stationary face from moving
towards the rotating face when the high-pressure barrier fluid pressure is lost or overcome
by system pressure.
❍ The seal was installed at the wrong dimension. It has too much spring compression
❍ A cartridge double seal was installed by pushing on the gland. Friction, between the shaft
and the sleeve O-ring is compressing the inner seal.

❍ A vertical pump was not vented.
❍ You are using an unbalanced seal in a balanced seal application.
● Solids have penetrated between the lapped faces. Here are some common causes:
❍ The faces are not flat or maybe they never were flat
❍ The movable face is sluggish. It has trouble following shaft run out.
❍ The product is vaporizing between the faces because of either high temperature or low
stuffing box pressure.

● Non lubricants will cause rapid face wear. A non-lubricant is any fluid with a film thickness less
than one micron at its operating load and operating temperature.
The carbon has a concave or convex wear pattern
● High-pressure distortion.
● The gland holding the stationary seal carbon face is not perpendicular to the shaft. It is causing an
uneven loading on the carbon face.
● Some companies lap a concave pattern as standard. Check with your manufacturer.
● The shaft is deflecting because the pump is running off of its best efficiency point (BEP)
The carbon is not flat.
● Mishandling.
● Poor packaging. The seal should be packaged to survive a one-meter (39 inches) drop without seal
component damage.
● The seal was shipped out of flat.
● The seal was rebuilt by a facility that cannot check flatness, or the person responsible for doing it
does not know how.

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● The metal/ carbon composite has not been stress relieved and it is distorting the carbon.
● The carbon was shrunk into a metal holder. It should have been pressed in and sheared to conform
to irregularities in the holder diameter.
● When the carbon was lapped, the lapping plate was too hot and not flat.
● The carbon was lapped at room temperature and the seal is running at cryogenic temperatures.
Solids are imbedded in the carbon.
● The seal faces opened, letting the solids penetrate between the lapped faces.
● Some one used lapping powder to lap the carbon face. The carbon should have been lapped dry,
on ceramic stones.
Return to index

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S006. SEAL DAMAGE
After the seal failure has occurred you will analyze the failed components. You are going to be looking
for several things:
● Evidence of corrosion.
● Wear patterns on those parts that should be rubbing.
● Evidence of rubbing or wear on those components that should not be in contact.
● Discoloration of any of the seal components, especially the metal parts.
● Parts that are missing. Springs, set screws and drive lugs as an example.
● Loose hardware. Either a seal component or a foreign object.
● Product attaching to a rotating component. Carefully inspect the impeller and rotating part of the
seal.
In the following paragraphs we will be inspecting the individual components and looking for evidence of
the above. But before we get into that subject there are a couple of important points that you must keep in
mind as you trouble shoot individual components:
Are you looking at a seal that has been rebuilt? Were the components cleaned before you looked at them?
Troubleshooting a rebuilt seal is a frustrating experience. A trained troubleshooter is looking for
evidence of rubbing, damage and corrosion. If those previous rubbing marks have not been removed
from the rebuilt seal you can be led down a false path.
● A good rebuilding house would :

❍ Clean and polish the seal casing to remove any rub marks. If this was not done you may be
trying to analyze a rub mark indication that happened several applications ago, in a
different pump.
❍ Install a new carbon/ graphite molded face. Machined faces are not acceptable because
they do not have the proper density. If the used face had only been relapped, the length of
the carbon nosepiece will not be an indication of anticipated life in this application.
❍ Replace all the springs. Springs are made from corrosion resistant, austenitic materials that
work harden over a period of time. Being a small cross section material that is under high
stress, they are also sensitive to chemical attack.
❍ Replace the setscrews. They are made from austenitic metal also and should never be re-
used.
❍ Replace all rubber parts (O-rings, rubber boots, etc.)
❍ Solid hard faces can be relapped if there are no significant chips or visible cracks. Plated
hard faces should never be relapped.

● Be sure to identify the seal materials. It is impossible to troubleshoot mystery materials.
❍ If the metal is stainless steel, which grade is it? All stainless steels are not the same. There
is a difference between Hastelloy C and Hastelloy B. Some people call Alloy 20 stainless
steel, but it is a different product.
❍ There are a hundred different grades of carbon graphite used in mechanical seals. Which
grade are you looking at? Is it filled or unfilled?

❍ Viton® is a trade name for E.I.Dupont. There are many grades of this product available.
Some work in water, others do not. Which do you have?

❍ What is the spring material? It should be Hastelloy C, but is that what you have?
DAMAGE OF THE CARBON-GRAPHITE FACE:
Chipping on the outside diameter of the carbon. Indicating vibration of some type.
possibility. Chipping without drive lug wear is a good indication of mishandling.
● Vaporization of the liquid between the lapped faces causing the faces to rapidly open and then
close as the leaking vapor cools the faces.
● A discharge recirculation line is aimed at the carbon seal face. Each pass of an impeller vane puts
a pulse into the recirculation line.
● Water hammer is an another possibility.
● Running at, or passing through a critical speed will cause vibration problems
ammonia and the oil can coke at the elevated face temperature.
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the carbon face under a magnifying glass. This is one of the main reasons that carbon/ graphite
seal faces have trouble passing fugitive emission standards in hot petroleum applications.
Chipping at the inside diameter of the carbon
● Solids or a foreign object of some type from outside of the pump is getting under the gland and is
being thrown into the seal faces. This can occur if the seal leaked at some time and the product
solidified on the outboard side of the seal. It can also occur if liquid containing solids is used in
the quench connection of an API (American Petroleum Institute) type gland.
● If the seal was installed outside of the stuffing box, as is the case with non-metallic seals, solid
its best efficiency point (BEP)
● Vertical pumps experience this problem when solids fall between the seal and the shaft.
● A solid product was blown across the seal face. Since one of the faces is rotating the solid particle
follows a circular path until it is expelled out of the inside diameter of the lapped faces. This
happens frequently in boiler feed water applications.
● You are using the wrong grade of carbon/ graphite. Something in the product or the flush is
attacking the carbon filler. Switch to an unfilled carbon such as Pure grade 658 RC or C.T.I. grade
CNFJ.
dioxide.
● You are trying to seal a halogen like chlorine, fluorine , bromine, astintine or iodine.
● Some forms of de-ionized water will pit and corrode carbon faces
tension or shear. This problem is common with intermittent service or standby pumps each time
they start up.
● The elastomer is swelling up under a carbon face.
● Mishandling.
● The fluid, containing solids, is underneath the carbon face. Centrifugal force is throwing solids or
abrasive material into the soft carbon. You see this problem in dual, back to back, rotating seals
and outside mounted non-metallic seals.
A coating or layer of product is forming on the carbon face:
● Look for a change in temperature in the stuffing box. Many products solidify at temperature
extremes, but some solidify or build a film with a minor change in temperature.
● The product is taking a pressure drop across the seal faces and solidifying as it passes through the
lapped faces.
● The fluid you are pumping has been demineralized or deionized. Selective leaching is picking up
one or more missing elements from the piping system and depositing them on the seal face. This
accounts for the copper plating you sometimes see on the carbon face in boiler feed pump
applications.
impeller "pump out vanes" are pumping out the stuffing box.
● Corrosion resistant materials form a protective oxide coating. This protective oxide is depositing
at the faces. In cast iron pipe hot water systems we experience this problem with magnetite
(Fe3O4) until the system stabilizes.
Coking. The forming of a hard black layer on the seal face. It is difficult to see on carbon, but you might
notice that the carbon nosepiece is getting longer.
● Coking is a problem with all oils, and petroleum products in particular.


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● The carbon does not have enough density, causing the expanding gases trapped beneath the
surface of the carbon to bubble at the face.
coated or plated hard faces. Cobalt base tungsten carbide is a typical example. These cracks will
act as knife blades and shave the carbon face. You often find carbon dust underneath the carbon
face.
and heating of the seal faces. Pumps equipped with sleeve bearings are a bigger problem
● A number of installation problems can cause excessive wear of the carbon face:
❍ The inner face of a "back to back" double seal application is not positively locked in
position. A snap ring must be installed to prevent the inboard stationary face from moving
towards the rotating face when the high-pressure barrier fluid pressure is lost or overcome
by system pressure.
❍ The seal was installed at the wrong dimension. It has too much spring compression
❍ A cartridge double seal was installed by pushing on the gland. Friction, between the shaft
and the sleeve O-ring is compressing the inner seal.

❍ A vertical pump was not vented.
❍ You are using an unbalanced seal in a balanced seal application.
● Solids have penetrated between the lapped faces. Here are some common causes:
❍ The faces are not flat or maybe they never were flat
❍ The movable face is sluggish. It has trouble following shaft run out.
❍ The product is vaporizing between the faces because of either high temperature or low

● Non lubricants will cause rapid face wear. A non-lubricant is any fluid with a film thickness less
than one micron at its operating load and operating temperature.
● High-pressure distortion.
● The gland holding the stationary seal carbon face is not perpendicular to the shaft. It is causing an
uneven loading on the carbon face.
● The shaft is deflecting because the pump is running off of its best efficiency point (BEP)
● Mishandling.
● Poor packaging. The seal should be packaged to survive a one-meter (39 inches) drop without seal
component damage.
● The seal was rebuilt by a facility that cannot check flatness, or the person responsible for doing it
does not know how.
● The carbon was shrunk into a metal holder. It should have been pressed in and sheared to conform
to irregularities in the holder diameter.
● When the carbon was lapped, the lapping plate was too hot and not flat.
Solids are imbedded in the carbon.
● The seal faces opened, letting the solids penetrate between the lapped faces.
● Some one used lapping powder to lap the carbon face. The carbon should have been lapped dry,
on ceramic stones.
DAMAGE OF THE SEAL HARD FACE.
Chemical attack.
● Caustic and other high pH fluids attack some ceramics and silicon carbides. Check to see if your
seal face material contains silica. As an example: both reaction bonded silicon carbide and 85%
ceramic have this high silica content.
Cracked or broken.
● The product is solidifying between the faces. Most hard faces have poor tensile or shear strength.
● Excessive vibration will cause cracking at the drive lug location.
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● The elastomer is swelling up under an outside seal face. This problem can also occur if the seal
design allows a spring to contact the inside diameter of the hard face. You see this design problem
in most dual, "back to back", rotating seal designs
● The shaft is hitting the stationary face or the rotating seal face is hitting a stationary object. This is
a good reason for converting your pump to an oversized stuffing box.
● Mishandling.
● Poor packaging.
Heat check (common with coated or plated faces)
● Heat check or cracking of the hard face is caused by a high heat differential across the face. Most
hard coatings have only one-third the expansion rate of the stainless steel base material.
Hard coating coming off the face.
● The base material not compatible with the sealed product. These coating are very porous so if the
product attacks the base material the coating will come off in sheets.
● The plating process was not applied correctly.
● High heat can cause a problem with the differential expansion rate between the coating and the
base material.
Let's analyze the wear track on the hard face. We will be looking for:
Deep grooves or excessive wear caused by.
● Solids imbedded in the carbon are causing the problem.

❍ The seal faces opened letting the solids penetrate between the lapped faces. The carbon is
softer than the hard face so the solids penetrate into the carbon.
❍ Someone used lapping powder to lap the carbon face and the lapping powder is imbedded
into the carbon. The carbon should have been lapped dry, on ceramic stones.
The wear track is wider than the carbon. The shaft is having run-out problems
● Worn bearings.
● A bent shaft.
● An unbalanced impeller.
● The sleeve not concentric with the shaft.
● The seal not concentric with the sleeve.
● You are using a pump seal in a motion seal application.
● In a stationary seal design, the stationary carbon is often not centered to the shaft causing a wiping
action.
The graphite wear track is narrower than the carbon.
● The soft face (carbon) was distorted by pressure.

● The hard face was over tightened against an uneven surface. It is now either concave or convex.
● The hard face clamping forces are not "equal and opposite". You probably have two different
width gaskets on either side of a clamped hard face.
● The face never was flat or it was damaged during shipment.
Non-concentric pattern. The wear track is not in the center of the hard face.
● The shaft is bending because the pump is running off of its best efficiency point.
● Pipe strain.
● Temperature growth is distorting the stuffing box.
● The stationary face is not centered to the shaft.
Uneven face wear. The hard face is distorted:
● High pressure.
● Excessive temperature.
● Over tightening of the stationary face against the stuffing box.
● The clamping forces are not equal and opposite.
● The hard face is not wide enough. It needs more mass to resist the clamping forces.
● You are using a two-bolt gland, and the gland is too thin causing it to distort the stationay face.
The product is sticking to the seal face. The product is changing state and becoming a solid. Most
products solidify for the following reasons:
● A change in temperature.
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● A change in pressure.
● Dilatants will solidify with agitation. As an example: cream becomes butter.
● Some products solidify when two or more chemicals are mixed together. Like epoxy glue.
The hard face is not flat.
● Mishandling. Parts get dropped and the worker is afraid to tell the boss. He put the part back in
inventory without telling any one what happened.
● Poor packaging.
● The hard face has been installed backwards and you are running on a non-lapped surface.
● It was shipped "out of flat."
DAMAGE OF THE ELASTOMER.
Compression set. The elastomer has changed shape. It started off round, but now the O-ring is almost
square.
● High heat is almost always the cause unless you are dealing with Kalrez® , Chemraz, or a similar
Perfluroelastomer where a certain amount of compression set is normal because these materials
are not true elastomers.
Shrinking, hardening or cracking.
● High heat is the main cause of this one. First you get the compression set and then comes the
hardening, cracking etc.
● The shelf life was exceeded. This is a big problem with "buna N" that has a shelf life of only
twelve months.
● Cryogenics will freeze just about any elastomer.
● Chemical attack normally causes swelling, but in rare cases can harden an elastomer.
● Oxidizing liquids can attack the carbon that is used to color most elastomers black.
Torn nibbled, or extruded.
● Mishandling.
● Sliding over a rough surface.
● The O-ring is being forced out of the O-ring groove by high pressure. The elastomer will then
extrude into sliding components of the seal. The solution to this extrusion problem is to go to a
back up ring.
● The liquid has penetrated the elastomer, vaporized inside and blowing out pieces. This can happen
with ethylene oxide.
● Halogenated fluids can penetrate the Teflon® coating on an elastomer and cause the base material
to swell up, splitting the Teflon® jacket or coating. The new perfluroelastomers have made
dynamic, jacketed and coated O-rings obsolete.
Swelling, changing color, weight or size. This is almost always caused by chemical attack.
● Be careful of the lubricant used to install the elastomer. A petroleum product such as grease or oil
can attack ethylene propylene rubber.
● Solvents or cleaners used in the system may not be compatible with the elastomer.
● Some compounds are sensitive to steam. Most grades of Viton® are a good example of this
problem.
● The elastomer is not compatible with something in the fluid you are sealing.
Torn rubber bellows.
● The bellows did not vulcanize to the shaft because you used the wrong lubricant during
installation. The proper lubricant would attack the bellows and cause it to swell up so that it
would stick to the shaft.
● If the shaft is too smooth the rubber bellows will not stick. The shaft finish should be no better
than 40 rms.
● The shelf life of the rubber material was exceeded.
● The seal faces stuck together and the shaft spun inside the bellows.
● The pump discharge recirculation line was aimed at the rubber bellows. Solids entrained in the
high velocity liquid are abrading the bellows material.
DAMAGE OF THE METAL CASE OR BODY OF THE SEAL.
Corrosion is the main problem. Here are some types of corrosion we find with stainless steel
components. You will find details about these different corrosions in the alphabetical section of this book
● General or overall. This is the easiest to see and predict. The metal has a "sponge like"
appearance. Overall corrosion always increases with an increase in temperature.
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● Concentrated cell or crevice corrosion. Caused by a difference in concentration of ions, or oxygen

in stagnant areas causing an electric current to flow. Common around gaskets, set screws, threads,
and small crevices.
● Pitting corrosion. Found in other than stagnant areas. Extremely localized. Chlorides are a
common cause. Can be recognized by pits and holes in the metal.
● Stress corrosion cracking. Threshold values are not known. A combination of chloride, tensile
stress, and heat are necessary. Chloride stress corrosion is a serious problem with the 300 series of
stainless steels used in industry. This is the reason you should never use stainless steel springs or
stainless metal bellows in mechanical seals.
● Inter granular corrosion. Forms at the grain boundaries. Occurs in stainless steel at 800-1600 F.
(412-825 C.), unless the part has been stress relieved. A common problem with welded pieces.
Stabilizers such as columbium are added to the stainless steel to prevent this. Rapid cooling of the
welds, the use of 316L and stress relieving after the welding are the common solutions.
● Galvanic corrosion. Occurs with dissimilar materials in physical contact, in a liquid and connected
by an electrical current. Common in brine, caustic, and salt water applications.
● Erosion / Corrosion. An accelerated attack caused by a combination of corrosion and mechanical
wear. Vaporization, liquid turbulence, vane passing syndrome, and suction recirculation are
special cases often called cavitation. Solids in the liquid and high velocity increase the problem.
● Selective leaching. Involves the removal of one or more elements from an alloy. Common with
demineralized or deionized water applications.
● Microorganisms, that will attack the carbon in active stainless steel.
Rubbing all around the metal body.
● A gasket or fitting is protruding into the stuffing box and rubbing against the seal.
● The pump discharge recirculation line is aimed at the seal body.
● The shaft is bending due to the pump operating off of its best efficiency point.
● Pipe strain.
● A bolted on stuffing box has slipped and the stuffing box inside diameter is contacting the rotating
seal outside diameter.
● Thermal growth of the pump wet end.
Partial rubbing on the metal body.
● Bent shaft.
● An unbalanced impeller or rotating assembly.
● Excessively worn or damaged by corrosion or solids in the product.
❍ The product has attached its self to the impeller.
❍ The impeller never was balanced.
❍ The impeller was trimmed, and not re balanced.
● The seal is not concentric with the shaft, and is hitting the stuffing box I.D.
Discoloration. Caused by high heat. Stainless steel changes color at various temperatures. The following
graph will give you some guidelines:

700-800 Straw Yellow 370-425
900-1000 Brown 480-540
1100 Blue 600
1200 Black 650
NOTE: To tell the difference between discoloration of the metal caused by high heat, and product
attaching to the metal part, try to erase the color with a common pencil eraser. Discoloration caused by
high heat will not erase off.
Some of the product is sticking to the metal surfaces restricting their movement.
● Heat is the main cause. Heat will cause products to :

❍ Solidify
❍ Coke
❍ Build a film.
❍ Become very viscous
● The product pressure has dropped. Many fluids solidify with a drop in pressure. Paint is a good
example of this. The paint solidifies when the solvents evaporate.
● Air or oxygen is getting into the system. It can enter from:

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❍ Valves above the water line.

❍ Through the stuffing box.
❍ The product was not deaerated.
❍ The pump suction is not completely submerged.
❍ The bypass return is too close to the pump suction.
❍ The liquid is vortexing in the suction line.
❍ A non O-ring elastomer is being used in the seal allowing air to enter the stuffing box
when you are sealing a vacuum application.

● The system protective oxide coating is depositing on the sliding metal components and restricting
their movement. In almost all cases this passivated material is a ceramic. A good example of this
ceramic coating is the Magnetite that forms on carbon steel.
The Teflon® coating is coming off some of the metal parts.
● Be sure to remember that these coatings are very porous. They do not provide corrosion
resistance. The product you are sealing will penetrate the Teflon® coating and then proceed to
attack the base metal. If you want corrosion resistance you are going to have to sleeve the material
with a layer of Teflon® at least 0.060 inches (1.5 mm) thick
● A Teflon® coating is put on mechanical seal components for a couple of reasons
● To stop solids or films from sticking to the seal component and interfering with the movement of
the seal.
● To provide a smoother surface for the dynamic elastomer (O-ring) to flex and roll.
● To prevent an elastomer from attaching its self to the shaft during shut down periods. Without the
Teflon® the elastomer can settle into the metal surface irregularities causing a high "break away
torque".
DAMAGE OF DRIVE LUGS, PINS, SLOTS, etc.
Broken parts.
● Chemical attack is a common cause.

● Excessive side load or high torque.
❍ The seal faces are glued together because the product has solidified for some reason.
❍ A cryogenic fluid is sticking the faces together.
Wear on one side of the drive lug or slot.
● Vibration.
● Slipstick.
● The stationary is not perpendicular to the shaft.
The drive pins are falling out of the holder.
● Corrosion.
● Improper fit.
● Bad part.
DAMAGE TO THE SPRINGS.
Broken or cracked.
● The stationary face is not perpendicular to the shaft causing excessive spring flexing in the metal
"plastic range". The spring material has "work hardened" and fatigued.
● Chloride stress corrosion problems with 300 series stainless steel spring material.
Corroded.
● Stressed material corrodes much faster than unstressed material. The springs are under severe
stress.
Clogged.
● If the product solidifies or crystallizes, it can clog springs exposed to the pumped fluid.
● Be sure to distinguish between "cause and effect". If the springs are located outside the liquid it
means that the clogging probably happened after the seal failure.
● Dirt or solids in the fluid can clog exposed springs. Most raw product has enough solids to do this.
● The springs in some outside and cartridge mechanical seal designs are sometimes painted by
maintenance personnel.
Twisted.

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● Almost always an assembly problem. The seal face drive lugs were not engaged in their anti-
rotation slots. This is a problem with many seal designs. Check to see if your seals can come apart
easily or if the drive lugs can change position when the seal is not compressed.
The drive lugs or slots are worn on both sides.
● The single spring, rubber bellows seal was not vulcanized to the shaft.
● The stationary is not perpendicular to the shaft, causing excessive spring and lug movement in
some designs.
Broken metal bellows.
● Fatigue caused by over flexing of the bellows in the plastic range of the metal
● Harmonic vibration.
● Slipstick.
● The discharge recirculation line is aimed at the thin bellows plates.
● Excessive wear from solids in the stuffing box.
● Faces sticking together as the product solidifies.
● Chloride stress corrosion with 300 series stainless steel.
Because some of these metal bellows seals do not have a dynamic elastomer to provide vibration
damping, some other means must be provided, or vibration will always be a problem.
DAMAGE OF THE SLEEVE OR SHAFT.
Grooves or pits at the seal dynamic elastomer location.
● Fretting.
● Concentrated cell corrosion.
● The rubber bellows did not vulcanize to the shaft/ sleeve.
● The set-screws slipped on a hardened shaft or were not tightened properly. The seal faces stuck
together causing the shaft to rotate inside the static elastomer.
● Salt-water applications are particularly troublesome when a static elastomer or clamp is attached
to the shaft. Pitting caused by the chlorides and the low pH of salt water are the main problems.
Rubbing at the wear ring location.
● The pump is running off of its best efficiency point (BEP)

● The shaft is bending.
● Bad bearings.
● Excessive temperature causing a thermal growth.
● High temperature applications require a "center line pump design.
● Sleeve is not concentric with the shaft, or the seal with the sleeve.
● Bent shaft.
● Unbalanced impeller or rotating assembly.
● Pipe strain.
● Misalignment between the pump and its driver
Corrosion.
● See above description under metal corrosion
DAMAGE OF THE SET SCREWS.
● Stripped from over tightening.

● Corroded. Check to see if you are using hardened set-screws. This type is normally supplied with
most cartridge seals and can corrode easily.
● Rounded Allen Head. Alan wrenches wear rapidly. They are an expendable tool.
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● The set screws have become loose.

❍ Sleeve too hard. They are not biting in.
❍ Sleeve too soft. They are vibrating loose.
DAMAGE OF THE GLAND.
Rubbing at the inside diameter of the gland
● Partial rubbing on only one side.

❍ The gland has slipped and is no longer centered over the shaft.
❍ Improper installation. It was not centered over the shaft.
❍ The shaft is bending.
❍ Pipe strain.
❍ The pump is operating off of its best efficiency point (BEP)
❍ Misalignment between the pump and the driver.
● Rubbing all around the inside diameter of the gland

❍ The sleeve is not concentric with the shaft.
❍ Bad bearings will cause the shaft to move in all sorts of directions.
❍ A bent shaft.
❍ Unbalanced impeller or rotating assembly.
❍ Solids attached to the shaft, or trapped between the shaft and the gland.
❍ Cavitation.
❍ Water hammer
Corrosion.
● If there is evidence of rubbing the corrosion will be accelerated.
Gland passages clogged or not connected properly.
Please look at this API (American Petroleum Institute) gland. You can see some potential problems:
● The Flush and quench connections (F&Q) can be mixed up and the lines reversed
● The Flushing connection can be clogged or the pipefitting could be blocking the passage.
● The Quench connection could be clogged also
DAMAGE OF THE CLOSE FITTING BUSHINGS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE STUFFING BOX
OR IN AN API SEAL GLAND
Please refer to DB in the above illustration
Rubbing marks at the inside diameter of the seal gland
● Partial rubbing at the inside diameter.

❍ The API (American Petroleum Institute) gland has slipped.
❍ Improper installation. The bushing was not centered to the shaft.
❍ The shaft is bending because the pump is operating off its best efficiency point (BEP).
❍ The gland bolt holes are often not concentric with the shaft/ sleeve.
❍ Excessive pipe strain.
● Rubbing all around the inside diameter.

❍ The shaft is not concentric with the sleeve.
❍ Bad bearings.
❍ Bent shaft.
❍ Unbalanced impeller or rotating assembly

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❍ Cavitation.
❍ Any severe vibration will cause this symptom
❍ Thermal expansion of the shaft or sleeve
Erosion at the inside diameter of the stuffing box bushing
● Dirt and solids are present in the discharge or suction recirculating fluid. The fluid accelerates
through the close fitting bushing in the end of the stuffing box, increasing the rate of erosion. This
can be a big problem if you are using suction re-circulation.
Rubbing on the ends of the restrictive or thermal bushing caused by the bushing rotating in the stuffing
box. A snap ring, sleeve, etc did not positively retain the bushing.
● A differential pressure across the bushing can push the bushing into the rotating portion of a
mechanical seal.
● This is similar to what happens with "back to back" dual seals when the stationary inside face is
pushed into the inside rotating face.
Please notice that a "snap ring" has been installed inside the stuffing box to hold the stationary face if a
pressure differential should occur.
Return to index

s007
S007. SEAL DAMAGE, THE CAUSES & CURES
Damage is almost always visible. It will show up as corrosion or some type of physical damage. Too
much shaft radial movement, whip, wobble or run out is a common cause of a rotating seal component
hitting a stationary part of the pump or a rotating shaft hitting a stationary seal component. When a
rotating component hits a stationary component you will see evidence of rubbing or damage on both
parts.
Here are some of the reasons that shafts are displaced radially from the center of the stuffing box:
● There are at least five types of cavitation. Cavitation means random and excessive radial and axial
movement.
● Operating off the pump's best efficiency point (BEP) causes shaft deflection at 60° and 240°, as
measured from the pump cutwater in the direction of shaft rotation.
● Non-lubricants can cause "slip stick" vibration problems.
● Harmonic vibration occurs when the seal is vibrating in harmony with another piece of
equipment. Look for this problem with the seals in standby pumps. You will see lug wear and
carbon chipping on the outside diameter of the carbon face.
● Hitting a critical speed. This happens with variable frequency motors and pumps designed with
flexible shafts.
● The pump pedestal does not have enough mass to support the pump and its driver.
● The pump pedestal is not wide enough
● Pipe strain.
● The sleeve is not concentric with the shaft.
● A bolted on stuffing box can slip if there is excessive vibration.
● Water hammer.
● Thermal growth.
High stuffing box temperature can be another cause of component damage.
● The elastomer will take a compression set and harden as the heat increases.
● You can crack some ceramic seal faces, especially the 85 grade.
● Coated hard faces can heat check as the dissimilar materials expand at two different expansion
rates.
● Carbon can loosens in its metal holder
● Coke formation between the lapped faces pulls out pieces of carbon. Look for this problem in hot
oil applications.
● Fillers and binders can melt in some carbon compounds.
● Air trapped beneath the surface of the carbon can expand and blow out pieces of the carbon
leaving pits in the seal face.
Cryogenic or low temperature can also cause damage to a component.
● Elastomers will harden at low temperature.

● Faces will go out of flat if they were not lapped at cryogenic temperature.
● Low temperature can freeze moisture outboard and under the seal, restricting the seal's axial
movement.
● A special carbon is needed at cryogenic temperatures because graphite will not release from the
carbon/graphite mixture.
Damage can be caused by high stuffing box pressure.
● It can cause excessive face loading that will raise the temperature between the faces.
● It can distort the lapped faces within the elastic range of the material causing the lapped faces to
go out of flat while the stuffing box is pressurized.
● It can extrude the dynamic or static elastomers causing the seal face to hang up, or create a new
leak path.
Other causes of seal damage.
● A discharge recirculation line aimed at a metal bellows can cut the thin metal plates.
● The wrong choice of seal materials will cause corrosion problems.
● Hastelloy C springs are needed to prevent chloride stress corrosion problems associated with the
300 series of stainless steel.
● AM 350 bellows metal is proving to be inferior for long seal life in high temperature petroleum
products.
● All of the seal components must be chemically compatible with what you are sealing as well as
any cleaners or solvents in the lines.

s007
● The wrong lubricant on the O-ring can cause it to swell up and seize the shaft.
● Damage can occur if the sealing fluid is at the inside diameter of the seal face. This happens with
non-metallic, outside mounted seals, and the inner seal of rotating, back to back dual seal designs.
● The internal pressure will cause the materials to go into tensile stress. Most seal faces are strong
in compression, but weak in tension.
● Solids will be thrown into the faces causing abrasive wear. This is a common failure in back to
back rotating dual seal designs.
● Solids pile up in front of the movable face restricting its movement.
A few things seal manufacturers can do to reduce seal component damage and prevent face opening:
● Hydraulically balance the seal faces to stop the generation of unwanted heat.
● Use low friction face combinations.
● Try to select universal materials. There is no need for the numerous types of carbons we find used
in the sealing industry.
● Design in two-way balance if there is a chance of the pressure reversal we find common in dual
seal applications.
● Locate the springs out of the fluid to prevent them from clogging.
● Keep the fluid at the seal outside diameter to take advantage of centrifugal force centrifuging the
solids trapped in the fluid.
● Design the dynamic elastomer to move to a clean surface.
● Install environmental controls to prevent the product from changing state to a solid or gas.
● Utilize stationary or self-aligning designs to lessen the affect of pipe strain and pump driver
misalignment.
● Use cartridge mounted seal designs to compensate for thermal growth and impeller adjustment.
● Use finite element analysis design techniques to lessen the affects of pressure and temperature
distortion on the lapped faces.
● Use suction recirculation as the standard method of providing stuffing box cooling. Be aware of
the few instances where discharge recirculation could be a better choice:
● Durco pump designs that adjust the open impeller to the back plate.
● When the entrained solids have a higher specific gravity than the fluid. (they float).
● Double ended pump designs where the stuffing box is at suction pressure.
● If the pumping fluid is close to its vapor point. Lowering the stuffing box pressure could cause the
fluid to flash in the stuffing box.
● The seal manufacturer can supply a steam quenching connection in the gland to prevent the
formation of ice outboard the seal.
Return to index

Ceramic
C029. CERAMIC
A hard, chemically inert oxide that is often used as a mechanical seal face material.
The newer ceramics include products refered to as silicon carbide. Many ceramics are poor conductors of
heat but the silicon carbides do not have his problem.
The common ceramics we find in the sealing industry include:
● 85.0 Meaning 85% aluminum oxide with the balance mainly silica.
● 99.5. Meaning 99.5% aluminum oxide with no silica. A small amount of cesium is added to
control the grain size and improve the firing characteristics.
● Reaction bonded. Also called silicon carbide. It contains 15% to 18% silica that can be attacked
by high pH fluids.
● Alpha sintered. Also called silicon carbide, but contains no silica.
Return to index

Back to back double seal
B004. BACK TO BACK DOUBLE SEAL
In this dual seal application the rotating seal faces are

facing in opposite directions with a barrier fluid
circulating between them.
Compared to other methods of installing seals this is the

worst possible configuration.
The other dual seal configurations are:
● Face to face
● Tandem
● Concentric
Why do I say that "back to back" rotating dual seals are the worst possible configuration? Here are some
of my reasons:
in O-ring grooves, as shown in the illustration. They should not be spring loaded. The
Durametallic CRO seal is typical of that spring loaded configuration.
● This seal is known as the "double fretter" in the sealing industry. It will groove the shaft in two
places just beneath the O-rings. See: shaft fretting.
● This seal is often specified for slurry applications. Centrifugal force will throw the slurry into the
inner faces causing excessive carbon wear. The slurry will then pack in front of the moveable face
growth, most impeller adjustments and shaft end play.
Return to index

Face to Face Dual Seal Designs
F006. FACE TO FACE DUAL SEAL DESIGNS
In this design the seals are facing each other, with a low pressure buffer fluid circulating between them.
Unlike tandem seal designs, it has the advantage of being a dual seal with a single gland.
Some seal companies run the dual seals against a common stationary face. This is generally not a good
idea because the stationary face can break and you will lose both seals.
Return to index

Concentric Dual Seal
C052. CONCENTRIC DUAL SEAL
● One seal is located inside the other with a common hard face shared by both of them.
● Buffer or barrier fluid is introduced through port "A" in the seal gland.
● Because of its large radial space requirement the seal is usually limited to mixer type applications.
Return to index

s032
S032. SELF ALIGNING SEAL FACES
We would like to have both the rotating and stationary seal faces square to, or perpendicular to the
rotating shaft, but that is almost impossible:
● If we set screw one of the seal parts to the shaft it will "tilt" as the setscrew tightens.
● If the stationary face is positioned in a gland that is tightened against the face of the stuffing box it
will cock because the stuffing box face is not square to the shaft.
● If you insured squareness of both faces by using a dial indicator and taking the time to do it
correctly, they will still tilt when the pump comes up to temperature because of thermal
expansion, pipe strain, etc.
In the following illustrations I will show a rotating face on a cartridge sleeve to explain the problem and
show some possible solutions. If we look at the detail of the rotating face on the cocked sleeve we will
see:
movement of the stationary, spring-loaded face:
● The first is the API (American Petroleum Institute) method. They recommend a tolerance of
0.001" to 0.003" on the diameter between the pump shaft and the seal sleeve to prevent the sleeve
from cocking when the setscrews are tightened. The metric numbers are 0.025 to 0.075 on the
diameter.
This line drawing describes the second method.
A design where both the stationary and rotating faces are

spring loaded. In this design you are running a rotating seal
against a stationary seal.
This sketch describes the third method that uses a double O-ring
for keeping the rotating face perpendicular or square to the shaft
The fourth method is shown in the next drawing. It describes a three point contact similar to what you
would find on a three jaw chuck used on a lathe or drill press. This arrangement is called a "cloverleaf"
design by one of the major seal manufacturers.
● Three setscrews positioned at 120 degrees apart deform the sleeve to the shaft outside diameter to
insure squareness of the rotating face.
● An additional three setscrews go through the sleeve and lock the sleeve to the shaft. These
setscrews are positioned 120 degrees apart and are located between the setscrews that are
centering the sleeve to the shaft.
question becomes which of any of them is the best? Lets look at them individually:

s032
The A.P.I. (American Petroleum Institute) version:
● The tight tolerances required to get the "slip fit" are expensive.
● Close fitting shaft sleeves are difficult to remove. The necessary heating and banging will almost
guarantee a bearing replacement along with the new seal.
Spring loading both faces:
● Centrifugal force is working for you. The greater the centrifugal force, the stiffer or more stable
the system.
● Building two spring-loaded faces is expensive. You are actually running a stationary seal against a
rotating seal
The double O-ring system:
The three point contact method:

seal face.
If a seal salesman approaches you with some other method to insure squareness, have him attach his
design to a rotatable shaft and measure the rotating face squareness with a dial indicator. It will either be
square or it will not, you can tell quickly.
Return to index

st012
ST012. DAMAGE OF DRIVE LUGS, PINS, SLOTS, etc.
Broken parts.
● Chemical attack is a common cause.

● Excessive side load or high torque.
❍ The seal faces are glued together because the product has solidified for some reason.
❍ A cryogenic fluid is sticking the faces together.
● Vibration.
● Slipstick.
● Corrosion.
● Improper fit.
● Bad part.
Return to index
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/troubleshooting/seal-trbleshooting-html/st012.htm [7/21/03 11:29:38 AM]

st010
ST010. DAMAGE OF THE ELASTOMER.
Compression set. The elastomer has changed shape. It started off round, but now the O-ring is almost
square.
● High heat is almost always the cause unless you are dealing with Kalrez® , Chemraz, or a similar
Perfluroelastomer where a certain amount of compression set is normal because these materials
are not true elastomers.
● High heat is the main cause of this one. First you get the compression set and then comes the
hardening, cracking etc.
● The shelf life was exceeded. This is a big problem with "buna N" that has a shelf life of only
twelve months.
● Mishandling.
● The O-ring is being forced out of the O-ring groove by high pressure. The elastomer will then
extrude into sliding components of the seal. The solution to this extrusion problem is to go to a
back up ring.
● The liquid has penetrated the elastomer, vaporized inside and blowing out pieces. This can happen
with ethylene oxide.
● Halogenated fluids can penetrate the Teflon® coating on an elastomer and cause the base material
to swell up, splitting the Teflon® jacket or coating. The new perfluroelastomers have made
dynamic, jacketed and coated O-rings obsolete.
Swelling, changing color, weight or size. This is almost always caused by chemical attack.
● Be careful of the lubricant used to install the elastomer. A petroleum product such as grease or oil
can attack ethylene propylene rubber.
● Some compounds are sensitive to steam. Most grades of Viton® are a good example of this
problem.
● The bellows did not vulcanize to the shaft because you used the wrong lubricant during
installation. The proper lubricant would attack the bellows and cause it to swell up so that it
would stick to the shaft.
● If the shaft is too smooth the rubber bellows will not stick. The shaft finish should be no better
than 40 rms.
● The shelf life of the rubber material was exceeded.
high velocity liquid are abrading the bellows material.
Return to index

st009
ST009. DAMAGE OF THE SEAL HARD FACE.
Chemical attack.
● Caustic and other high pH fluids attack some ceramics and silicon carbides. Check to see if your
seal face material contains silica. As an example: both reaction bonded silicon carbide and 85%
ceramic have this high silica content.
Cracked or broken.
● Excessive vibration will cause cracking at the drive lug location.
design allows a spring to contact the inside diameter of the hard face. You see this design problem
in most dual, "back to back", rotating seal designs
● The shaft is hitting the stationary face or the rotating seal face is hitting a stationary object. This is
a good reason for converting your pump to an oversized stuffing box.
● Mishandling.
● Poor packaging.
Heat check (common with coated or plated faces)
● Heat check or cracking of the hard face is caused by a high heat differential across the face. Most
hard coatings have only one-third the expansion rate of the stainless steel base material.
Hard coating coming off the face.
● High heat can cause a problem with the differential expansion rate between the coating and the
base material.
Let's analyze the wear track on the hard face. We will be looking for:
Deep grooves or excessive wear caused by.
● Solids imbedded in the carbon are causing the problem.

❍ The seal faces opened letting the solids penetrate between the lapped faces. The carbon is
softer than the hard face so the solids penetrate into the carbon.
❍ Someone used lapping powder to lap the carbon face and the lapping powder is imbedded
into the carbon. The carbon should have been lapped dry, on ceramic stones.
The wear track is wider than the carbon. The shaft is having run-out problems
● Worn bearings.
● A bent shaft.
● An unbalanced impeller.
● The sleeve not concentric with the shaft.
● The seal not concentric with the sleeve.
● In a stationary seal design, the stationary carbon is often not centered to the shaft causing a wiping
action.
The graphite wear track is narrower than the carbon.

● The hard face was over tightened against an uneven surface. It is now either concave or convex.
● The hard face clamping forces are not "equal and opposite". You probably have two different
width gaskets on either side of a clamped hard face.
● The face never was flat or it was damaged during shipment.
Non-concentric pattern. The wear track is not in the center of the hard face.
● Pipe strain.

st009
● High pressure.
● The hard face is not wide enough. It needs more mass to resist the clamping forces.
● You are using a two-bolt gland, and the gland is too thin causing it to distort the stationay face.
● Some products solidify when two or more chemicals are mixed together. Like epoxy glue.
● Mishandling. Parts get dropped and the worker is afraid to tell the boss. He put the part back in
inventory without telling any one what happened.
● Poor packaging.
● The hard face has been installed backwards and you are running on a non-lapped surface.
● It was shipped "out of flat."
Return to index

st011
ST011. DAMAGE OF THE METAL CASE OR BODY OF THE SEAL.
Corrosion is the main problem. Here are some types of corrosion we find with stainless steel
components. You will find details about these different corrosions in the alphabetical section of this book
appearance. Overall corrosion always increases with an increase in temperature.
and small crevices.
(412-825 C.), unless the part has been stress relieved. A common problem with welded pieces.
● Galvanic corrosion. Occurs with dissimilar materials in physical contact, in a liquid and connected
by an electrical current. Common in brine, caustic, and salt water applications.
demineralized or deionized water applications.
● Microorganisms, that will attack the carbon in active stainless steel.
Rubbing all around the metal body.
● Pipe strain.
● A bolted on stuffing box has slipped and the stuffing box inside diameter is contacting the rotating
seal outside diameter.
● Thermal growth of the pump wet end.
Partial rubbing on the metal body.
● Bent shaft.
❍ The product has attached its self to the impeller.
❍ The impeller was trimmed, and not re balanced.
● The seal is not concentric with the shaft, and is hitting the stuffing box I.D.
Discoloration. Caused by high heat. Stainless steel changes color at various temperatures. The following
graph will give you some guidelines:

700-800 Straw Yellow 370-425
900-1000 Brown 480-540
1100 Blue 600
1200 Black 650
NOTE: To tell the difference between discoloration of the metal caused by high heat, and product
attaching to the metal part, try to erase the color with a common pencil eraser. Discoloration caused by
high heat will not erase off.
Some of the product is sticking to the metal surfaces restricting their movement.
● Heat is the main cause. Heat will cause products to :

❍ Solidify
❍ Coke
❍ Build a film.
❍ Become very viscous
● The product pressure has dropped. Many fluids solidify with a drop in pressure. Paint is a good
st011
example of this. The paint solidifies when the solvents evaporate.

● Air or oxygen is getting into the system. It can enter from:
❍ Valves above the water line.
❍ Through the stuffing box.
❍ The product was not deaerated.
❍ The pump suction is not completely submerged.
❍ The bypass return is too close to the pump suction.
❍ The liquid is vortexing in the suction line.
❍ A non O-ring elastomer is being used in the seal allowing air to enter the stuffing box
when you are sealing a vacuum application.

● The system protective oxide coating is depositing on the sliding metal components and restricting
their movement. In almost all cases this passivated material is a ceramic. A good example of this
ceramic coating is the Magnetite that forms on carbon steel.
The Teflon® coating is coming off some of the metal parts.
● Be sure to remember that these coatings are very porous. They do not provide corrosion
resistance. The product you are sealing will penetrate the Teflon® coating and then proceed to
attack the base metal. If you want corrosion resistance you are going to have to sleeve the material
with a layer of Teflon® at least 0.060 inches (1.5 mm) thick
● A Teflon® coating is put on mechanical seal components for a couple of reasons
● To stop solids or films from sticking to the seal component and interfering with the movement of
the seal.
● To provide a smoother surface for the dynamic elastomer (O-ring) to flex and roll.
● To prevent an elastomer from attaching its self to the shaft during shut down periods. Without the
Teflon® the elastomer can settle into the metal surface irregularities causing a high "break away
torque".
Return to index

st014
ST014. DAMAGE OF THE SLEEVE OR SHAFT.
● Fretting.
● The set-screws slipped on a hardened shaft or were not tightened properly. The seal faces stuck
● Salt-water applications are particularly troublesome when a static elastomer or clamp is attached
to the shaft. Pitting caused by the chlorides and the low pH of salt water are the main problems.
● The pump is running off of its best efficiency point (BEP)

● Bad bearings.
● Excessive temperature causing a thermal growth.
● High temperature applications require a "center line pump design.
● Bent shaft.
● Pipe strain.
Corrosion.
● See: Stainles steel corrosion, C061
Return to index

st013
ST013. DAMAGE TO THE SPRINGS.
Broken or cracked.
● Chloride stress corrosion problems with 300 series stainless steel spring material.
Corroded.
● Stressed material corrodes much faster than unstressed material. The springs are under severe
stress.
Clogged.
● If the product solidifies or crystallizes, it can clog springs exposed to the pumped fluid.
● Be sure to distinguish between "cause and effect". If the springs are located outside the liquid it
means that the clogging probably happened after the seal failure.
● Dirt or solids in the fluid can clog exposed springs. Most raw product has enough solids to do this.
● The springs in some outside and cartridge mechanical seal designs are sometimes painted by
maintenance personnel.
Twisted.
● Almost always an assembly problem. The seal face drive lugs were not engaged in their anti-
rotation slots. This is a problem with many seal designs. Check to see if your seals can come apart
easily or if the drive lugs can change position when the seal is not compressed.
● The single spring, rubber bellows seal was not vulcanized to the shaft.
● The stationary is not perpendicular to the shaft, causing excessive spring and lug movement in
some designs.
Broken metal bellows.
● Fatigue caused by over flexing of the bellows in the plastic range of the metal
● Harmonic vibration.
● Slipstick.
Because some of these metal bellows seals do not have a dynamic elastomer to provide vibration
damping, some other means must be provided, or vibration will always be a problem.
Return to index

st015
ST015. DAMAGE OF THE SET SCREWS.

● Corroded. Check to see if you are using hardened set-screws. This type is normally supplied with
● The set screws have become loose.
● Sleeve too soft. They set screws are vibrating loose.
Return to index

st016
ST016. DAMAGE OF THE GLAND.
Rubbing at the inside diameter of the gland
● Partial rubbing on only one side.

❍ The gland has slipped and is no longer centered over the shaft.
❍ Improper installation. It was not centered over the shaft.
❍ The shaft is bending.
❍ Pipe strain.
❍ The pump is operating off of its best efficiency point (BEP)
❍ Misalignment between the pump and the driver.
● Rubbing all around the inside diameter of the gland

❍ The sleeve is not concentric with the shaft.
❍ Bad bearings will cause the shaft to move in all sorts of directions.
❍ A bent shaft.
❍ Unbalanced impeller or rotating assembly.
❍ Solids attached to the shaft, or trapped between the shaft and the gland.
❍ Cavitation.
❍ Water hammer
Corrosion.
Gland passages clogged or not connected properly.
Please look at this API (American Petroleum Institute) gland. You can see some potential problems:
● The Flush and quench connections (F&Q) can be mixed up and the lines reversed
● The Flushing connection can be clogged or the pipefitting could be blocking the passage.
● The Quench connection could be clogged also
Return to index

st003
ST003. WHY MECHANICAL SEAL FACES OPEN PREMATURELY
Here are the most common reasons that lapped faces open prematurely:
● The setscrews slipped on a hardened shaft sleeve causing the seal to lose its spring load.
● The dynamic elastomer (the rubber part that moves) stuck to the shaft or sleeve. The spring load
on the wedge, V-rings or U-cup used with most pusher type seals was too high. The Crane #9,
Durametallic ROTT and Borg Warner "U" are typical of these designs. A high spring load causes
too much interference fit on the shaft.
● The shaft or sleeve diameter was too large; + 0.000 inches to - 0.002 inches (+ 0.00 mm to - 0,05
mm) is a good tolerance for mechanical seals.
● The sleeve finish was too rough. You want a finish of 32 rms (0,8 microns) or better, unless you
are using rubber bellows designs that call for a finish of no better than 40 RMS.
● The O-ring groove was out of tolerance. It is causing the O-ring to have too much interference
with the shaft preventing the O-ring from flexing and rolling.
● The elastomer swelled up because it was not compatible with the pumping fluid or a cleaner that
was circulated through the lines. In some designs this expansion of the rubber part can force the
lapped face out of its holder or break the hard face.
● Too much axial movement of the shaft:
❍ The seal was installed on the shaft and then the semi-open impeller was adjusted to the
pump volute for the inital clearance setting, or to compensate for normal impeller wear.
This is a very common problem with all open and semi-open impeller designs.
❍ Thermal growth of the shaft . Every inch of shaft will grow 0.001 inches per inch of shaft
for each 100°F (0,001 mm/mm/50°C) of temperature increase. The growth takes place both
axially and radially.
❍ Sleeve bearings allow excessive axial movement. Some centrifugal pump designs utilize
this type of bearing as a thrust bearing.

● Too much shaft vibration and no vibration damping. This is a big problem with the metal bellows
seals we find in high temperature applications. Vibration damping interferes with the frequency of
the vibration. The O-ring found in many seal designs is a natural vibration damper.
❍ Harmonic vibration is a major source. The seal is vibrating in harmony with another piece
of equipment
❍ Cavitation is very common in many applications. Remember that there are five types of
cavitation and all of them can cause vibration problems.

❍ "Slip stick" vibration can occur between seal faces if the pumping fluid is not a lubricant.
Hot water is a good example of a non-lubricating liquid. Most gases and dry solids are
obvious non-lubricants.
❍ Hitting a critical speed is another cause of vibration. Pumps that have this problem are said
to have flexible rather than rigid shafts.

● Installation errors:
❍ Not enough load on the lapped seal faces. Do not be tempted to increase the designed load
because the additional heat generated can be a cause of seal face damage.
■ The seal was installed at a wrong inital setting.
■ The sleeve moved when the impeller was tightened. Measurements should be taken
after the sleeve to shaft gasket is compressed.

■ The mechanic misread the installation print.
■ Some people need glasses to read a print or scale. They can see the 1 and 2 on the
scale, but not the funny little lines in between.

■ The mechanic used the old set-screw marks as a guide and their location was not
correct.
■ No print was available at the installation site. The boss has it locked in his filing
cabinet so it will not get dirty or lost.

■ The impeller was adjusted after the seal was attached to the shaft. Duriron pumps
are the exception because their impeller adjusts towards the back plate causing the
seal to over compress.
■ Shaft or sleeve thermal growth. In most seal designs this will unload the seal faces.
The seal must be attached to the shaft after all thermal growth has occurred. You
are going to need a cartridge seal to do this. Outside mounted, non-metallic seals
can be an exception. They will over compress with thermal growth.
● Rotating type mechanical seals need the stationary face installed square to the shaft to prevent
excessive axial movement. Stationary designs need the rotating face to be installed square to the
rotating shaft. This is much easier to do as long as the seal face is not set screwed to the shaft. It
should be butted up against a square shoulder or some other type of "squareness" must be
provided.
● The wrong lubricant was used on the dynamic o-ring causing it to swell up and lock the seal to the
shaft. As the shaft moves, the faces open.
● Reversing stuffing box pressure can cause most unbalanced seal designs to open.
● High shaft speed will cause centrifugal force to drive the rotating face square to the shaft, opening
the lapped faces. 5000 fpm (25 meters/sec) is just about the limit for rotating seal designs.
● The shaft is fretted (grooved from the dynamic elastomer) causing the moveable face to hang up
as it tries to compensate for wear.
● The lapped faces are not flat.
❍ The faces never were lapped flat
❍ The lapped face was installed backwards. You are running on the non-lapped side. Some

st003
manufacturers mark the non-lapped side.

❍ High stuffing box pressure can distort a lapped face.
❍ Thermal distortion can distort a seal face.
❍ Seal used in cryogenic service (very cold) must be lapped at cryogenic temperatures.
❍ The lapped face was dropped. It did not break, but the worker is afraid to tell his boss.
● The product changed state and is restricting the movement of the seal.
❍ The product can crystallize if you change the temperature in the stuffing box.
❍ A temperature change or agitation can cause a product to become viscous and interfere
with seal movement.

❍ Some liquids can solidify with a change in temperature, pressure or agitation.
❍ A change in temperature or pressure can cause a product to build a film on the seal sliding
surfaces.
❍ The product vaporized between the faces and blew them open. This can happen with an
increase in temperature or a decrease in stuffing box pressure.

● Solids clogged the springs or some other part of the seal, restricting seal movement.
● Solids outboard the seal can restrict axial movement as the seal moves to compensate for carbon
wear.
❍ Ice can form when some products vaporize, or cold weather can freeze moisture in the air.
❍ Crystalls and solids can form outboard because of seal leakage or dirty quench fluid.
❍ If you are using a gland quench connection, the quenching fluid must be clean or it will
deposit contaminants outboard the seal. Shop water is not a good source of quench water,
use condensate or low pressure steam instead.
● Discharge recirculation lines aimed at the moving seal parts can restrict their movement.
● The seal face hung up in the fretted groove that we find so common in most original equipment
seal applications.
The easiest way to tell that you are having seal face opening problems is to inspect the hard face for
evidence of wear. Common sense dictates that carbon cannot wear a hard seal face.
If the faces open they will allow solids to penetrate between the lapped faces and these solids will embed
into the softer carbon when the faces close. The contaminated carbon will then act as a grinding surface
making wear marks in the harder face.
One of the main contributors to the opening of seal faces and seal damage is the movement of the shaft.
Let's look at the different types of shaft deflection:
Return to index

st006
ST006. HEAT GENERATION IN THE PUMP
No pump is 100% efficient. If a pump is rated 60% efficient that means that 40% of the power is being
converted to heat and vibration. In a normal temperature stabilized pump, running at its best efficiency
point (BEP) the temperature rise within the pump is calculated from the following formulas:
BHP = Brake Horsepower (you get his number from the pump curve supplied by the manufacturer).
42.41 = Conversion of HP to Btu. /min.
8.33 = Weight of one gallon of water (U.S.)
BKW = Brake Kilowatts (From the pump curve)
1434 = Conversion of Kilowatts to Kilocalories
like to calculate the temperature rise of the liquid in a running pump when the discharge is shut, use the
following formulas:
BHP. = Brake Horsepower at shut off
42.4 = Conversion from Brake Horse Power (B.H.P.) to BTU/ minute
W = Net weight of the liquid, in the pump, in pounds (lbs.)
C = Specific Heat of the liquid
Temperature rise in degrees Centigrade per minute equals:
BKW. = Brake Kilowatt at shut off
7.97 = Conversion from Brake Kilowatts (BKW) to Kilo calories/ minute
W = Net weight of the liquid, in the pump, in kilograms (Kg.)
C = Specific Heat of the liquid.
Return to index

st007
ST007. INSPECTING THE INDIVIDUAL SEAL COMPONENTS FOR DAMAGE.
After the failure has occurred you will analyze the failed components. You are going to be looking for
several things:
seal.
the above. But before we get into that subject there are a couple of important points that you must keep in
mind as you trouble shoot individual components:
Are you looking at a seal that has been rebuilt? Were the components cleaned before you looked at them?
Troubleshooting a rebuilt seal is a frustrating experience. A trained troubleshooter is looking for
evidence of rubbing, damage and corrosion. If those previous rubbing marks have not been removed
from the rebuilt seal you can be led down a false path.
● A good rebuilding house would :

❍ Clean and polish the seal casing to remove any rub marks. If this was not done you may be
trying to analyze a rub mark indication that happened several applications ago, in a
different pump.
❍ Install a new carbon/ graphite molded face. Machined faces are not acceptable because
they do not have the proper density. If the used face had only been relapped, the length of
the carbon nosepiece will not be an indication of anticipated life in this application.
❍ Replace all the springs. Springs are made from corrosion resistant, austenitic materials that
work harden over a period of time. Being a small cross section material that is under high
stress, they are also sensitive to chemical attack.
❍ Replace the setscrews. They are made from austenitic metal also and should never be re-
used.
❍ Replace all rubber parts (O-rings, rubber boots, etc.)
❍ Solid hard faces can be relapped if there are no significant chips or visible cracks. Plated
hard faces should never be relapped.

● Be sure to identify the seal materials. It is impossible to troubleshoot mystery materials.
❍ If the metal is stainless steel, which grade is it? All stainless steels are not the same. There
is a difference between Hastelloy C and Hastelloy B. Some people call Alloy 20 stainless
steel, but it is a different product.
❍ There are a hundred different grades of carbon graphite used in mechanical seals. Which
grade are you looking at? Is it filled or unfilled?

❍ Viton® is a trade name for E.I.Dupont. There are many grades of this product available.
Some work in water, others do not. Which do you have?

❍ What is the spring material? It should be Hastelloy C, but is that what you have?
Return to index

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ST002. SEAL LEAK PATHS
This illustration describes a mechanical seal that can be classified into several different categories:
● Hydraulically balanced.
● O-ring elastomer seal.
● Rotating configuration.
● Clamped "L" shaped stationary hard face.
● Metallic version.
● Mounted inside the stuffing box.
● Solid seal.
● Non-cartridge design set screwed to the rotating shaft.
● Single seal.
● Multiple springs located outside the sealing fluid.
● Carbon-graphite face inserted into a metal holder.
The lapped seal faces are being held together by multiple springs and the pressure of the fluid in the
stuffing box. If we look at the illustration closely we can see six potential leak paths for the fluid we are
sealing:
● The O-ring located between the seal sleeve and the pump shaft is called the static O-ring. It is a
potential leak path.
● The O-ring between the seal sleeve and the outside barrel is called the dynamic O-ring. It is a
potential leak path also.
● In this example the rotating face has been press fit or shrunk into the outer barrel of the seal. This
face is usually a form of carbon-graphite. There is a potential leak path between the carbon-
graphite and the outer barrel where the carbon has been inserted.
● The stationary face is normally the hard face and in this instance is a clamped "L" shaped design
with gaskets on either side. The gasket located between the stationary face and the pump stuffing
box is a potential leak path also.
● There is a potential leak path between the carbon rotating face and the stationary hard face.
● Although not shown in the illustration many pump shafts are specified with a shaft sleeve for
corrosion resistance or to position the impeller in a double ended design. This shaft sleeve must be
sealed to the shaft by a gasket or some other means. This gasket is a leak path also.
Many double-ended pump designs lack gaskets between the impeller and the sleeve used to position and
hold the impeller.
In the following paragraphs we will be discussing all of these potential leak paths. As we do keep in
mind that in addition to this balanced rotating version, seals are classified into many other categories that
include: stationary, unbalanced, outside, non-metallic, dual, metal bellows, rubber bellows, cartridge,
split, etc.
These classifications are described in detail in the alphabetical section of this manual. Try to keep these
classifications in mind as we investigate the cause of seal failure. I have assumed you have a pretty good
knowledge of mechanical seals or otherwise you would not be attempting to trouble shoot them, but if
some of the terms I use are not familiar you can look them up in the alphabetical section of this book.
We will start with the causes of leakage between the stationary and rotating seal faces:
One or both of the seal faces is not flat. These faces should be flat to within three helium light bands
(0,000033" or 1 micron). Here are some reasons a once lapped face is no longer flat:
● Mishandling damaged the lapped face.

● Poor packaging. The seal should be able to survive a 39" (1 meter) drop. To insure this, the seal
should be shipped in a reusable box lined with plenty of foam or any other adequate protection.
● The stationary hard face was distorted when you tightened it against an uneven surface. The faces
of some pump stuffing boxes are really in bad shape because of packing leakage over the years.
● The clamping is not "equal and opposite" across the stationary face. This is a common problem
with "L" shaped and "T" shaped stationary hard faces. It is important that both stationary face
gaskets be the same width to prevent this problem. You can see these same width gaskets in the
last illustration. Sometimes mechanics are tempted to make the outboard gasket wider to match
the wider gland. If this happens the clamping will be opposite but not equal and the hard face can
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be distorted.
● The "hard" seal face has been installed backwards. You are running on a non- lapped seal surface.
Among seal companies it is common practice to lap only one side of a hard face. Sometimes the
unlapped face is identified with a marking but not always.
● One or both of the faces is being distorted by a change in temperature. This can happen when you
forget to vent a vertical pump or someone runs a water hose on the stuffing box.
● High pressure or surges in system pressure distorted the face. Water hammer would be an
example of a surge in system pressure.
● The face never was flat; you have a bad part. Sometimes the automatic lapping equipment gets hot
and the seal faces are lapped flat at this elevated temperature. When you try to run the seal at a
lower temperature the faces are no longer flat.
● The carbon metal composite was not stress relieved after the carbon was "shrunk in". The carbon
should have been pressed into the metal holder where it could shear to conform to the
irregularities in the metal part and avoid a lot of residual stress problems. If it has been "shrunk
in" the assembly must be stress relieved or allowed to relax over a period of several weeks to
remove residual stress in the lapped face.
One of the lapped faces has been chemically attacked.
● Oxidizing agents and halogens attack all forms and grades of carbon-graphite.
● Some de-ionized water will attack any form of carbon.
● Any number of chemicals can chemically attack filled carbons. It all depends what fillers were put
into the carbon-graphite composite.
● Reaction bonded silicon carbide will be attacked by high pH liquids.
● A cleaner or solvent is being flushed through the lines and it is attacking the seal face.
● You are using a poor grade of carbon-graphite. You should go to an unfilled grade such as Pure
Carbon Co. grade 658 RC. The substituting of inferior grades of carbon-graphite is a common
occurrence if someone other than the original manufacturer is repairing the seal.
● Corrosion increases with any temperature increase. A 10 degree Centigrade (18°F) rise in
temperature will double the corrosion rate of most fluids.
The plating or hard coating is coming off of the hard face.
● All coatings are porous. The product is penetrating this porous coating and attacking the bond
between the coating and the base material, or the base material its self.
● An inferior plating was originally put on the base material. You should not use hard coatings or
facings but if you must, use the D-gun process rather than plasma spraying. The D-gun process is
described as a chemical bonding while the plasma process is described as a mechanical bonding.
● Differential expansion of the coating and the base material is causing the materials to separate.
This causes a condition known as heat check.
The seal face is cracked, pitted or damaged.
● High temperature at the seal faces is heat checking (cracking) the plated face. This is a common
problem with cobalt based tungsten carbide. The nickel base version is less likely to crack
because it is not as hard as the cobalt. The nickel version also has better corrosion resistance than
cobalt.
● The product is solidifying between the faces and they are breaking at start up. Most face materials
have high compressive strength, but tend to be weak in tension or shear.
● Excessive vibration is causing the drive or anti-rotation pins to crack the face. Lower cost seals
where the carbon is driven by a metal drive lug experience this problem quite often.
● There is a high temperature differential across the ceramic. Seven to ten temperature cycles can
break grade 99.5 ceramics in hot water or hot petroleum products. Grade 85 ceramic can break
with a single cycle of temperature differential.
● Air is trapped in the carbon. Heat generated between the faces is causing the air to expand and
blow out pieces of the carbon face. The carbon usually blisters prior to blowing out. The solution
is to go to a more dense carbon.
● The product is vaporizing and allowing solid material to blow across the lapped face. This is a
common occurrence in boiler feed water applications.
● The seal faces have opened; solids penetrated and imbedded into the soft carbon causing rapid
wear of the hard face. The same problem occurs if the carbon was relapped using lapping powder.
You will see this condition in almost every seal you inspect. It is the most common seal failure.
● Lubricant on the lapped faces is freezing in cryogenic (cold) applications.
● The elastomer is being chemically attacked and swelling up. This can break the face in those seal
applications where the elastomer is positioned at the seal inside diameter because most seal faces
have poor tensile strength. In some instances the swelling elastomer will open the two lapped
faces allowing the solids to penetrate. This can be a problem with boot mounted faces.
● The rotating shaft or sleeve is hitting the stationary face. This happens if the pump is running off
of its best efficiency point (BEP) which almost always occurs at start up.
● The seal is being mishandled during installation. Good packaging and proper training can solve
many of these installation problems.
● The crack you see may have occurred during disassembly. Check to see if there is discoloration
deep in the crack. Discoloration in this area means that the crack occurred during or before

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operation of the seal.

● Petroleum products can coke at the higher temperature seal faces causing pieces of carbon to be
pulled out as the face rotates. You will have to select two hard faces for this application if you
want to stop the problem.
● The rotating face is not centered in the stationary face and is running off the edge of the stationary
face. Look for rubbing marks around the outside diameter of the rotary unit. A bent shaft or an out
of balance rotating shaft is the most common cause.
● You will notice a much wider wear track on the hard face if you are experiencing this problem.
● The seal will appear to "sputter" as lubricant is dragged across the face and off the seal inside
diameter.
● Dirt can be dragged or blown across the faces as they separate.
The movable face is not free to follow whip, wobble or run out.
● The rotating face is hitting the inside diameter of the stuffing box.
● The recirculation line from the pump discharge is aimed at the seal faces and interfering with their
free movement.
● Dirt or solids are clogging the movable components. Magnetite is a very big problem in most hot
water applications.
● The product you are pumping is interfering with the free movement of the components. The fluid
is:
● Crystallizing ( like sugar)
● Solidifying (like glue)
● Viscous (like molasses)
● Building a film on the sliding components ( hard water or paint)
● Coking. Oil or any other petroleum product will form a hard carbon film on moving seal parts.
● The elastomer has been chemically attacked causing it to swell up and interfere with free
movement of the face.
● Temperature growth of the shaft is interfering with the free movement of the movable face. The
metal vibration damper that is part of the carbon face holder used on some metal bellows seals is
manufactured from a low expansion metal to prevent the carbon face from falling out. In a high
temperature application the differential expansion rate between the shaft and the carbon holder
can seize the vibration damper and pull the faces open.
● The shaft or sleeve is the problem.
● It is over size. + 0.00" - 0.002" ( 0,00-0,05 mm.) is ideal.
● The shaft or sleeve is too rough. The sleeve should have a finish (polish) of at least 32 R.M.S. (0,8
microns)
● The shaft is fretted, corroded or damaged in some way and this is interfering with the free
movement of the dynamic elastomer
● Solids have attached themselves to that portion of the shaft where the dynamic elastomer is
located preventing it from moving.
● A gasket or fitting is protruding into the stuffing box and touching seal component. I have seen a
gasket extrude into the stuffing box when the top half of a horizontally split pump was tightened
to the bottom half. The gasket pushed against the rotating seal outer barrel preventing it from
moving.
● Solids from outside the stuffing box are getting under the faces. This is a problem with vertical
pumps.
● The elastomer (O-ring) is spring-loaded and the interference on the shaft is restricting the face
movement.
● The elastomer has extruded because of high pressure or excessive clearance.
● A foreign object has passed into the seal chamber and is interfering with the free movement of the
seal.
● Solids have packed up in front of the inner seal in a "back to back" dual seal design. This is a very
common occurrence.
● The dynamic elastomer or O-ring is sealing on a porous carbon surface rather than a hard metal
surface. When the shaft rotation stops the elastomer relaxes and flows into the carbon surface
irregularities. O-rings and elastomers flex and slide better on polished hard surfaces.
The product had plated or formed on the face and a piece of it has broken off.
● This problem occurs with products that are sensitive to temperature and/ or pressure changes.
Coke is typical
● The setscrews have come loose. Most seal set screws are manufactured from corrosion resistant
austenitic materials that are soft.
❍ The shaft has been hardened.
❍ They have worked loose in a sleeve that is too soft.
❍ The hardened setscrews have corroded.
❍ They were not replaced when the seal was rebuilt and as a result are not "digging" into the
shaft. Stainless steel set screws should be used only one time.
The face has lost its spring load.
● The initial setting was wrong. The seal experienced a little wear and the spring load is gone.

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● Axial temperature growth of the shaft has altered the original setting.
● The impeller has been adjusted towards the wet end of the pump. In most applications this will
open the seal faces.
● The sleeve moved when the impeller was tightened to the shaft. Depending upon the design this
can open up or over compress seal faces.
● The cartridge seal was pushed on the shaft by pushing on the gland. The sleeve static O-ring is
providing an interference on the shaft and the seal is now over compressed. In a dual seal
application this can over compress the inner seal and open up, or unload the outer seal.
● Some one has painted the springs of an outside mounted seal or the outer seal of a dual seal
application.
● The seal was set-screwed to a hardened shaft or sleeve and has slipped due to vibration.
The product is vaporizing and blowing the faces open.
● This happens in hot applications any time there is water in the product. It can also occur if the
pump or seal was hydrostatically tested with a water base fluid.
● Many products can vaporize if subjected to the heat between seal faces or if they experience a
pressure drop across the lapped faces. Unbalanced seals present some real problems in this area
because of the higher face temperature they generate.
The inner seal of a dual seal application was not balanced in both directions and is opening up with
reversing pressure. This is a problem in unbalanced seals that are subject to both vacuum and pressure, or
if the barrier fluid pressure varies. Many mixer applications alternate between a positive and negative
pressure.
The single spring found in some seal designs was wound in the wrong direction for the shaft rotation.
The brand "Flexibox" has this problem with some of their designs.
The rotating bellows seal has lost cooling and the anti-vibration lugs are engaging the shaft. Normal shaft
movement or vibration will cause the faces to open.
The next failure we will look at is leakage through the elastomers (O-rings)
Compression set causes the elastomer to change shape if you exceed the curing temperature of the
elastomer you are using. The high temperature causes the material to reverts back to its cure state and
assume the shape of its container. This is the reason round O-rings sometimes look square when we
disassemble the mechanical seal.
● The product is too hot, you are getting poor heat conductivity, or there is too much heat being
generated at the seal faces. You must be sure to vent vertical pumps to help prevent this problem.
● Compression set is a common problem with most grades of Dupont's Kalrez®, or Green Tweed's
Chemraz because they are not true elastomers. Compression set prevents the O-ring from being
free to flex and roll.
The elastomer is cracked.
● The shelf life has been exceeded. Buna N (nitrile) has a shelf life of only twelve months because
of its sensitivity to ozone attack. Most other elastomers do not have this shelf life problem but you
should be aware that buna N is very popular with original equipment manufacturers (OEM),
especially in the form of a rubber bellows.
● High heat is the main cause of a hard or cracked elastomer. First the material takes a compression
set and then it becomes hard and cracks.
● Chemical attack is another possibility. In most cases the elastomer swells with chemical attack,
but cracking and shrinking do occur in isolated cases.
● Cryogenic (cold) temperatures freeze the elastomer and it will crack when hit or dropped.
● In some applications you will find that the rubber bellows did not stick to the shaft because the
wrong lubricant was used during the installation process. This caused the seal faces to stick
together and the shaft turned inside the bellows. The turning friction caused the high heat that
cracked the rubber. You will also see fretting under the elastomer if you are having this problem.
The elastomer is cut or damaged.
● Mishandling is always a problem. Some people try to pry O-rings out of their groove with the tip
of a pen knife causing damage to both the elastomer and the metal O-ring groove
● During the installation of the seal the elastomer was slid over a rough spot on the shaft or sleeve.
Be careful of old setscrew marks, splined shafts, keyways, etc.
● The O-ring was extruded by high pressure. You may need a backup ring.
● The product you are sealing is penetrating into the elastomer and blowing out the other, low
pressure side. This is a problem when you are trying to seal ethylene oxide.
● Teflon® jacketed O-rings can split in the presence of oxidizers and halogenated fluids. The
halogens will cause the elastomer to swell up inside of the Teflon® jacket. Halogens can be
recognized because they end in the letters "ine" such as bromine, astintine, chlorine, fluorine and
iodine.
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The elastomer (O-ring) is not seated properly.
● It was twisted during installation.

● High pressure can cause the elastomer to extrude or twist in the O-ring groove.
● Solids have "built up" or penetrated between the elastomer and the shaft.
● The shaft is corroded, damaged, or fretted under the elastomer.
● The shaft is oversized causing too much of an interference fit.
● Excessive travel can cause the elastomer to "snake". Most O-rings flex and then they can roll up
to one half of their diameter before they slide or twist.
● The O-ring groove is damaged or coated with a solid material. If you remove O-rings with a
penknife or any sharp instrument you can damage both the O-ring and the O-ring groove.
The elastomer has swollen or changed color.
● Look for product attack. This is the most common cause and usually occurs within five to ten
days of exposure to the product.
● The wrong lubricant was used at installation. As an example, you should never put petroleum
grease on EPR O-rings.
● Solvents or chemicals used to clean the lines are often not compatible with the elastomer.
● Steam can harm many elastomers including most grades of Viton®.
● Oxidizers can attack the carbon black in O-rings and other elastomers.
The elastomer leaks when pressurized in the opposite direction.
● A common problem with unbalanced, dual seal applications. Two way balanced seals are
recommended for these applications.
● Remember that O-rings are the only common elastomers that seal in both directions. Wedges, U
cups, and chevrons do not have this ability. This is important if the application changes from
vacuum to a positive pressure. We find this problem in condensate pumps and lots of mixer
applications
Here are a few more leak paths you should know about
● The leak is between the carbon and its metal holder.

❍ Some seal companies and most seal repair facilities glue the carbon in place. The glue may
not be compatible with the product you are sealing.

❍ "Pressed in" carbons can leak in a high temperature application because of the differential
expansion between the carbon and its metal holder. Low expansion metal is available for
the carbon holder in these applications.
❍ "Shrunk in" carbons do not have a 100% contact on their outside diameter because of the
"out of roundness" caused by the tolerace on the carbon outside diameter and the metal
holder inside diameter.
● Between the shaft and the sleeve.
❍ Damaged gasket or gasket surface.
❍ Distorted sleeve or shaft.
❍ Many packed, double-ended pumps have this problem because there is no gasket to seal
between the impeller and the sleeve that is holding the impeller in place.
● A pipe flange is leaking above the seal and dripping into the seal area.
❍ I found this one after every other avenue was exhausted.
● A stationary face gasket or elastomer leaking. Please look at (1) in the following illustration of a
balanced stationary seal.
● The stationary face elastomer (1) is a dynamic elastomer. This leak path is not always obvious. It
often looks like face leakage.
● The gland gasket or gasket surface (5) is a potential leak path. A leak in this location is always
visible.
● In this stationary version, The rotating O-ring (2) is static.
At the weld if a seal face holder is welded to a cartridge sleeve. You can see this weld in the following
illustration

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● In this illustration, the shoulder on the end of the seal sleeve, with the two O-rings mounted in it,
has been welded to the sleeve.This weld is a potential leak path also.
● At the pipe connections, ancillary hardware, API (American Petroleum Institute) gland fittings,
and recirculation lines.
● A scratch or nick in the O-ring groove will cause a small leak that is very difficult to identify.
Remember that up to 100 psi. (6 bar) O-rings seal on the inside and outside diameters, not their
sides.
Steam going through a quench connection is often misdiagnosed as a seal leak. Watch out for this one
because operators have been known to shut off the quenching steam thinking they have solved the leak
problem and caused a premature seal failure.
● Steam is often introduced into port "Q" of an API (American Petroleum Institute) gland to keep
the other side of the seal warm, or to prevent ice formation with some low specific gravity
products.
● The disaster bushing (DB) restricts the amount of quench leakage into the atmosphere and at the
bearing housing.
Return to index

st001
ST001. LET'S TALK ABOUT MECHANICAL SEAL LIFE
How do you tell the difference between normal seal life and premature seal failure? It's easier than you
think. You are experiencing normal seal wear when sacrificial parts of the mechanical seal are wearing at
an acceptable rate.
Just what are the sacrificial parts of a mechanical seal? Please refer to the following illustration of a
stationary seal design so that we can discuss individual components:
(D) The gland is not sacrificial.
● If you have chosen a corrosion resistant material there is no reason for this part to be considered
sacrificial.
● Nothing is supposed to be rubbing against this part so there is nothing to wear out.
(1) The dynamic O-ring is not sacrificial
● This elastomer should have been selected for chemical compatibility with the product you are
sealing and any cleaners or solvents that might be flushed through the lines.
● All elastomers have a high and low temperature limit. This O-ring should have been selected to
operate well within that range.
(2) The static O-ring is not sacrificial.
● Same rules as the dynamic O-ring, but not as critical. A small amount of swelling might not fail
the seal but a great deal of swelling could break the hard face because the O-ring is mounted in
the hard face inside diameter and any swelling would put this face into tensile stress where most
hard materials are weaker.
(A) The stationary face holder is not sacrificial.
● This part should be constructed from corrosion resistant metal.

● There is the possibility of some fretting damage where the elastomer contacts the outside diameter
of the part, but since the manufacturer has control of all of the tolerances and squeezes, the part
should not be labeled sacrificial
The springs are not sacrificial.
● Springs should be manufactured from hastelloy C material to prevent chloride stress corrosion and
there is no reason why they should not operate within the elastic range of the metal.
● I prefer to have the springs isolated from the pumpage so that they will not clog.
(4) The rotating hard face is not sacrificial.
● The softer carbon-graphite face is running against this hard face so there is no reason for it to
wear.
(5) The gland gasket is not sacrificial.
● This is a static component chosen for chemical compatibility with the product you are sealing.
The metal component holding the rotating face (B) is not sacrificial.
● Like all metal components in the seal, this part is selected to be chemically compatible with the
product you are sealing and any cleaners or solvents that might be in the system.
The carbon-graphite face pressed into the holder (A) is sacrifical

st001
● The carbon-graphite face is the only sacrificial part of a mechanical seal. Its life is determined by
the lubricating properties of the fluids you are trying to seal.
This means that a mechanical seal should run leak free until the carbon is completely worn away (just
like the tread on an automobile tire). More than 85% of the mechanical seals in use today fail
prematurely.
When leaking seals are removed from the pump there is almost always plenty of carbon left, so someone
is going to have to get pretty good at troubleshooting if you ever hope to get acceptable seal life.
Return to index

Reversed Impeller
R013. REVERSED IMPELLER
Some double suction impellers can be mounted in reverse, or backwards on the shaft. If the impeller is
reversed, several things can happen:
● The pump's capacity and efficiency will be reduced.

● Power consumption will increase. This could overload and damage the motor.
● The discharge head will stay about the same.
Return to index

Reversed Rotation
R014. REVERSED SHAFT ROTATION
The correct direction of rotation should be established before the pump is coupled to the driver. If the
direction is incorrect:
● You will get some positive head and capacity with low specific speed pumps, but at the cost of a
very low efficiency.
● High specific speed pumps will produce a positive capacity but a positive head is very unlikely.
Return to index

st019
ST019. TROUBLESHOOTING SEALS, WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE FOR THE PROBLEM
These problems are the ones that drive you crazy. No matter how hard you look; the solution keeps
evading you. Over the years I have collected quite a few examples. I offer some of them for your
enjoyment and maybe, in the process, they will help you solve the "un-solvable"
Cavitation problems
● The pump cavitated every time it rained.

❍ Solution: The product temperature would cause it to vaporize very close to ambient
pressure and when it rained atmospheric pressure dropped enough to cause the problem.
● The pump never cavitated in the summer months, only during the winter when everything was
cooler.
❍ Solution: The tank vent froze during the winter months causing the pump to pull a partial
vacuum in the tank.

● The cavitation started suddenly with no warning.
❍ Solution: A plastic pipe liner collapsed at the suction side of the pump. A pinhole in the
liner allowed the corrosive product to corrode the pipe behind the liner.
● The cavitation started after the packing was converted to a mechanical seal. A careful inspection
showed that the seal was not leaking air into the suction.
❍ Solution: The pump had speeded up (increased the rpm) when the packing was removed
because of less drag or friction on the pump shaft. This increase in speed and capacity
required a higher net positive suction head required (NPSHR) causing the cavitation.
● The cavitation kept getting worse with time, nothing obvious had changed in the system.
❍ Solution: The product had formed a coating on the inside of the suction pipe increasing the
pressure drop and resulting in a loss of suction head.

● The cavitation only occurred when there was a higher head at the suction of the pump and stopped
cavitating when the level fell in the tank, just the opposite of what should have happened.
❍ Solution: The pump was pumping to a fixed discharge head. The capacity of the pump
increased when the suction level was higher because the pump delivers the difference
between the suction and discharge head. When the differential went down, the capacity
increased.
● Two pumps were installed in parallel, one cavitated the other did not. They had separate suction
lines so that was not the problem.
❍ Solution: Some one had installed an oversized section of pipe on the discharge side of the
pump that was cavitating. The lower discharge resistance caused an increase in capacity,
which caused the cavitation. When the proper sized pipe was installed the cavitation
stopped.
● The pump had been cavitating for some time, but after a visual check, everything appeared
normal.
❍ Solution: A globe valve had been substituted for a gate valve on the suction of the pump
when maintenance found they were not able to get the gate valve they needed. A globe
valve can add the equivalent of another 100 feet (30,5 meters) of pipe to the system.
● The pump started to cavitate when a flange gasket was replaced on the suction side of the pump.
❍ Solution: The inside diameter of the gasket was too small. It was acting as an orifice and
restricting the flow.

● The pump cavitated about one third of the time it was running.
❍ Solution: A close inspection of the system revealed that there was no surge tank installed
between the pump discharge and the multiple outlets that were using the product. The
pump was acting like an accumulator and started to cavitate when the demand went up and
the discharge head dropped.
● The pump cavitated although there was excessive suction head available.
❍ Solution: There was too much velocity on the suction side of the pump. This problem
occurred in Norway in an application where the pump was taking a suction on a flow of
water coming off of a mountain.
The seal was getting hot
● The seal was showing evidence of running dry, but the fluid level was never lost in the pump.
❍ Solution: Air was trapped in the stuffing box of a vertical pump after it was converted from
packing to a mechanical seal. Most seal designs have no facility for venting the stuffing
box in a vertical application.
❍ Air can be removed from a horizontal stuffing box by drilling a vent hole through the end
of the stuffing box into the void behind the impeller. Drill the hole at a 45 degree angle
through the top.
● The seal showed evidence of running dry. The tank had never emptied and the stuffing box had
been vented properly.
❍ Solution: The open impeller had been adjusted backwards and the "pump out vanes" on the
rear of the impeller were pumping the stuffing box dry. This happens if you are using
several brands of pumps and the maintenance mechanics confuse the impeller adjustment
method. Some pumps adjust towards the volute (Goulds); some adjust towards the back
plate (Duriron). It is easy to mix them up.
● There was little to no fluid circulating between the two seals.
❍ Solution: The pipefitting had bottomed out in a gland inlet elbow shutting off the flow.

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This sometimes happens after the seal has been repaired several times and the pipe thread
shows some wear, letting it protrude further into the elbow fitting.
❍ A cooling jacket was being used, but the seal continued to get hot. I have seen multiple
reasons for this:

❍ A discharge recirculation line had also been installed on the original installation, but it was
hidden by some insulation. The cooling jacket could not keep up with the heat being added
by the recirculation line.
❍ The inside of the cooling jacket had become coated with a layer of calcium, because hard
water was being used as the cooling medium. Condensate should have been substituted.
❍ A thermal bushing had not been installed in the bottom of the stuffing box.
❍ The cooling jacket flow changed with fluctuations in shop water pressure.
● The dual seal was getting hot, but the mechanic had set the seal at the correct installation
dimension. Everything appeared to be OK.
❍ Solution: The inner seal of some double seal applications can get hot if the mechanic
installs the cartridge seal by pushing on the seal gland and fails to reset the seal
compression with the installation clips. The interference from the cartridge sleeve
elastomer can cause enough resistance to compress the inner seal and unload the outer seal.
● The seal faces got too hot because the mechanic had marked the seal location on the shaft sleeve
before the impeller was installed. When the impeller was tightened against the shaft shoulder the
sleeve moved and over-compressed the seal.
● Most Durco pump impellers adjust to the pump back plate. When you make impeller adjustments
you over compress the mechanical seal.
The seal would leak for no apparent reason
● The cartridge seal had been hydrostatically tested with water and then put into a hot oil
application. It leaked almost immediately.
❍ Solution: The trapped water vaporized when the unit was started. This could be a
dangerous condition because water trapped in a gasket and then flashed to steam could
damage the equipment. Seals that are going into hot oil applications should never be
hydrostatically tested with water. There are plenty of commercial fluids available for this
testing that will not flash when exposed to hot oil.
● The seal would start leaking about thirty minutes after the pump started.
❍ Solution: The carbon insert would come loose in its holder when the seal came up to
temperature. At shut down the metal holder would shrink and everything appeared normal.
● The seal was tested in the shop, but leaked when it was installed in the pump that was operating at
cryogenic (cold) temperature.
❍ Solution: The faces had to be lapped at cryogenic temperature to keep them flat at the seal
● The seal was found to be leaking every Monday morning.
❍ Solution: A utility man did not know about seals. He would loosen the gland on the
weekend so that what he thought was packing would drip a little. The regular maintenance
people found the leak every Monday morning.
● The leakage occurred during the winter months.
❍ Solution: Someone circulated commercial anti freeze between two seals to act as a barrier
fluid. The brand they selected contained a chemical to plug up radiator leaks and it kept
plugging up the seal.
● The seal would fail only during the winter months. The problem was traced to swelling of the
dynamic O-ring but no logical reason could be found for its failure.
❍ Solution: During the winter months a worker decided to oil the bed of his dump truck to
make the, raw product slip off easier. The petroleum oil he used attacked the ethylene
propylene (EPR) O-ring in the mechanical seal, installed downstream in the system.
● The seal area was wet, but no visible leakage could be seen.
❍ Solution: It turned out that there was a flange leaking above the pump and dripping the
product next to the shaft.

● The problem was traced to the fact that the mechanic was installing the seal at the wrong
dimension. The written instructions were clear and placed in the box and yet the mechanic
continued to do the installation incorrectly.
❍ Solution: The mechanic could not read. He had been faking it for many years and was
quite good at it. The same problem occurs with older mechanics that refuse to wear
glasses, and as a result cannot see the funny little lines between the numbers on their
measuring scale.
● The outside seal in a double seal application failed suddenly. Nothing had changed in the system.
❍ Solution: Routine maintenance included repainting the pump. The paint spray got into the
outside seal springs and stopped them from moving.

● The seal ran great for several days and then started to leak. It tested all right on the test bench after
it had been removed from the pump.
❍ Solution: It had been set screwed to a hardened sleeve and the set-screws gradually
vibrated loose.
● The seal was changed several times, but the steady leak persisted.
❍ Solution: The leak was occurring between the pump sleeve and the shaft. This is a
common problem in double-ended pumps that have been converted to a mechanical seal.
You often have to devise a method of sealing the sleeve to the shaft or the sleeve to the
impeller because the manufacture has not provided one.
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● The seal started to leak after many months of service. A bench vacuum test showed that the seal
was all right.
❍ Solution: The seal was fretting the shaft below the Teflon® wedge allowing the leak to
come through this groove.

● The seal ran approximately six months and then failed.
❍ Solution: The lines were steam cleaned and the wrong grade of Viton® was in the seal.
Most Viton® compounds will be attacked by steam, caustic or other water based solutions.
● The seal was installed correctly, but it leaked immediately.
❍ Solution: The solid, hard face is usually lapped on only one side. The face had been
installed backwards and the rotary unit was running on a non-lapped surface.
● The horizontal mixer would leak after twelve minutes. Not eleven, not thirteen, always twelve
minutes.
❍ Solution: The seal faces were opening because the equipment's sliding foot had been
bolted to the floor allowing the shaft to grow through the stuffing box when the unit came
up to temperature. It took twelve minutes to come up to temperature.
● The leak occurred because the pump open impeller was being adjusted without resetting the seal.
Many operators make their own impeller adjustments and do not know that the seal face load
must be re-set.
● The centrifugal pump discharge was connected to the bottom of a surge tank. As the tank filled,
the pump operating point shifted from too much capacity to too much head, deflecting the shaft in
two directions.
Seal component damage is visible, but what is the cause?
● It looked like a seal part had come loose in the stuffing box, but all of the parts were there.
❍ Solution: During a previous installation a small spring had been lost when it fell into a
drain hole in the bottom of the seal gland. It came loose after a later installation. This is a
problem when several people work on the same pump.
● The bellows plates were breaking but there was no evidence of corrosion, excessive wear, or
vibration.
❍ Solution: A discharge recirculation line was directing high velocity abrasive particles at the
thin metal section of a metal bellow seal.

● The inner seal of a double, rotating "back to back" design was showing excessive face wear in a
short period of time.
❍ Solution: The inner seal stationary face was not locked into the bottom of the stuffing box
and when the system pressure overcame the barrier fluid pressure, the stationary face was
pushed into the inside rotating face. When the pump was stopped the spring pushed the
stationary face back to its normal position.
● The carbon showed massive damage in a cryogenic (cold) application.
❍ Solution: The carbon face had been lubricated at assembly and the lubricating oil froze in
the cryogenic atmosphere.

● The bellows plates of a mechanical seal showed massive wear on their outside diameter.
❍ Solution: The seal was rotating in an abrasive slurry. Metal bellows seals should be
designed to rotate the fluid inside of the stuffing box, instead of rotating through the fluid.
Other problems worth mentioning
● The pump had been recently overhauled and at start up the pump was reading high amperage, but
low flow.
❍ Solution: One of the wear rings had been left off of the suction side of the impeller and the
fluid was recirculating to the pump suction.

● The pump made a terrific racket during start up. It produced the proper head, but the capacity was
less than anticipated.
❍ Solution: It was a two-speed pump and the second speed had been wired backwards.
● In an acid application, a stationary seal showed localized corrosion only on the gland.
❍ Solution: This was an older pump with a bolted on stuffing box that would slip because the
bolts were worn. This caused the shaft to run against the gland causing it to overheat and,
in an acid application, the corrosion rate of the acid doubles with an 18° F. (10° C) rise in
temperature. It doesn't make any difference if the acid or the part gets hot; the affect is the
same.
● The dual seal convection tank was running backwards.
❍ Solution: The dual seal was not centered in its gland, and as the shaft turned, the close
tolerance between the seal and the gland outlet increased the velocity of the liquid enough
to drop the pressure and cause the tank to convect backwards.
● The pump was converted from packing to a mechanical seal and then started to break shafts.
❍ Solution: The pump was operating way off of its best efficiency point (BEP) causing major
shaft deflection. The packing was acting as a bearing and supported the shaft during this
deflection.
● The product was solidifying in the stuffing box. Steam was being used to heat a jacket around the
pump. The header gauge showed adequate pressure.
❍ Solution: The gage was located too far away from the pump jacket. The line was not
insulated and this allowed the steam to experience a pressure drop between the header and
the stuffing box heating jacket. The result was that the steam cooled down below the
necessary heating temperature. The problem was only visible when the pump was stopped
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for a period of time.

● The nickel base tungsten carbide face was being chemically attacked.
❍ Solution: A galvanic action occurred between the passivated stainless steel and the active
nickel contained in the tungsten carbide face.
Return to index

st018
ST018. TROUBLESHOOTING SEALS ON A RUNNING PUMP
Leakage can occur at any time throughout the life of the mechanical seal. To troubleshoot seals
effectively it is helpful to know just when the leakage starts. This is the advantage of being able to
troubleshoot a running pump or one that is still hooked up to its piping. By noting the type of leakage,
and when the leakage occurs we can do a more thorough job of analyzing any seal failure. In addition to
leakage we will be looking for other symptoms that are visible to the trained troubleshooter.
We will start with the different types of leakage - please look at the following diagram:
THE LEAKAGE OCCURS WHILE THE PUMP IS BOTH RUNNING AND STOPPED.
The leakage can be detectable visually, by odor, or by instrumentation. A strobe light can sometimes be
used to determine its location. As you can see in the above diagram there are several leak paths possible.
You must determine which ones you have. The seal can leak:
Between the lapped seal faces. Since they are a wearable surface the leak will probably get either better
or worse. It should never remain constant. The leak started for a variety of reasons that include:
● The spring load has been reduced because of thermal growth, axial thrust, or impeller adjustment.
● The seal was set screwed to a hardened shaft and has vibrated loose.
● One or both of the seal faces is not flat. Solid tungsten carbide and silicon carbide faces are often
lap
● The dynamic elastomer has swollen up and seized the spring-loaded face, preventing it from
remaining in contact with the stationary face.
● The outside springs in a dual cartridge seal were painted during routine maintenance.
● The product prevented the lapped seal faces from remaining in contact.
❍ Dirt has gotten into the sliding components.
❍ The product has crystallized.
❍ The product solidified or became very viscous.
❍ The product is vaporizing across the seal faces, expanding, and blowing the faces open.
At the static and dynamic elastomer locations. In the illustration the O-ring between the inner sleeve and
shaft is static. The O-ring between the inner and outer barrel is dynamic.
● This type of leak tends to remain constant and will often stop when the small opening clogs up
with solids. The leak can be caused by a damaged elastomer or damage on the surface where the
elastomer seals. In some instances the elastomer is not seated properly. It is twisted because of
poor installation, excessive shaft movement, or high-pressure extrusion.
At the gasket between the stationary face and the pump stuffing box.
● This is the easiest leak to detect because it is very visible and does not change with shaft rotation.
Between the sleeve and the shaft (not shown in the illustration). Some pump shafts have a sleeve
installed for corrosion resistance or to act as a sacrificial part for seals that frett and damage shafts.
● This is a problem with double-ended pumps, where the sleeve is used to position the impeller and
there is no method of sealing the sleeve against the impeller.
Between the seal face and its metal holder.
● The leakage frequently increases as the product temperature increases because the
metal face holder has an expansion rate three times that of the carbon or hard faces.
Coming out of the quench connection in an API (American Petroleum Institute) gland.
● Be sure to explain to the operator that this leakage is normal.
Through fretting damage
● The damage is caused by spring loaded dynamic O-rings, Teflon® wedges, chevrons, U- cups etc.
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● You can't miss the frett marks. They will be located on the pump shaft, pump sleeve, or inner
sleeve of the mechanical seal where the dynamic elastomer contacts the metal part. Many sleeves
end inside the stuffing box making this leak hard to detect.
THE SEAL LEAKS ONLY WHEN THE PUMP IS RUNNING
● The stationary seal face has been over tightened against the face of the stuffing box causing the
hard face to go out of flat. When the pump is stopped the carbon will relax and re-adjust to the
distorted hard face and stop leaking.
● The clamping is not equal and opposite across the stationary seal face. Look for different width
gaskets at the front and rear of the stationary face (see the illustration). The carbon will readjust
when the shaft is not turning.
● Between the face and the face holder. The holder heats up and expands faster than the pressed in
face. The leak will begin when the metal holder comes up to temperature. Remember that metal
expands three times faster than a carbon seal face.
● Cryogenic (cold) service will harden the elastomer. Be sure to check the lower temperature limit
of the elastomer that was selected.
● Misalignment will cause excessive movement of the seal components.
● The shaft is bending and not allowing the seal to move freely. This occurs if the pump is operating
off of its best efficiency point and the shaft L3/D4 is not small enough to resist the bending.
● The product is vaporizing across the seal faces.
● Cavitation, slip stick, harmonic or some other type of vibration is bouncing the faces open. Check
the lugs or drive pins for sign of excessive wear.
● The seal was installed without enough compression, or the impeller was adjusted after the seal
was installed and thermal expansion of the shaft is opening the faces.
● A discharge recirculation line is aimed at the seal faces or some other critical point and the faces
are being forced open.
● A non- concentric seal, bad sleeve installation or an out of balance rotating assembly is causing
the rotating portion of the seal to run off the stationary face.
● A bent shaft can cause the rotating portion of the seal to run off the stationary face.
● If you are sealing a non lubricant or a poor lubricant you can have "slip stick" vibration problems
while the pump is running
● The rotating portion of the seal is hitting a stationary object. Look for:
❍ A protruding gasket or fitting.
❍ A foreign object that has worked its way into the stuffing box area.
❍ A stationary portion of the rotating equipment, such as a close fitting bushing.
❍ A thermometer well extending into the stuffing box.
● At elevated temperature the product thins out (the viscosity decreases) and is leaking through an
elastomer. It will not leak at the cooler temperature when the product viscosity is higher.
● High temperature is causing the lapped seal face to go out of flat.
THE SEAL LEAKS ONLY WHEN THE PUMP IS NOT RUNNING
● The seal is also leaking while the pump is running, but the leak is vaporizing and not visible. Hold
a piece of white paper over the seal area while the pump is running and see if the paper becomes
damp.
● A meniscus caused by centrifugal force and liquid surface tension had formed at the inside
diameter of the seal faces.
● You are using high temperature grade Kalrez®. It is too hard at ambient temperature and will
soften at operating temperature.
● The pump is running under vacuum and while it is running air is being pulled into the system. The
fluid leaks out when the shaft is static. This can occur if an open impeller that was designed to be
adjusted against the volute, has accidentally been adjusted backwards against the back plate. The
impeller "pump out vanes" can then pull a vacuum in the stuffing box. This is a common problem
if you use a lot of Duriron brand pumps and then bring in a few of another brand.
❍ The problem can also occur if the pump is equipped with a repeller that is causing a
vacuum in the stuffing box while the pump is running.
THE LEAK OCCURS ONLY AT START UP AND THEN STOPS AFTER A SHORT TIME
● Face distortion caused by a high-pressure surge that was created when the pump was started with
the discharge valve shut.
● The shaft is bending and interfering with the seal movement.
❍ The shaft is running off of its best efficiency point (BEP) because the pump is started with
the discharge valve throttled or shut. Operators shut the discharge valve at start up to save
electricity and prevent cavitation.
❍ The same problem can occur if the pump is started with the discharge valve wide open,
and because of the lack of discharge resistance, the pump will run to the right hand side of
its curve. In some cases you could also burn out the electric motor.
❍ The product has changed state and becomes a liquid again when the pump comes up to
operating temperature. The product had :

■ Crystallized
■ Solidified

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Became viscous
■
■ If the crystallized fluid or any type of solids remain on the shaft outboard the seal,
the solids can restrict the movement of the seal as the rotating face has to move to
compensate for wear.
● You are getting excessive axial shaft movement at start up. This is a common problem with sleeve
bearing equipment.
THE SEAL LEAKS INTERMITTENTLY OR AFTER THE PUMP HAS RUN FOR A FIXED
PERIOD OF TIME
Look for re-occurring events that initiate the leakage. They can include:
● Flushing the lines at the end of a batch or season.

● Alternating pumps in a multiple pump arrangement.
● An additive is being put into the product.
● Batch operations are beginning or ending.
● The cooling water is passing through temperature cycles.
● The outside ambient temperature has changed dramatically. I ran into a situation where a supplier
was oiling the bed of his truck to prevent phosphate ore from sticking to the truck bed in the
winter. This oil ended up in the finished product and attacked the ethylene propylene O-ring in the
seal.
● Hard water is being used as a flush and it is gradually restricting the flush lines or cooling jacket.
● A filter or strainer is clogged in a flush line.
● The flushing water pressure drops at certain times of the day because of demand.
● The boiler or cooling tower is being blown down.
● There is a control valve in the pump discharge that is causing the pump to occasionally operate
too far off of the best efficiency point (BEP).
● The stuffing box is cycling between a positive and negative pressure.
● Vortexing can occur if the pump suction falls too low. This also occurs in mixers and agitators.
● You are quenching a high temperature application with water. As the quench water vaporizes it
leaves dissolved solids outboard of the seal, restricting axial movement as the seal faces wear.
● The pump is cavitating on a regular or intermittent basis. Here are a few possibilities:
❍ The suction level falls too low
❍ The tank vent freezes.
❍ The velocity is too high on the suction side of the pump.
❍ A suction strainer is plugged up.
❍ A stuck or broken check valve in the pump suction piping.
❍ A temporary loss of discharge head.
❍ A booster pump has shut off.
❍ A suction eccentric reducer was installed up side down allowing slugs of air into the
suction of the pump.

❍ The fluid is vortexing in the supply tank. The level is too low for the pump capacity.
❍ The pump is lifting liquid and the foot valve is sticking.
❍ The impeller is too close to the cutwater.
❍ Air is entering the system through the pump packing.
❍ A lower "specific speed" impeller as been substituted.
❍ The pump was specified with too low a "suction specific speed" numbarbide can crack if
the system lines were flushed with caustic solution
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEAKAGE.
The leak rate is changing - It gets better or worse.
● This type of leak is usually associated with seal face leakage because the seal face is a wearable
surface.
● The carbon seal face is not flat.
● The seal face was damaged at the time of assembly.
● Dirt or solids are imbedded into one of the faces
● Coke (over heated oil) or some other solid has formed on the seal faces causing them to separate.
● The rotating face is hung up on the shaft.
● Outside seal springs have been painted during routine maintenance.
● The hard stationary face has been installed backwards. These faces are usually lapped on only one
side
The faces spit liquid or vapor.
● The product is vaporizing at the faces. Check the fluid vapor point. When using balanced seals the
stuffing box pressure must be at least one atmosphere higher than the product vapor point.
Unbalanced seals require a much higher differential pressure.
● The rotating face is running off of the stationary face.
● The stationary seal face was not centered to the shaft.
❍ The seal is not concentric with the shaft.
❍ The rotating assembly is out of balance.

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❍ The shaft is bent
Fire hose type leakage. The leak is following shaft rotation.
● Product has solidified on the seal face and a piece has broken off. A high temperature between the
faces often initiates this.
● The rotating face is cracked.
● The hard surfacing, or coating, is lifting off of the rotating face.
Intermittent leakage.
● Temperature changes or pressure surges are altering the face flatness within the elastic range of
the material.
● The stuffing box is alternating between vacuum and pressure
● The movable face is sluggish and not able to follow run out.
❍ The product is viscous.
❍ The product has started to solidify.
❍ The shaft/ sleeve is too large in diameter and it is restricting movement of the seal. Spring
loaded dynamic elastomers such as Teflon® wedges, U- cups, chevrons and spring loaded
O-ring designs are very sensitive to this problem
❍ Dirt or solids are clogging the seal and preventing it from following shaft run out. Designs
that use multiple springs in the fluid are prone to this problem.
❍ In a non O-Ring version, the spring load is too high causing the elastomer or Teflon® to
stick to the shaft. Some designs use spring loaded O-rings that experience the same
problem.
● The product is occasionally vaporizing between the faces.
● There is a leak between the face and the holder that becomes visible only when the unit comes up
● A bending or bent shaft is causing the seal outside diameter to contact the inside diameter of the
stuffing box, or some other stationary object.
● The pump is running with too high or too low a head. This causes a shaft deflection that may be
excessive. Check the pump curve against actual operating conditions.
● The application is cycling between ambient and cryogenic temperatures causing the elastomer to
harden on the cold cycle and the faces to go out of flat.
The seal area is damp. There is no visible leakage.
● There is a leaking flange or fitting above the seal that is dripping close to the seal location.
● The product is vaporizing. Hold a clean piece of white paper over the running seal, and check for
leakage. The paper will become damp.
● Any condition that could cause intermittent leakage will cause this problem.
Constant dripping. It gets neither better nor worse. This leak cannot be caused by a damaged seal face
because seal faces are a wearable surface and the leak rate would have to change.
● The elastomer (rubber part) is cut or nicked.

● The shaft/sleeve is damaged at the elastomer location.
● There is damage in the O-ring groove. Maybe the O-ring was removed with a sharp metal
instrument and this has caused a scratch in the O-ring groove.
● There is a leak path between the carbon and the carbon face holder.
● Leaking between the cartridge sleeve and the shaft.
● Leaking between the shaft sleeve and the shaft.
● Leaking between the gland and the stuffing box. This leak path is very visible in most applications
● Leaking between the stationary face and the seal gland.
● The seal faces are stuck open.
● The elastomer has swollen up due to chemical attack by either the product, the flush, what ever is
being used to clean the lines, or by the lubricant that was put on the elastomer to help the
installation. This attack usually takes place within one week of exposure to the non-compatible
lubricating fluid.
THE STUFFING BOX AREA IS GETTING HOT.
Too much heat is being generated at the seal faces. Remember that unbalanced seals generate more heat
than balanced seals.
● The carbon is being insulated by a gasket of some type and cannot dissipate the heat.
● You are using high friction face materials. Two hard faces usually generate more heat than carbon
vs. a hard face.
● The carbon-graphite seal faces are positioned too far away from the circulating barrier or buffer
fluid in a dual seal application. Carbon-graphite is a poor conductor of heat compared to either
silicon or tungsten carbide hard faces.
❍ The stuffing box has not been vented. This is especially important in vertical applications.

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❍You do not have a barrier fluid between the seals in a dual seal application.
❍ Flushing has been shut off.
❍ The quenching connection is not operating.
❍ The cooling jacket is clogged or not functioning for some reason.
❍ The discharge or suction recirculation line is clogged.
❍ The barrier fluid has stopped circulating in a dual seal application or you are using oil as a
barrier fluid. Oil has a low specific heat and poor conductivity making it a poor choice as a
heat transfer medium. If you must use oil as the barrier fluid you may have to forsake
convection and go to a forced circulation system or a pumping ring.
❍ An API (American Petroleum Institute) type gland has been piped incorrectly
● Poor heat conductivity of the hard face. Silicon carbide is better than 99.5 ceramic.
❍ A wrong installation measurement.
❍ The impeller was adjusted after the seal was installed. Any pump impeller that adjusts
against the back plate has this problem. Durco pumps are a good example.
❍ Excessive axial movement of the shaft.
❍ Thermal expansion
A seal component is rubbing the inside diameter of the stuffing box or against a product that has attached
its self to the inside of the stuffing box. Hard water forms calcium deposits and petroleum fluids can
form coke solids at elevated temperature.

● The pump and driver are misaligned
● There is a pipe strain problem.

● A thermometer well could be penetrating into the stuffing box.
A suction recirculation line was used to lower stuffing box pressure. The high velocity re-circulation in
this line is heating up the return line.
YOU ARE HEARING NOISE IN THE STUFFING BOX.
❍ Vaporization.
❍ Turbulence
❍ Air ingestion
● A rotating component is rubbing.

● The seal has come loose from the shaft. The soft stainless steel set screws have vibrated loose
from a hardened shaft or sleeve.
● A foreign object has entered into the stuffing box or was left in the stuffing box during the last
seal change.
● The sleeve is hitting an API (American Petroleum Institute) disaster bushing.
A PIECE OF AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT IS FAILING.
The convection tank
● It is running backwards. There are multiple causes of this problem:

❍ The inlet and outlet ports are not drilled properly. Centrifugal force is working against
convection.
❍ A cartridge dual seal has not been centered properly.
❍ Connections have been made to the wrong fittings.
❍ The piping fitting has bottomed into the gland fitting shutting off or restricting the flow.

❍ Temperature change of the barrier or buffer fluid.

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❍No air pocket was left in the top of the tank.

❍ One of the seals is leaking. The pressure or level change should tell you which one. If the
inboard seal is leaking the level will increase. An outboard seal leak will cause the tank
level to drop or empty completely.
● The level in the tank drops a little and then holds.
❍ The outboard seal is leaking. Without a vent on the top of the convection tank the dropping
fluid level created a vacuum in the tank stopping the level at a new height. This is similar
to the level you can hold in a drinking straw if you keep your finger on one end of the
straw.
● The convection tank is not convecting at all. The tank was installed incorrectly. The minimum and
maximum dimensions for the pipe locations were ignored.
● The meter is broke.

● Line clogged.
● The gage graduations are too large for the desired flow.
● Valve not open.
● Line clogged.
● Operators love to shut this quench connection off to stop what they think is a seal leak.

insulation and no one can see it).
● Someone has shut off the cooling water or steam.
YOU HAVE VIBRATION PROBLEMS
There are several different types of vibration that include:

common.
❍ A bent or warped shaft. This often happens during the removal of the shaft sleeve, the
bearing, or the mechanical seal.

❍ Rubbing parts.
❍ Loose parts.
❍ Damaged parts.
❍ The impeller vanes are running too close to the pump cutwater.
❍ Air is getting into the system through vortexing etc.
❍ Water hammer.


❍ A pump discharge recirculation line is aimed at the seal faces. Each pass of an impeller
vane gives a pulse to the fluid going to the stuffing box.

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Return to index

s025
S025. SEAL OPERATION PROBLEMS
The fact of the matter is that there are three types of problems we encounter with centrifugal pumps and
poor operation is one of them. If you are curious, the other two are design problems and poor
maintenance practices.
premature seal and bearing failure. Design and maintenance practices will be discussed in other papers in
this series.
When pumps were supplied with jam packing, the soft packing stabilized the shaft to prevent too much
deflection. In an effort to save flushing water and to conserve power, many of these same pumps have
since been converted to a mechanical seal and the radial stabilization the packing provided has been lost.
Bad operating practices include:
life. Here are some of the common reasons why a pump is run dry:

● Sump fluids are often dirty, corrosive or both. The control rods for the float switch will often
"gum up" or corrode and give a false reading to the operator. He may think that there is an
adequate level, when in fact, the tank is empty.
Dead heading the pump can cause severe shaft deflection as the pump moves off of its best efficiency
point (BEP). This translates to excessive heat that will affect both the seal and the bearings as well as
causing the seal faces to open, and the possibility of the impeller contacting the volute when the shaft
deflects.
● Starting the centrifugal pump with a shut or severely throttled discharge valve is standard practice
with many operation departments. The concern is to save power without realizing the damage that
is being done to the mechanical seal, impeller, wear rings and bearings.
discharged to the suction side of the pump the increased temperature at the pump suction can
cause cavitation.
Operating the pump off of its best efficiency point (BEP). Changing the flow rate of the liquid causes
shaft deflection that can fail the mechanical seal and over-load the bearings.
● Starting the pump with the discharge valve closed to save power.
● The level in the suction tank is changing. Remember that the pump pumps the difference between
the discharge and suction heads. If the suction head varies, the pump moves to a different point on
its curve.
the tank fills. Some systems were designed for a low-capacity positive displacement pump and
Centrifugal pumps must discharge to the top of the tank to prevent this problem.
readings.
● Increasing the flow will often cause cavitation problems because more NPSH is required at the
higher flow rate.
operations understand their function and need because many times we find the controls installed, but not
functioning.

s025
If the jacket clogs up, this differential will be lost and seal failure will shortly follow.
● Barrier fluid is circulated between two mechanical seals. There may or may not be a differential
temperature depending upon the flow rate. If a convection tank is installed, there should be a
temperature differential between the inlet and outlet lines. The line coming out of the top of the
seal to the side of the tank should be warmer than the line from the bottom of the tank to the
bottom of the seals; otherwise the system is running backwards and may fail completely. The
level in the tank is also critical. It should be above the tank inlet line or no convection will occur.
Some convection tanks are pressurized with a gas of some type. Many original equipment
(O.E.M.) seal designs will fail if this differential pressure is lost.
● Some seal glands (API (American Petroleum Institute) type) are equipped with a quench
connection that looks like the seal is leaking water or steam. If there is too much steam pressure
on this quench connection the excessive leakage will get into the bearings causing premature
failure. The quench steam is often used to keep the product warm to prevent it from solidifying,
crystallizing, getting too viscous, building a film on the faces etc. Operating people frequently
shut off the quench to stop the condensate from leaking.
● Flushing fluids are used for a variety of purposes, but most of the time they are used to eliminate
amount of flush is determined by the seal design. As an example, designs that have springs in the
product require more flush.
be coming out of the seal gland and not the stuffing box lantern ring connection.
There are some additional things that all operators should know to insure longer rotating equipment life.
As an example:
● You should be aware that washing down the pump area with a water hose will cause premature
are the best example of the exception to this rule. The popular Durco pumps adjust to the back
plate causing a compression of the seal faces that can create mechanical seal "over heating"
problems.
after the cleaning procedure.
point (BEP).
● "Rolling" the equipment an cause hydrodynamic seals to come into contact.
departments:
● Shutting the pump discharge valve suddenly, will blow the seal open.
● All ceramics cold shock.
● If you use two hard faces or dual mechanical seals in slurry applications, you will not need
● If you use metal bellows seals for hot oil applications, you will not need the stuffing box cooling
jacket operating.
● It is O.K. to use an oversized impeller because throttling back will save power.

s025
You can learn the details about these mis-statements in this section.
shooting.
time.
does no good to tell maintenance that the pump has been making noise for two weeks.
● A great many motor and electrical problems are caused by these same wash down hoses.
Return to index

Dead Heading
D006. DEAD HEADING
Pumping against a closed discharge valve.
Not a very good idea because of the heat that will be generated and the radial forces that will be created
that could possibly break the pump shaft.
Return to index

b030
B030. BLOCKED OUT
Refers to insuring that the electrical power is turned off to the pump before it is disassembled or
removed.
Return to index

S023
S023. SEAL MISCONCEPTIONS
Here is a listing of some of the most common misconceptions I find that people have about mechanical
seals.
Two hard faces are a sensible choice if there is dirt or solids in the product you are pumping.
ans. Seal faces are lapped to less than three light bands (less than one micron) of flatness.
Dirt and solids cannot penetrate these faces unless they open. The trick to sealing solids
and slurry is to keep the lapped seal faces together.
Dual seals are a good choice for a slurry application.
ans. Putting a clean liquid between two seals is not going to stop solids from clogging the
inner seal. Since the barrier fluid is at a higher pressure than the stuffing box pressure you
will probably end up diluting your product.
Putting the seal outside the stuffing box can keep the springs and other parts from clogging in an abrasive
slurry.
ans. As the seal faces wear the seal is going to have to move into the slurry that will
restrict its movement. It is the same problem you face with many of the dual seal
applications used to seal dirt and solids.
You should not use ceramic seal faces in a mechanical seal. They will crack when subjected to
temperature transients.
ans. Space vehicles are covered with ceramic so they can take temperature transients; it's
just a matter of which ceramic you are using.
Seal faces have to be lubricated.
ans. Not necessarily. Carbon graphite is a natural lubricant. Electric motors have used
carbon/graphite brushes for years that do not use any external lubricating source.
Oil is a good buffer or barrier fluid to use between dual mechanical seals.
ans. Actually it is one of the worse. It has too low a specific heat number and it is not a
very good conductor of heat compared to other liquids.
Teflon® is a universal elastomer. It makes sense to use it in mechanical seals.
ans. Teflon® is not an elastomer because it does not have a memory. To use it in a
mechanical seal you must spring load it to the shaft and that is never a good idea because
you will end up with expensive shaft damage (fretting). O.E.M. suppliers use Teflon®
because they are not sure where the pump is going to be used.
Shrinking a carbon seal face into a metal holder is an acceptable manufacturing technique.
ans. It really is a bad one. The out of roundness tolerance of the metal holder will clash
with the out of roundness tolerance of the carbon, causing high loading at several points on
the carbon outside diameter. The carbon should be pressed into the metal holder allowing
it to shear and conform to the metal out of roundness.
It is a good engineering practice to glue the O-rings in a split mechanical seal design.
ans. Not really, the glue will create a hard spot that will give you a leakage problem.
You should connect a clean flush connection to the top of gland.
ans. It should be connected to the bottom of the gland or stuffing box. This will allow the
flushing fluid to fill the box prior to spilling over the end restriction in the stuffing box.
American prints show the top half of the drawing, that is why this error is so frequently
made.
The elastomer Viton® is acceptable in water.
ans. It is a worse choice. The proper material for water is ethylene propylene. Some
specific grades of Viton® can be used in cold water, but none of them are good for hot
water. Viton® is cured in sulfur and what ever attacks the cure attacks the compound.
S023
Needless to say sulfur and water are not a good combination.
Split seals leak
ans. It all depends upon your definition of leakage. If you are talking "fugitive emissions"
that are measured at parts per million you can build a case for leakage, but if you mean "no
visible leakage" then most split seals are as leak free as any other mechanical seal
manufactured from the same materials.
You should put a lubricant on seal faces when you install them
ans. It's not a good idea to put anything on the lapped faces. The trick is to keep the lapped
faces clean and together.
No one can predict seal life.
ans. That is a fact, but we know how long seals should last. They should run leak free until
the sacrificial carbon wears down (90% of mechanical seals fail long before that happens).
In most seal applications the carbon is running on a hard face.
ans. The graphite comes out of the carbon /graphite face and deposits on the hard face.
You can easily see the black mark made by the graphite. The seal face you are actually
running is carbon on graphite. The hard face is just some place to put the graphite. This is
the reason that seal faces can run dry.
It is good engineering practice to put a stationary seal on a cartridge.
ans. Tightening the cartridge sleeve set screws will pull the cartridge sleeve to one side,
causing the rotating face to no longer be perpendicular or square to the rotating shaft. This
squareness to the shaft is essential to the performance of any stationary mechanical seal;
you are going to need some type of self-aligning feature. See stationary cartridge seals.
Return to index

s013
S013. SEAL FACE OPENS
Here are the most common reasons for lapped faces to open prematurely:
● The setscrews slipped on a hardened shaft sleeve causing the seal to lose its spring load.
● The dynamic elastomer (the rubber part that moves) stuck to the shaft or sleeve.
● The spring load on the wedge, V-rings or U-cup used with most pusher type seals was too high.
The Crane #9, Durametallic ROTT and Borg Warner "U" are typical of these designs. A high
spring load causes too much interference fit on the shaft.
● The shaft or sleeve diameter was too large. + 0.000 inches to - 0.002 inches (+ 0.00 mm to - 0,05
mm) is a good shaft or sleeve tolerance for mechanical seals.
are using rubber bellows designs that call for a finish of no better than 40 rms (1 micron).
● The O-ring groove was out of tolerance. It is causing too much O-ring interference with the shaft
preventing the O-ring from flexing and rolling.
● The elastomer swelled up because it was not compatible with the pumping fluid or a cleaner that
lapped face out of its holder or break the hard face.
❍ The seal was installed on the shaft and then the semi-open impeller was adjusted to the
pump volute for the inital clearance setting, or to compensate for normal impeller wear.
This is a very common problem with all open and semi-open impeller designs.
❍ Thermal growth of the shaft. Every inch of shaft will grow 0.001" for each 100°F (0.001
mm/mm/ °C) of temperature increase.

❍ Sleeve or journal bearings allow excessive axial movement. Some centrifugal pump
designs utilize this type of bearing as a radial bearing.

❍ Harmonic vibration is a major source. The seal is vibrating in harmony with another piece
of equipment
❍ Cavitation is very common in many applications. Remember that there are five types of
cavitation and all of them can cause vibration problems.

❍ Slip stick vibration can occur between seal faces if the pumping fluid is not a lubricant.
Hot water is a good example of a non-lubricating liquid. Most gases and dry solids are
obvious non-lubricants.
❍ Hitting a critical speed is another cause of vibration. Pumps that have this problem are said
to have flexible rather than rigid shafts.

❍ Out of balance rotating seal and pump components.
Be aware that thermal expansion of the shaft can sometimes grab the close fitting vibration
damper and open the lapped seal faces.
● Installation errors.
❍ There is not enough load on the lapped seal faces. Do not be tempted to add springs to
increase the designed load because the additional heat generated can be a cause of seal face
damage.
■ The seal was installed at a wrong inital setting.
■ The sleeve moved when the impeller was tightened. Measurements should be taken
after the sleeve to shaft gasket is compressed.

■ The mechanic misread the installation print.
■ Some people need glasses to read a print or scale. They can see the 1 and 2 on the
scale, but not the funny little lines in between.

■ The mechanic used the old setscrew marks as a guide and their location was not
correct.
■ No print was available at the installation site. The boss has it locked in his filing
cabinet so it will not get dirty or lost.

■ The impeller was adjusted after the seal was attached to the shaft. Duriron is the
exception because its impeller adjusts towards the back plate causing the seal to
over compress.
■ Shaft or sleeve thermal growth. In most seal designs this will unload the seal faces.
The seal must be attached to the shaft after all thermal growth has occurred. You
are going to need a cartridge seal to do this. Outside mounted, non-metallic seals
can be an exception. They will over compress with thermal growth.
❍ Rotating type mechanical seals need the stationary face installed square to the shaft to
prevent excessive axial movement. Stationary designs need the rotating face to be installed
square to the rotating shaft. This is much easier to do as long as the seal face is not set
screwed to the shaft. It should be butted up against a square shoulder or some other type of
"squareness" must be provided.
❍ The wrong lubricant was used on the dynamic O-ring causing it to swell up and lock the
seal to the shaft.

● Reversing stuffing box pressure can cause many unbalanced seal designs to open.
the lapped faces. 5000 fpm (25 meters/sec), measured at the center of the lapped faces is just
about the limit for rotating seal designs.
s013

❍ The lapped face was installed backwards. You are running on the non-lapped side.
❍ Seals used in cryogenic service (very cold) must be lapped at cryogenic temperatures.
❍ A temperature change or agitation can cause a product to become viscous and interfere
with seal movement.

❍ Some liquids can solidify with a change in temperature, pressure or agitation.
surfaces.

● Solids clogged the springs or some other part of the seal, restricting seal movement. This is a big
problem with rotating, "back to back" dual seal designs. The solids collect between the rotating
shaft and the inner seal face inside diameter causing the moveable face to "hang up".
● Solids outboard the seal can restrict axial movement as the seal moves to compensate for carbon
wear.
❍ Ice can form when some fluids vaporize, or cold weather can freeze moisture in the air.
❍ Crystalls and solids can form outboard because of seal leakage.
❍ If you are using a gland quench connection, the quenching fluid must be clean or it will
deposit contaminants outboard the seal. If shop water is used in a quench gland to cool a
hot fluid be aware that the calcium in the water will deposit outboard of the seal and
restrict its movement.
seal applications.
If the lapped faces open for any reason, it will allow solids to penetrate between the faces and embed into
the softer carbon when the faces close. The contaminated carbon will then act as a grinding surface
making wear marks in the harder face.
Return to index

st004
ST004. SHAFT DEFLECTION, THE DIFFERENT TYPES
There are a number of forces acting on the shaft to cause it to deflect from the centerline of the bearings.
These forces or loads include:
● The forces causing rotation (torque).

● The weight of the parts.
● Radial and axial hydraulic forces.
● Mechanical loading.
The deflection can be along the length of the shaft (axial) or 90° to the length of the shaft (radial). In the
following paragraphs we will be looking at both kinds of deflection.
Let's start with the axial deflection of the rotating shaft.
● The motor rotor moved to its magnetic center at start up. The coupling did not compensate for this
axial movement because thermal growth had taken up the clearance in the coupling.
● Sleeve bearings allow a lot of axial movement. Precision bearings limit axial movement but can
still allow enough radial movement to open lapped mechanical seal faces.
● Shaft thrust.
❍ There is a thrust towards the bearings caused by the combination of the fluid changing
direction in the impeller and acting on the shaft and/or impeller surfaces. This thrust is
offset by a thrust towards the wet end caused by the impeller shape.
❍ With centrifugal pumps the resulting axial force can be in either direction, depending upon
how close the pump is operating to its best efficiency point. Above 65% of its best
efficiency, the thrust is towards the wet end. Below 65% of the best efficiency the thrust is
towards the power or bearing end. There is little to no movement at 65% of the pumps best
efficiency. This means that at start up the shaft moves in both directions accounting for a
higher percentage of seal failure at start up.
❍ Vertical mixer shafts often lift vertically when solids are mixed with liquid because the
solids lift the mixer blade. Mixer people call this "skidding". This is one of the reasons
why we lose so many mechanical seals at pump start up.
clearances. Unfortunately this does not help the mechanical seal.
unique in that most of their impeller adjustment move the shaft in the direction of the bearings.
Remember that there is an inital impeller setting and "on going" settings that have to be made for
back plate, volute and impeller wear.
Causes of a radial deflection of the rotating shaft from the pump centerline
direction.
● The impeller is out of balance.
❍ Wear, corrosion or cavitation damaged the impeller.
❍ Product has built up on the vanes or in the balance holes.
❍ The impeller diameter was reduced and the impeller was not re-balanced

❍ Usually occurs during sleeve removal or if the bearing was installed with an arbor press.
❍ Improper storage with the long shaft supported only on the ends.
❍ Heating the shaft to remove the sleeve is another common cause

● Serious misalignment. The misalignment can be the result of pipe strain or misalignment between
the pump and its driver. Couplings cannot compensate for this misalignment.
● Pipe strain, either physical or thermal.
Both radial and axial shaft deflection from the pump centerline
● The bearings are worn excessively.

❍ Contamination of the lubricant is the biggest cause. Grease or lip seals have a useful life of
only 2000 hours (84 days).

❍ Poor fit or installation.
● Cavitation, there are five types to consider:

st004
Vaporization caused by too high a product temperature or too low a suction head.
❍
❍ Air is entering the stuffing box. A common problem with pumps that run in a vacuum or
taking a suction from an evaporator or condenser.

❍ Internal recirculation. Occurs when the Suction Specific Speed is too high, or when either
the impeller or wear ring clearance becomes excessive.

❍ The vane-passing syndrome occurs if the O.D. of the impeller is too close to the pump
cutwater. This clearance should be at least 4% of the impeller diameter in the smaller size
impellers and at least 6% in the larger diameter impellers (greater than 14 inch or 355
mm.)
❍ Turbulence. It occurs if there is not laminar flow through the lines.
● Water hammer.
● Running the pump at, or passing through a critical shaft speed.
● Any kind of severe vibration problems will cause both radial and axial deflection of the shaft.

● The pillow block bearings of a double-ended pump are not on the same centerline as the pump
stuffing boxes.
● The seal gland was not centered off the shaft. It was referenced against the inside diameter of the
stuffing box lip, or a shoulder cast and machined on the stuffing box face.
Vibration of the rotating shaft. There are multiple causes of vibration.

common.
❍ A bent or warped shaft. This often happens during the bearing and seal removal process.
❍ Pipe strain, either by design or as a result of thermal growth.
❍ Rubbing of a rotating component.
■ The shaft is hitting the wear ring, or a stationary wear ring is contacting a rotating
wear ring.
■ The shaft is hitting the seal gland or stationary face.
■ The shaft is contacting the bushing we normally find in the inboard end of the
stuffing box.
■ A seal rotating component is hitting the stuffing box inside diameter.
■ The shaft or sleeve is contacting the disaster bushing in an API (American
Petroleum Institute) gland.

❍ A recirculation line aimed at the seal faces is causing a pulse each time the impeller vane
passes the fitting.

❍ A gasket or fitting is protruding into the stuffing box.
❍ Loose parts.
❍ Damaged parts.
❍ The impeller vane is running too close to the pump cutwater.
❍ Air getting into the system through vortexing etc.
❍ Turbulence in the system (non laminar flow).
❍ Water hammer.

❍ Harmonic vibration.
■ The seal is vibrating in harmony with some rotating component. The same thing
that causes a rear view mirror to vibrate in an automobile. Changing the speed of
the equipment or "damping" the vibrating component can stop most harmonic
vibration.

❍ Slipstick, caused by:
■ Poor lubricating fluids.
■ Hot water.
■ Solvents.
■ Some detergents.

st004
Gases
■
■ Dry running applications.
■ Too high a face load.
■ Using unbalanced seals.
■ Poor installation.
■ Face load has changed because of temperature growth or impeller adjustment.
■ You are using a high friction face combination. Often occurs if you use two hard
faces.
● The product is vaporizing at the seal faces
❍ Happens frequently with products that contain water, and are operated at elevated
temperature.
❍ Vaporization can occur at the seal face because of high face load or if you use unbalanced
seals
● The stationary seal face is not perpendicular to the rotating shaft. This causes the spring loaded
rotating face to move back and forth twice per revolution.
● The stuffing box face is not square to the shaft. The stuffing box face is often a rough casting.
❍ Tightening the gland bolts through a gasket will cock the stationary face.
❍ Pipe strain.
❍ Temperature growth.
❍ A convection tank or some other heavy device is hanging off of the gland.
❍ Bearing fit or wear.
❍ Coupling alignment.
❍ Shaft deflection. You can look this subject up in the alphabetical section
Another contributor to the opening of seal faces and their destruction is excessive heat. The heat can
come from several sources:
● The ambient temperature of the product you are sealing may be excessively hot.
● Heat generated within the pump
● The heat generated at the seal faces
Return to index

s082
S082. STAINLESS STEEL DISCOLORATION
When stainless steel gets hot it turns color.
If there is a question as to whether the color is on, or in the metal, try to erase it with a common pencil
eraser. If the color comes off it means the piece did not get hot, something was stuck on the stainless
steel.
The following chart will help you to determine the maximum temperature the stainless piece may have
been exposed to.

700-800 Straw Yellow 370-425
900-1000 Brown 480-540
1100 Blue 600
1200 Black 650
Return to index

st018_1
ST018_1. THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEAKAGE.
The leak rate is changing - It gets better or worse.
surface.
● The hard stationary face has been installed backwards. These faces are usually lapped on only one
side
The faces spit liquid or vapor.
● The product is vaporizing at the faces. Check the fluid vapor point. When using balanced seals the
stuffing box pressure must be at least one atmosphere higher than the product vapor point.
● The stationary seal face was not centered to the shaft.
❍ The seal is not concentric with the shaft.
❍ The shaft is bent
● Product has solidified on the seal face and a piece has broken off. A high temperature between the
faces often initiates this.
the material.
❍ The product is viscous.
❍ The product has started to solidify.
❍ The shaft/ sleeve is too large in diameter and it is restricting movement of the seal. Spring
loaded dynamic elastomers such as Teflon® wedges, U- cups, chevrons and spring loaded
O-ring designs are very sensitive to this problem
❍ Dirt or solids are clogging the seal and preventing it from following shaft run out. Designs
that use multiple springs in the fluid are prone to this problem.
❍ In a non O-Ring version, the spring load is too high causing the elastomer or Teflon® to
stick to the shaft. Some designs use spring loaded O-rings that experience the same
problem.
● A bending or bent shaft is causing the seal outside diameter to contact the inside diameter of the
● The pump is running with too high or too low a head. This causes a shaft deflection that may be
excessive. Check the pump curve against actual operating conditions.
Constant dripping. It gets neither better nor worse. This leak cannot be caused by a damaged seal face
because seal faces are a wearable surface and the leak rate would have to change.
● The elastomer (rubber part) is cut or nicked.

● There is damage in the O-ring groove. Maybe the O-ring was removed with a sharp metal
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st018_1
● There is a leak path between the carbon and the carbon face holder.
● Leaking between the cartridge sleeve and the shaft.
● Leaking between the shaft sleeve and the shaft.
● Leaking between the gland and the stuffing box. This leak path is very visible in most applications
● The seal faces are stuck open.
The elastomer has swollen up due to chemical attack by either the product, the flush, what ever is being
used to clean the lines, or by the lubricant that was put on the elastomer to help the installation. This
attack usually takes place within one week of exposure to the non-compatible lubricating fluid.
Return to index
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Affinity laws for Rotary pumps
A010. AFFINITY LAWS FOR ROTARY (PD) PUMPS
There are many different types of rotary designs that include gear, vane, lobe, progressive cavity, screw,
etc. Rotary pumps are very different from centrifugal pumps:
● They do not have a best efficiency point (BEP).

● There is no impeller shape (specific speed) to consider.
● There is no system curve to match.
● Their capacity is a constant even if the head changes.
Take a look at the following two curves. The one on the left describes a centrifugal pump curve with the
curve shape determined by the specific speed number of the impeller. The curve on the right describes
the curve we get with a typical rotary pump.
H = Head in feet or meters
Q = Capacity in gpm, or M3/hr
What happens when you change the speed of each of these type pumps? In the following paragraphs we
will look at what happens when you change from 1750 rpm to 3500 rpm. This is a major change in
speed, but not all that uncommon.
If you are using a variable speed motor, pulley arrangement or gearbox the speed change might not be as
dramatic but the formulas you will be using remain the same.
In USCS units (inch units) we will use an example where we will be doubling the speed, but when we do
the metric units we will cut the speed in half:
The capacity or amount of fluid you are pumping varies directly with this number.
● Example: 100 gallons per minute x 2 = 200 gallons per minute

● Or in metric: 50 cubic meters per hour x 0,5 = 25 cubic meters per hour
There is no direct change in head with a change in speed. The pump generates whatever head or pressure
necessary to pump the capacity.
The horsepower required changes by the number
● Example: A 9 horsepower motor was required to drive the pump at 1750 rpm. How much is
● We would get 9 x 2 = 18 horsepower is now required.
● Or in metric, if a 12 kilowatt motor were required at 3000 rpm. and you decreased the speed to
1500 the new kilowatts required would be 12 x 0,5 = 6,0 kilowatts required for the lower rpm.
The NPSH required varies by the square of the speed
● Example 9 feet x 4 (22) = 36 feet

● Or in metric, 3 meters x 0,25 ( 0,52) = 0,75 meters
Rotary pumps are often used with high viscosity fluids. There is a set of affinity laws for changes in

Affinity laws for Rotary pumps
viscosity, but unlike changes in speed the change in viscosity does not give you a direct change in
capacity, net positive suction head required (NPSHR), or horsepower.
As an example: an increase in viscosity will increase the capacity because of less slippage, but twice the
viscosity does not give you twice the gpm.
Since there are a variety of rotary pump designs operating over a wide range of viscosities, simple
statements about changes in operating performance are hard to make, but the following relationships are
generally true.
Here are the viscosity affinity laws for rotary pumps:
● Viscosity1>Viscosity2 = gpm1 > gpm2

● Viscosity1>Viscosity2 = BHP1 > BHP2
● Viscosity1>Viscosity2 = NPSHR1 > NPSHR2
● Viscosity1>Viscosity2 = No direct affect on differential pressure.
Return to index

DN Factor
D019. DN FACTOR
This factor is used by some people to set the limit for ball bearing speed.
It limits the use precision bearings (ball bearings) if the bearing bore x rpm is 300,000 or greater.
The real limit of bearing speed, however, is the temperature of the bearing lubricant.
Both oil and grease have a useful life of about thirty years at 30°C (86°F). This life is cut in half for each
10°C (18°F.) rise in temperature.
Return to index

v013
V013. VELOCITY HEAD
Velocity head is part of the total head calculation. It is calculated in either feet / sec or meters / sec
Derived from the formula:
● g = gravity (32.2 feet/sec2) or 9,8 meters /sec2
Calculating total head in metric units, C003
Calculating total head in USCS (inch) units, C004
Return to index

Heat Generation In The Pump
H009. HEAT GENERATION IN THE PUMP
Every day salesmen call on customers and make claims that their pump or mechanical seal can take more
heat than the other guys. Before we rush out to purchase these wonder products we should take a closer
look at the heat problem. The heat comes from several sources:
● Generated at the seal faces or by packing rubbing against the shaft or sleeve
● Ambient conditions. The weather or atmosphere surrounding the pump.
● The product contains a certain amount of heat
● Two parts rubbing together that are not supposed to be rubbing can generate a lot of local heat.
● Grease seals. They rub against the shaft very close to the bearings.
● Running to the left of the best efficiency point (BEP) means that the discharge is restricted.
● Friction of the pump rotating parts, especially if the discharge is throttled.
No pump is 100% efficient.
If a pump is rated 60% efficient that means that 40% of the power is doing something other than moving
liquid, and it turns out a lot of it is being converted to heat.
In a normal temperature stabilized pump, running at its best efficiency point (BEP), the temperature rise
within the pump is calculated from the following formulas:
BHP = Brake Horse Power (you get his number from the pump curve supplied by the
manufacturer
42.41 = Conversion of HP to Btu./min.
BKW = Brake Kilowatts ( From the pump curve)
14.34 = Conversion of Kilowatts to Kilocalories
like to calculate the temperature rise of the liquid in a running pump when the discharge is shut,
use the following formulas :
● BHP. = Brake Horse Power at shut off

● 42.4 = Conversion from Brake Horse Power (B.H.P.) to BTU/ minute
● W = Net weight of the liquid, in the pump, in pounds (lbs.)
● Temperature rise in degrees Centigrade per minute equals:
● BKW. = Brake Kilowatt at shut off

● 7.97 = Conversion from Brake Kilowatts (BKW) to Kilo calories/ minute
● W = Net weight of the liquid, in the pump, in kilograms (Kg.)

Heat Generation In The Pump
Return to index

s108
S109. SURFACE SPEED
To calculate surface speed we use the term "feet per minute" or "meters per second". This is a better
measurement of speed than rpm (revolutions per minute) because it takes into account the diameter of the
piece that is rotating.
In the seal business the diameter is taken at the middle of the seal face. Rotating seals have a limit of
5000 feet per minute or 25 meters per second.
At speeds above this number you should purchase stationary seal designs.
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Absolute velocity
A003. ABSOLUTE VELOCITY
This is a term used in pump theory. Any time we measure the fluid flow in a pipe, the pump volute, or by
the impeller vane the measurement is in reference to an earthbound coordinate system.
The term "relative velocity" uses the rotating vane as its coordinate system. It is calculated by dividing
the relative flow per vane channel by the cross section of the channel area.
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absolute zero
A004. ABSOLUTE ZERO
If you are talking about temperature, this is the lowest possible temperature.
Absolute zero is normally recorded in the Kelvin (relates to Centigrade) or Renkin (relates to Fahrenheit)
scales. Here is absolute zero in all the common scales:
● -273.16° Centigrade
● -459.69° Fahrenheit
● 0° Kelvin
● 0° Renkin
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Accumulator
A005. ACCUMULATOR
A pressurized tank or vessel used:
● To reduce pulsations caused by constant speed positive displacement pumps.

● To keep a head or pressure on a liquid system.
Accumulators are available in a variety of configurations:
● Piston
● Diaphragm
● Bladder
● Gas charged
● In line
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Active metal
A006. ACTIVE METAL
● A corrosion resistant metal that has not been exposed to oxygen. Its protective oxide layer has not
formed.
● When the protective oxide layer is formed we say the metal has been passivated. The protective or
passivated layer that forms on aluminum is aluminum oxide (Al2O3). Stainless steel forms chrome
oxide (Cr2O3). These oxides are better known by their more common name "ceramic".
● You should never rub or polish corrosion resistant materials because you will remove this
protective oxide layer and it will have to re-form to make the base material become corrosion
resistant again
● In a dry atmosphere this can take as long as 24 hours. In a wet corrosive atmosphere it can be
almost instantaneous.
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Adapter
A007. ADAPTER
The adapter is the metal piece placed between the wet end and power end of an ANSI (American
National Standards Institute) pump (#71). The adapter connects and aligns the power end of the ANSI
pump to the wet end.
Adapters are available in either forged or cast metal. Forged is better.
A second adapter is sometimes used to connect and align the motor to the pump. This adapter is called a
"C or D" frame adapter.
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Aflas
A011. AFLAS
A 3M-company elastomer commonly used in mechanical seal applications with better chemical
resistance than either ethylene propylene or Viton ®, but not as good as the super compounds Kalrez® or
Chemraz.
Unfortunately the universal rubber or elastomer does not exist, so each time a mechanical seal is
specified someone has to select the correct elastomer (O-ring). It might even be you!
See: O-ring selection
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O-RING SELECTION
O006. O-RING OR ELASTOMER SELECTION
examples.
● N - neoprene
● B - buna N
● Bu- butyl
may be required.
limit is exceeded.

Chemraz -20 +450° -30 +230°
Kalrez® 0 +500° -20 +260°
Neoprene -45 +300° 45 +150°
O-RING SELECTION
Buna N -65 +225° -55 +105°

Buna S -75 +250° -60 +120°
many compounds.

change weight, shape, or appearance. If the elastomer does not pass this test go to the last step
low shaft squeeze is important to prevent seal hang up or hysteresis. They must also be free to flex
and roll to compensate for mechanical seal face wear.
sealing.


O-RING SELECTION
play.
sealing.
getting closer to the universal rubber that we are all seeking.
Unfortunately we are not there yet, so this article is an attempt to put these "super compounds" into a
proper perspective. There are several of these compounds that you should know about.
and aldehydes.
below 400°F (205°C).
to AFLAS.
(205°C)
materials.

O-RING SELECTION
elastomers to avoid the selection process altogether. The next chart will help you to avoid a mistake in
suitable for your service.
It means nothing more than what it says; these are the chemicals that each manufacturer has designated
as not suitable for a dynamic O-ring application.
● A = Aflas
● C = Chemraz
● F = Fluoraz
● K = Kalrez®
compound by immersing the O-ring in the fluid to be tested for about ten days to two weeks.
If the fluid is going to attack the compound, the O-ring it will change weight, shape, or appearance. If the
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Allen head
A015. ALLEN HEAD
Allen head screws are tightened with an Allen head wrench. This
configuration makes it easier to tighten and loosen the fitting.
The set-screws we use to tighten mechanical seals to the shaft

commonly have an Allen head
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Alpha sintered silicon carbide
A016. ALPHA SINTERED SILICON CARBIDE
A grade of silicon carbide (ceramic) that contains no silica.
It is also called a self sintered silicon carbide (sometimes called direct sintered or pressure less sintered)
chemical attack.
carbide:
COMPANY DESIGNATION
Carborundum SA-80
Kyocera SC-201
● Sintered silicon carbide is impossible to shrink into a metal holder.

version.
Although the preferred seal face material, it often is too brittle for some seal face designs.
It is one of the most popular materials used in mechanical seal face design and is recommended in high
temperature water or oil applications because of its excellent thermal conductivity.
Alpha sintered silicon carbide is usually a better choice than the reaction bonded grade of silicon carbide.
Reaction bonded silicon carbide can be attacked by high pH chemicals similar to the caustic cleaners we
find in the chemical industry
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t007
T007. THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
A measure of the material's ability to conduct heat. This is a very important factor in the selection of
mechanical seal faces.
Many ceramic and most carbon graphite seal faces have poor thermal conductivity.
Hard seal faces manufactured from silicon carbide and tungsten carbide have good thermal conductivity
compared to conventional ceramics, and most carbon graphite seal faces.
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Reaction Bonded Silicon Carbide
R004. REACTION BONDED SILICON CARBIDE
A method used to manufacturing silicon carbide mechanical seal faces.
These reaction bonded silicon carbide materials are sensitive to caustic and other high pH liquids.
● The silicon content is about 8% to 15%. High pH chemicals such as caustic can attack this grade
of silicon carbide.
some of them.
COMPANY DESIGNATION
Carborundum KT
BNFL Refel
Coors SC-2
Norton HD-630
Pure Carbon PS-9242
carbide.
● Avoid the following chemicals when using reaction bonded silicon carbide :
❍ Nitric Acid *
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Aluminum oxide
A017. ALUMINUM OXIDE
Al2O3 is more commonly known by the generic term "ceramic".
Available in both an 85% and 99.5% grade, the 85% grade contains almost 15% silica making it sensitive
to any high pH fluids such as caustic.
The 85 and 99.5 grades of ceramic are not very good conductors of heat.
The ceramic grades called silicon carbide (SiC) and tungsten carbide (Tc) are much better choices.
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s052
S052. SiC
Silicon carbide. Probably the common mechanical seal face material being used at this writing.
A type of ceramic normally available in the reaction bonded and alpha sintered grades. The reaction
bonded version is sensitive to high pH fluids. The alpha sintered grade is the most popular for
mechanical seal faces.
Unlike previous ceramics, these silicon carbides have excellent thermal conductivity characteristics, but
like all ceramics they are very hard and can fracture easily in use, if molded in thin cross sections.
If you want to run a SiC face against another SiC face in your mechanical seal applicaion, you will
probably be better of running two seperate grades against each other to avoid galling or damage between
the lapped faces.
See:
● Alpha sintered, A016

● Reaction bonded, R004
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t025
T025. TUNGSTEN CARBIDE
A popular hard face seal material available in several grades depending upon hardness and corrosion
resistance.
The most popular grades are nickel base and cobalt base tungsten carbide. Nickel has better corrosion
resistance, but the cobalt is harder.
bronze.
Tungsten carbide is less difficult to insert into a metal holder so it is the most common material used in
metal bellows and other hard face metal composite designs.
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Ambient heat or pressure
A018. AMBIENT HEAT OR PRESSURE
The heat or pressure found in the work area where the equipment is located. The ambient condition can
be affected by heat coming off machinery and the current weather conditions.
A lowering of atmospheric pressure has been known to cause cavitation problems in those applications
where fluid is being pumped from an open tank, at a temperature close to its vapor point.
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Anhydrous
A019. ANHYDROUS
Means that there is no water in the molecule.
A hydrated liquid contains water that can be driven off by heating.
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Anneling
A020. ANNEALING
A method used to soften a metal by heating it to a predetermined temperature somewhere below its
melting point. Annealing is also used to take the stress out of a metal.
The stress could be residual from the manufacturing process or as a result of work hardening by beating
on, or flexing the metal part.
Stainless steel is sometimes annealed after welding in an attempt to shake back some chrome from the
area that was not in the heat-affected zone.
In the heat affected zone the chrome was depleted as it formed chrome carbide when the carbon in the
metal combined with the chrome during the high temperature welding process.
You can learn more about this if you look up Inter granular Corrosion.
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s091
S091. STRESS
Stress is the distorting force.
It is a measure of the intensity of the load applied to a material.
Stress is expressed as the load (strain) divided by the cross-sectional area over which it is applied.
See: Strain, S090
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s090
S090. STRAIN
A measure of the amount of deformation produced in a substance when it is stressed.
Too much stress will cause a lapped seal face to go out of flat.
See: Stress, S091
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Lomakin Affect
L018. LOMAKIN AFFECT
Since operation off of the best efficiency point (BEP) is common with centrifugal pumps, you will be
experiencing shaft loads well in excess of those discussed in critical speed calculations. This means that
your critical speed will actually be experienced at a much lower rpm than expected.
The critical speed numbers normally used, reference a shaft running in air.
In actual practice the impeller and a major portion of the rotating assembly is immersed in liquid that
provides a hydrodynamic support to help stabilize the assembly.
This hydrodynamic stabilizing force is referred to as the "Lomakin Effect".
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Anodize
A021. ANODIZE
A treatment used on aluminum to put a heavy stable film of protective oxide on the metal surface.
It is similar to the passivated layer that forms on stainless steel. Once this layer is formed the oxidization
(corrosion) rate slows down to less than 0.002 inches (0.05 mm) per year, which is the definition of
In recent years the aluminum industry has learned how to color this oxide or ceramic layer. Needless to
say it should never be polished, or rubbed off.
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API Gland
A027. API PLANS
A series of recommendations and drawings for the installation of hardware and piping to provide a
control of the seal environment in, and surrounding the pump stuffing box area.
These drawings reflect piping arrangements that have historically been used in the petroleum industry.
Not all of the plans are recommended or referenced in the API Standard.
● Plan 01. A line from the pump discharge to the seal. Often called discharge recirculation
● Plan 02. Dead-end the stuffing box. Use the cooling jacket
● Plan 11. Discharge recirculation through an orifice into the gland flush connection.
● Plan 12. Discharge recirculation through a strainer and control orifice to the gland flush
connection.
● Plan 13. Suction recirculation from the bottom of the stuffing box, through a flow control orifice,
to the suction piping.
● Plan 21. Discharge recirculation through a flow control orifice and cooler into the seal chamber
● Plan 22. Discharge recirculation through a strainer, orifice and a cooler to the stuffing box.
● Plan 23. Pumping ring in stuffing box, pumping stuffing box fluid through a cooler, back to the
stuffing box.
● Plan 31. Discharge recirculation through a cyclone separator to the stuffing box
● Plan 32. Flushing fluid from an external source to the seal
● Plan 41. Discharge recirculation through a cyclone separator, and cooler to the stuffing box.
● Plan 51. External reservoir providing a dead ended blanket of fluid to the quench connection of
the API gland
● Plan 52. External reservoir providing buffer fluid for the outer seal of an un-pressurized dual seal
arrangement. During operation an internal pumping ring provides circulation. The reservoir is
connected to a vapor recovery system and is maintained at a pressure less than the pressure in the
seal chamber.
● Plan 53. Pressurized external barrier fluid reservoir supplying clean fluid to the seal chamber.
Circulation is by an internal pumping ring. Reservoir pressure is greater than the process pressure
being sealed. Typically used with a tandem dual seal.
● Plan 54. Pressurized 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
system pressure being sealed. Typically used with tandem dual seal
● Plan 61. Tapped connect for purchaser's use. (flush connection)
● Plan 62. External source providing a quench. Typically used with a close fitting bushing
The ANSI standard does not have a similar plan reference.
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API plans
API, the most popular plans A039
The American Petroleum Institute (API) issues guide lines to help petroleum people select and then pipe
various types of controls for mechanical sealing applications. These piping arrangements are described in
a series of plans issued by the API.
Although 17 plans are described, only a few are really needed. Any time you have 17 choices there is
bound to be some confusion. In the following paragraphs I will describe those API plans that I use on a
regular business. In the following paragraphs I will describe where I use these plans and, in the process,
hopefully simplify your selection decisions
Plan #01 Discharge recirculation to pressurize the pump stuffing box
A recirculation line is connected from the discharge side of the pump to

the stuffing box. The high-pressure discharge fluid is then recirculated
through the stuffing box to the rear of the impeller and eventually to the
pump discharge.
This technique presents a couple of problems for maintenance people:
● The pump wear rings, critical tolerances and close fitting bushings can experience rapid wear as
the solids pass through these narrow clearances.
The only legitimate use of this discharge recirculation line is to pressurize the stuffing box to prevent a
liquid from vaporizing, and that is where I recommend its use.
for any personnel in the area and any entrained solids can clog up the heat exchanger.
When this line is used to pressurize the stuffing box you should keep several additional thoughts in mind:
bushing material but it should be about 0.002 inches/ inch (0,002 mm/mm) of shaft diameter. This
bushing will help in raising the stuffing box pressure
metal plates used in a metal bellows seal.
Plan #02 Circulation through a pump heating or cooling jacket
Condensate, steam, or heat transfer oils work well as the

heat transfer medium
This is the best method of controlling the temperature of a

fluid in the pump stuffing box if the temperature must be
controlled when the pump is not running.

API plans
There should be no recirculation or flushing lines attached to the stuffing box when this environmental
control is in use. Some of these lines could be covered up by insulation, so look out for them. High
temperature pumps should come equipped with a cooling or heating jacket installed around the pump
stuffing box. If a jacket (B) has not been installed on your pump it can probably be purchased from the
pump manufacturer or an "after market" supplier.
recirculation lines should be installed. Any material that has poor thermal-conducting properties will be
● A small amount of liquid or steam through the jacket can control the stuffing box to whatever
temperature range you need. In some instances cool heat transfer oil is utilized. Keep in mind that
this jacket may also be providing cooling to the bearing case as well as the stuffing box.
● Be sure the jacketing fluid is free from calcium (hard water) or any substance that can build a film
on the inside of the jacket surface and restrict the heat transfer. A number of cleaners are available
if you experience this problem. Condensate and steam are good jacketing fluids that present few
clogging or film building problems, and are available in most plants.
● Remember that both condensate and low-pressure steam will cool hot oil in the stuffing box. A
mixing valve can blend steam and condensate to get precise temperature control
● Its pressure determines the temperature of steam. You can monitor the steam pressure out of the
heating jacket to determine the steam temperature.
Plan #13 Suction recirculation to keep a flow going through the stuffing box
This is the best general piping layout for most of your applications
In this arrangement a line is connected between the suction of the

pump and the bottom of the stuffing box or seal gland connection.
Many pumps have a connection already tapped at the suction throat of
the pump for a suction gage. If this fitting is available you can install
one in the piping or in the pipe flange if the piping is not thick enough
to be drilled and tapped.
Try to make the stuffing box connection as close to the seal faces as possible to insure a good circulation
through the stuffing box.
● Stuffing box pressure is almost always higher than the suction pressure of the pump. Liquid from
behind the impeller will be circulated through the stuffing box to the pump suction. The impeller
has centrifuged this liquid and the result is that the liquid going into the stuffing box is
considerably cleaner than what you are pumping.
● In many cases you can eliminate the need for flushing in clean liquid and diluting your product.
This environment control works very well in closed impeller pump designs and those open
impeller designs that adjust towards the pump volute rather than the back.
● CAUTION! You should not use suction recirculation in the following applications:
● Any time you are pumping at, or close to the product's vapor point.
● If the fluid entrained solids have a low specific gravity. In other words, they float.
● If you are using a Duriron pump or any impeller that adjusts to the back plate.
● If you are using a double suction pump where the stuffing boxes are at suction pressure.
● Suction recirculation can also be used to lower the pressure in the pump stuffing box. A close
fitting bushing must be installed into the bottom of the box to assist in establishing a pressure
drop. You must be careful to insure that this bushing is secured by a snap ring or some other
positive retention method to prevent the differential pressure across the bushing from blowing the
bushing into the mechanical seal. If the fluid contains abrasive solids you will experience some
erosion of the bushing inside diameter as the abrasive fluid accelerates through the bushing on its
way to the pump suction.
Plan #62 The quench gland. Often called the API gland

API plans
extinguish a flame. In the seal business, quench (Q) is a term used to describe the introduction of a fluid
outside the mechanical seal. We use this fluid to:

● To dilute any leakage that might migrate across the seal faces.
● The Quench connection is labeled (Q). A close fitting bushing (DB) in the end of the gland directs
the quench fluid down a drain hole on the opposite side of the seal gland
● Steam is the most popular quench medium, but care should be taken that the steam pressure is
very low, or the hot steam will penetrate through the nearby bearing seals and contaminate the
bearing oil.
Plan #53 Barrier/ buffer fluid using an internal pumping ring
Any time you use dual seals (two seals) in an application; you should have a fluid circulating between
them to prevent the generation of unwanted heat. The following illustration shows a tandem arrangement
of dual rotating seals.
● If the pressure of the fluid between the seals is higher than stuffing box pressure we call it barrier
fluid. If the pressure is lower than stuffing box pressure we call it buffer fluid
● The buffer/barrier liquid can be circulated either by forced circulation, a pumping ring or
convection (each a different API plan number). The method that you will use will be dictated by
the heat being generated by the pressure in the stuffing box, the shaft speed and shaft size. Since
heat generation is also a function of seal design, all seal manufacturers provide charts or graphs to
give you the correct guidelines that will insure the proper amount of circulation between the seals.
● If you elect to use a forced circulation system be sure to introduce the fluid into the bottom of the
stuffing box or gland connection and out the top. This arrangement will insure that the space
between the seals is vented allowing proper cooling to take place.
● Forced circulation is the recommended method with all vertical shaft applications; although it is
possible to offset the centering of the seal gland and get a small amount of pumping action as the
liquid circulating in the seal gland changes its velocity at the convection tank connections.
● Many of the latest seal designs utilize a built in pumping ring to enhance convection. This
pumping arrangement is very necessary whenever oil is used as the barrier fluid because of oil's
low specific heat and poor conductivity.
The following illustration shows a typical convection system that can be used with two balanced seals.
Check with your supplier for recommended pipe size, height and length. CAUTION! Do not hang the
convection tank on the seal gland. The increased offset weight can distort the internal clearances of the
gland.

API plans
● Water is one of the best barrier or buffer fluids because of its high specific heat and good
conductivity. Petroleum oil is probably one of the worse because of its low specific heat and poor
conductivity. Keep this in mind when you select a barrier or buffer fluid for your seals.
● The type of seal you select will determine if the fluid between the seals has to be kept higher or
lower than the stuffing box pressure.
● Fluctuating pressures are normal in this business so you should select seals that are hydraulically
balanced in both directions to eliminate any problems that might be caused when the barrier fluid
or system pressure varies.
● Be sure to connect the convection tank or forced lubrication system so that the inlet is at the
bottom of the double seal and the outlet discharges from the top of the seal. This arrangement will
allow the seal to vent and insure that the passages are full of liquid.
Plan #3. Flushing to remove unwanted fluid in the stuffing box.
Do not confuse flushing fluid with discharge recirculation,

suction recirculation, quenching, barrier fluid, buffer fluid or
jacketing fluid.
● A clean liquid from an outside source is brought into the stuffing box through a regulating valve
at one atmosphere (15 psi. or 1 bar) higher than stuffing box pressure. The liquid should be
brought in at the bottom of the stuffing box to insure thorough cleaning. All of this flushing liquid
will eventually go into, and dilute your product.
● If you are using balanced O-ring seals you will only need enough liquid to remove solids that
might interfere with the seal movement. You will not need additional liquid flow to provide
cooling because balanced seals do not generate enough heat to cause heat problems in most
applications.
● Seal designs that have the springs out of the fluid require only one to two gallons per hour (4 to 8
liters/hour) of flush. NOTE: this is per hour, not per minute. If you are using mechanical seal
designs with multiple springs in the fluid, check with your manufacturer for his flushing
recommendations.
● The clean flushing fluid can come from several sources:
● Clean water such as condensate
● Any fluid compatible with your product
● A liquid solvent for your product
● Finished product will never hurt raw product and finished product is almost always clean.
● An additive that is going to be put into the product down-stream that can be added at the pump
● If you are using shop water as the flush, you must be careful or solids in the flushing water will
clog up the flow control valve. The shop water pressure also tends to vary through out the day and
in some instances it can fall below the pump stuffing box pressure. Most states require an air gap
in the line if you want to use shop or city water as a flushing medium. A back flow preventer
valve is used many times but it is illegal in many states. Check your local regulations.
When you should use flushing plan #32?
● To introduce clean liquid into the stuffing box that will remove solids or any problem fluid.
● To cool a hot liquid by flushing in a cold one.
● To replace a liquid that is sensitive to changes in either temperature and/ or pressure.
● CAUTION! Do not be tempted to use flushing to substitute a non-corrosive liquid for a corrosive
liquid and thereby save the cost of expensive seal components. Someone is going to shut off the
flush for sure, and the incompatible seal components will be chemically attacked and the seal will
API plans
fail prematurely.
Here are some of my comments about each of the plans recommended by the API:
Plan 01. A line from the pump discharge is connected to the pump stuffing box. We discussed this one as
a legitimate method of raising stuffing box pressure
Plan 02. The stuffing box is dead-ended. Heating or cooling fluid is circulated through the stuffing box
jacket. This is the best method of controlling thew stuffing box temperature when the pump is not
running.
Plan 11. A line is connected from the discharge side of the pump and recirculated through an orifice into
the gland flush connection. Orifices are hard to size and since many pumping fluids contain solids
orifices are easy to clog.
Plan 12. A line is connected from the discharge side of the pump and recirculated through a strainer and
control orifice to the gland flush connection. If solids are present in the fluid the strainer will frequently
clog along with the orifice
Plan 13. A line is connected from the bottom of the stuffing box, through a flow control orifice, to the
suction piping. Controlling the size of the orifice to get exactly the right flow is difficult. In most cases
you will not need the orifice
Plan 21. Discharge recirculation through a flow control orifice and cooler into the seal chamber. You are
cooling with high-pressure, pump discharge fluid. Not too good an idea! Hot, high-pressure fluids can be
dangerous if the cooler or its inlet and outlet-line fittings leak. There are better cooling methods that
utilize lower fluid pressure. Jacketing, barrier fluid and quenching come to mind. Also note that with this
arrangement you only get the cooling effect when the pump is running. This could cause a premature seal
failure when the pump stops.
Plan 22. Discharge recirculation is passed through a strainer, orifice and then through a cooler to the
stuffing box. The above mentioned problems with the cooler, orifice and strainer can combine together
for a real problem
Plan 23. A pumping ring is installed in either the stuffing box or within the mechanical seal components
that will pump the stuffing box fluid through an external cooler and then back to the stuffing box. This is
a good arrangement because it uses lower pressure cooling fluid. You find this arrangement on the
stuffing box of many boiler feed pump sealing applications.
Plan 31. Discharge recirculation through a cyclone separator to the stuffing box, Cyclone separators are
not very effective in removing the solids that fail mechanical seals. I would not waste my time with this
one.
Plan 32. Flushing liquid from an external higher pressure source to the stuffing box. A good solution if
you can tolerate some product dilution and insure the flushing pressure remains higher than the stuffing
box pressure.
Plan 41. Discharge recirculation through a cyclone separator and cooler to the stuffing box. This
combines two problems into a bigger problem.
Plan 51. An external reservoir providing a dead ended blanket of fluid to the quench connection of the
API gland
Plan 52. External reservoir providing buffer fluid for the outer seal of an un-pressurized dual seal
arrangement. During operation an internal pumping ring provides circulation. The reservoir is connected
to a vapor recovery system and is maintained at a pressure less than the pressure in the seal chamber.
This is a common and good environmental control. If the inner mechanical seal is hydraulically balanced
in both directions you can use this arrangement most of the time.
Plan 53. Pressurized external barrier fluid reservoir supplying clean fluid to the seal chamber.
Circulation is by an internal pumping ring. Reservoir pressure is greater than the process pressure being
sealed. Typically used with a tandem dual seal. Likewise a good environmental control when the
pumping fluid is dangerous.
Plan 54. Pressurized 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 system pressure
being sealed. Typically used with tandem dual seal. Another good environmental control
Plan 61. Tapped connect for purchaser's use. (flush connection). We discussed flush a little earlier
Plan 62. External fluid source providing a quench (steam is the most common quench fluid). Typically
used with a close fitting bushing in the rear of the gland to prevent the steam from entering into the
API plans
bearing cavity. A good environmental control. We discussed it earlier
Return to index

Application
A029. APPLICATION
It all depends if you are talking about pumps or mechanical seals.
When we use this term with mechanical seals we mean:
● We must choose the correct seal type. There are many to choose from: single-dual, balanced-
unbalanced, stationary-rotary, solid-split, etc.
● The seal materials have to be selected. These include the metal parts, the face combination and
any rubber type components (elastomers).
● Environmental controls may have to be specified to insure that we will have a lubricating fluid in
the stuffing box of the pump. These environmental controls include: flushing, quenching,
temperature and pressure control, etc.
When we use the term "application" with centrifugal pumps we mean:
● We must choose the correct size pump that will operate close to its best efficiency point (BEP).
This means determining the heads and corresponding capacities at various points in the pump's
operating window. This process is called "making a system curve."
● The driver has to be selected.
● The pump materials must be chosen.
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sa001.5
SA001.5 CLASSIFYING THE FLUIDS WE WILL BE SEALING
To be able to seal the wide variety of chemicals used in the process industry you need a method of
classifying chemicals that puts them into neat, logical categories. These categories can be handled by the
use of an off the shelf seal, a special seal design or by controlling the environment in the stuffing box and
outside the seal faces.
Any fluid can be classified as either a liquid or a gas and placed into seven sealing categorizes.

Let's look at each of these categories in detail and learn how they affect the life of a mechanical seal:
Any fluid will be affected by a large change in temperature or pressure, but many fluids are sensitive to
small changes. By a small change I mean one atmosphere of pressure (15 psi or one bar) or 10 degrees
Centigrade (18 degrees Fahrenheit) of temperature.
I have chosen these numbers because the best of seal designs can generate that amount of temperature
between the lapped faces, and any seal can experience a pressure drop of one atmosphere across the
lapped faces.
● Corrosive liquids are sensitive to an increase in temperature. Most corrosives will double their
corrosion rate with an 18 degree Fahrenheit (10 C.) rise in temperature. The temperature at the
seal face is always hotter than the temperature recorded in the stuffing box or seal chamber. Keep
in mind that any contact between the rotating shaft and a stationary component will cause high
heat and will be detected as localized corrosion. Wear rings and throttle bushings are subject to
this rubbing. If the equipment you are sealing is provided with a cooling jacket, and the jacket is
not being utilized, the trapped air can act as an insulator increasing the heat in the stuffing box
considerably.
● Liquids that vaporize. Most any liquid will vaporize if it becomes hot enough, or if the stuffing
box pressure gets too low. It is the product with a low specific gravity that gives us the most
❍ Fluids such as benzene and others with a low specific gravity will freeze as they vaporize.
lapped faces. Moisture on the outboard side of the seal will also freeze and restrict
movement of the sliding or flexing seal components.
your application.
interfere with free seal movement and cause seal faces to separate. Lowering the viscosity often
increases the seal face wear because there is not enough film thickness to keep the surfaces
separated. You need a film thickness of at least one micron (0.000039") to keep the lapped seal
faces separated.
● Film building liquids.
❍ Petroleum products will form a varnish when first heated and then gradually form a layer
of coke as the temperature is elevated. These transformations are not reversible and the
resultant hard film restricts sliding and/or flexing of the seal components.
❍ Hard water is another example of a film building fluid.
the seal causing the lapped faces to open. Magnetite is a severe problem in new, hot water
move when it compensates for face wear.
The names of these chemicals are not important. If you knew how to seal any one of them you could seal
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sa001.5
to seal that category.
Common sense would dictate that the product temperature and/or pressure must be controlled in the seal
area to prevent any of the above from occurring. In most cases you should try to avoid the use of two
hard faces in these applications because of the additional heat that will be generated between the faces as
a result of the higher friction.
Needless to say, only hydraulically balanced seals are acceptable in any temperature or pressure sensitive
fluid.
The next category we will look at is those liquids that require two mechanical seals.
These seals are installed with a circulating barrier or buffer fluid that can be a forced circulation, or in
many cases a convection system. The pressure of the barrier or buffer fluid can be regulated to indicate a
failure in either of the mechanical seals allowing time for a pump shut down, isolation and no subsequent
loss in the pumping fluid.
● Costly products fit into this category. Sometimes the product costs so much you just cannot afford
to have it leak. There are plenty of charts to show how much leakage you get from various sized
drips or steady streams. The smallest steady stream you can produce will be between twenty five
and thirty U.S. gallons per day (95 to 115 liters/day)
● Dangerous products require dual seals. These fluids are given a special category because even
small amounts of leakage are not acceptable. The danger could fall into many categories:
radiation, toxic, fire, explosion, bacteria, etc. The new United States' "right to know law" is
having a major affect on how mechanical seals used in these types of products will be repaired.
● Pollutants also qualify. If a pollutant leaks, a penalty or fine is involved and the bad publicity does
no one any good. In this day and age a responsible company will not let pollutants leak to the
atmosphere, or to the earth for any reason. Fugitive emission legislation has increased the need for
these types of mechanical seals.
● Any time an unexpected seal failure would be inconvenient, dual seals make sense. Down time
can be a very costly in many plants. Two seals prevent the unexpected seal failure shut down.
This is especially important with batch operations or when there is no back up pump installed. I
spent six years on a nuclear submarine; the back up shaft seal allowed us to get to the surface if a
main shaft seal failed while we were submerged.
Sealing non-lubricants comes next:
● Non-lubricating liquids such as solvents and hot water fall into this category. We experience more
rapid face wear with these types of fluids. In most cases their film thickness is less than one
micron and cannot support a load between two sliding surfaces
● Dry gases are a bigger problem than non-lubricating liquids. Unlike non-lubricating liquids they
will not conduct heat very well and often are dangerous at the same time. This is a common
problem if you forget to vent the stuffing box of a vertical pump. A top entering mixer is another
example of this type of application.
❍ Unless moisture is present, the graphite will not separate from the carbon/graphite face and
deposit on the hard face. It is this graphite that provides the face lubrication in many
marginal and dry running applications.
● Dry solids are the biggest problem of all. They can clog the seal sliding components and provide
no lubrication for seal faces. Once the faces are open they penetrate between the lapped faces and
usually destroy the lapped surfaces. Pharmaceuticals, freeze dried coffee and cake mix are
examples of this category. I am sure you can think of many more.
Slurries, especially abrasive slurries are another sealing problem. They clog the seal components and
destroy faces like the dry solids mentioned above.
● The list of these products is without end. Slurry is defined as solids in liquid that cannot be
dissolved by normal control of the fluid temperature or pressure. The number of solids or their
size is not important. They will collect in the sliding or flexing components of the seal causing the
faces to open and then penetrate between the lapped faces causing leakage and damage. In some
designs the springs or bellows (metallic or elastomer) will experience severe wear in a short
period of time.
❍ In these designs it is important to rotate the fluid rather than have the bellows component
rotate within the abrasive slurry.
Liquids sensitive to agitation can become more or less viscous in the stuffing box of the pump:
● Dilatants increase their viscosity with agitation. This is how cream becomes butter. Some clay
the seal.
❍ When dealing with dilatants it is important that you do not continually rotate the fluid in

sa001.5

● Newtonian fluids do not change viscosity with agitation. Unless they fall into other categories,
they present no problem for mechanical seals.
Liquids that combine together to form a solid is our next category.
We seldom have problems with these liquids in pumps because the blending takes place outside of the
pump, but the problem sometimes comes up in mixer applications. You will note that I have not included
anaerobic fluids (they solidify in the absence of air) in any of the categories (super glue is the product
that first comes to mind).

● Combining several liquids together makes Styrofoam.
Lubricating liquids is the last catagory on our list:
knowledge of these chemical categories to approach the job of effective sealing.
In most cases the fluid you are sealing will fall into several of the above mentioned categories. Using
heat transfer oil as an example we note that it falls into the following five categories:
● Hot. This oil is pumped at 600 -700 Fahrenheit (315 -370 C); the fluid is too hot for available
elastomers.
● Film Building. The product cokes at these temperatures.
● Dangerous. You do not need this high temperature oil leaking out. It is not only a fire hazard, but
a personnel hazard as well. Recent information indicates that some of these oils are also classified
as carcinogens.
● Costly. Most of these transfer oils cost between $12.00 to $20.00 per gallon (3,8 Ltrs.)
● Slurry. Because of the coking, solids are always present.
(impeller imbalance), thermal growth, and frequent impeller adjustments if you were using open
impellers.
These conditions fall into seven categories also:
● Hot products - Defined as too hot for one of the seal components, or hot enough to cause the
fluid to change from a liquid to a gas or solid. Heat transfer oil is a good example of a fluid that
will "coke" at elevated temperature.
● High Speed - Defined as the seal faces moving greater than 5000 feet per minute (fpm.) or 25
meters per second. Most process pumps do not approach this speed. The Sundstrand "Sundyne"
pump is typical of a high-speed application.
shaft vertical pumps and pumps equipped with sleeve or journal bearings, are another application
mechanical seals. Most vibration studies have addressed only the bearings. It is important to know
❍ Wear the driving mechanism used to transmit torque from the set-screws to the seal faces.

sa001.5

problems.
Return to index

sa008
SA008. SEALING FLUIDS THAT REQUIRE TWO SEALS

● As a back up if the first seal fails.
Certain products require the use of two mechanical seals. The list would include
● High temperature heat transfer fluids that can start a fire if they leak to the atmosphere or any high
temperature fluid that would present a danger to personnel in the area.
● Many products are considered to be toxic to humans. Hydrogen sulfide is a good example.
● Cryogenic fluids. Products like liquid nitrogen, oxygen etc.
● High-pressure fluids. Many boiler feed pumps and pipeline applications fall into this category.
● Expensive fluids.
● Non lubricating gases.
● Hard vacuum applications.
configurations.

by:
the convection tank and finned piping coming out of the tank will aid convection if heat removal
is a problem.
pumping ring.
● When you are introducing the fluid between the seals from an external source be sure to bring the
fluid in at the bottom of the dual seal gland and out the top to prevent an air pocket from forming
in the gland.
either a high or low-pressure barrier fluid, and to prevent the seal faces from opening if either the
system or the barrier fluid pressure fluctuates. o Select seal faces with good thermal conductivity.
The first configuration we will look at is the "back to back" version of a rotating seal.

sa008
The two rotating faces can be separated by a single

spring, multiple springs, or two metal or rubber
bellows.
Many versions of this seal use two separate seals

independently attached to the shaft.
in O-ring grooves; they should not be spring-loaded. The Durametallic CRO seal is typical of that
configuration.
places just beneath the O-rings.
Tandem is the next version. This is the configuration you find in most oil refinery applications.
The seals are connected in series with a low

pressure buffer fluid circulating between
them.
programs.
dilution.

sa008
This face to face version is a

compromise between the "back to
back" and the tandem version:
The concentric version is next:
In this version we have one of the seals inside the other, sharing a common stationary face. The
stationary face holder is drilled between the rotating faces to allow circulation of the buffer fluid (A).
Like the tandem and "face to face" versions you normally circulate a low pressure buffer fluid between
the faces.
stationary face.

manufacture your self. When a manufacturer supplies this unit,
it requires a Boilermaker Stamp and a 600 psi (40 bar) rating,
making it very expensive to purchase.
You can probably manufacture one for your purposes at a

much lower cost.
● Anti-freeze is popular in northern climates. Do not use the commercial brand that contains a
is not too high.

sa008
● To provide face lubrication if the product you are sealing is a non-lubricant. This will prevent
❍ Cause Ethylene Oxide to attack the dynamic O-ring in the inboard seal. Ethylene Oxide
can penetrate the elastomer and blow out the other side if there is a differential pressure
across the O-ring.

CAUTION: do not put one half the stuffing box pressure between the dual seals. This will put an equal
hydraulic load on both seals and they will wear out at the same rate.
going to have to make the decision as to what barrier fluid temperature is needed. You can increase the
temperature, decrease it, or hold it within narrow limits:

Here are a couple more considerations:
load.
and the proper materials this is sometimes possible at the lower shaft speeds, but not
recommended. You should use a convection tank under some fluid pressure to be able to tell if
you have had a seal failure, and which seal has failed.
desirable.
❍ Back to back is acceptable; the fluid will be at the seal O.D.
❍ Face to face is not acceptable. The fluid will be at the I.D. of the inner faces and
centrifugal force will work against you.

❍ Concentric is OK. if you can locate a concentric version of a dual seal.
❍ If you are going to use a cartridge version of the stationary dual seal be sure it has some
type of self-aligning feature to prevent excessive movement as a result of "cocking" when

the cartridge sleeve is attached to the shaft.
Return to index

sa007
SA007. SEALING FLUIDS SENSITIVE TO A SMALL CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE OR

PRESSURE
Liquids and gases are both called fluids, and a fluid can shorten the life of a seal in two ways:

● It can damage one of the seal materials.
In this discussion we will be considering how small changes in either temperature or pressure will cause
one or both of these failures to occur and learn how to prevent these changes especially when the pump is
stopped and often subject to both temperature and pressure fluctuations.
A change in temperature can:
● Cause a fluid to crystallize. The crystals will make the seal stick to the shaft and open the faces
when the shaft moves. Caustic and sugar solutions are examples of this.
● Cause a liquid to vaporize; blowing the lapped seal faces apart, letting solids penetrate between
flashes to steam.
parts from moving, or causing the seal faces to stick together. Sugar syrups do this when they get
hot. Some fluids do it when they get cold.
● The corrosion rate of most corrosives increases with a rise in temperature. A general rule of
thumb says that the corrosion rate of an acid will double with an 18°F (10°C) rise in temperature.
This is the reason we avoid the use of packing in acid pumps. You will recall the packing
generates almost six times the heat of a balanced mechanical seal
If you are not using a dual seal with a pressurized barrier fluid between the seals, then you will get some
sort of a pressure drop across the seal face. A pressure drop could:
might occur:
● Solids penetrate between the faces, imbed themselves into the softer carbon and destroy the
lapped hard face.
close the cycle repeats its self and the alternating closing and opening will probably crack the
carbon as it bangs against the drive lugs or you will chip the carbon face on its outside diameter.
● If the product freezes when it evaporates, it could freeze any oil or grease that was put on the seal
face causing damage to the carbon. This vaporization will also freeze the moisture on the
outboard side of the seal causing ice that can restrict the movement of the seal. You can see the
ice on the shaft outboard of the mechanical seal.
● Cause the liquid to solidify. Paint is a mixture of a solid and a solvent. If the solvent evaporates
the paint will solidify between the faces. This can also occur if the suction of the pump is under a
vacuum (negative suction head) because the pump is trying to lift the fluid.
problems. Since pumpage pressure and temperature changes are normal (especially at shut down) we are
going to have to become skillful in controlling the temperature and pressure in the stuffing box area to
prevent a premature seal failure.
In the next few paragraphs we will look at various methods of controlling temperature and pressure in the
stuffing box area. We will begin with the jacketed pump
If your pump is not equipped with a jacket (B), one is probably

available from the pump manufacturer or an after market
supplier
A carbon thermal bushing is installed in the end of the stuffing

box to reduce the heat transfer between the product you are
pumping and the fluid in the stuffing box.

sa007
When you use this technique be sure to check:
● The cooling jacket must be free from scale and calcium build-up. There are many cleaning
● Dead-end the fluid; no recirculation lines either into or out of the stuffing box. Check carefully
● The best fluids to circulate through this jacket are steam and condensate. Shop, river water, or city
water is generally too hard and will form a calcium film on the inside of the jacket.
● You can use a mixer valve that will blend the steam and some condensate to give you a very
precise control over the stuffing box temperature.
● The main advantage of this environmental control is that it lets you regulate the stuffing box
temperature when the pump is shut down. That far outweighs the disadvantage of having to
provide circulation to the jacket.
seal components and very soon the seal will be in a clean environment at exactly the right
temperature.
The quench and drain connection is next
Steam or water can be injected into port (D) and

drained out the drain port on the other side of the gland
(not shown)
A non sparking disaster bushing is placed in the end of

the gland
This connection is used to heat or cool the outboard side of a single seal and wash away any product the
might leak across the faces or build up outboard of the seal.
● Use only low-pressure steam or water. You do not want these products to penetrate through the
disaster bushing and get into the bearings. This is another reason to replace those bearing grease
or lip seals with either a labyrinth or a positive face seal.
can be burned.
❍ To prevent the rotating shaft from hitting the stationary seal face if you have a bearing
failure. If the product you are pumping ignites, this could cause a fire or an explosion. In
any case the damage would be severe without this non-sparking disaster bushing.
● A steam line hooked up to this connection can be used to put out a fire in the stuffing box area.
All you need is a solenoid valve and a melt switch that will open the solenoid when it senses high
temperature (same as a fire sprinkler system).
Discharge recirculation is the next environmental control
A line is connected from the discharge side of the pump

to the stuffing box through the stuffing box lantern ring
connection (A).
This line can be used to pressurize the stuffing box area with the discharge pressure available at the
pump.
● Use a restrictive bushing in the end of the stuffing box to assist in keeping a higher pressure at the

sa007
seal faces. You can see this bushing in the above illustration.
The dual seal is another option:
In this illustration the dual seals are connected in

a tandem configuration.
Either low pressure buffer fluid or high pressure

barrier fluid is circulated between the seals
Dual seals are another way to control either temperature or pressure at the seal faces. You can:
or hold the temperature at precise limits if that is desirable. Be sure to bring the fluid in the
bottom and out the top of the gland to avoid air pockets.
● You can pressurize between the dual seals to prevent a pressure drop across the seal faces. If you
use the two way balanced version of a dual seal you can choose either a higher barrier or lower
pressure buffer fluid between the seals.
board the inner seal. This can happen any time you seal a product that can freeze moisture in the
atmosphere. CAUTION: Do not use automotive anti-freeze because some brands contain a
chemical used to plug up leaks in the radiator and other parts of the system.
Here are a few more considerations about controlling pressure and temperature in the seal area:
shut down.
There is little need to lower the pressure in the stuffing box area. If you find that the stuffing box
pressure is to high for your mechanical seal, you are better off purchasing a high pressure mechanical
seal that will satisfy your application.
Return to index

sa011
SA011. SEALING LIQUIDS SENSITIVE TO AGITATION
much of an affect because pumped liquids are continually being agitated.
and if you beat it fast enough and long enough an egg white (a fluid) will become a solid.
connection (A) is commonly used for this purpose and if you will look at the area closely you will see
that the fluid is trapped in the seal face area where it is exposed to long periods of high-speed agitation.
If the fluid is not affected by agitation or mixing we say it is a Newtonian fluid (you remember, the apple
fell on his head and he discovered gravity). These fluids are not considered a sealing problem for us
unless they are sensitive to temperature or pressure changes, or contain lots of solids. The fluids we are
concerned about are the non Newtonian fluids, and the problem ones fall into three neat categories:
Dilatants. The more you agitate them the more viscous they become and in many cases they can solidify.
● To insure proper sealing you must insure that the product circulates through the stuffing box only
one time. This would be the case if you used a suction recirculation line connected close to the
face of the seal, at the bottom of the stuffing box, to the suction side of the pump, or some other
low pressure point in the system. In this application it is important to use either seals that have no
spring or springs in the fluid or metal bellows seals.
● Non drip paint is a good example of this type of application, along with automobile wax or most
● The decreased viscosity can cause the product to become a non-lubricant as the film thickness
fluids.
fluid.
As is the case with just about any fluid sealing problem, the use of a reliable, clean, compatible, liquid
Return to index
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sa012
SA012. SEALING LIQUIDS THAT COMBINE TOGETHER TO FORM A SOLID COMPOUND
We want to be sure that we do not confuse this application with fluids that set-up or harden because of:
● A change in temperature. Chocolate solidifies when it cools

● A change in pressure. Paint solidifies when you lower the pressure enough to let the solvents
evaporate.
● Agitation. Cream becomes butter.
In this application we are talking about liquids that are combined together and then the hardening takes
place. If you mix a resin and hardener together you get epoxy glue. Some of the newer coatings and
many plastics are made this way
Most of the time the liquids are combined outside the pump to form the compound, so sealing never
becomes a problem. We only have to seal the individual fluids and they fall into the convenient
categories we list under "Seal application".
Occasionally we run into a batch mixer application where two or more liquids are mixed and then
pumped out of the mixer before the setting-up or hardening takes place. The mixer is then flushed with a
solvent of some type to remove the resultant compound and the solvent is then pumped through the
system to clean the piping.
The problem occurs with the pump emptying the mixer, because the stuffing box area never gets the
proper flushing necessary to prevent the compound from setting up and restricting the seal movement.
The time element takes over and the compound solidifies in the seal components restricting their
movement and sometimes it solidifies between the lapped seal faces causing them to break when the
pump shaft rotates.
The solution to the problem is obvious. We need a more thorough cleaning of the pump stuffing box
area.
Please look at the following illustration:
● Fluids "A" an "B" are added to the mixer and blended together.
● The pump empties the mixer, but some of the compound is left inside and it will solidify unless it
is flushed away.
● The solvent flush valve is opened and solvent "C" is added to the mixer. The mixer is filled,
agitated and then emptied by the same pump. This action also flushes the compound from the
lines.
● There is always some of the compound trapped in the pump stuffing box. Flushing the mixer and
lines will not remove it.
The illustration also describes the solution to the problem.
● An inlet line is connected from the solvent flush to the bottom of the pump stuffing box and an
outlet line is connected from the top of the stuffing box to the pump discharge.
sa012
● The solenoid valve opens when the solvent flush valve opens and mixer flushing begins. This
flow provides a constant cleaning of the stuffing while the mixer is filling. Bringing the fluid into
the bottom of the stuffing box and out the top is critical to the success of this application.
Sometimes it is difficult to install a fitting at the bottom of the box, so get it as close as you can.
● When the solvent flush valve closes, the solenoid valve is wired to close also.
I have some recommendations for the seal that you will be using in this application:
● Installing an oversize stuffing box makes sense.

● This is an instance where using a seal with two hard faces is a sensible choice.
● Because most solvents attack popular O-ring materials, you will probably be using Chemraz or
Kalrez® as the dynamic elastomer.
● Select a design with the springs out of the fluid. A metal bellows seal without a dynamic
elastomer is another choice that is logical.
● Be sure the fluid in the stuffing box is at the seal outside diameter. It will be a lot easier to flush
away.
● If you prefer a dual seal in this application, be sure to use a tandem design with the compound and
solvent at the outside diameter of the inner seal.
Return to index

ss001
SS001. SEALING HIGH SPEED APPLICATIONS
High speed is defined as a surface speed in excess of 5000 fpm. (25 m/sec.) as measured at the middle
diameter of the rotating seal face.
There are several problems involved in sealing at these speeds:
● It is easy to generate too much heat at the seal faces.

● Vibration is a common problem. The equipment sometimes passes through a critical speed on its
way to the operating speed.
● Misalignment and dynamic balance problems are magnified.
● Lubrication between the lapped faces is critical because of potential slip stick vibration problems.
● You might exceed the tensile strength of the rotating face, and cause it to go out of flat.
● Centrifugal force will cause the rotating face of a rotating seal to become square to the shaft and
pull away from the stationary face.
● Centrifugal force can also act on the single spring in some rotating seal designs causing the seal to
loose its face loading and letting the lapped faces separate.
High-speed sealing requires:
● A lower spring load at the seal faces. The 10-30 psi is lowered to 8-15 psi. (0,7-2 bar is lowered to
0,5 - 1,0 bar)
● The hydraulic balance ratio is reduced to 60/40 from the conventional 70/30 because of potential
heat problems at these higher speeds.
● Select low friction face combinations. Carbon-graphite vs. silicon carbide is a good one.
● Try to use faces with good heat conducting ability. Graphite impregnated silicon carbide vs.
silicon carbide is very good.
● Stationary seal designs are necessary but great care must be taken with the cartridge version of
these stationary seals. See stationary cartridge seals in the alphabetical section for a detailed
description of the problems.
To calculate the surface speed at the mean or middle diameter of the rotating face:
In USCS units, feet per minute = 0.261 x face mean diameter x shaft rpm
In SI units, meters per second = 0.188 x face mean diameter x shaft rpm
Return to index

sa014
SA014. SEALING HOT WATER
● At a temperature above 180°F (80°C) the water lubricating film is not thick enough to separate the
sliding surfaces of the seal faces. Cold water has a film thickness of about one micron which will
keep lapped seal faces separated most of the time. Hot water has a film thickness of only one third
to one half of that amount depending upon the temperature.
● At some combination of temperature and pressure the water will vaporize, expand and open up
the hard face.
❍ Slip stick can occur because the faces are trying to stick together due to a lack of
lubrication between them. The alternating sticking and slipping will produce a vibration
that will chip carbon, break bellows and crack lug driven faces unless some form of
vibration damping has been installed.
● In many piping systems magnetite (Fe304) forms on the inside surfaces as a corrosion resistant
components. It can be recognized by its black color and attraction to a magnet. The magnetite
affects the seal a couple of ways:
❍ Being an abrasive material it will mechanically attack the seal sliding elastomer by
penetrating into it. This will cause "hang up" and eventual leakage.
❍ Loose magnetite is very common in new water systems. The problem wills eventually
clear its self up after the system has been in use for about a year and the ferric oxide has
formed into a stable layer.
● Hot water is dangerous. The leakage will be invisible as it flashes to steam. If the hot water is part
of a condensate system it may have to be sealed under vacuum conditions.
addressed.
Picking the materials:
● The seal face combination should be unfilled carbon graphite, or graphite impregnated silicon
carbide running against either solid silicon carbide or tungsten carbide as your first choice. Plated
or coated faces should not be used in this application.
temperature, either Kalrez® or an equivalent will be necessary. In most cases you should be
trying to cool the water to increase the face life. If the water is cooled, a high temperature
elastomer is not necessary.
● The metal components, 316-grade stainless steel is preferred. Metal bellows or springs should not
Choosing the mechanical seal
not use cartridge mounted stationary seals unless they have been fitted with some type of self-
aligning feature.
● A motion seal should be specified if the pump is equipped with sleeve or journal bearings. This is
● A high-pressure seal should be used if the seal chamber pressure (not the pump discharge
pressure) exceeds 350 psi. (24 bar). High-pressure seals are of a more rugged construction that
● Split seals can be used in some of these applications, but a few of the commercial designs have
trouble when the stuffing box pressure alternates between a positive pressure and vacuum. Sleeve
mounting the split seal helps with impeller adjustment, or in the case of vacuum applications the
seal can be installed backwards, or with a discharge recirculation line installed to keep a positive
sa014
pressure in the stuffing box. Note: many hot water applications are dangerous so dual seals are
recommended. Care must be exercised if you use a stationary metal bellows seal design. Flow
through the normal flush or recirculation connection can cause a substantial temperature
differential across the seal face that can cause the lapped seal faces to become distorted.
To insure the longest possible seal life, the water should be cooled as close to ambient temperature as
possible. The cooler the water the better it will lubricate the faces.
jacketed stuffing box on the pump to cool down the stuffing box fluid. Be sure there are no
recirculation or flush lines coming into or out of the stuffing box. If there is no jacket installed on
the stuffing box one can be purchased from the pump manufacturer or an outside vendor. If you
purchase the jacket from an outside vendor be sure to order the enlarged, jacketed seal chamber or
replacement back plate with the large, jacketed seal chamber cast into it.
❍ NOTE: Be sure the cooling jacket is functioning. If you are in an area that has hard water,
● If cooling is not at all possible another alternative is to pressurize the stuffing box to at least one
atmosphere above the water vaporization pressure. Installing a close fitting bushing into the
bottom of the stuffing box and using a recirculation line from the pump discharge to pressurize
the box can do this. As noted above be careful of leaks in the fittings. This could be dangerous in
some high-pressure boiler feed pump or boiler circulating pump applications. Depending upon the
pressures involved you may be better off with a special high-pressure seal design.
❍ NOTE: You are going to have trouble when the heat transfers back to the bearing oil.
with the manufacturer for this accessory. At 200° Fahrenheit (100° C.) non-contaminated
● It is not wise to install a cooler between the pump discharge and a pump stuffing box. Although
this arrangement will provide adequate cooling, in most cases it is too dangerous at elevated
temperatures because of possible leaks in the additional piping and fittings.
● An API (American Petroleum Institute) type gland with a cool quench connection is not a good
choice for this application.
● The quench water will vaporize when it hits the hot surfaces under the seal, causing solids to form
that will restrict the seal movement and contribute to the corrosion of the seal sleeve and other
components.
● Those designs that have the springs out of the sealing fluid can easily clog the springs in this
solution.
● Excess quenching water can leak back into the bearings through the grease or lip seal.
Return to index

ss005_1
SS005_1. MOTION SEALS
● The rotating hard face must be wider than normal to accommodate the excessive radial motion. A
design movement of plus or minus 0.125 inches (3 mm) would be typical.
movement.
● In a dual seal design
❍ The inner seal should be hydraulically balanced in both directions because many of these
applications can fluctuate between pressure and vacuum. This feature will also prevent the
inner seal from blowing open and allowing the barrier fluid to contaminate the product if
you loose barrier fluid pressure between the seals.
❍ The stationary faces must be spring loaded in some manner to prevent loading one seal and
unloading the other during periods of axial movement. The easiest way to do this is to
spring load the faces together.
❍ Cartridge designs are necessary for correct and easy installation, and to allow you to
change seals without emptying a mixer lor agitator in "Side Entering" and "Bottom
Entering" applications. Be sure the seal has some sort of self-aligning feature to
compensate for misalignment caused by the set-screws in the cartridge.
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s088
S088. STATIONARY VS. ROTATING SEAL DESIGNS
One of the most difficult concepts to teach in writing is the difference in operation between stationary
and rotating mechanical seals. It is like trying to write a set of instructions as to how to tie your
shoelaces, easy to demonstrate, but difficult to explain.
Figure #1 is a cross section of a typical rotating seal. It is called a rotating seal because:
● The spring-loaded or moveable face rotates with the shaft.

● If the spring-loaded face did not rotate this seal would be called a stationary seal.
● The main shaft seal on nuclear submarine and the water pump in your automobile use a stationay
seal design
You can see a cross section of a stationary seal in Figure #2.
FIGURE # 1 The rotating seal
A Stationary face
B Rotating Face
C Sleeve
D Gland
E Stuffing box
1. Stationary face O-ring

2. Dynamic Teflon wedge
3. Sleeve gasket
4. Sealing interface
5. Gland gasket
FIGURE #2 The stationary seal
A Stationary face
B Rotating Face
C Sleeve
D Gland
E Stuffing box
1. Dynamic O-ring
2. Static O-ring
5. Gland gasket
In these drawings it is easy to place the mechanical seal rotating parts perpendicular, or square to the
shaft, but in practice it is just about impossible to do so.
Please look at Figure #1 again:
We would like to have rotating face "B" perpendicular, or square to sleeve "C" but that is impossible
because rotating face "B" is being pushed against stationary face "A", that is positioned in gland "D", and
gland "D" is not square to anything.
There are a few reasons why gland "D" is not square to the shaft:
● You cannot tighten several gland bolts through a gasket, and get any kind of squareness.
● The gland is manufactured from a casting that is not perpendicular or square to anything except
the piece of equipment that was used to machine the surfaces.
● The face of the stuffing box is not manufactured square to the shaft. Most of the time it is a rough
casting. Remember that the pump was designed for packing, there was no need to make this
surface machined square to the rotating shaft.
● There are some additional causes of this non-squareness to the shaft:
❍ Operating the pump off of its best efficiency point (BEP)
❍ Thermal expansion at the wet end of the pump.
❍ Pulley driven pump designs deflect the shaft in a radial direction.
❍ Dynamic unbalance of the rotating parts.
❍ Bent shafts.
❍ Pipe strain.

s088
The cocking of the gland and stationary face means that the springs will be loaded unevenly and will
have to move back and forth with shaft rotation.
The springs and rotating face "B" actually move back and forth twice per revolution of the shaft, and at
1750 rpm this would be 3500 times per minute, or just about 60 times per second (try and move one of
your fingers back and forth 60 times per second to see how fast that really is). Needless to say any
interference with this movement can lead to a premature seal failure:
● The shaft tolerance and finish become critical because the Teflon® wedge has to slide back and
forth with this movement.
❍ Depending upon the amount of cocking this sliding will lead to shaft fretting, or damage to
the sleeve under the wedge in a short period of time.

❍ Spring loaded Teflon® sometimes tends to stick to the shaft or sleeve if the sleeve outside
diameter tolerance is on the high side, or if the sleeve finish is not smooth enough.
❍ The springs can break if they experience too much flexing. They can work harden &
fatigue prematurely.
● Centrifugal force will move the rotating face square to the shaft, opening the lapped faces. This
happens at about 5000 fpm. surface speed or 25 m/second.
● The seal faces can open if the springs fill with solids. There are multiple reasons why they would
clog:
● The pumped product can solidify with a change in temperature. This is not normally a reversible
process.
● The product can crystallize with a change in temperature. This is normally a reversible process.
● The product can become viscous with a change of temperature, or sometimes from agitation.
Usually not reversible
● Dirt or solids in the product can clog the springs.
● Some fluids like hard water or hot petroleum products can, and will build a hard film on the
springs and sliding seal components.
● Maintenance people sometimes paint the seal springs if the seal is mounted outside the stuffing
box.
Many of these solidification problems are experienced when the pump is shut down and subject to
temperature changes in the stuffing box area. This temperature change can cause frequent seal leakage
when the pump is first started and lasting until the solidified product reverses back to its liquid state,
which may be never.
The stationary version of the seal has almost none of these problems.
Look again at Figure #2. The rotating face is held square to the shaft by a clamped surface. This
reference remains even if the pump experiences deflection from operating off the best efficiency point
(BEP), pipe strain, or misalignment between the pump and its driver.
When the gland (D) is tightened to the face of the stuffing box it will cock for the same reasons that it did
with the rotating version of the seal, but unlike the rotating version the springs will not move back and
forth twice per revolution of the shaft, because they are not rotating with the shaft.
If the gland were severely cocked it would cause an uneven wear of the seal faces, but no back and forth
movement that can be interfered with, causing the seal faces to open and leak.
● This is the same type seal that is used in the pulley driven water pump of your automobile. And as
you are well aware the radial thrusting caused by the pulley drive mechanism has little to no affect
on the seal performance.
● High-speed pumps such as the Sundyne design use this type of seal to prevent the faces from
opening as a result of the centrifugal forces generated at their high shaft speeds.
● The main shaft seals of our atomic submarines use large size stationary seals to compensate for
the terrible misalignment problems found in these applications.
Seal manufacturers can supply you with both stationary and rotary versions of the mechanical seal in
solid, split and bellows designs. To ensure squareness to the rotating shaft they require positioning the
rotating portion of the seal against a shaft shoulder, or a clamped reference shoulder that has been
installed on the shaft. This clamping arrangement accounts for the higher cost associated with stationary
seals.
It's no contest, choose stationary seals every time!
Consumers like the many advantages of cartridge seals so it was natural to want to mount the stationary
seal on a cartridge to get the benefits of ease of installation and the ability to make impeller adjustments
with open impeller designs.
FIGURE #3 The Cartridge mounted stationary seal

s088
When you tighten the set screws on the cartridge sleeve, the
sleeve will move away from the shaft and cock the rotating face.
Unfortunately many consumers got a surprise instead of the hoped for advantages. It turns out that
mounting stationary seals on a cartridge might not be such a good idea after all.
All cartridge seals present a special installation problem. When you tighten the set screws on the
cartridge, the clearance between it and the shaft will cause the sleeve to raise higher on the set screw end
causing the rotating face to no longer be square to the shaft.
The affect of this cocking is that the stationary unit will now move back and forth twice per revolution
just like a rotating seal. The only real advantage of this design in a cartridge version is that because the
dynamic elastomer is in the stationary face, there will be no fretting or damage to the expensive shaft or
pump sleeve. You will, however, frett the barrel on the stationary face.
Please look at "stationary cartridge seals" for a detailed explanation of the problem and some solutions to
the problem of cartridge mounting a stationary seal.
If you would like this article to end on a positive note, then be aware that split seals are now available in
the stationary configuration, which should make them a first choice in many applications.
Return to index

sa013
SA013. SEALING LUBRICATING LIQUIDS
This is the sealing application everyone wants.
Unless the fluid also falls into any of the categories mentioned above, it should be just a matter of
picking the correct materials, installing the seal correctly and then stand back and watch the seal work
beautifully.
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ss005
SS005. SEALING MIXERS AND AGITATORS
two piece shaft.
mixing liquid.

ss005
The illustration describes this " back to back" double or dual

seal seal
movement.
the faces together.

popular for mixer type applications (see the following
illustration).
The shaft movement can be partially stabilized by installing a

split sleeve bearing in the stuffing box. A wide variety of
materials are available for this split bearing.
piece.
centrifuged out. Flushing liquid tends to channel
through the solids and does a poor job of removing
them from the stuffing box.

ss005
● Cut off the stuffing box and move the seal into
the vessel so that centrifugal force will throw
the solids away from the flexible seal
components.
● Use a higher specific gravity fluid in the
stuffing box to prevent gravity from pulling the
solids into the seal area. High-density grease
could be a good solution. If you cannot tolerate
grease you should be able to find some type of a
compatible fluid that will work.
Return to index

sa003
SA003. SELECTING THE CARBON/ GRAPHITE FACE
The most common face combination you will be selecting is a good grade of carbon-graphite running
against a corrosion resistant hard face. The seal face we refer to as a carbon is really a compound of
carbon and graphite. We use graphite for its lubricating qualities and good heat conductivity, and carbon
for its strength.
exclusive use of them. A really good seal face would be a mixture of carbon, graphite and nothing else.
main sources being in Canada and Madagascar. Two things determine the cost of these elements:

these impurities could possibly present a chemical compatibility problem.
A good carbon-graphite mixture would be about 80% carbon and 20% graphite. Graphite is a good
conductor of heat, a natural lubricant and has a laminar grain structure similar to a deck of playing cards,
allowing the individual grains to slide over one another. It is this laminar structure that allows the
graphite to release from the carbon/ graphite face and deposit on the hard face in the same manner a
graphite pencil will write on a sheet of paper.
Carbon is a very different element. It is manufactured by heating an organic material (it once was alive)
to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit (1000°C). It is not a very good conductor of heat and is a poor lubricant
because of its crystal structure. If carbon is heated to 4000 degrees Fahrenheit (2000°C) under pressure, it
will convert to graphite.
To manufacture the finished product we place this carbon-graphite mixture in an oversized mold using a
hydrocarbon as the glue to hold the powder together. The mixture is then compressed and placed in an
oven at 2000° Fahrenheit (1000° C) for a period of thirty to sixty days. The hydrocarbon will convert to
carbon at this temperature. The piece must be heated slowly or otherwise the carbon will combine with
oxygen to form carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide, which will, in either case ruin it. At the end of this
time the piece has shrunk a small amount but still resembles a real carbon face. The problem is:

● It has low density that would be a problem in vacuum applications, along with pharmaceutical and
food products because of the difficulties in cleaning the lapped seal faces..
of the filler material with the product you are trying to seal.
If you want a serious carbon you must place the component into an autoclave where a vacuum will
remove impurities that may have imbedded into the porous face. The autoclave will then be filled with a
hydrocarbon and pressurized to force the hydrocarbon into the porous face under high pressure. In the
old days the hydrocarbon was "pitch" from a tree but in modern times a variety of hydrocarbons are
available.
converting process.
You now have a denser carbon/graphite, but you are a long way from a good one. Two more

sa003
● C = 25,0 mm (1 inch) impregnation

● B = 3,0 mm (0.125 inches) impregnation
● A = 0,5 mm (0.020 inches) impregnation
As shown in the diagram, the last impregnate will wear away from the seal face, but will remain on the
outside and inside diameters providing the density the face needs to hold vacuum and provide the surface
needed to prevent bacteria and other un-desirable elements from penetrating into the composite.
grade of unfilled carbon and then send them to the carbon manufacturer for the final impregnations.
Carbon-graphite is the face that should be the standard in all of your mechanical seals. It can be used in
any chemical or combination of chemicals except an oxidizing agent, a halogen and some special
applications.
As mentioned, the oxidizing agents will combine with the carbon to form carbon dioxide and carbon
monoxide. Here is a list of some of the common oxidizers:
● Chlorate
● Nitrate
● Perchlorate
● Permanganate
● Peroxide
● Astintine
● Bromine
● Chlorine
● Fluorine
● Iodine
applications:

sa003
paint applications have this problem.

only difference between them is the grades of carbon/ graphite.
the compound and coat the hard surface with a low friction-lubricating layer.
Children recognize this when they lick the end of a graphite pencil so the writing will be darker.
faces. You should contact the carbon manufacturers for their catalog showing you the grades they have
available and the physicals (specifications) of their unfilled carbon. You can then check with your seal
supplier to be sure he is using the proper unfilled grade in your mechanical seals.
(density) and special characteristics, such as the ability to fracture without producing many dust particles.
I have included a typical specification chart for you. It is a reproduction of a page from the advertising
literature of the Pure Carbon Company of St. Marys, Pennsylvania, USA. Their grade P658RC would be
a typical unfilled carbon.
You can locate these carbon companies on the "Web" or find them in various technical directories such
as the Thomas Register in the United States.
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sa004
SA004. SELECTING THE CORRECT HARD FACE MATERIAL
The ideal hard face material would incorporate many features including the following:

With just a few exceptions seal companies purchase hard face materials from outside vendors. Be sure
the face component you choose is identified by material, type and grade so that you can check out the
physicals. Some companies change the generic name of the material to confuse you. Make sure you
Takde a look at the chart labeled: "HARD FACE MATERIALS" This chart lists the physicals for some
of the most common hard face materials used in the mechanical seal industry. Most of the information
was supplied by the Pure Carbon Company of St. Mary's, Pennsylvania.
Use these numbers only as a guide. Individual manufacturers use different testing methods and express
the results in different metric and imperial units. I have also listed some of the hard face manufacturers
so that you can contact them directly for test results, latest specifications, newer materials, etc.
There is some additional information you should know about the materials listed in the chart:
of silicon carbide.
some of them.
COMPANY DESIGNATION
Carborundum KT
BNFL Refel
Coors SC-2
Norton HD-630
Pure Carbon PS-9242
carbide.
❍ Nitric Acid *

sa004
Self sintered silicon carbide (sometimes called direct sintered or pressure less sintered)
chemical attack.
carbide:
COMPANY DESIGNATION
Carborundum SA-80
Kyocera SC-201

version.
● Although the preferred seal face material, it often is too brittle for some seal face designs.
Tungsten Carbide
bronze.
● Tungsten carbide is less difficult to insert into a metal holder so it is the most common material
used in metal bellows and other hard face metal composite designs.
❍ Higher cost compared to using carbon-graphite as a seal face.
together again.
❍ Carbon graphite provides an additional lubricating film if you are sealing a poor or non-
lubricating fluid.
❍ In the event the equipment is "run dry" carbon/ graphite is self-lubricating.
● Use two hard faces in the following applications:

❍ If you are sealing hot oil or almost any hot hydrocarbon. Most oils coke between the seal
faces and can pull out pieces of carbon causing fugitive emissions problems.
❍ If the product tends to stick the faces together.
❍ If the product you are sealing is an oxidizer that will attack all forms of carbon, including
black O-rings. Oxidizing chemicals are listed in another section of this manual.
❍ Halogens can attack all forms of carbon. These chemicals include:

sa004
■ chlorine
■ fluorine
■ bromine
■ astintine
■ iodine
❍ If you are pumping a slurry and you cannot keep the two lapped faces together by flushing,
suction recirculation, a large diameter stuffing box or some other method usually
employed to seal a large percentage of solids.
❍ If nothing black is allowed in the system because of a possible color contamination of the
❍ Some deionized (DI) water applications can attack any form of carbon.
❍ Plated or coated faces can "heat check" and crack due to the differential expansion of the
❍ PV (pressure x velocity) factors as a design tool are unreliable because carbon is sensitive
to "P" but not to "V".
❍ Water can cause cracking problems with both 85% and 99.5% ceramic. The cause is not
fully understood, but hydrogen embrittlement is suspected as the culprit. Cracks have been
observed after seven to eight temperature cycles.
● Hot oil if the seal has to meet fugitive emission standards.
Return to index

sa002
SA002. CHOOSING THE METAL PARTS FOR THE SEAL
Selecting the best metal for the seal components is usually a simple task.
If the pump's wetted (they get wet from the pumpage) parts are manufactured from a non-metallic
material such as Teflon®, Kynar, Polyethylene, etc. we choose non-metallic seal components.
fluid. Please note that in both cases the seals are clamped to the shaft. You cannot use sets-crews in these
designs because non-metallic seals are often used on glass coated shafts.
CHEMICAL METAL
Benzene, Hot Bronze
Bromine Gas Bronze

sa002
Ethanol Bronze
Mixed Acids Bronze
Uric Acid Bronze

sa002
● Chrome 18-20 %
● Nickel 8-12 %
● Carbon 0.08 %
● Iron 64-70 %
● Silicone 1%
● Manganese 2%
● Sulphur 0.030 %

● England EN58J
● Sweden 2343
● Hungary KO35
Return to index

s102
S102. SUBLIMATION
With some materials their liquid state is so short as to be almost undetectable. The solid material appears
to pass directly from a solid state to a vapor when it is heated.
Dry ice sublimes, and if you ever tried to gas weld a piece of aluminum you have seen sublimation of the
aluminum.
Return to index

Arbor press
A030. ARBOR PRESS
A mechanical or hydraulic press commonly utilized to press

precision bearings on a shaft, or insert carbon seal faces into a
metal holder.
The illustration shows the mechanical version
Return to index

Asperity theory
A031. ASPERITY THEORY OF SEAL FACE LUBRICATION
This is one of the more popular seal face lubrication theories. It was proposed in the early 1960s as a
result of testing done at Battelle Memorial Institute in Ohio, USA. The testing was sponsored by a
majority of the seal companies supplying hardware to the aircraft industry along with a high percentage
of the aircraft engine manufacturers.
A conventional mechanical seal face is manufactured from a combination of carbon and graphite. Testing
showed that during seal operation, the graphite was removed from the carbon/ graphite face and
deposited on the hard face. The pits or holes that remained in the carbon filled with lubricant and the seal
faces were observed running on this film.
The asperities are the carbon peaks that remain when the graphite is deposited on the hard face. All of
this means that carbon vs, graphite is the conventional face combination. The hard face is used to give
the graphite a place to deposit.
Testing also showed that moisture had to be present for this transformation to take place, hence the
problem with some dry running seals. Today we use carbon/ graphite faces impregnated with organic
materials that will release the graphite in dry running applications.
See "Seal Face Lubrication".
Return to index

s013
S012. SEAL FACE LUBRICATION
The carbon face we see in mechanical seals is really a combination of carbon and graphite with the
graphite being a good dry lubricant.
As the seal face wears, the graphite is deposited on the hard face (you can see the black ring) leaving the
carbon behind. The function of the hard face is to give the graphite a place to deposit.
Testing has shown that when we seal a lubricating fluid the lubricant becomes trapped between the
vapor separating the two running surfaces. The fluid penetrates the lapped faces in two ways:
● Pressure forces the lubricant between the lapped faces

● Capillary action draws the vapor between the faces.
A lack of lubrication between the seal faces can cause a destructive form of vibration called slip-stick.
Without proper lubrication the lapped seal faces try to stick together, but "slip" when the seal drive
mechanism engages the drive lugs and inertia accelerates the faces off of these lugs. The faces then slow
down as a result of the poor lubrication. This alternating "slipping" and "sticking" causes severe vibration
with a resultant "chipping" at the outside diameter of the carbon face along with drive lug and slot wear.
The amount of wear experienced by the carbon, graphite mixture is affected by:
● The surface speed of the seal faces (a combination of shaft rpm and seal face diameter). PV
numbers are not really valid because the carbon is sensitive to "P" but not to "V"
● The quality and grade of the carbon-graphite face.
Return to index

Aspiration
A032. ASPIRATION
This is a transfering of air in the pump bearing case as it changes temperature during the startup, run, and
shut down cycles.
Aspiration allows moisture laden air into the bearing oil that can cause both hydrogen embrittlement and
corrosion problems.
Aspiration also occurs in the bearing casing during pump operation when the warmer air vents out the
casing vent and is replaced by the cooler, moisture laden air we find in many parts of the world.
Labyrinth seals are effective in removing moisture when the pump shaft is rotating, but many labyrinth
designs are not effective when the pump stops.
Positive face seals for bearings, are a better choice.
Return to index

Ausenetic Steels
A034. AUSTENITIC STEELS
These steels are alloys of iron, chromium, and nickel noted for their corrosion resistance.
Austenitic steels increase their abrasive and wear resistant by work hardening, not by heat treatment, as is
the case with martensitic metals.
If work hardening is not desirable the finished part can be annealed
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Martensitic Metals
M006. MARTENSITIC METALS
These metals become strong and hard as a result of heat treatment. They have low corrosion resistance so
their use is restricted in the mechanical seal business where corrosion resistance is a necessity.
High temperature metal bellows seals are often manufactured from AM350, a heat treatable stainless
steel that becomes martensitic at the heat treatment temperature and therefore is limited to non or very
low corrosive applications such as petroleum oil.
Ball bearings are made from martensitic steel so they can carry the high radial and axial loads that are
required in a centrifugal pump application.
That is the reason ball bearings rust so easily. Stainless steel bearings would not rust, but they do not
have the load carrying capability we need in centrifugal pump applications.
Return to index

w012
W012. WORK HARDEN
The metal part becomes hard or brittle by flexing rather than by heat treatment. Austenitic metals become
hard this way.
Most of the corrosion resistant stainless steels we use in the seal and pump business are austenitic and
this hardening can cause a premature failure with the springs and welded metal bellows we design into
mechanical seals.
The hardening can occur during operation of the seal or during the manufacturing process. The hardening
can be removed by annealing the piece at a suitable annealing temperature (somewhere below the
melting temperature).
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AVS standard
A035. AVS STANDARD
The American Voluntary Standard for pumps.
An old, obsolete standard that has been replaced by the ANSI (American National Standards Institute)
standard.
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Axiaal deflection of the shaft
A036. AXIAL DEFLECTION OF THE SHAFT
There are many causes of axial deflection of the pump's rotating pump shaft that include:
clearances. Unfortunately this does not help the mechanical seal face loading.
unique in that their impeller adjustment moves the shaft in the direction of the bearings in most of
their designs. Remember that there is an inital impeller setting and "on going" settings that have to
be made for casing and impeller wear, as well as thermal growth.
● Sleeve or journal bearings allow a lot of axial movement. Precision bearings limit axial movement
but can still allow enough radial movement to open lapped mechanical seal faces.
its efficiency the shaft thrusts towards the volute. At pump start up there is a lot of axial
movement of the shaft. This is one of the reasons why we lose so many mechanical seals at pump
start up.
● Any form of vibration will add axial movement. This vibration includes cavitation and water
hammer.
● Mounting a pump in a vertical position will increase the axial loading.
Return to index

t015
T015. THRUST BEARING
The thrust bearing positions the rotating assembly or shaft axially.
In most centrifugal pump applications the thrust bearing is a double row bearing that is mounted close to
the coupling.
The bearing located closest to the pump stuffing box is called the radial bearing.
Return to index

BHP
B001. BHP. (Brake horsepower)
The brake horsepower is the amount of horsepower being consumed by the pump. It is not the
horsepower of the driver.
The horsepower can be measured by:
● A calibrated motor
● A transmission dynamometer
● A torsion dynamometer or "pony brake".
The Hydraulic Institute Standards are used as the basis for these measurements.
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Hydraulic Institute standards
H026. HYDRAULIC INSTITUTE STANDARDS
A set of pump dimensional and test standards published by the Hydraulic Institute. To purchase a copy
contact:
The Hydraulic Institute
9 Sylvan Way
Parsippany, New Jersey 07054-3802
Return to index

Back pull out pump
B003. BACK PULL OUT PUMP
A design that allows the wet end (1) of the pump to be left on the piping when the power end (19) and
adapter (71) are removed.
Most of these pumps are supplied with an open or semi-open impeller that can be adjusted to the volute
from the power end without having to disassemble the pump.
This adjusment is made by turning the adjusting nuts (37) located at the rear of the power end.
All ANSI (American National Standards Institute) pumps are designed this way.
Return to index

Back up sealing
B006. BACK UP SEALING
The best mechanical seal in the world is going to fail some day. You need back up sealing if:
● The product you are sealing is dangerous. You will need some means of protecting people in the
area.
● The product is costly.
● The product presents an environmental hazard if any of it leaks into the atmosphere or on the
ground.
● You produce a lot of batch operations and you cannot afford a failure in the middle of the batch.
The dual seal is the most logical of the back up choices. If the first seal goes the second seal takes over.
The API (American Petroleum Institute) gland, shown below, is another choice.
The disaster bushing (DB) will prevent leakage from spraying directly to the atmosphere.
Although not a positive seal, the leakage will be directed down the drain pipe (Q) where it can be
collected.
Oil refineries often connect "Q" to a flare where volatile gases can be burned off.
In some designs the disaster bushing (DB) is replaced with several rings of packing. Another function of
the non sparking disaster bushing is to help stabilize the shaft in the event of a bearing failure.
Return to index

Balance holes
B007. BALANCE HOLES
These are holes drilled through the impeller to equalize the pressure on both sides of the impeller and
reduce axial thrust.
Balance holes are undesirable with large single stage, single suction pumps because leakage back to the
impeller suction opposes the main flow and causes flow disturbances.
Return to index

balance ratio
B008. BALANCE RATIO
A 70/30 balance ratio means that 70% of the seal area is seeing the stuffing box pressure and 30% is not
seeing the hydraulic pressure.
The ratio is obtained by placing the seal face area some distance above or below the balance line formed
where the dynamic elastomer slides or rolls on the shaft or sleeve.
Please note that the dotted line in the middle of the seal face does not place 50% of
the seal face area above and 50% of the area below this line.
To get a 50/50 balance the line would have to be about 75% above the face inside
diameter.
Metal bellows seals do not have this sliding elastomer. They use an "effective diameter" to determine the
balance ratio.
The effective pressure area in a bellows seal is just about half way through the cross section of the
bellows convolutions. The seal manufacture places 70% of the seal face area above this line.
Unfortunately this line shifts up and down with changing stuffing box pressure, so bellows seal balance
is not as accurate as the balance we get with elastomer designs.
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b019
B019. BEARING CAGE
The bearing cage is used to keep the balls equally spaced around the races so that they will be carrying an
equal load, and will not come into contact with each other.
The cage does not carry a load, but the small amount of friction between the balls and the cage will
generate a small amount of heat.
Bearing cages are manufactured from carbon, brass or similar low friction materials.
Return to index

Ball Bearing life
B010. BALL BEARING LIFE
The anticipated life of a ball bearing is determined by the bearing user not the bearing manufacturer. This
life once determined is called the L10 life of the bearing and it is based on a fatigue life. Since the
manufacturer of the equipment that uses the bearing is the only one that know the operating conditions he
sets the L10 life.
What do we mean by good bearing life? Most of us change the bearings every time we disassemble the
equipment to replace the mechanical seal or the packing sleeve. Is this really a sensible thing to do? If
you think about it for a minute there is nothing in a bearing to wear out, there are no sacrificial parts.
Bearing life is determined by the number of hours it will take for the metal to fatigue. That is a function
of the load on the bearing, the number of rotations, and the amount of lubrication that the bearing
receives.
Pump companies predict bearing life measured in years.
As an example, the Duriron Pump Company anticipates a three hundred-year life for the radial bearing
on their MK II Group II 3 x 2 x 10 pump (75 mm x 50 mm x 250 mm) when pumping a liquid with a
specific gravity of "one" (fresh water).
Please look at the following diagram for a reproduction of Durco" data:
Most ball bearings fail for two main reasons:
● High heat caused by over lubrication and overloading. Over lubrication is the larger problem.
● Contamination of the bearing lubrication from moisture and solids. Moisture is the biggest
problem.
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Grease
G010. GREASE
One of the popular lubricants used to prevent friction heat in bearings.
Usually a compound of mineral oil with a soap. Chemicals can be added to the compound to improve the
physical properties of the grease.
Oil is the preferred method of lubricating a bearing, but you have to be able to maintain an oil level.
Grease is often the only alternative in vertical pump applications, or in those designs where the radial and
thrust bearings have different diameters.
Grease can be compounded for just about any lubricating application.
The biggest problem we have with grease lubrication in ball bearings is the frequency of over lubrication
problems.
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Line Bearings
L013. LINE BEARINGS
These bearings position the rotor or shaft radially.
Most mechanics and pump manufacturers call them radial bearings.
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Lubricating Oils
L025. LUBRICATING OILS
These are the oils we use for lubricating the bearings in our pumps and other types of rotating machinery.
They are usually the heavy distillates that come off following kerosene, when we distill petroleum
between the temperatures of 253-317°F (123-158°C).
● The grades are separated into light, medium and heavy depending upon the molecular weight.
● The flash points range from 300-600°F. (150-315°C).
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Lubricating Oil Additives
L022. LUBRICATING OIL ADDITIVES
A chemical added in small amounts to various oils to give them special qualities such as a low pour point
when chlorinated hydrocarbons are added.
Other special properties are:
Desired characteristic Additive

Low viscosity index Butene polymers
Detergents and suspensoid properties Metallic stearate
Oxidation stability Calcium Stearate
Reduced foaming tendency Silicone compounds
Resistance to high temperatures Phosphorus pentasulfide, zinc dithiophosphate
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Lubricant Solid
L023. LUBRICANT, SOLID
A material having a characteristic crystal habit which cause it to shear into thin, flat plates which readily
slide over one an other producing an anti-friction or lubricating affect.
Dry lubricants include:
● Graphite
● Mica
● Molybdenum disulfide
● Talc
● Boron nitride
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Lubricant Synthetic
L024. LUBRICANT, SYNTHETIC
A number of organic fluids having specialized and effective properties that are required when petroleum
base liquids are not acceptable for some reason.
Most of them are stable in high heat and oxidizing atmospheres.
The major types are:
Material Use
Polyglycols Hydraulic and brake fluids
Phosphate esters Fire resistant
Dibasic acid esters Aircraft turbine engines
Silicone oils and greases Heat transfer agents
Polyphenyl ethers Heat and oxidation resistance
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b014
B014. BAR
A metric term for approximately one atmosphere of pressure, equal to 105 Newtons per square meter.
This is the equivalent of 14.7 psi. or one atmospher in the USCU (inch) system.
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b018
B018. BAYONET
An expression describing what happens when the seal face drive lugs wear into the drive slots and
prevent the seal face from moving forward to compensate for wear.
Although common in older seal designs, this feature has been eliminated in most seal designs in recent
years.
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b023
B023. BEARINGS
Bearings support the rotating shaft and allow it to turn with a minimum amount of friction. There are
three types of bearings used in centrifugal and positive displacement (PD) pumps:
Ball bearings.
In this illustration you can see:
● An inner race or ring

● An outer race or ring
● A series of balls between the races.
● You should also be able to see a cage between the balls to keep
the balls from coming into contact
This bearing is often called a precision or anti-friction bearing.
Roller bearings
These bearings are specified for radial loads only and therefore have
limited use in centrifugal pumps where a combination of radial and
axial loads are present.
This illustration shows a double row roller bearing
Sleeve or journal bearings
When do you go from anti-friction ball and roller bearings to

hydrodynamic (sleeve) bearings in a centrifugal pump?
● Any time the DN number exceeds 300,000 (Bearing bore x

rpm)
● If the standard bearings fail to meet an L10 life of 25,000 hours
in continuous operation or 16,000 hours at maximum axial and
radial load and rated speed.
● If the product of the pump horsepower and speed in rpm is 2.7
million or greater.
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Lignum Vitae
L012. LIGNUM VITAE
This material is wood from the guayacum tree. Often used as a journal bearing if water lubrication is
available.
The wood is very hard and because of its oily structure, is reasonably self-lubricating.
It is commonly used in the strut bearings for marine applications.
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Metal Bellows
M012. METAL BELLOWS
The welded metal bellows is used in mechanical seal designs to eliminate the need for a dynamic
elastomer.
The bellows is welded to end fittings that hold the seal face and shaft attachment device
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Clam Shell
C040 CLAM SHELL
A tool that is used to set the pitch (distance between convolutions) while manufacturing a metal bellows
core.
The clam-shell is cut into two halves and is inserted in the bellows convolutions to hold them at the
correct pitch as the bellows goes through the heat treating process.
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Convolution
C059. CONVOLUTION
Two metal bellows plates welded or formed together make a convolution.
To count the number of convolutions in a metal bellows seal you count the spaces between the bellows
plates.
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Elastic Limit
E004. ELASTIC LIMIT
The point where the smallest stress you add would produce permanent deformation in a material.
This can be a problem with metal bellows seals when over compression during handling can change the
free length due to plastic deformation of the metal bellows plates.
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Free Length
F035. FREE LENGTH
The uncompressed axial length of a bellows. The measured length of the nine convolutions is the free
length of this bellows.
The term is commonly used with metal bellows seals.
The free length can change if the seal is over-compressed and the bellows is stressed into its plastic
range.
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Formed Metal Bellows
F032. FORMED METAL BELLOWS
The bellows is manufactured by stretching and compressing the metal bellows material into a die.
This type of metal bellows Is not usually used in mechanical seals because of its high spring rate and the
limitation of ductile materials.
Mechanical seals use "welded metal bellows".
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Inclusion
I010. INCLUSION
A slug of material which has become entangled in the material during its manufacture.
A severe problem in thin cross section metal bellows plate manufacture.
Inclusions cause the weld to blow out if they are located on the bellows plate, at the outside diameter
where the welding is taking place.
The term inclusion is also used to describe foreign matter in an optical flat used to read seal face flatness.
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s067
S067. SPAN
The span describes the width of the metal bellows.
The distance is measured from the inside diameter to the outside diameter of the bellows plate.
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Effective Diameter
E002. EFFECTIVE DIAMETER
In metal bellows seal terminology it is the calculated diameter where the pressure penetrates between the
metal plates.
This number is used to determine the hydraulic balance diameter of the mechanical seal face.
In the above drawing the effective diameter would be about half way across the bellows span, placing
about 70% of the seal face area above the line and 30% of the seal face area below the line.
Unlike O-ring type seals, the effective diameter of a bellows design can alter with a change in stuffing
box pressure, causing a shift in the seal face balance ratio.
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b025
B025. BERNOULLI'S EQUATION FOR A STATIONARY CONDUIT
In USCS units:
In SI or metric units
The individual terms mean:
● 144p/d= static pressure head (0.102p/d= static pressure head)

● c2/2g dynamic head
● y = elevation
● g = gravity (32.2 ft/sec2 or 9,8 meters/sec2)
● c = velocity (feet or meters/ sec.)
● p = pressure (lb/in2 or kPa)
● d = density (lb/ft3 or kg/l)
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b026
B026. BERNOULLI'S LAW
A moving stream of liquid or gas exerts less sideways pressure than if it were at rest.
The result is that things seem to be drawn into the stream, but the higher pressure at the outside is really
pushing them in.
This is the principle that causes a venturi to work.
Since there is a lot of fluid movement in an operating pump we have to be concerned about the pressures
being generated on the individual componens.
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b027
B027. BERNOULLI'S PRINCIPLE
For the horizontal flow of liquid through a pipe, the sum of the pressure and kinetic energy per unit
volume of the fluid is a constant if you assume no flow losses.
In other words, the total head in a piping system is the same for any point along a flow stream.
See: Bernoulli's equation.
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b032
B032. BODY BOUND BOLTS
The body bound bolt is installed with a slip or interference fit in the bolt hole to accurately position the
piece you are holding.
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b033
B033. BOILER
A high-pressure vessel used to heat water and make steam.
To get high temperature steam you need a corresponding high pressure and it is this pressure that causes
problems with mechanical seals and conventional packing.
See: Condensate system
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b033-1
BO33-1 Boiler feed water
Water changes its name throughout a steam system:
● It exists as both water and steam inside the boiler.

● It is called steam in the piping
● When it leaves the turbines and those pieces of equipment that uses the steam. the name changes
to condensate.
● The name again changes to boiler feed water when the condensate leaves the boiler feed pump
● See the following diagram:
The above drawing describes a very basic steam system with the following components:
● B = The boiler where the steam is made

● T = The turbine connected to a generator where we turn the energy in the steam into electricity.
● C = The condenser where the steam is converted into hot water (condensate). Usually cold water
circulates through the tubes to assist in the condensing.
● HW = The condenser hotwell where the condensate is collected. The hotwell is usually in a
vacuum created by condensing the steam and ejectors installed on the condenser.
● CP = The condensate pump that will take a suction on the hotwell and send the condensate to the
boiler feed pump.
● BF = The boiler feed pump that will discharge condensate and make up water into the boiler.
● ST = The surge tank that will compensate for the differences in volume between the boiler feed
pump and the condensate pump. Sometimes steam is added to a tank like this and then the tank it
is called a de-aerator.
● Pot = The chemical pot allows you to add chemicals to the boiler to control the pH, water
hardness, oxygen level and anything else that needs controlling by the addition of chemicals
As described in the above drawing, condensate is steam that has been condensed back into water.
Condensate should not be confused with demineralized, de-ionized, make up, or softened water. When
the condensate enters the boiler feed pump additional chemicals are added and the product is now called
boiler feed water.
● Condenser hotwells located at the bottom part of the condenser

● Steam traps. They trap steam and let the condensate drain through.
the bottom where a steam trap will open and allow the condensate to flow to the receiver. There
We want to keep air out of condensate. Why?
● Air contains both carbon dioxide and oxygen along with other gases. Carbon dioxide will lower
the pH of the water. The CO2 combines with H2O (water) to form H2CO3 (Carbonic acid) that
will lower the pH and contribute to corrosion problems in the system. Especially the boiler.
❍ Stainless steel boilers like a pH of somewhere between 9.0 and 11. Check for the pH
requirement of your boiler

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/b-html/b033-1.htm (1 of 3) [7/21/03 11:33:41 AM]

b033-1
● The more gases entrained in the condensate, the more likely the pump will experience cavitation
problems.
oxygen down

30 1 10 ppm
90 32 5 ppm
120 50 4 ppm
150 65 3 ppm
180 82 2 ppm
210 100 0 ppm
● The average level detected in condensate receivers is three parts per million. This is almost one
thousand times greater than the five parts per billion level that can induce pitting corrosion.
How do oxygen and other gases get into the condensate system?
● Through the packing of condensate pumps. The stuffing box is under a negative pressure and air
● Valves located above the water line can introduce oxygen and carbon dioxide as the velocity of
the water lowers the pressure at the valve stem.
● Oxygen is dissolved in make up water that was added to the boiler because of condensate leaks.
● Add chemicals to convert it into something else. Hydrazine is an example. You are adding
hydrogen that will combine with the oxygen to form water.
● De-aerate the condensate. This is normally done by heating the condensate with steam in a de-
aerating tank that is located close to the suction of the boiler feed pump.
condensate pumps. Balanced seals can seal both pressure and vacuum.


❍ Steam tools.
system.
product leakage.
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b033-1

b036
B036. BOYLE'S LAW OF GASES
The volume of a dry gas varies inversely with the pressure exerted upon it, provided the temperature is
constant.
If you double the pressure you will cut the volume in half.
When two quantities are in inverse proportion, their product is a constant so:
● p1 = the new pressure

● V1 = the new volume
This is the explanation of why air ingestion into a pump can cause a cavitation problem but not as severe
a problem as a fluid vaporizing.
When 100°C (212°F) water vaporizes it increases in volume 1500 to 1600 times, but if air has leaked into
the system, and you cut the pressure in half, the air will only double in volume according to Boyle's law.
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b038
B038. BRAKE HORSEPOWER CURVES FOR VARIOUS SPECIFIC SPEED IMPELLERS
Take a look at the following chart and you can see why pump people recommend starting low specific
speed pumps with the discharge valve throttled or shut, and why they recommend starting high specific
speed pumps with the discharge valve open.
Although these starting methods will save power, you should be aware that in both cases you are causing
high radial loads on the impeller.
These radial loads cause shaft deflection and are a major cause of premature mechanical seal failure at
pump start-up.
See: shaft deflection for more information about this subject.
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b039
B039. BRINNELL HARDNESS
A method of measuring the hardness of metal parts and hard seal faces.
In this test a hardened steel ball is forced into the material at a given pressure. The width of the
depression then becomes the measure of the material's hardness.
Because the ball deforms on very hard surfaces, this test is somewhat limited in its use.
Above a number of 350 the standard machining operations of turning, boring, drilling, and tapping
become uneconomical.
You can compare a Brinell reading to the following file readings:
100 - Metal removed easily by the file.
200 - Slightly more pressure needed to remove metal.
300 - Metal shows resistance to the file.
400 - Takes more pressure on the file.
500 - File removes almost no metal.
600 - Metal cannot be filed.
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s010
S010. SEAL FACE HARDNESS TESTING
The ideal seal face combination is a good grade of carbon-graphite running against a corrosion resistance
hard face materials. In another section of this book I covered the different grades of carbon/graphite, but
just what do we mean when we say, "hard face"? There are a lot of them available that include:
● Several grades of ceramic along with different grades of ni-resist and stellite
● Both tungsten and nickel base tungsten carbide
● Alpha sintered and reaction bonded silicon carbide
In the following paragraphs we will be looking at the methods seal people use to measure the hardness of
a seal face and then we will be looking at a chart to learn how to convert from one method to another.
The first method we will look at is called The Brinell test method
In this test a hardened steel ball is forced into the material at a given
pressure. The width of the depression then becomes the measure of the
material's hardness.
Because the ball deforms on very hard surfaces, this test is somewhat
limited in its use.
The Moh's scale is the next one, but I have no illustration to show you. This method compares scratch
hardness with ten minerals used as standards. Unlike the other scales mentioned above; in this method
the steps are not equal. The difference between #9 and #10 is about as great as the difference between #1
and #9.
The oldest method of testing hardness was to use a hard file on the test piece and see how difficult it is to
remove material. One look at the following comparisons and you can learn why this method is seldom
used any more, but if you do not have any test equipment it is better than nothing.
become uneconomical. You can compare a Brinell reading to the following file readings:
● 100 Metal removed easily by the file.

● 200 Slightly more pressure needed to remove metal.
● 300 Metal shows resistance to the file.
● 400 Takes more pressure on the file.
● 500 File removes almost no metal.
● 600 Metal cannot be filed.
The next method is called The Rockwell hardness test.
This is the most widely used test in the seal business. Hardness is
read on two different scales.
The most popular is the "C" scale that uses a diamond cone. The
less popular "B" scale utilizes a ball similar to that use in the
Brinell test.
Mechanical seal faces should read at least 60 on the Rockwell "C" scale. You can consult the following
chart to convert this reading to other scales.
Rockwell C Brinell Scale Scleroscope Moh

72 772 106
70 760 102 8.5
69 755 98
67 725 94
66 712 93
65 699 92
63 672 89 8.0
s010
62 657 86
61 645 85
60 631 84
59 617
58 603 81
57 590
56 577 78 7.5
55 562 75
53 536 73
52 523
51 510 71
49 486
48 473 66
47 462 64 7.0
The last illustration describes the Scleroscope test.
Although widely used in industry we seldom find this method used in the
seal business. In this test we let a weight with a hard round end fall ten
inches (255 mm) through a glass tube. We get our reading from
determining how high the weight bounced off the test sample. The harder
the material, the higher the bounce.
The tube on the scale is marked in 140 increments. On this scale glass
would read 130 and hardened steel would record about 110.
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b040
B040. BRITISH THERMAL UNIT (BTU.)
The BTU is defined as the quantity of heat needed to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.
Please note that a pound of water is almost equivalent to one U.S. pint.
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b042
B042. BUNA-N
A common elastomer (O-ring) used in the sealing of oil or water. Also called nitrile.
Buna-N is sensitive to ozone attack and therefore has a short shelf life.
Most buna N applications have been replace by Viton® or ethylene propylene elastomers.
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OZONE
O024. OZONE & CFCs
Before we begin I must explain a couple of terms I will be using in the following paragraphs:
● An atom - The smallest particle of an element that can enter into a chemical combination.
● A molecule - The smallest particle of an element or compound that can exist separately without
loss of any original chemical properties.
● Atmosphere - The whole gaseous envelope surrounding our planet
● Stratosphere - A layer of the atmosphere about seven miles (eleven kilometers) above the earth,
within which the temperature remains approximately constant.
● Ultra violet light - Very short light rays that are beyond the "violet" in the visible light spectrum.
It is the ozone in the stratosphere that protects humans by reflecting potentially dangerous UV radiation
away from our atmosphere.
Ozone is produced any time a free oxygen atom (O) combines with a pure oxygen molecule (O2) to form
ozone (O3). It is a collision process and atoms and molecules collide easier if they are moving fast. Any
high-energy source like lightning, electric sparks or UV radiation will produce the heat or energy needed
to get the particles moving rapidly.
Step outside after an electrical storm and you can smell ozone in the air. The sparks from electric motors
and circuit breakers also produce ozone in the work place. There is no problem producing ozone in the
earth's atmosphere, but that is not where we need it. We need it in the stratosphere and no one has figured
out how to push what we produce up there.
The culprit is CFCs (Chloroflurocarbons). They destroy the ozone layer in the stratosphere allowing the
potentially harmful UV radiation to penetrate to the earth. We find these CFCs every where. Here is the
break down:
Industrial 49.2%
Vehicle air conditioning 16.2%
Refrigeration and air conditioning 15.6%
Halons (mainly in fire extinguishers) 12.0%
Miscellaneous 3.8%
Aerosol sprays 3.1%
Here is how the process works:
Two oxygen atoms make a molecule, and three oxygen atoms make a molecule of ozone (O3). The ozone
layer is made up of a combination of oxygen atoms (O), oxygen molecules (O2) and ozone (O3)
Ultra violet radiation is another high-energy source. It will split the oxygen
molecule into two free atoms. Like all atoms, these oxygen atoms are very
unstable and continually combine with other atoms and molecules
If there are other oxygen molecules in the area, the oxygen atoms will combine
with them to form new ozone (O3) molecules

OZONE
Ultra violet (UV) radiation is not at all selective. It will use its high energy to
convert ozone (O3) back to oxygen molecules (O2) and oxygen atoms (O). this
process is normal and goes on continually in the stratosphere. All of this means
that there are plenty of oxygen atoms and molecules available.
Chlorflurocarbons (CFCs) mess up the system because the UV radiation

will also "break off" a chlorine atom (Cl) from the CFC.
This free chlorine atom is also very unstable and will react with any other
atom or molecule in the area. If it collides with an ozone molecule it will
"strip off an oxygen atom.
The chlorine atom then combines with the oxygen atom it stripped off, to
form a chlorine monoxide molecule (ClO). The remaining two oxygen
atoms (O) combine to form a pure oxygen molecule (O2)
When the newly formed chlorine monoxide molecule encounters another

free oxygen molecule that was produced during the normal formation of
oxygen and ozone, the oxygen atom breaks up the chloride monoxide
molecule and binds the oxygen atom to its self, leaving the chlorine atom
free to make some more pure oxygen out of ozone.
The newly formed free chlorine atom will continue this process forever and the more of them you have,
the bigger the problem. Oxygen atoms and oxygen molecules continue to break apart and form ozone,
but the chlorine monoxide slows down the process and that is the problem. Oxygen, unlike ozone, will
not reflect UV radiation.
And what does all of this mean to you? No question about it, you are going to have to use dual seals and
a leakage recovery system on all of your CFC applications.
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b044
B044. BYPASS LINE
A bypass line is commonly used to connect the pump'sg discharge to a lower pressure point in the system
and allow the pump to operate closer to its best efficiency point (BEP).
Most of the time you should try to avoid connecting a discharge bypass line to the pump suction because
it will add additional heat to the incoming fluid and could cause a cavitation problem. You will be better
off going from the discharge side of the pump to the source tank on the suction side.
A bypass line can used to re-circulate fluid from the pump discharge to the stuffing box and increase
stuffing box pressure and prevent vaporization in the stuffing box. This is called discharge recirculation
Many times you can connect the stuffing box to the pump suction and clean up the stuffing box fluid if
there are solids in the pumpage. This is called suction recirculation.
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CLA
C002. C.L.A.
Center line average. A method of measuring surface finishes in metric units.
The centerline average is the average distance between the microscopic peaks and the valleys in the seal
face material.
RMS (root mean square) is another method that is used in the USCU (inch) system.
Root mean square is the square root of the number that represents the mean (middle) distance between
the peaks and valleys in the seal face material.
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Capillary Action
C007 CAPILLARY ACTION
This is the action that causes oil to climb up a lamp wick and seem to defy gravity.
There is a theory that lubrication can penetrate between lapped seal faces by this same capillary action
without the need for a differential pressure across the lapped seal faces.
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Carbide
C008 CARBIDE
A compound that is formed when carbon combines with another element.
The carbides of metal are very hard and are frequently used in mechanical seal face design.
Different grades of silicon carbide and tungsten carbide are the most common.
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Carbon Face Manufacturing
C010. CARBON FACE MANUFACTURING
The seal face we refer to as a carbon is really a compound of carbon and graphite. We use graphite for its
lubricating qualities and good heat conductivity, and carbon for its strength.
exclusive use of them. A good seal face would be a mixture of carbon, graphite and nothing else.
main sources being in Canada and Madagascar. The cost of these elements is determined by two things:

these impurities could possibly present a chemical compatibility problem.
A good carbon-graphite mixture would be 80% carbon and 20% graphite. Graphite is a good conductor
of heat, a natural lubricant and has a laminar grain structure similar to a deck of cards allowing the
individual grains to slide over one another. It is this laminar structure that allows the graphite to release
from the carbon/ graphite face and deposit on the hard face in the same manner a graphite pencil will
write on a sheet of paper.
Carbon is a very different element. It is manufactured by heating an organic material (it never lived) to
2000 degrees Fahrenheit (1000°C). It is not a very good conductor of heat and is a poor lubricant because
of its crystal structure. If carbon is heated to 4000 degrees Fahrenheit (2000C) under pressure, it will
convert to graphite.
To manufacture the finished product we place this mixture in an oversized mold using a hydrocarbon as
the glue to hold the powder together. Years ago "pitch" from a tree was used for the same purpose. The
mixture is then compressed and placed in an oven at 2000° Fahrenheit (1000° C) for a period of thirty to
sixty days. The hydrocarbon will convert to carbon at this temperature. The piece must be heated slowly
or otherwise the carbon will combine with oxygen to form carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide, which
will, in either case, ruin it. At the end of this time the piece has shrunk a small amount but still resembles
a real carbon face. The problem is:

● It has low density, which would be a problem in vacuum applications.
If you want a serious carbon you must place the component into an autoclave where a vacuum will
hydrocarbon and pressurized to force the hydrocarbon into the porous face under high pressure. In the
old days the hydrocarbon was "pitch" from a tree but in modern times a variety of hydrocarbons are
available.
This first impregnation will penetrate approximately 25 mm (one inch) meaning that 50 mm (2 inches)
"heating" process.
You now have a denser carbon-graphite, but you are a long way from a good one. Two more
impregnations at 3,0 mm (0.125 inches) and 0,5 mm (0.020 inches) will complete the impregnations,
grade of unfilled carbon and then send them to the carbon manufacturer for the final impregnations.
Carbon/ graphite is the type of face that should be the standard in all of your mechanical seals. It can be
used in almost any chemical or combination of chemicals except an oxidizing agent. As mentioned, the
oxidizing agents will combine with the carbon to form carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Here is a
list of some of the common oxidizers:

● Chloric acid that ignites organic material on contact.
● Chlorous acid over 200 degrees Fahrenheit (100 C).
● Ferric chloride that is used in sewage treatment, photography, medicine and feed additives.
● Hot sulfuric acid. The most widely used industrial chemical.
● Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK), a common solvent.
● Chlorate
● Nitrate
● Perchlorate
● Permanganate
● Peroxide
The Halogens are another group of chemicals that will attack carbon:
● Astintine
● Bromine
● Chlorine
● Fluorine
● Iodine
The degree of attack will be affected by the oxidizer's chemical concentration and temperature. If you are
applications:
● If there is a possibility of color contamination of the product. Some paper and paint applications
have this problem.
only difference between them is the grades of carbon/ graphite.
the compound and coat the hard surface with a low friction lubricating layer. Children recognize this
when they lick the end of a graphite pencil so the writing will be darker.
faces. The only exceptions being those mentioned in the above paragraphs. You should contact the
carbon manufacturers for their catalog giving you the grades they have available and the physicals
(specifications) of their unfilled carbon. You can then check with your seal supplier to be sure he is using
the proper unfilled grade in your mechanical seals.
(density) and special characteristics such as the ability to fracture without producing many dust particles.
I have included a typical specification chart for you in the graphs section of this CD. This chart is a
reproduction of a page from the advertising literature of the Pure Carbon Company of St. Marys,
Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Their grade P658RC would be a typical unfilled carbon. You can locate these companies on the "Web"
or find them in various technical directories such as the Thomas Register in the United States.
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Element
E009. ELEMENT
An element is one of the fundamental parts of which any substance is composed. Elements are made
from atoms.
The two most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity.
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Carbon Physicals
C012. CARBON PHYSICALS
The people that make the carbon-graphite compounds we use in seal faces are very proud of their
products and are eager to give you as much information about them as than can.
They mold the carbon-graphite faces and then impregnate them to get the various grades.
Here is a carbon-graphite face with three impregnations
● The first impregnation "C" is 1inch (25 mm)

● The second impregnation "B" goes in about 0.125 inches (3 mm)
● The third impregnation goes in about 0.020 inches (0.5 mm)
The carbon / graphite manufacturers publish charts that show the strength, conductivity, temperature
limits, etc. of the various grades. This chart is a description of the physicals for the Pure Carbon company
grades.
Similar charts are available from other carbon companies.
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s093
S093. STRESS RELIEVE
A means to take residual stress out of an object.
This is very important with lapped seal faces, especially after carbon/ graphite has been inserted into a
metal holder.
Stress relieving is also done to retard corrosion after metal is formed into a shape. Stressed metal
corrodes at a rate faster than unstressed metal.
Stress relieving is accomplished by one of the following methods:
● Heat the part to its annealing temperature and then cool the part. Repeat this several times.
● Blast the part with small diameter "shot" to relieve manufactured or induced stresses.
● Let the face holder composite relax over a period of time and then relap the face.
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carbonic acid
CO12.1 CARBONIC ACID
This acid forms when carbon dioxide combines with water to form carbonic acid, The affect is to lower
the pH of boiler water and increasing the amount of water treatment to maintain the proper pH.
The carbon dioxide enters the condensate system through pump packing, the stem of valves above the
water line and gasketed flanges.
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Carbonizing
C013. CARBONIZING
A reduction of hydrocarbons resulting in the formation of carbonaceous residue that will interfere with
the movement of the sliding components in a mechanical seal.
In practice we call it "coking". The coke can build up on the seal face causing the lapped faces to
separate.
This coke build up is not dense enough to act as part of the seal face, so the fluid will either leak through
this build up, or a piece of the coke will break off, causing a more severe leakage problem.
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Carcinogen
C014. CARCINOGEN
In the United States cancer is the second most common cause of death.
Section 262 of Public law 95-622 of November 9,1978 stipulated that the Secretary of the Department of
Health and Human services shall publish an annual report which contains a list of all substances which
either are known to be carcinogens or may reasonably be anticipated to be carcinogens and to which a
significant number of persons in the United States are exposed.
The first comprehensive list was published in the 1989 summary. I have extrapolated those chemicals
that we encounter in the petrochemical industry and left out those that are pretty much limited to the
medical profession. If you are interested in allowable exposure limits or have any other questions about
the noted chemicals contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Fifth Annual
Report On Carcinogens Summary 1989 NTP 89-239 or any newer reports that may have been published.
Known carcinogens are defined as "those substances for which the evidence from human studies
indicates that there is a casual relationship between the exposure to the substance and human cancer."
The list includes, but is not limited to :
CHEMICAL COMMERCIAL USE

No commercial use in the United states. Was
4-Aminobiphenyl used as a rubber antioxidant and as a reagent
for detecting sulfates.
Pesticides, wood preservatives, alloying

Arsenic and certain Arsenic compounds
additive, glass and non ferrous alloys.
Insulation, gasketing, packing, coatings,

Asbestos
plastics, textiles, friction materials.
Benzene Solvent, gasoline additive.
Benzidine Dyes in textile and paper.
Bis(chloromethyl)ether and technical grade Synthesis of plastic and ion exchanger

Chloromethyl Methyl Ether resins.
Stainless steel, pigment, Medical, plating,

Chromium and certain Chromium compounds
wood treatment, paint
Mustard Gas Biological studies, weapons.
Dyes, rubber. Used only for research

2-Naphthylamine
purposes
Nuclear, flame spraying, welding electrodes,

Thorium Dioxide
high temperature ceramics.
Plastics, wrapping film, phonograph records,

Vinyl Chloride
credit cards floor tiles.
Substances which may reasonably be anticipated to be carcinogens. Defined as "those for which there is
a limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans or sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental
animals".
CHEMICAL COMMERCIAL USE

Synthetic fibers resins, plastics,
Acrylonitrile
elastomers.
Dyes, paints plastics, rubber, printing

2-Aminoanthraquinone
inks.
O-Aminoazotoluene Pigments, coloring oils, wax polishes.

Carcinogen
Dye for synthetic fibers as well as

1-Amino-2-methyllanthraquinine
animal furs.
Herbacide, now limited to non crop

Amitrole
applications.
o-Anisidine Hydrochloride Dyes.
Benzotrichloride
Alloys for areo space applications,

Beryllium and certain Beryllium compounds
ceramic additive to glass and plastic.
Synthetic rubber, tires, nylon carpet

1,3-Butadiene
backing, latex adhesives
Cadmium and certain Cadmium compounds Coating and plating.
Production of Freon 11 & 12, de-

greasing, plastic and resin production.
Chlorendic Acid Flame retardant, foams.
Lubricant additive, flame retardant,

Chlorinated Parraffins (C12, 60% Chlorine)
rubber production.
Production of flurocarbon, refrigerant,

Chloroform heat transfer medium in fire
extinguishers.
3-Chloro-2-methylpropene Fumigant, textile additive, plastics.
4-Chloro-o-phenylenediamine Hair dye, photographic chemicals.
Dye for textiles, leather printing inks,

C.I. Basic Red 9 Monohydrochloride
china clay.
P-Cresidine Dyes.
A reagent to seperate tin from zinc and

Cupferron
copper and iron from other metals.
Insecticide. In the U.S. it used only

DDT under Public Health Service
supervision.
Fur, acrylic fiber, polyster, wool ,

2,4-Diaminoanisole Sulfate
cotton and hair dye.
2,4Diaminotoluene Polyurethane, dye.
1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane Soil fumigant.
1,2-Dibromoethane (EDB) Gasoline anti-knock additive, pestacide
Space deodorant (toilets, rooms)

1,4-Dichlorobenzene
germacide
3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine and 3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine

Pigments.
Dithydrochloride

Carcinogen
Component of leaded fuel, production

1,2-Dichlorethane
of vinyl chloride.
Solvent in paint removers, manufacture

Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride)
of vitamins, degreasing agent.
1,3-Dichloropropene (Technical Grade) Pesticides.
Diepoxybutane Curing agent for polymers.
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate Used to make poly vinyl chloride.
Surfacants, dyes, agricultural

Diethyl Sulfate
chemicals.
Diglycidyl Resorcinol Ether Liquid epoxy resin.
3,3'-Dimethoxybenzidine Production of azo dyes.
To color polishes and other wax

4-Dimethylaminoazobenzene
products.
3,3'-Dimethylbenzidine Dye, chlorine test kits.
Dimethylcarbamoyl Chloride Dyes, pestacide.
1,1-Dimethylhydrazine Propellant for liquid fuel rockets.
Dimethyl Sulfate Used to manufacture other chemicals.
Dimethylvinyl Chloride Organic synthesis.
1,4-Dioxane Stabilizer in chlorinated solvents.
Direct Black 38 Dye
Direct Blue 6 Dye
Epichlorohydrin Epoxy resins.
Paper coatings, emulsion based

Ethyl Acrylate
polymers.
Manufacture of ethylene glycol and

Ethylene Oxide
polyster
Ethylene Thiourea Rubber, O-rings, electroplating.
Adhesives, chemical production,

Formaldehyde (Gas)
medical.
Hexachlorobenzene Pesticide
Solvent for polymers, de-icing additive for jet

Hexamethylphossphoramide
fuels.
Agricultural chemicals, rocket fuel, oxygen

Hydrazine and Hydrazine Sulfate
scavanger in boiler feed water.
Hydrazobenzene Dye, additive to motor oil.

Carcinogen
Kepone® (Chlordecone) Insecticide, no longer used in the U.S.
Lead Acetate and Lead Phosphate Drier in paints and varnish, colorant in hair dyes.
Insecticidal treatment for wood, grain and live

Lindane and other Hexachlorocyclohexane Isomers
stock.
2-Methylaziridine (Proplyleneimine) Paper, textile, rubber.
4,4'-Methylenebis(2-chloroaniline) (MBOCA) Curing agent.
4,4'-Methylenebis(N,N-dimethyl)benzenamine Dye
4,4'-Methylenedianiline and its Dihydrochloride Manufacture of polyisocynates and isocyanates.
Michler's Ketone Dyes and pigments.
Mirex Pesticide, fire retardant.
Nickel and certain Nickel compounds Stainless and alloy steel.
Nitrilotriacetic Acid Detergent, water treatment.
5-Nitro-o-Anisidine Dye
2-Nitropropane Solvent, inks, paints polymers.
N-Nitrosodiethanolamine No commercial use.
Stabilizer in plastics, gasoline and lubricant

N-Nitrosodiethylamine
additive.
N-Nitrosodimethylamine Liquid rocket fuel, solvent.
P-Nitrosodiphenylamine Rubber, dye.
N-Nitrosopiperidine Epoxy resin.
Production of polyimide and poly(ester)mide

4,4'-Oxydianiline
resins.
Polybrominated Biphenyls Flame retardant, plastics.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls Heat transfer and hydraulic fluids.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbones, 15 listings
● Benza(a)anthracene
● Benzo(b)fluoranthene
● Benzo(j)fluoranthene
● Benzo(k)fluoranthene
● Benzo(a)pyrene
● Dibenz(a,h)acridine

Carcinogen
● Dibenz(a,j)acridine
● Dibenz(a,h)anthracene
● 7H-Dibenzo(c,g)carbazole
● Dibenzo(a,e)pyrene
● Dibenzo(a,h)pyrene
● Dibenzo(a,l)pyrene
● Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene
● 5-Methylchrysene Coal tar, roofing, creosote, asphalt.
1,3-Propane Sultone Detergents lathering agents.
Propylene Oxide Coatings and adhesives.
Saccharin Sweetening agent.
Safrole Flavoring agent.
Selenium Sulfide Shampoos.
Sulfallate Herbacide.
Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene) Dry cleaning and textle production.
Thioacetamide Replacement for hydrogen sulfide in qualitative analysis.
Thiourea Animal glue.
Toluene Diisocyanate Polyurethane foam.
o-Toluidine and o-Toluidine Hydrochloride Dyes and pigments.
Toxaphene Insecticide
2,4,6-Trichlorophenol Wood preservative, anti mildew.
Tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate No longer used in the U.S. .Was a flame retardant
Urethane No commercial use because of its toxicity.
Occupational exposures associated with a technical process that are known to be carcinogenic

● Soots, tars and mineral oils.
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Carcinogen

Carpenter 42
C015. CARPENTER 42
A low expansion metal used as an end fittings to hold the carbon face in a high temperature metal
bellows seal.
The main use for this metal is to prevent the metal expansion from loosening the carbon seal face.
Carpenter 42 has a thermal expansion rate almost the same as carbon. Invar 36 is another metal used for
this application.
Neither of these metals offers much in the way of corrosion resistance, so the application is limited to
non-corrosive fluids.
High temperature oils, monomer and polymer sealing have been the main applications to date.
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Invar 36
I022. INVAR 36
One of two low expansion metals that are used as end fittings with high temperature metal bellows seals.
The other metal being Carpenter 42.
Unfortunately neither of these metals has good corrosion resistance so the sealing application is limited
to high temperature non-corrosive fluids such as heat transfer oils, hot resins and plastics, along with
polymers and monomers.
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Cartridge Seal Advantages
C017 CARTRIDGE SEAL ADVANTAGES
Nothing is good or bad by itself. Things are only good or bad in comparison to something else.
Let's compare a typical cartridge seal to the type where you have to install the individual components.
Cartridge seals have these advantages:
● No installation print is necessary because there are no installation measurements to be made. Clips
of some type set the correct spring loading.
● There are no special skills or experience needed to make a good seal installation.
● Cartridge seals are easy to handle. The lapped seal faces are not touched during assembly. This
means that no foreign substance will accidentally be put on the lapped faces.
● Most designs center the narrower wearable face in the wider hard face.
● Cartridge seals will not frett or damage shafts.
● Cartridge seals can compensate for thermal expansion of the pump shaft.
● Cartridge seals are necessary if you are going to adjust the open impeller in a back pull out pump.
● With few exceptions, cartridge seals are hydraulically balanced.
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Cartridge Seal Overheating Problems
C018. CARTRIDGE SEAL OVERHEATING PROBLEMS
Too much heat can cause multiple problems with mechanical seals:
● The elastomer can be damaged.

❍ Carbon-graphite faces can pit as trapped air expands within the carbon, or the product
carbonizes and pulls out pieces of the seal face.

❍ Plated faces can heat-check and crack causing rapid carbon face wear.
❍ The filler in some carbon-graphite compounds can melt or oxidize at elevated
temperatures.
● Critical dimensions can change causing the lapped seal faces to go out of flat and leak
● Corrosion always increases with increasing temperature.
● An inefficient heating-cooling jacket surrounding the stuffing box.

❍ A layer of calcium or some other similar product has built up on the jacket walls,

❍ A thermal bushing was not located in the bottom of the stuffing box.
❍ If steam is being used as the coolant, the pressure is too high.
❍ The fluid is not "dead ended" in the stuffing box. There is either suction or discharge

❍ Clearance between the seal outside diameter and the stuffing box bore is not sufficient.
❍ The shaft material is conducting the product heat to the cartridge static elastomer and other
components. As an example: carbon steel conducts heat much better than a stainless steel
shaft.
❍ The convection tank is not convecting.
❍ The quench has failed.
❍ The product has a low specific heat and poor conductivity. Oil is a good example of such a
product.
❍ The seal faces were over-compressed during the installation process.
● A wrong measurement was used.

❍ The mechanic did not read, or understand the print dimension.
❍ The pump sleeve moved as the impeller was tightened on the shaft.
❍ The measurement was taken at the wrong place. The stuffing box face is the only safe
reference point.
● Unbalanced seals generate more heat than hydraulically balanced mechanical seals.
● Silicon carbide and tungsten carbide dissipate heat faster than 99.5 ceramic or
applications.
circulation of the barrier fluid system. When oil is used as a barrier fluid forced circulation or the
The above problems are not unique to cartridge seals; there are however some problems that are unique:
applications, the inner seal can over compress as the outside seal looses some of its compression.
shaft.
● Some open impeller pump designs (Duriron as an example) Adjust to the back plate rather than
the volute. Be sure to reset the cartridge after the impeller adjustment.
the seal. Since the cartridge sleeve set screws are mounted outside the sealing fluid, hardened set
screws can be substituted for the softer stainless steel version. Some seal manufacturers supply
Cartridge Seal Overheating Problems
these additional set-screws along with the corrosion resistant version.

● Higher pressure applications or water hammer can move the set-screws and over compress the
seal faces.
pumps that uses that adjustment method. The Chesterton System #1 pump is a good example of
this design.
proper face loading and be sure to remove any centering clips prior to starting the pump.
● After making an impeller adjustment, be sure to rotate the shaft prior to re-tightening the cartridge
sleeve set screws. If you fail to do this the set screws can slip back into the old set screw shaft
depressions and interfere with the new setting.
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Case Harden
C019. CASE HARDEN
Carbon and/or other elements are added to the surface of low-carbon steels or iron so that upon
quenching a hardened case or surface is obtained.
The center of the steel remains soft or ductile throughout this process.
The case hardning can be removed with a grinder if you must machine or finish the surface.
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Catalyst
C020. CATALYST
A chemical additive that normally decreases the time of a chemical reaction without being affected by
the reaction. In a few instances some catalysts can be used to retard a reaction.
The life of an industrial catalyst varies from 1,000 to 10,000 hours, after which it must be re-generated or
replaced.
In some instances a catalyst can be destructive, as in the oxidation of iron to its oxide which is catalyzed
by water vapor.
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Implode
I008. IMPLODE
The opposite of explode.
Bubbles implode in the higher pressure areas of the pump making noise and causing damage to the metal
parts.
This formation and collapsing of the bubbles is called cavitation.
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Incipient Cavitation
I009. INCIPIENT CAVITATION
The pump curve that came with your pump shows the net positive suction head required (NPSHR) for
any given impeller size and capacity.
This number was determined by pumping cold water through the pump while reducing the suction head
until the pump showed a reduction in discharge head of three percent (3%), due to the low suction head
and any formation of bubbles within the pump.
This point is called "the point of incipient cavitation"
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Centipoise
C023. CENTIPOISE
The term "viscosity" means resistance to pouring.
The basic metric unit of absolute viscosity is the "poise" (1 gm/cm-second or dyne-second per square
centimeter).
● The common unit for expressing absolute viscosity is the "centipoise" (1/100 of a poise).
● Water at 68.4°F (20, 2°C) has an absolute viscosity of one centipoise
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Centistoke
C024. CENTISTOKE
The centistoke is the kinematic unit of viscosity.
Viscosity in centipoise divided by the liquid density at the same temperature, gives kinematic viscosity in
centistokes.
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ten pump features
The ten most important features you can specify in a single stage centrifugal pump design c025_1
1. A low L3/D4 shaft design
● The lower numbers will allow you to operate off the pump "BEP" without excessive flexing of the
shaft.
● A double volute design is a good alternative to the low L3/D4 design
2. A centerline design
● This feature prevents excessive strain on the volute casing caused by thermal expansion or
contraction.
3. A "C" frame adapter to ease alignment problems
● A very logical way to get proper pump/ driver alignment that compensates for thermal expansion.
4. An oversize jacketed stuffing box
● Mechanical seals need lots of radial room to prevent the rotating portion of the seal from coming
into contact with the stuffing box inside diameter.
5. Semi-open and open Impeller adjustments made from the wet end of the pump
● Adjusting the impeller clearance from the power end moves the mechanical seal setting. Pumps
that adjust the impeller from the wet end are not common, but they are available.
6. Large bearing oil capacity with easy to read bearing oil level indication
● Oil has a very low specific heat and poor thermal conductivity. You should have at least a two-
liter capacity.
7. A sealed up bearing case
● You will need positive face seals to prevent the ingress of moisture. When the bearing case is
sealed the bearing case pressure will build up to about fifteen pounds (one atmosphere) between
cold and operating temperature. Be careful because this pressure can blow out some seal designs
that have not been positively retained on the shaft and in the bearing housing
8. Instrumentation to check the condition of the pump and driver
● How else can you tell when the impeller needs adjusting, or if you are using too many amps for
the application?
9. The correct impeller for the application
● The impeller's specific speed number will help you determine if you have the correct impeller
shape.
● The Duplex metals seem to be the preferred materials for modern pump impellers. They offer the
ideal combination of low wear and chemical resistance.
10. A pump that matches the system curve you supplied with your "request to quote."
● Without a system curve supplied by the consumer, the pump manufacturer has little to no chance
of supplying the correct size pump and driver. If you do not know how, learn how to make a
system curve and always supply one when you ask for a centrifugal pump quote.
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Centrifugal Reaction
C026. CENTRIFUGAL REACTION
The reaction force which is equal in magnitude to the centripetal force, but acts in the opposite direction.
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Centripetal Force
C028. CENTRIPETAL FORCE
The force that deflects a body from its linear path and compels it to move along a curve.
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Centrifugal Separator
C027. CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR
Some times called a cyclone separator. It uses centripetal force to throw solids out of the fluid. It is often
recommended as a solution to removing solids in the stuffing box that could clog a mechanical seal and
open the lapped faces.
Unfortunately it does not work very well in these slurry applications. To be really effective these units
should be used in a bank of several separators connected in series.
The normal installation is to have higher pressure discharge fluid connected to the side of the unit with
the bottom connected to the suction side of the pump. The clean outlet, on top, is then connected to the
stuffing box.
One of the limitations in using this unit in a centrifugal pump application is that often there is very little
pressure differential between the stuffing box and the pump suction. In some instances there is no
differential at all. A double suction pump is a good example of no differential. A Duriron pump is
another example of where the stuffing box pressure and the pump suction pressure are almost the same.
If the solids you are trying to remove float on the liquid (they have a low specific gravity) the separator
will remove the clean liquid and put the solids into the stuffing box.
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Change Of State
C030. CHANGE OF STATE
Refers to a fluid changing its form from a liquid to:
● A gas
● A viscous fluid
● A solid
● A crystal
If this change takes place between the lapped seal faces or in the stuffing box area it can cause a
We generally apply environmental controls in the stuffing box to prevent this change from taking place.
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Charles’s Law Of Gases
C031 CHARLES'S LAW OF GASES
The volume of a dry gas is directly proportional to its absolute temperature, providing the pressure is
constant.
In other words, if you double the temperature, you double the volume.
See "Boyle's law" to learn how a change in pressure affects a gas.
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Chart Recorder
C032. CHART RECORDER
A chart recorder can be installed In both the suction and discharge piping to give you an accurate picture
of the pump's head over a period of time.
Gages show the head only at the moment you are looking at them. The head can vary during the day
because of:
● Changes in valve positions.

● The emptying and filling of tanks.
● Changes in the pump's speed.
You need this differential head information to determine if the pump is running somewhere near its best
efficiency point (BEP.)
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Check Valve
C033. CHECK VALVE
Check valves are used to prevent reverse flow in fluid systems. They are seldom reliable.
These valves are needed to prevent a stopped pump from running backwards as a result of a higher fluid
pressure on the discharge side of the pump.
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Chemically Compatible
C034. CHEMICALLY COMPATIBLE
To be considered corrosion resistant or chemically compatible the selected material must corrode at a
rate of less than 0.002 inches per year (0,05 mm/year).
This definition causes a problem in the selection of the metal foil material used in the manufacture of
welded metal bellows for mechanical seals. The foil used in these seals is about 0.004 inches (0,1 mm)
thick.
These thin foil sections are needed to keep the spring rate of the resultant bellows low enough to create
the proper closing force on the bellows seal faces.
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Chrome Carbide
C037. CHROME CARBIDE
This compound forms in stainless steel when the chrome in the stainless combines with carbon in the
heat affected zone created during the welding process.
This is the reason that welders use low carbon steel in these fabrications to reduce the amount of carbon
available to form the chrome carbide.
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Chrome Oxide
C038. CHROME OXIDE
The passivated layer (ceramic) that forms on the 300 series of stainless steel making it corrosion
resistant.
The stainless steel passivates when exposed to oxygen
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Circular Casing
C039 CIRCULAR CASING
Used with centrifugal pumps that pump a high liquid volume rather than build a high head or pressure.
In this design the impeller has a constant clearance between its outside diameter and the casing
The volute casing is the design that builds high head or pressure. Volute casings are the most popular
designs you find in industry.
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Classifying Chemicals
C041. CLASSIFYING CHEMICALS
The most common question asked by seal salesmen is "what are you sealing?"
This is usually followed by asking about the shaft size, product, temperature, speed, stuffing box pressure
and any other operating conditions they can think of.
The problem with this simplistic approach is that you would have to have a very large data bank of
information to reference a particular application and make a sensible seal recommendation. There is a
much more logical approach to the problem that we will be discussing in the following paragraphs.
A sensible approach to the sealing of various chemicals, chemical mixtures, and compounds would be
divided into three parts:
● You must know how to select mechanical seal components that will not corrode or be attacked in
any way by the fluid you are sealing, or any other chemicals that might come into contact with the
seal as a result of cleaning the system, flushing the stuffing box, using barrier fluids between
double seals, quenching behind the seal etc.
● You must understand the total range of operating conditions of the equipment and then select seal
designs that can handle this extended range.
● You need a method of classifying chemicals that puts them into neat, logical categories that can
be handled by the use of a special seal design and/or environmental controls. It is important to
note that the sealing environment will affect the sealing fluid, often preventing the lapped sealing
faces from staying in contact.
In this discussion we will concentrate on the classification of chemicals and leave the selection of seal
materials, types of seals and use of various environmental controls to other sections of this CD
A fluid can be classified as either a liquid or a gas and can be divided into seven specific categorizes:
● Fluids that are sensitive to small changes in temperature and/or pressure.

● Non-lubricating liquids, gases and solids.
● Slurries, classified as solids in liquid . The solids may or may not be abrasive.
We will be investigating each of these categories in detail and learn how they affect the life of a
mechanical seal. In the seal application section of this book you can look up the detailed methods of
sealing each of these problems.
Fluids that are sensitive to changes in temperature and/or pressure.
● Corrosive liquids. Most corrosives will double their corrosion rate with a 18 degree Fahrenheit
(10 C.) rise in temperature. The temperature at the seal face is always hotter than the temperature
recorded in the stuffing box or seal chamber. Keep in mind that any contact between the rotating
shaft and a stationary component will cause high heat and will be detected as localized corrosion.
Wear rings and throttle bushings are subject to this rubbing. If the equipment is provided with a
cooling jacket, and the jacket is not being utilized, the air inside can act as an insulation,
increasing the heat in the stuffing box considerably.
● Liquids that vaporize. Most any liquid will vaporize if it becomes hot enough or if the stuffing
box pressure gets too low. It is the product with a low specific gravity that give us the most
❍ Fluids such as benzene and others with a low specific gravity, will freeze as they vaporize.
lapped faces. Moisture on the outboard side of the seal can freeze also and restrict
movement of the sliding or flexing seal components
your application.
with a decrease in temperature but not always. The viscosity of sugar and some other solutions
increases with an increase in temperature. Oil is a good example of a type of fluid where the
viscosity decreases with an increase in temperature. High viscosity can interfere with free seal
movement and cause seal face contact problems. Lowering the viscosity can often increase the
seal face wear as there is not enough film thickness to keep the surfaces separated. You need a
film thickness of at least one micron to keep the lapped seal faces separated.
● Film building liquids. Petroleum products will form a varnish when first heated and then
gradually form a layer of coke as the temperature is elevated. These transformations are not
reversible and the resultant hard film restricts sliding and/or flexing of the seal components. Hard
water is another example of a film building fluid.
the seal causing the lapped faces to open. Magnetite is a severe problem in new , hot water
components they will open the seal faces as the shaft moves axially. Any leakage across the seal
faces will form a solids build up on the other side of the seal, causing interference as the seal tries
to move as it compensates for wear.
The names of these chemicals is not important. If you knew how to seal any one of them you could seal
to seal that category. Common sense would dictate that the product temperature and/or pressure must be
controlled in the seal area to prevent any of the above from occurring. In most cases you should try to
avoid the use of two hard faces in these applications because of the additional heat that will be generated
between the faces because of the higher friction. Needless to say, only balanced seals are acceptable in
any temperature or pressure sensitive fluid.
Liquids that require two mechanical seals: These seals are installed with a circulating barrier or buffer
fluid that can be a forced circulation, or in many cases a convection system with a "pumping ring". The
pressure of the barrier or buffer fluid can be regulated to indicate a failure in either of the mechanical
seals allowing time for a pump shut down, product isolation and no subsequent loss in the pumping fluid.
You should use dual seals in the following applications:
● Costly products - Some times the product costs so much you just cannot afford to have it leak.
There are plenty of charts to show how much leakage you get from various sized drips or steady
streams. The smallest steady stream you can produce will be between twenty five and thirty U.S.
gallons per day (95 to 115 liters/day)
● Dangerous products - these fluids are given a special category because even small amounts of
leakage are not acceptable. The danger could fall into many categories: radiation, toxic, fire,
explosion, bacteria, etc.. The new United States' "right to know law" is having a major affect on
how mechanical seals used in these type of products will be repaired.
● Pollutants - Usually there is a "penalty" involved and the bad publicity does no one any good. In
this day and age, a responsible company will not let pollutants leak to the atmosphere or to the
earth for any reason. Fugitive emission legislation has increased the need for these types of
mechanical seals.
● Any time an unexpected seal failure would be inconvenient - Down time can be a very costly time
in many plants. Two seals prevents the unexpected seal failure shut down. This is especially
important with batch operations or when there is no back up pump installed. On the atomic
submarine the back up shaft seal allowed us to get to the surface if a main shaft seal failed while
we were submerged.
Sealing non-lubricants. These fluids fall into three categories:
● Non-lubricating fluids such as solvents and hot water. We experience more rapid face wear with
these types of fluids. In most cases their film thickness is less than one micron and cannot support
a load between two sliding surfaces
● Dry gases- Unlike non lubricating liquids they will not conduct heat very well and often are
dangerous at the same time. This is a common problem if you forget to vent the stuffing box of a
vertical pump. A top entering mixer is another example of this type of application. In this
application you have two problems: heat and no lubrication.
● Dry solids - They can clog the sliding components and provide no lubrication for seal faces. Once
the faces are open they penetrate between the faces and usually destroy the lapped surfaces.
Pharmaceuticals, freeze dried coffee and cake mix are examples of this category. You can think of
many more.
Slurries, especially abrasive slurries. They clog the seal components and destroy lapped seal faces in the
same manner as the dry solids mentioned above.
● The list of these products is without end. A slurry is defined as a liquid containing solids that
cannot be dissolved by normal control of the temperature or pressure in the stuffing box. The
number of solids or their size is not important. The solids will collect in the sliding or flexing
components of the seal causing the faces to open and then penetrate between the lapped faces
causing leakage and damage. In some seal designs the springs or bellows (metallic or elastomer)
will experience severe wear in a short period of time. In these designs it is important to rotate the
fluid rather than have the bellows component rotate within the abrasive slurry.
Liquids sensitive to agitation. There are at least three categories that concern us:

● Dilatants - Their viscosity increases with agitation. This is how cream becomes butter. Some clay
the seal. When dealing with dilatants it is important that you do not continually rotate the fluid in
● Newtonian fluids do not change viscosity with agitation. They present no problem for mechanical
seals.
Liquids that combine together to form a solid. As an example:

● Styrofoam is formed by combining several liquids together.
Lubricating liquids
● This is the ideal application for a mechanical seal. More often than not we are sealing raw product
that falls into one or more of the above categories. Back in the days when we were using packing
in pumps we did not pay too much attention to these categories because we were either prepared
to let the product leak on the ground or we would flush in clean liquid and concentrate on sealing
the clean flush instead.
knowledge of these chemical categories to approach the job of effective sealing. In most cases the fluid
you are sealing will fall into several of the above mentioned categories. Using heat transfer oil as an
example we note that it falls into the following :
● Hot - Normally pumped at 600 -700 Fahrenheit (315 -370 C.) the fluid is too hot for available
elastomers.
● Film Building - The product cokes at these high temperatures.
● Dangerous - You do not need this temperature oil leaking out. It is not only a fire hazard, but a
personnel hazard as well. Recent information indicates that some of these oils are also
carcinogenic.
● Costly - Most of these transfer oils cost between $12.00 to $20.00 per gallon (3,8 Ltrs.)
● Slurry - Because of the coking, solids are always present.
(impeller imbalance), thermal growth, and frequent impeller adjustments.
In addition to handling various chemicals that cause premature seal failures we are often faced with
extreme or severe operating conditions that add additional sealing problems. These conditions would
include:
● Hot products - Defined as too hot for one of the seal components or hot enough to cause the fluid
to change form. Heat transfer oil is a good example of a fluid that will coke at elevated
temperature.
● High pressure - Defined as stuffing box, (not discharge) pressure in excess of 400 psi. (28 bar).
● Hard vacuum - Defined as 10-2 Torr or below. This number is well below most condenser or
● High speed - Defined as the seal faces moving greater than 5000 Feet Per Minute or 25 meters per
second. Most process pumps do not approach this speed. The Sundstrand "Sundyne" pump is
typical of a high speed application.
shaft vertical pumps and pumps equipped with sleeve or babbitt bearings, are another application
mechanical seals. Most vibration studies have addressed the bearings. It is important to consider
❍ Wear the driving mechanism used to transmit torque from the set screws to the seal faces.


problems.
To learn how to seal these catagories please see: Seal application
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Commodity
C046. COMMODITY
A product that can be ordered, installed and operated without the need for a distributor, manufacturer, or
outside assistance.
There is a trend among some large corporations to treat mechanical seals and pumps as a commodity and
negotiate for lower prices.
Good luck!
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c048
C048. COMPOUND
A compound is a fluid composed of two or more ingredients or elements that have combined chemically
and will not separate by mechanical means.
It has characteristic properties different than the elements that were used to form the compound. If the
fluids separate easily it is a mixture.
Water is a compound formed from hydrogen and oxygen.
Compounds are defined by a formula.
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Compound Curve
C049. COMPOUND CURVE
This is a curve that bends in two directions at the same time.
Compound curves are desirable in impeller design because they can reduce the amount of impeller wear
in abrasive service by allowing the abrasive particles to fall off the vane as it turns.
Notice that the impeller blade bends from the eye of the impeller towards the outside diameter, but also
slopes or bends from the near side of the vane towards the back plate.
Compound curves can be formed in investment cast parts, but not sand cast parts.
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Concentrated Cell Corrosion
C051 CONCENTRATED CELL CORROSION
Also called crevice corrosion, this corrosion occurs any time liquid flow is kept away from the attacked
surface.
It is common between nut and bolt surfaces, under O-rings and gaskets, and between the clamps and
stainless steel shafts we find in many split seal applications. Salt water applications are the most severe
problem because of the salt water low pH (8.0&endash;9.0) and high chlorine content.
Here is the mechanism that causes the corrosion problem:
● Chlorides pit the passivated stainless steel surface.

● The low pH salt water attacks the active layer that is exposed
● Because of the lack of fluid flow over the attacked surface, oxygen is not available to re-passivate
● The inside of the O-ring groove can experience the same corrosion as the shaft or sleeve.
See: corrosion problems with stainless seel
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Concentric Reducer
C053. CONCENTRIC REDUCER
Normally referring to a fitting that is used to reduce the diameter of the suction piping to fit the pump
intake. Reducers are available in both eccentric and concentric designs.
The eccentric reducer is shown on the left and the concentric reducer on the right
Be careful to install the eccentric reducer with the straight side up to prevent trapping air at the pump
suction.
Concentric reducers frequently trap air when used at the suction of the pump.
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Concentricity
C054. CONCENTRICITY
When the parts share the same center-line they are said to be concentric.
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Convection
C056. CONVECTION
Convection is a natural circulation of fluid. The hot fluid (lighter) rises and the cool fluid (heavier) sinks.
We often use convection systems between dual mechanical seals. The convection tank shown above is
the most common application of a convection system being used between two mechanical seals.
If you are using one of the many grades of oil as a barrier or buffer fluid between dual mechanical seals,
you should be aware that convection will not be sufficient enough to control the temperature with these
low specific heat fluids.
You will need a separate pumping source such as a pumping ring or independent pumping system.
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Energy
E012. ENERGY
Energy is power or work. Here are some conversions you can use to express energy in different units.
British thermal
Joule Kilojoule Megajoule foot pound force kilowatt hour
unit
therm
J kJ MJ ft lbf kWh
B.t.u.
1 0.001 1 X 10-6 0.737 9.48 X 10-4 9.48 X 10-9 2.78 X 10-7

1000 1 0.001 737.56 0.9478 9.48 X 10-6 2.78 X 10-4
1 X 106 1000 1 737562 947.82 9.48 X 10-3 0.2778
1.356 1.36 X 10-3 1.36 X 10-6 1 1.28 X 10-3 1.28 X 10-8 3.77 X 10-7
1055.1 1.0551 1.05 X 10-3 778.17 1 1 X 10-5 2.931 X 10-4
1.0551 X 108
105510 105.51 7.78 X 107 100000 1 29.307
3.6 X 106 3600 3.6 2.65 X 106 3412.1 0.03412 1
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Erosion Resistance
E015. EROSION RESISTANCE
Here is a listing of the comparative erosion resistance of common metals we find in the pump and seal
business.
The materials are listed with the erosion resistance increasing as you go down the list
● Bronze
● Aluminum bronze
● Nickel
● Alloy 20
● Montel
● Hastelloy C
● 316 stainless steel
● K-Monel
● 17-4 PH
● 416
● 304/316
● Inconel
● Chrome tungsten carbide
● Ceramic
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Force
F030. FORCE
Force is created whenever pressure works on an area. Here are a few conversions you can use if you have
to operate in both the USCS and metric units. Force over distance is a measure of the work being done.
Newton kilonewton kilogram force pound force
N kN kgf (kilopond kp) lbf
1 0.001 0.102 0.225

1000 1 101.97 224.81
9.807 0.0098 1 2.205
4.448 0.0044 0.454 1
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Mass Flow Rate Conversions
M007. MASS FLOW RATE CONVERSIONS
kg/s lb/s kg/h lb/h ton/h tonne/h

1
2.205 3600 7936.64 3.5431 3.6
0.454 1 1633 3600 1.607 1.633

2.78 x10-4 6.12 x10-4 1 2.205 9.84 x 10-4 0.001
1.026 x10-4 2.78 x10-4 0.454 1 4.46 x 10-4 4.54 x 10-4
0.282 0.622 1016 2240 1 1.016
0.278 0.612 1000 2204.6 0.9842 1
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Power
P022. POWER
In the pump and seal business power is expressed in terms of kilowatts or horsepower.
Here are a few conversions you can use to express power in other units.
foot pound force per

kilogram force meter per sec. horsepower
second
Watt
metric horsepower
kgf m/s hp
ft lbf/s
W
1 0.102 0.00136 0.738 0.0013

9.806 1 0.133 7.233 0.0131
735.5 75 1 542.476 0.9863
1.356 0.138 1.84 X 10-3 1 1.82 X 10-3
745.70 76.04 1.0139 550.0 1
1 watt = 1 joule per sec = 1 newton meter per second
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v012
V012. VELOCITY
A measurement of the speed of the liquid in the system. In USCS units we use feet per second. The
metric system uses meters per second.
The liquid gets its velocity from the impeller and any pressure differential across the system. The
velocity of the liquid changes as it passes through different areas inside the pump and piping.
Here are a few conversions you can use to talk about velocity:
m/s ft/s m/min ft/min km/h mile/h

1 3.281 60 196.85 3.6 2.2369
0.305 1 18.288 60 1.0973 0.6818
0.017 0.055 1 3.281 0.06 0.0373
0.005 0.017 0.305 1 0.0183 0.01136
0.278 0.911 16.667 54.68 1 0.6214
0.447 1.467 26.822 88 1.6093 1
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v022
V022. VOLUME CONVERSIONS
mm3 cm3 m3 in3 ft3 yd3

1 0.001 1x10-9 6.1x 10-5 3.531x10-8 1.3068x10-9
1000 1 1 x 10-6 0.061 3.531 x 10-5 1.308 x 10-6
1 x 109 1 x 106 1 61024 35.31 1.308
16387 16.39 1.639 X 10-5 1 5.787 x 10-4 2.143 x 10-5
2.832 x 107 2.832 x 104 0.0283 1728 1 0.0370
7.646 x 108 7.646 x 105 0.7646 46656 27 1
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v023
V023. VOLUMETRIC RATE OF FLOW
The term capacity is also used to describe volumetric flow. Here are the conversions you will need:
US
imperial US
barrels/day
L/s L/min m3/hr ft3/hr ft3/min
gl/min gl/min
petroleum
1 60 3.6 127.133 2.1189 13.2 15.85 543.439

0.017 1 0.06 2.1189 0.0353 0.22 0.264 9.057
0.278 16.667 1 35.3147 0.5886 3.666 4.403 150.955
0.008 0.472 0.0283 1 0.0167 0.104 0.125 4.275
0.472 28.317 1.6990 60 1 6.229 7.480 256.475
0.076 4.546 0.2728 9.6326 0.1605 1 1.201 41.175
0.063 3.785 0.2271 8.0209 0.1337 0.833 1 34.286
0.002 0.110 0.0066 0.2339 0.0039 0.024 0.029 1
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Corrosion Resistance
C062. CORROSION RESISTANCE
If a metal corrodes at the rate of less than 0.002 inch (0,05 mm) per year it is said to be corrosion
resistant.
All corrosion resistant materials protect themselves by forming a protective oxide layer on the surface of
the metal.
● Aluminum forms aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and stainless steel forms chrome oxide (Cr2O3). These
oxides are better known by their generic name ceramic.
When the oxide layer is formed we say the material is "passivated". Prior to the formation of the oxide
layer the material was "active".
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Critical Carry Velocity
C065. CRITICAL CARRYING VELOCITY
When you are pumping a slurry you must be aware of the velocity of the liquid and solids mixture to
prevent the solids from settling out on the bottom of a horizontal pipe.
Since the solids are kept in suspension by turbulence it is important that the velocity be high enough to
prevent settling but not so high that excessive friction occurs in the piping.
The frictional loss in a pipe increases by about 90% of the square of the flow velocity so it is desirable to
keep the flow velocity as low as possible.
A carrying velocity in the range of 4-7 feet per second (1.2 to 2.3 m/s) is both practical and economical.
Be aware that pipe abrasion can occur at velocities above 10 feet per second (3 m/s).
Return to index

Critical Pressure
C066. CRITICAL PRESSURE
The pressure needed to liquefy a gas at its critical temperature.
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Critical Temperature
C068. CRITICAL TEMPERATURE
The temperature to which a gas must be cooled before it can be liquefied at its current pressure.
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Curing Temperature
C070. CURING TEMPERATURE
This term is used when discussing elastomers (rubber parts).
A compound is poured into a mold, the mold is heated to the compound's curing temperature and left for
a period of time to cure or "set up".
If everything was done at the correct temperature and left at this temperature for the correct time, the
compound will conform to the shape of the container and the finished product will be removed at some
durometer of hardness.
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D-Gun Process
D002. D-GUN PROCESS
A metal spray process used to put a hard wear surface on a softer metal.
This is the normal method of applying nickel base tungsten carbide to stainless steel.
The other common spray process is called the plasma spray process, but unlike the D-gun, it is described
more as a mechanical rather than chemical bonding.
It should be noted that although these processes apply a reliable hard wear surface they do not provide a
chemical resistant surface. You need a much thicker layer for chemical resistance.
Newer hard face materials have just about eliminated the need for these coated or plated seal faces. The
API (American Petroleum Institute) specification allows the use of these materials only if they are being
put on a solid base of the same material to provide added wear resistance.
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D.I.N. Standard
D003 D.I.N. STANDARD
The German Industrial Norm standard for industrial products, including both seals and pumps.
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De-Areate
D007. DE-AREATE
To remove air from the fluid to:
● Lower its corrosion rate.

● Control the pH.
● Lessen the chance of pump cavitation.
● To make the fluid a better conductor of heat.
● To prevent some possibe chemical reaction
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Deflection
D008. DEFLECTION
This term describes the movement of the shaft in a radial direction.
This deflection can cause a premature seal or bearing failure as well as cause rotating pump components
to contact and damage stationary components.
There are multiple causes for this radial deflection:
and 4000.
● Dynamic unbalance of the rotating assembly.
● A bent shaft.
● Pipe strain can cause the shaft to be non centered.
● Thermal growth in a non-centerline design can displac the shaft from the pump center line .
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Diaphragm Pump
D012. DIAPHRAGM PUMP
These air operated pumps are ideally suited for handling abrasive slurries because the liquid velocity
through the pump components does not exceed piping velocity, so there is very little abrasive wear.
Cost considerations limit their usefulness to about 250 gpm (58 m3/hour). If you need more capacity you
can run several of these pumps in parallel.
You can also use them for:
● Dry powders.
● The pumps have no rubbing parts and the velocities are low, so these pumps can be used for
liquids with viscosities up to 50,000 SSU.
● They also work well in shear sensitive material such as latex
Although classified as displacement pumps, they are not positive displacement pumps because their
discharge pressure is limited by the plant air pressure, and air pressures above 125 psi (8.5 bar) is not
always available.
They have many other advantages:
● No heat builds up. They can be used in a confined area.

● No bypass or relief valves required as with other displacement pumps.
● No alignment.
● Self priming from a dry start.
● No seals or packing needed. Zero fugitive emissions.
● Power is used in proportion to the capacity they are pumping.
● Can run dry forever.
● No close tolerance parts.
● Easy to repair.
● Explosion proof.
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Diffuser Pump
D014 DIFFUSER OR TURBINE PUMP
In recent years these pumps have been called deep well turbine pumps because of their application.
A series of vanes around the volute reduce radial deflection of the shaft any time the pump operates off
of its best efficiency point (BEP).
The designer tries to select one more diffuser vane than the number of vanes on the impeller. This will
reduce circulation around the diffuser vanes resulting from uneven impeller discharge.
The diffuser is seldom applied to a single stage, radial flow pump.
The picture on the left shows the diffuser configuration.
With the exception of some multistage high-pressure pump designs, the

application is limited to vertical turbine pumps and single stage low head
propeller pumps.
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Dilatant
D015. DILATANT
The more you agitate dilatant fluids the more viscous they become, and in many cases they can solidify.
To insure proper sealing you must insure that the product circulates through the stuffing box only one
time.
This would be the case if you used a suction recirculation line connected close to the face of the seal, at
the bottom of the stuffing box, to the suction side of the pump, or some other low pressure point in the
system.
In this application it is important to use either seals that have no spring or springs in the fluid, or metal
bellows seals.
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Double Balanced Seal
D020. DOUBLE BALANCED SEAL
This is a single mechanical seal that is hydraulically balanced in both directions.
It is a very desirable feature, but seldom provided by seal manufacturers.
Double balance will prevent the inner seal from blowing open in a dual seal application if the stuffing
box pressure falls or the barrier fluid pressure increases.
Please see two way balance.
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Double Seal
D022. DOUBLE SEAL
An outdated term describing two seals in a pump. The latest terminology is dual seals.
A few years ago the API (American Petroleum Institute) used the term "double seal" to describe a higher-
pressure barrier fluid between dual seals.
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Dual Seal Applications
D029. DUAL SEAL APPLICATIONS
There is no question that dual seals cost twice as much as single seals, but at times they are the only
sensible approach to a sealing application.
In the following discussion the term barrier fluid means that the liquid between the dual seals is at a
higher pressure than stuffing box pressure. Buffer fluid means that the fluid between the dual seals is at a
lower pressure than stuffing box pressure.
Dual seals are used for a variety of purposes that include:
● To prevent a costly product from leaking.

● To prevent a dangerous product from leaking to the atmosphere.
● To prevent a pollutant or fugitive emission from escaping to the atmosphere.
● To prevent damage to the pump, baseplate, and surrounding area when the mechanical seal fails,
as well as the clean up cost involved.
● To contain a vacuum if a rotating shaft is running through the vessel.
● As a back up seal to prevent costly down time when the first seal wears out or fails. This is an
important element in any predictive maintenance program.
● To control the environment outboard the primary seal
● To control the environment at the primary seal faces
Lets look at each of these applications in detail.
Costly products.
● I remember an incident when a mid-western Dupont plant dumped $10,000 worth of Dowtherm
heat transfer oil on the ground before anyone discovered the seal leak.
● It doesn't take very long to put hundreds of gallons of your product on the ground when the seal
fails. Most control rooms can tell if the pump is running, but not if it is leaking. Someone has to
see and report the leak, and that is difficult with many remote pumps.
Dangerous products include:
● High temperature heat transfer fluids that can start a fire if they leak to the atmosphere.
● Many products are considered to be toxic to personnel in the area. Hydrogen sulfide is a good
example.
● Cryogenic fluids that can injure personnel.
● High pressure fluids. Many boiler feed pumps and pipeline applications fall into this category.
Pollutants or fugitive emissions
● Recent legislation is making the list longer, with substantial fines attached to any violations.
To prevent damage to the pump, baseplate, and surrounding area when the mechanical seal fails, as well
as the clean up cost involved.
● Imagine an area that never experienced a seal leak or failure. There would be no rusting of the
base plate, the deck would require no refinishing and you would not have to wear hip boots to
pass through the area. Some maintenance departments build wooden bridges over the leakage.
To contain a vacuum if a rotating shaft is running through the vessel. In most of these applications the
stuffing box see a negative pressure.
● This is a common condition in some mixer applications.

● Any pump that lifts liquid experiences negative pressure.
● Condensate pumps that take they're suction from a condenser hotwell.
As a back up seal to prevent costly down time when the first seal wears out or fails. This is an important
element in any predictive maintenance program.
● Batch operations cannot afford a seal failure in the middle of a batch.

● The main propeller shafts on all nuclear submarines are sealed with dual split seals. In the event
of a seal failure the second seal allows the submarine to surface to a less hostile environment. This
is the same reason a paratrooper wears two parachutes.
● If you do not have a standby pump, you better have a standby seal.
● Some maintenance departments work an eight-hour shift with a utility man watching the store the
remaining hours and weekends. The backup seal will allow the equipment to keep running until
Dual Seal Applications
the regular maintenance crew comes back.

● If the equipment is in an awkward location, and not dangerous, you run both the first and second
seals to failure and cut in half the number of times you have to disassemble the equipment. The
life of the second seal has the same probability as the first seal.
To control the environment outboard the primary seal
● Cryogenic fluids can freeze moisture on the other side of the seal and interfere with the seal
moving forward to compensate for carbon face wear.
● Minute amounts of leakage can cause some fluids to crystallize or solidify at the inside diameter
of the seal restricting its movement.
To control the environment at the primary seal faces
● If the pump is run dry the added heat can injure a seal component. The barrier or buffer fluid
circulating between the dual seals can keep the seal components within their temperature limits.
● When you seal a gas the buffer fluid between the seals provides the necessary lubrication and
cooling. Furnace gas fans are a good example of this application.
● You can run a warm buffer fluid between the two seals to keep the seal faces warm at pump shut
down and prevent products from crystallizing or solidifying. A cool buffer fluid can be used to
prevent a product from flashing, or in some cases solidifying, at the seal faces.
● To prevent a pressure drop from the stuffing box to atmosphere across the lapped seal faces. This
is necessary :
❍ To prevent some fluids from flashing or vaporizing.
■ In the paper industry to seal Kaoline or any fluid containing solid particles less than
one micron in size.

■ When sealing ethylene oxide to prevent the fluid from penetrating the dynamic
elastomer and exploding out the atmosphere side.

● Do not be tempted to run the dual seals without barrier or buffer fluid. It is the presence of this
buffer fluid that will let you know the second seal is working.
Return to index

Dual Seal Arrangements As An Environmental Control
D030. THE DUAL SEAL ARRANGEMENT USED AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL

would normally require a very expensive high pressure mechanical seal.
always a problem when you are sealing a gas or non lubricating liquid.
configurations.

by:
the convection tank, and finned piping coming out of the tank will aid convection if heat removal
is a problem.
pumping ring.
● Introducing the fluid between the seals, from an external source. Be sure to bring the fluid in at
the bottom of the gland and out the top to prevent an air pocket from forming in the gland.
● Two-way balance of the inboard seal is always desirable in any dual seal application to allow you
the option of using either a high or low pressure barrier fluid, and to prevent the seal faces from
opening if either the system or the barrier fluid pressure fluctuates.
● Select seal faces with good thermal conductivity. Tungsten carbide, silicon carbide and some of
the newer duplex metals have this desirable thermal conductivity
The first configuration we will look at is the "back

to back" version of a rotating seal.
The two rotating faces can be separated by a

single spring, multiple springs, or two metal or
rubber bellows.

in O-ring grooves, they should not be spring loaded. The Durametallic CRO seal is typical of that
configuration.
❍ This design is known as the "double fretter" in the sealing industry. It will groove the shaft
in two places just beneath the O-rings. Look in this alphabetical section for a further
explanation of shaft fretting.
● This seal is often recommended in slurry applications. Centrifugal force will throw the slurry into
the inner faces causing excessive carbon wear. The slurry will then pack in front of the moveable
face preventing it from moving as it tries to slide forward to compensate for normal face wear,
thermal growth, most impeller adjustment and shaft end play.
Tandem is the next version. This is the configuration you

find in most oil refinery applications.
The seals are connected in series with a low pressure buffer

fluid circulating between them.
industry, although newer designs are being made shorter as a result of computer finite element
analysis programs.
● You need two glands and this adds to the cost as well as the axial space required. The cartridge
version of this seal allows both stationary faces to be located in a single gland.
dilution.
The dual, stationary face configuration takes

more axial space, but it is a safer design.
This face to face version is a compromise between the "back to back" and the tandem version:
The concentric version is next. In this version we have one of the seals inside the other sharing a
common stationary face. The stationary face holder is drilled between the rotating faces to allow
circulation of the barrier or buffer fluid.

Like the tandem and "face to face" versions you normally

circulate a low pressure buffer fluid between the faces.
This configuration takes the least amount of axial space, but

requires the most amount of radial space. You will
sometimes find them used on a top entering mixer
application, but you will seldom find them in a pump
application because of the radial space required.
Because of the common stationary face used there is the

danger of losing both seals if you break the stationary face.

manufacture your self.
When a manufacturer supplies this unit, it requires a "boiler

maker stamp" and a 600 psi rating, making it very
expensive to purchase.
You can probably manufacture one of these tanks for your

purposes at a much lower cost.
● Antifreeze is popular in northern climates. Do not use the commercial brand that contains a
is not too high.
● Provide face lubrication if the product you are sealing is a non-lubricant. This will prevent
excessive wear and slip-stick problems.
● Prevent a pressure drop across the faces that could:
● Prevent ethylene oxide from attacking the dynamic O-ring in the inboard seal. Ethylene oxide can
penetrate the elastomer and blow out the other side if there is a differential pressure across the O-
ring.

● Use a low pressure, with an antifreeze as barrier fluid, to prevent ice from forming outboard of the
seal when sealing products that freeze at atmospheric pressure. You will see ice on the outside of
the pump if you trying to seal one of these applications.

going to have to make the decision as to what barrier or buffer fluid temperature is needed. You can
increase the temperature, decrease it or hold it within narrow limits:

Here are some more considerations:
load.
and the proper materials this is possible, but not recommended. You should use a convection tank
under some fluid pressure to be able to tell if you have had a seal failure, and which seal has
failed.
desirable.
❍ Back to back is acceptable the fluid will be at the seal O.D.
❍ Face to face is not acceptable. The fluid will be at the I.D. of the faces and centrifugal
force will work against you.

❍ Concentric is O.K. if you can locate a concentric version of a dual seal.
● If you are going to use a cartridge version of the stationary dual seal be sure it has some type of
self-aligning feature to prevent excessive movement as a result of "cocking" when the cartridge
sleeve is attached to the shaft.
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Drive Lugs
D025. DRIVE LUGS
These lugs or pins transmit the torque from the seal body set screws to the seal face.
In many of the single spring seal designs these lugs can crack the carbon face any time vibration is
present.
Return to index

Ductility
D031. DUCTILITY
The property of a material that lets you give it a great deal of mechanical deformation without the part
cracking.
Brass is ductile. Glass is not.
Return to index

Durco Or Duriron Pumps
D033. DURCO OR DURIRON PUMPS
A popular brand of American National Standards Institute (A.N.S.I) centrifugal pump, unique in the fact
that the flow through open impeller adjusts to the back plate rather than the volute.
The Duriron pump is now part of the Flowserve organization
Return to index

Durometer
D034. DUROMETER
A method of measuring the hardness of rubber parts.
The Shore A scale being the most popular.
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Dynamic Head (System Head)
D037. DYNAMIC HEAD (SYSTEM HEAD)
The dynamic head is the pump head generated by friction in the piping system.
Most people are familiar with the term "pressure drop" and are comfortable with the fact that the
pumping fluid takes a pressure drop across valves and fittings as well as a pressure loss in the line. Since
the term pressure is not used by centrifugal pump people (they substitute the term head) we would have
to discuss a head drop in the system and that is not good English; so we say "loss of head due to friction
in the piping, valves and fittings".
All of these losses added together are called the dynamic or system head.
This dynamic head is combined with the static and pressure heads on both the suction and discharge side
of the pump to describe the total head.
We calculate this infomation to make a system curve that describes the function of the pump.
Return to index

E.P.A.
E001 E.P.A.
Environmental Protection Agency.
A U.S. Government agency charged with the responsibility of protecting the environment against
pollution and fugitive emissions.
The EPA enforces laws that impact mechanical sealing.
Return to index

Elastic Range
E005. ELASTIC RANGE
If you are distorting a part in its elastic range the stressed part will retains its memory and returns to its
original shape. A substance is highly elastic if it is easily deformed and quickly recovers.
Springs and metal bellows must operate in their elastic range or the mechanical seal will lose some face
loading.
Metals pass from the elastic range through the yield point to their plastic range where there is no more
memory.
Return to index

O-RING GROOVE
O005. O-RING GROOVE
The space into which an O-ring is inserted.
Dynamic O-ring grooves use a different dimension than static O-

ring grooves. Most of the published reference material is for
either static or reciprocating applications.
● Mechanical seals typically use a squeeze of less than 0.010" (0.25 mm) on the dynamic O-ring if
the surface finish on the sliding part is 32 rms or better.
● An O-ring can seal with as little as a 0.005" (0.12 mm) squeeze.
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OUTGAS
O017. OUTGAS
All rubber is a mixture of solids and air.
In hard vacuum applications the air can "outgas" from the rubber O-ring causing it to shrink and increase
in density. This shrinking can cause the O-ring to leak.
Hard vacuum is defined as less than one Torr (one millimeter of mercury).
Return to index

s049
S049. SHELF LIFE
This term is usually associated with the elastomers (rubber part) used in mechanical seals.
Buna "N" rubber is the biggest problem because of its sensitivity to ozone attack. Seals with Buna N
parts are normally packaged in Kraft wax paper and then put into a box. The waxed paper protects the
elastomer from ozone.
Opening the box and removing the Kraft waxed paper starts the clock.
Most rubber manufacturers give Buna N a shelf life of about one year when exposed to ozone.
The rubber bellows seal, supplied as original equipment in many pumps, is usually supplied with a Buna
N boot or bellows.
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s050
S050. SHORE "A"
A scale we use when we measure elastomer hardness or durometer.
Most O-rings used in mechanical seals have a Shore A hardness of 75 to 90.
Softer durometers are used in instrumentation applications and harder durometers in high pressure
mechanical seal applications.
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Ethylene Propylene Rubber
E016. ETHYLENE PROPYLENE RUBBER (epr.)
The most common elastomer used in the sealing of water, water based, and higher pH materials.
It cannot be used in petroleum products so be careful of putting petroleum based grease or oil on the O-
ring or rubber part when you rebuild and install mechanical seals.
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v021
V021. VITON®
An E.I. Dupont manufactured elastomer widely used in the sealing industry.
The generic name is fluorocarbon.
Although chemically compatible with a variety of fluids, many of these Viton® compounds can be
attacked by water or steam.
The general rule is that what ever attacks the "cure" attacks the compound. Many of these flurocarbons
are cured in a sulphur atmoshere, hence their sensitivity to water based compounds
.Return to index

s016
S016. SEAL FLUSHING
See: Flush, F026
● Flushing gland, G007
Return to index

Gland
G007. GLAND
The gland is the part that holds the stationary half of the mechanical seal and attaches to the stuffing box.
The above drawing shows the stuffing box bolting to the back plate. In most designs the stuffing box is
cast as a part of the back plate.
There are a number of seal gland designs that include:
● The API (American Petroleum Institute) gland for refinery service and any time you are pumping
dangerous products. Although expensive this is also an excellent gland to use during for packing
conversion because in the event of a bearing failure the shaft will hit the disaster bushing in the
gland and prevent a major destruction of the mechanical seal.
● Flushing gland:
❍ To introduce clean liquid into the stuffing box.
❍ To connect to the pump discharge to pressurize the fluid in the stuffing box and prevent
product vaporization or flashing.

❍ To vent the stuffing box in a vertical pump installation.
❍ To connect to the suction piping and circulate fluid behind the impeller into and out of the
stuffing box for cooling purposes.

● Quenching gland:
❍ To introduce steam behind the seal for heating purposes and to keep atmosphere away
from outboard the seal.

❍ When used with a disaster bushing it will direct leakage to a flare where the leakage can be
burned or directed to a tank where it can be collected.
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Eulers Equation For An Impeller
E017. EULER'S EQUATION FOR AN IMPELLER
Mr. Euler stated that "the torque required to drive an impeller is equal to the change of moment of
momentum of the fluid passing through the impeller".
A perfect impeller has a great number of vanes of infinitesimal thickness with the particles of the liquid
flowing exactly parallel to the vanes surface without causing any friction.
If you had such conditions Euler's equation would predict the head the impeller would produce and the
torque required to produce it.
Since we are not in a perfect world, pump companies perform actual pumping tests and record the results
on a pump curve so that you can see the correlation between the pump's head and capacity.
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Eye Of The Impeller
E021. EYE OF THE IMPELLER
The eye is the center of the impeller where the fluid enters. In the closed impeller shown in the
illustration, the suction eye diameter is taken as the smallest inside diameter of the shroud.
In determining the area of the suction eye, the area occupied by the impeller shaft hub is deducted. The
hub is the central part of the impeller which is bored out to receive the impeller shaft.
The inlet flow angle at the eye of the impeller will affect the efficiency and the net positive suction head
required of the pump. The angle is normally selected between 10 degrees and 25 degrees with 17 degrees
being the most common.
For the best pump efficiency, the angle should be larger.
For a lower net positive suction head required (NPSHR) it should be smaller.
Return to index

FPM.
F001. FPM.
Feet per minute.
This is a better measurement of speed than rpm (revolutions per minute) because it takes into account the
diameter of the piece that is rotating.
In the seal business the diameter is taken at the middle of the seal face.
Rotating seals have a limit of 5000 feet per minute (25 meters/sec). At speeds above this number you
should purchase stationary seal designs.
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Face Combination
F002. FACE COMBINATION
These are the materials you choose for the lapped mechanical seal faces. Most applications use a grade of
carbon-graphite running on a hard face material. See "carbon graphite" and "hard face".
Although widely used as a seal face material, carbon/graphite has some limitations. Please see Carbon
face manufacture.
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Hard Face
H002. HARD FACE
A good mechanical seal should run leak free until the carbon-graphite seal face wears away. This is the
same way we decide if we are getting good life with our automobile tires. The tires should not go flat or
the sidewalls "blow out". The tire tread should wear at a rate that is consistent with our driving habits.
Most people do not experience pre-mature tire failure, most tires wear out.
An inspection of your used seals will show that 85% or more of mechanical seals fail long before the
faces wear out. The seal starts to leak and an inspection shows that there is plenty of wearable face
visible. Some of these failures are caused by the wrong choice of seal face materials so we have to be
knowledgeable about those materials that are available to us. The ideal hard face material would
incorporate many features including the following:

● Low friction.
● Low cost.
● Availability.
● Low shrinkage.
● Easily identifiable
With just a few exceptions, seal companies purchase hard face materials from outside vendors. Be sure
the face component you chose is identified by material, type and grade so that you can check out the
"physicals". Some companies change the generic name of the material to confuse you. Make sure you
At the end of this article you will find a chart labeled: "HARD FACE MATERIALS". This chart lists
the typical physicals for some of the most common hard face materials used in the mechanical seal
industry. Most of the information was supplied by the Pure Carbon Company of St. Mary's,
Pennsylvania. Use these numbers only as a guide. Individual manufacturers use different testing methods
and express the results in different metric and imperial units. I have also listed some of the hard face
manufacturers so that you can contact them directly for test results, latest specifications, newer materials,
etc.
Some additional information you should know about the materials listed in the attached chart:
of silicon carbide.
● As of this writing carbon/ graphite vs. reaction bonded silicon carbide has been demonstrated to
some of them.
COMPANY DESIGNATION
Carborundum KT
BNFL Refel
Coors SC-2
Norton HD-630
Pure Carbon PS-9242

Hard Face
carbide .
❍ Reaction bonded silicon carbide has proven to be more chip resistant than the sintered
version
❍ Avoid the following chemicals when using reaction bonded silicon carbide :
■ Calcium, Sodium or Potassium Hydroxide*
■ Nitric Acid *
■ Green Sulfate Liquor *
■ Hydrofluoric Acid
■ Caustics and strong acids
■ Most high pH chemicals
● This material begins as a mixture of silicon carbide grains and a sintering aid which is pressed and
chemical attack.
(cubic structure). There does not appear to be any difference in the chemical resistance, wear or
friction of these two grain shapes.
● These self-sintered materials will not be attacked by most process chemicals.
carbide:
COMPANY DESIGNATION
Carborundum SA-80
Kyocera SC-201
● Sintered silicon carbide is almost impossible to shrink into a metal holder because of the
differences in manufacturing and molding tolerances.
version.
● Although the preferred seal face material it is sometimes too brittle for some designs.
Tungsten Carbide
● Cobalt and nickel are the common binders. Each is susceptible to selective chemical attack of this
metallic binder that will leave a skeletal surface structure of tungsten carbide particles.
bronze.
● Tungsten carbide is easy to insert into a metal holder so it is the most common material used in
metal bellows and other hard face&endash;metal composite designs.
❍ Higher cost compared to using carbon as a seal face.
together again.
❍ Carbon graphite provides an additional lubricating film if you are sealing a poor or non

Hard Face
lubricating fluid.
❍ In the event the equipment is "run dry" carbon-graphite is self-lubricating.
❍ Use two solid hard faces in the following applications:
■ If you are sealing hot oil or almost any hot hydrocarbon. Most oils coke between
the seal faces and can pull out pieces of carbon causing fugitive emissions
problems.
■ If the product tends to stick the faces together.
■ If the product you are sealing is an oxidizer that will attack all forms of carbon,
including black O-rings. Oxidizing chemicals are listed in another section of this
manual.
■ Halogens can attack all forms of carbon. These chemicals include:
■ chlorine
■ fluorine
■ bromine
■ astintine
■ iodine
■ If you are pumping a slurry and you cannot keep the two lapped faces together by
flushing, suction recirculation, a large diameter stuffing box or some other method
usually employed to seal a large percentage of solids.
■ If nothing black is allowed in the system because of a possible color contamination
of the product you are pumping.

■ Some deionized (DI) water applications can attack any form of carbon.
■ Plated or coated faces can "heat check" and crack due to the differential expansion
of the coating and the base material.

■ PV factors as a design tool are unreliable because carbon is sensitive to "P" but not
to "V".
■ Water can cause cracking problems with both 85% and 99.5% ceramic. The
cracking mechanism is not fully understood, but hydrogen embrittlement is

suspected as the main cause. Cracks have been observed after seven to eight
temperature cycles.
● Hot oil, if the seal has to meet fugitive emission standards.
HERE IS THE HARD FACE MATERIAL CHART I MENTIONED
Elastic Coeff.
Hard face Tensile Tempt.
Hardness Modulus Expansion Conductivity Density of
Material Strength limit
E friction
vs.
Carbon
Gray cast iron 5 100 200 10 45 7.2 200 -
Hastelloy "B" 6 230 1300 18 45 8.9 800 -
M-2 Tool steel 7 200 2000 11 25 8.2 500 -
Niresist 4 100 400 18 15 7.4 500 -
316 Stainless 4 200 600 16 16 8 600 -
440C Stainless 5 200 800 10 25 7.8 600 -
Stellite 7 220 1000 14 15 8.4 1000 -
T/C - Cobalt 8 600 1400 4 100 15 400 0.07
T/C - Nickel 8 600 600 5 90 15 250 0.07
Ceramic 85% 8 200 150 5 12 3.4 1400 0.07
Ceramic 99.5% 8 350 250 7 25 3.9 1700 0.07
SiC Alpha
9.7 400 250 4 130 3.1 1000 0.02
Sintered
SiC Reaction
9.7 400 250 4 150 3.1 1000 0.02
Bonded

Hard Face
(a) Severe
oxidation in air,
or significant
loss of hardness,
or changed
microstructure.
Hard Face
Material
Watts/
Vickers N/mm2 Gm/cc. °C(a)
m°C
Siliconized
graphite
PE-8148 2000 16 50 1.95 232
Reaction
Bonded
PR9242 2400 365 145 3.08 1372
Reaction
Bonded
plus graphite
152 153 2.8 538
PG9723
Alpha sintered
PS-10070 3000 400 130 3.1 1649
PS-10138 3000 407 130 3.1 1649
Return to index

Face Flatness
F003. FACE FLATNESS
There is often confusion between the terms "Seal face flatness" and "Seal face surface finish". Seal face
surface finish addresses the subject of roughness and is measured in terms of RMS (root mean square) or
CLA (center line average). There are a couple of ways to make the measurement:
● We can do it manually by comparing our sample to metal standards that have been polished to
different degrees of roughness.
● You can place the sample in piece of equipment that projects a blown up version of the sample on
a screen and measures the roughness by a built in scale. This equipment is called a profilometer.
● You can use an instrument that drags a sensitive probe across the piece and measures finish in that
manner.
Flatness is a different term that describes a level surface that has no elevations or depressions. We use
terms like waviness, or concave and convex surfaces to describe the condition when we refer to
mechanical seal faces. It is this flatness that is of the most concern to us because testing has shown that if
the faces are separated by a space of about two microns or more, the seal faces will show visible leakage,
and depending upon the separation, let solids penetrate that might score or in some way injure these
lapped faces.
There are several ways you could measure flatness:
● You could place a straight edge on the surface and look for daylight between the straight edge and
the sample. As you would guess this method is not accurate enough for our purposes.
● You could place "machinist's bluing dye" on a known flat, rub the sample piece against it and
look for transfer of the dye. Again this method would not be accurate enough for our purposes.
● You could read the flatness by using an optical flat and a monochromatic light source, and this is
the method that is used by all of us in the sealing industry.
To understand this method of measurement you only have to know that it is a characteristic of light that
when two lights of the same wave-length interfere with each other, the light disappears and the reflecting
piece goes black. When you discuss visible light, color and wave length mean the same thing, so to make
the measurement we use :
● A monochromatic or single wave-length light source (mono means one, and chromatic means
color). Any color (wave-length) could be used, but most companies use a pink color that comes
off a helium gas light source. This color has a wave-length of just about 0,6 microns (0.000023
inches).
● You will also need a precision ground and polished clear glass of optical quality (like the type you
would find in a good pair of eye glasses or binoculars) that has been lapped flat on one at least
one side.
The optical flat is placed on the piece to be measured. The monochromatic light is aimed at the piece and
this light reflects off of the piece back through the optical flat causing interference light bands. If the
distance between the optical flat and the piece we are measuring is one half the wave-length of helium, or
an even multiple of the number, the band will show black. This is referred to as a helium light band and
because it is one half the wave-length of helium it measures 0,3 microns or 0.0000116 inches.
To understand this measurement I might mention that the smallest object that can be seen with the human
eye is forty (40) microns. Another way to understand this measurement is to know that the average coffee
filter is in the range of ten to fifteen (10 to 15) microns. Sophisticated seal people know that this means
that solids cannot penetrate between the seal faces unless they open.
We check the flatness of our seal face by comparing the pattern we see, to a chart that is supplied by the
measuring equipment manufacturer. A copy of a typical flatness chart is shown in the charts and graphics
section of this book.
There are some things that you should know about flatness readings:
● Hard seal faces should read less than three light bands for seal faces with a mean diameter up to
four inches (100 millimeters). There should be no visible leakage. Leakage is always subject to
definition, but three light bands of flatness will allow a mechanical seal to seal vacuum down to a
measurement of one Torr (one millimeter of mercury).
● Carbon-graphite faces relax after lapping. Although lapped to less than one light band by the seal
manufacturer, you will see readings as high as three light bands if you check the faces. These
faces should return to flat once they are placed against a hard face that is flat.
● Most large seal manufacturers use finite element analysis techniques to design these faces and
keep them flat over the operating range of the seal. Some repair and smaller seal facilities supply,
replace or repair these faces with no provision for keeping them flat during temperature and
pressure transients.
● Carbon/ graphite seal faces should not be relapped because the relapping procedure will drive the
trapped solids further into these faces. It goes without saying that lapping powder or paste should
not be used to lap carbon / graphite faces. They should be lapped dry on ceramic stones of varying
Face Flatness
grit or finish.
● Seals that are going to be used in cryogenic (cold) service should be lapped at the operating
cryogenic temperature.
● Some seal companies use a concave taper to prevent the ingress of solids at start up. This is one of
the reasons for the three light band allowable tolerance.
● Normal lapping produces a slight convex taper because the outer diameter of the seal face is
larger than the inner diameter causing more wear as the piece rotates. Some seal companies use a
convex lapping surface to compensate for this.
● If the seal faces stay flat within three helium light bands and the lapped seal faces stay in contact,
a single stationary type mechanical seal can easily pass fugitive emission specifications of less
than one hundred parts per million.
● Carbon faces that have been pressed into a metal holder have special flatness problems. The metal
modulus of elasticity is almost ten times that of the carbon face, so the assembly must be stress
relieved to keep the carbon flat. Stress relieving is done by taking the assembly through a series of
temperature cycles or leaving the carbon holder assembly on the shelf for several months while
the assembly relaxes,
● Carbon pressed into a metal holder is usually stays flatter than a design where the carbon is
inserted into a holder that has been expanded with an induction coil.
Return to index

Face Lubrication. The Thories
F004. FACE LUBRICATION. THE THEORIES
A seal face lubricant is defined as any fluid that will maintain a film thickness of one micron (.000039")
or more at its operating temperature and load. Seal faces are lapped to a flatness of just under one micron
so a one micron fluid film will keep the lapped faces separated.
As you can guess there are many theories about face lubrication, but few rules. Here are some of the
more popular theories:
● Sometimes there is a film of lubricant between the seal faces. This is often refereed to as the
"Pressure Wedge Theory".
❍ If it is a hydrodynamic film of lubricant there would be no wear or heat generated from
friction.
❍ Elastohydrodynamic lubrication can occur if the fluid you are sealing increases its
viscosity with pressure.

● Sometimes there is only vapor. This was observed in the nineteen sixties at Battle Memorial
Institute of Columbus, Ohio when they conducted a series of seal face lubrication tests for the
aircraft industry. These tests introduced the asperity theory of face lubrication. This idea of
creating a vapor between the lapped seal faces was later picked up by some British seal
companies and introduced as vapor phase sealing.
❍ Some people explain this lubrication by stating that the sliding seal face surfaces are
protected by the tribology properties of the face material and call it "boundary lubrication".
● The mixed film theory explains that the seal faces are seeing a combination of hydrodynamic,
elastohydrodynamic and boundary lubrications. The face load is supported partially by lubrication
and partly by the face asperities. This requires some method of removing the heat that will be
generated.
● The dry running theory. This occurs with solvents, cryogenics, dry hot air and most dry gas
applications. The seal faces are running on the carbon asperities in the soft face and the graphite
film that was deposited on the hard face (the black mark is always visible if moisture is present).
If there is no moisture present, an organic has to be impregnated into the carbon/ graphite mixture
to release the graphite on to the hard face.
● The three band theory is another popular theory. With this condition you can observe a band of
lubricant at the face outside diameter, a band of vapor in the center of the seal faces, and a dry
band at the inside diameter of the seal face.
Regardless of what is happening between the seal faces the rules for operating mechanical seals
successfully always remains the same. Keep the two lapped flat faces together and the seal will not leak.
Return to index

Film Thickness
F010 FILM THICKNESS
To maintain separation between lapped mechanical seal faces you need a fluid film thickness of one
micron (0.000039 inches) or more.
Seal faces are lapped to a tolerance of a little less than one micron of flatness. A film thicknes of one
micron or more will keep them separated.
Any less than this and you will experience some face wear.
Return to index

Face Pressure
F005. FACE PRESSURE
The sum of all the loads on the seal face including the spring load, hydraulic load and shaft axial thrust,
divided by the area of the seal face.
We want enough load on the lapped seal faces to keep them together but not so much that it would cause
excessive heat between the lapped faces. The total face load can be reduced by friction between the
sliding elastomer and the shaft or sleeve, centrifugal force, viscosity of the sealed product, hysteresis, etc.
The "rule of thumb" for initial face loading is a spring pressure of 30 pounds/ square inch (2 kg/cm2).
The hydraulic pressure in the stuffing box will create an additional closing force. The actual amount of
closing force will be determined by:
● The hydraulic pressure in the stuffing box.

● The percentage of seal face balance.
For further information please see hydraulic balance.
Return to index

Filled Carbon
F009 FILLED CARBON
Carbon-graphite seal face mixtures are filled with organic and inorganic materials for a variety of reasons
that include:
● Increasing the seal face density.

● Lowering the sliding friction
● Increasing the strength
You should be aware that these many of these fillers have poor chemical resistance and are often
sensitive to changes in temperature.
With few exceptions, you will be better off using an un-filled carbon seal face. This is a compound of
carbon, graphite and nothing else.
Please see manufacturing carbon seal faces
Return to index

Filter
F011. FILTER
A device used to remove solid particles from liquid or gas.
These filters are often installed in a discharge recirculation line located between the discharge side of the
pump and the pump's stuffing box to prevent solids from clogging up the mechanical seal.
The problem is the filters will clog up with solids, resulting in a premature seal failure.
Cyclone separators are another common choice, but they almost always produce similar poor results.
Return to index

Finger Spring
F012 FINGER SPRING
Several spring designs are used to keep the mechanical seal faces together when there
is little to no pressure in the pump stuffing box.
Single coil and multiple coil springs are the most popular, but finger springs can often
be used if axial space is a problem. Wave springs are another alternative if axial space
is at a premium.
Here is a picture of a stationary split seal using finger springs to

keep the lapped faces together.
This is a stationary design because the spring loaded face does

not rotate with the shaft
Return to index

GT001_1
GT001_1. THE FIVE WHYS TROUBLESHOOTING TECHNIQUE
One of the Japanese automobile manufacturers has a unique method of troubleshooting any type of
mechanical failure. The system is called the "five whys" and it is worth learning. It is a simple but
powerful idea based on the concept that nothing has been solved until the question "why?" has been
asked at least five times and a sensible answer has been given for each of the "why" questions asked. As
an example, let's look at some premature seal failures:
open)
pressure.
● This was a packing conversion and a stock standard sleeve was used.
● They were both stored in the same parts bin.
6. Why were they stored in the same parts bin?
stop.
Now you get the idea! Needless to say you may have to go further than just five "whys". In this case it
took seven. Let's try another example:
● I don't know.
You have not finished "five whys" so you better go find out why the level in the tank got too low, or the
problem is going to repeat its self.
In this example I learned that the indicator float got stuck on a corroded rod giving an incorrect level
indication.
One more example should do it. I ran into this one at an Opal factory in Germany.
● The dynamic elastomer (O-ring) became hard and cracked.
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/troubleshooting/general-roubleshooting/gt001_1.htm (1 of 2) [7/21/03 11:37:00 AM]

GT001_1
● It got too hot.
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http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/troubleshooting/general-roubleshooting/gt001_1.htm (2 of 2) [7/21/03 11:37:00 AM]

Flashing
F014 FLASHING
In the seal business the term flashing is often used as a synonym for vaporizing.
It describes a rapid change from the liquid state to a vapor or gas.
If flashing occurs between the lapped seal faces it will blow them open. This opening allows solids in the
pressurized liquid to deposit between the faces, the last place you want them.
Return to index

Flashing
F015 FLASH POINT
The minimum temperature at which a material or its vapor will ignite or explode.
Return to index

Flatness
F016 FLATNESS
In the seal business flatness is measured in helium light bands. To measure these small distances we use
a mono-chromatic light and a set of optical flats.
A Helium light bands is 0.0000116" or 0,3 microns. Seal faces should be lapped flat to within three
helium light bands (a little less than a micron) At five helium light bands you can detect some leakage at
the seal faces. The smallest thing that can be seen with the human eye is 40 microns. A human hair has a
cross section of about 100 microns.
See face flatness.
See Flatness chart
Return to index

Flexibility Factor
F017 FLEXIBILITY FACTOR
This is another name for stiffness ratio, slenderness ratio, or L3/D4
Flexibility factor is a guide-line for determining mechanical seal reliability in single stage centrifugal
pumps with an overhung impeller. It is an indicator of how seal and bearing reliability relates to pump
shaft stiffness.
vane. The diameter is measured on the solid shaft and beneath the sleeve if one has been installed
Return to index

Flexible Member
F018 FLEXIBLE MEMBER
The portion of the seal containing the springs or bellows. The majority of mechanical seals have only one
flexible member but there are a few older designs that spring load both the rotating and stationary faces
to prevent excessive seal movement.
If the flexible member rotates with the shaft we say it is a rotating seal. If the flexible member does not
rotate we say it is a stationary seal. Both types are used in industry.
Stationary seals are usually more reliable.
Return to index

Flexible Shaft
F019 FLEXIBLE SHAFT
A rotating shaft with an operating speed higher than its first critical speed.
Return to index

Flow Or Creep
F020 FLOW OR CREEP
The gradual continuous distortion of a material under continued load.
Creep often happens at elevated temperatures.
Return to index

Flow Meter
F021 FLOW METER
A device used to regulate the flushing fluid flow into the stuffing box of a centrifugal pump.
Once you decide the amount of flow you need, be sure to pick a flow meter with graduations that will
allow you to run approximately in the center of the gage, or the operator will become confused and
probably change the flow rate while he is trying to center the gauge.
Return to index

Fluid
F023 FLUID
A fluid will assume the shape of its container.
This means that a fluid could be either a liquid or a gas.
Return to index

Fluoraz
F024 FLUORAZ
Fluoraz is an expensive rubber like product that has a wide range of chemical compatibility.
Fluoraz is manufactured and distributed by Greene Tweed & Company, telephone (714) 875 3301. It can
be used to 400°F (205°C).
O-ring field experience indicates that in operation Fluoraz appears to be very similar to Aflas.
Please see "special elastomers"
Return to index

Flurocarbon
F025 FLUROCARBON
A genetic term for the elastomer called Viton®.
Viton® is a Dupont Dow elastomer product.
Return to index

Foot
F027. FOOT
In this illustration the feet are supporting:
● The wet end of the pump (2).

● The power end (1).
● The motor (2)
Return to index

Foot Bearing
F028. FOOT BEARING
A foot bearing is frequently placed in the bottom of a mixer or agitator to help stabilize the long mixer
shaft.
The bearing is a sleeve or journal type manufactured from carbon or some other appropriate material.
Unfortunately these bearings have a short life because they fill up with the solids that are used in the
mixing process, erode the foot bearing rapidly, allowing excessive movement of the shaft.
Return to index

Foot Valve
F029. FOOT VALVE
This check valve is located in the end of the suction pipe used in pumps that pump out of a well.
The purpose of the valve is to keep the suction piping full of liquid when the pump stops, so that the
pump will not have to be primed each time it is run.
Like all check valves the foot valve is seldom reliable, causing the suction piping to drain its fluid.
Return to index

Forced Circulation
F031 FORCED CIRCULATION
The circulation or flow of buffer or barrier fluid between dual seals by the use of a separate pumping
device.
The pumping device allows circulation between the seals when the pump is stopped.
All vertical pumps equipped with dual mechanical seals need a forced circulation between the seals.
The opposite of forced circulation would be natural convection through a convection tank installed
between dual mechanical seals.
Return to index

Francis Vane Impeller
F034. FRANCIS VANE IMPELLER
The most popular impeller shape used in centrifugal pumps.
These impellers are designed with a specific speed number between 1500 and 4000 and they produce a
reasonable amount of both head and capacity.
Return to index

Gas Seals
G003. GAS SEALS
Originally made for compressors, these seals are finding use in chemical plants and oil refineries as dual
seals for fugitive emissions.
Their attraction is that they do not need the high pressure liquid barrier systems that are required for the
dual seals normally used in these applications.
An inert gas is used instead and the chance of product contamination is eliminated.
Please see: hydrodynamic and hydrostatic seals.
Return to index

Gasket
G004. GASKET
A flat material placed between two static surfaces to provide a seal and prevent leakage.
A gasket is often used between the stutfing box face and the seal gland. We also use a gasket between the
upper and lower halves of a split case pump.
Gaskets are made from a variety of deformable, corrosion resistant materials.
Return to index

Gate Valve
G005. GATE VALVE
The gate valve is shown on the left side of the drawing. This type of shut off valve offers very little
resistance to flow when open compared to popular globe valves (shown on the right). The piping friction
resistance is on the order of 10% of globe valve values.
Gate valves are the valves of choice in piping systems, especially in the suction piping.
Return to index

Pollutant glossary
A glossary of the terms used whenever pollutants are discussed P055
The sealing of rotating fluid handling equipment and the ultimate containment of possible pollutants are
two subjects that go "and in hand". Since we are involved in these subjects we might as well learn the
language, so here is a list of the common pollution terms you may encounter.
Glossary (Environmental Defense Fund)
Acute Toxicity
Negative health effects from a single dose or
exposure to a toxic chemical or other toxic
substance.
Adverse Health Effect
Abnormal or harmful effect to an organism
(e.g., a person) caused by exposure to a
chemical. It includes results such as death,
other illnesses, altered body and organ
weights, altered enzyme levels, etc.
Ambient
Surrounding, as in the surrounding
environment. The medium surrounding or
contacting an organism (e.g., a person),
such as outdoor air, indoor air, water, or soil,
through which chemicals or pollutants can be
carried and can reach the organism.
Antagonism (chemical)
When the adverse effect or risk from two or
more chemicals interacting with each other is
less than what it would be if each chemical
was acting separately.
Attainment Area
A geographic area that meets the National
Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) is
called an attainment area. An area with too
much of a pollutant to meet the NAAQS for
that pollutant is called a non-attainment area.
NAAQSs are concentration levels for each of
six criteria air pollutants, above which
adverse effects on human health may occur.

Pollutant glossary
The six criteria pollutants are used as
indicators of air quality.
Authoritative Scientific or Regulatory Organization
Organizations that either have regulatory
authority over a subject (such as control of
certain chemicals in certain contexts) or are
widely recognized as using the best available
scientific practices and peer review processes
in developing their policies and
recommendations about that subject.
Scorecard's lists of recognized health hazards
come from lists already put together by
authoritative organizations.
Benzene-Equivalents
Scorecard's common unit of comparison for
carcinogens, so that the seriousness of a
release of one carcinogen can be compared
to a release of another. Scorecard's scoring
system takes into account both a chemical's
toxicity and the amount of exposure
resulting from a release. It uses benzene as
the standard for comparison and converts
releases of other carcinogens into pounds of
benzene-equivalents.
Bin
A range of values used for grouping
purposes. In statistics, values are often
grouped into bins to make generalizations,
or to draw comparisons. For example,
Scorecard usually places chemicals in bins
based on their toxicity using 10 bins. Bin 1
includes the 10% of chemicals with the lowest
toxicity, while bin 10 includes the 10% of
chemicals with the highest toxicity .

Pollutant glossary
Bioaccumulation
Bioaccumulation is the process by which
chemicals concentrate in an organism. For
example, DDT concentrates in fish and birds
that eat fish. This concentration effect is
expressed as the ratio of the concentration
of the chemical in an organism (like a fish)
to its concentration in the surrounding
medium (usually water). Bioaccumulation
refers to the uptake of chemicals both from
water (bioconcentration) and from ingested
food and sediment.
Cancer
Cancer is a group of more than 100 different
diseases that occur when a cell, or group of
cells, grows in an unchecked, uncontrolled, or
unregulated manner. It can involve any
tissue of the body and can have many
different forms in each body area. Most
cancers are named for the type of cell or the
organ in which they begin, such as leukemia
or lung cancer.
Cancer Potency Estimate
An estimate of a chemical's likelihood to
cause cancer, generally derived from animal
studies and extrapolated to humans.
Cancer Risk Score
How a chemical's estimated cancer risk
compares with the cancer risk from other
chemicals, after being converted into a
common unit of comparison.
Carcinogen
A chemical or physical agent capable of
causing cancer.
Cardiovascular and Blood Toxicity

Pollutant glossary
The adverse effects on the heart or blood
systems which result from exposure to toxic
chemicals.
CAS Registry Number
A unique number assigned to a chemical by
the Chemical Abstracts Service, a division of
the American Chemical Society.
Chemical Carcinogenesis
Cancer caused by exposure to a chemical or
chemicals.
Chemical Interaction
When two or more chemicals interact with
each other, resulting in either antagonistic or
synergistic effects.
Chronic Toxicity
Adverse health effects from repeated doses
of a toxic chemical or other toxic substance
over a relatively prolonged period of time,
generally greater than one year.
Connective Tissue
One of the four basic types of tissue in the
body; a material consisting of fibers (e.g.,
tendons or ligaments) that form a framework
to support other body tissues (e.g.,
muscles).
Contaminant
Any substance or material in a system (the
environment, the human body, food, etc.)
where it is not normally found; or, a
substance in a system where it is naturally
occurring , but found in an unusually high
concentration.
Dermal
Referring to the skin. Dermal absorption
means absorption through the skin.

Pollutant glossary
Developmental Toxicity
Adverse effects on the developing child which
result from exposure to toxic chemicals or
other toxic substances. Adverse effects can
include birth defects, low birth weight, and
functional or behavioral weaknesses that
show up as the child develops.
Disease Incidence
The rate of new occurrences of a disease.
Dose-Response
Assessment/Relationship
The amount of a chemical that an organism
(such as a person) is exposed to is called
the dose, and the severity of the effect of
that exposure is called the response. A
dose-response assessment is a scientific
study to determine the relationship between
dose and response, and how much dose is
correlated with how much response.
Ecological Health Ranking
How a chemical's adverse effect on plants
and animals compares with that of other
chemicals in a relative ranking system.
Ecological Risk Assessment
A process used to estimate how likely it is
that there will adverse effects on plants or
animals from exposure to chemicals (or to
other potential stress, such as the draining
of a wetland). The process includes problem
formulation, characterization of exposure,
characterization of ecological effects, and risk
characterization.
Ecotoxicity
Being poisonous or harmful to plants or
animals in some degree.

Pollutant glossary
Endocrine Toxicity
Any adverse structural and/or functional
changes to the endocrine system (the
system that controls hormones in the body)
which may result from exposure to
chemicals. Endocrine toxicity can harm
human and animal reproduction and
development.
Environmental Fate
Where a substance ends up after it is
released into the environment.
Environmental fate depends on many
factors, including transport (e.g., wind,
runoff) and transformation processes (e.g.,
degradation).
EPA or U.S. EPA
United States Environmental Protection
Agency.
Epithelial Tissue
One of the four basic tissues of the body.
The cell linings covering most of the internal
and external surface of the body and its
organs, e.g. stomach lining.
Exposure Assessment
Identifying the ways in which chemicals may
reach individuals (e.g., by breathing);
estimating how much of a chemical an
individual is likely to be exposed to; and
estimating the number of individuals likely to
be exposed.
Exposure Potential
An estimate of the total dose of a chemical
received by an exposed organism (e.g., a
person) or by a population, not just via one
pathway or medium but from all likely

Pollutant glossary
pathways.
Fate and Exposure Modeling
The scientific process used to predict where
chemicals "end up" after being released into
the environment. For example: a chemical
may be emitted into the air, but most of it
might end up in groundwater, because of the
chemical's particular physical properties.
Genotoxicity
The adverse health effect a chemical has on
genes and chromosomes, primarily gene
mutations, chromosome aberrations and
changes in chromosome number.
Genotoxicity may be indicative of
cancer-causing chemicals.
Good Neighbor Agreement
A Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) is one
important way that a community and a
company with a facility in that community can
work towards improving the environmental
performance of the company's facility.
Half-life
The time in which the concentration of a
chemical in the environment is reduced by
half.
Hazard Identification
The first step in the risk assessment
process. This step includes the identification
of a chemical of concern and its potential
adverse effects.
Hazard Indicator
A quantitative measurement of a chemical's
hazard. Scorecard includes hazard indicators
for numerous endpoints, including human
health, ecological health, and combined

Pollutant glossary
human and ecological health. These are
based on different combinations of factors,
such as toxicity, persistence, and exposure
potential.
Hazard Ranking
How a chemical's adverse effects compare
with other chemicals in a ranking system.
Health Hazard
Adverse effects to a living organism.
Human Health Ranking
How a chemical's adverse health effects on
humans compare with the same effects from
other chemicals, in a ranking system.
Immunotoxicity
Adverse effects on the normal functioning of
the immune system, caused by exposure to
a toxic chemical. Changes in immune
function could produce higher rates of
infectious diseases or cancer, or more severe
cases of those diseases. Immunotoxic
chemicals can also cause auto-immune
disease or allergic reactions.
Industrial Sector
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes
are a system of numerical codes that
categorize industrial facilities by the type of
activity in which they are engaged. For
example, SIC code 2911 refers to petroleum
refineries. Each code number represents an
industrial sector.
Ingestion
Swallowing (such as eating or drinking).
Chemicals can get into or onto food, drink,
utensils, cigarettes, or hands where they can
then be ingested.

Pollutant glossary
Inhalation
Breathing. Once inhaled, contaminants can
be deposited in the lungs, taken into the
blood, or both.
Integrated Health Ranking
How a chemical's adverse human and
ecological health effects compare with those
of other chemicals, in a relative ranking
system.
Kidney Toxicity
Adverse effects on the kidney, urethra or
bladder caused by exposure to a toxic
chemical. Some such chemicals can cause
acute injury to the kidney; others can
produce chronic changes that can lead to
kidney failure or cancer.
Leukemia
Any of several cancers of blood-forming
organs (usually bone marrow cells) which
cause the uncontrolled production of
abnormal white blood cells (leukocytes).
Liver and Gastrointestinal Toxicity
Adverse effects to the structure and/or
function of the liver, gall bladder or
gastrointestinal tract caused by exposure to
a toxic chemical. The liver is frequently
subject to chemical-induced injury because of
its role as the body's principal site of
metabolism. Chemicals that damage the
liver can cause diseases such as hepatitis,
jaundice, cirrhosis and cancer.
Musculoskeletal Toxicity
Adverse effects to the structure and/or
function of the muscles, bones and joints
caused by exposure to a toxic chemical.

Pollutant glossary
Exposures to coal dust and cadmium, for
example, have been shown to cause adverse
changes to the musculoskeletal system.
Examples of musculoskeletal diseases which
can be caused by exposure to toxic
chemicals include the bone disorders
arthritis, fluorosis, and osteomalacia.
Mutagenicity
A change in the genetic material of a living
organism, usually in a single gene, which can
be passed on to future generations.
Nephrotoxicity
Same as kidney toxicity.
Neurotoxicity
Adverse effects on the structure or function
of the central and/or peripheral nervous
system caused by exposure to a toxic
chemical. Symptoms of neurotoxicity include
muscle weakness, loss of sensation and
motor control, tremors, cognitive alterations
and autonomic nervous system dysfunction.
NIOSH
The National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health, a federal agency that conducts
research on occupational safety and health
questions and makes recommendations to
federal OSHA about new standards for
controlling toxic chemicals in the workplace.
Noncancer Risk Score
How a chemical's non-cancer risk compares
with the non-cancer risk from other
common unit of comparison.
OECD
The Organization of Economic Cooperation

Pollutant glossary
and Development (OECD), a Paris-based
intergovernmental organization with 29
member countries. A forum in which
governments can develop common solutions
to various social problems, including issues
of toxic chemical management.
Ozone Depleting Substance
Ozone in the stratospheric layer of the
Earth's atmosphere keeps 95-99% of the
Sun's ultraviolet radiation from striking the
Earth. Various chemicals deplete the ozone
layer by accelerating processes that destroy
ozone, increasing the amount of ultraviolet
radiation that reach the surface. This
radiation can cause genetic damage, eye
damage and damage to marine life.
Persistence
In Scorecard, persistence generally refers to
environmental persistence: the length of
time a chemical stays in the environment,
once introduced. Persistent chemicals do not
break down easily in the environment.
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are
chemicals, chiefly compounds of carbon, that
persist in the environment, bioaccumulate
through the food chain, and pose a risk of
causing adverse effects to human health and
the environment.
Photosensitization
Sensitization or heightened reactivity of the
skin to sunlight, usually due to the action of
certain drugs.
Pollution Prevention
An approach that avoids creating toxic

Pollutant glossary
chemical emissions and waste in the first
place; it reduces the amount of toxic
chemicals that businesses need to use in
their operations.
Postnatal
Occurring sometime after birth, with
reference to the newborn infant.
Prenatal
Preceding birth, with reference to the fetus.
Proposition 65
Formally known as the Safe Drinking Water
and Toxics Enforcement Act , Proposition 65
was enacted in California by direct ballot
initiative in November 1986. Generally, it
requires warnings to citizens when they are
exposed to chemicals known to cause cancer
or birth defects or other reproductive harm,
and also forbids the discharge of those same
chemicals into sources of drinking water in
California.
Recognized Human Health Hazard
Authoritative national and international
scientific and regulatory agencies have
identified some chemicals that cause specific
adverse health effects with enough certainty
to consider the effect a recognized hazard of
the chemical. To date, such efforts have
been focused on cancer, reproductive
toxicity, and developmental toxicity.
Scorecard uses lists developed under
California's Proposition 65 (which combine
the hazard identification efforts of various
authoritative bodies) as its primary reference
for identifying these chemicals.
Reference Concentration (RfC)

Pollutant glossary
An estimate of the daily inhalation dose,
expressed in terms of an ambient
concentration, that can be taken daily over a
lifetime without appreciable risk.
Reference Dose (RfD)
An estimate of the daily ingestion dose,
expressed in terms of amount per unit of
body weight, that can be taken daily over a
lifetime without appreciable risk.
Reproductive Toxicity
Adverse effects on the male and/or female
reproductive systems caused by exposure to
a toxic chemical. Reproductive toxicity may
be expressed as alterations in sexual
behavior, decreases in fertility or fetal loss
during pregnancy. Some official definitions of
reproductive toxicity, for example in
California's Proposition 65, include
developmental toxicity as part of
reproductive toxicity.
Respiratory Toxicity
Adverse effects on the structure or function
of the respiratory system caused by
exposure to a toxic chemical. Respiratory
toxicants can produce a variety of acute and
chronic pulmonary conditions, including local
irritation, bronchitis, pulmonary edema,
emphysema and cancer.
Risk
The probability that damage to life, health,
and/or the environment will occur as a result
of a given hazard (such as exposure to a
toxic chemical). Some risks can be measured
or estimated in numerical terms (e.g., one

Pollutant glossary
chance in a hundred).
Risk Assessment
An organized process used to describe and
estimate the amount of risk of adverse
human health effects from exposure to a
toxic chemical (how likely or unlikely it is that
the adverse effect will occur). How reliable
and accurate this process is depends on the
quantity and quality of the information that
goes into the process. The four steps in a
risk assessment of a toxic chemical are
hazard identification, dose-response
assessment, exposure assessment, and risk
characterization.
Risk Assessment Value
Risk assessment values are numbers that
help define the level of health risk, both
cancer and noncancer, posed by a toxic
chemical. They are derived from
dose-response assessments of animal or
human studies that indicate a chemical can
cause an adverse health effect.
Risk Characterization
An organized process used to evaluate,
summarize, and communicate information
about the likelihood of adverse health or
ecological effects from particular exposures
to a toxic chemical in the environment, i.e.
how individuals or populations may be
affected. It includes discussion of the kind of
evidence it uses and how strong that
evidence is. Risk characterization is the final
step in the process of risk assessment.
Risk Management
The process of actually trying to reduce risk,

Pollutant glossary
e.g., from a toxic chemical, and/or of trying
to keep it under control. Risk management
involves not just taking action, but also
analyzing and selecting among options and
then evaluating their effect.
Route of Exposure
The avenue by which a chemical comes into
contact with an organism (such as a person).
Possible routes include inhalation, ingestion,
and dermal contact.
Safety Assessment
The process of evaluating the safety (or lack
of safety) of a chemical in the environment
based upon its toxicity and current levels of
human exposure.
Screening Level
Screening level information about a
chemical's toxicity or exposure potential is
derived from readily available information
using methods that do not require extensive
analyses to support preliminary evaluations
of chemical safety. Screening level
information is useful and necessary for
ranking potential problems, directing more
detailed investigations, and taking
preventative action.
Screening Risk Assessment
A risk assessment performed using available
data and many assumptions to identify toxic
chemical releases that have a higher
probability of posing health risks. If potential
health risks are identified, further
investigation or risk reducing actions may be
warranted.
SIC Code
Pollutant glossary
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes
are a system of numerical codes that
categorize industrial facilities by the type of
activity in which they are engaged. For
example, SIC code 2911 refers to petroleum
refineries. All companies conducting the
same type of business, regardless of their
size, have the same SIC code. The basic SIC
code is two digits long.
SIDS
The Screening Information Data Set created
by the member countries of the Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD) in 1990, for purposes of screening
high-production-volume chemicals used in
those countries (including the U.S.). The
purpose of the SIDS program is to complete
initial screening tests on those chemicals to
identify their potential hazards to human
health and the environment, so that risk
assessments can then be done for the
chemicals with sufficient hazard potential.
The data set is a list of the tests and other
information about a chemical that OECD
considers to be the necessary minimum for
purposes of this preliminary screening.
Skin and Sense Organ Toxicity
Adverse effects on the skin or sensory
organs caused by exposure to a toxic
chemical. Sense organs include eyes, ears,
etc.
Suspected Human Health Hazard
These are hazards to human health from a
chemical that are indicated by some scientific
evidence, but that have not been

Pollutant glossary
conclusively determined by an authoritative
scientific or regulatory organization.
Scorecard uses numerous reports in the
scientific or regulatory literature, and
information abstracted from major
toxicological databases, as its sources for
identifying chemicals with suspected human
health hazards of different kinds. Inclusion
of a chemical on a "suspected" list should be
viewed as a preliminary indication that the
chemical may cause this effect, rather than a
definitive finding that it does.
Synergism (chemical)
When the adverse effect or risk from two or
more chemicals interacting with each other is
greater than what it would be if each
chemical was acting separately.
Threshold
A level of chemical exposure below which
there is no adverse effect and above which
there is a significant toxicological effect.
Toluene-Equivalents
Scorecard's common unit of comparison for
non-carcinogens, so that the seriousness of
a release of one non-carcinogen can be
compared to a release of another.
Scorecard's scoring system takes into
account both a chemical's toxicity and the
amount of exposure resulting from a
release. It uses toluene as the standard for
comparison and converts releases of other
non-carcinogen into pounds of
toluene-equivalents.
Total Hazard Value
A quantitative value representing the total

Pollutant glossary
hazard of a chemical substance, derived by
integrating the chemical's human health
effects, ecological effects, and exposure
potential.
Toxic Equivalency Potentials
How a chemical's adverse human health
effects compare with those of other
common unit of comparison (Scorecard uses
benzene-equivalents for carcinogens and
toluene-equivalents for non-carcinogens).
Toxicity
The extent, quality, or degree of being
poisonous or harmful to humans or other
living organisms.
Toxicity Weight
How a chemical's toxicity - either chronic,
acute, or both - compares with other
chemicals in a relative ranking system.
TRI
Toxics Release Inventory. Under Section 313
of the Emergency Planning and Community
Right-To-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA), certain
manufacturing facilities are required to report
the amounts of approximately 650 toxic
chemicals that they release into the
environment or produce as waste. The TRI
inventory is, at present, the only source of
information used by Scorecard on
environmental releases of toxic chemicals
and waste management of those chemicals.
TRI Chemicals
A list of about 650 toxic chemicals or
chemical categories included in the Toxics
Release Inventory (TRI). In general, TRI

Pollutant glossary
chemicals are ones that U.S. EPA has found
can be reasonably anticipated to cause acute
or chronic adverse human health effects, or
adverse environmental effects.
TRI Facilities
Facilities that are required to report their
environmental releases and chemical waste
management of a prescribed list of
approximately 650 toxic chemicals to the
Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). There are
over 20,000 facilities included in the TRI in
1995.
TSCA
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of
1976. In theory, this law gave U.S. EPA the
power to test, regulate, and screen nearly all
chemicals produced or imported into the
United States. However, after more than two
decades, TSCA's promise is almost entirely
unrealized.
Volatility
A chemical's tendency to evaporate into the
air, usually measured in units of Pascals,
atmospheres, or pounds per square inch.
Chemicals with high volatility tend to
evaporate readily.
Weight of Evidence
The evaluation of published information
about a chemical's toxicity and exposure
potential that leads to a conclusion about
that chemical's safety or hazard. Important
factors include the adequacy and number of
available studies; the consistency of results
across studies; and the biological plausibility
of dose-response relationships.
Pollutant glossary
Return to index

gro29
GR029 Steam pressure vs tempaerature
When you generate steam, you usually boil it off at a constant temperature, determined by the pressure
inside the vessel.
When you heat or boil a fluid using steam, you must use a pressure that condenses the steam at a higher
temperature than that of the boiling liquid.
In the following graph. the blue line shows the relation between the temperature and pressure of saturated
steam.
Return to index

gravity
Gravity G013
The center of gravity of a body is the point at which we can consider its whole weight to be concentrated.
In our formulas we use the "acceleration of gravity" number. This value is about 980 centimeters per
second per second or 32.2 feet per second per second.
These numbers vary little on the earth surface
● At the equator gravity is about 978 centimeters-per-second per second.

● At the poles gravity is 983 centimeters-per-second per second
Return to index

Rockwell “C”
R017. ROCKWELL "C"
This is one of the methods we use to measure hardness of metal parts and the mechanical seal hard face
The Rockwell method is the most widely used hardness test in the seal business. Hardness is read on two
different scales.
The most popular is the "C" scale that uses a diamond cone. The less popular "B" scale utilizes a ball
similar to that use in the Brinell test.
The hard mechanical seal face should read at least 60 on the Rockwell "C" scale. You can consult the
following chart to convert this reading to other popular scales.

72 772 106
70 760 102 8.5
69 755 98
67 725 94
66 712 93
65 699 92
63 672 89 8.0
62 657 86
61 645 85
60 631 84
59 617
58 603 81
57 590
56 577 78 7.5
55 562 75
53 536 73
52 523
51 510 71
49 486
48 473 66
47 462 64 7.0
Return to index

s002
S002. SCLEROSCOPE HARDNESS TEST
This is a method of testing metal and seal face hardness.
Although widely used in industry we seldom find this method used in the seal business. In this test we let
a weight with a hard round end fall ten inches (255 mm) through a glass tube. We get our reading from
determining how high the weight bounced off the test sample. The harder the material, the higher the
bounce.
The tube on the scale is marked in 140 increments. On this scale, glass would read 130 and hardened
steel would record about 110.
The Rockwell "C" test is the most popular in the sealing industry.
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Harmonic Vibration
H003. HARMONIC VIBRATION
The pump or some other piece of equipment is vibrating in harmony with another piece of equipment
nearby.
This can be a big problem for bearings in stationary, or non-running equipment.
The vibration can cause the balls in the bearings to create indentations in the bearing races. We call this
"false brinneling".
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Heat Generation, Techniques We Use To Reduce It.
H011 HEAT GENERATION, TECHNIQUES WE USE TO REDUCE IT
Here are some recommendations to lower the amount of heat being generated within the pump and the
mechanical seal.
The pump is equipped with shaft packing
● With the development of the split mechanical seal in the early nineteen eighties pump packing has
become almost obsolete. Packing a pump shaft is like driving your automobile with the
emergency brake engaged. A balanced mechanical seal will generate six times less heat than a
good set of packing. This saving in electricity, or whatever form of energy you are purchasing
will more than pay for the seal in less than two years. A 50% return on investment should get the
attention of any accountant.
The pump has a mechanical seal.
● Use only the balanced type seal with low friction faces. Be sure to set the face load properly and
remember this has to be done when the pump is at its operating temperature. A cartridge or split
seal is the only way to set face load. Back pull out pumps (ANSI. or ISO.) present a special
problem because the seal is installed in the shop and the initial open impeller setting is almost
always made at the piping. Those designs that adjust to the back plate are the exception.
● Do not isolate the seal faces with a gasket or rubber boot. These elastomers and plastic
components are not very good conductors of heat.
● Open impellers have to be adjusted to keep the pump running efficiently. The seal must be
repositioned each time the impeller is moved. Again, cartridge or split seals are your only option.
● Be sure to vent vertical stuffing boxes to prevent air from being trapped in the stuffing box. Good
seals have this vent located in the seal gland.
● Make sure dual seals have the buffer or barrier fluid circulating either by convection, a pumping
ring, or through a forced circulating system.
● Try to avoid oil as a buffer or barrier fluid between dual mechanical seals. Oil has too low a
specific heat number and it is not a very good conductor of heat
● Check that the environmental controls are functioning properly. Cooling jackets stop functioning
when calcium builds up on the jacket wall. Condensate or steam are good coolant alternatives if
you have problems with hard water.
● Make sure that the stationary face is centered around the shaft to prevent rubbing if the shaft is
displaced because of run out, whip, wobble, unbalance, vibration, bending, misalignment etc.
Bearings
● Check the oil-level and change the oil on a regular basis. A pump running at 1750 rpm is almost
the same as running your car at 50 miles per hour. This means that every 2000 hours your pump
shaft travels about one hundred thousand miles. If the pump runs twenty four hours a day it will
run 2000 hours in 83.3 days or just under three months. Imagine that your pump bearings go 100
thousand miles every three months. At 1500 rpm the pump bearings travel 150,000 kilometers
every 90 days. Check the oil level with a properly installed oil level gauge or sight glass. The dip
stick we find installed on some pumps is better than nothing, but it is hard to tell if the level is in
the center of the lower bearing ball..
● If the bearings are not fit properly they will generate excessive heat. Refer to a bearing chart
during your next installation to insure you have the proper dimensions. The internal clearance in a
properly installed bearing is just a few ten thousands of an inch (thousands of a millimeter). To do
this properly you will need an induction coil and a shaft that has been ground to the proper
tolerances. Avoid cooling the outside diameter of the bearing because it will shrink and generate
still more heat. Cool the bearing oil, never the bearing or the housing holding it.
● The bearings should be lasting for many years. Most ball bearing failures are caused by
lubrication contamination or high heat as a result of over-lubrication. Try to do the installation job
carefully.
● The grease or bearing lip seals should be thrown away and replaced with labyrinth seals or
positive face seals that will not add heat to the bearing oil or let contaminates into the oil
reservoir. The labyrinth, or positive face seals will not cut or wear the expensive shaft and, as you
know, this is a serious problem with all grease seals.
Ambient heat
● Nothing beats insulation for keeping ambient temperature away from your pumping fluid.
● More than one maintenance man has built a dog-house over his pump and controlled the
temperature within the dog house.
Other heat sources
● Watch out for bypass lines and re-circulating lines adding heat to the suction side of a pump.
● With some parallel pump installations one of the check valves can see a higher back pressure
causing the pump to run with a throttled discharge and generating more heat.
● A recirculation line from the discharge of the pump back to the stuffing box will not only add
Heat Generation, Techniques We Use To Reduce It.
additional heat to the fluid, but will also increase the amount of solids in the stuffing box. In
almost every case you will be better off connecting the line from the bottom of the stuffing box
back to the suction side of the pump. Caution: do not use suction recirculation if you are pumping
a fluid close to its vapor point.
● Check the wear ring or impeller clearance on a regular basis. As the pump looses efficiency the
heat and vibration will increase.
● Pipe strain can cause wear ring contact.
● Some metal bellows seal salesmen tell the customer to shut off the cooling jacket because it will
not be needed with that type of mechanical seal. This is never true with petroleum products
because of "coking" problems, and in those instances where the seal could survive the higher
temperature, the bearings will be affected because of the excessive heat being conducted down the
shaft.
Pump modifications that will either lower the amount of heat being generated or lessen the affect of this
heat.
● Use a larger stuffing box for mechanical seal applications. You can use the jacketed type if you
need extra cooling. If you find there is not enough material to bore out the present box you can
purchase the larger bore box from your distributor or manufacturer as a spare part.
● If the pumping temperature exceeds 200 F ( 95 C) convert the wet end of your pump to a
"centerline design" to avoid pipe strain at the suction side of the pump.
● Convert to a solid stainless steel shaft to lessen the amount of heat that will be transferred to the
bearings.
● Add oil cooling to the bearing case if you are going to see higher temperatures.
● Convert to a "C" or "D" frame adapter to avoid misalignment problems.
● Use mechanical seal designs that work better at these elevated temperatures. Desirable features
would include:
❍ Balanced for low heat generation.
❍ A split or cartridge design for easier installation.
❍ Carbon/metal composite for better heat dissipation.
❍ High temperature elastomers or "no elastomer" designs
❍ Solid rather than a coated hard face.
❍ Springs positioned out of the fluid.
❍ The use of an unfilled carbon for good face density.
Conclusions:
Excessive heat causes seal and bearing problems. Since the heat can increase corrosion, destroy seal
faces, vaporize the fluid, coke the oil, solidify some liquids and crystallize others, change critical
tolerances, attack the elastomers, increase the bearing squeeze, cause misalignment and pipe strain, etc. it
would be ridiculous to try to build a mechanical seal or bearing capable of operating in excessive heat.
Most claims for high temperature seals address the problem of elastomers and ignore those other factors
that we have discussed in detail. This explains the popularity of the high temperature bellows seal that
must be cooled in all high temperature petroleum applications.
There is no magic, but there is a sensible approach.
Do as many of those things we have discussed in the above paragraphs and if you find that you still have
trouble try to find some logical method of getting additional cooling to the seal and bearing oil. We
discussed a lot of those options in the above paragraphs.
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Heat Transfer Oil
H012. HEAT TRANSFER OIL
These oils are manufactured from a variety of chemicals to replace water that is limited by its freezing
and boiling point, and air that is a poor heat transfer medium.
Heat transfer oils have many advantages over the steam that was formally used in heat transfer
applications.

● No boiler blow-down.
● No high-pressure. This means it is not only safer but also tends to leak less.
Among the popular heat transfer oils you will find:
● Dowtherm from Dow chemical.

● Therminol from Monsanto.
● Syntrel from Exxon.
● Arcolor from Monsanto
Brines are useful for the transfer of cold temperatures but are corrosive to many metals.
See "hot oil sealing" to learn how to seal these oils.
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Hertz
H015. HERTZ
A standard unit of frequency equal to one cycle per second. 60 hertz electricity means 60 cycles per
second of electricity which is the United States standard.
Europe and most parts of Asia use 50 hertz electricity.
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http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/h-html/h020.htm
H020. HIGH TEMPERATURE PROBLEMS
High temperature is defined as too hot for one of the pump or seal components, or hot enough to make
the product you are pumping change state from a liquid to a gas, vapor, crystal, solid, etc.
High temperature pump and seal applications have several special needs:
● A jacketed stuffing box that is designed to isolate the pumpage from the stuffing box contents.
This is normally done by locating a non-conducting thermal bushing into the end of the stuffing
box and circulating a coolant through the stuffing box jacket. Carbon is a good choice for the
bushing. Use as much axial length as space will allow.
● A centerline pump design to compensate for thermal expansion.
● A cartridge seal design that allows open impeller adjustment after the pump has come up to
● A stainless steel shaft to retard heat transfer to the bearings.
● A method of cooling the bearing oil, but never the bearings because the outer race will shrink,
increasing the load on the bearings.
● A method of retaining motor to pump alignment during the temperature transients. A "C or D"
frame adapter will probably be your best choice.
● A coupling that will compensate for axial expansion.
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Homogeneous
H021. HOMOGENEOUS
This term is loosely used to describe a mixture or solution comprised of two or more compounds or
elements that are uniformly dispersed in each other.
Actually no solution or mixture can be homogeneous.
Pure water is homogeneous, as it contains no other substance other than is indicated by its formula H2O.
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Horse Power
H022. HORSE POWER
A common method of measuring work. We calculate the horsepower coming out of the pump and
compare it to the brake horse-power going into the pump to determine the pump's efficiency. The
horsepower coming out of the pump is called the water horsepower. The formula looks like this:
In USCS units
● Q=gpm.
● H=feet
● sg.= specific gravity
In SI units P = 9797 x Q x H (sg.)
● P = power in watts
● Q = cubic meters per second
● H = meters
The brake-horsepower is given to you by the pump manufacturer. He records this number somewhere on
the pump curve.
The following table will allow you to convert to and from horsepower units to common metric and inch
units
Kilogram force
Watt foot pound force per second horsepower
meter per sec.
metric horsepower
W ft lbf/s hp
kgf m/s
1 0.102 0.00136 0.738 0.0013

9.806 1 0.133 7.233 0.0131
735.5 75 1 542.476 0.9863
1.356 0.138 1.84 X 10-3 1 1.82 X 10-3
745.70 76.04 1.0139 550.0 1
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Hotwell
H023. HOTWELL
The bottom part of the condenser that collects the condensate formed after the steam performed its work.
A condensate pump removes the condensate from the hotwell and discharges it to the boiler feed pump.
Sometimes booster pumps are installed between the condensate and boiler feed pumps to prevent the hot
condensate from flashing and causing cavitation problems.
A surge tank, de-aerator or some other type of collecting vessel is located between the condensate pump
and the boiler feed pump to compensate for the differences in capacity of these two pumps.
● C= Condenser
● H.W. = Hotwell
● C.P.= Condensate pump
● B.F. = Boiler feed pump
● S.T.= Surge tank
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Hydraulic Force
H025. HYDRAULIC FORCE
A hydraulic force is generated any time pressure acts on an area. We are concerned about force because
it is the forces created within the pump that:
● Deflects the shaft.

● Causes mechanical seal faces to go "out of flat".
● Extrudes elastomers.
● Creates excessive axial thrust .
● Causes many vibration problems.
Any time you change the velocity of the liquid in the pump the pressure changes also, and it is this
change in pressure that causes some of the unwanted hydraulic forces that are being generated.
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Hydrocarbon
H027. HYDROCARBON
A petroleum product consisting exclusively of hydrogen and carbon.
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Hydrolysis
H031. HYDROLYSIS
A chemical reaction in which water reacts with another substance to form two or more new substances.
Natural fats can be converted into fatty acids and glycerin by reaction with water in one process of soap
manufacture.
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Hydronium Ion
H032. HYDRONIUM ION
An ion formed by the transfer of a proton from one molecule of water to another. The number of
hydronium ions in a liquid determines the pH of the fluid. Each step in the pH scale increases or
decreases by a factor of ten.
This means that a pH of nine is ten times more alkali than a pH of eight. A typical steel steam boiler is
run at a pH of between nine and eleven.
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Hydrostatic Test
H034. HYDROSTATIC TEST
According to the Hydraulic Institute Standard, each part of a centrifugal pump which contains fluid under
pressure shall be capable of withstanding a hydrostatic test at no less than the greater of the following:
● 150% of the pressure that will occur in that part when the pump is operated at rated conditions for
the given application of the pump.
● 125% of the pressure which would occur in that part when operating at rated pump rpm for the
given application, but with the pump discharge closed.
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I.D.
I001. I.D.
Inside diameter.
We use this term when we talk about the inside diameter of the stuffing box or the inside diameter of a
mechanical seal, sleeve or bushing.
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I.S.O.
I002. I.S.O.
International Standards Organization.
This organization sets pump and seal dimensional standards for the metric community.
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Leading Edge Of The Impeller
L010. LEADING EDGE OF THE IMPELLER
The leading edge is the concave or outward curving part of the impeller vane. (L) in the illustration. The
trailing edge is labeled (T)
The leading edge is also the higher-pressure side of the vane in all but a few of the higher specific speed
impeller shapes.
● Damage on the leading edge of the impeller vane can be caused by a couple of things:
❍ Abrasives in the fluid,
❍ Internal recirculation or suction specific speed cavitation.
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OVER HUNG IMPELLER
O019. OVER HUNG IMPELLER
In this design the pump shaft ends at the impeller and is supported by bearings on one side.
This is the best design for end suction centrifugal pumps with single stage impellers.
The impeller does not require the extension of the shaft into the impeller eye, restricting the incoming
fluid
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Pre-Rotation
P028. PRE-ROTATION
Improper entrance conditions can cause the fluid to rotate prior to entering the eye of the impeller.
This can be harmful to pump operation because the liquid enters between the vanes at an angle other than
that allowed for in the design.
The result is a lowering of the pump's efficiency and net positive suction head available (NPSHA).
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TN002_1
TN002_1. IMPELLER SELECTION
compound curves with the investment casting process. The compound curve allows the impeller
to pump abrasive fluids with less vane wear.
to be familiar with these laws for both centrifugal and PD pumps.
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s059
S059. SLIP
The fluid does not come to the tip of the impeller vane at exactly the precise angle discussed in impeller
theory. This deviation reduces the velocity, causing a reduction in the predicted head produced by the
pump. The phenomenon is called "slip".
Accurate predictions of slip are impossible since the causes of slip cannot be predetermined in any
practical way. The slip factor is not only affected by the impeller configuration, but also by the
interaction of the volute and the entire diffusing system.
This is one of the greatest drawbacks to existing centrifugal pump theory.
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t021
T021. TRAILING EDGE OF THE IMPELLER
The trailing edge is the concave or inward curving part of the impeller vane. It is also the lower pressure
side of the impeller. See (T) in the illustration
Damage on the trailing edge of the impeller vane can be caused by two types of cavitation:
● Vaporization cavitation,PT007
● Air ingestion cavitation, A013
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Impeller Vane
I007. IMPELLER VANE
The vanes are located between the eye and the discharge side of the impeller.
The vanes direct the flow of the liquid outward to the volute.
The more vanes the smoother the flow and the wider the vanes the more capacity.
The outside diameter of the vanes along with the pump speed is important in determining the pump's
maximum head.
See: impeller
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seal improvements
The major improvements in mechanical seals S113
Where have we been, and where should we be going? You have been using mechanical seals for many
years now. Over the years you have witnessed many design changes, but has there been any real
improvements in seal performance, or is your increased seal life coming from the use of environmental
controls such as flushing, quenching and the use of jacketed stuffing boxes?
In this paper I am going to attempt to list the most significant improvements in the basic design of
mechanical seals and give you some ideas as to where the sealing industry should be spending their
development dollars.
Here are some of the advancements that have been made that contribute to longer mechanical seal life:
● The general acceptance of hydraulic balanced seal designs that eliminated a major source of
unwanted heat at the seal faces.
● Stationary seal designs that reduced the problems associated with the lack of stuffing box to shaft
squareness.
● The use of O-rings that reduced the problem of sliding dynamic elastomers
● Self-aligning seal faces that made the sealing of horizontally split pumps practical.
● Cartridge seal designs that solved a lot of the seal failures caused by improper seal installation,
shaft thermal growth and open impeller adjustment.
● Unfilled carbon seal faces that eliminated most of the chemical compatibility problems we had
sealing process pumps
● A special grade of Dupont's elastomer Viton® that has a reasonable amount of water sealing
capability
● Chemraz and Kalrez. The wonder compounds of the 1970s that allowed mechanical seals to be
chemically compatible with just about any fluid.
● The creation of alpha sintered silicon carbide hard faces that are not only corrosion resistant to
most fluids, but also excellent conductors of heat.
● The elimination of Teflon in many original equipment seals. Teflon was the main contributor to
shaft fretting.
● Non fretting seal designs that eliminated the need for sleeved shafts.
● Welded metal bellows designs that eliminated the problems of elastomers in cryogenic and non-
petroleum, high heat applications.
● Split seal designs that eliminated the last reason for using packing in pumps.
● Finite element analysis techniques that allow us to design small cross-section seals with high-
pressure capability.
● The use of suction recirculation piping along with an oversized stuffing box to eliminate most of
the problems associated with the sealing of slurries.
What will you need in future years?
● The elimination of elastomers in process seals, not only because of elastomer temperature limits,
but the more serious problem of chemical compatibility with both product and flushing fluids.
Someone has to pick the correct elastomer and there is always room for error.
● Seal designs that can take excessive axial movement without changing their face load.
● The elimination of barrier or buffer fluid between dual mechanical seals. Present gas designs are
not filling this need.
● Temperature control in the stuffing box area without the use of water or steam. In many
applications the fluid in the stuffing box must be kept within certain temperature limits to prevent
it from changing into a sold or a gas.
● Instrumentation to predict pump cavitation, excessive shaft deflection, high heat, etc.
● Reliable non-stick seal surfaces to prevent solids from adhering to the sliding seal components
What is the cause of the increased seal life we are experiencing now?
● A better educated consumer. Many of the mechanics and engineers have received specific seal
and pump training.
● The wide use of cartridge seals that has made installation easier and less error prone.
● The oversized stuffing box.
● Suction recirculation piping that has eliminated many of the problems associated with the sealing
of slurries.
● The demise of unbalanced seal designs.
● Better motor/ pump alignment ever since the popularity of laser aligning.
● The more common use of environmental controls in the stuffing box area.
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Inhibitor
I014. INHIBITOR
An organic compound that stops or retards an undesirable chemical reaction such as corrosion,
polymerization or oxidation.
Inhibitors are put into scale removing chemicals so that the cleaning action stops when the bare metal is
exposed.
We frequently use this type of chemical to clean the cooling/ heating jackets (B) on centrifugal pumps
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Injection Molding
I015. INJECTION MOLDING
A type of plastic molding performed on a single machine that can be capable of making both small and
large parts.
The procedure is:
● Molding powder is fed into the heating chamber on the machine that is capable of holding a lot
more powder than is necessary for the operation. The powder is then heated to a very viscous
fluid.
● An amount of molding powder that is just sufficient to fill the mold cavity and make the part is
then forced into the rear of the heating chamber by a plunger, injecting an equal amount of liquid
plastic from the front of the chamber into the mold.
● The material remains in the mold until it is cooled, and then ejected.
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Inorganic
I016. INORGANIC
Inorganic means that it never lived. The term inorganic applies to any compound that does not contain
the element carbon.
Inorganic materials are frequently impregnated into carbon/ graphite seal faces to give them other
characteristics such as:
● Lubricity
● Strength
● Density
After the impregnation these carbons are called "filled carbons".
See: Carbon graphite, C011
● Damage to carbon faces, ST008

● Manufacturing carbon seal faces, C010
● Physicals & Specifications, C012
● Stress relieving, S093
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Intermittent Service
I019. INTERMITTENT SERVICE
This is the opposite of continuous service. We could be talking about batch operations, standby pumps,
level control pumps, etc.
It takes five times as much power to start a pump as it does to run it. This start up torque produces
frequent seal failures
Intermittent service requires heavy duty pumps and mechanical seals, because:
● The pump is continually moving off the best efficiency point (BEP) during the start up procedure.
● Break away friction of the seal dynamic elastomer and lapped faces contributes to the problem.
● The thrusting of the shaft at start up can cause seal problems.
● Frequent heating and cooling of the liquid in the stuffing box can cause some products to:
❍ Solidify.
❍ Crystallize.
❍ Build a film on sliding seal components.
❍ Become viscous.
● We experience shaft axial movement and volute radial movement as the pump comes up to
● The frequent heating up and cooling down of the bearing case can cause bearing problems
because of moisture condensation and aspiration.
● Batch operations sometimes require a flushing of the lines and pump to clean out the old
pumpage. The cleaners and solvents used for this cleaning can sometimes affect one or more of
the seal components.
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Internal Recirculation
I020. INTERNAL RECIRCULATION
A loss of efficiency caused by liquid flowing through wear rings in closed impeller designs or the
impeller to volute clearances in open impeller designs.
In some centrifugal pump designs (Duriron is an example) the clearance is between the impeller and the
backplate.
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Jacket
J002. JACKET
control is in use.
High temperature pumps should have a cooling or heating jacket installed around the pump stuffing box
(B). If a jacket has not been installed on your pump it can probably be purchased from the pump
manufacturer or an "after market" supplier.
A small amount of liquid or steam through the jacket can control the stuffing box to whatever
jacket may also be providing cooling to the bearing case as well as the stuffing box.
inside of the jacket surface and restrict the heat transfer.
A number of cleaners are available if you experience this problem. Condensate and steam are good
jacketing fluids that present few problems, and are available in most plants.
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Jockey Pump
J003. JOCKEY PUMP
A small pump used to keep a pressure on a fire main. The jockey pump keeps a high positive pressure on
the discharge side of fire pumps.
If you put packing in the stuffing box of fire pumps the pump will run almost continually to compensate
for the packing leakage.
Most fire pumps equipped with a mechanical seal run a lot less frequently. Split seals have beome the
seal of choice for most of these fire pump applications.
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Joule
J004. JOULE
A metric unit for the measurement of electrical energy or heat.
Defined as the energy required to move one Newton over one meter.
In the inch system it is the work done in one second, by a current of one ampere against a resistance of
one ohm.
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Kilowatt
K003. KILOWATT
The watt is a term used to measure energy or work at the rate of one Joule per second.
A kilowatt is one thousand watts or 1.34 US. horsepower.
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Kinematic
K004 KINEMATIC
The science of pure motion.
The term does not reference force or mass.
See "centistoke".
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s041
S041. SHAFT BREAKAGE
Breakage from high radial loads occurs at several places:
● Double suction or multistage pumps usually break their shaft about mid point of the shaft span.
● Single suction, end suction centrifugal pumps break their shafts at the shoulder where the hub
joins the sleeve.
You can calculate the hydraulic force on your shaft if you refer to: Shaft bending, S040
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L3/D4 And Mechanical Seal Failure
L003. L3/D4 AND MECHANICAL SEAL FAILURE
Some pump and mechanical seal sales people talk a great deal about L3/D4. How important is the number
when it comes to selecting a pump? Well that is what this section is all about, but keep in mind that any
discussion of L3/D4 is limited to single stage, end suction centrifugal pumps.
● L = the length of the shaft measured from the center of the impeller to the center of the radial or
inboard bearing. This measurement must be in inches or millimeters.
● D = the outside diameter of the solid shaft measured beneath the sleeve, if one has been installed
on the shaft. The measurement is in inches or millimeters.
The US. frame #1 pump is traditionally supplied with a six inch impeller and turns at 3500 rpm (150 mm
at 3000 rpm) The pump is used in applications that require a high head (pressure) and modest capacity. If
we compare the L3/D4 numbers of some shafts that are used in this very popular, and competitively
priced U.S. frame I pump, we would learn the following:
U.S. BRAND NAME L3/D4

Duriron Mark II Group I solid shaft
129
Duriron Mark II Group I with a sleeve

353
Goulds 3196 ST with a solid shaft

64
Goulds 3196 ST with a sleeve

146
Worthington CNN frame 1

216
If you looked at the European and Asian versions of this same design you would find that their L3/D4
numbers are in the range of 3 to 5. I teach that the number should be less than 60 (2 in the metric
system). Does this mean that these models are not acceptable as good quality process pumps?
Of course not. It means that these pumps are designed for different purposes in the same way a Porsche
sports car is designed differently than a Mazda Miata. They are both two door sports cars, but they sell
for radically different prices.
If you want the feel of a sports car as you drive around town, the Miata is a good choice, but if you
intend to drive down the German autobahn at 200 kilometers per hour the more expensive Porsche would
probably be a more sensible selection.
Pumps are like that. If you are going to run a pump twenty four hours a day, 365 day a year and not open
and close system valves, these lower cost pumps would be a logical choice. All you are required to do is
size the pump correctly and then the shaft displacement at the best efficiency point (BEP) would be
negligible.
If you are going to do any of the following, a pump with a shaft L3/D4 number less than 60 (2 in metric)
would make a lot more sense because shaft displacement is a problem in these and similar applications.
● You are going to start and start the pump frequently. Batch operations as an example.
● If tank levels are going to change. Unloading pumps often experience this problem.
● Operate the pump with a variable speed motor and the application is not a circulating system or a
system where the total head is predominately friction head.
● You intend to run the pump throttled because it was purchased too large for the application
anticipating the need for a larger pump in the future.
● The company policy is to let inexperienced people size the pump and add in safety factors
because they do not trust their skill in pump selection. This is the rule in most plants.
● The pump will be operating at different points on the pump curve because you have a flow
regulating valve in the system.
● Some applications require the isolation of parts of the system as a normal routine. Valves are
opened, closed or throttled to satisfy the local demand.
● You have been taught to start the pump with the discharge valve throttled or shut to save power
and you start the pump a lot.
● The system experiences occasional cavitation problems.
● The system was designed to fill a tank from the bottom instead of the top. This is a common
occurrence if the pump is putting a head on the system.
The conventional automobile water pump is attached to a vibrating engine. The shaft is pulley driven and
the service is intermittent. At best, a very difficult application for the mechanical seal we find on all of
these applications. What kind of a L3/D4 number do we find on the shaft of this pump? Less than fifteen
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L3/D4 And Mechanical Seal Failure
is typical (0.5 metric)
Check with your pump supplier to learn the L3/D4 number of the pump you are about to purchase. Often
you can get the correct L3/D4 by specifying the pump with a solid shaft rather than with a sleeve, but in
other cases you may have to go to a more expensive heavy duty model.
If the pump does not have to meet an ANSI (American National Standards Institute) or ISO
(International Standards Organization) standards, a short pump will be your better choice.
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Laminar Flow
L005. LAMINAR FLOW
Laminar flow in a pipe is good.
It means that the average velocity of the fluid is low and the loss in head through the lines is mainly
because of viscosity.
The liquid particles have no motion next to the pipe walls and flow occurs as a result of the movement of
the particles in parallel lines with velocity increasing towards the center of the pipe.
Laminar flow is the opposite of turbulent flow.
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Lantern Ring
L006. LANTERN RING
A device used to supply lubricant to packing. Usually located in the middle of the packing ring set.
The lantern ring must be positioned underneath the stuffing box flushing connection, but this seldom
happens because of the great variance in packing cross sections.
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Laser Aligner
L008. LASER ALIGNER
A method of doing a pump to driver alignment using a laser and computer.
This system is much more accurate and easier than the conventional dual, dial indicator method.
See: Alignment, A014
● C or D frame adapter, C001
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Leaching
L009. LEACHING
The pumping fluid can sometimes wash out or extract certain elements from the metal in the piping,
pump and seal components.
Some types of de-ionized water have been know to leach out copper from the piping and deposit it
between the lapped seal faces where it caused a premature seal leak.
Other types of de-ionized water have leached out carbon from the seal face leaving a weakened structure
behind.
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Leakage In Mechanical Seals
L011. LEAKAGE IN MECHANICAL SEALS
The definition of seal leakage falls into two categories:
● Visible leakage. You can see liquid or vapors coming from the seal.
● The leakage allowed by fugitive emission laws. (Usually defined in parts per million).
Just about any good balanced O-ring seal can run without visible leakage as evidenced by the mechanical
seal in the water pump of your automobile, or the fact that an automobile air conditioning compressor
can hold a Freon charge for several years.
Fugitive emission sealing is another problem.
There are some stationary single seals that have been designed since 1990 that can seal well enough to
pass a fugitive emission test, but most of the older rotating seal designs cannot. Dual seals operating with
either gas or liquid barrier fluid between the seals are the most popular solution to fugitive emission
sealing.
See "dual seals" for more information on this subject.
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Liquor
L017. LIQUOR
We are not talking about booze or other types of alcohol.
In chemical terminology we are talking about any aqueous solution of one or more chemical compounds.
In sugar manufacturing it refers to the syrups obtained from various refining steps.
In the paper industry we mean:
● Black liquor is liquid digester waste (also called spent sulfate liquor) containing sulfonated ligin,
rosin acids, and other waste wood components from which tall oil is made.
● Green liquor is a solution made by dissolving chemicals recovered in the alkaline pulping process
in water.
● White liquor is made by adding caustic soda to sodium sulfide solutions.
In the dyeing industry red liquor is an alternate name for mordant rouge.
Return to index

Low Expansion Metal
L019. LOW EXPANSION METALS
It is important in high temperature metal bellows applications that you choose a metal face holder
component with an expansion rate similar to carbon-graphite or the seal face can fall out during high
temperature operation.
Two metals are commonly used, but neither of them has very good corrosion resistance.
● Invar 36. Mostly iron with 36% nickel and small amounts of impurities of carbon, manganese and
silicone
● Carpenter 42 (42% nickel).
Other low expansion metals include:
● Platinite
● Elinvar
● NiSpan C
● Elinvar Extra
Elinvar is noted for its constant modulus of elasticity over a wide temperature range. Because of their
titanium content, NiSpan C and Elinvar Extra can be solution heat treated and aged to very high strength
levels. Tensile yield strengths to 180,000 psi (1241 Mpa) with a corresponding Rockwell C hardness of
Rc 42 have been attained.
As a comparison, a Rockwell C hardness of 40-50 Rc is common in mechanical seal hard faces.
Return to index

Low Flow
L020. LOW FLOW
Usually called minimum flow it is a condition that can cause excessive heat inside the pump volute.
A temperature rise of 10°C (18°F) across the operating pump is considered excessive. High heat is often
caused by:
● Excessive clearance between the open impeller and volute or back plate depending upon how the
impeller is adjusted. This clearance will cause the fluid to recirculate inside the pump.
● Excessive wear-ring clearance if you are using closed impellers.
● Throttling a pump discharge valve because the pump was originally oversized as a result of safety
factors that were introduced during the selection process.
Return to index

Mach Numbers
M001. MACH NUMBER
Is defined as the relationship between a moving body and the speed of sound in that locality. The mach
number can vary with temperature, altitude and pressure.
When a bubble collapses in the pump we call it cavitation. The bubble is collapsing at a speed of "mach
one".
Return to index

Magnetic Seal
M003. MAGNETIC SEAL
These designs are generally used as bearing seals. The design uses magnetic materials rather than springs
to keep the lapped seal faces together.
Applications are limited to non-corrosive fluids because of the magnets. There are some designs that
have coated magnets to offer a limited amount of corrosion resistance.
Some people are reluctant to place magnets next to a bearing. They feel that magnets are better located in
the oil sump of a pump to collect any loose metal particles that might be found in the oil.
Return to index

Maintenance Program
M005. MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS
Smart shop maintenance can be approached several different ways:
Reactionary Maintenance - The equipment has failed and you have to fix it right now! If you have an
installed spare it helps, but you must fix it immediately because you cannot afford to run without a spare.
This is the "norm" in most plants.
Preventative Maintenance - You will take appropriate actions and thereby prevent the unit from failing.
Most companies are still trying to figure out what those appropriate actions are. We know that the
rotating equipment should be dynamically balanced, pipe strain should be eliminated, and rotating
equipment should be aligned but it seems that there is never time to do those things.
Predictive Maintenance - By taking selected readings we hope to be able to predict an impending

problem and calculate how much longer the unit will run before failure. A lot of information is being
collected, but the concerned parties are still trying to figure out how to use it. Most predictive
maintenance calls for shutting down the equipment when some arbitrary limit has been reached and this
puts you back to reactive maintenance again.
Continuous Diagnostic Maintenance - You will take constant readings and note any significant change in
these readings. Hopefully you will then be able to predict impending failure. This is very similar to
reading the instruments on the dashboard of your automobile.
Machinery History - By keeping good records we hope to predict the life of the unit or its individual
components. This system assumes that the life of the previous unit somehow relates to the present one.
The problem with most of these programs is that we collect more data than the operator does or anyone
else can deal with. The result is that Reactionary Maintenance is a "reality" in most plants today.
Since the taking of readings is part of most of these programs let us take a look at the type of information
we can gather for analysis. We can monitor:
● Heat, especially in the seal chamber and bearing case. A reading at the pump suction would be
helpful in predicting cavitation. Volute casing readings could indicate internal recirculation and
minimum flow problems as well as an indication of impeller rubbing.
● Pressure - you can take readings at the pump discharge, suction and stuffing box to determine
where you are on the pump curve and see if you are within the operating range of your
mechanical seal. This information could also let you know if the product is about to flash between
● Speed, to see how it affects pump curve data. The pump curves were generated with a variable
frequency motor at a speed different than your induction motor.
● Noise, to indicate cavitation, rubbing, bad bearings, or some other abnormal condition.
● Flow, to check the status of wear rings, impeller adjustment and the discharge recirculation
system. You also need this information to determine the efficiency of the pump.
● Strain - to anticipate rubbing and stress corrosion problems.
● Liquid level, to anticipate net positive suction head available (NPSHA), best efficiency point
(BEP), and air ingestion problems.
● Leakage and Fugitive Emissions, to check the seal performance in both the stuffing box and
bearing case locations.
● Product contamination, to monitor the performance of bearing sealing, dual seals and flushing
controls.
● Functioning of stuffing box environmental controls, to anticipate seal failure.
● Power Consumption, to check pump efficiency and to anticipate heat problems.
● Vibration, at multiple locations in the system to indicate that a failure has already started.
The monitoring of vibration is confusing to many people. We hear about frequency, amplitude, velocity,
acceleration, I.P.S. and all sorts of technical jargon. Probably the system verbalized the most, is the
reading of acceleration (in./sec2 or mm/ sec2). The problem with this system is that it is dependent upon
the frequency of the vibration and nobody knows the frequency of a mechanical seal.
Other companies use decibels as a method of measurement with a decibel defined as:
In this system everyone uses a different reference except the people measuring sound who have agreed
upon background noise as their reference. Since this is a logarithmic scale it allows you a big range to
compute change in levels. In fact each 6 Db is equivalent to a two times increase in vibration level.
The bottom line is, regardless of the method you are using, it is only a relative number. Most people
agree that a two times increase in reading is cause for concern and the equipment should be shut down
for a visual inspection.

Maintenance Program
The transducers that pick up this vibration can be either permanently mounted or portable with
permanent being the preferred method. Be sure to install the transducers on a flat, clean surface and be
careful how you screw them down. To insure good contact it helps to place a small amount of silicone
grease under the transducer to fill in irregularities that might trap air and give a false reading.
If you are going to use the portable type of vibration analyzer you should drill a small recess at the
location you wish to monitor and lubricate it with silicone grease to prevent corrosion. This recess should
match the curvature of the probe. Be sure the area is clean before placing the probe in the recess and be
sure to hold the probe in a vertical or horizontal position, never upside down. If it must be at an angle
you must try to duplicate the same angle each time you take a reading. Your readings will be relative
readings so they will have no meaning outside of your own organization and this particular piece of
equipment.
Many problems become visible when we look at the disassembled hardware. An inspection of individual
components is still one of the best methods of troubleshooting, you can see:
● Wear.
● Corrosion.
● Discoloration
● Damage.
● Product attaching to the hardware.
● The presence of foreign objects.
● Missing parts.
● A wrong part.
Be sure to note the order in which the parts came out to determine an improper assembly.
There are things you can measure as well as events that can be monitored or observed:
● Clearances, at the wear rings and bearing fits.

● Dynamic balance of the entire rotating assembly or the individual components
● Alignment between the pump and the driver as well as the piping and the pump flanges.
● Settings for the seal face loading and impeller clearance.
● Shaft deflection to insure that rotating parts will not contact stationary parts.
● Shaft axial movement especially equipment with sleeve or babbitt bearings. Both impellers and
mechanical seals are sensitive to this movement.
● Oil analysis to learn if we are experiencing excessive wear or if our lubrication is breaking down.
An 18 degree Fahrenheit (10 C.) increase in oil temperature will cut the service life of the oil in
half.
● X-Ray to detect cracks in metal, especially at the welds or to indicate evidence of stress corrosion
cracking.
● Thermal imaging to detect rubbing and heat losses.
● Magnetism, especially in the bearing area. Magnetized bearings or seals attract the metal particles
found in worn lubricating oil.
Lists like the ones above could keep a maintenance staff busy forever and no one could deny that the
information would be valuable. The real question, however, is how practical would it be to do those
things? A human being could be wired to give constant readings of his blood pressure, pulse, E.K.G.,
cholesterol, etc, but no one would think of doing it unless he were in terrible health and in intensive care.
Most maintenance programs start with the false assumption that the life to date is some how related to
how much service life is left in the equipment. In other words; if half of the seal wearable face is still left
then the seal can be logically expected to run the same amount of time as before. The problem with this
logic is that it only works if the components are wearing out. In the case of seals and bearings, premature
failure is the most common condition with seals "wearing out" less than fifteen percent of the time.
You only have to look at the mechanical seals that have been removed from your pumps to verify this
statement. The only sacrificial part of any mechanical seal is the carbon face and an inspection of used
seals will show that in better than 85% of the cases the used seals have substantial face material left.
Fatigued bearings are even more rare than worn out seals.
Some years ago the U.S. Navy contracted for the building of K (Killer) Class submarines. They were
super SONAR (listening) ships with the capability of detecting enemy submarines from a long distance.
They did an excellent job of detecting enemy submarines, but were too slow to catch and destroy them.
The result was that they recorded only the passing of ships and were eventually scrapped. I see this as the
same problem with most of these maintenance programs. We are recording the data, but the seals and
bearings are still failing.
I have no problem with people who want to monitor equipment, but I do have a problem with people who
want to substitute monitoring for good maintenance practices. Unfortunately these two groups are often
composed of different people operating under different budgets.

Maintenance Program
Lecturing to maintenance groups each week I find very little concern with sensible maintenance practices
and a growing concern for monitoring. The common complaint among maintenance people is that there
is no time to do the work correctly because of the pressures of production. I also find a lack of training in
the basics, such as:
● How to read a pump curve

● How to make a system curve and how to relate it to the pump curve.
● The causes of cavitation and how to stop it.
● How to align the pump and motor.
● How to prevent pipe strain
● Good piping practices to prevent liquid turbulence
● Troubleshooting pumps and seals.
● How to set impellers.
● How to install a bearing.
● How to install a mechanical seal and still is able to adjust open impellers for thermal growth and
wear.
● How to install wear rings.
● And the list goes on.
Most experienced people, and almost all pump manufacturers agree that the main cause of premature
pump shutdown is seal and/or bearing failure. What then would be minimum good maintenance practices
for seals and bearings?
Stop shaft deflection. It will cause problems with packing, mechanical seals, bearings and will change
critical dimensions such as impeller clearances, wear ring clearances, seal settings etc.
● Use "C" (metric uses "D") frame adapters to simplify pump/motor alignment.
● Use centerline wet ends if the operating fluid temperature exceeds 200° Fahrenheit (100° C)
● Dynamically balance all rotating shaft assemblies and check they are straight. If you have
vibration analysis equipment there is a low cost program you can purchase as an accessory that
will allow you to use the same hardware for dynamically balancing rotating equipment.
● If you are using open impellers keep them adjusted to the correct "hot" setting.
● Maintain the correct oil level and change bearing oil frequently. If you are using grease
lubrication it is more difficult to change the grease, but it has to be done. Two thousand hours (83
days) should be a maximum unless you can guarantee there was no moisture ingestion or the
lubricant was not overheated. Be careful not to over lubricate the bearings.
● Use labyrinth, or positive face seals to keep moisture out of the bearing lubrication and to prevent
shaft damage.
● Do not use shafts with an ratio above 60 (2,0 metric)
● Try to keep suction specific speed numbers below 8500 (5200 metric) and never above 15,000
(9200 metric)
● Maintain the correct clearance between the impeller and the pump cutwater or tongue. It should
run between 4% and 6% of the impeller diameter. Use 4% for impeller diameters up to 14" (355
mm) or less and 6% over 14" (355 mm).
● Use corrosion resistant solid shafts only. Sleeves do not add strength to shafts.
● Make sure you have enough net positive suction head available (NPSHA) to prevent cavitation.
● Do not let air enter into the system. Air comes in through shaft packing, flanges, and valves above
the water line.Vortexing, aerating the incoming liquid, repeller type pumps and pumping the
suction dry are other common causes.
● Replace wear rings any time the original specified clearance doubles.
Other good practices:
● Pay attention to parts storage. As an example, buna "N" rubber has a shelf life of only one-year
because of ozone attack. Proper packaging can increase this life considerably.
● Many pump power ends are already rusted internally at the time of installation because of poor
storage policies and no internal corrosion protection.
● Lapped seals should be packaged in such a way that they can survive a one-meter (39-inch) drop
without injuring the lapped faces.
● Use only balanced seals for all of your sealing applications. They will be able to handle
fluctuating system and flush pressures.
● Use only non-fretting seal designs to prevent costly shaft damage. All real seal companies have
them available.
● Either bore out your present stuffing box or install a commercially available large bore-sealing
chamber to give the mechanical seal room to move and centrifuge dirt and/or solids from the
faces. Avoid tapered stuffing boxes that direct the abrasive fluids to the narrow end of the box.
● Use universal seal materials to prevent material mix up and lower inventory costs.
● 316 grade stainless steel seal metal components can usually be used in any pump manufactured
from iron, steel, stainless steel or bronze. CAUTION does not use stainless steel springs or metal
bellows because of chloride stress corrosion. hastelloy "C" would be the best choice for these
locations.
● Use only unfilled carbons. These carbons are chemically compatible with any chemical except an
oxidizing agent or halogen. Oxidizing agents combine with carbon to form carbon monoxide and

Maintenance Program
carbon dioxide
● Silicon carbide is the best universal hard face material. Two versions are available; reaction
bonded and alpha sintered. Alpha sintered is the preferred one
● 99% of the chemicals in this world can be handled by either Viton® or Ethylene Propylene
elastomers. Dupont's Kalrez®, Green Tweed's Chemraz or a similar product should take care of
most of the rest.
● Unless you are pumping a fluid at or close to its vapor point, connect a recirculation line from the
bottom of the stuffing box back to the suction side of the pump instead of from the discharge side
of the pump to the stuffing box. This arrangement is called suction recirculation.
● To insure good seal life insure that any installed environmental controls are functioning.
❍ Cooling/heating jackets can become clogged with calcium and become inoperative. If your
cooling water is too hard or dirty, use condensate instead.

❍ Flushing pressure can vary, or flushing lines can become clogged. You may have to install
a separate system. A flow meter will indicate that you are flushing the correct amount.
❍ Quenching must be regulated to prevent water entering into the bearings. (another good
reason to use labyrinth-bearing seals).

❍ Convection tanks can run backwards, make sure the piping is installed correctly and the
rotating components are centered in the stationary gland.

● Install cathode protection where ever practical and possible.
● Use O-ring seal designs whenever possible. O-rings seal in both directions and can flex to
compensate for minor shaft vibration and movement. Remember also that the O-ring is a natural
vibration damper.
● Avoid pipe strain problems by piping from the pump to the pipe rack and use a centerline wet end
any time the pumping fluid temperature exceeds 200° Fahrenheit.(100 C.)
The most sensible thing you can do to prevent unexpected pump shut down is to install a "back up"
mechanical seal in each of your pumps. Since the seal is the most likely component to fail and you do
want to maximize the seal life the "back up" seal will give you time to schedule a shut down at your
convenience.
You can use either tandem, concentric, face to face, or two way balanced seals, but never rotating, "back
to back" designs. A convection tank can be installed between the seals and the level or pressure in the
tank will indicate which seal has worn out or failed first.
The only other sensible solution to an unexpected costly shutdown is a split mechanical seal that can get
you back on line, usually in less than an hour.
Once these sensible maintenance practices have been initiated and back up sealing provided, a well
thought out monitoring system can be of great value.
If given a choice I would vote for a constant monitoring type of system, but the fact of the matter is that
any of them would be of value.
Return to index

Predictive Maintenance
P027. PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE
Is there a reliable method of introducing a centrifugal pump predictive maintenance program? Probably
not! But if you want to try, you are first going to have to define what you mean by predictive
maintenance. If you mean that you are going to inspect the pump and based on your observation you are
going to accurately predict future life, you are going to have a problem.
In making a judgment about a piece of rotating equipment the relationship between life to date and future
life is generally accepted as valid. As an example:
● Measure the depth of the tread on your automobile tires, record the distance driven on the tires,
and if you do not change your driving habits, you can accurately predict the life remaining.
● Do the same thing with the shoes you are wearing and you will come up with a similar result.
These are items that tend to "wear out" so life to date is a valid measurement. The problem with
centrifugal pumps is that seals and bearings account for over 90% of premature pump failures and neither
of these items ever "wears out". Seals should run until the sacrificial carbon face has worn away, but a
close look at used seals will demonstrate that wear is actually a minor problem. In excess of 85% of
mechanical seals leak with plenty of wearable face still visible.
Bearings do not "wear out" like mechanical seals. They have a predictive fatigue life that is based on load
and cycles. Properly loaded they could last a hundred years, but like seals, they experience a very high
premature failure rate. All of this means is that the measurements you are taking today are no indication
of what is going to happen tomorrow. It is like trying to predict an automobile accident. There are
precautions you can take, but accidents still happen.
Most companies base their predictive maintenance programs on vibration analysis or interval timed
visual inspection and that is why we find "reactive maintenance" the norm in most plants. How many
times have we heard the expression "I did not have time to do the job correctly (realignment, dynamic
balancing, etc.) Because I had to get the pump back on stream".
A more sensible approach to predictive maintenance is to monitor the equipment for changes that could
be destructive in the future but allow you to correct them before the destruction starts. I spent my
formative years in nuclear power. If, as an operator you did something wrong that would be harmful to
the atomic reactor it would "scram" and shut down immediately. But if you took an action that could be
potentially dangerous the reactor would start an "insertion" that would start to slowly shut down the
reactor and give you time to correct what ever it was you did.
Medical people use a predictive maintenance program when they:
● Monitor your cholesterol level. If it exceeds some preset number (two hundred in the U.S.) it
means that your arteries are in danger of clogging, so you should change your diet before it
becomes serious. (insertion)
● If your blood pressure is too high you could get a stroke. (insertion)
● A high fever indicates a need to get medical attention before destruction starts. (insertion)
● Some types of pain initiate an immediate operation. (scram)
● You do the same thing with your automobile:
❍ A high engine water temperature is a sign of engine failure in the future. You better check
the fan belt and look for water leaks or a failed thermostat. You will not be shut down
immediately, but you should react to the warning signs. (Insertion)
❍ A non-charging alternator could mean the alternator has failed or possibly a wire has come
loose. You will only be able to run until the battery discharges.(insertion)
❍ High fuel consumption indicates a need for an engine tune-up. (insertion)
❍ A loss of oil pressure means shut off the engine and react immediately. (scram)
Pumps also "scram" and give "insertion" signals". Unfortunately vibration analysis indicates that
destruction has already started. Let's look at some of the "insertion" signals:
The stuffing box temperature is increasing. If it gets too hot you are going to have a problem. You had
better correct the condition if you do not want to experience a premature seal failure. What can happen if
the stuffing box temperature gets too hot?
● The product can change state.

❍ It can stop being a lubricant and quickly become a destructive solid.
❍ It can vaporize, expand and blow the seal faces open leaving solids between the faces.
❍ It can become viscous, interfering with the free movement of the springs and bellows.
❍ It can solidify, gluing the lapped faces together or making the moveable components
inoperable.
❍ It can crystallize and interfere with the moving parts of the seal.
❍ It can cause the product to build a film on the faces (hot oil as an example) and sliding
components making them inoperable.

● Corrosion increases with increasing temperatures.
● Temperature causes materials to expand. Seal faces can go out of flat, and pressed in carbon faces
can loosen in their holder. Bellows vibration dampers can stick to the shaft sleeve opening the
faces.
● Some seal faces can be damaged by high heat. Plated materials and filled carbons are two such
examples. Air pockets in some carbon faces can expand causing pits in the lapped faces.
● Elastomers can experience compression set problems, causing them to leak or in some cases fail
completely at higher heat levels.
What could be causing this high heat? If you take no corrective action one of the above will occur.
● A loss of flushing fluid. There are multiple reasons why this could happen and I am confident you
can think of many of them.
● Loss of barrier or buffer fluid between two mechanical seals or the convection of the barrier fluid
has stopped for some reason. Keep in mind that petroleum products need forced lubrication or a
pumping ring because of the petroleum low specific heat and poor conductivity.
● Loss of the quench in an API (American Petroleum Institute) gland.
● Loss of the discharge recirculation line because of a clogged filter, cyclone separator or heat
exchanger.
● Loss of suction recirculation because of solids in the fluid.
● Loss of cooling in the stuffing box cooling jacket because the circulating water was "hard" and
has deposited an insulating layer of calcium on the inside of the cooling jacket.
● The seal is running dry because the stuffing box was not vented in a vertical application.
● The seal was installed incorrectly. There is too much spring load on the faces.
● You need a hydraulic balanced seal. The unbalanced design cannot compensate for the high
● Thermal shaft expansion is over compressing an outside seal design, or one of the seals in a dual
seal application.
● The open impeller adjusting technique can over compress some seal designs.
● The stuffing box is running in a vacuum because the supply tank is not vented properly or cold
weather is freezing the tank vent.
● Water hammer, pressure surges and cavitation will all alter seal face loading.
A change in the stuffing box pressure can cause:
● The product to vaporize opening the lapped faces.

● O-rings and other elastomer designs to extrude and jam the sliding components.
● Lapped seal faces to distort and go out of flat.
● A stuffing box vacuum can blow open unbalanced seals.
● A differential pressure across the elastomer can cause ethylene oxide to penetrate into the
elastomer and destroy it as it expands in the lower pressure side.
If you are monitoring temperature and pressure in the stuffing box area you will note the changes
mentioned and depending upon your knowledge of the above you will have time to react before seal
failure occurs.
An increase in the bearing case oil temperature is significant because the life of bearing oil is directly
related to the oil temperature. Lubricating oil has a useful life of thirty years at thirty degrees centigrade
(86°F) and its life is cut in half for every ten degree centigrade (18°F) increase in temperature. You can
figure the temperature in the bearing is at least ten degrees centigrade (18°F) higher than the oil sump
temperature. At elevated temperatures the oil will carbonize by first forming a "varnish like" film that
will turn into a hard black coke at these higher temperatures. It is these formed solids that will destroy the
bearing.
What is causing these elevated temperatures? There are a number of possibilities:
● Loss of circulation in the stuffing box cooling jacket.

● Loss of cooling in the bearing case cooling sump.
● Someone is cooling the outside of the bearing casing causing the outside diameter of the bearing
to shrink, increasing the load.
● The bearing was installed incorrectly.
● The bearing is over lubricated. The oil level is too high or there is too much grease in the bearing.
● The lubricating oil is contaminated with water.
● The shaft is overloaded because the pump is operating off of the B.E.P., misalignment, unbalance,
etc.
● There is too much axial thrust of the shaft.
Oil sampling is always a good idea. It can tell you:
● If water is getting into the oil.

● If the oil additives are still present and functioning.
● If the oil is carbonizing due to high temperature.
● If there are solids due to corrosion, bearing-cage destruction, or some other reason.

If you monitor pump suction and discharge pressure, and coordinate this information with flow and
motor amperage readings you can come up with a lot of useful information such as:
● You can tell if you have the right size pump.

● You can estimate where you are in respect to the best efficiency point (BEP) and know if the shaft
is deflecting, or is about to deflect.
● You can tell if the motor is close to an overload condition.
● You will know when the impeller needs adjusting or the wear rings need replacement.
● You can spot poor operating practices if you have a chart recorder installed, instead of pressure
and temperature gages.
● You can tell if the tank you are pumping from is holding the proper level or if the suction lines are
clogging.
● You can tell if you are getting close to cavitation.
It goes without saying that constant monitoring is the most sensible answer to predictive maintenance. It
is the same logic you use with your automobile. Many of us believe that the extra expense of installed
gauges is a cheap investment for longer engine life.
There is nothing wrong with using vibration analysis techniques to determine bearing problems (an
E.K.G. is still part of taking a physical) but do not substitute it for sensible monitoring.
The "scram " is too expensive in this very competitive world of ours.
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v018
V018. VIBRATION READINGS
You can read the vibration a variety of ways:
● Frequency
● Amplitude
● Velocity
● Acceleration
● Spike Energy
● Acoustic emissions
● Deflection
Many systems read vibration by recording acceleration. The problem with this method is that if you do
not know the frequency the readings are not very meaningful. Because of this most systems read an
average of all of the frequencies involved and recommend taking action when this average reading
doubles in a particular location. If bearings are your primary concern high and low electronic filters can
be used in some equipment to filter out frequencies below 55 Hz. and above 2500 Hz. These filters will
help the operator zero in on those frequencies normally associated with bearing problems.
Unfortunately, most vibration data references bearing operation. There is little to no information
available about mechanical seal vibration modes. The problem is further compounded by:
● The large variety of seal materials in use.

● Major differences, in design between popular brands of single and multiple seals.
● Availability of vibration damping in these designs.
● The wide spread use of environmental controls.
● The variety of fluids we find surrounding mechanical seals.
The vibration readings almost always means that the equipment has started to destroy its self. Most
companies are trying to collect enough data to predict the remaining life before total destruction takes
place.
vibration and then try to install hardware that can live with the vibration you have left. Recording
vibration makes sense only after good maintenance practices are in force. Good maintenance practices
include:
● Eliminate pipe strain

● Align the pump and driver at operating temperature.
● Dynamically balance the rotating assembly.
● Keep the open impeller adjusted or the closed impeller wear ring clearances within manufacturers
limits.
● Insure that all mechanical seal environmental controls are functioning properly.
● Check that the bearing has the correct amount of lubrication, no more or less.
● And a hundred other things you know all about, and nobody does. In many plants preventative
maintenance means "change the oil".
See Vibration, V016
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Preventive Maintenance Pumps
P034. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, PUMPS
Preventive maintenance programs are fun to talk about, but we seldom find people using a sensible
schedule. A good preventive maintenance program for pumps would include:
● Dynamically balance the rotating components.

● Do a proper pump to driver alignment or use a "C or D" frame adapter.
● Reduce pipe strain where ever possible.
●
● Make impeller adjustments as necessary to stop vibration problems.
● There should be at least 10 diameters of pipe between the suction of the pump and the first elbow.
This is especially critical in double-ended pump designs as the turbulent inlet flow can cause shaft
thrusting, and subsequent bearing problems. If an elbow must be installed be sure it is in a plane
at right angles to the pump shaft to prevent an uneven flow to both sides of a double suction
impeller.
● Be sure you have the correct amount of lubricant in the bearings. Over lubrication is just as bad as
under lubrication
● Set the open impeller clearance when the pump is hot.
● Check to be sure the shaft is not bent.
● Try to operate as close to the best efficiency point as possible. Sometimes it is just a matter of
trimming an impeller.
● Eliminate as much vibration as possible:
● Stop any cavitation that might be occurring.
● Check that the pump foundation is at least five times the mass of the hardware sitting on it.
● Up to 500 horsepower (375 kw), the foundation must be 3 inches (76 mm.) wider than the base
plate all around. Above 500 horsepower (375 kw) the foundation should be a minimum of 6
● Imaginary lines extended downward 30 degrees to either side of a vertical through the pump shaft
should pass through the bottom of the foundation and not the sides.
● Be sure the pump is leveled before it is aligned or the bearing oil level will be incorrect.
● If you are going to be pumping hot liquid you should specify a centerline pump to eliminate the
pipe strain problems caused by the wet end of the pump expanding in only one direction. A good
rule of thumb says that each inch of stainless steel metal will expand 0.001 inches with each
100°F of temperature increase, The metric expansion is each millimeter will expand 0.001
millimeters with every 50°C increase in temperature.
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Preventative Maintenance Seals
P035. PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, SEALS
Here are some thoughts about a sensible preventive maintenance program for mechanical seals.
● Stabilize the shaft whenever possible. You can install a non-sparking bushing into the bottom or
end of the stuffing box.
❍ Eliminate as much shaft deflection as possible:
❍ Use a C or D frame adapter to eliminate misalignment problems.
❍ Use the pump centerline design to lessen pipe strain problems and avoid wear ring
damage.
● Move the seal closer to the bearings.
● Be sure the face of the stuffing box is perpendicular to the shaft.
● Provide mechanical seal vibration damping to avoid slip stick problems.
● Insure the mechanical seal was installed with the correct face load.
● Check that the mechanical seal environmental controls are hooked up properly and functioning.
Keep the stuffing box temperature within the seal limits.
● Vent vertical pumps to prevent the trapping of air at the seal faces.
● Use only hydraulically balanced seals that generate lower heat.
● Use low friction seal face materials such as carbon against a hard face.
● Install the seal at the correct operating length.
● Use the heating or cooling jacket on the pump with a bushing in the bottom of the box.
● Quenching is another option to provide heating or cooling.
● A dual seal with a barrier or buffer fluid can regulate the seal face temperature.
● Be sure to set the correct seal face installation dimension after you have made the initial impeller
adjustment and compensated for thermal expansion.
Keep the stuffing box pressure within the seal limits.
● Discharge recirculation will raise the pressure if you install a close fitting bushing in the end of
the stuffing box.
● Suction recirculation will lower the pressure.
● Stage the pressure between dual seals as a last alternative.
Monitor any stuffing box environmental controls to keep them functioning, especially when the pump is
stopped. These controls include:
● Flushing. Be sure the pressure is at least one atmosphere higher than the stuffing box.
● Quenching. Be sure the steam or water is not being directed into the bearing case. Pipe the drain
to a suitable location. The vent should go to a flare or some other logical location.
● Suction recirculation. Be sure to circulate from the seal faces and not the center of the stuffing
box. Also "lock in" the break down bushing or it will slide into the seal.
● Discharge recirculation. Do not aim the flow at the lapped faces.
● Jacketed stuffing box. Use only condensate or steam to prevent calcium build up.
● Dual seals with a barrier or buffer fluid and convection tank. A pumping ring between the seals is
always a good idea.
Make sure your seals have anti-slurry features built into them:
● Multiple springs positioned out of the fluid.

● Be sure the elastomer moves to a clean location as the seal faces wear.
● Use a Teflon® or similar coating where possible to prevent elastomer hang-up and to keep solids
away from the moving parts.
● Keep the fluid solids at the seal outside diameter.
There are other desirable seal features that will prevent some premature seal failures:
● Do not isolate seal faces with a gasket that does not transmit heat.
● Self-centering of the seal faces is desirable. Most cartridge seals have that feature.
● Use only known seal materials and never use stainless steel springs or bellows.
● Specify stationary seal designs if possible (The springs do not rotate).
● Use self-aligning seal designs.
● Specify single seals that can pass fugitive emission standards.
● Look for built in pumping rings when you specify dual seals.
● Look for designs with built in environmental controls.
● There should be a vent in the face of cartridge seals to vent the stuffing box in vertical
applications.
Use cartridge seals to ease installation

Preventative Maintenance Seals
● Be sure the cartridge sleeve is sealed at the inboard end or solids will penetrate between the sleeve
and the shaft making removal very difficult.
● Stationary versions require some type of a self-aligning feature to prevent constant movement.
● Use hardened setscrews to avoid slippage. The seal probably came with soft corrosion resistant
setscrews. You will have to change them.
● Use back up seals to prevent an unexpected shut down. Tandem is the best configuration.
● Be sure to specify two-way balance to prevent the seal from blowing open in a pressure reversal.
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Mating Ring
M008. MATING RING
This is another name for the hard face in a mechanical seal. The mating ring can be either rotating or
stationary depending upon the seal design.
● In most rotating seal designs the hard face is the stationary part.
● In most stationary seal designs the hard face rotates.
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Mean Diameter
M009. MEAN DIAMETER
The middle diameter.
Usually refers to the center of the seal face. We use this diameter to calculate face surface speed.
Return to index

Mechanical Seal
M010. MECHANICAL SEAL
A positive sealing device used to seal all fluids (liquids and gases).
In this illustration the primary seal is a set of lapped seal faces that are installed perpendicular to the shaft.
The secondary seal is a Teflon® bellows
The illustration describes a special version of a mechanical seal that mounts outside of the stuffing box so
that none of the metal components will come in contact with the fluid. This type of seal is used on non-
metallic pumps.
Return to index

Mechanical seal improvements
The major improvements in mechanical seals in recent years
squareness.
● Cartridge seal design that solved a lot of the seal failures caused by improper seal installation,
capability
shaft fretting.
What is the reason for the increased seal life we are experiencing now?
and pump training.
of slurries.
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Meniscus
M011. MENISCUS
The concave curvature of a liquid surface caused by surface tension.
In reading the value of a liquid it is conventional to ignore the higher liquid around the perimeter.
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Metal Fatigue
M013. METAL FATIGUE
A cracking and breaking of the metal caused by the bending and flexing of a metal part beyond its
endurance limit.
If there is too much shaft deflection, the mechanical seal springs or metal bellows can fatigue
prematurely.
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Plasma Spray
P017. PLASMA SPRAY
A method of putting a hard coating on a base material.
Plasma spray is not recommended for mechanical seal faces. If you must use a spray coating the "D
GUN" method is superior because it creates a chemical rather than mechanical bond with the base
material.
The problem with all coatings is that they have a different expansion rate than the base material. In high
temperature applications this can cause heat checking and cracking of the coated face
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Plastic Range
P018. PLASTIC RANGE
The metal has been stressed beyond its yield point and will not return to its original shape.
The metal part has lost its memory. This sometimes happens to the springs and metal bellows in
mechanical seals if they are over compressed during the assembly process or during operation of the seal
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y001
Y001. YIELD POINT
The point where the stress on the metal causes it to move and pass from the elastic range, through the
yield point, to the plastic range where it loses its memory.
Every metal has a yield point where this loss of memory occurs.
Here are the yield points for a few of the common materials we use in mechanical seals. As you would
expect, the yield point of a metal changes with its temperature.
MATERIAL YIELD x 103 PSI

316 Stainless steel 30-42 at 70°F
Aluminum 6 at 70°F
Carbon steel 40-55 at 70°F
Carpenter 20 cb 40-55 at 70°F
Hastelloy C 51-191 at 70°F
Inconnel 30-50 at 70°F
Monel 15-30 at 70°F
Titanium 45-73 at 75°F
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Metal Selection.
M014. METAL SELECTION
Selecting the best metal for the seal components is usually a simple task. If the pump's wetted (they get
wet from the pumpage) parts are manufactured from a non-metallic material such as Teflon®, Kynar,
Polyethylene, etc. we choose non-metallic seal components.
fluid. Please note that in both cases the seals are clamped to the shaft. You cannot use setscrews in these
designs because non-metallic seals are often used on glass coated shafts.
CHEMICAL METAL
Benzene, Hot Bronze
Bromine Gas Bronze

Metal Selection.
Ethanol Bronze
Mixed Acids Bronze
Uric Acid Bronze

Metal Selection.
● Chrome 18-20 %
● Nickel 8-12 %
● Carbon 0.08 %
● Iron 64-70 %
● Silicone 1%
● Manganese 2%
● Sulphur 0.030 %

● England EN58J
● Sweden 2343
● Hungary KO35
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s080
S080. STABALIZER
Stainless steel is subject to intergranular corrosion at the elevated temperatures we encounter during
welding. The chrome in the stainless combines with the carbon to form chrome carbide.
One of several solutions to the problem is to alloy the stainless steel with a strong carbide former.
The best is columbium, but sometimes titanium is used. The carbon will now form columbium carbide
rather than going after the chrome to form chrome carbide.
The material is now said to be stabilized because the chrome is still present to provide corrosion
resistance.
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s081
S081. STAINLESS STEEL
These are alloy steels that contain a high percentage of chromium. The most widely used in the seal and
pump business are the 300 series of stainless steels because of their excellent corrosion resistance.
The material we refer to as grade 316 stainless steel is made from the following ingredients:
● Chrome 18-20 %
● Nickel 8-12 %
● Carbon 0.08 %
● Iron 64-70 %
● Silicone 1%
● Manganese 2%
● Sulphur 0.030 %

● England EN58J
● Sweden 2343
● Hungary KO35
Stainless steel springs are never recommended for mechanical seals because of their problem with
chloride stress corrosion.
The best material for stainless steel seal springs is hastelloy "C".
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Meters Per Second
M015. METERS PER SECOND
Meters per second.
This is a better measurement of speed than rpm (revolutions per minute) because it considers the
diameter of the piece that is rotating.
In the seal business the diameter is taken at the middle of the seal face. Rotating seals have a limit of 25
meters per second.
At speeds above this number you should purchase stationary seal designs.
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Minimum Flow
M018. MINIMUM FLOW
Sometimes called low flow it is a condition that can cause excessive heat inside the pump volute. A
temperature rise of 10°C (18°F) across the operating pump is considered excessive. High heat is often
caused by:
● Excessive clearance between the open impeller and volute or back plate depending upon how the
impeller is adjusted. This clearance will cause the fluid to recirculate inside the pump.
● Excessive wear-ring clearance if you are using closed impellers.
● Throttling a pump discharge valve because the pump was originally oversized as a result of safety
factors that were introduced during the selection process.
● Too much impeller to cut-water clearance
Throttling the pump and operating at a low capacity could lead to several problems:
● An increase in the products temperature that could cause the fluid to:
❍ Flash or vaporize
❍ Crystallize
❍ Build a film. Hot oil does this.
❍ Increase the corrosion rate of the fluid.
❍ Some fluids could become more viscous and in some cases solidify.
● Create excessive radial thrust of the impeller.

● Initiate suction recirculation.
● Initiate discharge recirculation.
● Increase the NPSH required.
Operating at too high a flow can cause problems also. The problems would include:
● Shaft deflection as you operate off the best efficiency point (BEP)
● The net positive suction head required (NPSHR) increase with capacity. You could have a
cavitation problem.
● Erosion damage.
● Vibration.
● Too low an operating head or pressure.
See: Heat generated within the pump
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Miscible
M019. MISCIBLE
When one liquid mixes or blend with another liquid we say it is miscible.
Sometimes we sustitute the word "soluble".
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Mixed Acid
M020. MIXED ACID
Often called nitrating acid. It is a mixture of sulfuric and nitric acids.
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Mixture
M022. MIXTURE
A mixture is two elements or substances combined mechanically not chemically. They can be separated
by mechanical means. Centrifuges are often used for the separation.
Compounds cannot be separated mechanically; they are combined chemically. Water is a compound of
hydrogen and oxygen
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Moment Of Inertia
M025. MOMENT OF INERTIA
Referring to rotation about an axis.
In the pump business it refers to a formula that describes the shape of the shaft.
● The moment of inertia for a round, solid shaft with a diameter (D) is:
= 0.049D4
● The moment of inertia for a round hollow shaft is:
❍ D = Outside diameter
❍ d = Inside diameter
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Monochromatic Light
M027. MONOCHROMATIC LIGHT
A single (mono) color (chromatic) light is used with an optical flat to read seal face flatness.
We use a helium light source that emits a pink light with a wavelength of 0.000023 inches (0.6 microns).
This light is used with an optical flat to read the light bands of flatness.
After the readings are taken they are compared to a chart that illustrates various flatness patterns.
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Monolithic Face
M028. MONOLITHIC FACE
The drawing on the left describes a carbon graphite face that is often called a monolithic design by some
seal manufacturers. They use this terminology to differentiate the solid carbon / graphite face from a
carbon / graphite face that is inserted into a metal holder and called a composite.
The composite is shown in the drawing on the right hand side.
The carbon graphite face can either be pressed in, or shrunk into the metal holder. Pressed in is better
because the softer carbon will shear to conform to irregularities in the metal holder inside diameter. This
shearing will tend to keep the lapped face flatter than shrinking in the carbon and letting the metal holder
retain the carbon on "high spots" that can cause small amounts of face distortion.
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s037
S037. SERVICE FACTOR FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS
The service factor rating for an electric motor is supplied by the motor manufacturer and is usually
available in three ranges:
● A service factor of 1.00 / 1.10 - most of these are older motors and a majority of them have
premium price.
Motors are available in a variety of horsepower and kilowatt ratings. Typical horsepower ratings would
be 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 5.0, 7.0, 10, 15, 20, 30, etc.
As an example: suppose we needed a 17 horse power motor in our application. The fact is that a 15 horse
power motor will work in this application because of the service factor (15 x 1.15 = 17.25 horsepower
available). Keep in mind that any heat generation computations made by the motor manufacturer were
made for the motor when it was running at its rated horsepower and not at the service factor rating. All
this means is that the motor will run hotter than anticipated, but still within acceptable limits.
Oil refinery applications use a second factor recommended by the American Petroleum Institute (API).
are:
● To 25 horsepower (18.7 kw) = 1.25

● From 30 to 70 horsepower (22.4 to 52.2 kw) = 1.15
● Above 100 horse power (74.6 kw) or more = 1.10
If we take the same example as noted above and insert the API (American Petroleum Institute) additional
requirement we would come up with:
● If 20 horsepower is needed x 1.25 (API (American Petroleum Institute) specification) = 25

horsepower needed.
an example, suppose that the horse power requirement was 8.7 instead of the 20:
According to the A.P.I. you would need 8.7 x 1.25 = 10.8 horsepower, so you would have to go to a 15
horse power motor because there is nothing in between 10 and 15 horsepower. According to the above
information a 10 horse power motor has a service factor rating of 1.15 so, 10 x 1.15 = 11.5 horsepower or
more than enough to satisfy the API (American Petroleum Institute) recommendation.
Electric motors are sized taking into consideration the specific gravity of the liquid being pumped. If a
low specific gravity pump is tested with water, or any other higher specific gravity fluid, the increase in
motor amperage could burn out the motor.
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Narratives
TN001. THE NARRATIVES
In the following section we will be looking at overviews of several pump and seal subjects:
● Centrifugal pump selection.

● Centrifugal pump installation.
● Centrifugal pump modifications you can make to increase the pump's performance.
● Mechanical seal selection.
In these narratives I am attempting to put each of the subjects into perspective. You will use the
narratives for multiple purposes:
● To learn the terms we use for each of these individual subjects.

● To see how the various subjects fit together.
● To find out how much you know about any one of the subjects.
● And you can use the narratives as an outline to teach the subjects to other people.
I suggest that you read the entire narrative and then go back and look up the details of any unfamiliar
words or subjects. Any word or phrase in blue and underlined is a link to a detailed explanation of the
subject. Most of the time I have tried to use the link only for the first mention of the word or phrase;
otherwise the narrative would be full of links.
CENTRIFUGAL PUMP SELECTION. HOW TO PICK THE CORRECT SIZE PUMP FOR
YOUR APPLICATION.
We will begin by deciding what operating conditions our pump has to meet and then we will approach
pump suppliers to see how closely they can satisfy these needs. Unfortunately no comprehensive theory
which would permit the complete hydrodynamic design of a centrifugal pump has evolved in the many
years that pumps have been around, so the pump manufacturer will be doing the best he can with the
information you supply to him.
To clearly define the capacity and pressure needs of our system we will construct a type of graph called a
system curve. This system curve will then be given to the pump suppliers and they will try to match it
with a pump curve that satisfies these needs as closely as possible.
To start the construction of the system curve I will assume you want to pump some fluid from point "A"
to point "B". To do that efficiently you must make a couple of decisions:
● Decide the capacity you will need. This means the gallons per minute or cubic meters per hour.
You must also consider if this capacity will change with the operation of your process. A boiler
feed pump is an example of an application that needs a constant pressure with varying capacities
to meet a changing steam demand. The demand for boiler water is regulated by opening and
closing a control valve on the discharge side of the pump with a discharge re-circulation line
returning the unneeded portion back to a convenient storage place, or the suction side of the pump.
Remember that with a centrifugal pump if you change its capacity you change the pressure also. A
rotary or positive displacement pump is different. It puts out a constant capacity regardless of the
pressure.
● For other centrifugal pump applications, you are going to have to calculate how much pressure
will be needed to deliver different capacities to the place where you will need them. You will need
enough pressure to :
❍ Reach the maximum static head or height the fluid will have to attain.
❍ Enough discharge pressure to over come any pressure that might be in the vessel where the
fluid is discharging, such as the boiler we just discussed. This is called the pressure head.
❍ Overcome friction resistance in the lines, fittings and any valves or hardware that might be
in the system. As an example: high-pressure nozzles can be tricky, especially if they clog
up. This resistance is called the friction head.
● Will you need any special materials for the pump components?
❍ The pump manufacturer will try to choose pump metal components that are chemically
compatible with what you are pumping as well as any cleaners or solvents that might be
flushed through the lines. If the temperature of the pumpage changes the corrosion rate can
change also. His choice of materials could have a serious affect on your spare parts
inventory. Will he be selecting universal and easily obtainable materials? Unless you have
a great deal of experience with the product you are pumping do not select the metal
components by using a compatibility chart. Metal selection is a job for metallurgists or
your own experience.
❍ If the product you are pumping is explosive or a fire hazard, you should be looking at non-
sparking materials for the pump components. Do not depend totally upon the pump
manufacturer to make this decision for you. If you are not sure what materials are
compatible with your product, how will the pump man know? Also, keep in mind that
some of the fluids you will be pumping could be proprietary products known only by their
trade name.
❍ Dangerous and radioactive materials will dictate special materials.

Narratives
❍ Food products require high-density seal and pump materials that are easy to clean.
❍ If there are abrasive solids in the pumpage you will need materials with good wearing
capabilities. Hard surfaces and chemically resistant materials are often incompatible. You
may have to go to some type of coating on the pump wetted parts or select an expensive
duplex metal.
● Occasionally you will find an application where metal is either not compatible or not practical.
There are many monomer and polymer materials available for these applications, but their cost is
generally higher than comparable metal parts. Be aware that if you are using a mechanical seal in
a non-metallic pump, the seal cannot have metal parts in contact with the fluid for the same
reasons the pump was manufactured from non-metallic materials. Use a non-metallic seal in these
applications
Since we are just getting into the subject, one of the first things we should learn is that centrifugal pump
people do not use the word pressure. As mentioned in an earlier paragraph they substitute the word
"head", so you will have to calculate the three kinds of head that will be combined together to give you
the total head of the system required to deliver the needed capacity. Here are the three kinds of head you
will be calculating:
● The static head or maximum height that the liquid will reach. We must also learn how to
compensate for the siphon affect from down running pipes on the discharge side of the pump.
Remember that if you fill a tank from the bottom instead of the top the static head will continually
increase. This is not a good application for a centrifugal pump because the capacity is decreasing
with an increasing head. If you must fill from the bottom, or if you will be using the pump as an
accumulator, a rotary positive displacement pump will be your best choice as long as it can meet
the needed capacities.
● The pressure heads are next if the container we are pumping to, or from, is pressurized. We will
have to learn how to convert pressure units to head units because later on we will need this
conversion knowledge to read the manufacturers pump curve. Pump gages are labeled in psi or
bar. Pump curves are labeled in feet of head, or meters of head.
● The friction head is the last one that we will have to calculate. This head tells us how much
friction or resistance head there is in both the suction and discharge piping, along with the fittings
and valves in the piping system. And to make the job a little tougher this head changes
dramatically as the pump capacity changes.
You will be calculating these heads on both the suction and discharge side of the pump. To get the total
head you will subtract the suction head from the discharge head and that will be the head that the pump
must produce to satisfy the application. It will become obvious in the calculations, but I should mention
here, that if the suction head is a negative number, the suction and discharge heads will be added together
to get the total head. If you subtract a minus number from a positive number you must add the numbers
together. As an example: 4 - (-2) = + 6
The total head of a pump seldom remains static. There are a number of factors that can change the head
of a pump while it is operating, and you should become familiar with most of them.
All of this head information is calculated from piping, valve, and fitting, friction graphs you will find in
the index.This head data will be plotted on a set of coordinates called a system curve. Since we will not
be operating at a single point all of the time we will make the calculations for a range of different
capacities and heads that we might expect to encounter. This range is described as the operating window
we will need to satisfy the application.
Making these calculations is not an exact science because the piping is seldom new, pipe inside diameters
are not exact, and the graphs you will be consulting cannot compensate for corrosion and solids built up
on the piping, valve and fitting walls.
Life is never simple. This is the point where most people start adding in safety factors to compensate for
some of the unknowns. These safety factors will almost always guarantee the selection of an oversized
pump that will run off of its best efficiency point (BEP) most of the time.
The final calculations are then plotted on the system curve that describes what the pump has to do to
satisfy the requirements of the application. You can learn to do all of this by referencing the following
subjects:
● Calculating the total head in metric units

● Calculating the total head in USCS (inch) units
● Making a system curve, S111
The pump manufacturer requires a certain amount of net positive suction head required (NPSHR) to
prevent the pump from cavitating. He shows that number on his pump curve. When you look at the curve
you will also note that the net positive suction head required (NPSHR) increases with any increase in the
pump's capacity.

Narratives
You will also be calculating the net positive suction head available (NPSHA) to be sure that the pump
you select will not cavitate. Cavitation is caused by cavities or bubbles in the fluid collapsing on the
impeller and volute. In the pump business we recognize several different types of cavitation. :
Pump cavitation is recognized in several different ways
● We can hear cavitation because it sounds like the pump is pumping rocks or ball bearings.
● We can see the damage from cavitation on the pump's impeller and volute.
● The operator can sometimes tell if the pump is cavitating because of a reduction in the pump's
capacity.
● The main problem with cavitation is that it shakes and bends the shaft causing both seal and
bearing problems. We call all of this shaking and bending shaft deflection.
Remember that the net positive suction head required (NPSHR) number shown on the pump curve is for
fresh water at 68° Fahrenheit (20°C) and not the fluid or combinations of fluids you will be pumping.
When you make your calculations for net positive suction head available (NPSHA) the formula you will
be using will adjust for the specific gravity of your fluid.
● In some cases you can reduce the NPSH required. This is especially true if you are pumping hot
water or mixed hydrocarbons.
● You may have to install an inducer on the pump, add a booster pump, or go to a double suction
pump design if you do not have enough net positive suction head available (NPSHA)
When the pump supplier has all of this in-exact information in his possession he can then hopefully select
the correct size pump and driver for the job. Since he wants to quote a competitive price he is now going
to make some critical decisions:
He might begin with the type of pump he will recommend:
● If the capacity were going to be very low he would recommend a rotary, or positive displacement
(PD) pump.
● Between 25 and 500 gpm (5 m3 /hr - 115 m3/hr) he will probably select a single stage end suction
centrifugal pump. It all depends upon the supplier. At higher capacities he may go to a double
suction design with a wide impeller, two pumps in parallel or maybe a high-speed pump.
● You might need a high head, low capacity pump. The pump supplier has several options you
should know about.
● Will he recommend a self-priming pump? These pumps remove air from the impeller eye and
suction side of the pump. Some operating conditions dictate the need for a self-priming design. If
you do not have a self-priming pump and you are on intermittent service, will priming become a
problem the next time you start the pump?
● How will the pump be operated?
❍ If the pump is going to run twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and you are not
going to open and close valves; you will not need a heavy-duty pump. It is easy to select a
pump that will run at its best efficiency point and at the best efficiency point (BEP) there is
very little shaft displacement and vibration.
❍ Intermittent service is the more difficult application because of changing temperatures,
vibration levels, thrust direction, etc. Intermittent pumps require a more robust, heavy-duty
design with a low L3/D4 shaft.
● How important is efficiency in your application? High efficiency is desirable, but you pay a price
for efficiency in higher maintenance costs and a limited operating window. You should be looking
for performance, reliability, and efficiency in that order. Too often the engineer specifies
efficiency and loses the other two. The following designs solve some operation and maintenance
problems, but their efficiency is lower than conventional centrifugal pumps.
❍ A magnetic drive or canned pump may be your best choice if you can live with the several
limitations they impose.

❍ A vortex or slurry pump design may be needed if there are lot of solids or "stringy"
material in the pumpage.

❍ A double volute centrifugal pump can eliminate many of the seal problems we experience
when we operate off the pump's best efficiency point. The problem is trying to find a
supplier that will supply one for your application. Although readily available for impellers
larger than 14 inches (355 mm) in diameter they have become very scarce in the smaller
diameters because of their less efficient design.
● The supplier should recommend a centerline design to avoid the problems caused by thermal
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expansion of the wet end if you are operating at temperatures over 200°F (100°C)?
● Will you need a volute or circular casing? Volute casings build a higher head; circular casing are
used for low head and high capacity.
● Do you need a pump that meets a standard? ANSI, API, DIN, VDMA or ISO are some of the
current standards. You should be aware of pump standards problems that contribute to premature
seal and bearing failures. An ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard back pullout
design pump has many advantages but presents problems with mechanical seals when the impeller
clearance is adjusted, unless you are purchasing cartridge seals.
● The decision to use either a single or multistage pump will be determined by the head the pump
must produce to meet the capacities you need. Some suppliers like to recommend a high speed
small pump to be competitive, other suppliers might recommend a more expensive low speed
large pump to lessen NPSH and wear problems.
There are additional decisions that have to be made about the type of pump the supplier will recommend:
● Will the pump be supplied with a mechanical seal or packing? If the stuffing box is at negative
pressure (vacuum) a seal will be necessary to prevent air ingestion.
● If he is going to supply a mechanical seal will he also supply an oversized stuffing box and any
environmental controls that might be needed?
● Will he specify a jacketed stuffing box so that the temperature of the sealed fluid can be
regulated? How does he intend to control the stuffing box temperature? Will he be using water,
steam or maybe a combination of both? Electric heating is sometimes an option.
● How will the open or semi-open impeller be adjusted to the volute casing or back plate? Can the
mechanical seal face loading be adjusted at the same time? If not, the seal face load will change
and the seal life will be shortened.
● If the pump is going to be supplied with a closed impeller you should have some means of
knowing when the wear rings have to be replaced. If the wear ring clearance becomes too large
the pumps efficiency will be lowered causing heat and vibration problems. Most manufacturers
require that you disassemble the pump to check the wear ring clearance and replace the rings
when this clearance doubles.
● Will he supply a "C" or "D" frame adapter, or will the pump to motor alignment have to be done
manually using dual indicators or a laser aligner to get the readings? A closed-coupled design can
eliminate the need for an alignment between the pump and driver.
● What type of coupling will he select to connect the pump to its driver? Couplings can compensate
for axial growth of the shaft and transmit torque to the impeller. They cannot compensate for
pump to driver misalignment as much as we would like them to. Universal joints are especially
bad because they have to be misaligned to be lubricated.
● He may decide to run two pumps in parallel operation if he needs a real high capacity, or two
pumps in series operation if he needs a high head. Pumps that run in parallel or series require that
they are running at the same speed. This can be a problem for some induction motors..
● An inline pump design can solve many pipe strain and thermal growth problems.
● The pump supplier must insure that the pump will not be operating at a critical speed or passing
through a critical speed at start up. If he has decided to use a variable speed drive or motor this
becomes a possibility.
● We all want pumps with a low net positive suction head required to prevent cavitation problems
but sometimes it is not practical. The manufacturer has the option of installing an inducer or
altering the pump design to lower the net positive suction head required, but if he goes too far all
of the internal clearances will have to be perfect to prevent cavitation problems. This modification
of the impeller to get the low net positive suction head required (NPSHR) and its affects will be
explained when you learn about suction specific speed.
● The difference between specific speed and suction specific speed can be confusing but you should
know the difference.
● Shaft speed is an important decision. Speed affects pump component wear and NPSH
requirements, along with the head, capacity, and the pump size. High speed pumps cost less
initially, but the maintenance costs can be staggering. Speed is especially critical if you are going
to be specifying a slurry pump.
● The ratio of the shaft diameter to its length is called the shaft L3/D4number. This ratio will have a
major affect on the operating window of the pump and its inital cost. The lower the number the
better, but any thing below 60 (2 in the metric system) is acceptable when you are using
mechanical seals. A low L3/D4 can be costly in a standard long shaft pump design because it
dictates a large diameter shaft that is usually found only on expensive heavy-duty pumps. A short
shaft with a smaller outside diameter would accomplish the same goal, but then the pump would
no longer conform to the ANSI or ISO standard. We often run into L3/D4problems when you
specify, or the pump supplier sells you a low cost, corrosion resistant sleeve, mounted on a steel
shaft rather than a more expensive solid, corrosion resistant shaft.
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compound curves with the investment casting process. The compound curve allows the impeller to
pump abrasive fluids with less vane wear.
to be familiar with these laws for both centrifugal and PD pumps..
Either you or the supplier must select the correct size electric motor, or some other type of driver for the
pump. The decision will be dictated by the specific gravity of the liquid you will be pumping along with
the specific gravity of any cleaners or solvents that might be flushed through the lines. The selection will
also be influenced by how far you will venture off the best efficiency point (BEP) on the capacity side of
the pump curve. If this number is under-estimated there is a danger of burning out some electric motors.
● How are you going to vary the pump's capacity? Are you going to open and close a valve or
maybe you will be using a variable speed drive like a gasoline or diesel engine. Will the regulating
valve open and close automatically like a boiler feed valve or will it be operated manually? The
variable speed motor might be an alternative if the major part of the system head is friction head
rather than static or pressure head.
● The viscosity of the fluid is another consideration because it will affect the head, capacity,
efficiency and power requirement of the pump. You should know about viscosity and how the
viscosity of the pumpage will affect the performance of the pump. There are some viscosity
corrections you should make to the pump curve when you pump viscous fluids.
● After carefully considering all of the above, the pump supplier will select a pump type and size,
present his quote and give you a copy of his pump curve. Hopefully you will be getting his best
pump technology. To be sure that is true you should know what the best pumping technology is.
● At this stage it is important for you to be able to read the pump curve. To do that you must
understand:
❍ Efficiency
❍ Best efficiency point (BEP)
❍ Shut off head.
❍ How to convert pressure to head so you can reference pump gage readings to the pump
curve. When you learn the three formulas you will get the conversion information.
❍ Brake horsepower (BHP)
❍ Water horsepower (WHP)
❍ Capacity
❍ Net positive suction head required (NPSHR)
❍ How to calculate the net positive suction head available (NPSHA) to the pump to insure
you will not have a cavitation problem.
If all of the above decisions were made correctly the pump supplier will place his pump curve on top of
your system curve and the required operating window will fall within the pump's operating window on
either side of the best efficiency point (BEP). Additionally, the motor will not overheat and the pump
should not cavitate.
If the decisions were made incorrectly the pump will operate where the pump and system curves intersect
and that will not be close to, or at the best efficiency point, producing radial impeller loading problems
that will cause shaft deflection, resulting in premature seal and bearing failures. Needless to say the
motor or driver will be adversely affected also.
With few exceptions pump manufacturers are generally not involved in mechanical sealing. You will
probably be contacting separate seal suppliers for their recommendation about the mechanical seal.
Recent mergers between pump and seal companies unfortunately does not produce the instant expertise
we would like sales and service people to posses.

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CENTRIFUGAL PUMP INSTALLATION
Some one has to install the pump and all of its associated hardware. The quality of this pump and driver
installation will have a major affect on the performance and reliability of the pump, especially if it is
equipped with a mechanical seal.
The pump will be installed on a baseplate. The baseplate will be attached to a foundation and grout will
be placed between the baseplate and the foundation to transmit any vibrations from the pump to the
foundation.
Once the pump and driver are firmly on the foundation it will be time to connect the piping. Be sure to
pipe from the pump to the pipe rack and not the other way, so as to avoid pipe strain that will interfere
with the operation of the mechanical seal and bearings.
There are many piping recommendations that you should be familiar with. The leveling, and pump to
driver alignment can be made at this point, but you should check the alignment after the pump has come
up to its operating temperature because metal parts expand and contract with a change in temperature.
If this is a new piping system some people like to install packing in the pump and run on packing until
the new piping has been cleaned of slag or any junk that might be left in the piping system. If it is not a
new installation, and there is a mechanical seal in the stuffing box, then installing the mechanical seal
environmental controls will come next.
If the pump has an open or semi-open impeller it is time to make the initial impeller clearance setting.
The final clearance can be set when the pump comes up to its operating temperature. It is important to
note that if you do not have a cartridge seal installed in the pump the seal face loading will change as you
make both the initial and subsequent impeller settings and there is nothing you can do about it.
You will now want to do a proper venting of the pump. If it is a vertical installation you will have to pay
particular attention to keeping air vented from the stuffing box while the pump is running and be sure to
vent the space between dual seals if they have been installed.
After you have done all of the above, it is time to check out the mechanical seal environmental controls
to be sure they are working properly. In most cases the environmental control will continue to run after
the pump has stopped. Be sure the operators understand this or they might be tempted to shut the control
off when the pump is between batches. Seal quench is always a problem with operators because the
steam or water dripping out of the seal gland looks like the seal is leaking.
A constant monitoring of the pump is a good idea. Are you familiar with some of the more popular
monitoring methods? Unlike vibration analysis, monitoring can tell you if some part of the pump is
getting into trouble before the vibration starts.
CENTRIFUGAL PUMP MODIFICATION
If you find that your present centrifugal pump is not satisfying the application and running as trouble free
as you would like, and you have checked:
● All of the internal tolerances are correct.

● There is no excessive pipe strain.
● The open impeller has been adjusted to the volute or backplate after the pump came up to
● The pump to driver alignment was made.
● The rotating parts were dynamically balanced.
● The wear ring clearance is within manufacturers specifications.
● The pump is running at the correct speed, in the right direction, with the correct size impeller.
Then you may have to purchase a different centrifugal pump or you might want to consider modifying
the existing pump to get the performance and reliability you are looking for.
Here are a few modifications and pump upgrades you can consider:
● Modifying the impeller diameter could get you closer to the best efficiency point. The affinity
laws will predict the affect the trimming will have on the pump's head; capacity, net positive
suction head required (NPSHR), and horsepower requirement.
● Converting to an impeller with a different specific speed number will change the shape of the
pump curve, power consumption and the NPSH required.
● Changing to a heavy-duty power end can stop a lot of shaft deflection, and with some pump
manufacturers get you the pilot diameter you need to install a "C or D" frame adapter to eliminate
pump alignment.
● Converting from a sleeved to a solid, corrosion resistant shaft will often reduce or stop shaft

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deflection problems caused by operating off the best efficiency point (BEP). If you are using
mechanical seals be sure that you are using the type that prevents fretting corrosion. Most original
equipment manufactured (OEM) seals damage shafts, and that is one of the main reasons they
supply a sacrificial sleeve.
● Reducing the overhung shaft length can solve many shaft deflection problems. You should be able
to get the L3/D4 number down to a desirable 15-20 (0,5 &endash; 0,6 metric) by either reducing
the shaft length or increasing the shaft diameter.
● Changing the wet end to a double volute configuration will allow the pump to operate in a larger
window without the danger of deflecting the shaft too much.
● You can drill a hole in the end of the stuffing box, at the top, to increase stuffing box venting.
● Change the flushing or recirculation connection from the top lantern ring connection to the bottom
of the stuffing box to insure a better fluid flow through the stuffing box. Try to get close to the
seal faces.
● Enlarging the inside diameter of the stuffing box or going to an oversize stuffing box can solve
some persistent seal problems.
● Converting the wet end of the pump to a centerline design might solve some pipe strain problems
by compensating for radial thermal growth.
● Increasing the impeller to cutwater clearance could stop a cavitation problem
● Installing a sight glass in the bearing case can help you maintain the correct oil level and prevent
overheating problems in the bearings.
● Replacing the bearing case grease or lip seals with either labyrinth or positive face seals for
bearings will keep moisture out of the bearing case and eliminate a lot of premature bearing
failure.
● Converting the radial bearing retention snap ring to a more rugged holding device will eliminate
many of he problems associated with axial movement of the shaft.
● Converting the packed pump to a good mechanical seal will reduce power consumption and
product leakage.
● Converting solid mechanical seals to split mechanical seals can reduce the time it takes to change
seals and eliminate the need for other trades to become involved in the process of disassembling a
pump and bringing it into the shop.
MECHANICAL SEAL SELECTION
● In the following pages I will be using the word "pump" to describe the piece of equipment that
you will be sealing. If your equipment is anything other than a single stage centrifugal pump with
an over hung impeller, the information still applies with a couple of exceptions:
❍ Mixers, agitators and similar pieces of equipment sometimes have severe axial thrust and
shaft deflection problems due to their high L3/D4 numbers (The ratio of the shaft length to
its diameter).
❍ Sleeve or journal bearing equipment allows more axial movement of the shaft than those
pieces of equipment provided with precision bearings. Axial movement is a problem for
mechanical seals because of the changing face load; especially at start up when the axial
thrust reverses in a centrifugal pump.
❍ Open impeller pumps require impeller adjustment that could cause excessive axial
movement of the shaft that will affect the seal face loading. Depending upon the severity of
the abrasives being pumped, this could be a frequent occurrence.
❍ Multi-stage pumps are seldom as sensitive to operating off the best efficiency point (BEP)
as single stage centrifugal pumps. The opposing cutwaters in these pumps tend to cancel
out the radial forces created when the pump is operating off of its best efficiency point
(BEP).
❍ Centrifugal pumps equipped with double volutes are not too sensitive to operating off the
best efficiency point (BEP), but do experience all of the other types of shaft deflection.
❍ Specialized equipment such as a refiner in a paper mill will experience a great deal of axial
travel as the internal clearances are adjusted.
Whenever I use the word fluid, I am talking about either a liquid or a gas. If I say either liquid or gas, I
am limiting my discussion to that one phase of the fluid.
Any discussion of mechanical face seals requires that you have many different types of knowledge. The
first is, "should you be converting packed pumps to a mechanical seal?" Seals cost a lot more money than
conventional packing and unless you are using split seals, they can be a lot more difficult to install. There
is a packing conversion down side.
Assuming you have made the decision that the mechanical seal is your best choice for sealing, you must
know how to select the correct design for your application. There are many different kinds of seals to
choose from:
● Rotating seals where the springs or bellows rotate with the shaft.
● Stationary seals where the springs or bellows do not rotate with the shaft.
● Metal bellows seals used to eliminate elastomers that can have trouble with temperature extremes
or fluid compatibility.
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● Elastomer type seals utilizing O-rings and other shape elastomers.

● Single seals for most applications.
● Dual seal designs for dangerous and expensive products or any time back up protection is needed.
● Inside mounted designs that take advantage of centrifugal force to throw solids away from the
lapped seal faces.
● Outside seals. Usually the non-metallic variety for pumps manufactured from non-metallic
materials.
● Cartridge seals to ease installation and allow you to make impeller adjustments without disturbing
● Split seal designs that allow you to install and change seals without taking the pump apart and
disturbing the alignment.
● Hydrodynamic or non-contacting seals used for the sealing of gases.
● Hydrostatic designs are another version of non-contacting vapor seals.
There are some very desirable design features that you should specify for your mechanical seals:
● The ability to seal fugitive emissions without the use of dual seals, other than having the dual seal
installed as a "back-up" or spare seal.
● Will the seal dynamic elastomer damage or cause fretting corrosion of the pump shaft? Almost all-
original equipment designs do. Spring-loaded Teflon® and graphite are notorious for shaft
destruction. There are many seal designs available that will not cause fretting corrosion or damage
shafts and sleeves, and that is the kind you should be using.
● The seal should have built in non-clogging features such as springs out of the fluid.
● The seal should be able to compensate for a reasonable amount of both radial and axial movement
of the shaft. There are special mixer seal designs that can compensate for axial and radial travel in
excess of 0.125 inches (3 mm) and you should know about them
● The seal should be designed to be positioned as close to the bearings as possible to lessen the
affects of shaft deflection. Ideally the seal would be located between the stuffing box face and the
bearing case with a large diameter seal gland allowing plenty of internal radial clearance for the
seal.
● The seal should generate only a small amount of heat. Seal face heat generation can be a problem
with many fluids and there is no advantage in letting the seal faces, or the fluid surrounding them
get hot
❍ Any heat generation between the seal faces should be efficiently removed by conduction
away from the lapped faces and dynamic elastomer. Check to see if your design does it
efficiently.
● Any dynamic elastomer (an O-ring is typical) should have the ability to flex and then roll, or slide
to a clean surface as the carbon face wears.
● The seal face load should be adjustable to compensate for open impeller adjustments and axial
growth of the shaft. Cartridge seals do this very well.
● Can you use universal materials to lower your inventory costs and avoid mix-up problems? All of
the seal materials should be clearly identified by type and grade. You will need this information if
you have to analyze a premature seal failure. Some seal companies try to make everything a
secret, do not tolerate it!
● Will the seals be hydraulically balanced to prevent the generation of unwanted heat between the
lapped faces? What is the percentage of balance? If you are using dual seals will the inner seal be
a double balanced seal that is hydraulically balanced in both directions? Pressures can reverse in
● You will want to become familiar with the effects of heat on:
❍ The seal faces, especially the carbon and plated or coated hard faces
❍ The elastomers, especially the dynamic elastomer
❍ Excessive corrosion of the seal components.
❍ The product. It can change with heat. It can vaporize, solidify, crystallize, coke or build a
film with an increase in the product's temperature.

❍ Internal tolerances of the seal especially face flatness and elastomer squeeze. Heat causes
thermal growth of these components that will alter their critical tolerances.
We would like to be able to install the seal without having to modify the pump. The seal should be the
shortest, thinnest design that will satisfy all of the operating conditions. Once you have the shortest,
thinnest design that will satisfy the operating conditions there is seldom a need to modify any seal design.
The specific sealing application will dictate which seal design you should choose. If your seal application
falls within the following parameters any stationary or rotating, "off the shelf" balanced O-ring seal
should be able to handle the application without any serious problems.
● Stuffing box pressures from a one Torr vacuum to 400 psi. (28 bar). Note that stuffing box
pressure is normally closer to suction than discharge pressure
● Stuffing box temperature from -40°F to 400°F. (-40°C to 200°C)
● Shaft speed within electric motor speeds. If the surface speed at the seal faces exceeds 5000 fpm.
(25 m/sec) you will have to select the stationary version of the seal.
● Shaft sizes from 1 inch to 4 inches. (25 mm to 100 mm)

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You may have to go to a special seal design if your application falls into any of the following categories:
● Stuffing box pressures in excess of 400 psi. (28 bar) require heavy duty seals.
● Excessive shaft movement of the type you find in mixers, agitators, and some types of sleeve or
journal bearing equipment.
● The seal must meet fugitive emission standards.
● No metal parts are allowed in the system. You need a non-metallic seal.
● Nothing black is allowed in the system because of a fear of color contamination. You cannot use
any form of carbon face; you must use two hard faces.
● There is not enough room to install a standard seal.
● You are not allowed to use an environmental control or no environmental control is available.
● Odd shaft sizes often dictate special seals.
● If the seal components must be manufactured from an exotic metal.
If any of the following are part of the application, you may need a metal bellows design that eliminates
all elastomers.
● You are sealing a non-petroleum fluid and the stuffing box temperature exceeds 400°F (200°C)
Petroleum fluids have coking problems that require cooling in the seal area.
● Cryogenic temperatures.
You should go to a dual seal application if your product falls into any of the following categories:
● You need two seals to control the seal environment outside the stuffing box.
● To control the temperature at a seal face to stop a product from vaporizing, solidifying,
crystallizing, or building a film.
● To prevent a pressure drop across a seal face that can cause a liquid to vaporize.
● To eliminate atmospheric conditions outboard of a mechanical seal when there is a possibility of
freezing water vapor in the air.
● To provide a lubricant if one is needed to prevent slip stick between lapped seal faces. This is
You need dual seals as a protection for personnel in the area if your product is any of the following
categories:
● A toxic liquid or gas.

● A fire hazard
● A pollutant
● A carcinogen
● A radioactive fluid
● An explosive fluid
● Etc.
The other places we use dual seals are:
● Expensive products that are too valuable to let leak.

● You cannot afford to be shut down in the middle of a batch operation.
● You do not have a standby pump and experience shows that the seal failure is your highest
probability of an unexpected shut down.
In the Sealing Application section you will learn:
● How to choose the correct seal materials.

● How to classify the fluid into specific sealing categories
● The environmental controls you might need to insure the seal will not fail prematurely.
Return to index

Negative Pressure
N004. NEGATIVE PRESSURE
This is a pressure less than atmospheric pressure.
Most people call it a vacuum. To avoid the use of negative numbers it is more convenient to convert to
absolute pressure readings.
Return to index

n011
N011 All about NPSH USCU units
We do not want bubbles in our process fluid for at least three reasons:
● Bubbles take up space, causing our pumping capacity to diminish.

● Air is a lousy heat transfer medium, meaning that the fluid we are pumping will get hotter and
there is no advantage in heating up the process fluid.
● A bubble is a hole in the liquid. In English we call that hole a cavity, and it is those cavities that
are going to cause a cavitation problem that nobody needs.
Bubbles or cavities form in a liquid when the fluid temperature gets too high, or the fluid pressure gets
too low. This is called vaporization, or sometimes boiling. I do not like the word boiling because we
associate boiling with hot, and we all know that if you throw dry ice into cold water it will bubble and
vaporize, and no one is going to call that hot! We'll stick with the term "vaporize" and further state that a
fluid will vaporize any time the pressure falls below its vaporization point.
Since temperature is a variable with different fluids, there are charts that will give you the vapor pressure
for any fluid at its various temperatures. Take a look at the following chart and you will note that the
vapor pressure for 60-degree Fahrenheit chlorine is 80 psi, and the vapor pressure for 68-degree F. fresh
water is about 0.3 psi. We will need numbers like this to calculate our NPSH available.
You should know that you can lower a fluid's pressure several ways:
● Put the fluid in a container, and then pull a vacuum on the container. This happens in the hot well
of condensers. Later on we will refer to this as a loss of "pressure head"
● Lift the liquid out of a hole. This will diminish the position of the liquid level in respect to the
pump centerline. Later on we will call this a loss of "static head"
● Accelerate the fluid. As its velocity increases its pressure will decrease. This is referred to as
"velocity head"
● As the fluid moves through piping, fittings, restrictions and valving, some friction losses occur
that will drop the fluid pressure. We will talk about that as an increase in friction head, resulting
in some loss of "positive suction head."
Heating of he incoming fluid is not usually a problem, but it can occur several ways:
● Internal recirculation in the pump because of worn wear rings or failure to make an impeller
adjustment.
● Piping, exposed to the elements, can heat up the liquid on hot and sunny days.

n011
The next step we have to learn is that the word "pressure" is going to disappear from our vocabulary
whenever we discuss centrifugal pumps. We are going to substitute the word "head "instead. We do not
know how much pressure a centrifugal pump will develop, but we do know the head it can produce. The
head is a function of the shaft speed and the impeller diameter. The faster the speed,
The larger the diameter, the bigger the head To determine the pressure we have to know the weight or
"specific gravity" of the fluid we are pumping, and since any given centrifugal pump can move a lot of
different fluids, with different specific gravities, it is simpler to discuss the pump's head and forget about
the pressure.
Here are the formulas you can use to convert from one to the other:
In the above formula:
● Head is measured in feet (ft.)

● Pressure is measured in pounds per square inch (psi.)
The pump manufacturer has decided how much head his pump needs to prevent cold water from
vaporizing at different capacities. He publishes these numbers on his pump curve. He got these numbers
by testing the pump at different capacities, created by throttling the suction side and waiting for the first
signs of cavitation. He then noted the pressure, converted it to head, and transferred this information to
his pump curve.
He calls this observed number the "net positive suction head required (NPSHR) or sometimes shortens it
to the NPSH. Take a look at the following curve and you can see these numbers. On the chart they are
located at the bottom of the dotted lines and they run from 2 to 16. According to this graph a 13-inch
impeller, running at its best efficiency point (60+%), would need a NPSH required of 9 feet. An 11-inch
impeller running at its best efficiency point would need 7 feet of NPSH required. Remember this
requirement is for cold water (68F) only.
Be sure to keep in mind that any discussion of NPSH or cavitation is only concerned about the suction
side of the pump. There is almost always plenty of pressure on the discharge side of the pump to prevent
the fluid from vaporizing.
● If we go back to our formula and put the 0.3 psi vapor pressure for 68 degree water into the
numbers, it come out to 0.7, or less than 1 foot of head is required to stop the water from
vaporizing and forming cavities. So why does the NPSH required increase as the capacity is
increasing? It's because the velocity of the liquid is increasing, and as we learned, anytime the
velocity of a liquid goes up, the pressure or head comes down.

n011
Now that we know what head is required, we can calculate the head we have available, and remember we
are only interested in the suction side of the pump. It turns out you will be looking at three kinds of head:
● The static head measured from the liquid level to the centerline of the pump. If the liquid level is
above the pump centerline you will have a positive number. If the level is below the centerline
you will have a negative number.
● The pressure head. Here we will be using only absolute numbers. In other words atmospheric
pressure is 14.7 psi at sea level so you will add that number (converted to feet, using our formula)
to the static head if you have an open tank. If the fluid is under vacuum we will convert the
absolute pressure reading to head and use that number, instead of atmospheric pressure. Vacuum
is often read in inches of mercury so you will need a formula to convert it to head. Here is the
formula:
● The friction loss in the piping will be a minus number. You get the number from charts showing
pipes size vs flow, and flow through fittings and valves.
● The next thing we have to do subtract the vapor pressure of our fluid (converted to feet of liquid)
using the first formula I gave you. All of the above, added together is the NPSH available. If this
number is equal to, or more than the NPSH required by the pump manufacturer, the liquid will not
form bubbles or cavities on the suction side, and the pump will not cavitate.
You can learn about the actual mechanism of cavitation by clicking here.
If you want to see the charts that will help you calculate the friction loss in the piping, valves and fittings,
click here.
Return to index

npsha testing
N001-01 NPSHA TESTING
Centrifugal pumps are designed to pump liquids, not air. We are interested in the amount of NPSH
available at the pump's suction flange to insure there is enough head (pressure) available to prevent the
fluid from vaporizing and causing gas bubbles. There are times when the available NPSH can be
questionable, so you would be wise to either measure or calculate the NPSH available in the following
conditions:
● When the pump is installed high above the liquid level.

● When the pump takes a suction from a vessel under vacuum, like the hotwell of a condenser.
● Anytime you have installed a low specific speed impeller.(the vanes are almost straight)
● When the liquid you are pumping has a high vapor point.
● At high pump rpms.
● Any time you are pumping on the high capacity side of the pump curve
● When the suction line is long, or if there are valves, fittings and a strainer between the source and
the pump suction.
● Any time the pump system is located at a high altitude
You can calculate the available net positive suction head (NPSHA) to a pump, at the suction, if you
know:
● The flow rate of the liquid (gpm)

● The suction gauge pressure (psi)
● Vapor pressure of the liquid (psi)
To make the calculation, use the following equation:
hsv = hgs + ha + hvs - hvpa
Where:
● hsv = available net positive suction head, in feet of liquid

● hgs = suction gauge pressure, in feet of liquid, gauge
● ha = atmospheric pressure, in feet of liquid, absolute
● hvs = suction velocity head, in feet of liquid
● hvpa = vapor pressure of the liquid, in feet of head, absolute
As an example, we will begin by connecting a mercury manometer to the 2 inch pipe, at the suction
nozzle of your pump
● Fluid you are pumping = 100 gpm of acid

● Vapor pressure = 0.20 psia
● Manometer reads = -14.7 inches of vacuum (from a potential of 29.9 inches)
● Barometric pressure = 736 mm of mercury
To calculate NPSHA we will need all of our units in feet of head. We will start with the 14.7 inches of
mercury:
Next we will convert barometric pressure to feet:
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npsha testing
The velocity head = 1.4 feet at 100 gpm through a 2 inch pipe. (We got this number from a standard pipe
friction loss table. Look under the column V2/2g)
Now we will convert the Vapor pressure to head:
Going back to our original formula
hsv= hgs + ha + hvs - hvpa
= -9.8 +19.3 + 1.4 - 0.3
= 10.6 feet at 100 gpm
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npshr, testing for it
N002-01 NPSHR testing for it
How can you tell the NPSH required for your pump? It's easy, just ask the manufacturer!
As logical as that sounds, we still find people assuming that if the know the NPSHR for pump brand "A"
and pump brand "B" is the same size, both pumps should have the same requirement.
So why isn't it true? There are a couple of reasons:
● ANSI pumps conform to the same envelope (outside) dimensions, but the internal dimensions are
different. This means that the friction losses within the pump are not the same.
● The surface finish of the pump's internals changes with materials and age. If it is a used pump and
you have been pumping abrasive materials, the scored metal components will offer more
resistance to the liquid flow than smooth, new metal parts.
If you do not have enough NPSH available at the suction of your pump, the pump will pump in spurts,
lose some of its capacity and begin to cavitate. All of this translates into poor pump performance, wasted
energy, impeller and volute damage and premature mechanical seal and bearing failure. If you are
unfamiliar with how we determine the NPSH available to your pump check out the paper I wrote on that
subject.
The test for NPSH required is a simple one for you to do, just as long as you remember that the NPSH
required increases with capacity. The more fluid you pump, the more NPSH you need to stop your
product from vaporizing. Here is how the pump manufacturer did the test at his facility. To duplicate it
you will need:
● Gauges to read suction and discharge pressures.

● A gauge to read the fluid flow.
● The pumping temperature.
● Barometric pressure
● The rpm of the pump.
Using a suction valve, the manufacturer gradually reduced the fluid flow at the pump inlet. Watching his
discharge gage, he kept reducing the flow until the discharge gage showed a drop in the pump's total
head.
This total head reduction occurred because of the fluid vaporizing in the impeller. The NPSH available at
the suction flange just equals the NPSH required by the pump. A 3% drop in this total head is just about
the point where cavitation will begin.
At this point you should record:
● Suction gage pressure.

● The flow rate.
● The fluid temperature.
● Pump's rpm.
Remember that this reading is giving you the NPSH required for just one point on the pump curve. You
are going to have to record and plot a series of these points against the pump's capacity to get a clear
picture of the NPSH required over the operating range or window of the pump. After you do this, you
will notice that the NPSH required increases with the pump's capacity
Let's try an example:
We will determine the NPSH required for a 2 x 1.5 (2" suction, 1.5" discharge) pump moving 240
gallons per minute of fresh water at 80 degrees Fahrenheit. We throttled the suction and recorded that the
suction gage read 18.2 inches of mercury vacuum when the pump was within 3% of its normal head. The
barometric pressure at the test facility is 29.0 inches of mercury vacuum
Here are the formulas. First we must convert suction gage pressure to feet of head:
Next we convert barometric pressure to feet of head
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npshr, testing for it
= 32.81 absolute
From a pipe friction chart we learn that 240 gpm of water flowing through a 2 inch pipe has a velocity
head of 8.18 feet
From a water properties chart we learned that the vapor pressure of 80 degree fresh water is 1.2 feet
absolute
Putting all of that information into the NPSH available formula we get:
Hsv = hgs + ha + hvs - hvpa
Hsv = - 20.6 + 32.81 + 8.18 - 1.2
= 19.19 feet
This number is then plotted as the required NPSH for that pump at 200 gpm when it is handling 80
degree Fahrenheit water.
Return to index
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NEWTON
N005. NEWTON
In the old days we used the expression "kilograms of force".
If you multiply this force by gravity (9.8 meters/ sec2) you get Newtons of force.
A Newton is equal to 0.225 pounds of force.
Return to index

NEWTONIAN FLUID
N006. NEWTONIAN FLUID
Sometimes the viscosity of a fluid will change with agitation. Some fluids thicken with agitation while
other fluids thin out with agitation.
Newtonian fluids are those fluids that do not change their viscosity regardless of the agitation.
The name was coined in honor of Sir Isaac Newton. You will remember he was the one that had the
apple fall on his head.
Newtonian fluids flow immediately on the application of a force and the rate of flow is directly
proportional to the force being applied.
Water and gasoline are examples of Newtonian fluids.
Return to index

NON-LUBRICANT
N009. NON- LUBRICANT
A fluid lubricant between lapped seal faces is defined as any gas or liquid that will maintain a film
thickness of one micron (0.000039 inches) or more at its operating temperature and load.
Cold water is a lubricant, hot water is not.
Many solvents are not lubricants, but most liquids are.
Return to index

O.D.
O001. O.D.
Refers to outside diameter of a round piece, measured in inches or millimeters.
O.D. is a very popular term in the pump and seal business.
Return to index

O.E.M.
O002 O.E.M.
Original equipment manufacturer.
The pump or seal company making the product, not the distributor that stocks, sells or services the
products.
Take a look at: OEM seal problems,
O003Return to index

SA005_1
SA005_1. TEMPERATURE LIMITS FOR COMMON ELASTOMERS

Chemraz -20 +450° -30 +230°
Kalrez® 0 +500° -20 +260°
Neoprene -45 +300° 45 +150°
Buna N -65 +225° -55 +105°
Buna S -75 +250° -60 +120°
Return to index
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OIL ANALYSIS
O007. OIL ANALYSIS
A sensible preventative maintenance technique to check the oil for solids, water, loss of additives etc.
Return to index

OIL EMULSION
O008. OIL EMULSION
A mixture of oil and water.
As little as 0.002% water in oil lubrication will reduce ball bearing life 48%.
Return to index

OIL LIFE
O009. OIL LIFE
Lubricating oil has a useful life of about thirty years at thirty degrees Centigrade if it is not contaminated
with water or solids.
The life of lubricating oil is cut in half for each 10°C (18°F) rise in temperature.
See: Lubricant
Return to index
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OIL MIST
O010. OIL MIST
We would prefer to mist the bearing oil by pushing it through an injector, but to mist 30 weight oil takes
between 5000 and 7000 psi (340 to 475 bar) and that pressure is not available on process pumps.
If you pump an air oil mist into a bearing case there is going to have to be a vent somewhere to prevent a
pressure build up.
It is this oil mist venting that presents possible fugitive emission problems.
Return to index

O010_5
O010_5. OIL, GREASE, OR LIP SEAL
A spring loaded elastomer seal commonly used to seal bearings. Sometimes called a "lip seal".
would be:
● A labyrinth seal or
why this happens
Return to index
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OPERATING LENGTH OF THE MECHANICL SEAL
O012. OPERATING LENGTH OF THE MECHANICL SEAL
The operating length of the seal is measured after the seal has been set to the proper compression. When
the seal is at its correct operating length it will have the proper face load of approximately 30 psi.
(2kg/cm2).
The installation measurement is different. It tells us where to attach the seal to the shaft or sleeve. The
measurement is usually made from the face of the stuffing box to the back of the rotating part of the
mechanical seal. In most seal installations you have a tolerance of about ± 0.030 inches (± 0.8 mm) to
stay within the proper face loading.
When properly installed the seal will maintain the correct spring load over the wear length of the carbon
face.
The wear length is usually in the order of 0.125 inches (3 mm).
Return to index

OPTICAL FLAT
O014. OPTICAL FLAT
A high quality optical grade glass lapped flat on one side and used with a monochromatic light to read
seal face flatness.
There are no inclusions or imperfections in the glass to distort the light.
Return to index

OSHA
O015. OSHA
The letters mean the "Occupational and Safety Health Act".
This U.S. agency publishes a large body of work that concerns its self with worker safety.
Many of the laws concerning fluid and vapor leakage require consumers to use dual mechanical seals in
their fluid moving applications.
Return to index

OXIDIZE
O022. OXIDIZE
When a product oxidizes it combines with oxygen.
Oxidizers attack carbon-graphite seal faces when the oxygen combines with the carbon to form carbon
monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2).
This is the opposite of "reduction" where the oxygen is removed from a substance.
Return to index

P.D. Pump
P001 P.D. PUMP
The PD pump is a positive displacement pump that is often called a rotary pump.
This pump can pump a high pressure or head, but at a low volume. Positive displacement pumps (PD
pumps) do not have a pump curve.
See: Rotary pumps, R019
Return to index

P.V. Factor
P002. P.V. FACTOR
The pressure/ velocity factor is an attempt to correlate the relationship between the pressure and the
velocity at the mechanical seal faces. Unfortunately carbon graphite is sensitive to "P", but not to "V" so
the correlation does not work too well when you talk about mechanical seals. However, this small point
does not stop many seal companies from constructing a set of PV limits for various seal face
combinations.
I once worked for a seal company that set the seal face PV limit by attaching one of the faces to a drill
press and then running it against the mating face, under water, at various loads until it became obvious
that the load was too much.
I guess it is as good a system as any, but unfortunately we are not always sealing fresh water. To do the
job properly you would have to create a table of various face combinations, different loads, and multiple
fluids.... good luck!
Return to index

Packing
P003. PACKING
● Packing can slow down, but not stop leakage coming out of the pump stuffing box.
● If the pump must be leak free, either convert to a magnetic drive pump, buy a canned pump or
install a good mechanical seal in the pump you have now.
● Ideally the stuffing box would be long enough to accommodate multiple rings of packing, but this
would position the impeller too far from the bearings, causing un-necessary shaft deflection.
● You should never use any less than five rings of packing in any pump application.
● With the introduction of split mechanical seals, packing has become obsolete in almost all
centrifugal pump applications.
Please look at: packing conversion to a mechanical seal.
Return to index

Packing Conversion To A Mechanical Seal
P005. PACKING CONVERSION TO A MECHANICAL SEAL
Packing conversion is a subject that has become increasingly more important in recent years. In the
following paragraphs I will try to divide the subject into three areas.
● The obvious dollar savings that can be realized by making the conversion.
● The non-obvious additional reasons for converting.
● The reasons you should convert to split mechanical seals rather than the type that requires taking
the equipment apart.
The savings that are real and easily measurable:
● A leak equivalent to the smallest steady stream that you can create is equal to one to two gallons
(3,5 to 8,0 liters) per hour. At a cost of $0.25 per gallon this would come to $3285.00 each year.
Enough money to purchase several mechanical seals.
Treatment of waste.
● Depending on the type of waste, the cost of disposal can be several times the cost of the product
that was leaking. Household sewage is a good example. The sewage portion of your water bill is
normally larger than the water portion.
Chemical addition
● Chill water, hot water, cooling towers and boiler feed water are examples of systems that need
chemical addition to protect the equipment against corrosion, bacteria etc. These chemicals are
very expensive and add to the cost of the leakage.
Bearings
● The major cause of bearing failure is contamination of the bearing oil. As little as 0.002% water in
bearing oil can reduce the rated bearing life as much as 48%. Most of this water comes from
packing leakage and the water hose you use to wash the leakage down the drain. When the pump
is running heated air vents out through the oil filling connection. At shut down moisture laden air
re-enters through this vent.
Packing sleeves.
● To install a sleeve the shaft diameter often has to be reduced, and in the process of doing so the
shaft is weakened.
● Packing damages the shaft as it removes the corrosion resistant metal's protective oxide layer.
● Because sleeves are so hard to remove we generally end up replacing the bearings at the same
time because the bearings are often destroyed during the sleeve removal process.
Power consumption
● Packing a pump is like driving your car with the emergency brake engaged. Although the car
would run, it would consume more gasoline. On the average, packing consumes six times the
power of a mechanical seal. Here is an easy test you can perform :
❍ Pack the pump properly and run it long enough to stabilize the operating temperature and
pressure. Take an amperage reading at the motor or starter (not the breaker) when the
pump has stabilized. You should also record the pump rpm. at this time.
❍ Remove the packing, install a split mechanical seal and record the amperage difference.
Combine this data with the amount of money you have to pay for electricity and the results
will be obvious.
❍ In the event you do not record a drop in amperage you will notice an increase in motor
speed. Many marginal motors are being "bogged down" by the friction from five or six
rings of packing.
● Depending upon the flushing fluid you were using, the cost can be very high and often unreliable.
If you will install an oversized seal chamber and then connect a line from the bottom of the
stuffing box back to the suction side of the pump, most flushing fluids can be eliminated.
Caution: Do not install this line if you are pumping close to the vapor pressure of the liquid as the
lower pressure may cause the fluid to vaporize in the stuffing box, or between the lapped seal
faces.
● In the event a flushing fluid is required, only a small amount will be needed with a balanced O-
ring type mechanical seal. One to two gallons (3,5 to 8 liters) per hour (not per minute) would be
typical if the springs are not in the fluid and the stuffing box internal diameter has been increased.
● As mentioned in the above paragraph, if you have eliminated flushing there will be no product
dilution. Once you dilute a product there is additional cost involved in removing the diluent. This
is normally done through an evaporation process that involves costly power and/or the creation of
a vacuum.
Housekeeping costs.
● If nothing leaked there would be very little corrosion, and repainting would never be necessary.
Most leakage comes from valves, flanges and rotating shafts. They can all be sealed to prevent
leakage.
● Find out how much you are paying for these modern packings and then observe the waste that is
produced during the cutting and fitting process.
Unskilled mechanics
● Multicraft, operator maintenance, and contract labor are becoming a way of life in many plants.
The life of packing is directly related to the skill of the man that packed the pump and the skilled
craftsman is disappearing fast.
Here are some additional reasons to convert from packing to a leak proof mechanical seal:
Pollution
● Leakage to the ground ends up in the water table. Leakage to the air contributes to airborne
pollution and all of the problems associated with polluting the atmosphere. Fugitive emission laws
are restricting this type of leakage to parts per million.
● Vapors escaping from the packing gland of a vertical pump are the major cause of electrical motor
failure. The vapors not only contaminate the grease lubricant, but also are the main cause of
damage to the insulation of the motor's windings.
Vacuum
● There is no packing that can seal vacuum. Flushing water looks like it is doing the job but testing
has shown that flush water can go down one side of the packing as the vacuum lets air come in the
other side. In a condensate pump this air ingestion will lower the pH of the boiler feed water
causing the addition of more chemicals and additional boiler blow downs. It will also add
additional cost, because deaeration is almost always necessary to lower the oxygen content of the
water.
Reliability
● This is the reason you use a mechanical seal on the water pump of your car and the pump in your
household washing machine. Changing sleeves and packing in these applications would not only
be too costly but the leakage would be intolerable.
Safety
● The list of hazardous materials is getting bigger every day. Unfortunately the hazard is not always
visible. Human beings should be breathing nothing but clean fresh air. Keep the other stuff inside
the machinery where it belongs. Any product classified as a fugitive emission or hazardous should
be double sealed to protect the environment and any personnel that might be close by. Sewage,
with Hydrogen Sulfide and Methane gas always present, is a good example of a product that
should always be double sealed. Packing these pumps should be classified as a criminal activity.
Fugitive emissions
● Recent legislation is restricting the leakage of some fluids to as little as a few hundred parts per
million. Packing is out of the question in these applications and dual mechanical seals are the only
sensible solution. If the product is a clean lubricating liquid, a magnetic drive or canned pump is
another logical choice
Seals are self-adjusting

● Once the mechanical seal is installed correctly there is nothing to do unless the impeller needs
adjusting. Packing, unless it is live loaded, needs frequent adjustment to prevent excessive
leakage.
We are all familiar with the utility man that has a roll of electrician's tape in one pocket and a twenty-six
weekends. Converting to mechanical seals is an excellent way to keep him away from your equipment.
Now that you have made the decision to convert to mechanical seals, you have a couple of more
decisions to make.
● What brand of seal should you select?

● What seal materials should you choose?
● Will you need an environmental control?
Regardless of your answers to these questions you should select a split mechanical seal every time if
possible (fugitive emission sealing usually requires the use of dual seals). Split seals are the one item that
seal users said they always wanted. No one wants to take apart a piece of equipment if it is not necessary.
Split seals are built in both the stationary and rotary configurations and are available from all of the
major seal companies, but not all seal materials and sizes are available from each manufacturer. Modern
designs are priced comparable to a typical single cartridge seal with spare parts priced lower than most
single, non-cartridge seals.
A split mechanical seal is defined as having all components split at the time of installation. It is important
to note that no dynamic elastomers should be glued together because the hard spot that develops will not
allow the elastomer to be functional. These seals are available in both the rotary and stationary versions.
Stationary should be your first choice if you have the option.
Split seals can be used to convert packed pumps to mechanical seals and to replace solid type mechanical
seals. We have already discussed the reasons you would want to convert a packed pump to a mechanical
seal, now we will look at a few areas where the split seal has a real advantage over solid seals:
Fire pumps
● Some fire codes will not allow you to remove the packing from a fire pump. The split seal can
easily be installed outside of the stuffing box with the packing left inside. Fire pumps leak a great
deal and it is not unusual to have a jockey pump run twenty four hours a day trying to keep the
fire main pressurized as this leakage occurs. Many fire pumps have been converted to a
mechanical seal and in just about every case the "jockey" pump has stopped running.
Awkward locations
● Sometimes it is just too difficult to pull a pump to change the packing sleeve or mechanical seal.
Most split seal applications can be done in less than an hour with the pump left in place.
Any time down time is expensive.
● Whenever a solid seal wears out or fails, it takes a considerable amount of time to pull the pump
and change the seal. Split seals do not have this problem. In some cases this "down time" can cost
thousands of dollars.
Hazardous areas
● The worker can fix the leak and then get out of the area in a hurry. Radioactive environments are
an example of this problem. In many cases the old packing and sleeve, or failed mechanical seal
does not have to be removed to install a split seal.
No realignment
● The coupling and motor do not have to be pulled and therefore realignment is no longer
necessary. Even if you have the latest laser equipment it still takes a long time to align a driver
and pump properly.
No need to overhaul the pump most of the time.
● Good split seals will not wear a shaft, so there is no need to pull the bearings unless they have
been damaged. You change only the seal not the shaft and bearings. To prevent all damage to the
shaft you should replace the bearing lip or grease seals with positive face seals or the labyrinth
type that works better and does not damage expensive shafts.
No damage to the pump.

● Since the pump is not being disassembled there is less chance of damaging something during the
seal or sleeve change. Often there are no spare parts available for some of the older pumps.
Usually there is nothing wrong with the pump, only the leakage is the problem.
The pump cannot be repacked. The stuffing box or sleeve is too far worn.
● In many cases the inside of the packing chamber has corroded or the metal has fatigued causing
the packing to rotate with the shaft. The face of the stuffing box can easily be repaired with
available commercial products and a split seal installed outside of the packing chamber. There is
seldom any need to remove the damaged sleeves during these installations.
Mixers and agitators.
● Disassembly of this equipment is always a problem. Many times it pays to install a split bushing
in the bottom of the packing chamber to help stabilize the shaft. For those mixer designs that do
not require emptying to change the seal, a split sleeve can be installed under the split seal.
Systems that have to be sterilized
● In some instances a split seal can be sterilized and then installed without having to sterilize the
entire system. This often happens when the pump has to be removed from the piping.
The insulation does not have to be removed.
● Many pumps have been insulated with asbestos packing and its removal is an involved and costly
process. Split seals can usually be installed with no need to remove this installation.
Seal repair and disposal problems.
● Split seal components are easily replaceable and do not take up any volume. There is no need to
send seals back to the manufacture or any other facility for rebuilding. Repair can be done by the
mechanic at a cost that is usually lower than comparable size solid seals. Recent "Right to know
laws" has created an urgent need for these designs.
No multiple trades needed
● Split seals can be installed by one man in less than an hour. No need for multiple trades and the
multiple work orders involved.
Split seals can back up existing seals.
● If a dual seal is necessary, you can usually install a split mechanical seal behind the present seal to
protect the product and area in the event the present seal fails. A convection tank using anti freeze
or any compatible liquid can be installed between the seals as a barrier fluid. This system works
well with exotic metal pumps also. A 316 stainless steel split seal can often back up an exotic
metal seal because it will only be activated when the first seal fails.
Emergency repair.
● You can install a split seal on a leaking pump and stop the leakage until you have time to replace
the seal that was specified for the pump. If there is not enough room between the seal gland and
the first obstruction you can cut off the existing gland and leave the leaking rotary unit attached to
the shaft inside the stuffing box.
Scheduling.
● Using split seals you can convert packed pumps at a much faster rate. In fact there is no longer
any need to wait until turn around time to fix or convert leaking pieces of rotating equipment.
In the past people would speculate if a mechanical seal would work in a given application, but now you
can install a split seal and learn the answer during the present work shift. A typical split seal application
is accomplished in less than one hour with thirty minutes being more common as the mechanic gains
experience.
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Pumps in parallel P006_1
The head/ capacity curve for a centrifugal pump will be supplied to you by the pump manufacturer. The
curve he supplies describes the relationship between the head and capacity of that particular model. As
you look at his drawing you should note that the BEP (best efficiency point) is located somewhere
between 80% and 85% of the shut off or maximum head. To maximize the life of the pump you should
operate the pump as close to the BEP as you can.
Please note that in each of the following diagrams I use the same terminology:
● H = Head or height, measured in feet or meters

● Q = Capacity measured in gpm, m3/hr or any other units you are comfortable with.
● S = A description of the system curve supplied by the consumer
● Unless the internal pump clearances go out of specification

you will always pump on the pump curve. As the centrifugal
pump's capacity increases the head will decrease or as the
capacity decrease, the head will increase. If you change one
you always change the other.
● The pump curve does not extend out to intersect the capacity
axis at some point. Beyond the noted limit the pump will go
into cavitation because of excess flow.
In other papers we learned that a system curve is a description of the various heads the pump will
encounter at the customer's desired capacities. The system curve is generated by the pump user and
supplied to the pump manufacture to assist him in selecting the correct pump for the application. The
head shown on the system curve is always a combination of:
● The static head. The vertical distance between the discharge of the pump and the maximum height
of the piping, minus the siphon affect
● The pressure head. The amount of pressure in the tank to be filled, converted to head units.
● The head loss caused by friction in the:
● Piping
● Valves
● And any fittings installed in the system
If you are not comfortable with these head terms please refer to paper 14-10 (U.S. customary units) or
paper 07-01 (metric units) for a detailed explanation.
Here is a diagram of a typical system head curve.
● Please note that the static and pressure heads remain constant in
most systems. It is the friction head that varies with the pump's
capacity. The higher the flow, the more friction or head loss in
these components.
● It should also be noted that friction loss varies by
approximately the square of the resistance. Twice as much flow
produces almost four times the friction losses
Once he has the customer's system curve in his possession, the pump
manufacturer will place his pump curve (P) on top of this system curve (S)
and the pump will then operate where the two curves intersect (I).
Hopefully this is close to the pump BEP
The next diagram shows two centrifugal pumps connected in parallel.
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These pumps could be either centrifugal or positive

displacement types. The terminology remains the same.
We connect pumps in parallel because we are trying to increase

the capacity (gpm or m3/hr) of the system
The following sketch shows what happens when two identical centrifugal pumps, connected in parallel,
intersect a system curve.
The pumps will pump where they each intersect the system curve.
Please take note of the following:
● With two pumps running they intersect at a higher head (B)

and a greater capacity than if one pump was running.
● To determine the flow of an individual pump while both are
running, trace back at that combined head to the single pump
curve and read the flow for each pump at "G". With two
pumps running, the system head is higher causing each pump
to reduce its capacity a little bit.
We sometimes hear complaints that when three pu mps are run in parallel the third pump often does not
seem to be making any difference. Look at the following diagram for an explanation:
Take a good look at the diagram and you will see that the third
pump (C) is intersecting the system curve at just about the
same point as the second pump (B).
All of this means that the capacity of three pumps running will
not be greater than that of two pumps running.
The next diagram is an example of three different size centrifugal pumps running in parallel. Running
different size pumps in parallel is seldom a good idea because the larger pump can throttle the smaller
pump causing it to run too far off of its BEP (best efficiency point.) This can cause shaft deflection and
possible premature bearing and seal failure.
Your best protection against excessive radial movement of the shaft caused by operating off the BEP
(best efficiency point is to equip the pump with a low L3/D4 shaft number.
If either (A) or (B) is running alone, it will intersect the system curve at
the point shown on the diagram.
If (A) and (B) pumps are running at the same time, the capacities are
additive at the same head. The resultant curve gives a new intersection
point on the system curve for the combined capacity.
To determine the flow contribution of each pump in this arrangement,

trace back to the intersection with curves (A) and (B),
You must be sure that the pumps will run individually in the system as well as in parallel. Please take a
look at the next diagram to see a problem application

Assume that when the pumps are running together, the combined
pump curve intersects the system curve within the operating range of
the pumps. (A&B).
If the pumps are run individually neither of them can develop enough
flow to intersect the users system curve. Because the pump is running
at the right hand side of it's curve the pump will cavitate and
experience all of the problems associated with severe shaft deflection.
Lets talk for a minute about what happens when you run PD (positive displacement) pumps in parallel.
Remember that the word "head" is not used with PD pumps. We will be using the term "pressure"
instead. Positive displacement pumps connected in parallel should have the same maximum pressure
capabilities. If they incorporate internal relief valves the valves should be set to the correct anticipated
pressures.
The rules are the same as running centrifugal pumps in parallel. You
add the capacities of the two pumps at the same pressure.
Now go back and look at the fourth diagram. In constructing these examples I used the same diameter
piping for the suction and discharge sides of both pumps, so the discharge head or pressure would be
identical coming from each of them. In practice the two pumps could be using different size piping and
the discharge head or pressure coming from the pumps would be different.
● If the piping for pumps #1 and #2 are identical, the head at the discharge of each pump would be
the same.
● If the piping for pump #1 were smaller than the diameter for pump #2, the only common diameter
would be where they discharge into pipe #3. How would the flow be affected in this second case?
● The higher friction loss in piping #1 would meet the head at the intersection of 1-3, The head from
pump #1 would drop when the flow encountered this larger diameter and the flow would increase.
● Both pumps #1 and #2 are running independently, with the system curve controlling, so pump #2
would continue to provide flow at a rate limited by the friction in the system
There are several reasons why you might want to use pumps running in parallel:
● Two smaller pumps could be less costly than running one large pump.
● In critical applications you need a back-up pump.
● Use parallel pumps to satisfy the demands of a changing flow system.
There are some considerations you must address when using parallel pumps:
● The pumps should run at the same speed with the same diameter impellers.
● Use installed hour meters to assist you in determining the service hours on each pump if you
alternate them in operation.
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Pascal
P007. PASCAL
A metric unit for describing small amounts of pressure.
The equivalent of one Newton per square meter.
100 kPa = one atmosphere.
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Pascals Law
P008. PASCAL'S LAW
One of the important hydraulic laws that dictates seal performance.
The law says, " if you pressurize a container with a liquid, the pressure will go un-diminished in all
directions". For all practical purposes liquids are not compressible.
Pascal's law applies to every hydraulic system you have ever seen, and explains that if the pump's
stuffing box is not leaking, the pressure is the same everywhere in the stuffing box.
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Permeable
P011. PERMEABLE
This means the same as porous. Fluids will penetrate permeable seal components. This is the reason we
want dense carbon-graphite and hard seal faces or otherwise bacteria and similar substances will
permeate into the faces.
It also follows that the denser the seal face, the better it can seal vacuum.
Some chemicals can permeate into the dynamic and static O-rings we use in mechanical seals and blow
out the low pressure side. This is a problem with the fluid ethylene oxide.
The solution to sealing ethylene oxide is to use dual seals with a high pressure barrier fluid befween the
seals to pevent a pressure differential across the O-rings.
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Physicals
P012. PHYSICALS
Requesting the physicals is the same as requesting the specifications for a product.
The physicals give you strength, thermal conductivity, coefficient of expansion and similar types of data.
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Piping Recommendations
P015. PIPING RECOMMENDATIONS
There are entire books written on this subject so in the next few paragraphs I will try to give you some of
the highlights of what you should know about piping as it relates to pumps and seals.
impeller.
● Pipe from the pump suction flange to the pipe rack, not the other way around.
● Make sure eccentric reducers are not installed upside down at the pump suction. The top of the
reducer should go straight into the suction flange.
● Piping should be arranged with as few bends as possible. If bends are necessary use a long radius
when ever possible
● T Branches and elbows should be installed perpendicular to the pump shaft, not at right angles.
● Substituting a globe valve for a gate valve in a piping system is similar to adding almost another
100 feet (31 meters) of piping to the system. On the discharge side of the pump this will cause the
pump to run off of its best efficiency point (BEP) with a resultant shaft bending. On the suction
side of the pump it will probably cause cavitation problems.
● Use eccentric reducers rather than concentric reducers at the pump suction. Concentric reducers
will trap air. Be sure the eccentric reducer is not installed up side down.
● If an expansion joint is installed in the piping between the pump and the nearest point of anchor in
the piping, It should be noted that a force equal to the area of the expansion joint (which could be
a lot larger than the normal piping size) times the pressure in the piping will be transmitted to the
pump proper. Pipe couplings that do not provide an axially rigid connection have the same affect.
If an expansion join or non-rigid coupling must be used it is recommended that a pipe anchor be
installed between it and the pump.
● It is always a good idea to increase the size of the suction and discharge pipes at the pump nozzle
in order to decrease the head loss from pipe friction.
● Suction piping should be at least one size larger than the suction flange at the pump.
● If increasers are used on the discharge side to increase the size of discharge piping, they should be
installed between the check valve and the pump.
● A check valve and a stop valve should be installed in the discharge line with the check valve
placed between the pump and the stop valve to protect the pump from reverse flow and excessive
back pressure.
● Expansion joints should be installed between the check valve and the pump.
● Suction and discharge piping should be supported to prevent transmitting forces and bending
moments o the pump casing.
● Suction piping must be kept free of air leaks.
● The installation of check valves should be avoided in the suction piping although they are often
used to reduce the number of valves that have to be operated in switching between series and
parallel pump operation.
● A foot valve is often installed in the suction piping to aid priming. Do not install one if the pump
is operating against a high static head because failure of the driver would allow liquid to rush back
suddenly, causing water hammer. This is especially true for vertical turbine and submersible
pumps that are not designed for use with a foot valve.
● Foot valves should be of the low loss flap type rather than the multiple spring variety and have a
clear passage for the liquid at least the same area as the suction piping.
● A horizontal suction line should have a gradual rise or slope to the pump suction.
● Cast iron pumps should never provided with raised face flanges. If steel suction or discharge
piping is used, the pipe flanges should be of the flat face type and not the raised face type. Full-
faced gaskets must be used with cast iron flanges.
● The optimum control valve location is within five feet (1,5 meters) of the pump discharge to
prevent too much surging of fluid in the system when the discharge is throttled. Vortexing can
occur if any of the following conditions are present:
❍ Low liquid levels
❍ Liquid level falling greater than 3 ft./sec. (1 meter/ sec.)
❍ There is a large concentration of dissolved gases in the liquid.
❍ High outlet velocities in pipes leaving vessels. Generally greater than 10 feet/sec. (3
meters/sec.)
❍ Liquids near their vapor point.
❍ High circulation caused by asymmetrical inlet or outlet conditions.
❍ Inlet piping too close to the wall or bottom of the tank. Consult the Hydraulic Institute
Manual or a similar publication for recommended clearances.

❍ In a mixer, the liquid level must be at least one and one half diameters of the blade, above
the blade.
The optimum pipe size will consider the installed cost of the pipe (the cost increases with size) and the
pump power requirements (the power required increases with pipe friction)
● Try to limit the friction loss at design flow to 2-5 feet for each 100 feet (1-2 meters for each 30
meters) of pipe).

Piping Recommendations
● To prevent the settling of solids you need a minimum velocity of about 4 to 7 feet per second (1.5
to 2.5 meters per second)
● Velocities of no more than 10 feet (3 meters) per second are recommended in the suction side
piping to prevent abrasive wear.
In multiple pump arrangements we would prefer to have the suction bells in separate bays so that one
pump suction will not interfere with another. If this is not practical, a number of units can be installed in
a single large sump provided that:

● There must be a minimum spacing of at least two suction diameters between pump centerlines.
● All pumps are running.
❍ The upstream conditions should have a minimum straight run of ten pipe diameters to
provide uniform flow to the suction bells.

❍ Each pump capacity must be less than 15,000 gpm.
❍ Back wall clearance distance to the centerline of the pump must be at least 0.75 of the
suction diameter.
❍ Bottom clearance should be approximately 0.30 of the suction diameter
❍ The minimum submergence should be as follows:
■ 20,000 gpm 4 feet
■ 100,000 gpm 8 feet
■ 180,000 gpm 10 feet
■ 200,000 gpm 11 feet
■ 250,000 gpm 12 feet
The metric numbers are:
● 4,500 1.2 meters

● 22,500 2.5 meters
● 40,000 3.0 meters
● 45000 3.4 meters
● 55,000 3.7 meters
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Reducer
R006. REDUCER
Normally referring to a pipe fitting that is used to reduce the diameter of the suction piping to fit the
pump intake.
Reducers are available in both eccentric and concentric designs. The eccentric reducer is shown on the
left and the concentric reducer on the right
Be careful to install the eccentric reducer with the straight side up to prevent trapping air at the pump
suction.
Concentric reducers frequently trap air when used at the suction of the pump.
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Pumps in pits
Subject: Pumps installed in pits. How to correct some existing suction problems.P015_1
Vortexing at the pump suction looks like a whirlpool of liquid in a sump or pit and sounds a lot like
cavitation. Vortexing will cause a loss of the pump's capacity and excessive pump shaft deflection that is
harmful to:
● Pump bearings.
● The coupling.
● The pump driver.
One way to tell the difference between a cavitation or vortexing problem is to remember that vortexing
problems are intermittent as the vortices form. Cavitation once started tends to stay with you. Proper pit
problem already exists? There could be several things that could have caused the recent vortexing
problem:

● If the discharge head of a centrifugal pump is reduced the capacity will increase.
● Maybe a larger pump has replaced a smaller pump that was originally installed.
● The pump could be running at a faster speed than the original design.
● The system has been altered to accommodate a change in the operation, the pump is producing
more capacity.
● The fluids/ solids mixer has changed.
● The pit inlet has been reduced. The line is restricted with solids of some type
● You have more air in the liquid. Maybe the return line is giving a water fall affect in the pit or
sump.
diameter of the bell (not the pump) inlet . This can vary with pump manufacturers because there is
minutes. If the pumps are on a float switch they should be sized to allow no more than four starts
per hour per pump.
able to:

● Increase the size of the inlet piping.
eddy flows. The first chart shows the recommended dimensions:

Pumps in pits
● Dimensions "Y and A" are recommended

minimum values. They can be as large as desired
but should be limited to the restrictions shown on
the chart.
● If the design does not include a screen, or if the
channel has a sloping approach, dimension "A"
● If the channel approach has a down slope the
angle should not be more than 15 degrees
● About the screens:

❍ The screen or gate width should not be
less than "S".

❍ Heights should not be less than "H".
● Use dimension "S" for the width of an individual

pump cell, or the center to center distance of two
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Pumps in pits

t009
T009. THERMOPLASTIC
A plastic material that can be softened or melted repeatedly without changing its properties.
Injection molded parts are manufactured with thermoplastic materials. You find many of these materials
in modern pump and seal designs.
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t010
T010. THERMOSETTING
A plastic material that can be softened and molded, but cannot be reused or reverted to its original state.
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Plated Seal Face
P019. PLATED SEAL FACE
In this design a hard coating is sprayed or plated on the base material. The main problem with this
configuration is that the base material and the hard coasting have two different thermal expansion rates
that will often cause the hard surface to crack. Please see heat-check.
Among the hard-coatings you will find:
● Stellite
● Chrome
● Tungsten carbide
● Silicon carbide
● Ceramic
Most of these coatings have a thin cross-section making them un-satisfactory for providing corrosion
resistance. Their function is limited to providing a wear surface in those applications where no heat
problems are anticipated.
Plasma spray is not recommended for mechanical seal faces. If you must use a spray coating the D gun
process is superior because it creates a chemical rather than a mechanical bond with the base material.
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Power End
P023. POWER END
● The end of the pump that does not get wet from the pumpage. The bearings (A & B) are located in
this power end.
● The motor or driver must be aligned with the power end. It attaches to the power end through a
coupling.
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Power Factor
P024. POWER FACTOR
In direct current applications, watts are defined as voltage times amperage, but in alternating current the
voltage leads or lags behind the amperage.
Power factor is a measurement of this leading or lagging.
The power factor at which a motor operates is dependent on the design of the motor, and is established at
rated voltage, frequency and power output.
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Press Fit
P029. PRESS FIT
This is the best way to insert a carbon-graphite face into a metal holder. The carbon will shear to conform
to the holder's irregular shape.
Some seal companies use a shrink fit, but irregularities in the outside diameters of the carbon and the
inside diameter of its holder causes stress problems when the holder shrinks around the carbon face. If a
carbon is inserted in this manner it must go through a series of stress relieving cycles to prevent the face
from going out of flat.
Stress relieving can be accomplished by taking the assembly through a series of temperature changes or
letting the assembly sit on a shelf and eventually "relax".
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Pressure Gradient
P032. PRESSURE GRADIENT
Usually referring to the pressure drop between the seal faces.
Commonly illustrated by a wedge shaped diagram. We speak of the gradient as being linear or non-linear
with linear meaning a straight-line drop.
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p035_1
P035_1. PREVENTING PREMATURE SEAL FAILURE
Here are some techniques you can use to prevent product problems that cause premature seal failure.
You can control the environment around the mechanical seal:
● Control the temperature in the seal area

● Use the correct spring or bellows compression.
● Use only balanced seals.
● Select a low friction face combination.
● Avoid "dead ending" the stuffing box.
● Jacket the stuffing box
● Quench behind the seal
● Use a gland jacket
● Utilize two seals with a barrier or buffer fluid between them
● Use heat tape around the stuffing box
● Use a heat pipe to remove heat from the stuffing box.
● Vent the stuffing box, especially in a vertical application
● Flush in a cool compatible liquid.
Control the pressure in the seal area
● Be sure to use only hydraulically balanced seals.

● Discharge recirculation will raise the stuffing box pressure if you put a restrictive bushing into the
bottom of the stuffing box.
● Suction recirculation will lower the stuffing box pressure.
● Use two seals and let the barrier fluid control the pressure between the seals.
● Cross-connect the stuffing boxes to equalize the stuffing box pressures in a multi-stage or double-
ended pump.
● Stage the stuffing box pressure with tandem seals.
● Impeller pump out vanes can lower stuffing box pressure.
Give the seal more radial space
● Bore out the existing stuffing box if it is possible. The wall thickness may not be thick enough.
● Make or buy a new back plate with the large stuffing box cast into it.
● Make or buy a large bore stuffing box and attach it to the back plate after you have machined the
old one off.
● Remove the troublesome product from the seal area if you are unable to control it.
● Suction recirculation will bring fluid into the stuffing box from behind the impeller, where it is
usually cleaner. This works on most closed impeller pump applications and those open impeller
pump applications where the impeller adjusts to the volute rather than the back plate.
● Flush the stuffing box with a clean liquid from an outside source.
● A pressurized barrier fluid between two seals can keep solids from penetrating between the faces,
if the faces should open. This application will also work if the solid particles are less than one
micron in diameter (Kaoline is such a product).
Design the seal to compensate for extremes in the operating conditions.
● Slurry features that can be part of seal design.

❍ Springs out of the fluid
❍ Teflon® coating - so particles will not stick to sliding components.
❍ The elastomer moves to a clean surface as the face wears.
● Rotate the spring-loaded face to take advantage of centrifugal force that will throw solids away
from the lapped faces.
● Rotate the fluid with the seal to prevent erosion of the seal components. A simple vane
arrangement can accomplish this.
● Use two hard faces if you find it impossible to keep the lapped seal faces together.
● Use a pumping ring to keep solids away from the faces.
● Mount the seal closer to the bearings to diminish the affect of shaft deflection.
● Mount the seal into a large clearance gland positioned between the stuffing box face and the
bearing case.
Design for higher temperature capability:
● Eliminate elastomers when ever possible.

● If you cannot eliminate elastomers, the O-ring location becomes important. Try to move the
elastomer away from the hotter seal faces.
● Hydraulically balanced seals generate less heat between the lapped faces.
● Select low friction faces.
● Fool proof, correct installation dimensions are necessary. A cartridge seal design is your best
choice.
● Keep a good product circulation around the seal components.
p035_1
● A good lapping technique will keep the faces flat at both high and cryogenic temperatures.
● Pumping rings will keep fluid circulating between two seals. If you are using balanced seals a
simple convection tank is usually more than adequate. An air operated diaphragm pump can be
used in the line to increase the circulation. Try to avoid the use of petroleum based fluids as the
barrier fluid between the seals. Petroleum based fluids have a very low specific heat that will
increase the temperature between the seals,
● Gland features such as quenching, recirculation, venting and flushing help.
● Choose well-designed faces that will resist thermal distortion. The closer you get to a "square
block" design, the better off you are going to be.
● Do not insulate the faces with an elastomer.
● Make sure the stuffing box is vented, especially in vertical applications
Design for pressure resistance:
● Limit the number of diameters in any single seal component

● Laminated bellows will allow you to keep a low spring rate while maintaining pressure capability,
if you are using a welded metal bellows design.
● Finite element analysis of the seal components will prevent pressure and temperature distortion.
● Use more mass to resist compressive hoop stresses.
● Higher modulus materials will resist bending and deformation.
● Use a tandem seal design for a pressure break down between two seals.
Design for corrosion resistance:
● Choose good materials. Make sure they are clearly identified by type and grade.
● Eliminate elastomers when possible. Elastomers are the most corrosion sensitive part of the seal.
● Design non stressed parts when ever possible
● Try not to weld any of the metal components. If it is necessary, monitor the temperature to
prevent inter-granular corrosion
● Control the stuffing box temperature. Corrosion increases with temperature.
● Use non-metallic materials for non-metallic equipment.
● Watch out for galvanic corrosion when using dissimilar materials.
● Do not use stainless steel springs. Stick with Hastelloy "C" if the metal parts of the seal are
manufactured from iron, steel, stainless steel, or bronze. If the seal is manufactured from a
different metal, use springs manufactured from that material.
● Do not depend upon flushing to provide corrosion resistance. Use the correct materials, keeping in
mind that solvents and steam are sometimes used to flush the lines. Any materials that you select
must be compatible with these flushing or cleaning fluids also.
If you need cryogenic capability:
● Go to a welded metal bellows configuration to eliminate all elastomers.

● You will need a special carbon/ graphite face that has an organic material impregnated to assist in
the release of the graphite lubricant.
● Avoid plated or coated hard faces. Differential expansion will cause them to crack.
● Always lap the seal faces at the proper cryogenic temperature.
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Pump Curve Modifications For Paper Stock
P039. PUMP CURVE MODIFICATIONS FOR PAPER STOCK
Paper stock is not a liquid so the centrifugal pump curve requires some modification based on the
percentage of paper stock you are pumping.
Use the following guide-lines if you do not have specific recommendations from the pump manufacturer:
Modify the curves for head, capacity, and efficiency as follows:
● 0.725 for 6% stock

● 0.825 for 5.5% stock
● 0.90 for 5%
● 0.94 for 4.5%
● 0.98 for 4%
● 1.0 for 3.5% or less
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Pump Installation Recommendations
P041. PUMP INSTALLATION RECOMMENDATIONS
● The pump should be located as close to the liquid source as practical so that a short, direct suction
pipe can be used.
● The mass of the pump concrete foundation must be five (5) times the mass of the pump, base plate
and other equipment that is being supported, or vibration will occur.
● Foundation bolts of the proper size should be embedded in the concrete.
● Up to 500 horsepower (375 kw), the foundation must be 3 inches (76 mm.) wider than the base
plate all around. Above 500 horsepower (375 kw) the foundation should be a minimum of 6
● If you are not going to use a "C" or "D" frame adapter that aligns with a registered fit, you are
going to have to do a physical alignment using either a laser or reverse dial indicators. Be sure to
compensate for thermal expansion and then check the alignment after the grouting has set and the
foundation bolts tightened.
pipe strain problems caused by the wet end of the pump expanding in only one direction. This
design will allow the wet end of the pump to expand in two directions instead of from the feet up,
destroying the wear rings. A good rule of thumb says that each inch of stainless steel metal will
expand 0.001 inches with each 100°F of temperature increase, The metric expansion is each
millimeter will expand 0.001 millimeters with each 50°C increase in temperature.
● A flexible coupling should never be used to compensate for misalignment between the pump and
its driver. The purpose of the flexible coupling is to allow for axial expansion of the shaft and to
transmit the torque from the driver to the pump.
● After the pump and motor have been aligned, dowel both the pump and the motor to the base
plate. Be sure to dowel only the feet closest to the coupling allowing the outboard ends to expand
with temperature changes. This is especially important with large pumps handling hot liquids.
● With the coupling disconnected, check impeller rotation after installing the pump. Generally an
arrow cast into most pumps will show you the proper direction. Even then do not assume it will
turn in the correct direction. I have heard about two speed pumps with the second speed wired
backwards. They will drive you crazy because the pump will often meet its head requirement but
not the capacity when the second speed cuts in. You will also notice excessive noise when it cuts
in.
● Discharge recirculation lines should not be piped to the pump suction because they can heat the
incoming fluid and possibly cause a cavitation problem. Pipe them to the source or some other
logical place if possible.
● Remember that you cannot vent a running pump because centrifugal force throws the liquid out
leaving the trapped air in the center or eye of the impeller.
● Vertical pumps that are running with a mechanical seal need a vent installed above the seal faces
and any dynamic elastomers in the seal to prevent the seal faces from running dry and overheating
of the dynamic elastomer. In this instance you can pipe the vent back to the pump suction.
● Positive displacement pumps can develop excessive discharge pressures, so a vent should be
installed in the discharge piping and piped back to the source.
● To prevent piping vibration problems:
❍ Eliminate all unnecessary bends because they provide a strong coupling point between
pulsation excitation forces and the mechanical system.

❍ If you must use bends, use the largest enclosed angles as possible and provide restraints
near each bend.

❍ Supports should be installed near all reducers and large masses such as valves, filters,
flanges, etc.
❍ Small auxiliary piping connections should be tied back to the main piping to reduce
vibration problems.
❍ Install vibration-damping devices where ever practical.
❍ Here is the proper way to vent a centrifugal pump after it has been installed, or the system
has been opened. I am assuming the pump is empty of liquid and both the suction and
discharge valves are shut.
■ Open the suction valve. The pump fills part way.
■ Close the suction valve.
■ Open the discharge valve part way. Once the pressure equalizes the air will rise in
the discharge piping.

■ Open the suction valve.
■ Start the pump.
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Pump Misconceptions
P042 PUMP MISCONCEPTIONS.
Here are some statements you often hear followed by my comments:
If you are going to use mechanical seals, large diameter stuffing boxes are good and the tapered version
is the best.
ans. Tapered stuffing boxes direct solids to the narrow end of the box where the lapped
seal faces are located. This concentration of solids can damage the lapped faces. In hot
condensate applications the increasing velocity can cause cavitation problems. One major
pump manufacturer actually put "speed bumps" into the stuffing box to slow down the
rotation of the fluid.
It makes sense to vent a running pump.
ans. You cannot vent a running pump because centrifugal force throws the heavier liquid
out the vent leaving the lighter air inside.
If the ball bearings are getting too hot you should cool down the bearing case.
ans. When you cool the outside diameter of a bearing the metal shrinks, increasing the
load and adding more heat to the bearing. People keep trying anyway; water hoses on the
bearing case are very popular.
If you are using packing in the pump, and there are solids in the fluid, flushing packing with a clean,
compatible liquid is sensible.
ans. The higher pressure flushing liquid will always follow the path of least resistance, and
that path is to atmosphere, not the inside of the pressurized pump.
A centrifugal pump cannot pump air.
ans. Sure it can, but it cannot pump the air high enough to overcome atmospheric pressure.
That is the reason you have to prime a centrifugal pump. You must remember that
centrifugal pumps pump everything to the same height, only the power required varies.
If you purchase a magnetic drive pump you can eliminate the need for mechanical seals.
ans. In some instances it is true, but if it were true in every case we would all use them
100% of the time. These pumps have several limitations and the most important one is that
because of the close clearances, and non-precision bearings, you are limited to pumping
clean liquids that will lubricate the bearings. If you ever pump the tank dry, you will
probably trash the pump.
The repeller pump is another way to eliminate the mechanical seal.
ans. Repeller pumps are notorious for pulling air into the system. In some applications this
can cause a foaming problem with the product. The design usually has some type of a seal
that opens when the pump is running and closes when the pump stops. Unfortunately the
seal faces frequently close on a dirty fluid that will cause the pump to leak when it is
stopped.
It is all right to use packing in a condensate pump. You do not need an expensive mechanical seal for
warm or hot water.
ans. There never has been a packing that will seal vacuum and that is the problem with
condensate pumps. Condensate pumps normally run with a negative pressure on the
suction that the manufacturer tries to destroy with a discharge recirculation line that still
allows CO2 and air to get in, and lets some of the valuable condensate leak out.
Shop water is a sensible choice for the flushing of pump stuffing boxes
ans. Shop water should never be used to flush a stuffing box unless there is an air gap in
the system. The fluctuating pressure in the stuffing box of a pump could back through the
flushing lines and contaminate the shop water system.
Shop water is a good choice to circulate coolant through the cooling jacket on a high temperature pump.
ans. There is too much calcium and other minerals in this type of water. Condensate or low
pressure steam would be a much better choice. Be sure to circulate into the bottom of the
stuffing box and out the top.

Pump Misconceptions
You can use the same shaft/sleeve arrangement when you convert a packed pump to a mechanical seal.
ans. Mechanical seals should be placed on solid, not sleeved shafts. In most sleeve
combinations the L3/D4 number is much too high. Remember that the packing was acting
as part of the pumps shaft support system. You need the solid shaft for its added stiffness.
Be sure to use a mechanical seal that will not frett the shaft. Pump shafts should not be a
spare part. If they are built from corrosion resistant materials they should be forever.
Discharge recirculation is a good alternative to avoid excessive throttling the discharge side of a
centrifugal pump.
ans. Not if you are going to recirculate to the suction side of the pump. It will raise the
inlet fluid temperature, and increase the chances of cavitation. Discharge recirculation will
also decrease the efficiency of your pump, and you did consider the efficiency when you
purchased the pump.
ANSI and DIN pump standards are a good guideline for the purchase of a centrifugal pump.
ans. If you are going to use conventional packing in the pump you really have no choice,
but if you want to use a mechanical seal, the standards call for an impeller location that is
too far away from the bearings. The overall length of the pumps is too long. A shorter
pump should cost less money and be a lot more reliable,
A high efficiency pump is desirable.
ans. Maybe it is desirable, but it will be a maintenance nightmare. High efficiency means
tight tolerances and smooth passages that will not interfere with fluid flow. You will spend
a lot of down time and money trying to maintain those two requirements.
Starting a centrifugal pump with the discharge valve shut is desirable because it will save power.
ans. Maybe it will save power, but it will also put an excessive radial thrust on the impeller
that could fail the mechanical seal or break the shaft.
You should never throttle the suction of a centrifugal pump.
ans. If the product you are pumping is explosive and close to its vapor point, suction
throttling may be your only option. Discharge throttling would produce additional heat that
might be dangerous.
Because of the time involved, you can justify not doing an alignment between the centrifugal pump and
its motor.
ans. If you will use a "C" or "D" frame adapter there is no excessive time involved. The
additional cost of one of these adapters is not significant enough to justify skipping the
alignment process.
A variable speed motor is a sensible alternative to throttling the discharge of a pump to regulate flow.
ans. This is true if the head is mainly system or friction head. If the main head is static or
pressures head a variable speed motor is not a wise choice.
It does not make any difference if you fill a tank from the bottom or the top.
ans. It all depends upon which type of pump you have. If it is a centrifugal pump you must
fill the tank from the top to avoid changing the head as the tank fills. If you are using a
positive displacement pump, filling from the bottom would make sense because you would
be saving power.
Return to index

Pump modifications
P043. PUMP MODIFICATIONS (CENTRIFUGAL)
If you learn that you have the wrong pump in your application and your company will not buy you the
correct pump because it costs too much money; you may still have the option of modifying the pump you
have to increase its performance and increase the life of the seal and bearings.
● Mechanical seals should run leak free until the sacrificial faces is worn away. Over 90% of
mechanical seal leak excessively long before they wear out.
● Pump bearings should run trouble free through out their L10 life. The L10 life of a radial bearing in
a Durco Mark II pump, size 3 x 2 x 10 is 300 years.
Here are a few modifications you can make to your centrifugal pump to extend the life of both the
bearings and seals:
Stabilize the pump shaft. Any time you reduce shaft deflection you will increase both seal and bearing
life.
● Reduce the L3/D4 number to below 60 (2 in the metric system).

● Shorten the shaft.
● Replace the sleeved shaft with a solid shaft.
● Install an upgrade new power end with a larger diameter shaft.
Install a support bushing in the end of the stuffing box to support a deflecting shaft.
● Carbon or any other bearing material that is chemically compatible with the pumpage should
work. A 0.002 inch per inch (0.002 mm/mm) of shaft diameter is a typical diametrical clearance
between the shaft and the bushing
The stuffing box bore is too small for mechanical seals. In most cases there is not enough material to
bore out so you will have to make or purchase a replacement part. Most of these standard stuffing boxes
were designed for 3/8" or 10-mm. packing. You need at least 1" (25 mm.) radial clearance to take
advantage of centrifugal force throwing solids away from the seal faces. The more room you can get, the
better off you will be or you can install an oversize bore stuffing box to give the mechanical seal more
room.
● Avoid tapered designs that direct solids to the lapped seal faces.
● If you install a large sealing chamber in place of the narrow packing stuffing box that came as
original equipment, you should be able to eliminate almost all need for clean flushing liquid in the
seal area. Make the stuffing box bore as large as possible.
❍ You can make an oversize stuffing box by welding a pipe to the volute back plate after the
old stuffing box has been cut away.

❍ Most pump manufacturers stock special back plates with the oversize stuffing boxes for
their popular pump designs.
Replace the stuffing box discharge recirculation line with a suction recirculation line connected from the
bottom of the stuffing box to the suction side of the pump, or any other low pressure point in the system.
Try to tap the bottom of the stuffing box as close to the seal faces as you can. Many of the quality
cartridge seals supplied today have this connection already installed. Needless to say this will not work
all the time. Here are four instances where suction recirculation would not be a good idea:
● Duriron pumps that adjust the semi-open impeller to the volute back plate. In this design the
stuffing box is very close to suction pressure.
● Any time you are pumping a product close to its vapor point. Suction recirculation usually lowers
the stuffing box pressure.
● Any time the solids in the pumpage float. In other words they have a specific gravity or density
lower than the liquid they float on.
Go to a centerline design wet end any time the pumpage exceeds 200°F (100°C).
● If you are using a closed impeller pump this is the best protection for the wear rings.
● The center line design will insure better centering for the mechanical seal, and possibly prevent
the rotating face from sliding off the stationary face.
● A centerline design will prevent some pipe strain on the suction side of the pump.
Use a "C" or "D" frame adapter to insure the best alignment between the pump and the motor.
● The adapter performs the same function as the bell housing on an automobile that aligns the
engine to the automatic transmission.
● The adapter eliminates the complaint that there is never enough time to do a proper pump/driver
alignment.
● The adapter equalizes the temperature between the pump and motor casings. This is a better idea
Pump modifications
than trying to equalize temperature through the shaft.
Install a sight glass into the bearing housing.
● The oil level should be through the center of the bottom ball in the bearing when the pump shaft is
not turning.
● If you are going to use grease lubrication. Hand pack the bearings but do not put grease into the
bearing housing. In other words, no grease guns!
Replace the bearing grease or lip seals that damage the shaft and allow moisture to penetrate into the
bearing housing.
● Positive face seals should be your first choice, with an expansion chamber installed in the housing
vent.
● Labyrinth seals are an alternative, but they only work when the shaft is turning. They are not very
good on intermittent pumps.
● Grease or lip seals have a design life of less than 2000 hours (84 days) and they will cut and
damage the expensive shaft.
● Do not use a vent on the top of the bearing case. Each time the pump stops the vent will allow
moisture to enter the bearing cavity as the oil cools down (this is called Aspiration). You are
much better off positively sealing the casing and installing an expansion chamber on the top of the
bearing casing to allow for air expansion.
Install a better thrust bearing retention method.
● Above 65% of its efficiency, a centrifugal pump is thrusting towards the volute and in many pump
designs it is being retained by a simple and inexpensive snap ring.
Check to be sure that the pump's suction specific speed number is less than 8500 (5200 in the metric
system)
● It is possible to change the impeller to a different shape if you need to meet this number.
Install an impeller inducer if you do not have enough NPSH available to prevent the pump from
cavitating.
● Most high-speed pumps ( greater than electric motor speeds ) come equipped with this inducer
feature.
Specify double volute designs any time the impeller diameter is 14" (356 mm.) or greater to prevent shaft
deflection. Smaller size pumps do not lend themselves to this modification.
Convert to a "Vortex" pump volute any time you are pumping liquid that contains lots of solids.
Although the pump efficiency will be lower than conventional designs, the increased service life will
more than compensate.
At overhaul time substitute a medium or heavy weight power end for the lightweight version that came
with the pump, and get most of the features we have discussed. Medium and heavy weight power ends
are available for most popular pump brands.
Install a split mechanical seal to fix a leaking pump. It doesn't make any sense to remove and
disassemble a pump just to fix a leak.
● In many cases insulation would have to be removed and then replaced.

● Pump disassembly means that you will have to do the alignment again.
● Both rotating and stationary versions of split seals are available.
❍ The seals can often be installed on shafts or sleeves that have been damaged by packing or
mechanical seals that frett shafts. The split seals are installed between the stuffing box and
the bearing case where we seldom find any damage.
❍ Split seals are located closer to the bearings making them less sensitive to radial movement
of the shaft.
In addition to the modifications mentioned, here are some more recommendations to help insure good
seal and bearing life.
● Since a seal failure is the most common reason for shutting down a pump, Install a back up seal
and convection tank to prevent unexpected shut downs.
● Change the bearing oil on a regular basis. Contact your favorite oil supplier for his
recommendation and then follow his advice. If the inside of the bearing frame has been coated
with a protective material to prevent rusting, avoid synthetic oils as their detergent action can
damage these protective coatings.
Pump modifications
● Maintain the proper oil level. Too much is just as bad as not enough.
● Trim the impeller to obtain operation at the best efficiency point (B.E.P). Throttling the pump
discharge is not the same thing.
● If you are using open impellers, keep them adjusted to the correct volute or backplate clearance.
● If you intend to use a closed impeller end suction centrifugal pump, try to convert to a design that
has adjustable wear rings.
● Install bearings by expanding the bore with an induction coil. Heating the bearing in a pan of
warm oil is not a good idea because the oil can easily be contaminated.
● Install pressure gages on the suction and discharge of the pump. This is the only way to tell if the
pump is running near its best efficiency point (BEP).
● Do not specify canned or magnetic pumps if:
❍ The pumping fluid contains solids.
❍ You might pump the tank dry.
❍ The pumping fluid is a poor lubricant.
❍ You need a wide operating window.
❍ Your product is sensitive to small increases in temperature.
Pumps equipped with a repeller and some sort of static seal can usually be converted to a good
mechanical seal.
● The problem with most repeller designs is that the seal faces are designed to open when the pump
is running and then close on any solids as the pump stops.
● The rule with mechanical seals is a simple one, "Keep the seal faces together", do not open them
on purpose.
● In negative stuffing box applications these repeller seals also have a habit of pumping air into the
product because of the open seal faces.
Return to index

Repeller
R010. REPELLER
One approach to eliminating seal problems in the standard centrifugal pump is to install some type of a
non-contacting seal and a "repeller". There are a lot of different designs but they all share the same basic
concept:
● As the pump is rotating a secondary impeller (referred to as a repeller) takes over to pump the
fluid going to the stuffing box back to the pump discharge. To be effective the repeller must be
the same diameter as the impeller.
● If there is packing in the pump the repeller will prevent leakage to the atmosphere.
● If the pump is sealed most designs have the seal faces in contact when the pump is stopped ands
then open when the shaft is at operating speed. This opening of the lapped seal faces can be done
by centrifugal force or an air system operating an expensive metal bellows.
When asked why the pump engineers felt it was necessary to come up with this complicated concept the
answer was always the same, "To restrict leakage and prevent premature wear of the mechanical seal
faces"
One look at the mechanical seals that had been removed from conventional centrifugal pumps would
have proved that this concept is flawed. There is plenty of wearable carbon face left on 90% of the
mechanical seals that were removed when the pump began to leak. A simple inspection would show that
for a variety of reasons the faces have opened and solids have penetrated between them causing face
damage. These solids penetrate into the softer carbon face where they are trapped. The impregnated
carbon face will then act like a grinder causing wear and damage to the hard face.
There are a couple of problems associated with repeller pump designs:
● Most of the designs open the faces on purpose allowing the solids to penetrate between the faces
as the pump slows down at shut off.
● If the stuffing box is packed, the repeller can pull air into the product
All is not bad however. To install these special mechanical seals most manufacturers need an oversized
stuffing box. This means that you can throw these "funny seals" away and there is usually plenty of room
to install a real seal with plenty of clearance.
To design a good seal for pumps or any other piece of rotating equipment you only have to follow a
couple of simple rules:
● Select designs that generate the least amount of heat.

● Design as many non-clogging features into the seal, as you can. Removing the springs from the
sealed fluid is a good example
● Keep the lapped seal faces together. Good seals are lapped to less than a micron of flatness
meaning that dirt or solids cannot penetrate until they open.
● Choose seal designs that have a short axial length and install them as close to the bearing as you
can.
● Choose designs that are easy to install. Split seals and cartridge seals are the obvious choices.
● If the product is dangerous use back up seals.
● When needed, apply the correct environmental control.
● Be careful to select materials that will be chemically compatible with the fluid you are sealing and
any cleaners or solvents that might be circulated throughout the system.
Return to index

Pump Repair
P045. PUMP REPAIR
Here are a few hints to help you do a better job of preparing your centrifugal pump for a mechanical seal:
All centrifugal pumps -
● When repairing the cutwater area make sure that you retain the proper minimum clearance
between the impeller and the cutwater. This minimum is 4% if the impeller diameter on impellers
up to 14 inches (255 mm), and 6% of the impeller diameter on impellers above 14" (255 mm).
● If bearings have failed catastrophically or are "locked up" be sure to take a precision measurement
of the bores that the bearings fit into and a precision measurement of the shaft journals that the
bearings are mounted on.
End suction pumps -
● When fabricating large bore seal chambers make the new chamber as long as possible to place the
seal as close to the bearing as possible. This will reduce the amount of shaft deflection that the
seal is subjected to.
● Take a close look at how the thrust bearing (usually the bearing closest to the coupling end of the
pump) is retained. Make sure that the bearing is held securely in place when you reassemble the
pump. When the pump is running, the thrust is normally towards the volute. Some manufactures
hold the thrust bearing with a simple snap ring. Try to come up with a better arrangement.
● When eliminating packing sleeves and replacing them with solid shafts be sure to use a shafting
material that is as corrosion resistant as the original sleeve.
● One of the bearings on the pump has to be allowed to "float" in order to accommodate thermal
growth of the rotating assembly. Make sure that the fit on the "floating" bearing will allow the
bearing to move easily. If the bearing cannot easily move it will be subjected to excessive thrust
loads and fail prematurely.
Split case double suction pumps:
● Some of these pumps use "sleeve nuts" to lock the sleeves in place on the shaft. When mounting
mechanical seals on these sleeve nuts be sure to check the sleeve nut outside diameters for
concentricity after assembling the rotating element.
● The impellers on these pumps are usually held centered in the pump case by the location of the
sleeves. If the impeller is not properly centered in the pump casing there will be a hydraulic
imbalance that could result in excessive thrust loads on the pump bearings.
● When converting these pumps from packing to mechanical seals make sure that the sleeves are
sealed either against the shaft or the impeller. Failure to do this could result in a leak path under
the sleeve to the atmosphere.
● Most of these pumps use a double volute design. If you are repairing the cutwater areas on these
pumps make sure that the cutwaters are exactly 1800 apart. Failure to do this will result in shaft
deflection due to uneven hydraulic loads on the impeller.
● These pumps often use diffuser fins in the pump case in the suction path of the pump. These fins
are designed to reduce turbulence as the fluid enters the impeller. If these fins have been worn
they must be repaired to their original shape in order for the pump to operate smoothly.
● The stuffing box areas on all split case pumps deserve special attention. When cutting or installing
casing gaskets make sure that the gasket is at least flush with the stuffing box face. Many OEM
gaskets are too short in this area.
● Pay close attention to the condition of the gasket surfaces on the pump casing adjacent to the
stuffing box. This area is subject to more corrosion than the rest of the pump casing due to
frictional heat caused by packing and the presence of oxygen around the packing outside
diameter.
● Impeller wear rings should have their final outside diameter machined after the wear rings have
been installed on the impeller if possible. This eliminates any "out of round" conditions due to
"set screw distortion", welding or rough handling.
● The fit between the casing wear ring outside diameter and the pump casing should have no
clearance. Any clearance in this area will cause internal re-circulation and rapid casing erosion.
● When purchasing casing rings, check them for concentricity before installing them. These parts
are often damaged during shipping and handling.
Return to index

Pump Rotation
P046. PUMP SHAFT ROTATION DIRECTION
According to the Hydraulic institute Standards, rotation is defined as clockwise or counter clockwise by
looking at the driven end of a horizontal pump, or looking down on a vertical pump.
Return to index

s083
S083. STARTING A CENTRIFUGAL PUMP
Assuming that the impeller is not frozen in place, the seal faces are not stuck together, the pump is full of
liquid, properly vented, and the pump is not wired to run backwards; there really is no good way to start a
centrifugal pump.
If you are using a low specific speed impeller the pump will require less horsepower if you start with the
discharge valve throttled. If you have a higher specific speed impeller the high power requirement comes
at higher head so you would want to start with the discharge valve open.
All of that is fine if power is your only concern. The fact is that in both cases the pump will initially run
off its best efficiency point (BEP) and this will cause high radial forces that could bend the shaft enough
to fail the mechanical seal, break the shaft, or cause leakage at start-up.
Your best protection against damage at start-up is a low L3/D4 shaft that will resist these bending forces
or a close fitting bushing in the stuffing box of a sealed pump that will support the shaft as it deflects.
In other words it is the intermittent service pump that is going to cause all of the difficulties. Pumps that
run twenty-four hours a day are seldom a problem because it is easy to specify a pump that will run close
to its BEP. (best efficiency point). The other applications that do not have the problem include:
● Double volute pumps.

● Very low L3/D4 pump shafts.
● If the application is predominately system head and not static or pressure head.
High temperature pumps should be warmed up prior to starting, and the open impeller clearance checked
to be sure there is no rubbing that will damage both the impeller and volute.
Return to index

Pump Size
P047. PUMP SIZE
Three numbers determine the size of a centrifugal pump. The numbers describe:
● The inside diameter of the inlet piping in either inches or millimeters.

● The inside diameter of the outlet piping in either inches or millimeters.
● The diameter of the largest impeller you can put on the pump, not necessarily the one that is on
there now.
So what do the numbers describe on a 3 x 2 x 13 pump?
● The largest number is always the impeller size.

● You can identify the other two if you recognize that the outlet cannot be larger than the inlet. If it
were you could pump out more than you took in, and that would be stupid*, so:
❍ 3 inches is the size of the inlet
❍ 2 inches is the size of the outlet
❍ 13 inches is the size of the largest impeller you can put on the pump.
Some people use only the outlet pipe size to describe the pump and refer to it as a six-inch pump.
Remember also that this is the nominal size only and does not help you to determine the capacity of the
pump.
* one exception to this statment is found with some sewage lift station pumps where the inlet of the
submerged pump is smaller than the outlet to prevent clogging.
Return to index

Pump Standards Problems
P049. PUMP STANDARDS PROBLEMS
Ask for a pump recommendation from your favorite supplier and chances are he will recommend one of
the standard pump designs that conform to either the ANSI (American National Standards Institute), API
(American Petroleum Institute) or DIN (German Industrial Norm) specifications. On the surface that
might seem like a good recommendation but the fact is that all of these designs will cause you excessive
maintenance problems.
Please refer to the following illustration. I have pictured some of the more obvious problems that we find
with these designs. The top half of the drawing shows the installation of a labyrinth seal to replace the
original oil or grease seal. It also shows a mechanical seal installed in the stuffing box.
The impeller is too far away from the bearings
● The pump was designed for packing and that is where the problem starts. To produce enough
axial space to accommodate at least five rings of packing (any less would cause sealing
problems), a lantern or lubricating ring, a gland to tighten the packing and enough room to for
your hands, the manufacturer had to move the pump impeller too far away from the bearings. He
is depending upon the packing to act as part of the bearing support system; especially at start up
when the shaft is subjected to its maximum radial deflection.
● Impeller unbalance, vibration, misalignment, pipe strain, cavitation, critical speeds, and other
forms of shaft deflection add to the existing problems causing excessive movement of the
mechanical seal components.
● If the pump had been designed for a mechanical seal the impeller would have been positioned
closer to the bearings saving considerable initial investment cost (short shafts cost less money).
This was not done, so the seal is jammed into the small radial space allotted to the packing.
In most cases a sleeve was installed on the shaft
● In a high percentage of cases the shaft diameter was reduced to accommodate the sleeve and this
compounded the problem. Sleeves are installed for several reasons:
❍ To provide corrosion resistance when building the solid shaft of corrosion resistant
material would be too costly.

❍ To provide a wear surface for packing and those seals that frett or damage shafts.
❍ To position an impeller
❍ Some seal manufacturers use the sleeve as a convenient method of attaching a metal
bellows seal to the shaft.

● In ninety percent of the cases the second reason is why most manufacturers use shaft sleeves. To
evaluate the relationship between shaft diameter and length, familiarize yourself with the concept
of L3/D4 and shaft deflection
The stuffing box inside diameter is too small
● The stuffing box cross section was narrowed to about 3/8 inch (10 millimeter) to accommodate
small cross section packing. In the smaller shaft sizes the cross -section is 5/16" (8 mm.). This
narrow space does not give the seal enough room to utilize centrifugal force to throw solids away
from the lapped seal faces, or provide enough clearance for adequate cooling of the components
and sealing fluid. This has caused many customers to provide expensive and unreliable outside
flushing that could be eliminated in many instances if there was adequate room between the seal
and the inside wall of the stuffing box.
The stuffing box is too long.
● The length was added to accommodate all the rings of packing and the lantern ring. Recognizing
this length as a problem the manufacturer did not leave enough room between the face of the
stuffing box and the first obstruction, to accommodate some of the modern cartridge double seals
or the newest split mechanical seals.

There is no double volute to prevent radial loading of the impeller
● This has caused customers to install inefficient "by pass" lines to prevent shaft breakage and seal
damage at start up, or when running too far off of the best efficiency point of the pump.
Most of these pumps are of the back pull out design.
● This means that the wet end is left on the piping and the power end along with the adapter are
brought back to the shop for seal replacement and repair. Unless you have a seal cartridge
mounted, or you are using a split seal design, you will have trouble making an initial impeller
adjustment with most of the open impeller designs in use today. The direction of adjustment
varies with manufacturers.
The impeller adjustment is almost always made from the bearing end of the pump.
● This means that to compensate for wear (a very common problem when pumping abrasives) the
shaft has to be moved either towards the front of the pump volute or, as in the case of the Durco
pump, in reverse towards the back plate. This movement can be as much as a total of 0.250 inches
(6 millimeter). In either case the seal setting is disturbed and short seal life follows. Most plants
have both types of designs that cause confusion with the mechanics.
● There are a couple of pump designs where the impeller to volute clearance is adjusted at the
pump's wet end, but they are not very common, The Ahlstrom pump company has such a design.
The pump manufacturer is supplying the wrong mechanical seals.
● Unless you have specified a particular seal brand and model number, the seals are always
unbalanced designs with unknown grades of materials, having very limited application and
causing a profusion of spare parts.
● Most original equipment manufacturer (OEM) seals will damage shafts (fretting) causing the use
of shaft sleeves that will weaken the shaft and raise the L3/D4 number above 60 (2 in the metric
system)
"C" or "D" frame adapters are not being provided as standard equipment.
● Although not available for every pump, these adapters can be used to eliminate the need for time
consuming and costly alignment procedures. None of the smaller popular pumps are equipped
with jack bolts to facilitate the manual alignment and this just compounds the problem. The result
is that we find alignment not being done at all in some cases, and done poorly in others. The
excuse is always the same, "There is no time to do it correctly". The result is poor seal and
bearing performance.
Lip or grease seals are being provided to protect the bearings from water getting in and destroying the
lubrication.
● These lip seals have a design life of less than two thousand hours (three months) and will damage
the expensive shaft as they remove the protective oxide layer. All pump manufacturers recognize
the short life problem and they install a small rubber ring outboard of the lip seal to try to deflect
the water or leaking chemical away from the bearings.
● Water ingestion is a major cause of bearing failure. Liquid enters the bearing through the lip seals
from three different sources:
❍ Packing leakage.
❍ From the water hose that is used to wash away packing leakage.
❍ From the atmosphere (aspiration) when the pump stops and the bearing case cools down.
As much as 16 ounces (0,5 liters) of air is expelled from the pump as its temperature
increases from ambient to operating. This moisture-laden air returns through the vent or lip
seals as the bearing case cools down at pump shut off.
● Most of the problems with water ingestion can easily be solve by replacing the lip or grease seals
with mechanical face seals and providing an expansion chamber on the bearing case. Labyrinth
seals are another solution although they are not as totally effective as face seals. Neither the
labyrinth seals nor the face seals should cause fretting problems at the bearing location.
The bearing lubrication system is poorly designed.
● The oil level must be located half way through the lower ball of the bearings when the pump is
shut off. You need a good sight glass to see this location. Most pumps do not have a proper sight
glass and an oiler doesn't make any sense since there is no place for the oil to go, and it cannot
wear out.
● Greased bearings applications have no protection to prevent over greasing. The recommended
greasing procedures generally are not followed.
● An oil mist system would be the best if you could solve the problem of leakage of the mist to
atmosphere and the resultant fugitive emissions problems.
● If you open the bearing case of your spare power ends you will find that the inside of the case is

often badly rusted. The manufacturer should have provided some type of a protective coating to
prevent this problem. If you elect to provide your own coating (and you should) be careful about
using synthetic oils for your bearing lubrication. These synthetic oils contain strong detergents
and can remove many of these protective coatings.
A recirculation line has been installed from the discharge side of the pump back to the stuffing box.
● Many liquids contain solids. Centrifugal force will throw these solids against the inner wall of the
volute and out this recirculation line. They will then enter into the stuffing box at high velocity
causing premature seal failure.
● In most cases the problem can be solved by eliminating this discharge recirculation line and
connecting a new line from the bottom of the stuffing box to the suction side of the pump. This
will recirculate fluid from behind the impeller (where it is much cleaner) through the stuffing box,
and back to the suction side. CAUTION do not connect to the suction side if solids in the fluid
float (centrifugal force will throw the clean liquid out) or if you are pumping the fluid at or near
its vapor point. It could flash in the stuffing box.
● This system is not as effective if you are using an open impeller design that adjust towards the
back plate (Durco as an example) or double ended pumps where the stuffing box fluid is at
suction pressure.
The thrust bearing is being retained by a simple snap ring.
● Up to 65% of its efficiency most centrifugal pumps thrust towards the thrust bearing, but between
65% and 100% of the pumps efficiency (the normal running mode) the thrust is towards the pump
volute and this means that the simple snap ring is carrying the whole load. This is the reason we
see so many bent and broken snap rings. A more positive retaining system is needed.
The wet end is not a center line design
Example "B" in the illustration explains the centerline

concept.
This design will compensate for metal expansion at the wet

end of the pump. It should be specified every time the
pumping temperature exceeds 200° F (100° C).
The standard design is shown in figure "A".
Note in illustration "A" that any thermal growth of the volute will cause it to move vertically because the
pump wet end is supported only on the bottom of the volute. This will cause pipe strain on the suction
side of the pump and is one of the major causes of wear ring damage.
In figure "B" you will note that the volute is being supported on its sides. This will allow thermal growth
to take place both up and down, eliminating a great deal of the pipe strain, wear ring damage and
subsequent seal misalignment at the stuffing box face.
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Pump Technology Here Is What Is Available
P050. PUMP TECHNOLOGY, HERE IS WHAT IS AVAILABLE
We all want the best pump for our money, but too often we do not know what the best pump is.
Once you have selected the correct size pump for your application, here are some features you should be
looking for. Keep in mind that some manufacturers do not have all of them:
● Low shaft diameter to length ratio.Less than 60 L3 /D4 . Less than 2 in the metric system
● Large operating window.
● Positive bearing sealing. No grease or lip seals that will cut or frett the pump shaft.
● Reliable bearing oil level indication.
● Bearing oil-cooling availability.
● Low net positive suction head required (NPSHR).
● A double volute to prevent shaft deflection.
● Suction specific speed number below 8500 (5200 metric).
● The impeller should be investment cast.
● The ability to adjust the impeller clearance from the wet end to prevent seal face load change.
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Pump Types
P051. PUMP TYPES.
There is no end to the variety of pumps available today. Here is a description of some of the common
centrifugal types you will be using:
The end suction centrifugal pump.
The fluid enters the horizontal inlet and discharges out the vertical
outlet.
Centrifugal pumps account for about 90% of the pumps used in

industry. In the United states about 85% of these pumps are
supplied with open impellers. In Europe most centrifugal pumps
are supplied with closed impellers
The end suction centrifugal, double volute pump
The double volute design was created to reduce shaft deflection

problems when the pump is operating off its best efficiency point
(BEP).
Because of its lower efficiency, the double volute design has just
about disappeared in the smaller size pumps.
Horizontally split double ended pump
Double ended pumps are specified:
● For higher capacity.

● If you need a lower net positive suction head required
(NPSHR) than that required for end suction centrifugal
pumps.
Vertical, inline pump
These pumps take up very little floor space and eliminate most
pipe strain problems.
Most of them are close coupled or come equipped with a "C or D"
frame adapter eliminating the need for alignment with the motor.
Vertical turbine pump, Sometimes called a deep well pump.
These pumps were originally made for pumping deep wells. They
have been made for heads as high as 1000 feet (300 meters) and
capacities as high as 25000 gpm (5700 m3/hr)
These pumps are normally equipped with sleeve or journal

bearings.

Pump Types
Self-priming, end suction centrifugal pump.
The main purpose of these pumps is to remove any air that might
be entrained on the suction side of the pump that will prevent the
pump from functioning.
The closed impeller pump.
This design is widely used in oil refineries or any application

where the product is explosive. The soft wear rings provide a
safety feature in the event the pump experiences a bearing failure.
The close coupled pump.
This design eliminates alignment problems. The pump shaft is an

extension of the motor shaft.
Unfortunately most commercially available close coupled pumps

have too large an L3/D4 shaft number.
Double ended, multi stage pump
Multistage pumps are the logical method of providing a high

head pump any time you need a decent capacity.
Rotary or positive displacement pumps can provide the high head

if the capacity is low.
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s024
S024. SEAL ONLY PUMP
This type of pump does not have a conventional stuffing box, so it could not be supplied with soft
packing.
Many small pumps fall into this category. The water pump on your automobile is a seal only pump.
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Pumpage
P052. PUMPAGE
This is what we call the fluid we are pumping.
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s063
S063. SLURRY SEALING
you must consider:
cartridge seals.
open.
microns.

components.
their problems:
s063
Comment:


dirty fluid.
Comment:


Comment:


pump.
Good Solution #1.
liquid :
❍ Finished, clean product or one of the mixture's clean ingredients
❍ A liquid compatible with what you are sealing.

s063
❍ A solvent.
❍ An additive that is going to be added down stream and could be injected into the stuffing
box location.
❍ Clean water.
NOTE: Never introduce live steam into the stuffing box as it could cause the product to flash and the
pump to cavitate.
Good Solution #2.
Good Solution #3.
Good Solution #4.
applications.
pressure.
questionable.

s063
adjustment.
of wear ring wear.
If you elect to use a rotating metal bellows in a slurry application, remember that the bellows should
rotate the fluid in the sealing chamber. Most bellows designs allow the thin bellows plates to cut through
the abrasive slurry and experience severe wear and breakage in a short period of time.
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Pusher Seal
P054. PUSHER SEAL
A design that has a spring loaded dynamic plastic, elastomer or rubber like part. Sometimes the term is
used to describe any mechanical seal design other than a bellows type.
The Crane #9 (#109 International) is a typical pusher seal
In this design you can see that the springs are pushing a Teflon® wedge (plastic) to the shaft and the
remaining spring force is used to keep the lapped seal faces in contact.
These designs are notorious for fretting the expensive shaft or sleeve.
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s017
S017. SEAL, FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is considered good life for a mechanical seal?
● The only part of a mechanical seal that is supposed to be sacrificial is the carbon face. The seal
should run leak free until the carbon face is worn away. If the seal leaks for any other reason we
consider it a premature failure and always correctable.
● Two hard faces are selected when carbon is not acceptable in the application and you have run out
of options. You are then trying to get the longest life you can.
● The only variable in seal life should be the lubricating quality of the product you are sealing. Hot
water, many gases and most solvents are typical non-lubricants.
● With all of that said, the fact is that in excess of eighty five percent of mechanical seals fail
prematurely. When seals are removed from the running pump most of the carbon face is still
intact. Little face wear is the rule not the exception.
Why do most seals fail prematurely?

● The seal faces open.
What are the most common causes of component damage?
● Corrosion of one of the seal components.

● Physical damage that includes the affects of high heat, pressure and shaft displacement
What are the most common causes for the lapped seal faces to open?
● The seal was set screwed to a hardened shaft.

● Solids in the product are clogging the moveable components.
● The product changed state and interfered with the free movement of the seal. It:
● Crystallized.
● Became viscous.
● Solidified.
● Built a film on the sliding components and the lapped faces.
● The product vaporized across the lapped faces blowing them open.
Do seal faces have to be lubricated? Can they run dry?
● The graphite in the carbon/graphite face is a natural lubricant. In operation the graphite separates
from the mixture and transfers to the hard face. This means that the seal face combination you are
normally running is carbon on graphite. The hard face is just some place to put the graphite.
● Moisture must be present for the graphite to separate from the carbon/graphite mixture.
● Running dry means higher heat at the faces. If you are using a good unfilled carbon/graphite (and
you should be) the faces are not going to be your problem. The elastomer and the product you are
sealing can be very sensitive to a temperature change in the stuffing box or an increase of
temperature at the seal faces.
Do seal faces have to be kept cool?
● Most carbons and hard faces can tolerate a lot of heat. The elastomers (rubber parts) are the parts
you have to watch. They are the most sensitive to a change in stuffing box temperature, especially
if they are positioned in the seal face.
● Hydraulically balanced seals generate very little heat between the faces.
● Unbalanced seals usually require cooling because of the excessive heat they can generate.
● Some face combinations generate more heat than others, two hard faces as an example.
● Some seal materials conduct heat better than others. Ceramic is a poor heat conductor and carbon
is not much better. Tungsten carbide and silicon carbide are excellent conductors of heat.
When should you use two hard faces?
● With any of the oxidizing agents.

● When sealing any of the halogens.
● If the product tends to stick the faces together.
● If you are sealing hot oil and you have to pass a fugitive emission test.
● Some de-ionized water will attack carbon in any form.
● When you are not allowed anything black in the system because of the possibility of color
contamination.
● Any time carbon/graphite will not work for some reason
● If the specifications call for two hard faces.
Why not standardize on two hard faces?

s017
● They generate higher heat than the carbon/ hard face combination.
● They are not very forgiving. If the faces are not dead flat at installation, they seldom lap them
selves flat in operation.
Do seals have to leak?
● Any good quality mechanical seal should run without visible leakage.
● Single, stationary, (the springs do not rotate) hydraulically balanced mechanical seals can pass a
fugitive emission test as long as the rotating portion of the seal is designed to be located square to
the shaft.
● Rotating seals (the springs rotate with the shaft) seldom can pass a fugitive emission test. They are
too sensitive to various forms of misalignment.
● Cartridge mounted stationary seals usually fail fugitive emission testing because the set screwing
of the cartridge to the shaft prevents the rotating face from positioning its self square to the shaft.
Some seal companies offer some type of a self-aligning design to solve this problem.
Why do most original equipment seal designs frett and damage the shaft under the dynamic elastomer or
spring loaded Teflon®?
● Corrosion resistant shafts and sleeves protect themselves from corrosion by forming a protective
oxide (ceramic) layer on the metal surface. The dynamic elastomer in the seal polishes this layer
away as the shaft slides through the elastomer because of shaft vibration, pipe strain,
misalignment etc.
● The ceramic protective oxide that is removed by the polishing action imbeds its self into the
elastomer causing it to act as a grinding wheel that increases the sleeve or shaft damage.
Do you have to flush most slurry applications?
● It depends upon the percentage of solids. Most fluid with entrained solids can run without flush if
you have met the following conditions:
❍ The packing stuffing box has been replaced with a larger inside diameter version.
Centrifugal force will throw the solids away from the lapped seal faces.
❍ You are using a hydraulically balanced seal that generates low heat.
❍ The seal springs are not located in the fluid.
❍ The fluid is at the seal outside diameter.
❍ The dynamic elastomer moves to a clean surface as the carbon wears.
❍ You are using suction recirculation to get flow in the stuffing box.
I am looking for a simple solution to a difficult problem. Do discharge recirculation filters or cyclone
separators installed between the pump discharge and the stuffing box make sense in slurry applications?
● I wish they did! Filters clog and then there is no circulation in the stuffing box. Cyclone
separators were never intended to be a single pass devise. The also require a substantial difference
in pressure between the discharge and the clean liquid connections. In a pump application these
pressures are too close together.
If I put a higher fluid pressure barrier fluid between dual seals, shouldn't that keep the faces clean?
● No, the clean fluid always takes the path of least resistance. That is the same reason that higher
pressure air does not keep dry solids from penetrating the lapped faces.
● Centrifugal force will pack solids in front of the inboard seal face and restrict its movement.
Do you need a higher pressure fluid between dual seals?
● Higher pressure is called barrier fluid; lower pressure is called buffer fluid.
● The only dual seals that require a barrier fluid are the "back to back" rotating, unbalanced
versions, and you shouldn't use them any way.
● Balanced tandem seals (one behind the other) use a buffer fluid that will not dilute your product if
the inner seal fails. They also put the pumping fluid at the inner seal outside diameter where it
belongs.
● Dual seal should be hydraulically balanced in both directions so that they will stay shut regardless
of the direction of the fluid pressure.
How does seal hydraulic balance work?
● There are two forces closing the seal faces.

❍ A spring force caused by the spring, springs, or bellows pushing on the seal face.
❍ A hydraulic force caused by the pressure of the fluid acting on the closing area of the seal
faces.
● There are three forces opening the mechanical seal:
❍ A hydraulic force caused by fluid or vapor trapped between the lapped faces.

s017
❍ Centrifugal force that is causing the rotating portion of the seal to try and become
perpendicular to the rotating shaft.
❍ Hydrodynamic forces generated between the seal faces because for all practical purposes
liquids are not compressible.

● Since the closing force is almost always the higher force, we balance these opening and closing
forces by reducing the closing area of the seal faces and thereby reduce the closing force. This is
normally done by a small sleeve inserted into the seal or as step machined into the shaft. Metal
bellows seals have an effective diameter measured through the bellows to accomplish the same
thing.
Is it OK to have a third party rebuild my mechanical seals?
● Not really. If you are happy with your seal have the manufacturer, or the company that sold it to
you do the rebuilding. Here are a couple of reasons why:
● Carbon/graphite has to be molded in a sintering process. The third party does not own the molds
for your carbon/graphite face. Machined carbons do not have the density required for good seal
faces.
● There are many grades of elastomers. How do you insure you have the right grade? You cannot
tell by looking at the part.
● Lapping is a real art. The temperature has to be closely controlled to get the right flatness.
Should I be using split mechanical seals?
● There are places where they are the only logical solution:
❍ Double ended pumps. If one seal is leaking why take the pump apart and change both?
Change only the one that is leaking.

❍ Large vertical pumps. Sometimes you have to take the roof off the building to remove the
solid mechanical seal.

❍ Large size shafts are a natural for split seals.
❍ Changing a seal means doing a re-alignment. Why go through that again?
❍ If you have to remove a lot of pump insulation to get to the seal.
❍ If the pump is in an awkward location, split seals make sense.
❍ Many split seal designs can run with no visible leakage, but they seldom can pass a
fugitive emission test that calls for leak rates in the order of parts per million.
If I touch the lapped faces, are they ruined?
● Not at all. Touching seal faces seldom causes any problems. We are trying to keep solids from
penetrating between the lapped faces so the less you handle them the less likely solids will be
deposited on the faces.
Why should you not use stainless steel springs or stainless steel bellows in mechanical seals?
● Chloride stress corrosion is the problem and chlorides are every where. Use hastelloy "C" springs
and metal bellows and you will never have this problem.
Why not standardize on Teflon® as the preferred rubber part in a mechanical seal?
● Teflon® is not an elastomer; it does not have a memory. It has to be spring loaded to the sleeve or
shaft. This spring loading interferes with the flexibility of the seal and prevents the elastomer part
from flexing and rolling to compensate for minor shaft movements.
Why not mount the seal outside the stuffing box and then dirt and solids will not get into the springs and
sliding parts of the mechanical seal?
● The sealing fluid will be at the inside diameter of the lapped faces and centrifugal force will throw
solids into the faces.
● Solids will pile up in front of the seal preventing the faces from moving forward when the carbon
wears.
What is a cartridge seal?
● The rotating portion of the seal is mounted on a cartridge sleeve and this assembly is connected to
the stationary portion of the seal along with the seal gland to form a cartridge assembly. Cartridge
seals simplify the assembly process and allow you to make impeller adjustments without upsetting
Do I need the new gas seals if I want to seal fugitive emissions?
● You can use them, but you do not have to. Conventional rotating seals do not pass fugitive
emission tests because of their sensitivity to misalignment. Stationary seals usually do not have
this limitation.
s017
● The difficulty arises when you try to install a stationary seal on a cartridge sleeve. When you
tighten the sleeve set screws to the pump shaft you introduce misalignment between the rotating
seal face and the rotating shaft. Hysteresis (delay or lag) problems take over and the result is the
stationary seal design fails to pass the fugitive emission test. Any good cartridge mounted self-
aligning seal can resolve this problem.
● Although a single seal can pass the test, a dual seal is recommended with a low pressure buffer
fluid between the seals to act as a back up when the first seal wears out or fails. The buffer fluid
will prevent unwanted product dilution and simplify the installation because there is no need for a
compatible high pressure barrier fluid that is often hard to find.
Why does my outside mounted seal make a whistling sound?
● The seal faces are running dry. The product is not a lubricant.
Every time I remove a rubber bellows seal from my pump it is stuck to the shaft. Why?
● It is supposed to vulcanize its self to the shaft so that it can drive the rotating face. If you can
remove it easily something is wrong. You probably used the wrong lubricant on the rubber during
installation. This is a case where the lubricant we use is supposed to attack the rubber and make it
swell.
When my metal bellows seal fails because of breakage at the plates, the break is always near the end
fittings and never in the middle of the bellows. How is that explained?
● This is the common mode of failure for excessive vibration. Metal bellows seals need some type
of vibration damping to stop harmonic and "slip stick" vibration problems.
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Radial Bearing
R002. RADIAL BEARING
Also known as a line bearing.
In most end suction centrifugal pumps it is the bearing located closest to the stuffing box. This bearing
handles most of the radial loads put on the impeller. (#16)
The other bearing in the power end of the pump, located close to the coupling, is called the thrust bearing
(#18).
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Reduction
R007. REDUCTION
This is the opposite of oxidation. When a product oxidizes it combines with oxygen.
A reduction process will either remove oxygen from the compound or add hydrogen.
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Renkin Scale
R009. RENKIN SCALE
This scale is used to measure low temperatures in the Fahrenheit numbering system.
It is similar to the Kelvin scale that is used to measure low temperatures in the Centigrade system.
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Rigid shaft
R015. RIGID SHAFT
This is a shaft with a rotating speed lower than its first critical speed.
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RMS
R016. RMS
These letters stands for "root mean square", a measure of the surface finish or smoothness of a shaft or
seal face measured in micro-inches.
The number represents the square root of the mean (middle) distance between the peaks and valleys that
make up the surface of the seal face or pump shaft.
The metric system uses C.L.A. or centerline average for the same purpose. The metric measurement is
made in microns.
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Run Out
R024. RUN OUT
Twice the radial distance that the center of the shaft is displaced from the axis of rotation.
Run-out can be caused by:
● Operating off of the pump's best efficiency point (BEP).

● Dynamic unbalance of the rotating assembly.
● A bent shaft.
● A non-concentric shaft sleeve or mechanical seal
● Cavitation
● Vibration
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Run Out Capacity
R025. RUN OUT CAPACITY
This is the maximum discharge and lowest head anticipated in the application.
If you do not know this number you could experience several problems that would include:
● The net positive suction head required (NPSHR) might be too low and the pump will cavitate.
● This information is needed to prevent motor overload.
● If you do not have a low enough L3/D4 you could experience shaft deflection and possible
breakage problems.
You should be able to get this number from the pump manufacturer or distributor.
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s001
S001. SI
System International. The metric units for measurement.
In the United States we use USCS (United States Customary Standard) inch units
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s029
S029. SEAL TECHNOLOGY
The "best technology" phrase appears in recent government regulations and every day plant
conversations.
So what is the best mechanical seal technology available today? Here is my opinion:
Start with the materials
● Identifiable face materials compatible with the fluid to be sealed and any cleaners or solvents put
through the lines.
● Materials able to handle the full temperature range of the product you are sealing.
● Viton® compatible with water.
● Hard faces that are not sensitive to temperate change or caustic cleaners.
● Unfilled carbon graphite seal faces
● No elastomers sensitive to a shelf life.
● No stainless steel springs or bellows. Use hastelloy "C" in stainless steel applications
The design is important.
● The seal faces should close with spring and system hydraulic pressure. A seal should never blow
open with a loss of or increase in system pressure.
● Hydraulically balanced designs should be specified for low heat generation.
● Specify two way balance in dual seal designs.
● Use a built in pumping ring for cartridge dual seals.
● Use the tandem configuration in dual seal designs. No rotating "back to back" designs.
● Use the stationary configuration for non-cartridge applications.
● Specify self-aligning designs for stationary cartridge versions.
● The springs should be designed out of the fluid.
● The elastomer should move to a clean surface as the faces wear.
● Do not specify spring loaded elastomers.
● Use only on-fretting designs.
● The sealing liquid should be at the outside diameter of the seal to prevent solids from packing
underneath the seal faces.
● The seal design should be independent of the shaft tolerance and finish
● Static elastomer should be located away from the seal face
● Cartridge seals can compensate for thermal expansion and adjustments. Make sure the cartridge
sleeve is sealed at wet end.
● Provide vibration damping at the seal face.
● The seal should be located close to the bearing.
● Try to position elastomers away from the seal face if possible.
● Make sure the stuffing box pressure keeps the lapped faces in compression.
● Specify seals with a wide operating range
● Look for low hysteresis features.
● Make sure there is equal & opposite clamping of the stationary face to avoid distortion.
● Be sure that the sealing fluid is located at the outside diameter of the seal faces
● Leak detection capability is desirable
● The seal should meet fugitive emission standards.
● Simple installation is always desirable.
● Eliminate all elastomers if possible
● Try to use short seals. This will leave room in the stuffing box for a support bushing.
● Finite element analysis of all components.
● A method of supporting the shaft in the event of a bearing failure.
● Trapped gaskets so they cannot "blow out" with pressure.
● Position the seal as close to the bearings as possible.
There are a few other things to consider
● Packaging that will allow the lapped faces to survive a one meter drop.
● Back up sealing for dangerous and costly fluids.
● A built in seal face vent for vertical pump applications.
● No glued elastomers in split seal configurations.
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s004
S004. SEAL CAGE
The seal cage is sometimes called a lantern ring. It is used to provide lubrication and cooling to the
packing rings.
In the following drawing you can see the seal cage directly underneath the stuffing box flush fitting.
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s005
S005. SEAL CLASSIFICATION
Talk to a seal manufacturer's sales representative; send for all of the seal brochures and you will learn
that the subject is very confusing. What do we really know about mechanical seals? A few things for
sure:
● All legitimate seal companies have the essentially the same materials available to them. There are
no secret or "mystery materials". There are however, companies that purchase standard materials
and then change the name of the material to give the impression that they are supplying special
materials and proprietary compounds. Shame on them!
● We are not sure of what is happening between the lapped seal faces. Testing has shown that :
❍ Sometimes there is a film of lubricant
❍ Sometimes the faces are running on vapor.
❍ Sometimes the faces run dry.
❍ Sometimes the faces run on a combination of all three mentioned above.
For all practical purposes seals should not leak visibly. Look at the seal in the water pump of your
automobile or the seal in the air conditioning unit in your car and ask yourself if they are leaking.
Fugitive emission regulations have changed the definition of leakage to less than a few parts per million
depending upon the chemical involved.
● More than 85% of all mechanical seals fail long before they wear out. In other words there is
plenty of wearable face left on seals when they are removed because of leakage.
● Seals are affected by pressure
❍ Pressure causes extra heat at the faces. Heat is almost always destructive.
❍ The lapped faces will be distorted at some pressure. If they are distorted beyond five light
bands (58 millionths of an inch or 1,5 microns) of flatness they will leak.
❍ The elastomer will be extruded and become damaged at some pressure.
● Seals are affected by heat.

❍ All of the seal materials have an upper temperature limit. The elastomer (the rubber part)
has the lowest. The type and grade of material being used determine its limit. Some grades
of carbon and most coated or plated hard faces have severe temperature restrictions.
❍ Thermal expansion can misalign components, put lapped surfaces "out of flat", and alter
the seal face load.

❍ The pumping fluid can be altered if subjected to high heat. It can crystallize, solidify,
vaporize, coke etc. This will restrict the free movement of the seal components.
❍ Corrosion always increases with heat.
● High heat means that stuffing box or seal environmental controls are necessary a great deal of the
time.
❍ With the exception of split seals most applications require a large seal chamber with a
stuffing box recirculation line connected to the suction side of the pump.
❍ The temperature of the fluid in the sealing chamber should be kept within certain limits.
The specific gravity, viscosity, concentration, vaporization point, etc. of the fluid
determines these limits.
❍ The pressure in the sealing chamber can be controlled to prevent vaporization of the
product or vaporization of the solvent carrying the product.

❍ If the product presents too big a sealing problem it can often be flushed away with a cool,
clean, lubricating liquid.

● Non clogging features are desirable and necessary in mechanical seal design.
❍ The spring or springs should be located out of the sealing fluid to prevent clogging and
corrosion. Stressed metal corroded at a rate faster than unstressed metal and the springs are
under a constant stress.
❍ The elastomer must move to a clean surface as the seal face wears.
❍ Centrifugal force should be used to throw solids away from the lapped seal faces.
❍ The moveable portion of the seal must move to a clean area as the seal faces wear. Back to
back dual seals and outside mounted seal designs should be avoided in dirty service.
● Vibration damping is necessary in all mechanical seals.
❍ To prevent the faces from vibrating open.
❍ To prevent damage and wear to the driving mechanism (drive lugs, spring, or bellows) and
seal faces.
❍ To prevent damage (chipping at the outside diameter) to the carbon face.
● Back up seals or dual seals make sense in several applications. These include:
❍ Costly products.
❍ Dangerous products. The danger could be an explosive, fire hazard, carcinogen, toxic,
bacteria, radiation, etc.

❍ When there is no spare pump.
❍ To keep oxygen or air away from a product.
❍ To prevent a product pressure drop across the seal faces.
❍ Sealing pollutants.
❍ To prevent freezing of the shaft on the outboard side of a seal.
● Proper seal face loading is more critical than you suspected. It can change with :
❍ Improper installation.
❍ Thermal expansion.
❍ Impeller adjustment. This includes both the initial setting and the adjustments that have to

s005
be made to compensate for wear.

❍ Face wear
❍ Axial play in the shaft bearings. Especially the sleeve, journal, or babbitt type.
If you like the brand of seal you are using have the manufacturer repair it at his facility, or purchase the
spare parts from him to insure you will be getting the correct materials and tolerances. It does not make
sense to do anything else.
We will now look at the various methods of classifying mechanical seals and in the process learn which
to specify for our applications. I will give a brief description of each type and list the most obvious
advantages and disadvantages of each. Needless to say the advantage of one is almost always the
disadvantage of the other
The rotating seal. In this design the springs or bellows rotates with the shaft
● Advantage. Lowest cost and reasonably self-cleaning, especially in those designs where the
springs are located outside of the sealing fluid.
● Disadvantage. Sensitive to misalignment between the shaft and the stuffing box face. This causes
the seal to move back and forth twice per shaft revolution. Gaskets and thermal expansion
increase the misalignment problem. Most of these designs cannot pass a fugitive emissions test.
The stationary seal. The springs or bellows do not rotate with the shaft.
● Advantage. Misalignment and sealing fugitive emissions is not a problem unless the seal is
cartridge mounted. Cartridge mounted stationary seals need some type of self-aligning feature.
● Disadvantage. Alignment requires that the rotary unit is absolutely square to the shaft and, in a
cartridge seal, this is very difficult to accomplish because the cartridge tends to cock the face
when the sleeve setscrews are tightened to the shaft.
❍ Not your first choice in slurry applications because centrifugal force will not throw the
solids away from the moveable components. Slurry is defined as solids in liquid. Their size
and quantity are not important.
❍ You must be careful when introducing cooling to this type of seal because the unit does not
rotate, causing an uneven cooling of the lapped face.

❍ In recent years this seal has only been available in cartridge designs adding to the
misalignment problem and increasing the initial cost considerably.
The inside mounted seal. All components are in the pumping fluid.
● Advantages. The elastomer can move to a clean surface as the seal face wears. Centrifugal force
throws solids away from the seal components allowing the lapped seal faces to stay in contact.
● Disadvantages.
❍ All the metal components must be corrosion resistant to the pumping fluid.
❍ If the product solidifies or crystallizes when the pump is stopped the seal can become
inoperable.
The outside mounted seal. None of the metal components are in contact with the pumping fluid. Most
designs clamp to the shaft rather than using setscrews that damage ceramic or glass coated shafts.
● Advantage. This is the most common solution to non-metallic pump sealing.

● Disadvantage. Centrifugal force throws solids into the lapped seal faces and can prevent the
sliding components from moving freely. Higher pressure applications can cause the retaining
clamp to slide on the shaft
The single seal. It has only one set of sealing faces.
● Advantage. Lowest cost and usually a simple installation.

● Disadvantage. The equipment will be shut down with a seal failure. In most cases the resultant
excessive leakage cannot be tolerated.
Multiple or dual seals. More than one set of faces is installed in a variety of configurations including:
● Back to back. The worst possible choice if used in the rotating seal version. Stationary versions
are acceptable because the sealing fluid is located at the outside diameter of the seal faces where
we can take advantage of centrifugal force
● Tandem. One seal behind the other requiring a low pressure buffer fluid between the seals. This
arrangement cannot be used if a higher-pressure barrier fluid is required or desirable unless the
inner seal is double balanced.
● Face to face. All of the advantage of tandem sealing without the assembly problems. Usually the
two seals share a common stationary face. This can be dangerous if the stationary face fractures.
You will then lose both seals
● Concentric. One seal inside the other sharing a common mating face. These seals require a lot of
radial space and are therefore usually limited to mixer applications. If the common face fractures

s005
you will lose both seals.

● In all of these dual seal configurations two way balance should be specified for safe operation.
❍ Advantage. Back up protection that will almost guarantee no unexpected seal failure.
❍ Disadvantage. Higher cost, and in some instances, space restrictions.
The unbalanced seal. The seal faces are subjected to full system hydraulic and surge pressures in addition
to the spring pressure.
● Advantage. None, other than lower cost and it will fit into a narrow cross section stuffing box.
● Disadvantage. Limited application. Usually requires a larger seal inventory because both balanced
and unbalanced versions would have to be stocked for the common shaft sizes.
The balanced mechanical seal. The design allows the seal faces to see only a small portion of the system
hydraulic pressure.
● Advantage. Wide range of operating conditions from vacuum to high suction pressure as well as
unexpected pressure surges in the system.
● Disadvantage. The inside version (the most popular one) requires more radial room because of the
need for a balance sleeve. The sleeve also adds to the initial cost. In cartridge seals it would be
silly to build an unbalanced version because the sleeve is always present, but some companies do
it any way.
The elastomer type of seal utilizing an O-ring, wedge, chevrons or a U-cup, with the O-ring type having
the most advantages.
● Advantage. The elastomer acts as a natural vibration damper to prevent face chipping and
separation. Only the O-ring version can be used for either vacuum or pressure. The O-ring has the
widest selection of materials available and is the most precision elastomer you can purchase.
● Disadvantage. All elastomers have an upper and lower temperature limit. Some modern
elastomers have an upper limit of about 700 degrees Fahrenheit (370 C.)
The metal bellows seal. All elastomers have been eliminated from the design.
● Advantage. Metal bellows seals give you a wider range of temperature sealing. They are excellent
in cryogenic sealing and most hot fluids with the exception of petroleum products. These
petroleum products must be cooled to prevent coking.
● Disadvantage.
❍ Higher cost than comparable elastomer sealing.
❍ You can have problems with vibration unless dampers have been installed.
❍ All of the low expansion metals used in these designs are not considered corrosion
resistant. 316 Stainless steel is not acceptable because of chloride stress corrosion
problems.
❍ In abrasive, slurry applications the thin plates are sensitive to wear and eventual fracture.
The cartridge seal. The seal is mounted on a sleeve that can be secured to the shaft from out side the seal
chamber.
● Advantage. An easy method of seal installation and a necessary feature for impeller adjustment.
These designs allow you to change the seal with out emptying a side entering mixer application.
Seal centering is provided for in most designs. There is an advantage to specifying API (American
Petroleum Institute) type glands to take advantage of the environmental controls and safety these
glands provide.
● Disadvantage. Larger space requirement and higher initial cost. When used with stationary seals
you lose the advantage of total misalignment compensation unless the seal has some type of "built
in" self-aligning feature.
The non-cartridge seal. The seal attaches directly to the pump shaft or sleeve, or in some cases against a
shaft shoulder.
● Advantage. None at all except for lower initial cost and the fact that it takes less radial room than
most cartridge versions.
● Disadvantage. Subject to all the errors that can be made at an installation. Longer installation
time, and the seal is unable to compensate for temperature growth or impeller adjustment.
The split seal. In a true split seal all the seal components are split in half so that the seal can be installed
without taking the equipment apart. Rubber components are not allowed to be glued together as this
would cause a "hard spot", interfering with the free movement of the dynamic elastomer.
● Advantage. The advantages are obvious. No one wants to disassemble any piece of rotating
equipment unless it is absolutely necessary.
● Disadvantage. Limited seal materials available and some designs cannot be used in applications
that cycle between pressure and vacuum because pressure assists in holding the components

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together.
The solid seal. The equipment must be disassembled to install the seal.
● Advantage. Can be used to seal fugitive emissions, high pressure, and a wider range of materials
is available.
● Disadvantage. Insulation must be removed, several trades could be involved in the removal and
installation, the pump must be realigned, and the list goes on and on.
Motion seals. They have larger internal clearances along with different spring arrangements and wider
hard faces to compensate for excessive radial and axial motion. A radial movement capability of plus or
minus 1/8" (3 mm) would be typical.
● Advantage. Ideal for mixers, agitators, sleeve bearing equipment, or any type of rotating
equipment requiring excessive axial or radial movement.
● Disadvantage. Larger radial space required. 3/4 inch (20 mm) is typical.
Conventional seals. Manufactured for 3/8 inch (10 mm) packing space. Some designs will go into 5/16"
(8 mm).
● Advantage. They fit into existing pump stuffing box space, but there is little to no room for proper
operation unless you install either a larger stuffing box or back plate with the larger diameter
stuffing box cast in.
● Disadvantage. Can handle only limited axial and radial movement. In slurry applications they clog
easily.
Original equipment seal designs. The type you get if you do not specify a specific brand and model
number.
● Advantage. Lowest cost

● Disadvantage. No inter-changeability requiring you maintain a much larger inventory. In most
case these seals will frett and damage expensive shafts and sleeves. In the majority of cases you
will not be able to identify the grade of carbon, silicon carbide, elastomer etc., and they are always
the non-balanced types.
Off the shelf, universal seal designs. Designed to fit into the thinnest, shortest space and still meet the
necessary operating conditions. Most are non-fretting designs with universal materials installed as
standard.
● Advantage. Lowest cost inventory and no more shaft/ sleeve damage.

● Disadvantage. Since the majority of these designs incorporate slotted glands, they require a
centering method to prevent shaft or sleeve contact.
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s008
S008. SEAL DESIGN EVALUATION
For every seal application in your plant there are twenty-five seal salesmen ready to supply a seal design
at widely varying price levels. Since the designs vary greatly it would seem logical that you should test
the most promising proposal to see if the seal performance justifies the difference in price.
Here is where your problem starts. How do you test a mechanical seal? No two pumps are exactly alike,
so what is a fair test? Too often we test only how the seal performs when all the operating conditions are
known and the seal is installed correctly. There is nothing wrong with performance testing, but you really
should be considering the following:
● How will the seal eventually fail? Will there be a massive leak similar to the type we find when
rubber or metal bellows seals ruptures, or will the leak be controllable as it is with an API
(American Petroleum Institute) type gland or back up seal?
● Can the seal handle misalignment? Is the dynamic elastomer (rubber part) an O-ring that can pivot
easily or is it some other shape that is spring loaded and restricts movement?
● Can it handle shaft dynamic unbalance? Is the hard face wide enough to prevent the narrow face
from "running off" when the shaft experiences the "run out" that accompanies dynamic
unbalance?
● What happens if you have a bearing failure? When the shaft starts its erratic movements will
metal seal components contact the pump parts, causing sparking and severe damage?
● Does the seal have built in environmental controls that will regulate the seal temperature and
pressure?
● Can you vent the seal faces in a vertical application?
● Is there any built in facility for heating or cooling the product you are sealing?
● Is there a flush or recirculation connection directing flow away from the lapped seal faces?
● Can you make an impeller adjustment without upsetting the seal face loading?
● Is the seal a non-fretting design, or will you need to use a shaft sleeve that will reduce the shaft
outside diameter and increase the shaft L3/D4 number?
● Is the gland a universal design that will fit most pumps of the same shaft size, or will individual
glands have to be purchased?
● Has the seal manufacturer provided a sensible method of insuring that the narrow seal face is
centered in the wider face, or is he depending upon the pump manufacturer to provide this
feature?
● Is the seal an "off the shelf" design that is readily available, or does it carry a part number
requiring a special inventory? Will a local distributor stock it?
● Will any of the seal components (especially the elastomers) be adversely affected by steam or
cleaning of the lines with a caustic cleaner?
● Do any of the seal components have a shelf life that can easily be exceed in yours or the
distributors stock?
● Are the seal components mass-produced or are they made individually? Individually made
components have severe quality control problems, especially with multi- machining operations.
● Are all the seal components clearly identified by material and grade? You do not need mystery
materials in your expensive equipment.
● Does the seal have a wide range of operating limits? Pressure surges and water-hammer are
common, and seals do occasionally have to run dry.
● How much radial and axial travel can the seal accommodate? Sleeve bearing equipment, higher
temperature pumps and mixers or agitators need seals with a lot of radial movement capability.
● Has vibration damping been provided? Poor lubricants cause slip-stick problems with the seal
faces.
● Is the seal balanced for both pressure and vacuum and are the springs placed out of the sealing
fluid? If not, you are going to need a lot of clean flushing fluid to remove the unwanted solids and
heat.
● Will the seal be used in abrasive service? Thin metal bellows plates can wear severely unless the
design rotates the abrasive fluid with the seal.
● Are the components chosen from high quality universal materials? There are over 100 different
grades of carbon/ graphite used in seal designs.
● How do you dispose of the contaminated parts when the seal is repaired? Can they easily be
crushed or are the parts bulky?
● Is there a spare part kit readily available? What does it cost? Do you have to return the seal for
repair? The United States "Right To Know Law" makes returning used equipment to the
manufacturer very impractical.
● If it is a dual seal, can it take reversing pressure without opening the lapped seal faces?
Pressurized barrier fluids do fail at times.
● Is installation easy?
● Will the rotary unit run against your present stationary faces? Will you have to buy a new gland or
can you continue to use the one you have already bought?
● Can this design be used to convert a packed pump to a mechanical seal, or will you need another
design for that application?
● Can the seal be installed on a shaft or sleeve that has been damaged by fretting of the previous
seal? Is the static elastomer in the correct location?
● Does the seal require a tight tolerance and finish on the shaft or is packing tolerance acceptable?
● Is a special lubricant needed for the elastomer? This can be a big problem with rubber bellows
seals.
s008
● Is there a method of centering the wearable face in the hard face?

● Does the stuffing box face have to be reasonably square to the shaft? It seldom is. Is there a
method of compensating for the lack of squareness?
● Is accurate measuring required to set the proper spring load?
● Can you adjust the impeller after the seal has been installed? Unless you are using cartridge or
split seals, you are going to have problems with open impeller pumps.
● Can the mechanic tell if the seal has been installed at the incorrect length?
● Has the seal been packaged so that it can survive a thirty-nine inch (one meter) drop without
injuring the lapped seal faces?
● If the seal components come disassembled, are the faces protected and the rubber components
clearly identified?
● If you are using a dual seal does it have a built in pumping ring?
● Do you have any self-aligning feature that will prevent the "cocking" of the rotating face in a
stationary, cartridge seal design?
A running test usually proves that most seals work. The above points determine if you are going to be
satisfied with the seal life through temperature and pressure transients along with intermitent service.
Most automobiles run fine on a straight road. It is in the mountains and on winding roads that the
difference in automobile design shows clearly.
Return to index

soo9
S009. SEAL DESIGN PROBLEMS
● The wrong carbon or hard face has been selected. The material is not compatible with the fluid
you are sealing, and the cleaner or solvent used to clean or flush the system.
● Original equipment companies supply unbalanced seals. They generate more heat than balanced
seals.
❍ Unbalanced seal designs require excessive flushing or cooling to remove unwanted heat.
● Face flatness problems:

❍ The face cross section is too narrow causing temperature or pressure distortion problems.
❍ The material modulus of elasticity is too low.
❍ The wide face is not hard enough.
❍ All clamping forces must be "equal and opposite" to prevent face distortion. In many
designs they are not.

❍ The differential expansion between the seal face and its holder can cause the face to go out
of flat.
❍ The faces were not lapped at a cryogenic temperature and the seal is being specified for
cryogenic service.
❍ Bad packaging can cause the lapped faces to be damaged in storage.
● Poor heat conductivity:

❍ Carbon is a poor conductor of heat compared to most hard faces.
❍ The dynamic elastomer is located too close to the seal faces. The heat generated at the
faces is affecting both the elastomer and the seal face.

❍ Most ceramics are not good conductors of heat; silicon carbide is an exception.
❍ Plated or coated faces can heat check due to a differential expansion rate between the

❍ A gasket or elastomer sometimes insulates the seal face.
❍ Some seal faces are glued in. The glue acts as an insulator preventing the face heat from
conducting to the metal holder.

❍ The coefficient of friction between the lapped faces varies with face combinations and
various sealing products.

❍ Carbon/ metal composite faces conduct heat better than solid carbon/ graphite, as long as
there is a pressed in interference fit and they are not glued together to hold them in place.
Graphite impregnated silicon carbide is one of the newer materials that has good heat
conductivity
● Low-expansion steel face holders are not usually corrosion resistant.
● If the seal face is too wide the hydraulic force will generate excessive heat.
● If the carbon seal face is too narrow the spring force can cause excessive heat.
● Seals mounted in vertical pumps must be vented to remove air trapped in the top of the stuffing
box.
❍ An outside metal or elastomer bellows seal is almost impossible to vent.
● Speeds above 5000 F.P.M. (25 m/sec) require a special hydraulic balance ratio and less spring
load. A 60/40 balance and a face load of 8 psi. to 15 psi. (0,07 to 0,2 N/mm2) would be normal.
● Spring loaded elastomers cause varying seal face loads. The actual load depends upon shaft
tolerance and installation dimension.
● Many single spring designs are uni-directional requiring both right handed and left handed seals
on a double-ended pump.
● No vibration damping has been provided to prevent slip-stick vibration problems. This is a major
problem with metal bellows seals.
● The carbon must be dense enough to prevent entrained air pockets from expanding and causing
pits in the carbon face. An "unfilled carbon" with four impregnates is the best.
The springs or bellows.
● Springs in the fluid can clog easily, especially small springs.

● Stainless steel springs and bellows are sensitive to chloride stress corrosion problems. Choose
hastelloy "C" material instead.
● A single spring can be wound in the wrong direction and loosen in operation. The English seal
manufacturer Flexibox has this problem
● Thin bellows plates and small cross section springs are sensitive to abrasive wear.
● Rubber bellows experience a catastrophic failure mode when the bellows ruptures.
● Stressed metal corrodes faster. Springs and metal bellows are subjected to high stress.
● Too much spring or bellows movement will cause an early fatigue of the metal. Misalignment is a
major contributor to this failure.
The dynamic elastomer (the one that moves)
● Some elastomers do not move to a clean surface as the face wears.

● Spring-loaded elastomers tend to stick to the shaft or sleeve and are sensitive to the shaft diameter
and finish.
● Elastomers positioned in the seal face are subject to the heat generated between the seal faces.
● All dynamic elastomers are sensitive to the shaft or sleeve tolerance and finish.
● Dynamic elastomers flex, roll and slide on polished metal surfaces better than carbon surfaces.

soo9
Operating conditions too severe for the design.
● Elastomers and some seal faces are sensitive to temperature extremes.

● Excessive pressure can distort seal faces causing them to go out of flat.
● Excessive pressure can cause elastomer extrusion.
● High speed can separate the seal faces in rotating seal designs.
● High speed can cause excessive heat at the seal faces.
● Excessive shaft movement separates faces also.
● Hard vacuum can "out gas" an elastomer causing it to leak.
Dual seals
● Rotating "back to back" designs:

❍ Centrifugal force throws solids into the inner faces.
❍ The inner seal blows open if barrier fluid pressure is lost.
❍ The inner stationary face is seldom positively retained to prevent movement, if the barrier
pressure is lost between the faces.

❍ When the outboard seal fails, the inboard will fail also due to the pressure drop between
the faces.
❍ The inner seal has to move into the sealing fluid as the face wears. This is a major problem
if the fluid contains solids.

❍ Failure to use two way hydraulic balance causes the inner faces to open with a reversal in
barrier fluid pressure.
Pump design problems that cause excessive shaft movement
● An elbow is installed too close to the pump suction inlet.

● The mass of the foundation is not five times the mass of the pump and its driver.
● Wrong size pump was specified because of safety factors and, as a result, the pump is operating
off the best efficiency point (BEP).
● The pump was selected oversize in anticipation of a future need.
● A centerline design should have been selected when the operating temperate exceeded 200°F
(100°C).
● The shaft L3/D4 is too high.
The pump is cavitating due to a design problem.
● Too high a NPSH is required. You need a double suction pump.

● The suction specific speed number is too low.
● You are using too low a specific speed impeller.
● A reducer has been installed up side down, letting an air pocket into the suction.
● The impeller to cutwater clearance is too low.
● There is too much suction resistance due to excessive piping.
● Too much suction lift for the fluid temperature.
● An elbow has been installed too close to the pump suction.
Other design problems
● Most seal designs cannot compensate for thermal shaft growth or impeller adjustment. Cartridge
versions are needed for this feature.
● The pumping fluid is located at the inside diameter of the seal faces.
❍ Solids will be thrown into the lapped faces destroying some face materials.
❍ Solids will pile up in front of the movable faces, preventing them from compensating for
wear.
❍ Most seal faces are weak in tension.
● Hysteresis (delay or lag) problems caused by the seal mass and sliding elastomers.
● Poor packaging that allows face damage during shipment and storage.
● Designs that frett (damage or groove) the shaft or sleeve.
● High speed requires the use of stationary seal designs. Centrifugal force can open rotating designs
above 5000 fpm. (25 m/sec.)
● The seal is positioned too far from the bearing housing.
● Lack of a self-aligning feature is causing excessive face movement.
● A tapered stuffing box can cause face damage.
● No vent has been provided to vent the stuffing box in a vertical application.
● Hardened shafts and sleeves can cause the seal set screws to slip.
● A discharge recirculation line is aimed at the lapped faces, causing them to wear and interfering
with the seal movement.
Return to index

s014
S014. SEAL FACES
The lapped faces that provide the primary sealing in a mechanical seal. They can be manufactured from a
variety of corrosion resistant materials with carbon-graphite vs. a solid hard face such as silicon carbide
being the most popular.
Lapped faces should be lapped flat to a measurement of less than three helium light bands.
Return to index

st005
ST 005. HEAT GENERATION AT THE SEAL FACES
The numbers shown in the following chart are what you might find in the stuffing box of a centrifugal
pump. The following calculations will compute the heat generated at the seal faces if you are using an
unbalanced mechanical seal of the type supplied by most pump manufacturers.
ITEM INCH SIZE METRIC SIZE

Stuffing box pressure 100 psi. 10 kg/cm2
Seal face diameter 2 inches 50 mm
Seal face area 1 inch2 6.5 cm2
Spring load 30 psi 2.0 kg/cm2
Face load (from spring) 30 pounds 13 kg
Shaft speed 3600 2900
Stuffing box volume 1 pint of water 500 cc of water
Coefficient of friction at seal faces 0.2 average 0.2 average
We will make our first calculation in the inch size:
Hydraulic closing force = 100 lbs/in2 x 1 in2 = 100 lbs
Hydraulic Opening force = An average of 50 psi on the faces x 1 in2 = 50 lbs.
100 lbs closing + 30 lbs spring force - 50 lbs opening = 80 lbs closing
80 lbs x 0.2 x 1885 fpm = 30160 Ft lbs./ min
778 ft lbs. / min. = 1 Btu.
30160 / 778 = 38.8 Btu. /min.
38.8 Btu. / min would raise 1 pint of water 38.8 degrees Fahrenheit each minute, so we would have to
Metric looks like this:
65 Kg closing - 32,5 Kg. opening + 13 Kg. Spring pressure = 45.5 Kg. closing
45.5 x 0.2 x 455.5 = 4145.3 Kg Met. /Min.
690 Joules/Sec. x 60 Sec./Min. = 41,400 Joules per minute.
41,400 x 0.239 joules per calorie = 9,895 calories (9.9 Kilocalories) per minute.
9.9 Kilocalories per minute would raise 9.9 liters of water one degree Centigrade per
minute.
Since we have only one half a liter (500 cc) in the stuffing box, we would have to flush in 9.9 x 2 or 19.8
The good news is that the amount of heat generated by a properly installed balanced mechanical seal is
insignificant.
seal.

st005
In addition to the heat generated by the pressure in the stuffing box we have the heat caused by too much
spring compression on the lapped faces. There are lots of chances to make an installation error:
● No print was used during the assembly, or the mechanic cannot read the print he was given.
● The shaft was marked in the wrong location.
● The mechanic used the wrong marking tool. The mark is too wide.
● The sleeve moved when the impeller was tightened.
● The impeller was adjusted after the seal was installed.
● A cartridge seal was installed on the shaft, by pushing on the gland. Interference from the sleeve
elastomer has caused an over compression of the seal. In some dual seal applications the outer
seal will become under compressed.
● The shaft moved because of thrust. Above 65% of a pump's efficiency the shaft moves towards
the volute. This will compress the seal faces if you have an outside mounted non-metallic seal. In
some dual seal designs the inner faces will overload with shaft thrust.
● Thermal growth of the shaft can cause the same problems as shaft thrusting.
Problems with the pump operation that causes high heat at the mechanical seal faces.
● Operating off of the best efficiency point (BEP) is a major cause of high heat and vibration in
centrifugal pumps. The degree of the problem is determined by the L3/D4 ratio of the shaft.
● Operating too close to the product's vapor point can cause cavitation problems.
● Running dry will cause lots of heat.
❍ Pumping a tank dry.
❍ Losing barrier fluid in a dual seal application.
❍ Vacuum applications.
❍ Vertical pumps not vented in the stuffing box above the lapped seal faces and dynamic
elastomer.
● The liquid you are pumping is not a lubricant.
● Pump out rings on the back of the impeller running too close to the pump back plate can cause a
vacuum in the pump stuffing box.
Other causes of high heat in the stuffing box.
● The shaft or sleeve is rubbing a stationary component.

❍ The seal gland.
❍ The restrictive or thermal bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box.
❍ The bushing in the API (American Petroleum Institute) gland.
❍ A wear ring
❍ A protruding gasket.
❍ A fitting.
❍ The stationary portion of a mechanical seal.
● The shaft or sleeve is not straight.

❍ It is bending because the pump is operating off of its best efficiency point.
❍ It is bent. This sometimes happens when the sleeve is removed.
❍ The rotating assembly is not balanced.
❍ The shaft never was straight.

❍ Install a large diameter stuffing box. You should be able to get at least 1" (25 mm.) all
around the rotating unit.

❍ Connect a recirculation line from the bottom of the stuffing box to the suction side of the
pump. You can do this in almost every case except:

■ When you are pumping a product at its vapor point
■ If the solids have a specific gravity lower than the fluid
■ If it is a Durco pump where the impeller adjusts to the back plate
■ When you are using a double ended design where the stuffing boxes are at suction
pressure.
❍ The stuffing box cooling jacket is clogged.
❍ There is no carbon restriction bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box and you are using
the cooling jacket. The restriction bushing is needed to slow down the heat transfer to the
stuffing box area.
❍ The flush is not constant. The pressure is changing.
❍ Quenching steam or water has been shut off during pump shut down.
❍ The dual seal barrier or buffer fluid is not circulating.
❍ The cooling jacket has become clogged by calcium in the hard water. Try condensate
instead.
❍ The filter or separator is clogged.
❍ Either the suction or discharge recirculation line is clogged.
If you are using dual seals remember that two seals generate twice as much heat, and conventional
cooling may not be sufficient. Contact the manufacturer for his recommendations when using convection
tanks and dual seals. You may need a "built in" pumping ring or some type of forced circulation between

st005
the seals.
Return to index

s053
S053. SINTERED MATERIAL
Just about every face material we use in mechanical seals is manufactured by this method.
You start with a powder that is packed in a mold with some type of binder or glue and then baked in an
oven, as opposed to melting the material and pouring it into a mold.
Return to index

s015
S015. SEAL FAILURE, QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE
Of all the seal related activities, analyzing mechanical seal failure continues to be the single greatest
problem for both the consumer and the seal company representative. I have addressed this problem in
several parts of this CD, but if you will take a little bit of time to familiarize yourself with the following
outline you should feel a lot more comfortable the next time you are called upon to do some seal
troubleshooting.
I should mention here in the beginning that as you look over the failed seal components keep in mind that
a rebuilt seal may have some marks that occurred during a previous failure, making the parts especially
difficult to analyze.
Regardless of the design, mechanical seals fail for only two reasons:
● Damage to one of the components

● The seal faces open prematurely.
We will begin with damage to one of the seal components. This damage is almost always visible so look
for two types; corrosion and physical damage.
Corrosion damage, The elastomer swells or the other seal parts become "sponge like" or pitted. We do
not think of elastomers corroding we tend to call it chemical attack or chemical incompatibility, but
regardless of the words, the affect is the same.
● The product you are sealing is attacking one of the seal components.
● The attack is coming from the cleaner or solvent used to clean the lines between batches or at the
end of a "run".
● The attack is coming from lubricants put on the elastomers or seal faces. Petroleum grease on
ethylene propylene (epr) O-rings will cause them to "swell up".
● Galvanic corrosion - happens with dissimilar materials located close to each other and connected
by an electrolyte. As an example: stainless steel can attack the nickel binder in a tungsten carbide
face.
● Oxidizers and halogens attack all forms of carbon including black O-rings.
KEEP IN MIND THE CORROSION INCREASES WITH TEMPERATURE
Physical damage is the next cause of damage to a seal component.
● Wear or rubbing of a flexible or moveable component.

● Thermal shock of coated or plated seal face materials. Some ceramics also have this problem.
● Thermal expansion of the shaft/sleeve can break a stationary seal face or interfere with the free
movement of a dynamic elastomer.
● The rotating seal hits something because of shaft deflection.
● Temperature extremes (both high and cryogenic) will destroy elastomers and some seal face
materials.
● Erosion from solids in the product you are pumping.
● Fretting caused by the dynamic elastomer removing the passivated layer from the corrosion
resistant shaft or sleeve.
● Fluid abrasion that can weaken materials and destroy critical tolerances.
● A discharge recirculation line can break a metal bellows and injure lapped seal faces, as well as
interfere with the free movement of the seal.
● The elastomer can swell and breaks the face.
● Problems at installation. These include mishandling, setting at the wrong compression, putting the
wrong lubricant on the elastomer etc.
● Fatigue of the springs caused by severe misalignment.
The seal faces opening is the second cause of premature seal failure. Scoring or wear of the hard face is
the most common symptom of this failure. The scoring occurs because the solids imbed into the softer
carbon face after they open.
The seal faces must stay in contact, but there are all kinds of conditions that are trying to force or pull
them open.
Physical causes of the faces opening
● Axial shaft movement (endplay or thrust). This is normal at start up.

● Radial shaft movement (run out or misalignment)
● Operating off of the pump best efficiency point.
● Hysteresis caused by a viscous (thick) product.
● Centrifugal force tries to separate the faces in a rotating seal application.
● Hydrodynamic forces generated between the lapped faces.
● Pressure distortion caused during pressure peaks such as water hammer and cavitation.

s015
● Thermal distortion that can cause the seal face to separate from its holder or "go out of flat".
● Thermal expansion of the shaft that can cause the shaft to engage the vibration damper used in
most rotating metal bellows seals. Once engaged the vibration damper can pull the lapped faces
open.
● A failure to provide equal and opposite clamping across the stationary seal face will cause
distortion.
● A hardened sleeve can cause the seal set screws to slip.
● A wrong initial setting of the face load.
● Springs clog if they are located in the product.
● Loose set screws. If the sleeve is too soft they can vibrate out.
● Shaft tolerance and finish are out of specifications.
● The rotating shaft or seal hits something.
● A discharge recirculation line can force open the faces.
● Outside seal springs painted by maintenance people.
● A cartridge seal installation method can compress one set of faces and open the other.
● Vibration.
● Fretting hang up.
● Cartridge mounted stationary seals move excessively unless they have some type of "built in" self-
aligning feature.
Product problems are another cause of the lapped seal faces opening. With the loss of an environmental
control. The fluid can:
● Vaporize between the faces forcing them open and causing a "chipping" of the carbon outside
diameter as well as leaving solids between the lapped faces.
● Become viscous preventing the faces from following normal "run out".
● Solidify between the lapped faces, or around the faces.
● Crystallize between the faces or around the dynamic portions of the seal.
● Build a film on the sliding components or between the faces causing them to separate.
● Be a slurry and/ or abrasive
● Operate in a vacuum causing the ingestion of air between the faces of some unbalanced seal
designs.
● Swell up the dynamic elastomer locking up the seal.
● Cause slip-stick between the faces if the sealed fluid is a non or poor lubricant
Here are some of the common causes of shaft displacement.
● Operating off the pump's best efficiency point (BEP).

● A bent shaft.
● A non-concentric sleeve or seal.
● Vibration
❍ Slip-stick
❍ Harmonic
❍ Induced
● Passing through, or operating at a critical speed.

● The stuffing box face is not square to the shaft, causing misalignment problems.
● Pipe strain.
● An impeller adjustment is made to compensate for normal impeller wear.
● Thermal growth of the shaft in both a radial and axial direction.
● Bad bearings or a poor bearing fit.
● Two-direction axial thrust at start up is normal.
● The motor is finding its magnetic center.
● Cavitation - there are five separate types of damage that can be observed.
● The unit is pulley driven causing side thrust
● The impeller is positioned too far from the bearings. This is a severe problem in mixer or agitator
applications.
See: Preventing premature seal failure caused by the product you are sealing, P035_1
Return to index

s018
S018. SEAL INSTALLATION PROBLEMS
Seal installation should be "a piece of cake". All you should have to do is use reasonable care and follow
the manufacturer's instructions. It doesn't always work out that way, so in the next few paragraphs we
will be looking at the installation problems you can have with the various designs of seals
Let's start with the standard, non-cartridge seal. The following illustration shows a balanced, rotary
version running against an "L" shaped stationary face that has been clamped to the face of the pump
stuffing box. What sort of problems do we have with this design?
The seal is operating with the wrong compression causing it to either overheat or open up the lapped
faces prematurely as the faces wear.
● The pump "open impeller" clearance setting was adjusted to the volute after the seal was installed.
● The pump shaft sleeve moved when the impeller was tightened to the shaft shoulder.
● The installation dimension was measured incorrectly by the mechanic that was installing the seal:
❍ The mechanic did not use the print, or could not read the print.
❍ The pump has been modified and the print was not revised.
❍ The mechanic took his measurement from the wrong location. He measured from the
impeller locating shoulder instead of the stuffing box face.

❍ The gasket thickness was altered.
❍ The wrong measuring tool was used.
● Temperature growth has changed the initial setting.

● The pump is fitted with sleeve type bearings, and the axial movement is excessive.
● The seal was rebuilt to a different axial dimension. Metal bellows seals can change their free
length if the bellows assembly was over compressed and "bottomed out" during the assembly
process.
● The mechanic was not wearing his glasses and he could not read the correct measurement on his
ruler.
● The seal was installed using the old set&endash;screw mark as the reference. The reference was
incorrect.
● The sleeve or its gasket surface is damaged. This is causing leakage between the seal dynamic
elastomer and the shaft sleeve, or between the sleeve and the shaft.
❍ This is a common problem in all packing conversions. There are many products available
that you can use to repair worn or damaged metal parts to insure a good gasket surface.
● The seal faces are not flat.
❍ The seal was accidentally dropped and no one dares tell the boss.
❍ Poor packaging. The seal should be able to survive a 39-inch (one meter) drop.
❍ Over tightening of the stationary face against a rough stuffing box in a rotating seal
application can distort the lapped face.

❍ The stationary face clamping areas are not equal and opposite, causing the faces to go out
of flat.
❍ The seal was lapped flat at ambient temperature and then put into cryogenic service where
it went out of flat at the colder temperature.

● A recirculation line is aimed at the seal faces. The high velocity recirculating fluid will interfere
with the ability of the seal to follow whip, wobble, or run out. Be careful of this configuration
when using metal bellows designs. The recirculated fluid may contain abrasives that will wear the
thin metal plates.
● A gasket or some type of fitting is protruding into the stuffing box and touching a flexible rotating
seal component.
● The stationary face is not centered to the shaft. Shaft radial movement can cause the seal faces to
separate if the hard face is not wide enough. In some cases the stationary face was broken when
the deflecting pump shaft contacted it.
● The stationary seal face has been installed backwards and you are running on a non-lapped
surface. Only one side of a hard face is usually lapped flat. Many manufacturers do a poor job of
identifying the un-lapped face.
● The elastomer (rubber part) was placed on a damaged portion of the shaft or sleeve.
● The wrong lubricant was used on the elastomer and it is chemically attacking the elastomer. As an
example: Any petroleum lubricant will damage an ethylene propylene (EPR) O- ring causing it to
"swell&endash;up". This failure usually occurs within five days. The flexible seal components

s018
will "lock up" and prevent the lapped faces from staying together
● The seal face was lubricated and then put into cryogenic service. The cold temperature will freeze
the lubricant.
● The application needs some type of environmental control and the connection has not been made.
If the connection has been made, see if it is hooked up incorrectly or if the fluid supply has failed.
❍ Environmental controls are used to control the temperature, pressure and cleanliness of the
product in the stuffing box. These controls include flushing, quenching, heating, cooling,
recirculating, venting etc. Make sure these controls are connected to the correct stuffing
box, or seal gland port. Flushing, as an example, should come into the bottom of the
stuffing box or seal gland.
● The shaft/ sleeve tolerance or finish is not within specifications. Unbalanced seals are sensitive to
the shaft&endash;sleeve diameter and surface finish. Most balanced seals have an internal stepped
sleeve, so they are not sensitive to small variances in shaft sleeve diameter.
● Vertical pump applications have to be vented. Horizontal pump stuffing boxes can be drilled to
insure good venting also.
● The shaft sleeve was removed to make additional room in the stuffing box. The sleeve was
positioning the impeller or the sleeve was providing corrosion resistance to the steel shaft.
● The stationary face is not perpendicular to the shaft in a rotating seal application. This will cause
excessive axial movement of the rotating components.
❍ The use of a stuffing box facing tool can just about eliminate this problem.
❍ Stationary seal designs and self-aligning designs can compensate for this problem.
● The rotating face is not perpendicular to the shaft in a stationary seal application. This will create
the same problem as mentioned above, except that the stationary face will do the moving. This is
also the main reason you should not cartridge mount stationary seals unless they have some type
of self-aligning feature.
● The stationary face was not centered to the shaft.
❍ This is one of the reasons we use cartridge seals because they have centering clips to solve
this problem. Seal designs that utilize slotted glands should use some type of centering
shims.
❍ If you have not provided centering, the seal faces can separate if you are using "out of
balance" or bent shafts.

❍ Non-centering can cause a pumping action in cartridge seals that could cause a convection
tank to run backwards and the barrier fluid to overheat.

● The API (American Petroleum Institute) gland connections are hooked up incorrectly. Be sure
that you understand the difference between flushing, quenching, drain and venting.
● No suction recirculation line was hooked from the bottom of the stuffing box to the pump suction.
Use a discharge recirculation line if you are pumping a fluid close to its vapor point.
● The set screws can be a problem
❍ The seal was set screwed to a hardened shaft. Seal set screws are manufactured from
corrosion resistant materials. They are, therefore, softer than conventional setscrews and
can vibrate loose. Most packing sleeves were hardened to resist packing wear.
❍ The setscrews were over tightened and stripped.
❍ The Allen wrench, used to tighten the setscrews has rounded corners and is not providing
the proper torque.

❍ In isolated cases the setscrews have loosened because the sleeve was made of too soft a
material.
● The gland flushing ports are machined off center. Shaft rotation will either help or hinder the
flushing, depending upon their location. The flush rate changes with shaft rotation.
● The shaft was machined down to accommodate a smaller diameter seal, or the shaft was machined
for repair. In either case the shaft has been weakened and is now more liable to deflect with radial
loading.
● A severely cocked stationary will break the springs in the rotating unit because of the excessive
back and forth movement. Excessive lug wear will also be visible.
● The stuffing box often has product attached to its inside surface. This product can interfere with
the free movement of the flexible seal components.
● Horizontally split, double ended pumps have there own special problems when it comes to a seal
installation:
❍ In a conversion from packing to a mechanical seal it is common for the impeller to be
positioned by sleeves that are not sealed at the impeller or inside diameter causing leakage
between the sleeve and the shaft.
❍ A new gasket between the pump halves can extrude into the stuffing box and touch the
seal, stopping it from moving freely.

❍ A gasket between the top and bottom halve must seal all the way to the stuffing box face or
you will get a leak path on the side of the stuffing box.
Special installation problems with cartridge seals

s018
● The centering or installation clips were not removed prior to starting the pump.
● The cartridge was installed by pushing on the gland. The friction on the sleeve static elastomer is
causing the seal to over compress. Be sure to push the sleeve towards the gland before you tighten
the set screws
● The dual seal cartridge was installed by pushing on the gland. The friction on the sleeve static
elastomer is causing the inner seal to over compress and the outboard seal to unload. Be sure to
push the sleeve towards the gland before you tighten the set screws
● The cartridge was installed on the stuffing box and then the stuffing box was placed over the
shaft. This is causing the seal to be non-concentric with the shaft and could cause the shaft to hit
the close fitting bushing in an API (American Petroleum Institute) type gland.
● Check proper centering by using a spacer (normally a centering clip) to insure that the gland is
centered to the shaft.
● In some double seal cartridge applications, a pumping action will occur if the sleeve is not
concentric to the gland. This can cause a convection tank to run backwards.
Special installation problems with rubber bellows seals
● Silicon grease was used as a lubricant on the bellows and the rubber bellows is not sticking to the
shaft. The proper lubricant is designed to cause the bellows to "swell up" and attach its self to the
rotating shaft.
● The shaft or sleeve is too smooth. It should be no better than 40 rms.
● The carbon has been installed backwards. In most designs it will fit either way, so be sure you are
running against the lapped side of the face.
● The seal installation must be completed in fifteen to thirty minutes, or the rubber bellows will
vulcanize to the shaft in the wrong location.
● Be sure that none of the pump or seal dimensions have been altered. The seal must be installed at
a fixed length that is not easily changed.
● Most of the rubber bellows designs use a "buna N" rubber boot that is sensitive to ozone attack.
Buna N rubber has a shelf life of only one year.
❍ It should be noted that the normal mode of failure for this type of seal is for
the rubber boot to experience a rupture or "blow&endash;out" causing a
massive seal failure. It is important to use back up protection if you use this
type of seal.
Special problems with metal bellows seals:

s018
This picture describes a rotating version of a metal bellows seal used in the chemical industry. The
bellows seal is sealed to the shaft by a static O-ring
● If you are using the rotating version of the metal bellows seal, the close fitting anti-vibration lugs
can hang up on the sleeve. The tolerance of the sleeve outside diameter is very critical with this
type of seal.
● In high temperature applications the rotating face holder is made from a low expansion material
that has little to no corrosion resistance. If you lose cooling, the resultant shaft thermal expansion
can engage the "damping lugs" in the low expansion steel face holder and "drag open" the seal
faces. These "damping lugs" are not shown in the illustration. You can see them in the
alphabetical section.
● The seal hydraulic balance line shifts with stuffing box pressure fluctuations.
● A pump discharge recirculation line can wear into the thin bellows section.
● The chemical version of these seals is built from austenitic metals that change their spring load
when the bellows is over compressed. It is real easy to over compress a seal during the installation
process. There is a great temptation to push on the bellows face to feel the compression.
● At elevated temperatures the carbon face can loosen in the metal holder. You should also watch
out for glued in faces that can come loose if the product you are sealing attacks the glue.
● Good designs will rotate the fluid with the seal to prevent a slurry from wearing the thin metal
plates.
● Be careful of stationary seals in high temperature applications. The flush connection will produce
uneven cooling that can cause face distortion.
● High temperature applications utilize heat-treated bellows materials. Be aware that this metal can
anneal and loose its spring rate at temperatures as low as 300° F (150°C)
● If the bellows seal is over-compressed during the assembly process the free length can change.
Here are some problems associatedwith split mechanical seals:
● Some designs use glued elastomers (O-rings). This causes a hard spot in the elastomer that will
not seat properly, causing continual leakage.
● Many split seal designs cannot be used in an alternating pressure/vacuum application. This can be
a problem when you have a mixer application to seal. Check to see if your design has this
pressure/ vacuum capability.
● Some elastomers are not available in split O-rings, so watch out for material availability.
● Many outside designs move towards the product as the faces wear, making them ineffective in
slurry applications. The above installation shows a rotating, split seal installed in a gland that is
acting as an extension of the stuffing box.
Other problems that can occur shortly after any seal is installed:
● The cooling jacket on the pump builds up a layer of calcium on the inside, interfering with the
heat transfer. Condensate, steam, or heat transfer oil is a good substitute for hard well water, or
dirty shop water.
● Teflon® comes off of the metal parts. Sometimes a Teflon® coating is put on a seal part to lower
hysteresis problems and to stop solids from attaching to the part. The product is penetrating the
porous Teflon® coating and attacking the base material. In some cases you may have to remove
the baked on coating with a fine emery paper.
● A pressure drop at the seal faces and across the elastomer can cause some products to change
state. This can cause the fluid to :
❍ Solidify.
❍ Become viscous.
❍ Build a film on the faces.
❍ Crystallize.
❍ Blow out pieces of the elastomer
❍ Cryogenic temperatures can freeze the elastomer or any lubricant placed on the seal faces.
● At elevated temperatures, the differential expansion between the metal holder and the seal face
can cause the seal face to become loose in its metal holder. Metal has an expansion rate
approximately three times that of carbon and most other seal face materials.
● The convection tank is running backwards or is not running at all. Please look a the following
illustration:

s018
● Check to see if the seal gland is concentric with the shaft.

● Be sure that the piping is connected to the correct gland ports.
● Check the recommended height and distance specifications.
● Be sure you have a proper liquid level in the tank.
● If there is a pumping ring, make sure it is running with the correct rotation.
Return to index

s019
S019. SEAL LEAK PATHS
In this illustration the lapped seal faces are being held together by multiple springs and the pressure of
the fluid in the stuffing box.
If we look at the picture closely we can see six potential leak paths for the pump fluid:
● The O-ring located between the seal sleeve and the pump shaft is called the static O-ring. It is a
potential leak path.
● The O-ring between the seal sleeve and the outside barrel is called the dynamic O-ring. It is a
potential leak path also.
● In this example the rotating face has been press fit into the outer barrel of the seal. This face is
usually a form of carbon/ graphite. There is a potential leak path between the carbon/ graphite and
the outer barrel where the carbon has been inserted.
● The stationary face is normally the hard face and in this instance is a clamped "L" shaped design
with gaskets on either side. The gasket located between the stationary face and the pump stuffing
box is a potential leak path also.
● There is a potential leak path between the carbon rotating face and the stationary hard face.
● Although not shown in the illustration, many pump shafts are specified with a shaft sleeve for
corrosion resistance or to position the impeller in a double ended design. This shaft sleeve must be
sealed to the shaft by a gasket or some other means. This gasket is a leak path also.
There are a variety of other mechanical seals available with different potential leak paths. Check your
design carefully.
Return to index

s020
S020. SEAL LIFE
How do you tell the difference between normal seal life and premature seal failure? It's easier than you
think. You are experiencing normal seal wear when sacrificial parts of the mechanical seal are wearing at
an acceptable rate.
Just what are the sacrificial parts of a mechanical seal? Please refer to the following illustration of a
stationary seal design so that we can discuss individual components:
(D) The gland is not sacrificial.
● If you have chosen a corrosion resistant material there is no reason for this part to be considered
sacrificial.
● Nothing is supposed to be rubbing against this part, so there is nothing to wear out.
(1) The dynamic O-ring is not sacrificial
● This elastomer should have been selected for chemical compatibility with the product you are
sealing and any cleaners or solvents that might be flushed through the lines.
● All elastomers have a high and low temperature limit. This O-ring should have been selected to
operate well within that range.
(2) The static O-ring is not sacrificial.
● Same rules as the dynamic O-ring, but not as critical. A small amount of swelling might not fail
the seal but a great deal of swelling could break the hard face because the O-ring is mounted in
the hard face inside diameter and any swelling would put this face into tensile stress where most
hard materials are weaker.
(A) The stationary face holder is not sacrificial.
● This part should be constructed from corrosion resistant metal.

● There is the possibility of some fretting damage where the elastomer contacts the outside diameter
of the part, but since the manufacturer has control of all of the tolerances and squeezes, the part
should not be labeled sacrificial
The springs are not sacrificial.
● Springs should be manufactured from hastelloy C material to prevent chloride stress corrosion and
there is no reason why they should not operate within the elastic range of the metal.
● I prefer to have the springs isolated from the pumpage so that they will not clog.
(4) The rotating hard face is not sacrificial.
● The softer carbon-graphite face is running against this hard face so there is no reason for it to
wear.
(5) The gland gasket is not sacrificial.
● This is a static component chosen for chemical compatibility with the product you are sealing.
The metal component holding the rotating face is not sacrificial.
● Like all metal components in the seal, this part is selected to be chemically compatible with the
product you are sealing and any cleaners or solvents that might be in the system.

s020
The carbon-graphite face pressed into the holder (A) is sacrifical
● The carbon-graphite face is the only sacrificial part of a mechanical seal. Its life is determined by
the lubricating properties of the fluids you are trying to seal.
This means that a mechanical seal should run leak free until the carbon is completely worn away (just
like the tread on an automobile tire). More than 85% of the mechanical seals in use today fail
prematurely. When leaking seals are removed from the pump there is almost always plenty of carbon left
so someone is going to have to get pretty good at troubleshooting if you ever hope to get acceptable seal
life.
Troubleshooting mechanical seal failure is not too complicated because seals fail for only two reasons:
● The lapped faces open allowing leakage and letting solids penetrate between them.
● One of the seal components becomes damaged. There are two kinds of damage :
❍ Corrosion
❍ Physical damage from high heat, high-pressure, rubbing, etc.
Return to index

s021
S021. SEAL LIFE, INCREASING IT
Seals that came installed as original equipment in the pump should last until the sacrificial carbon face
has worn away. This is the definition of a worn out seal. If a seal leaks before the carbon face has worn
down we call it a failed seal. In practice we find that seals seldom wear out, most of them fail and as a
result we spend a good deal of time and money looking for better designs. Wouldn't it be nice if there
was such a thing as the ideal mechanical seal? Some consumers have spent years looking for this magic
seal and their failure rate in seals still exceeds 85%.
Getting a good seal installation is similar to getting a good paint job on an automobile. It is more
involved than just the purchase of a good brand of paint. To get a good paint job on your automobile you
need to solve four problems:
● The body must be prepared properly.

● You must have good quality paint.
● The paint must be applied correctly.
● You have to take care of the paint once it has been applied.
If you have addressed these four separate problems you can get a paint job that will last many years.
Neglect some of these steps and the life of the paint will diminish accordingly.
Seal application follows four steps also, and if you neglect any of the steps your seal life will be
shortened accordingly. Here are the four steps you must follow:
● Make sure the pump is ready to receive a mechanical seal.

● Select a good seal, manufactured from identifiable materials.
● Install the seal correctly.
● Hook up the proper environmental controls to insure long life.
In the following paragraphs we will investigate each of these steps. I will not be going into great detail
because these subjects will be covered individually in this book. This brief discussion, however, should
encourage you to investigate the subject of seal life in more detail.
PREPARE THE BODY
If we were painting an automobile, we would have to first wash the car with a good detergent and then
clean the old paint with solvent to remove any silicon wax that could damage the new paint job. We
would then do our bodywork and sand the paint smooth. Priming and more sanding would come next and
finally we would wipe the body down with a "tack" cloth to remove any dust that might cling because of
static electricity.
This procedure could take many hours or even days, but it is the necessary first step because without it
the paint would not look as nice as we want.
To prepare the pump for a mechanical seal we would want to do a number of things also. They would
include:
● Reduce shaft vibration and displacement. The more the shaft moves the more likely the seal faces
are to open and allow destructive solids to enter between the lapped faces.
● Either operate close to the pump's best efficiency point (BEP), use a shaft with a low , or use a
double volute pump design.
● Avoid sleeved shafts. The shaft diameter was reduced and weakened to install the sleeve. If you
use a corrosion resistant shaft with a non-fretting, balanced O-ring mechanical seal there is no
need for a shaft sleeve.
● Either align the pump/driver properly or install a "C' or "D" frame adapter and don't worry about
misalignment.
● Check for excessive pipe strain. A centerline wet end conversion can solve the problem if
temperature growth is the cause.
● Make sure the shaft is not bent. Most people have no luck in trying to straighten a bent or warped
shaft.
● Check that the rotating parts have been dynamically balanced.
● Make sure the bearings are in good shape.
● Check for vibration. There are many sources.
❍ Different types of cavitation.
❍ Foundations with too small a mass.
❍ Piping arrangements.
❍ Harmonic vibration caused by nearby hardware
❍ Seal slip stick
❍ Non-laminar or turbulent flow through the pipes.
❍ Water hammer.
❍ Etc.
● … Either bore out the packing chamber or install a large seal chamber to give the seal room to
move, and utilize centrifugal force to throw solids away from the lapped faces. A one-inch (25
s021
mm) radial clearance around the outside diameter of the seal is both desirable and practical to
obtain.
● … In most cases install a line from the bottom of the stuffing box back to the suction of the pump.
One of the times you will not do this is when you are pumping a fluid close to its vapor point.
● … Be sure the shaft is of the correct tolerance and finish where the elastomer seals to the shaft.
● … Be sure to vent the stuffing box back to the pump suction any time you have a mechanical seal
in a vertical pump installation. If you fail to provide this vent, the seal chamber will become full
of air, causing overheating in the seal area.
USE GOOD QUALITY PAINT
The final result you get will be directly related to the quality of the paint you put on the car. We need a
paint that has a high percentage of solids, with good corrosion resistance and the ability to maintain a
high gloss over a long period of time.
A good seal will incorporate the following features when ever possible:
● Both dynamic and hydraulic balance.

❍ Non-clogging features.
❍ Springs positioned out of the sealing fluid, to prevent clogging.
❍ The elastomer moves to a clean surface and away from any solids as the seal face wears.
❍ The pumping fluid should be at the outside diameter of the rotating component to take
advantage of centrifugal force.

● Two way hydraulic balance must be used in multiple seal designs. This feature is necessary to
prevent the seal faces from opening with fluctuating system and barrier fluid pressures
● Vibration damping must be provided to prevent damage to the faces and stop the lapped faces
from separating. O-rings are a natural vibration damper. Bellows seals must have one installed.
● Excessive motion capability must be provided when a seal is used in sleeved bearing equipment
and long shaft designs such as those found on mixers and agitators.
● To decrease your inventory, slotted glands should be used to adapt the seal to the widest range of
pump brands. Slotted glands also help to center the seal to the rotating shaft.
● The seal face should not be insulated by an elastomer, any type of rubber, or a gasket
● Carbon faces should be pressed into a metal retainer and never shrunk in.
● Universal seal materials should be specified for the widest range of applications and minimum
customer inventory.
● Failure protection in the form of either an API (American Petroleum Institute) type gland or a
back up seal should be part of every seal application.
● The thinnest, shortest design that will satisfy the sealing requirements should be part of any good
seal design.
● Proper packaging and storage will insure that the seal is in good shape at the time of installation.
❍ The seal should be boxed in a reusable container.
❍ It should be insulated to survive a one-meter drop with out damage to the lapped seal
faces.
❍ Protective material must be placed on the lapped faces in non-cartridge designs.
❍ Proper labeling is required to prevent unnecessary box opening.
APPLY THE PAINT CORRECTLY
To do this you would have to mask the parts carefully, and control the temperature and dust. You must
be careful to not apply the layers too thick and be sure to sand the paint between applications.
There are several similar problems associated with good seal installation:
● You must not damage the lapped faces or cut the elastomer.
● Be sure to compress the seal to the proper face load. Check the print that came with the seal for
this critical dimension.
● Be sure the shaft diameter is of the proper tolerance and finish, and the dynamic elastomer will
seal properly.
● With open impeller pumps you will have to make the initial impeller adjustment and additional
adjustments for impeller or volute wear and thermal growth. Remember that these adjustments
will also affect the mechanical seal compression. Cartridge seals and sleeve mounted split seals
are the only sensible method of getting correct face compression. These designs should be the
standard in any modern plant.
TAKE CARE OF THE PAINT
This means frequent washing and waxing. It also means that you should not park the car in places where
opening doors can chip and damage the paint on your vehicle. Following too close to trucks can cause
rocks to be thrown into the grill and body. If the car is not kept in a garage, the heat of summer and the
cold of winter can shorten the life of any paint job.
We take care of a mechanical seal by providing environmental controls that will allow the pumping fluid
to stay at the correct temperature and pressure to prevent it from changing to a solid, vapor or crystal that
s021
would damage the mechanical seal. These environmental controls are especially important with
intermittent service pumps because the constant starting and stopping is always harmful to a mechanical
seal. These controls include:
● Controlling the temperature in the stuffing box. Especially when the pump is stopped.
● Controlling the pressure in the stuffing box.
● Removing solids from the stuffing box.
● Eliminating air or oxygen outboard the mechanical seal that is sealing the fluid.
● Quenching to wash away any leakage and to control the temperature outboard the seal
How long can a good paint job last on an automobile? The answer would have to be many years if you
did the four things mentioned in the above paragraphs. Obviously most people do not take the proper
care with their investment, and the cars you see on the street are the result.
All companies would like to get better seal life and the method of doing it is not complicated. Take a
look at most of the seals you have removed from consumer pumps and notice that in 85 % of the cases
there is very little carbon wear. It is reasonable to expect that with proper attention you should be able to
wear out 85% of your seals and experience only a 15% failure rate.
The seal life you get will be directly related to your interest in addressing these four subjects.
Return to index

s026
S026. SEAL REPAIR
The days of sending mechanical seals back to the manufacturer, or having a local repair facility repair
your seals is coming to an end. There are several reasons why this will be true:
● Most new seal designs are oriented to "in house repair".

● Legislation like the "Right To Know Law" in the United States will make the paper work involved
in sending seals "off site" very prohibitive.
● Contamination and disposal problems will make outside facilities very reluctant to deal with
products exposed to the chemicals involved in the process industry.
● The perceived threat to job security will make your people committed to keeping repair work in
house.
● You have now, and will in the future have an increasing need to know exactly what materials and
tolerances were used during the repair.
Environmental and liability problems will necessitate the documentation of this information. Too many
off site repair facilities use unnamed materials and material grades. Original tolerances are impossible to
be duplicated by any one other than the original manufacturer.
What is involved in a normal seal repair? Let's take a close look at a typical sequence:
1. Inspect and troubleshoot the various components for evidence of corrosion, rubbing, wear or damage.
This type of failure analysis should be a normal part of repairing seals. Why put in another seal until you
have learned why the present seal failed? The troubleshooting sections of this series will help you with
this determination.
2. Disassemble the seal and throw away the following components:
● The carbon&endash;graphite face.

● The elastomers and gaskets.
● The spring or springs.
● The set screws
● Any drive lugs or anti rotation pins.
● Cracked or broken hard faces.
● Cracked or broken bellows.
3. Clean the remaining components such as the sleeve, face holder, adapter, etc.
4. Inspect the cleaned components to be sure they meet the manufacturer's original dimensions,
tolerances, and finish.
5. Some metal-carbon composites have to be stress relieved after assembly to remove manufactured
stress that will prevent the carbon from remaining flat during the storage and shipment period. Watch out
for seals that are used in cryogenic service. They should be lapped at their cryogenic operating
temperature.
6. Reassemble the components using only new parts that have been supplied by the manufacturer. Be
sure to use original equipment parts because many seal manufacturers design components that have been
created from finite element analysis or similar techniques. Solid hard faces can be relapped if they are not
damaged in any way. Plated or coated faces must be stripped and re-plated before lapping.
7. Check the assembled seal for flatness. A vacuum check should be performed on the movable assembly
to insure there is no leak path through or around any of the components. If you elect to check cartridge
mounted dual seals with an air test, avoid immersing the seal in water. If the seal was later installed in
hot oil, or a similar application, the water trapped in gaskets and small crevices would flash to steam,
generating possibly dangerous pressures.
8. Repackaging varies with the manufacturer. Here are some points to consider:
● The packaged seal should be able to survive a thirty nine inch drop (one meter) without injury to
any seal component including the lapped seal faces.
● A protective coating (silicon is a common one) should be put on the lapped faces.
● A new set of installation instructions and an installation print should be placed in the box with the
rebuilt seal. A re-usable box is always superior to "bubble packaging."
● The box should be clearly labeled as to its contents. The use of only a part number leads people to
open the box, often causing unnecessary damage to the mechanical seal while it is being handled.
During the rebuilding process you should keep in mind that troubleshooting a rebuilt seal is a frustrating
experience. A trained troubleshooter is looking for evidence of rubbing, damage and corrosion. You
should be careful to clean up evidence of any of these symptoms prior to repackaging the seal to avoid
confusion the next time the seal failure is analyzed.

s026
In the event you should decide to have another facility repair your seals, have that facility remove the
manufacturers name and part number from the seal and replace them with their own. It is not fair to have
the original manufacturer be responsible for unknown seal materials that might have been substituted by
the new repair house.
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s027
S027. SEAL SLEEVE
This term is used to describe the inner barrel of a balanced rotating seal, the sleeve used to contain the
cartridge seal components, or the sleeve put on the pump shaft to protect the solid shaft against corrosion
or fretting damage from the mechanical seal.
The following illustration shows the inner barrel or sleeve of a balanced, rotating mechanical seal
attached to the shaft by setscrews and sealed to the shaft by an O-ring.
Double ended pumps use two sleeves to position the impeller between them.
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s028
S028. SEAL SPECIFICATIONS, HOW TO WRITE THEM
It is extremely important for any modern process company to have a good set of seal specifications.
When written properly the specifications will:
Classify seals by operating conditions:
Speed
● Some seal suppliers recommend the use of rotating seals (the spring rotates with the shaft) to a
maximum of 5000 feet per minute (25 meters per sec.) as measured at the seal faces, and
stationary seals for speeds greater than 5000 feet per minute (25 meters per second) as measured
at the seal faces. I believe you are always better off with stationary sealing designs if you can
justify the higher inital cost.
Pressure
● Specify balanced seals for stuffing box pressures of one Torr vacuum to 400 psi. (28 bar) Note:
this is not discharge pressure. The pressure in the pump stuffing box is often very close to the
pump's suction pressure.
● Use heavy-duty designs for greater pressures. These designs incorporate:
❍ Back up rings to prevent elastomer extrusion.
❍ Thicker cross section components were used in the past to prevent face distortion. Thinner
cross sections have become popular since the introduction of finite element analysis
programs.
● Lower the hydraulic load at the seal faces.
❍ A reduced hydraulic balance ratio. Especially with fluids having a specific gravity below
0.4.
● Specify two-way balance for dual seal applications. This will prevent opening the inner seal if
barrier fluid pressure is lost, or if there is a significant increase in stuffing box pressure.
Temperature
● Use O-rings to published temperature limits. If you go higher, compression set can occur.
● Use non-elastomer (metal bellows) seals for temperatures outside these limits. Petroleum products
being the exception. Because of the possibility of coking in these applications, seal chamber
cooling is necessary.
Motion capability
● Specify excessive motion designs for mixers, agitators, sleeve bearing equipment, etc. These
designs incorporate:
❍ Wider hard faces so that the thinner carbon/ graphite face has more radial movement
❍ More internal clearance in the seal components.
❍ Axial movement capability with out compressing or extending the spring or springs and
affecting proper face loading.
Use dual seals
● Any time you pump:

❍ Dangerous products
❍ Pollutants
❍ Costly products
❍ If down time is very expensive.
❍ Fluids that give off fugitive emissions.
● Dual seals can be used in the following configurations:

❍ Rotating face to face
❍ Rotating tandem
❍ Rotating concentric
❍ Stationary back to back
❍ Stationary concentric
❍ Stationary tandem
❍ Do not specify dual seals in the following configurations
❍ Rotating back to back
❍ Stationary face to face
❍ Stationary tandem, if the first stationary face is positioned in the bottom of the stuffing
box.
In each of these configurations the sealed product is at the inside diameter of the seal faces and sliding
components. Solids in the fluid will cause problems as centrifugal force throws the solids into the seal
faces and restricts the free movement of the sliding and flexing components.

s028
The inner seal should be pressure balanced in both directions to prevent opening of the inner seal if
barrier fluid (or system) pressure fluctuates or is lost. Two way balance can easily compensate for
vacuum or reversing pressure.
Clearly identify all of the seal materials, otherwise it will be impossible to troubleshoot a premature seal
failure.
● Carbon/graphite. Only unfilled grades are acceptable with the exception of cryogenic service
where a special self-lubricating grade is necessary. Do not use a carbon /graphite if you are
sealing petroleum products and you have to meet fugitive emission standards. The small pits that
form in the face will not allow the seal to pass a fugitive emission test.
● Hard faces. Alpha sintered silicon carbide, and nickel base tungsten carbide are satisfactory faces
for most applications
● Elastomers. Use the O-ring configuration. Any of the acceptable and available compounds are
satisfactory. The O-rings must not be spring loaded or glued in any manner. When using Viton®
specify only those grades that can be used with water and steam.
● Metal components. Any corrosion resistant material compatible with the pumped fluid and pump
components is acceptable. The springs or metal bellows should be manufactured form hastelloy
"C" or any other acceptable material not subject to chloride stress corrosion.
Desirable features in any mechanical seal.
● Centering ability. You want to start out with the narrow softer face (carbon/graphite) in the center
of the wider hard face so that the seal can compensate for maximum shaft deflection. Most of the
centering can be accomplished by:
❍ Piloting the gland to the inside of the stuffing box.
❍ Piloting the gland to the outside diameter of the stuffing box face.
❍ Placing shim stock at the inside diameter of the stationary face.
❍ Use cartridge seal centering clips.
● Specify anti-clogging features:

❍ Springs out of the fluid.
❍ The dynamic elastomer must move to a clean location.
❍ Keep the sealing fluid at the seal inside diameter so that centrifugal force throws the solid
particles away from the lapped seal faces and flexible components.
● Non-fretting designs with no dynamic elastomers touching the shaft or sleeve. Solid shafts should
be specified to help resist shaft deflection at start up and when operating off of the pump curve's
best efficiency point.
● Built in environmental controls where possible.
❍ Flush/ recirculation/ vent connection.
❍ A vent and drain/ quench connection.
❍ Disaster bushing for bearing failure and personnel protection.
● The smallest cross-section possible to maximize the room in the narrow stuffing box. You need
this room for radial shaft movement and for some place to centrifuge heavier solids in the liquid.
A better design would place the entire seal in a gland positioned between the stuffing box and the
pump bearing case where there is plenty of room for a good clearance at the seal face outside
diameter.
● Cartridge designs for open impeller adjustment and ease of assembly. Be sure the cartridge is
sealed to the shaft or sleeve at the inboard end. Outboard sealing can let solids penetrate between
the seal sleeve and the shaft making the seal removal difficult
● Split designs for easiest installation and to avoid re-alignment between the equipment and its
driver.
❍ Glued elastomers are never acceptable. The glue will cause a hard spot to form in the
elastomer causing the dynamic elastomer to leak.

● Vibration damping, especially with metal bellows designs.
● Slotted or other forms of non-dedicated glands for maximum flexibility.
● Rotate the fluid in the stuffing box rather than have the seal components rotate through the fluid.
This is especially important in metal bellows designs because of their thin plates. Abrasive fluids
can cause severe wear in a short period of time.
Repair kits
Present and more restrictive "right to know" legislation will discourage the shipment of seals to outside
repair facilities or back to the manufacturer because of personnel hazard problems. Try to select designs
that can easily be cleaned and the critical parts replaced at your facility. The following components must
always be replaced:
● The carbon-graphite face. Relapping is not acceptable because trapped solids and lapping powder
will be forced into the soft carbon. Machining or grinding a blank carbon is not acceptable
because the blank will not have enough density when the outer layers are removed.
● The springs work harden with time and corrode at a faster rate than the other metal components.
● All of the elastomers (rubber parts). This included Teflon® wedges, chevrons, O-rings, etc.
● Set screws. They are not normally manufactured from hardened material because of corrosion
resistance, and if used several times will "mushroom" and lose their holding ability.

s028
● Gaskets.
● Relapping of the hard face is acceptable as long as there are no cracks or chips visible.
Return to index

ten important mechanical seal features
The ten most important features you can specify in a mechanical seal design. S024_1
A mechanical seal should operate leak free until the wearable face (normally carbon) is worn smooth.
Ninety percent of mechanical seals leak prematurely. Surprisingly the seals fail for only two reasons:
● One of the seal components becomes inoperable from either corrosion or physical damage.
If these are the only reasons why seals fail prematurely, and they are, then any sensible mechanical seal
design would address these two problems. Here are the ten most important features you can specify in any
mechanical seal design
1. Deal only with known seal materials. Be sure these materials are chemically compatible with what you
are sealing and any cleaners or solvents that might be flushed through the lines.
● Metal parts including the seal barrel, cartridge sleeve, springs, set screws, etc.
● Choose a low friction face combination to reduce unwanted heat at the lapped faces. Carbon vs.the
hard face silicone carbide is probably your best choice
● Select rubber parts that include O-rings, and gaskets.
2. Choose seal designs with built in slurry or anti-clogging features:
● Keep the seal springs out of the fluid. This will make the springs less likely to clog up with solid
materials.
● Springs are subject to chloride stress corrosion problems.
● Be sure any dynamic elastomer moves to a clean surface. Do not let the elastomer move into any
potential solids that could restrict its' movement and open the seal faces.
● Choose designs that keep the sealing fluid at the outside diameter of the seal face. Centrifugal
force will then work with you to throw solids away from the lapped seal faces.
3. Avoid spring loaded elastomers or rubber parts
● Spring-loaded elastomers cannot flex or roll. They have to slide as they move axially and
frequently "hang up" and open the lapped faces
● Spring loaded elastomers are a major cause of shaft damage
4. Specify seal designs that are hydraulically balanced.
● Hydraulically balanced seal faces generate less heat than the unbalanced version used by original
equipment manufacturers
5. Specify stationary seal designs where the seal springs do not rotate with the shaft
● Stationary seal designs are not as sensitive as rotating seal designs to pump misalignment and pipe
strain problems.
6. Cartridge designs simplify the installation process and make the important impeller adjustment of semi-
open impeller pumps possible.
● Mount the seal as close to the pump bearings as possible.

● Address the problem of cartridge mounted stationary seal designs
7. Be sure the lapped seal faces say flat. If they are not flat to within three helium light bands the lapped
seal faces will probably leak
● Avoid "shrunk in" carbon faces. Monolithic or "pressed in carbon" designs are better.
8. Use the correct environmental control to stop the product you are sealing from changing state and
opening the lapped seal faces.
● Control the temperature in the stuffing box

● Control the pressure in the stuffing box
● Replace the fluid in the stuffing box with a fluid more friendly to the seal.
9. Use an API type gland if you have the option
● The disaster bushing will protect the seal and pump if you experience a catastrophic bearing
failure.
● The API type gland can be used for quenching if it is necessary
10. Stay with non-fretting designs

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/s-html/s024_1.htm (1 of 2) [7/21/03 11:43:12 AM]
● Most metal bellows seals fall into this non-fretting category

● Stationary seals seldom frett shafts and sleeves
● Flexible O-ring designs are better than Teflon wedges, V-rings or U-cups.
● Rubber bellows designs will not frett a sleeve unless the rubber bellows does not stick to the
sleeve.
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http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/s-html/s024_1.htm (2 of 2) [7/21/03 11:43:12 AM]

s030
S030. SECONDARY SEAL
In mechanical seal terminology the seal faces are the primary seal.
A dynamic elastomer (O-ring) or bellows is the secondary seal.
The secondary seal (O-ring), located in the rotating face, is preventing the fluid from leaking between the
seal face and the shaft.
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s034
S034. SELF SINTERED SILICON CARBIDE
This is another name for alpha sintered silicon carbide that has no free silica present.
Unlike the reaction bonded silicon carbide, this grade of silicon carbide can be used in caustic and higher
pH liquids.
See: Reaction bonded silicon carbide, R004
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s043
S043. SHAFT DEFLECTION. HOW TO REDUCE IT
Here are some things you can do to help reduce the deflection caused by operating off the BEP. (best
efficiency point):
● Shorten the shaft if possible.

● Go to a larger diameter shaft. You can do this by either replacing the present power end with a
larger diameter shaft or in some cases you can replace the sleeved shaft with a solid version.
● Remove the packing and substitute a sleeve bearing in its place. A mechanical seal can then be
installed between the face of the stuffing box and the bearing case.
● To prevent operating the pump too far in the throttled direction, you can install a recirculation line
between the pump discharge and a low pressure point in the system. This will work for throttled
applications if you are prepared to lose some of the pump's efficiency. This is a common
arrangement in boiler feed pump applications.
● Switch to a double volute pump design. The slight loss in efficiency is worth it. The problem is
trying to find a supplier of double volute pumps in the smaller impeller sizes of less than fourteen
(14) inches (355 mm)
● If the pump's primary head is friction head a variable speed motor would make sense.
● Tell the operator to operate the pump at its best efficiency point. (Good luck with that one!)
You will notice that I did not recommend "up grading" to a different shaft material. Unfortunately all of
the common shaft materials have approximately the same modulus of elasticity, so they will all have the
same bending problem.
● Moving a mechanical seal outside of the stuffing box and closer to the pump radial bearing will
not reduce shaft deflection, but it will help to preserve the seal life when the shaft does deflect.
You can do this with a split seal, some newer cartridge seal designs or an extension to the existing
stuffing box.
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s044
S044. SHAFT DEFLECTION. THE PROBLEMS IT CAUSES
Excessive shaft deflection can cause a lot of problems including:
● Opening up the mechanical seal faces when the rotating portion of the seal contacts a stationary
component.
● Overloading of the bearings, especially the radial bearing.
● A change in the seal face loading
● A change in the flow direction of a dual seal convection tank.
● Damage to the impeller and volute.
● Excessive wear ring wear and loss of pump efficiency as the gap increases. This is a major
concern with "vertical, in line" designs.
● Excessive shaft fretting (wear and damage) at the bearing seal locations.
● Damage to the bearing seals.
● Packing sleeve wear.
● Excessive packing leakage.
● Overheating of the packing.
● Damage to the stuffing box throat bushing.
● Damage to an API (American Petroleum Institute) gland disaster bushing.
● The breaking of a stationary seal face.
● Axial movement can change the seal face loading
● Impeller clearance will be altered. In some cases the impeller could contact the volute or pump
back plate.
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s045
S045. SHAFT FAILURE
Shaft failure from excessive radial loads occurs in the middle of the span in double suction or multi-stage
pumps.
Shaft failure in end suction centrifugal pumps usually occurs at the shoulder of the shaft where the
impeller hub positions against the impeller sleeve.
Some engineers recommend substituting chrome steel shafts for the 300 series stainless steel shafts
normally found in fresh water service because the endurance limit of the 300 series stainless steels is less
than that of the chrome steels in fresh water.
All of this means that the endurance limit of the shaft material is very much affected by the liquid being
pumped.
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s046
S046. SHAFT PACKING
Refering to the soft rings of packing supplied by pump manufacturers. You need at least five rings to get
a reasonable leak rate.
This drawing illustrates three rings of packing installed in the stuffing box; followed by a lantern ring or
seal cage to provide lubrication to the packing, and two more rings of packing held in place and tightened
by a packing gland.
Mechanical seals are replacing most of these leaking packings.
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s047
S047. SHAFT ROTATION
Shaft rotation is designated as either clockwise (CW) or counter clockwise (CWW) when facing the
driven end of the pump.
Vertical pump rotation is determined by looking down at the driven end.
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S048
S048. SHAFT SLEEVE
Most shaft sleeves are used to:
● Provide corrosion resistance to steel or iron shafts.

● As a wear surface for packing.
● To position an impeller in double ended pump designs.
● Retain a metal bellows seal on the rotating shaft.
Double-ended pump shafts are often protected against wear and corrosion by the use of shaft sleeves. In
smaller pumps this can reduce the impeller suction area, and if the suction eye is increased accordingly
the suction specific speed number may become excessive.
Because of stuffing box space limitations the solid shaft is often reduced to accommodate a sleeve and
the resultant raising of the L3/D4 number increases the mechanical seal and bearing problems.
The solution is to go to a different design with a solid corrosion resistant shaft.
Select a mechanical seal that will not frett the shaft and the problem should be solved.
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s054
S054. SIPHON
A curved pipe with one long leg used for conveying liquid over the edge of a tank or obstruction through
the force of atmospheric pressure.
See Siphon Affect
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s056
S056. SKIDDING
A term used to describe how an impeller slides and moves on the solids in the bottom of a mixer.
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s058
S058. SLENDERNESS RATIO
This is another name for L3/D4
A guide line for determining mechanical seal reliability in single stage centrifugal pumps with an
overhung impeller. It is an indicator of how seal and bearing reliability relates to pump shaft stiffness.
vane. The diameter is measured on the solid shaft and beneath the sleeve if a sleeve has been installed
Please see shaft bending, the L3/D4 formula for information on how to calculate the L3/D4 of a single
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s065
S065. SOFT FOOT
The tendency for one of the pump's feet to rise when the hold-down bolt is loosened.
Very bad for alignment.
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s060
S066. SOLUBLE
This means the fluid is capable of being dissolved in a liquid.
Sulfuric acid is soluble in water, oil is not.
It is very important that flushing and cleaning fluids are soluble in the pumping fluid or solids they are
cleaning.
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s073
S073. SPECIFIC VISCOSITY
The ratio of the viscosity of any liquid to that of water at the same temperature.
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s077
S077. SPLIT MECHANICAL SEALS, WHERE TO USE THEM.
seals. In another section of this CD I discussed the reasons you would want to convert a packed pump to
a mechanical seal, now we will look at a few areas where the split seal has a real advantage over solid
seals. :
Fire pumps
● Many fire codes will not allow you to remove the packing from a fire pump. The split seal can
easily be installed outside of the stuffing box with the packing left inside. Fire pumps leak a great
deal and it is not unusual to have a "jockey pump" run twenty four hours a day trying to keep the
fire main pressurized as this leakage occurs. Many fire pumps have been converted to a
mechanical seal and in just about every case the "jockey" pump has stopped running.
Awkward locations
● Sometimes it is just too difficult to pull a pump to change the packing sleeve or mechanical seal.
Most split seal applications can be done in less than an hour, with the pump left in place.
● Whenever a solid seal wears out or fails, it takes a considerable amount of time to pull the pump
and change the seal. Split seals do not have this problem. In some cases this "down time" can cost
thousands of dollars.
Hazardous areas
● The worker can fix the leak and then get out of the area in a hurry. Radioactive environments are
an example of this problem. In many cases the old packing and sleeve, or failed mechanical seal
does not have to be removed to install a Split seal.
No realignment between the pump and driver is needed because the equipment was not disassembled
● The coupling and motor do not have to be pulled and therefore realignment is no longer
necessary. Even if you have the latest Laser equipment, it still takes a long time to align a driver
and pump properly.
● Good split seals will not wear a shaft, so there is no need to pull the bearings unless they have
been damaged. You change only the seal, not the shaft and bearings. To prevent all damage to the
shaft you should replace the bearing lip or grease seals with positive face seals or the labyrinth
type that work better and do not damage expensive shafts.
No damage to the pump.
● Since the pump is not being disassembled there is less chance of damaging something during the
seal or sleeve change. Often there are no spare parts available for some of the older pumps.
Usually there is nothing wrong with the pump&emdash; only the leakage is the problem.
● In many cases the inside of the packing chamber has corroded or the metal has fatigued causing
the packing to rotate with the shaft. The face of the stuffing box can easily be repaired with
available commercial products and a split seal installed outside of the packing chamber. There is
seldom any need to remove the damaged sleeve during these installation.
● Disassembly of this equipment is always a problem. Many times it pays to install a split bushing
in the bottom of the packing chamber to help stabilize the shaft. For those mixer designs that do
not require emptying to change the seal, a split sleeve can be installed under the split seal.
● In some instances a split seal can be sterilized and then installed without having to sterilize the
entire system. This often happens when the pump has to be removed from the piping.
The pump insulation does not have to be removed.

s077
● Many pumps have been insulated with asbestos packing and its removal is an involved and costly
● Split seal components are easily replaceable and do not take up any volume. There is no need to
send seals back to the manufacture or any other facility for rebuilding. Repair can be done by the
mechanic at a cost that is usually lower than comparable size solid seals. Recent "Right to know
laws" has created an urgent need for these designs.
● Split seals can be installed by one man in less than an hour. No need for multiple trades and the
multiple work orders involved.
● If a double seal is necessary, you can usually install a split mechanical seal behind the present seal
to protect the product and area in the event the present seal fails. A convection tank using anti
freeze or any compatible liquid can be installed between the seals as a barrier fluid. This system
works well with exotic metal pumps also. A 316 stainless steel split seal can often back up an
exotic metal seal because it will only be activated when the first seal fails.
Emergency repair.
● You can install a split seal on a leaking pump and stop the leakage until you have time to replace
the seal that was specified for the pump. If there is not enough room between the seal gland and
the first obstruction you can cut off the existing gland and leave the leaking rotary unit attached to
the shaft inside the stuffing box.
Scheduling.
● Using split seals you can convert packed pumps at a much faster rate. In fact there is no longer
any need to wait until turn around time to fix or convert leaking pieces of rotating equipment.
There are some limitations to split seals:
● At the time I wrote this article split seals were not available in all of the metallurgies and shaft
sizes we find with non-split designs.
● There is some question as to whether single split seals will ever be able to pass a fugitive emission
test.
There is no longer any need to speculate if a seal will work in a given application. You can always install
a split seal and learn the answer during the present work shift. A typical stationary split seal application
is accomplished in less than one hour with twenty to thirty minutes being more common as the mechanic
gains experience.
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s079
S079. SPRING FORCE
The force on the seal faces caused by the spring compression. Spring loading is typically 30 psi (2
kg/cm2) when the seal face is new and 10 psi (0.7 kg/cm2)when the face is worn away.
To calculate this load you must know the spring rate (pounds / inch or kg/cm), and the area (square
inches or square centimeters) of the seal faces.
Springs are rated at pounds per inch (kg/cm) of compression. You divide the number of square inches
(cm2 ) of seal face into this number and you get pounds per square inch (kg/ cm2).
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v011
V011. V.D.M.A.
A German set of standards for mechanical seals.
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s084
S084. STATIC ELASTOMER
In this drawing The static elastomer (O-ring) seals the mechanical seal inner sleeve to the shaft.
The dynamic elastomer is the one located between the seal inner and outer sleeve.
to prevent seal hang up or hysteresis.
They must also be free to flex and roll to compensate for mechanical seal face wear.
Static O-rings do not have to move. They are often used as a gasket and are a lot more forgiving than
dynamic O-rings because a small amount of swell can be tolerated that might even improve their sealing.
.Return to index

s092
S092. STRESS CORROSION CRACKING
Describes a localized failure caused by tensile stresses in a medium.
Stress corrosion occurs below the metal's yield point as a result of cyclic application of the stress. This
can be a problem in mechanical seals because of their repeated cyclic operation.
Chloride stress corrosion is probably the most common form of corrosion we experience with stainless
steel springs and the metal bellows used in some mechanical seals.
See: Chloride stress corrosion, C036
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s094
S094. STRIPPED
The machined thread has been damaged. The bolt will not hold, or the nut will not stay on the bolt.
Stripped threads can be repaired by re-tapping the hole or using a die to renew the thread on the bolt.
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s095
S095. STROBE LIGHT
A high intensity flashing light that is used to observe periodic motion by making the body visible at
certain points by the use of the synchronized flashing light.
In the pump business we use a strobe light to determine the pump's shaft speed.
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s098
S098. STUFFING BOX PRESSURE CONTROL
We have very little control over the products that we must seal, but we have a great deal of control over
how we elect to seal them. Special seals are seldom the answer. In most cases satisfactory seal life can be
obtained by carefully choosing the seal materials for temperature and chemical compatibility, selecting a
balanced O- ring seal design and then controlling the environment in the stuffing box to prevent a change
in the fluid characteristics from affecting the seal performance.
Controlling stuffing box pressure is one of these controls and is extremely important in many seal
applications. In the following paragraphs we will discuss several methods of controlling pressure, but
first we will learn where the environmental control is necessary.
We can raise the pressure in the stuffing box to:
● Prevent a fluid from vaporizing in the stuffing box or across the seal faces. If the product
vaporizes across the seal faces it can open the faces and possibly do some damage as the faces
rapidly open and then close because of the cooling affect of the fluid expansion. In many cases
solids will be left between the faces as the fluid vaporizes.
● Destroy a vacuum in the stuffing box. A balanced O-ring seal can seal either vacuum or a positive
pressure. Vacuum often implies higher heat at the seal faces and that is never good for a
mechanical seal because heat can cause the product to change state.
● Many split seal designs can accommodate either vacuum or a positive pressure application, but
not one that alternates between them (the reverse pressure is forcing the splits open). Raising the
stuffing box pressure will keep it positive so that a split seal can be applied.
We can raise the pressure between dual seals to:
● Stop a pressure differential across a dynamic elastomer from failing the elastomer. This is a
serious problem when we seal ethylene oxide or any fluid capable of penetrating the elastomer
and blowing out on the low-pressure side.
● To prevent sub-micron solids from penetrating between the lapped faces. Kaoline is a good
example of this type of product. Sub-micron products have no problem penetrating lapped seal
faces when the pressure drop is from the outside diameter to the inside diameter of the seal face.
● To take the load off the inboard face that is sealing a non-lubricating fluid and transfer the load to
the outboard seal. This can make a dramatic difference in the life of the inboard seal
● To prevent a pressure drop across the faces that could cause a product to solidify. Many solids are
dissolved in a liquid that will vaporize at atmospheric pressure. Paint is a good example of this
application.
● To prevent a liquid from vaporizing between the inboard faces and blowing them open.
We can lower the pressure in the stuffing box:
● If it is too high for a standard balanced O-ring seal

● To vent air from a vertical pump.
Now, to the actual techniques:
Discharge recirculation.
In this application we connect a recirculation line from the discharge side of the pump to the stuffing box
or a flush connection in the gland. You should install a close fitting bushing into the bottom of the
stuffing box with a clearance of about 0.002 inch/ inch (0.002 mm/mm) of shaft diameter. The bushing
can be manufactured from any material compatible with the fluid you are sealing. Carbon is often
selected as a first choice.
A properly installed balanced O-ring seal will not generate enough heat to flash a liquid between the seal
faces as long as the stuffing box pressure is at least one atmosphere (one bar or 15 psi.) higher than the
product vapor point. You should have no problem in getting this additional pressure if you have installed
the restriction bushing.
Please look at the illustration below. This is a cross section of an API (American Petroleum Institute)
gland as used in oil refineries.

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The discharge recirculation line would be connected to the lantern ring connection in the stuffing box or
the port that is labeled " F (flush)" in the illustration.
The technique is the same as discharge recirculation, but in this application we connect the stuffing box
or seal gland to the suction side of the pump or a low-pressure sump instead. We do not use a restriction
bushing in this application because the differential pressure can cause the bushing to move and contact
the mechanical seal. Suction recirculation works best with the proper gland connection but it can be used
with the lantern ring connection if necessary. Be sure the connection is on the bottom or as close to the
bottom as possible of the stuffing box or gland and as close to the seal faces as possible.
Caution: Lowering the pressure in the stuffing box is sometimes a bad idea because of the danger of
flashing the sealing fluid. The technique is commonly used, however, to remove air that might be trapped
in the stuffing box of a vertical pump or to provide normal circulation through the stuffing box when the
sealing fluid contains solids. By connecting to the suction side you will be pulling fluid from behind the
impeller, through the stuffing box and then to the lower pressure on the suction side of the pump. Fluid
behind the impeller usually contains fewer solids than fluid coming from the pump discharge side. It
should be mentioned that this technique works very well on most closed impeller pumps and those open
impeller designs that adjust to the volute of the pump.
There are four conditions when we would not use suction recirculation:
● If the solids in the fluid have a low specific gravity and float on he liquid.
● Any open impeller pump that adjust to the back plate. These pumps have a flow through impeller
that causes the stuffing box to be at just about suction pressure, so no flow will occur. In the
United States the Duriron Pump Company builds many of these designs.
● If the liquid in the stuffing box is close to its vapor point. Any lowering of the stuffing box
pressure could cause the liquid to vaporize.
● Single stage double-ended pumps have the stuffing box at suction pressure.
Another common application for this connection is to cross connect the stuffing boxes of a multi-stage,
pump to equalize the pressures and balance the seal face wear.
Using two or more seals with a lower pressure between them.
● Some seal companies use this as a technique to stage the pressure in a high-pressure application. I
do not approve of this method because the operator is lead to believe that there are multiple seals
in the pump when in fact the multiple seals are acting as one and a failure in any one of the seals
will fail them all. I believe you would be better off purchasing a high pressure seal for this
application.
Using two seals with a convection tank installed between them.

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● This is done to take the load off the seal that is sealing a non-lubricant or to prevent a pressure
drop across the seal faces. The convection tank is filled with a lubricating liquid and the tank
pressure is adjusted to provide the necessary pressure differential. With the proper instrumentation
you will be able to tell which seal wears out or fails first. The second seal will act as a back up
until you can shut the valves and start the repair.
❍ As an example: In the pump stuffing box you have a 75-psi (5-bar) non-lubricating liquid.
You cannot afford product dilution so you install two seals with a lubricating buffer fluid
of 75 psi. (5 bar) between them. This will take the load off of the inboard seal that is
sealing the non lubricant and shift the load to the outer seal that is containing the
lubricating barrier fluid.
● The convection tank can be purchased or manufactured from an appropriate corrosion resistant
material. Some companies (Coca-Cola as an example) ship their product in a similar tank and then
scrap the tank because of sanitary or safety regulations. Many of these tanks can be purchased at a
low price and modified for your needs. The air connection on the top will allow you to regulate
the tank.
● Keep in mind that convection tank applications are limited by the combination of seal size, face
combination, barrier fluid pressure and shaft speed. Check with your seal supplier for a specific
recommendation.
● When ever possible avoid selecting petroleum base liquids for the barrier fluid circulating in the
tank and between the two seals. Petroleum fluids have a very low specific heat that will cause
overheating and coking problems. If you have the choice, water is the ideal heat transfer fluid
because of its good conductivity and high specific heat number. If water is not acceptable choose
any compatible fluid with a high conductivity and high specific heat value.
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s099
S099. STUFFING BOX TEMPERATURE
Many factors contribute to a change in the pump stuffing box temperature:
Ambient conditions have a major affect on temperature:
● Is the pump located in an area of temperature extremes? Can rain or snow fall on the pump?
● Is the stuffing box area frequently washed down with a water hose?
● Is the pump insulated from the surrounding temperature?
● Is the inlet piping insulated from the outside weather?
The product its self can be the problem.
● Is the fluid a lubricant? Non-lubricants can cause slip-stick seal vibration problems.
● What is the normal pumping temperature of the product? Cold temperature can thicken fuel.
● What is the conductivity of the product you are pumping? Water has good conductivity, oil has
poor conductivity.
● Does the fluid have a low specific heat? The lower the specific heat the hotter it is going to get.
● What is the specific gravity of the liquid? High specific gravity consumes more motor kilowatts.
● Is the product viscous? Viscous products consume more power also. They also cause the pump to
operate off its best efficiency point causing shaft deflection problems.
The seal face load is very important.
● What is the spring force? Thirty ponds per square inch (2kg/cm2 ) should be typical when the
carbon face is new.
● What is the percentage of the seal face hydraulic balance? 70/30 is normal, but low specific
gravity fluids (less than 0.4) should have a balance closer to 60/40.
● How wide are the faces? Wide faces can generate more heat.
● The axial thrust of the shaft can increase the face load.
● The installation skill of the mechanic is critical. Does he have a print to reference or is he using
the old setscrew mark on the shaft?
● How high is the stuffing box pressure? Does it alternate from pressure to vacuum?
● Thermal growth of the shaft can increase the face load in most outside mounted, non-metallic seal
designs.
● Shaft speed is a major factor. The faster you go the more heat generated. Some single spring
designs can unload the faces at these higher shaft speeds because centrifugal force is pushing the
spring in a radial direction, shortening the seal and un-loading the lapped faces.
● The direction of impeller adjustment will determine if the faces will overheat after the impeller
has been adjusted. Without a cartridge, the seal faces cannot be moved to compensate for the new
impeller setting.
● The direction of shaft rotation can be important with some single spring designs. The wrong
spring direction can unload the seal faces.
The face materials are another factor.
● The higher the density of the carbon-graphite mixture, the less air pockets beneath the face
surface. These air pockets will hinder the heat transfer away from the face.
● Is the face insulated by an elastomer or gasket?
● Is the face installed in a metal holder? The metal holder has a much better heat conductivity than
the carbon/graphite.
● The face material conductivity must be considered. Silicon carbide and tungsten carbide are the
best. 85% and 99.5% ceramic are the worst with carbon/graphite falling some where in between.
● The harder the face, the less friction generated.
● The smoother the face, the less friction between the lapped faces.
● A carbon-graphite face vs a hard face will generate less heat than two hard faces running against
each other because of the lubricating qualities of the graphite.
Vacuum causes a heat problem between faces.
● If an open impeller is accidentally adjusted backwards the impeller "pump out" vanes could cause
a stuffing box vacuum if they are too close to the back plate.
● If the pump is lifting liquid, the stuffing box is running in a vacuum.
● Condenser hot wells run under a vacuum.
● Evaporators often run under vacuum.
High soak temperatures can cause a seal failure
● This becomes important after the cooling or flushing is shut off when the pump is stopped. Heat
transfer oil experiences this problem,
The shaft material is a variable.

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● Some metals are better heat conductors than others. The conductivity of stainless steel is poor
compared to carbon steel as an example. This means that a stainless steel shaft is less likely to
conduct heat from the pumpage to both the mechanical seal and the bearing case.
The stuffing box design is important.
● The inside diameter should be as large as possible, especially at the seal faces.
● A steady flow through the entire stuffing box is very important.
● Suction or discharge recirculation is necessary if you do not want to flush the product with a clean
lubricant.
● The shape of the stuffing box can determine the amount of heat being generated. Tapered boxes
can cause a rapid rotation of the fluid at the seal faces increasing the amount of heat being
generated.
● The material used to make the stuffing box is another variable.
● Is there a gasket between the stuffing box and the back plate? Gaskets do not conduct heat very
well.
● Product build up on the inside diameter of the stuffing box acts as an insulator.
● Is there a heating/cooling jacket installed on the stuffing box? Is it clean?
● You need a thermal bushing installed in the end of the stuffing box to isolate the product
temperature when you are using a heating or cooling jacket.
● Can the stuffing box be vented in a vertical application? If not you will trap air, and the faces will
run dry.
● Has the outside diameter of the stuffing box been insulated? Decide if this is a good idea for your
application.
The loss of an environmental control can increase the stuffing box temperature. There are several types
of environmental controls in common use:
● Flush. Clean liquid is pumped into the product, diluting it by the amount pumped into the stuffing
box.
● Quench. Steam or water is injected behind the seal to wash away any thing that came across the
faces, and to keep the seal faces at some pre-determined temperature.
● Barrier fluid. High-pressure fluid is circulated between dual seals.
● Buffer fluid. Low-pressure fluid is circulated between dual seal faces.
● Jacketing fluid. Is circulated through the stuffing box jacket. Steam and condensate are the two
most popular choices. Calcium in the jacket can restrict the heat transfer. Make sure the jacket is
clean and the inside of the stuffing box is insulated from the pumpage by a thermal bushing.
● Suction recirculation. Installed between the bottom of the stuffing box and the suction piping.
This should be the normal stuffing box circulation method.
● Discharge recirculation. Connected between the discharge side of the pump and the stuffing box.
It is used to pressurize the stuffing box to prevent a fluid from vaporizing.
The pump discharge is being throttled for some reason causing the heating problem. Here are a couple of
reasons why people throttle the pump discharge. :
● To control flow. The pump is too big for the application.

● To stop cavitation. The higher the capacity, the more NPSH needed.
● To create a false head and move the pumping point closer to the best efficiency point.
● If two pumps are connected in series and the first pump has a higher capacity, it will be throttled
by the second pump.
● Throttling can occur if the pumps are installed in parallel and one of them is putting a back
pressure on the other one.
A change in the process can cause the additional heat.
● A higher process temperature.

● The pump is running at a higher speed.
● A high temperature cleaner or solvent is being used to clean the lines.
● A different fluid is being pumped through the lines.
Here are a couple more reasons the temperature can change in the stuffing box:
● Rubbing of a component because of an installation error, shaft deflection or thermal growth.

● The wear rings are contacting because of shaft deflection.
● A protruding gasket or fitting is rubbing a seal part.
● The impeller clearance too small.
● The impeller out side diameter is too close to the cutwater.
● Too much impeller to volute clearance can cause heat to be generated as the fluid is recirculated
in the volute.
● Too high an impeller suction specific speed number can cause internal recirculation problems.
WHAT IS BEING AFFECTED BY THE CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE?

s099
Elastomers. Especially those located in or close to the seal faces.
● They will take a compression set at high temperature.

● At higher heat they will shrink, harden and then crack.
● A rubber bellows can rupture.
● At cryogenic temperatures elastomers harden and stop sealing.
The carbon
● A filler or binder can melt.

● Blisters can form on the seal face as air trapped in the carbon expands because of the face heat.
Face pitting occurs when the blisters explode.
● Slip-stick can cause chipping of the carbon outside diameter.
● The part can go out of flat due to differential expansion of the various cross sections.
● If the carbon was lapped at room temperature it can go out of flat at temperature extremes.
The hard face
● Thermal cracking is common in some ceramics.

● Heat check is a problem with plated or coated hard faces. It is caused by dissimilar materials
expanding at different rates.
● The hard coating or plating lifts off if the sealing fluid attacks the base material. Coating are
porous. High face heat will accelerate the process.
● The hard face can go out of flat due to differential expansion of the various cross sections. Finite
element analysis techniques have solved this problem in many of the newer seal designs.
The metal parts
● Critical dimensions and surface finishes can change.

● A metal bellows can lose strength as the metal approaches its annealing temperature.
● Heat accelerates any corrosion problems caused by the product or any chemical used to clean the
system.
The product can change from a liquid to a solid or gas with higher temperatures.
● It can vaporize and open the lapped faces allowing solids to penetrate.
● It can become more viscous. Some products increase in viscosity as they become cold, others
when they get hotter.
● It can solidify. A change in temperature is enough. Some products solidify with heat, others with
cold.
● A film can build on the hot seal surface restricting movement. This can occur at the lapped faces
or in-between sliding components that must be free to flex and move. This is a problem with hot
oil applications
● The product can crystallize with an increase in stuffing box temperature.
● Vaporization at the seal faces can freeze the moisture outboard of the seal or any oil or lubricant
that might have been put on the lapped faces.
● The product can lose its lubricating qualities and cause slip-stick problems. Hot water experiences
this vibration problem.
Critical dimensions change that can affect seal performance.
● Alignment between the pump/driver

● Stuffing box squareness to the shaft.
● Pipe strain will increase with temperature changes.
● The wear ring clearance will change.
● The O-ring squeeze will change.
● The interference fit between the face outside diameter and its metal holder can loosen.
Corrosion always increases with an increase in product or face temperature. There are many kinds of
corrosion affecting the metal parts that include:
● Overall or general corrosion

● Galvanic corrosion
● Pitting corrosion
● Fretting corrosion
● Concentrated cell corrosion
● Stress corrosion. Chloride stress corrosion is a big problem with stainless steel springs and
bellows.
● Intergranular corrosion
● Selective leaching
● Erosion corrosion
● Micro-organisms corrosion
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● Crevice corrosion
Return to index

s100
S100. STUFFING BOX TEMPERATURE CONTROL
Many fluids are adversely affected by a change in their temperature and when this reaction takes place
seal failure is almost sure to follow. The reaction can take several forms:
● One of the seal components can be destroyed. The elastomer, seal faces, or metal parts will almost
always be altered at some degree of change in ambient temperature.
❍ Coated or plated hard faces can heat check.
❍ Carbon fillers can melt and pits can form in carbon/ graphite faces as trapped air expands
and blows out pieces of the carbon.

❍ Hydrocarbons can solidify (coke) between the seal faces and pull out pieces of carbon
causing small pits that will prevent you from meeting fugitive emission standards.
❍ Carbon graphite faces can lose their lubricating ability at cryogenic temperature and chip
on the outside diameter as "slip stick" vibration takes place.

❍ Elastomers can take a "compression set" and crack at elevated temperature.
❍ Cold temperatures can cause elastomers to harden.
● The liquid can crystallize restricting seal movement and opening the faces.
● The liquid can vaporize between the faces causing them to open.
● The viscosity of the fluid can change, either restricting seal movement or making the fluid less of
a lubricant.
● The liquid can solidify causing the seal to become inoperative.
● The liquid's corrosion rate can double with an 18° Fahrenheit (10° C) rise in temperature.
● The liquid can convert to a film between the sliding seal components, restricting their movements.
The magnetite that forms in hot water applications is a good example of this.
● A film can form on the seal faces causing them to separate.
● Lapped seal faces can distort and go out of flat at elevated or cryogenic temperatures.
By keeping the stuffing box temperature within specified limits you can prevent all of the above from
happening. These limits vary with each fluid, but they can be obtained from anyone knowledgeable about
the fluid that has to be sealed.
A balanced mechanical seal incorporating the following features and installed at the proper compression
is your best insurance against a significant rise in stuffing box temperature:
● Proper face balance. 70/ 30 is the most common to 5000 fpm. (25 meters per sec.)
● Low friction face materials. Carbon/ graphite vs. a hard face is one of the best.
● The correct spring compression to control face loading. Cartridge seals have an advantage in
controlling the face loading from spring pressure.
● Faces with good heat conductivity. Tungsten carbide and silicon carbide have excellent thermal
conductivity compared to most other hard face materials.
● A small cross section carbon/ graphite face press fit into a metal holder is better than solid carbon/
graphite for removing heat from between the seal faces.
Sometimes all of the above is still not good enough, so occasionally you will have to come up with some
additional method of controlling the temperature in the stuffing box area and between the lapped seal
faces.
The following picture describes several of the methods available to you.
The heating / cooling jacket (J).
If your pump does not have a heating-cooling jacket installed, one is usually available from the pump
distributor. If possible try to select an oversized stuffing box with a cooling/ heating jacket cast around it.
This jacket can be used to heat a product, cool a product, or keep the product within close temperature
limits. When using the jacket there are several important things to keep in mind:
● Install a carbon bushing into the bottom of the stuffing box to act as a thermal barrier. The
clearance over the shaft should be about 0.002" per inch diameter of shaft (0,002 mm/ mm of
shaft diameter). The length should be at least 3/8 inch (10 mm). We have not had much luck
without this thermal bushing
● Dead-end the stuffing box. In other words no discharge, flush or suction recirculation lines
connected to the stuffing box. Many hot fluids contain lots of solids; the dead-ending feature will
allow you to centrifuge the fluid and clean it up.
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● If you elect to use water as the jacketing fluid make sure that it is not hard water as it will form a
layer of calcium on the walls of the jacket restricting the heat transfer. Condensate or low pressure
steam would be a better choice
● This jacket is also used to cool the rotating shaft in hot applications. If the stuffing box cooling is
lost the heat will conduct back to the bearings, causing their premature failure.
● Steam is an excellent medium to control heating or cooling. A regulating valve can be installed on
the discharge side of the jacket for precision pressure control, which will, in turn, control the
stuffing box temperature within narrow limits. A mixing valve proportioning steam and
condensate is another method of controlling temperature within precise limits.
The quench or drain connection (Q)
Quench connections are available in API (American Petroleum Institute) type glands. The quench
connection is used in conjunction with a close fitting, non sparking disaster bushing as shown in the
previous illustration.
When using the quench for temperature control be aware:
● Excessive fluid will be directed towards the bearing case. Be sure to use only small amounts of
steam or water. It would be wise to replace the existing grease seals with mechanical bearing seals
or labyrinth seals if you elect to use quench as your primary temperature control method.
● The quench connection can be used to vent a volatile product to a flare where it can be burned.
● You can use this quench connect to prevent the moisture in the atmosphere from freezing
outboard of the seal in a cryogenic application or a product that freezes when it evaporates. Be
careful, too much quench temperature could cause a vaporization problem at the seal faces.
● The quench fluid can also remove any solids that have built up outboard of the seal, as well as
remove any vapors that might leak across the seal faces. This is an important feature when sealing
products that can crystallize at the seal faces and on the outboard side of the seal.
● The drain connection is used to direct the major amount of failed seal leakage away from the
bearings or any personnel in the area. It should be connected to an appropriate tank for retention.
● Operators frequently shut off quenching fluids thinking they have stopped a seal leak.
The flush connection (F)
In temperature control applications we flush in cooled product to control the stuffing box temperature. If
you use the pump fluid cooled, or cooled finished product, you will have no problem with product
dilution. Oil refineries typically flush seal oil into their crude oil applications.
The dual seal
Another method of providing temperature control is to utilize two seals with the correct temperature
liquid circulating between them as a barrier or buffer fluid. Look at the following illustration:
● When using a dual seal for heating/ cooling be sure to bring the fluid into the bottom of the seal
gland and out the top of the gland to insure that the void between the seals is full of fluid. This is
an excellent method of controlling the temperature at the seal faces if you are experiencing an
over heating problem.
● In many instances a convection tank can be installed between the seals but it will seldom do an
adequate job of lowering or raising the barrier fluid temperature. In almost every instance forced
circulation will be necessary if you need any degree of heating or cooling. Convection tanks are
satisfactory for removing the heat generated by balanced seal faces, but that is about all.
● In some instances a convection tank has been used with an installed cooling coil and a pumping
ring built into the mechanical seal.
● The amount of barrier fluid circulation needed will be determined by the seal size, speed, and
stuffing box pressure. Your seal supplier will gladly supply this information.
● Water should be selected for the barrier fluid whenever possible. Whatever fluid you decide to use
should be a good lubricant with a high specific heat value and good thermal conductivity. Almost
all oil is a poor choice because of its low specific heat and poor conductivity.
The heat exchanger
The normal procedure is to install the heat exchanger in the discharge recirculation line connected
s100
between the pump discharge and the stuffing box. If you elect to use this method be careful of the
following:
● This can be dangerous in hot water applications because a leak in any of the fittings will direct
high-pressure hot water into the atmosphere and some one may be standing close by and become
injured.
● Many hot fluids also contain solids that will clog up the heat exchanger.
● The temperature control is effective only while the pump is running. Many seal failures occur at
start up because of lack of proper temperature control while the pump was idle.
● If you want to use this method and only a small amount of cooling is necessary, a commercial
automotive, automatic transmission cooler can be used effectively in many applications.
● A heat exchanger can be used with a pumping ring. In this application low pressure fluid is
circulated out of the top of the stuffing box to the heat exchanger and then back to the seal
through the bottom connection on the seal gland.
Other considerations
● Vertical pumps require venting or the seal will trap air in the stuffing box causing high heat at the
seal faces. To vent the stuffing box properly connect a suction recirculation line between the seal
flush connection and the pump suction. Vertical pump applications also present a problem for
dual seal applications. You will need to provide some method of venting air trapped between the
inside and outside seal.
● Carbon in a metal holder is a better choice than a solid carbon, for heat conductivity away from
the lapped faces.
● Graphite impregnated silicon carbide is one of the newer choices in seal faces that have a
combination of low friction and good heat conductivity.
● Try to avoid seal faces that are thermally isolated by elastomers or gaskets.
● Silicon carbide is a good choice for the hard face because of its excellent thermal conductivity
feature. Use the alpha sintered type to avoid chemical compatibility problems
● If you elect to use anti-freeze as a barrier or buffer fluid between two seals do not use the
automotive brands as many of them contain an anti-leak chemical that will clog up the mechanical
seal. Water is the best barrier fluid because of its high specific heat (1.0) and good conductivity.
Oil is a bad choice because of its low specific heat (0.25/0.3), but if you must use it, try to select a
heat-transfer oil.
● Heat pipes should have application in stuffing box cooling, but their application experience is
very limited.
● Try to select seal designs that have the elastomer positioned away from the seal faces. The
elastomer is the one seal component that is very sensitive to temperature change. Because
elastomers usually have poor thermal conductivity cooling one side of the elastomer has a
minimal affect on the other side.
● Unfilled carbon- graphite seal faces are absolutely necessary in higher temperature applications.
Less dense seal faces experience trouble when air trapped below the surface of the carbon,
expands and blows out pieces of carbon from the center of the seal face. The exception to this is
high temperature oil that will coke at the seal faces and pull pieces of carbon away. These
resultant pits will cause problems if you are trying to meet fugitive emission standards.
● In those pump designs where the open impeller is adjusted back against the back plate (Duriron)
any impeller adjustment tends to over compress the seal faces causing high heat. Proper face load
is essential to long seal life so cartridge designs should be specified any time you use open
impellers and high heat is a problem.
● Keep in mind that the pump cooling jacket is also used to cool the shaft that is conducting heat
back to the bearings. If you have a high heat application you might consider a stainless steel shaft
because of its poor heat conductivity compared to steel. Some bellows seal manufacturers tend to
tell people that they no longer need the stuffing box cooling and the result is premature bearing
failure.
● A centerline design pump is always desirable in hot applications to prevent pipe strain at the
pump suction and damage to the close clearance wear rings. Instead of supporting the volute at the
bottom, this design bolts the pump feet to the sides of the volute allowing the volute to expand
both up and down. The wet end of your pump can be modified to this configuration or a new wet
end can be purchased.
● If the seal is going to be used in a hot oil application do not hydrostatically test the seal with water
or a water based fluid. Moisture trapped in gaskets, elastomer clearances and other small crevices
will flash when it comes into contact with the hot oil causing a potential damage to the equipment,
seal and/ or the people that might be in the area.
● Try to get a good fluid flow around the seal faces. In most stuffing box designs the seal faces are
dead-ended with little to no circulation possible. The circulation path is often through the lantern
ring location to either the discharge or suction side of the pump.
In cryogenic applications it is not practical to heat the seal area to protect the elastomer. A non-elastomer
seal with a special self-lubricating cryogenic carbon is your best solution to this application. Be aware
that the moisture laden atmosphere can freeze on the out board side of the seal restricting the seal
movement as the faces wear. In most cases a dual, non-elastomer seal with a non-freezing barrier fluid
between the seals is going to be your best choice.

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Return to index

s103
S103. SUCTION HEAD
This is the head or pressure on the suction side of the pump. You subtract the suction head from the
discharge head to determine the head being produced by the pump.
The suction head is a sum of the static, pressure and friction heads on the suction side of the pump.
Also see:

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s106
S106. SUMP PUMP
The sump pump does just what the name implies. It is used to pump out a sump or
pit
This design often presents a problem with sealing the bearing cavity. Most designs
use a dual seal with the lower face sealing the pump and the upper face sealing the
bearing oil. The space between the seals is normally filled with fresh water or a light
oil.
Many consumers convert this application to a single seal at the bearing case.
Return to index

s107
S107. SURFACE FINISH
There is often confusion between the terms "Seal face flatness" and "Seal face surface finish". Seal face
surface finish addresses the subject of roughness and is measured in terms of R.M.S. (root mean square)
or C.L.A. (center line average). There are a couple of ways to make the measurement:
● We can do it manually by comparing our sample to metal standards that have been polished to
different degrees of roughness.
a screen and measures the roughness by a built in scale. This equipment is called a profilometer.
manner.
lapped faces.
There are several ways you could measure flatness:
● You could place "machinist's bluing dye" on a known flat, rub the sample piece against it and
look for transfer of the dye. Again this method would not be accurate enough for our purposes.
Optical flat, O014
Monochromatic light, M027
Return to index

s108
S108. SURFACE PRESSURE HEAD
The surface pressure head is part of the pump's total head. It is the head being created by atmospheric
pressure or a pressurized vessel.
Please refer to the following for a detail explanation.
● Total head in metric units

● Total head in USCU (non-metric) units
Return to index

s110
S110. SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR
These motors run synchronous (without slippage) with the electricity frequency (Hertz).
They are commonly used in elevators and compressors, but seldom used in pumping systems.
Most pumps use lower cost induction or "squirrel cage" motors where synchronous speed is not that
important.
Return to index

s112
S112. SYSTEM HEAD
The resistance or head caused by friction in the piping, valves and fittings. The system head is part of the
pump's total head.
We get this head by calculating the head loss in the lines, fittings and valves in the system. The charts
section will give you these numbers
To learn about total head click on one of the following:
● Calculating the total head in metric units.

● Calculating the total head in USCU (non- metic) units.
The system head is a portion of the total head you will need to make a system curve
Return to index

t001
T001. T.D.H.
Total discharge head. This is the total of the static head, the friction head and the pressure heads the
pump must overcome.
● Discharge head, D017

● Friction head, F038
● Static head, S085
● Velocity head, V013
● See also
Return to index

t002
T002. TACHOMETER
An instrument for recording the speed (RPM) of a rotating shaft.
Return to index

t004
T004. TEFLON® WEDGE
The Crane # 9 or #109 is the best example of a seal using this type of secondary seal.
Modern materials such as Kalrez® and Chemraz have made these wedges just about obsolete.
Teflon® wedge designs are notorious for fretting expensive shafts and sleeves.
Return to index

t008
T008. THERMAL IMAGING
An electronic device that will let you see hot spots in the running equipment.
It is a very effective piece of troubleshooting hardware.
Return to index

t011
T011. THIXOTROPHIC FLUID
The viscosity of the fluid decreases with agitation and the fluid becomes thinner.
Non-drip paint is a common thixothrophic fluid along with some clays (kaolin), paints and printing inks
that flow only when force (brushing or rolling pressure) is applied to them.
Thixothrophic fluids seldom present any problems for mechanical seals except for color contamination as
the black carbon face wears.
Return to index

t014
T014. THRUST
In a centrifugal pump thrust refers to the axial movement of the shaft. The resultant thrust in most
centrifugal pumps is towards the wet end or volute of the pump.
Up to about 65% of the pump's efficiency the thrust is towards the bearings or power end of the pump,
but above 65% of the pump's efficiency the thrust shifts towards the wet end or volute.
Consider the following
● At start up the thrust occurs in both directions and accounts for some of the premature seal
failures we experience when we start a centrifugal pump.
● It also means that in operation we could have excessive thrusting problems because a simple snap
ring is often used to hold the shaft and bearing assembly in many standard pump designs.
Return to index

t016
T016. TOLERANCE
The permissible variation in a dimension, weight, temperature, etc.
Return to index

t017
T017. TONGUE
The tongue is the same as the cutwater of a centrifugal pump.
Only a few pump manufacturers and sales people use this terminology
Return to index

ten pump features
The ten most important features you can specify in a single stage centrifugal pump design T017_1
shaft.
contraction.
liter capacity.
the application?
shape.
Return to index
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t022
T022. TRANSDUCER
The transducer is a power transforming piece of hardware permanently attached to the pump that picks
up vibration, heat or pressure signals and transforms them to an electrical signal that can be read by a
meter.
Return to index

t024
T024. TRIBOLOGY
This is the fancy new name for the science of interacting surfaces. It encompasses fields of friction,
lubrication and wear.
All of it applies to the seal and pump business.
Return to index

t026
T026. TURBULENT FLOW
Turbulent flow occurs when the average pipe velocity is high and the energy or velocity head is lost
mainly because of turbulence caused by the pipe inside surface roughness.
Turbulent flow is the opposite of laminar flow.
The average velocity at which the liquid flow changes from laminar flow to turbulent flow is not definite
and there is a zone where either type of flow can occur.
Return to index

t026
T027. TURBULENCE
This is the term we use to describe disturbed fluid.
Turbulence is a cause of cavitation problems in a centrifugal pump.
Turbulence is often caused by a 90-degree elbow located too close to the pump suction inlet.
See: Flow turbulence cavitation, F022
Return to index

U001
U001.U.S.C.S.
These initals stand for "United States Customary System units".
All dimensions are in non-metric units.
Return to index
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U002
U002. UNBALANCED MECHANICAL SEAL
● Unbalanced seals are not hydraulically balanced to lower the generation of heat at the seal faces.
The seal faces see all of the system pressure.
● This is the type of mechanical seal supplied "as standard" by the pump companies.
● Most of these un-balanced seals will frett and damage the shaft or sleeve.

U003
U003. UNFILLED CARBON
This grade of carbon contains carbon-graphite and nothing else.
Filled carbons contain inorganics that will be sensitive to some chemicals and temperature extremes.
With the exception of cryogenic service, unfilled carbons should be your first choice if you are going to
use any grade of carbon for a seal face.
Be aware that oxidizers, halogens and several other chemicals can attack all forms of carbon .
Please see: carbon face manufacturing C010
Oxidizers that attack carbon, O023
Halogens that attack carbon, H001
Return to index

U004
U004. UNIVERSAL JOINT
A unit used to connect two rotating parts that are misaligned. Obviously not of much use in the
centrifugal pump business where alignment is critical to successful mechanical seal operation.
If you would like to see a universal joint, look at the piece of hardware that is connecting the drive shaft
of your automobile to the transmission
Universal joints allow freedom of movement in just about any direction.
It might also be important to note that a universal joint has to be misaligned to receive proper lubrication.
Return to index

Vacuum pumps
A look at vacuum pumps V001_1
The idea is simple enough. The pump will be designed to pump liquid as well as gas or vapors. If you
need to create a vacuum you can connect your piping to the suction side of the pump, but if you need a
positive pressure you can connect the piping to the discharge side of the same pump.
We can use the vacuum we create to prime a centrifugal pump, evacuate a condenser, lower the pressure
in a chemical vessel or do any thing else we can think of where a vacuum might be needed. The pressure
side could be used to create a head or pressure in a nozzle application or a hundred other applications you
might consider. The capacity needed, along with how much vacuum, or how much pressure, will dictate
the type of pump you will need.
Vacuum can be measured in millimeters of mercury (Hg) or inches of mercury. Atmospheric pressure at
seal level is 760 mm. or 29.9 inches. Any less than this amount is considered to be a vacuum. Hard
vacuum starts at one millimeter of mercury. The industry calls this amount of vacuum "one Torr." At one
Torr and harder vacuums any elastomer (rubber part) in the system will out-gas, shrink in volume and
then allow air to leak into the system you are trying to evacuate.
As we learned from our discussions about conventional centrifugal pumps, these centrifugal do not work
very well pumping gas or vapors, so we will be looking at a positive displacement type to do this job and
there are a variety of designs available to us.
It is important to remember that packing does not do a very good job of sealing vacuum so you are going
to have to install a good mechanical seal on the rotating pump shaft or rotor to prevent the intrusion of
atmosphere into the system. A hydraulically balanced, O-ring design would be desirable.
Liquid ring pumps
In these very popular designs that are sometimes called "wet vacuum pumps", you start with a round
multi-finned rotor spinning in an elliptical casing. The casing is full of water or some compatible liquid.
The rotor throws liquid outward to the stationary casing where the solid ring of liquid rotates at the same
speed as the rotor. The elliptical shaped casing causes the rotating liquid to recede from and enter buckets
in the rotor. As the liquid is thrown away from the rotor it draws in gas and vapor through the inlet ports
and discharges the gases through the outlet ports as the liquid is forced back to the rotor because of the
elliptical shape of the casing.
● Use this design to 100 mm of mercury vacuum. Some manufacturers claim that they can operate
as low as 4mm of mercury, but are limited by the vapor pressure of the pump's sealing liquid.
● This design does not cause problems caused by a pulsating flow of liquid.
● These pumps are sometimes used with lobe pumps or gas ejectors to obtain lower pressures.
● Liquid ring pumps are available in a variety of alloys
● These pumps resemble multistage centrifugal pumps
● Gas is trapped between rings of liquid
● A liquid flow rate of 9 to 10 gpm is needed for a pump capable of pumping 400 cfm saturated air
at 250 mm Hg.
● The end vacuum is determined by the vapor pressure of the liquid.
● At too low a vacuum the pump will cavitate.
● Most of the problems you will encounter are associated with temperature of the liquid rather than
the flow rate.
● Filters are required in gas/vapor lines at the inlet if powders or solids are in the gas stream.
● Non soluble powders can cause vane wear.
● Because the discharge is at the center of the pump, heavy particles are forced away from the
discharge ports by centrifugal force and collect at the periphery. "Clean out pockets and flushing
valves" are sometimes provided to remove any accumulated solids.
● If a steady flow of liquid enters the pump it will not cause damage, but the power requirement will
increase. Many manufacturers recommend installing a separating chamber or trap to prevent a
solid liquid stream from entering the pump.
● Most manufacturers encourage the return of the pump for any repairs. This means that you will
need a supply of spare pumps in your inventory.
● The sealing liquid flow rate is critical for the pump's performance. Too little is as bad as too
much. The manufacturer has a recommended flow rate, so try to follow it.
Problems with liquid ring pumps:
● Limited end vacuum and heavy hydraulic loads. To get a better vacuum you need either a booster
pump, sealing liquid with a lower vapor pressure, or an added heat exchanger.
Rotary lobe pumps
● Often called "Roots" type.These pumps require timing gears.

● Use these designs to about 200 mm Hg. Often used as a booster pump.
● No contact between the rotating lobes reduces wear problems.
● Corrosive gases combined with condensation can cause severe corrosion problems.
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Vacuum pumps
● Powders in the gas stream present fewer problems than other vacuum pumps because of the non-
contacting parts.
● These pumps are environmentally friendly because they exhaust only what they take in. They do
not add water, oil or other liquids to the gas stream
● Can be used in both gas and pressure applications.
● Low cost to operate and reasonably energy efficient.
● Limited by depth of vacuum and corrosion problems.
Dry screw vacuum pumps
● The design looks like a typical twin screw compressor pump, but the design has been modified for
vacuum service.
● No contacting parts in the vapor path.
● One manufacturer claims they can tolerate up to one gallon per minute of entrained liquid in the
vapor stream. The pump can be fitted with a variable speed motor if you need pressure control.
Single stage oil recirculating, sliding vane pumps
● Like the liquid ring and rotary lobe designs they have limited vacuum capabilities. 15-20 mm Hg
absolute
● Capacities of 1100 cfm free air displacement in the larger models makes them ideally suited for
vacuum conveying systems.
● They are equipped with a horizontal carbon steel cylinder that is air or water-jacketed. Inside the
cylinder is an off center carbon steel rotor with vane slots. Many design use three vanes made of a
composite material.
● A thin film of oil (usually 40W non-detergent motor oil) is fed to the rotor and vanes to provide
lubrication, cooling and corrosion protection. The oil is exhausted with the gas and passes through
a coalescing filter that removes 99.9% of the oil from the gas stream and is then returned to the oil
reservoir where it passes through a filter and the process repeats its self.
● Higher maintenance than lobe or vacuum ring designs.
● Oil level must be maintained and filters changed regularly.
● Cannot tolerate pressure higher than 2psig and therefore cannot be used on the pressure side of
vacuum/ pressure conveying systems.
Once through oiling sliding vane pumps.
● Used where moisture, acidic or solvent vapors are in the gas stream and make the oil unsuitable
for recycling, typically one gallon in 24 hours. Corrosion is still a problem
● Do not know of any designs with stainless steel rotors to lessen corrosion problems.
● The oil has to be separated from the gas stream. The majority of the oil can be removed with a
simple mechanical vapor/ liquid separator. The remainder is a bit more difficult.
Dry running rotary sliding vane pumps
● Available in both single and two sage models

● No oil coating on the internals making them highly susceptible to corrosion from the process
vapors.
● Vanes made of carbon impregnated composite material that causes such a small amount of
friction that oil in not needed.
● Limited application in the chemical industry but a lot cheaper than oil version.
Two stage, oil once through sliding vane pump
● Excellent corrosion resistance

● Vacuum to 0.5 mm Hg. Absolute
● Limitations:
● Sensitive to liquids in the vapor stream so they need very efficient vapor/liquid separators.
● Powders in the gas stream must be avoided
● Improper operating temperature is the biggest problem. If the product is too cold liquid from the
gas stream can condense.
● Liquid will wash away the protective film and cause the pump to lock up.
● If the system is not void of oxygen, solvent vapors passing through the pump could ignite.
● At shut off the upper rotor is prone to overheating. A small purge of an inert gas such as nitrogen
or carbon dioxide through the intake port of the pump will carry enough heat away from the upper
rotor to prevent it from overheating, and then expanding into the backplate and locking up the
pump. If air is bled in instead, and the solvent vapors are flammable, two of the three elements
needed for a fire are present. Add the heat of compression and you could have ignition.
● The oil selection can be a problem. It must be compatible with any process vapors it will contact.
Motor oil cannot be used when the gas stream contains chlorinated compounds such as methylene
chloride. Chlorinated compounds react with mineral oil and form tar like deposits on the sliding
vanes, rotor and the exhaust ports of the vacuum pumps. In these applications you need an
alternative.
● Maintenance of these sliding vane pumps requires special tools and training so the manufacturers
Vacuum pumps
discourage in house repair.
All of these very popular sliding vane designs have similar maintenance problems. The following
troubleshooting hints should help you solve some of these problems:
Make sure the oil rate consumption is not changing suddenly.
● An increase could mean a leaking oil line, a check valve is sticking open or the metering pump is
leaking,
● A decreasing rate could mean that the metering pump is not working, a filter is plugged or one of
the oil lines is clogged
Listen for an increase in noise level
● The pump could be running too cold. Vapors are condensing inside. In a dual rotor design the
lower rotor could lock up.
● Entrained liquids in the product stream.
● Powders are getting into the pump
● The pump is running too hot. 195°F (90°C) is the maximum coolant outlet temperature
recommend by some manufacturers. High temperature can cause "coking" of the lubricating oil.
● Lack of lubrication could cause the vanes to delaminate or become sticky
High internal pump temperature or condensate in the lubricating oil can cause the sliding vanes to "skip"
over the walls of liquid lubrication causing a "washboard" affect on the discharge side of the cylinder
walls and little to no contact of the vanes on the suction side of the walls.
● Be sure the oil is clean. Many operators remove the screen on the filling port to save filling time
and forget to replace it allowing solids to enter during the filling process.
● Be sure to inspect the inlet and outlet ports of the vacuum pump. You should be able to see a part
of the rotor and vanes through this port.
● Look for evidence of "coke" or tar at the discharge port indicating high temperature or maybe
contaminated oil.
● Listen to the pump at startup to hear if the vanes are sticking and "clicking".
Troubleshooting
Upper rotor is stuck, but turns freely after the pump has cooled. Over heating is the problem. That is the
reason the rotor turned freely after it cooled. Look for:
● The pump was operated at overload conditions too long

● Too much exhaust back pressure
● No oil lubrication to the upper rotor
● You have had a failure of the cooling system
Upper rotor is stuck and cannot be freed.
● Powders ingested into the pump

● Process gases are reacting with the lubricating oil. Making it sticky.
● No lubrication
● Failure of the cooling system. High temperature can expand metal components and make the oil
coke.
Lower rotor is stuck
● Pump is running too cold

● Powders ingested into the system
● Liquids ingested into the pump
● Wrong lubricant
● Poor or no lubrication to the lower unit.
The pump ran alright last time it was used, but now it is locked up
● The oil was "gummy", but now that the oil is cooled down it has solidified.
● Process gas has entered the pump and corroded the internals
Return to index

V003
V003. VANE DIFFUSER
● The vane diffuser is an alternative to the double volute design we find in some larger centrifugal
pumps. It consists of a number of vanes set in the volute, around the impeller.
● The flow from the vanes diffuser is collected in a volute or circular casing and discharged through
the pipe outlet. The affect of all of this is to reduce the radial deflection of the shaft of a
centrifugal pump when it is operating off of its best efficiency point (BEP).
● The number of diffuser vanes is normally chosen at one more than the number of vanes on the
impeller to prevent circulation around the vanes resulting from an uneven impeller channel
discharge. Although it doesn't prevent this entirely it does reduce the chances greatly.
Return to index

V005
V005. VAPOR PHASE SEALING
Testing has shown that sometimes there is only vapor between the lapped mechanical seal faces.
This was observed in the nineteen sixties at Battle Memorial Institute in Columbus, Ohio when they
conducted a series of seal face lubrication tests for the aircraft industry.
These tests introduced the asperity theory of face lubrication. This idea of creating a vapor at the seal
faces by introducing heating was later picked up by some British seal companies and introduced as
"vapor phase sealing".
See: Seal face lubrication theories, F004
Return to index

v008
V008. VAPORIZE
The liquid changes state from a liquid to a gas due to either an increase in its temperature or a drop in its
pressure.
Return to index

v014
V014. VENT
To remove air or gas from the system. It is important to vent the stuffing box in vertical pumps to prevent
the seal faces from running dry. If you are using dual seals you will also have to vent the area between
the two seals.
You cannot vent a running centrifugal pump because centrifugal force throws the liquid to the outside
leaving the air in the center of the impeller.
Self priming pumps need a vent or bleed line installed between the pump discharge flange and the
discharge check valve, back to the suction source.
Without this vent the pump will not be able to deliver enough pressure to open the check valve. There
will be some loss through this line when the pump is operating, but the alternative is to have someone
open and close the valve every time you start the pump or install some type of an automatic valve that
will open and close at the correct time.
Return to index

flow through a venturi
V015-1 Flow through a Venturi
In another paper I gave you the formula for computing the approximate flow through an orifice or nozzle.
Here is the formula for an approximate flow through a venturi tube
For any venturi tube use:
Or you can use:
Q = flow, in gpm
d1= diameter of venturi throat in inches
d2 = diameter of main pipe in inches
H = difference in head between upstream end and throat.
These formulas will work for any liquid with a viscosity similar to water.
● The values given here are for water.

● 32.174 feet/ second/ second was used for the acceleration of gravity
● 7.48 gallons/ cubic foot was used to compute the constants
Return to index
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/u-to-z-html/v015-1.htm [7/21/03 11:44:56 AM]

v027
V027. VULCANIZE
To treat elastomers, at high temperature, with different chemicals to increase their strength and elasticity.
The term is commonly used to describe a method of bonding elastomers at high temperature.
Return to index

w001
W001. WATER GLASS
Also known as sodium silicate.
Sodium silicate is often painted on stainless steel pipes prior to insulating them, to prevent chloride stress
corrosion problems.
Return to index

W004
W004. WATT
A measure of the power supplied when a current of one ampere is driven by a potential difference of one
volt.
In direct current, volts times amperes equals watts.
746 watts equals one U.S. horsepower.
Return to index

W005
W005. WAVE SPRING
A convoluted disc washer used to provide seal face loading when axial space is at a premium.
● This design does not allow very much axial travel of the seal so their application is limited to
bearing seals and any other application with limited axial travel
● These springs are easy to design but difficult to manufacture to any repeatable performance.
Return to index

Pump book advertisement
The Pump and Seal Reference Manual I have been talking about in my schools
and seminars for the past few years is finally completed and ready for sale.
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Here are just a few of the subjects covered:
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● How to modify centrifugal pumps for increased performance.
● How to detect and correct five types of cavitation.
● Troubleshoot the most common pump problems.
● Just about every chart and graph you will ever need to work out both pump and seal applications
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● The different types of corrosion that can fail mechanical seals and rotating pumps.
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Pump book advertisement
(Please be sure to include the card expiration date!)

You can call in or fax us your card number and card
expiration date.
Or you can send your money order to :
The Mc Nally Institute Book Division
16231 Kalli Way
Dade City, Florida 33523
Phone (352) 567 2897 FAX (352) 567 2897
e-mail: mcnally@mcnallyinstitute.com
Link to Mc Nally home page
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CD ROM
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Here are just a few of the 600 + subjects that are covered:
● A complete index with many sub-headings

● How to select the correct pump for your application.
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● Just about every chart and graph you will ever need to work out both pump and seal applications.
● An explaination of the different types of corrosion that can fail mechanical seals and rotating
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● Learn how to select the right seal for your application.
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● How to troubleshoot mechanical seals.
● Choosing the best seal materials.
● When and how to use dual seals.
● The new hydrodynamic and hydrostatic seals designed for fugitive emission sealing.
● When to use an environmental control, and when to bite the bullet and buy a special seal.
● Bearing lubrication and sealing.
● How to calculate:
❍ Piping, valve and fitting friction losses.
❍ Shaft radial forces.
❍ The pump's critical speed
❍ Specific speed limits
❍ Suction specific speed limits
❍ Shaft deflection
❍ The heat generation in pumps and seals.
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CD ROM
We take VISA
(Please be sure to include the card expiration date!)
You can call in or fax us your card number and card
expiration date.
Or you can send a money order to :
16231 Kalli Way
Phone (352) 567 2897 FAX (352) 567 2897
e-mail: mcnally@mcnallyinstitute.com
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Training materials
Training Materials
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Pages
Bill Mc Nally's Pump and Seal
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Manual
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Choosing the correct Mechanical

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PUMP TROUBLESHOOTING COURSE

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● Please note this course is available in only the United States and Canada. It is not available
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The student is given several hundred questions to answer and is told where to find the answer in
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● In the following paragraphs you can read about some of the subjects covered in this course
❍ How the pump curve is created.
❍ The basic formulas for converting head to pressure.
❍ The relationship between centrifugal pump head, pressure, capacity and liquid velocity.
❍ The three basic rules needed to understand centrifugal pumps.
❍ Explaining the different types of shaft deflection.
❍ An explanation of L3/D4
❍ How to stop shaft deflection
❍ Creating the system curve. How to calculate the three types of head.
❍ Specific speed and suction specific speed. How do you use them?
❍ Determining why the pump does not build enough head or pressure.
❍ Determining why the pump does not produce enough capacity.
❍ Determining why the pump uses too much amperage.
❍ Calculating shaft loads and the amount of shaft deflection.
❍ Simple pump modifications that will increase seal and bearing life.
❍ The four types of cavitation and how to recognize and correct them.
❍ How to make a system curve and then select the right size pump.
❍ The pump affinity laws. What happens when you change the speed of a pump or the
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❍ Vibration readings.
❍ The ten types of corrosion problems.
❍ Problems with the pump's piping.
❍ Alignment between the pump and its driver
❍ Dynamic balance of the rotating assembly.

16231 Kalli Way
Phone (352) 567 2897 FAX (352) 567 2897
To receive an application for our courses CLICK HERE
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Correspondence course application form

1986 South Belcher Rd. Clearwater, Florida 33770
Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150
Correspondence Course Enrollment Form
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Please check the course you would like to receive:
. Pump Troubleshooting $49.95 + $3.00 postage
. Seal Application $49.95 + $3.00 postage
. Check or money order is attached.
For additional applicants, please make a separate copy of this form
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/Corr_course_appl.html [7/21/03 11:45:19 AM]

Seal application course
SEAL APPLICATION COURSE

Each course covers the individual subject in great detail and does not require the purchase
of any additional books or materials. Each of the courses allows the student to work at his
own pace, away from the work place.
Please note this course is available in only the United States and Canada. It is not
available Internationally
The student is given several hundred questions to answer and is told where to find the
answer in the reference material, forcing the student to read every page of the manual.
When all of the answers are completed successfully and returned to the Institute, the
student is sent a final examination that must be completed to receive his or her diploma.
● In the following paragraphs you can read about some of the subjects covered in this course:
Seal Application Home Study Course
$49.95 + $5.00 postage and handling = $54.95
● Classifying all fluids into seven sealing categories, and then learning how to seal
them.
● Classifying mechanical seal severe operating conditions into seven categories.
● Choosing the correct elastomer for the mechanical seal.
● A discussion of the various seal face combinations available for mechanical seals.
● How to choose the correct metallurgy for the seal components.
● Selecting the correct environmental control if it is needed.
● Sealing slurry applications with little or no flushing required.
● Sealing high temperature fluids including oil and water.
● Sealing low specific gravity liquids.
● Sealing gases and other non lubricants.
● Sealing liquids that crystallize or solidify.
● Sealing high pressure.
● Sealing fugitive emissions.
● The affect of heat on mechanical seals and how to lower the heat when necessary.
● How and when to use dual seals.
● How you should prime a centrifugal pump.

16231 Kalli Way
Phone (352) 567 2897 FAX (352) 567 2897
To receive an application for our courses CLICK HERE
E mail: mcnally@mcnallyinstitute.com
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/Sealapplicationcourse.html [7/21/03 11:45:20 AM]

Sealing chemicals index
HOW TO SEAL VARIOUS FLUIDS
● Sealing common fluids

● Classifying chemicals to assure effective sealing 2-12
● Clearing up the confusion about flushing mechanical seals 3-6
● Controlling the pressure in the stuffing box area 4-10
● Controlling the temperature in the stuffing box area 4-6
● Environmental controls and special seal designs 3-2
● More about the sealing of condensate 10-7
● Sealing high pressure and hard vacuum fluids 5-7
● Sealing high temperature oil 3-5
● Sealing hot water 3-3
● Sealing liquid slurries 3-4
● Sealing mixers and agitators 3-7
● Sealing non lubricants including gases and dry powders 4-8
● Sealing products sensitive to a change in temperature or pressure 8-9
● Sealing products that are affected by agitation 6-12
● Sealing to the OSHA 1910.119 standard 8-10
Selecting the correct seal materials

● How the carbon graphite seal face is manufactured4-7
● Limits of the super elastomer compounds. 10-6
● Selecting the correct elastomer for your application 4-9
● Selecting the correct hard face material for your mechanical seal 5-2
● Selecting the correct metal for the mechanical seal parts 5-9
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/home-html/Sealing_chemicals.html [7/21/03 11:45:22 AM]

Chemical classification
SUBJECT : A new way of classifying chemicals to assure effective sealing 2-12
The most common question asked by seal salesmen is "what are you sealing?" This is usually followed
by asking about shaft size, product, temperature, speed, stuffing box pressure and any other operating
conditions they can think of.
The problem with this simplistic approach is that you would have to have a very large data bank of
information to reference a particular problem so as to be able to make a sensible seal recommendation.
There is a much more logical approach to the problem that we will be discussing in the following
paragraphs.
A sensible approach to the sealing of various chemicals, mixtures, and compounds would be divided into
three parts:
● You must know how to select mechanical seal components that will not corrode or be attacked in
any way by the fluid you are sealing, or any other chemicals that might come into contact with the
seal as a result of cleaning the system, flushing the stuffing box, using barrier fluids between
double seals, quenching behind the seal etc..
● You must understand the total range of operating conditions of the equipment and then select seal
designs that can handle this range.
● You need a method of classifying chemicals that puts them into neat, logical categories that can
be handled by the use of a special seal design and/or environmental controls. It is important to
note that the sealing environment will affect the sealing fluid often preventing the lapped sealing
faces from staying in contact..
In this paper we will concentrate on the classification of chemicals and leave the selection of seal
materials, types of seals and use of various environmental controls to other papers on this site
A fluid can be classified as either a liquid or a gas, and can be divided into seven categorizes:
1. Fluids sensitive to changes in temperature and/or pressure.
2. Fluids that require two mechanical seals.
3. Non lubricating liquids, gases and solids.
4. Slurries, classified as solids in liquid . The solids may or may not be abrasive.
5. Liquids sensitive to agitation.
6. Liquids that react with each other to form a solid.
7. Lubricating liquids.
We will be investigating each of these categories in detail and learn how they affect the life of a
mechanical seal. In other papers on this site we will learn the detailed methods of sealing each of these
problems
Fluids that are sensitive to changes in temperature and/or pressure.
● Corrosive liquids - Most corrosives will double their corrosion rate with a 18 degree Fahrenheit
(10 C.) rise in temperature. The temperature at the seal face is always hotter than the temperature
recorded in the stuffing box or seal chamber. Keep in mind that any contact between the rotating
shaft and a stationary component will cause high heat and will be detected as localized corrosion.
Wear rings and throttle bushings are subject to this rubbing. If the equipment is provided with a
cooling jacket. and it is not being utilized, the air inside can act as an insulation increasing the
heat in the stuffing box considerably.
● Liquids that vaporize - Most any liquid will vaporize if it becomes hot enough, or if the stuffing
box pressure gets too low. It is the product with a low specific gravity that give us the most
● Fluids such as benzene and others with a low specific gravity, will freeze as they vaporize. If any
oil or lubricant was placed on the seal face it will freeze and possibly damage the lapped faces.
Moisture on the outboard side of the seal will freeze also and restrict movement of the sliding or
flexing seal components
● Liquids that solidify - Some solidify with an increase in temperature, others with a decrease.
Solvents vaporize with lower pressure leaving any solids behind. Paint is a good example of a
product where the solvent will vaporize at or below atmospheric pressure. In most cases you can
reference a vapor pressure chart to learn when the solvent or carrier will vaporize in your
application.
● Viscous Products - Their viscosity usually decreases with an increase in temperature and increases
interfere with free seal movement and cause seal face contact problems. Lowering the viscosity
can often increase the seal face wear as there is not enough film thickness to keep the surfaces
separated. You need a film thickness of at least one micron to keep the lapped seal faces
separated.
● Film building liquids - Petroleum products will form a varnish when first heated and then
gradually form a layer of coke as the temperature is elevated. These transformations are not
reversible and the resultant hard film restricts sliding and/or flexing of the seal components. Hard
water is another example of a film building fluid.
● Hot water systems pick up magnetite (Ferric Oxide) from the inside of the pipes. It is black or
reddish in color and will be attracted by a magnet. This abrasive material will collect on the seal
components and destroy the dynamic O-Ring as well as restrict the movement of the seal causing
the lapped faces to open. Magnetite is a severe problem in new , hot water systems. The problem
will lessen as the system ages and the protective film stabilizes.
● Liquids that crystallize - Sugar and salt solutions are two examples of these fluids. If the crystals
move when it compensates for wear.
The names of these chemicals is not important. If you knew how to seal any one of them you
could seal all of them. It is just a matter of fitting the particular chemical into the right categories
and learning how to seal that category. Common sense would dictate that the product temperature
and/or pressure must be controlled in the seal area to prevent any of the above from occurring. In
most cases you should try to avoid the use of two hard faces in these applications because of the
additional heat that will be generated between the faces. Needless to say, only hydraulically
balanced seals are acceptable in any temperature/ pressure sensitive fluid.
Liquids that require two mechanical seals : These seals are installed with a circulating barrier fluid that
can be a "forced circulation", or in many cases a convection system with a "pumping ring". The pressure
of the barrier or buffer fluid can be regulated to indicate a failure in either of the mechanical seals
allowing time for a pump shut down, isolation and no subsequent loss in the pumping fluid.
● Costly products - Some times the product costs so much you just cannot afford to have it leak.
There are plenty of charts to show how much leakage you get from various sized drips or steady
streams. The smallest steady stream you can produce will be between twenty five and thirty U.S.
gallons per day (95 to 115 liters/day)
● Dangerous products - these fluids are given a special category because even small amounts of
leakage are not acceptable. The danger could fall into many categories: radiation, toxic, fire,
explosion, bacteria, etc.. The new United States' "right to know law" is having a major affect on
how mechanical seals used in these type of products will be repaired.
● Pollutants - Usually there is a "penalty" involved and the bad publicity does no one any good. In
this day and age a responsible company will not let pollutants leak to the atmosphere or to the
earth for any reason. Fugitive emission legislation has increased the need for these type of
mechanical seals.
● Any time an unexpected seal failure would be inconvenient - Down time can be a very costly time
in many plants. Two seals prevents the unexpected seal failure shut down. This is especially
important with batch operations or when there is no back up pump installed. On the atomic
submarine NAUTILUS the back up shaft seal allowed us to get to the surface if a main shaft seal
failed while we were submerged.
Sealing non lubricants.
● Dry solids - They can clog the sliding components and provide no lubrication for seal faces. Once
the faces are open they penetrate between the faces and usually destroy the lapped surfaces.
Pharmaceuticals, freeze dried coffee and cake mix are examples of this category. You can think of
many more.
● Non lubricating fluids such as solvents and hot water. We experience more rapid face wear with
these types of fluids. In most cases their film thickness is less than one micron and cannot support
a load between two sliding surfaces
● Dry gases- unlike non lubricating liquids they will not conduct heat very well and often are
dangerous at the same time. This is a common problem if you forget to vent the stuffing box of a
vertical pump. A top entering mixer is another example of this type of application.
Slurries, especially abrasive slurries. Clog the seal components and destroy faces like the dry solids
mentioned above.
● The list of these products is without end. A slurry is defined as solids in liquid that cannot be
dissolved by normal control of the temperature or pressure. The number of solids or their size is
not important. They will collect on or in the sliding or flexing components of the seal causing the
faces to open and then penetrate between the lapped faces causing leakage and damage. In some
designs the springs or bellows (metallic or elastomer) will experience severe wear in a short
period of time. In these designs it is important to rotate the fluid rather than have the bellows

component rotate within the abrasive slurry.
Liquids sensitive to agitation :
● Dilatants - Their viscosity increases with agitation. This is how cream becomes butter. Some clay
the seal. When dealing with dilatants it is important that you do not continually rotate the fluid in
● Newtonian fluids do not change viscosity with agitation. They present no problem for mechanical
seals.
Liquids that combine together to form a solid.
● Epoxy is a combination of a Resin and a hardener.

● Styrofoam is formed by combining several liquids together.
lubricating liquids
Now that leakage is no longer tolerable and product dilution is no longer desirable you must have
knowledge of these categories to approach the job of effective sealing. In most cases the fluid you are
sealing will fall into several of the above mentioned categories. Using Heat transfer oil as an example we
note that it falls into the following :
● Hot - Normally pumped at 600 -700 Fahrenheit ( 315 -370 C.) the fluid is too hot for available
elastomers.
● Film Building - The product "cokes" at these temperatures.
● Dangerous - You do not need this temperature oil leaking out. It is not only a fire hazard, but a
personnel hazard as well. Recent information indicates that some of these oils are also
carcinogenic.
● Costly - Most of these transfer oils cost between $12.00 to $20.00 per gallon (3,8 Ltrs.)
● Slurry - Because of the coking, solids are always present.
(impeller imbalance), thermal growth, and frequent impeller adjustments.
These conditions would include:
● Hot products - Defined as too hot for one of the seal components, or hot enough to cause the fluid
to change form. Heat transfer oil is a good example of a fluid that will "coke" at elevated
temperature.
● Cryogenic fluids - They present a problem for elastomers and some carbon faces. Liquid Nitrogen
or Oxygen would be an example.
Pipe line and boiler circulating pumps can have stuffing box pressures of this magnitude.
● High Speed - Defined as the seal faces moving greater than 5000 Feet Per Minute or 25 meters
per second. Most process pumps do not approach this speed. The Sundstrand "Sundyne" pump is
typical of a high speed application.
shaft vertical pumps and pumps equipped with sleeve or babbitt bearings, are another application
mechanical seals. Most vibration studies have addressed the bearings. It is important to consider


❍ Wear the driving mechanism used to transmit torque from the set screws to the seal faces.
problems.
In other papers on this site you can learn how to seal each of these fluid categories and learn how to
protect the mechanical seal against the affects of these extreme operating conditions.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Flushing mechanical seals for pumps
SUBJECT : Let's clear up the confusion about flushing seals 3-6
Consumers use the term "flushing" to describe six different methods of bringing fluid to the stuffing box
area of a centrifugal pump. Experienced seal people use different terms to differentiate between the
methods.
DISCHARGE RECIRCULATION
A line is connected between the discharge of the pump and the stuffing box. The high pressure fluid is
then recirculated through the stuffing box to the back of the impeller and eventually to the pump
discharge. This technique presents several problems for maintenance people:
● If the fluid contains solids ( and most of them do) the centrifugal action of the impeller will
vaporizing. Be careful if you use this method in hot water applications especially if a heat exchanger is
installed in the recirculation line. A high temperature water or steam leak in any of the fittings could be
dangerous for any personnel in the area and the solids can clog up the heat exchanger.
● Install a close fitting bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box. It will look like the thermal
bushing described in the above illustration. The clearance should be .002 inches/ inch (0,002
mm/mm) of shaft diameter.
● Be sure to direct the line away from the lapped seal faces and the thin metal plates if you use a
metal bellows seal.
● If you are using properly installed , balanced O-ring seals (and you should be), The sealed product
SUCTION RECIRCULATION
A line is connected between the suction of the pump and the bottom of the stuffing box or seal gland
connection. Many pumps have a connection already tapped at the suction throat of the pump for a suction
gage, but if none is available you can install one in the piping or a pipe flange if the piping is not thick
enough to be drilled and tapped.
the impeller will be circulated through the stuffing box to the pump suction. This liquid has been
centrifuged by the impeller and the result is that the liquid in the stuffing box is considerably cleaner than
what you are pumping. In many cases you can eliminate the need for bringing in clean liquid and diluting
your product.
designs that adjust towards the pump volute rather than the back plate, such as the Duriron pump.
FLUSHING
A clean liquid, from an outside source is brought into the stuffing box through a regulating valve at one
atmosphere (15 psi. /1 bar) higher than stuffing box pressure. The liquid should be brought in at the
bottom of the stuffing box to insure thorough cleaning. All of this liquid will eventually go into your
product.
If you are using balanced O-ring seals you will only need enough liquid to remove solids that might
interfere with the seal movement. You will not need additional liquid to provide cooling because
balanced seals do not generate enough heat to cause problems in most applications.
Seal designs that have the springs out of the fluid require only one to two gallons per hour (4 to 8 Ltrs./
hour) of flush. NOTE: this is per hour, not per minute. If you are using designs with multiple springs in
the fluid check with your manufacturer for his recommendations. The clean flush can come from several
sources:
● Clean water
● A compatible fluid
● A solvent

● Finished product will never hurt raw product. Finished product is almost always clean.
● An additive that is going to be put into the product down stream and can be added at the pump
If you are using shop water as the flush you must be careful or solids in the flushing water will clog up
the flow control valve. The shop water pressure also tends to vary through out the day and in some
instances it can fall below the pump stuffing box pressure. Most states require an air gap in the line if you
want to use shop or city water as a flushing medium. A back flow presenter valve is used many times but
it is illegal in most states.
BARRIER OR BUFFER FLUID
Any time you use two seals in an application you will need a fluid between them. If the fluid between the
seals is higher than stuffing box pressure we call it barrier fluid. If it is lower than stuffing box pressure
we call it buffer fluid The liquid can be circulated either by forced circulation, a pumping ring or
convection. The method that you will use will be dictated by the pressure, pump speed and shaft size. All
seal manufacturers have charts available to give you the correct guidelines.
and out the top connection. This arrangement will insure that the space between the seals is vented and
proper cooling will take place.
circulating in the seal changes its velocity at the convection tank connections. Check with your local
distributor for an explanation of this principle.
arrangement is very necessary when ever oil is used as the barrier fluid. The following illustration shows
a typical convection system that can be used with two balanced seals.
The type of seal you select will determine if the barrier fluid has to be kept higher or lower than the
stuffing box pressure. Fluctuating pressures are normal in this business so you should select seals that
balance in both directions to eliminate any problems that might be caused when the barrier fluid or
system pressure varies.
the double seal and the outlet discharges from the top of the seal. This arrangement will allow the seal to
vent, and insure that the passages are full of liquid.
JACKETING FLUID (B)
High temperature pumps have a cooling/ heating jacket installed around the pump stuffing box. If a
jacket has not been installed on your pump it can be purchased from the pump manufacturer or an "after
market" supplier.

choice because unlike Teflon it does not change dimensions too much with a change in temperature.
A small amount of liquid or steam through the jacket can control the stuffing box to what ever
jacket is also providing cooling to the bearing case as well as the stuffing box.
inside of the jacket surface and restrict the heat transfer. A number of cleaners are available if you
experience this problem. Condensate is a good jacketing fluid that presents few problems and is usually
available.
QUENCHING - Often called vent and drain (Q connection on an A.P.I. gland)
● Some seal glands have a vent or quench connection provided behind the seal so that steam or
some other fluid can be used to control temperature in the seal area. A close fitting carbon ( or any
other non sparking material) bushing is installed outboard of this connection to provide a close
clearance between the gland and the shaft.
● Refinery applications use a version of the quench gland and call it an A.P.I. ( American Petroleum
Institute) gland.
Now that you know the names of the six different methods let's see how we use them in various sealing
applications:
DISCHARGE RECIRCULATION
● You can use it to pressurize the stuffing box to prevent product vaporization.
● You can install a heat exchanger in this line but it is only effective when the pump is running.
● Do not install a filter into this line because it will clog up and restrict stuffing box recirculation.
● Many consumers install a "cyclone separator" type of device into the recirculation line. These
separators have never proven to be very effective in removing solids from the stuffing box fluid.
SUCTION RECIRCULATION
● You will need this line to vent a vertical pump.

● Use the line for normal product recirculation and to replace the stuffing box fluid with cleaner
fluid that has been recirculated from behind the impeller..
● This connection provides a safe way to drain the stuffing box prior to seal removal.
FLUSHING
● To introduce clean liquid into the stuffing box, to remove solids or any problem fluid.
● Cool a hot liquid by flushing in a cold one.
● Remove a liquid that is sensitive to changes in either temperature and/ or pressure.
● You can use this connection to cross connect the stuffing boxes in a double ended pump
application, and thereby equalize the pressures in the stuffing boxes.
BARRIER OR BUFFER FLUID
● To stop a pressure drop across the inboard seal.

● To protect the dynamic O-ring in Ethylene Oxide applications.
● To control temperature at the seal faces
● To stage pressure in a high pressure application.
● To keep air or oxygen away from a seal face.
● To detect inner seal leakage when used with a convection tank.
● To shift the load to the outboard seal when sealing a non lubricant with the inboard seal.
● This is the normal method of sealing a gas.
JACKETING FLUID
● The best method of controlling temperature in the stuffing box when the pump is shut down. Be
sure to install the thermal bushing or it will not work very well.
● Make sure that there are no suction or discharge recirculation lines connected.
QUENCHING OR VENT & DRAIN - plus the disaster bushing.
● The disaster bushing will protect the seal from hitting the inside of the stuffing box if you have a
bearing failure. This is a very important feature in those applications where the product will burn
or explode if overheated.
● The disaster bushing will protect personnel if there is a massive seal failure. The majority of the
leakage can be directed, down the drain connection, to a collecting tank or vent.
● To wash away solids from the outboard side of the seal that will prevent "hang up" as the seal face
wears and the seal moves forward.
● To wash away toxic or corrosive vapors that might leak across the seal faces.
● To control the temperature in the seal area.
● As a back up to a heating/ cooling jacketing failure.
The rest of the world calls all of these techniques "FLUSHING". Try to acquire the habit of using the
proper terminology so that you will avoid confusion when you communicate with seal people and your
fellow workers.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Controlling pressure
SUBJECT: Controlling the pressure in the stuffing box area 4-10
We have very little control over the products that we must seal, but we have a great deal of control over
how we elect to seal them. Special seals are seldom the answer. In most cases satisfactory seal life can be
obtained by carefully choosing the seal materials for temperature and chemical compatibility, selecting a
balanced O- ring seal design and then controlling the environment in the stuffing box to prevent a change
in the fluid characteristics from affecting the seal performance.
Controlling stuffing box pressure is one of these controls and is extremely important in many seal
applications. In the following paragraphs we will discuss several methods of controlling pressure but first
we will learn where the environmental control is necessary.
We can raise the pressure in the stuffing box to :
● Prevent a fluid from vaporizing in the stuffing box or across the seal faces. If the product
vaporizes across the seal faces it can open the faces and possibly do some damage as the faces
rapidly open and close. In many cases solids will be left between the faces as the fluid vaporizes.
● To destroy a vacuum in the stuffing box. A balanced O-ring seal can seal either vacuum or a
positive pressure. Vacuum often implies higher heat at the seal faces and that is never good for a
mechanical seal.
● Most split seal designs can accommodate either vacuum or a positive pressure application, but not
one that alternates between them ( the reverse pressure is forcing the splits open). Raising the
stuffing box pressure will keep it positive so that a split seal can be applied.
We can raise the pressure between two seals to :
● Stop a pressure differential across a dynamic elastomer from failing the elastomer. This is a
serious problem when we seal ethylene oxide or any fluid capable of penetrating the elastomer
and blowing out on the low pressure side.
● To prevent sub micron solids from penetrating between the lapped faces. Kaoline is a good
example of this type of product. Sub micron products have no problem penetrating lapped seal
faces when the pressure drop is from the outside diameter to the inside diameter of the seal face.
● To take the load off the inboard face that is sealing a non lubricating fluid and transfer the load to
the outboard seal. This can make a dramatic difference in the life of the inboard seal
● To prevent a pressure drop across the faces that could cause a product to solidify. Many solids are
dissolved in a liquid that will vaporize at atmospheric pressure. Paint is a good example of this
application.
● To prevent a liquid from vaporizing between the inboard faces and blowing them open.
We can lower the pressure in the stuffing box :
● If it is too high for a standard balanced O-ring seal

● To vent the air from a vertical pump.
Now to the actual techniques :
Discharge recirculation.
In this application we connect a recirculation line from the discharge side of the pump to the stuffing box
or a flush connection in the gland. You should install a close fitting bushing into the bottom of the
stuffing box with a clearance of .002 inch/ inch (0.002 mm/mm) of shaft diameter. The bushing can be
manufactured from any compatible material with the fluid you are sealing. Carbon is often selected as a
first choice.
A properly installed balanced O-ring seal will not generate enough heat to flash a liquid between the seal
faces as long as the stuffing box pressure is at least one atmosphere (one bar or 15 psi.) higher than the
product vapor point. You should have no problem in getting this additional pressure if you have installed
the restriction bushing.
The technique is the same as discharge recirculation, but in this application we connect the stuffing box
or seal gland to the suction side of the pump or a low pressure sump instead. We do not use a restriction
bushing in this application because the differential pressure can cause the bushing to move and contact
the mechanical seal. Suction recirculation works best with the proper gland connection but it can be used
with the lantern ring connection if necessary. Be sure the connection is on the bottom or as close to the
bottom as possible of the stuffing box or gland.
Caution: Lowering the pressure in the stuffing box is sometimes a bad idea because of the danger of
flashing the sealing fluid. The technique is commonly used, however, to remove air that might be trapped
in the stuffing box of a vertical pump or to provide normal circulation through the stuffing box when the
sealing fluid contains solids. By connecting to the suction side you will be pulling fluid from behind the

Controlling pressure
impeller, through the stuffing box and then to the lower pressure on the suction side of the pump. Fluid
behind the impeller usually contains less solids than fluid coming from the pump discharge side. It
should be mentioned that this technique works very well on most closed impeller pumps and those open
impeller designs that adjust to the volute of the pump. Open impeller designs that adjust to the back plate
and double ended, single impeller designs have the stuffing box pressure just about at suction pressure so
this application does not work very well. We go to larger diameter stuffing boxes in those applications.
Another common application for this technique is to cross connect the stuffing boxes of a multi stage
pump to equalize the pressures and balance the seal face wear.
Using two or more seals with a lower pressure between them.
Some seal companies use this as a technique to stage the pressure in a high pressure application. I do not
approve of this method because the operator is lead to believe that there are multiple seals in the pump
when in fact the multiple seals are acting as one and a failure in any one of the seals will fail them all. I
believe you would be better off purchasing a high pressure seal for this application.
Using two seals with a convection tank installed between them.
This is done to take the load off the seal that is sealing a non lubricant or to prevent a pressure drop
across the seal faces. The convection tank is filled with a lubricating liquid and the pressure is adjusted to
provide the necessary pressure differential. With the proper instrumentation you will be able to tell which
seal wears out or fails first. The second seal will act as a back up until you can shut the valves and start
the repair.
As an example : In the pump stuffing box you have a 75 psi.(5 bar) non lubricating liquid. You cannot
afford product dilution so you install two seals with a lubricating buffer fluid of 75 psi. (5 bar) between
them. This will take the load off of the inboard seal that is sealing the non lubricant and shift the load to
the outer seal that is containing the lubricating barrier fluid.
The convection tank can be purchased or manufactured from an appropriate corrosion resistant material.
Some companies (Coca Cola as an example) ship their product in a similar tank and then scrap the tank
because of sanitary or safety regulations. Many of these tanks can be purchased at a low price and
modified for your needs. The air connection on the top will allow you to pressurize the tank to the correct
pressure for your application.
Keep in mind that convection tank applications are limited by the combination of seal size, face
combination, barrier fluid pressure and shaft speed. Check with your seal supplier for a specific
recommendation.
When ever possible avoid selecting petroleum base liquids for the barrier fluid circulating in the tank and
between the two seals. Petroleum fluids have a very low specific heat that will cause overheating and
"coking" problems. If you have the choice. Water is the ideal heat barrier fluid because of its
conductivity and high specific heat number. If water is not acceptable choose any compatible fluid with a
high conductivity and high specific heat value.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Controlling temperature
SUBJECT: Controlling the temperature in the stuffing box area 4-6
Many fluids are adversely affected by a change in their temperature, and when this reaction takes place
seal failure is almost sure to follow. The reaction can take several forms:
● One of the seal components can be destroyed. The elastomer, seal faces, or metal parts will almost
always be altered at some degree of change in ambient temperature.
● Coated hard faces can "heat check" (crack).
● Carbon fillers can melt and pits can form in carbon/ graphite faces as trapped air expands and
blows out pieces of the carbon.
● Hydrocarbons can solidify (coke) between the seal faces and pull out pieces of carbon also,
causing small pits that will prevent you from conforming to fugitive emission standards.
● Carbon graphite faces can lose their lubricating ability at cryogenic temperature and chip on the
outside diameter as "slip stick" vibration takes place.
● Elastomers can take a "compression set" and crack at elevated temperature
● Cold temperatures can cause elastomers to harden.
● The liquid can crystallize restricting seal movement and opening the faces.
● The liquid can vaporize between the faces causing them to open.
● The viscosity of the fluid can change either restricting seal movement or making the fluid less of a
lubricant.
● The liquid can solidify causing the seal to become inoperative.
● The liquid's corrosion rate will double with an 18° Fahrenheit (10° C) rise in temperature.
● The liquid can convert to a film between the sliding seal components, restricting their movements.
The magnetite that forms in hot water is a good example of this.
● A film can form on the seal faces causing them to separate.
● Lapped seal faces can distort and go out of flat at elevated or cryogenic temperatures.
By keeping the stuffing box temperature within specified limits you can prevent all of the above from
happening. These limits vary with each fluid, but they can be obtained from any one knowledgeable
about the fluid that has to be sealed.
A balanced mechanical seal incorporating the following features and installed at the proper compression,
is your best insurance against a significant rise in stuffing box temperature:
● Proper face balance. 70/ 30 is the most common to 5000 fpm. (25 Meters per sec.)
● Low friction face materials. Carbon/ graphite vs. a hard face is the best.
● The correct spring compression to control face loading.
● Faces with good heat conductivity. Tungsten carbide and silicone carbide have excellent thermal
conductivity compared to most other hard face materials.
● A small cross section carbon/ graphite face press fit into a metal holder is better than solid carbon/
graphite for removing heat from between the seal faces.
Sometimes, however, that is not good enough, so occasionally you will have to come up with some
additional method of controlling the temperature in the stuffing box area and between the lapped seal
faces.
THE HEATING / COOLING JACKET.
If your pump does not have a heating/ cooling jacket installed one is usually available from the pump
distributor. If possible try to select an oversized stuffing box with a cooling/ heating jacket cast around it.
This jacket can be used to heat a product, cool a product, or keep the product within close temperature
limits. When using the jacket there are several important things to keep in mind:
● Install a carbon bushing into the bottom of the stuffing box to act as a thermal barrier. The
clearance over the shaft should be about 0.002" per inch diameter of shaft (0,002 mm/ mm of
shaft diameter). The length should be at least 3/8 inch (10 mm).
● Dead end the stuffing box. In other words no discharge, flush or suction recirculation lines
connected to the stuffing box. Many hot fluids contain lots of solids; the dead ending feature will
allow you to centrifuge the fluid and clean it up.
● If you elect to use water as the jacketing fluid make sure that it is not hard water as it will form a
layer of calcium on the walls of the jacket restricting the heat transfer.
● This jacket is also used to cool the rotating shaft in hot applications. If the cooling is lost the heat
will conduct back to the bearings causing their premature failure.
● Steam is an excellent medium to control heating or cooling. A regulating valve can be installed on
the discharge side of the jacket for precision pressure control which will, in turn, control the
stuffing box temperature within narrow limits. A mixing valve proportioning steam and water is
another method of controlling temperature within precise limits.

THE QUENCH OR DRAIN CONNECTION
Quench and drain connections are available in American Petroleum Institute (API ) type glands. The
quench and drain connection (Q) is used in conjunction with a close fitting, non sparking disaster
bushing (DB)
● When using the quench for temperature control keep in mind:

❍ Excessive fluid will be directed towards the bearing case. Be sure to use only small
amounts of steam or water. It would be wise to replace the existing grease seals with
mechanical bearing seals if you elect to use quench as your primary temperature control
method.
❍ The drain connection should be connected to a suitable tank to save the condensed steam.
❍ The quench connection can be used to vent a volatile product to a flare where it can be
burned.
❍ The quench fluid can also remove any solids that have built up outboard of the seal as well
as remove any vapors that might leak across the seal faces. This is an important feature
when sealing products that can crystallize at the seal faces and on the outboard side of the
seal.
❍ The drain connection is used to direct the major amount of failed seal leakage away from
the bearings or any personnel in the area. It should be connected to an appropriate tank for
retention.
THE FLUSH CONNECTION
In temperature control applications we flush in cooled product to control the stuffing box temperature. If
you use the pump fluid cooled, or cooled finished product you will have no problem with product
dilution.
THE DUAL SEAL
Another method of providing temperature control is to utilize two seals with the correct temperature
liquid circulating between them as a barrier or buffer fluid. Look at the following illustration:
● When using a dual seal for heating/ cooling be sure to bring the fluid into the bottom of the seal
gland and out the top of the gland to insure that the void between the seals is full of fluid. This is
an excellent method of controlling the temperature at the seal faces if you are experiencing an
over heating problem.
● In many instances a convection tank can be installed between the seals but it will seldom do an
adequate job of lowering or raising the barrier fluid temperature. In almost every instance forced
circulation will be necessary if you need any degree of heating or cooling. Convection tanks are
satisfactory for removing the heat generated by balanced seal faces, but that is about all.
● In some instances a convection tank has been used with an installed cooling coil and a pumping
ring built into the mechanical seal.
● The amount of barrier fluid circulation needed will be determined by the seal size, speed, and
stuffing box pressure. Your seal supplier will gladly supply this information.
● Water should be selected for the barrier fluid when ever possible. Oil is a poor choice because of
its low specific heat and poor conductivity.
THE HEAT EXCHANGER
The normal procedure is to install the heat exchanger in the discharge recirculation line connected
between the pump discharge and the stuffing box. If you elect to use this method be careful of the
following:
● This can be dangerous in hot water applications because a leak in any of the fittings will direct
high pressure, hot water into the atmosphere and some one may be standing close by and become
injured.
● Many hot fluids also contain solids that will clog up the heat exchanger.
● The temperature control is effective only while the pump is running. Many seal failures occur at
start up because of lack of proper temperature control while the pump was idle.
● If you want to use this method, and only a small amount of cooling is necessary, a commercial
automotive, automatic transmission cooler can be used effectively in many applications.
● A heat exchanger can be used with a pumping ring. In this application low pressure fluid is
circulated out of the top of the stuffing box, to the heat exchanger, and then back to the seal
through the bottom connection on the seal gland.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
● Vertical pumps require venting or the seal will trap air in the stuffing box, causing high heat at the
seal faces. To vent the stuffing box properly, connect a suction recirculation line between the seal
flush connection and the pump suction. Vertical pump applications also present a problem for
dual seal applications. You will need to provide some method of venting air trapped at the outside
seal.
● Carbon/ metal composites are a good choice for heat dissipation across the carbon seal face.
● Try to avoid seal faces that are thermally isolated by elastomers.
● Silicone carbide is a good choice for the hard face because of its excellent thermal conductivity
feature. Use the alpha sintered type to avoid chemical compatibility problems
● If you elect to use anti freeze as a barrier fluid between two seals, do not use the automotive
brands as many of them contain an anti leak chemical that will clog up the mechanical seal. Water
is the best barrier fluid because of its high specific heat (1.0) and good conductivity. Oil is a bad
choice because of its low specific heat (0.25/0.30), but if you must use it, try to select a heat
transfer oil.
● Heat pipes should have application in stuffing box cooling, but their application experience is
very limited.
● Try to select seal designs that have the elastomer positioned away from the seal faces. The
elastomer is the one seal component that is very sensitive to temperature change. Because
elastomers usually have poor thermal conductivity, cooling one side of the elastomer has a
minimal affect on the other side.
● Unfilled carbon/ graphite seal faces are absolutely necessary in higher temperature applications.
Less dense seal faces experience trouble when air trapped below the surface of the carbon,
expands and blows out pieces of carbon from the center of the seal face. The exception to this is
high temperature oil that will coke at the seal faces and pull pieces of carbon away. These
resultant pits will cause problems if you are trying to meet fugitive emission standards.
● In those pump designs where the open impeller is adjusted back against the back plate (Duriron),
any impeller adjustment tends to over compress the seal faces causing high heat. Proper face load
is essential to long seal life so cartridge designs should be specified any time you use open
impellers and high heat is a problem.
● Keep in mind that the pump cooling jacket is also used to cool the shaft that is conducting heat
back to the bearings. If you have a high heat application, you might consider a stainless steel shaft
because of its' poor heat conductivity compared to steel. Some bellows seal manufacturers tend to
tell people that they no longer need the stuffing box cooling and the result is premature bearing
failure.
● A centerline design pump is always desirable in hot applications to prevent pipe strain at the
pump suction and damage to the close clearance wear rings. Instead of supporting the volute at the
bottom this design bolts the pump feet to the sides of the volute, allowing the volute to expand
both up and down. The wet end off your pump can be modified to this configuration or a new wet
end can be purchased.
● If the seal is going to be used in a hot oil application do not hydrostatically test the seal with water
or a water based fluid. Moisture trapped in gaskets, elastomer clearances, and other small crevices
will flash when it comes into contact with the hot oil, causing a potential damage to the
equipment, seal and/ or the people that might be in the area.
● In cryogenic applications it is not practical to heat the seal area to protect the elastomer. A non
elastomer seal with a special self lubricating cryogenic carbon is your best solution to this
application. Be aware that the moisture laden atmosphere can freeze on the out board side of the
seal restricting the seal movement as the faces wear. In most cases a dual, non elastomer seal with
a non freezing barrier fluid between the seals is going to be your best choice.

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Seal environmental controls
SUBJECT : Environmental controls and special seals 3-2
For any given seal application problem there are two generally accepted solutions :
In the following paragraphs I will be covering each of these environmental controls in detail.
CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE IN THE STUFFING BOX AREA.
● Flush the stuffing box ( port "C" in the illustrations at the end of this paper) with a compatible,
cool, clean liquid. Many seal glands have this connection available in a more convenient location
than the lantern ring connection. Flush is a misunderstood term. It describes six very different
functions:
● Discharge recirculation, where a line is connected from the discharge side of the pump to the
lantern ring connection in the stuffing box (A), or an appropriate connection in the gland.
● Suction recirculation, The recirculation line is connected from the bottom of the stuffing box to
the suction side of the pump (A).
● Jacketing fluid, The cooling or heating fluid flows through a jacket that is surrounding the stuffing
box (B).
● Barrier or buffer fluid, The fluid is circulated between two seals either by convection or by a
separate circulation system (E).
● Quench, The fluid is passed between the seal and a disaster bushing that has been installed in the
rear of the seal gland (D).
● Flush, A liquid, from an outside source, is injected into the stuffing box at one atmosphere above
stuffing box pressure and dilutes the product a small amount (C).
● Use two seals with a cool liquid circulating between them (E). A two way balanced cartridge seal
● Use the jacketed stuffing box that came installed on the pump (figure "B") or install one if it is
missing. These jackets are available as a replacement part for the back plate on most popular

clearance over the shaft would be 0.002 inches per inch of shaft diameter ( 0,01 mm/mm of
shaft diameter).
❍ Circulate the heating or cooling fluid, through the jacket, to control the temperature. Six to
down heat transfer fluid to the point where it will stop "coking" and Viton O-rings will be
acceptable. If your water is too hard you can substitute condensate or low pressure steam.
● An A.P.I. Gland is available for most mechanical seals. The gland has several features to provide
various functions. It can be used as:
❍ A quench connection (Q) to provide heating, cooling, or to remove any vapors that might
escape between the seal faces. Steam can be injected to lower the seal temperature in the
event of a fire. In the event of a major seal failure, this quench connection can be used, in
conjunction with the gland disaster bushing, to direct seal fluid leakage to point where it
can be collected.
❍ A flush connection (F) to provide clean fluid to the stuffing box or it can be used to vent
the stuffing box and seal in a vertical pump application.

❍ A close fitting, non sparking, disaster bushing (DB) to provide shaft support in the event of
a bearing failure or to protect personnel in the event of a massive seal failure.

● Heat tape or tracing lines can be installed around the stuffing box to provide a small amount of
this system only works while the pump is operating so it would be of no value if the problem
occurs during pump shut down
unbalanced seal designs. Elastomers in the faces and two hard faces should also be avoided for the
same reason.
CONTROLLING THE PRESSURE IN THE STUFFING BOX AREA
the stuffing box (figure "A") with a close fitting bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box. Try to
avoid positioning the recirculation line so that it aimed at the lapped seal faces or thin bellows seal
plate materials.
● Eliminate the pressure drop between seal faces by using two seals with a higher pressure barrier

oxide that will penetrate into the elastomer, expand and blow out the other side causing severe
damage to the elastomer.
● Flush the stuffing box with a high pressure liquid. This is the best solution if the fluid contains
solid particles that could interfere with the seal movement.
● The only reason to lower stuffing box pressure is because your seal does not have high pressure
sealing capability. It is possible to lower stuffing box pressure by the use of environmental
controls but a high pressure seal would be a much better choice. In an emergency you could lower
the pressure by one of the following environmental controls:
❍ Equalize the pressure in the stuffing boxes, of a double ended pump, by connecting the
stuffing boxes together to get even seal wear. This is a common application for a double
ended centrifugal pump.
❍ It is possible to lower stuffing box pressure by installing a close fitting bushing in the
bottom of the stuffing box and recirculate to the suction side of the pump. Be sure to "lock
in" the position of this bushing with either a snap ring or some other retaining device to
prevent it from moving towards the seal. Be careful of using this control on a vertical
turbine pump because the high velocity liquid, recirculating to the suction, can heat up the
line to the point where it can become "red hot".
❍ Lower the sealing pressure by utilizing an intermediate fluid pressure between two tandem
or "two way balanced seals"
PROVIDING A LUBRICANT IF THE SEALING PRODUCT IS A NON LUBRICANT ( Non

lubricants have a film thickness less than one micron)
● Use two seals with a higher pressure lubricant as the barrier fluid. This is an excellent choice in
vibration.
● Cooling the product will sometimes turn a non lubricant such as hot water into a lubricating
liquid.
● For some vacuum applications it makes sense to install a discharge recirculation line to destroy
the vacuum in the stuffing box area.
NOTE. If the impeller has been adjusted too close to the back plate the "pump out vanes" can cause a
vacuum to occur in the stuffing box. This often happens if the impeller adjustment has been made
backwards (as is the case with Duriron pumps). The problem exists with those open impeller designs that
adjust towards the volute (Goulds is an example).
DECREASING THE AMOUNT OF LIQUID AGITATION IN THE STUFFING BOX.
call these liquids DILATANTS. Connect the bottom of the stuffing box to the suction side of the pump to
ring connection.
Some liquids decrease their viscosity with agitation. We call these liquids THIXOTROPHIC. In some
HANDLING SLURRY APPLICATIONS.
● Flush with a clean liquid. Check with your seal manufacture for the minimum amount of flush
that is needed. Balanced seal designs with the springs located outside of the fluid and most metal
bellows designs require only one to two gallons (4 to 8 liters) per hour.
❍ Note: this is per hour not per minute. At shaft speeds below 2900 rpm. filling the seal
cavity with a compatible grease is usually satisfactory.

● Increase the seal clearance in the stuffing box area. Replacement back covers with extra large
stuffing box designs are available for most pumps. Bolt on, large diameter stuffing boxes are also
available in the after market. If your product is cool you can probably run the fluid "dead ended"
with no connections coming into or out of the stuffing box.
● If you product contains sub micron particles as is the case with Kaoline (china clay), you will
have to circulate a higher pressure clean liquid between two seals to prevent solids penetration
between the faces. In some cases two hard faces also helps. Almost any dual seal design is
acceptable with the exception of the "back to back" rotating design which is never acceptable in
any application.
● Recirculate to the suction side of the pump when possible. This will circulate cleaner fluid from
behind the impeller, through the stuffing box, and then back to the suction side of the pump.
Original equipment manufacturers do just the opposite by having the stuffing box fitting
connected to the discharge side of the pump.
❍ CAUTION! Do not connect to the suction side of the pump if the fluid is being pumped at
or near its vapor point as this could cause flashing in the stuffing box location. If the solids
have a low specific gravity (they float on the liquid) you may have to go to a clean liquid
flush because centrifugal force will work against you.

● Any time that you deal with a slurry application you are going to have a couple of other problems
as well so be prepared for them:
❍ Frequent impeller adjustment and excessive wear ring wear. You will need a cartridge seal
or a sleeve mounted split seal to compensate for the impeller adjustment. Cartridge seals
can generally be reused if the pump has been disassembled to replace the wear rings.
❍ Vibration will increase as the impeller goes out of balance due to abrasive wear. This can
cause drive lug wear and carbon face chipping. Vibration damping will become very
important. Seal designs that incorporate O- rings have a built in natural vibration damper.
Metal bellows seals require another solution.
❍ Wear of the rotating components. This is especially true if the seal rotates in the fluid.
Better seals are designed to cause rotation of the fluid in the seal chamber.
If you prefer to solve the application problem by using a special seal. the following thoughts might help
in deciding your selection.
SEAL DESIGN FEATURES THAT ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS OF EXTREMES IN HOT AND
COLD.
● Metal bellows seals. An excellent choice for cryogenic and high temperature, non petroleum
liquids. Petroleum products "coke" in the presence of high heat so cooling is necessary in these
applications.
● Carbon / metal composites to conduct heat away from the seal faces. Do not use "glued in"
versions.
● Elastomers located some distance from the seal face to protect the elastomer (rubber part) from
the additional heat generated at the seal faces
● Low friction face combinations. Carbon / tungsten carbide or Carbon/ silicone Carbide are among
the best. Some duplex material faces are showing good results in these applications. Carbon
impregnated silicone carbide is an example of such a material.
● Elastomers that have a wide range of operating temperature. Kalrez® is a good example.
● Low expansion metals such as Carpenter 42 and Invar 36 that will still retain the carbon or hard
face in the holder even though the temperature changes greatly. Be aware that low expansion
metals have poor chemical resistance so be careful in using them.
● Stationary seal designs are subject to a differential temperature across the seal face and body if a
recirculation line or flush is being used. This differential temperature can cause the face to go out
of flat. You will be better off with a rotating design in this instance.
If you elect to solve only the sealing problem you must keep in mind that the extremes in heat and cold
will also affect the bearing seals as well as the bearing oil. Unless you address these problems separately
you will be better off controlling the temperature in the stuffing box area and solving most of the bearing
area problems at the same time.
SEAL DESIGN FEATURES THAT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITH SLURRIES.
● Springs out of the fluid, the most common place to clog a seal.
● Vibration damping because the wear causes the rotating assembly to go out of balance.
● Be sure the dynamic elastomer moves to a clean surface as the seal carbon face wears.
● Use centrifugal force to clean the sliding seal components. Rotating seals (the spring loaded face
rotates) should be your first choice.
● Non stick coatings on the metal parts to prevent a build up of solids on the sliding components.
These coatings are porous so do not use them for corrosion resistance.
● If possible, rotate the slurry to reduce seal component wear. In future papers I will address the
problem of sealing individual applications. In the mean time the above information should help
you to get started.

®Dupont Dow elastomer

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Condensate
SUBJECT: Some more about condensate 10-7
What is condensate?
● Steam that has been condensed back into water by either raising its pressure or lowering its
temperature. Not to be confused with demineralized, de-ionized, make up, or softened water.
When the condensate enters the boiler feed pump additional chemicals are added and the product
is now called boiler feed water.
● Condenser hotwells, the bottom part of the condenser

● Steam traps. They trap steam in the lines and let the condensate drain through.
the bottom where the steam trap will open and allow the condensate to flow to the receiver. There
We want to keep dissolved oxygen out of condensate. Why?
● It changes the pH of the water. This will contribute to corrosion problems in the system.
Especially the boiler.
❍ Boilers like a ph of somewhere between 10 and 11.
● The more gases entrained in the condensate the more likely the pump will experience cavitation
problems.
oxygen down

30 1 10 ppm
90 32 5 ppm
120 50 4 ppm
150 65 3 ppm
180 82 2 ppm
210 100 0 ppm
The average level detected in condensate receivers is three parts per million. This is almost one thousand
times greater than the five parts per billion level that can induce pitting corrosion.
How does oxygen get into the condensate system?
● Through the packing of condensate pumps. The stuffing box is under a negative pressure, and air
● Valves above the water line can introduce oxygen as the velocity of the water lowers the pressure
at the valve stem.
● Oxygen is dissolved in makeup water that was added to the boiler because of condensate leaks.
● Add chemicals to convert it. Hydrazine is an example. You are adding hydrogen that will combine
with the oxygen to form water.
Condensate
● Deaerate the condensate. This is normally done by heating the condensate with steam in a
deaerating tank that is located close to the suction of the boiler feed pump.
condensate pumps.


❍ Steam tools.
system.
product leakage.

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Sealing pressure extremes
SUBJECT: The sealing of high pressure and hard vacuum 5-7
High pressure does three things that will damage any mechanical seal :
● It will create a high axial hydraulic load on the seal faces. This load will be in addition to the axial
force created by the single spring, multiple springs, or metal bellows that are used to create the
initial face loading in popular seal designs. This excessive axial loading can:
❍ Generate heat that could be detrimental to one or more of the seal components such as the
elastomer or in some cases, the product that you are sealing.

❍ It can cause excessive wear in a short period of time. This will be a very important
consideration when you are sealing non, or poor lubricating fluids. Thixotrophic fluids
❍ If the product is a poor lubricant or a non lubricant, a high axial load can cause "slip stick"
faces.
❍ It can change critical dimensions, such as the lapped seal faces going out of flat.
● It can distort one or more of the seal components causing the lapped seal faces to go "out of flat."
❍ Seal faces are subjected to "hoop stresses" that attempt to shrink the material. Since these
faces are seldom designed as a "solid block" the affect is to alter the lapped face flatness.
Finite element analysis design techniques help, but are still limited in practice.
suffers permanent damage.
slightly higher than suction pressure, but multi stage pump applications, boiler circulating pumps,
The solution to high pressure sealing falls into three separate categories. You must decide which of the

❍ Higher modulus materials are seldom available. You will have to go to a finite element
stress analyzed design. Look for seal components that have uniform thickness cross
sections, or go to larger cross section seals that will require more stuffing box radial room.
❍ Laminated bellows are available for many higher pressure metal bellows applications
(same principal as plywood).

● Stage the seals in an application so that several seals will be sharing the pressure.
❍ Tandem sealing with an intermediate lower barrier fluid pressure is the most common. In
● Lower the pressure in the stuffing box.
faces.
❍ You can cross-connect stuffing boxes in a multiple stage, double ended pump design. Keep
Vacuum means less than atmospheric pressure and vacuum sealing falls into two categories:
Sealing pressure extremes
Hard vacuum. This vacuum is normally measured in microns, micro inches, or portions of a millimeter of
mercury (Torr).
gas" increasing the elastomers' density and reducing the volume to a point where leakage is
possible. All metal seal designs will probably be your first choice.
● Seal face density and self lubrication can be a real problem in hard vacuum applications because
seal designs are seldom satisfactory in these applications. A great many materials exist that can
solve the problem, so you will want to contact your seal supplier for the availability of higher
density and self lubricating carbons for these special applications.
● Tandem dual seals with a higher pressure lubricating barrier fluid is the most common solution to
hard vacuum sealing.

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Sealing hot oil
SUBJECT : The sealing of hot oil 3-5
The largest user of hot oil pumps is the heat transfer oil customer. Many consumers use these products
with oil temperatures exceeding 500° Fahrenheit (260° C.) and 600° to 700° F. ( 315° to 370° C.)
becoming common. Some hotels have recently installed these systems in their laundry to dry clothing.
Heat transfer oils have many advantages over the steam that was formally used in these applications.

● No boiler blow down.
● No high pressure. This means it is not only safer but also tends to leak less.
obtained.
parts)
● The product "cokes". These coke particles form at the elevated temperatures and coat them selves
inside the system piping, hardware and on the mechanical seal working parts. These "coke"
particles restrict the movement of sliding/flexing seal components causing the lapped seal faces to
open. The amount of coke that forms is a function of time and temperature. In other words, coking
will be a more severe problem in a closed loop system than it will be in the oil refining business.
Contrary to popular opinion testing has shown that air or oxygen is not needed for the formation
of coke. This means that seal designs that try to eliminate the oxygen by quenching or some other
method will not work. The use of steam quenching is limited to its' cooling effect only.
● The product is always a fire hazard and depending upon the type and brand you purchase, there
time and the product will leak out to the atmosphere.
and impeller clearances, as well as the correct seal compression.
viscous during periods of prolong shut down. No one ever heat traces the stuffing box.
● You always end up pumping a slurry which means frequent impeller adjustments or wear ring
best efficiency point (B.E.P.) causing shaft deflection, vibration, and excessive seal movement.
Coking on the inside of the suction piping can cause cavitation problems
Although there are many techniques available to the seal man to address each of these problems the
combination of these problems eliminates most of the common techniques and leaves the customer with
very few options to get good seal life. Regardless of the seal selected you must address all of the
problems or the seal life will be shortened.
mechanical seals and A.P.I. glands :
volute. The soft non sparking, metal wear ring on one end of the shaft and the carbon disaster
bushing installed in the A.P.I. Gland on the other, would insure no hard metal contact if a bearing
failed as the shaft was turning.
stationary volute. To prevent sparking the impeller or volute would have to be manufactured from
a soft non sparking metal such as aluminum or bronze and this would not be very practical.

Sealing hot oil
The product has to be cooled in the seal chamber :
high enough. The finest lubricating oil available will start to coke at 300° F (150° C). The amount
of coking that you get is determined by the oil temperature and time.
temperature.
(A.P.I.) type gland. Look at the following illustration. The gland can perform several functions for
you:
● The disaster bushing can provide shaft support if you lose a bearing.
● The leakage will be directed to the quench and drain connection when the seal wears out or fails.
● The quench connection will allow you to use steam for product cooling, but do not use too much
because it could penetrate into the bearing case.
● In this application the flush connection is not used. The stuffing box is "dead ended" to take full
advantage of the heating/ cooling jacket.
A large diameter cooled sealing chamber should be installed on the pump.
● To allow centrifugal force to throw solid coke particles away from the seal faces and sliding or
flexing components
● Vibration means movement . The seal must be free to move within the seal chamber.
A Cartridge seal is necessary.
● Thermal growth will cause volute casing and shaft expansion. Only a cartridge seal will
To compensate for misalignment you will have to :
❍ These adapters are available from all good pump companies and will compensate for

❍ No other method of alignment works any where near as well. If you are going to do a

Sealing hot oil
conventional alignment with dual indicators or a laser aligned be sure your calculations
compensate for thermal growth.
The illustration shows the centerline design. It will allow the pump volute to thermally expand both up
and down, and thereby eliminate strain on the suction piping.
Now that we have discussed these important points lets take a look at some solutions that are often
offered, but that we should not adopt as our solution. Here are the things that do not work well :
Bad solution #1. Use a metal bellows seal to eliminate the need for cooling in the seal area.
Comment: Although the metal bellows does not have rubber parts that are sensitive to high temperature
cooling is still needed for the coking. Most bellow suppliers offer an A.P.I. type gland to provide low
pressure steam behind the seal for cooling purposes and thereby eliminate the option of backup sealing.
This quenching should be limited to only a back up cooling status. If quenching is done with water rather
than steam, watch out for a calcium build up outboard of the seal. This "hard water" build up can restrict
the movement of the flexing portion of the seal as it tries to compensate for face wear.
If you substitute condensate for the quenching fluid the build up can be eliminated almost entirely.
Bad solution #2. Run a line from the discharge of the pump through a cooler and filter to cool down and
clean up the oil going into the stuffing box.
● Comment: The problems with this solution are obvious. The filter will clog and the cooler will
become inoperative as coke builds up on the tubes.
Bad solution #3. Use two seals and run a cool oil between them.
● Comment: You have addressed the cooling problem but you have not addressed the problem of
the slurry with this solution.
What then is the best solution that addresses all of the problems? Look at the following illustration:
● Install a large jacketed sealing chamber. These bolt on accessories are available from your local
pump/seal supplier. Many suppliers can provide a replaceable pump back plate with a large seal
chamber cast into the plate
● Dead end the stuffing box. In other words no lines coming into or away from the inner seal
chamber. Do not worry about the heat. With a six to eight gallon per minute( 20 to 30 liters/
200° to 250° Fahrenheit (95° to 120° C.) without any trouble. If you have hard water in your area,
stream is satisfactory. If you anticipate long periods of shut down, low pressure steam will be
your best choice as it will keep the heat transfer oil at the proper low viscosity during these shut
down periods.
● Install a cartridge dual seal that has the inner seal balanced in both directions. If the pump does
not have precision bearings a double motion seal with the same features will work just as well.

Sealing hot oil
"Two way" balance is necessary because the system and barrier fluid pressure can and will vary.
● The dual seal is necessary to conserve the expensive product and to provide a safety feature when
the inboard seal wears out or fails. It will also allow you time to schedule a seal replacement.
● Install a convection tank between the two seals and use cool heat transfer oil as the barrier or
buffer fluid. A lower pressure or buffer fluid is preferred. A slight pressure on the tank will allow
you determine which seal has worn out or failed first. A pumping ring or forced lubrication
between the seals is necessary
● Install a carbon restrictive bushing into the bottom of the stuffing box to act as a thermal barrier.
Applications have worked without this bushing but not as well as with it. Any material that has
poor heat conductivity will work as well as carbon as long as it is non sparking and dimensionally
stable.
injuring the seal elastomer.
the pump. A small layer of calcium inside this jacket will provide an insulation and destroy the cooling
sealing chamber to prevent excessive wear of the thin bellows plates.
O.E.M. lip seals have a design life of about two thousand hours (84 days) and they will cause
costly shaft fretting damage. These grease or lip seals will also allow moisture to penetrate into
the bearing case dramatically reducing bearing life.
● A cool oil flush with a restriction bushing installed into the bottom of the stuffing box, is another
● When using an A.P.I. type gland be sure to check that the quench and drain ports have not been
confused with the flush ports. If these ports are connected incorrectly it could be very dangerous.

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Hot water sealing
SUBJECT : The sealing of hot water 3-3
● At elevated temperature the water lubricating film is not thick enough to separate the sliding
surfaces of the seal faces. Cold water has a film thickness of about one micron which will keep
lapped seal faces separated most of the time. Hot water has a film thickness of only one third to
one half of that amount depending upon the temperature.
● At some combination of temperature and pressure the water will vaporize, expand, and open up
the hard face.
● "Slip stick" can occur because the faces are trying to stick together due to a lack of lubrication
between them. The alternating sticking and slipping will produce a vibration that will chip carbon,
break bellows and crack lug driven faces unless some form of vibration damping has been
installed.
● In many piping systems magnetite ( Fe304 ) forms on the inside surfaces as a corrosion resistant
components. It can be recognized by its black or reddish color and its attraction to a magnet. The
magnetite affects the seal a couple of ways :
❍ Being an abrasive material, it will mechanically attack the seal sliding elastomer by
penetrating into it This will cause "hang up" and eventual leakage.
❍ Loose magnetite is very common in new water systems. The problem will eventually clear
its self up after the system has been in use for about a year and the ferric oxide has formed
into a stable layer.
● Hot water is dangerous. The leakage will be invisible as it flashes to steam.
❍ If the hot water is part of a condensate system it may have to be sealed under vacuum
conditions.
addressed.
Picking the correct seal materials:
● The seal face combination should be an unfilled carbon graphite running against either solid
silicon carbide or tungsten carbide as your first choice. Plated or coated faces should not be used
in this application. A new face material made from graphite impregnated silicon carbide has
become very popular in recent years because of its better heat conductivity.
temperature, either Dupont's Kalrez or an equivalent will be necessary. In most cases you should
be trying to cool the water to increase the face life. If the water is cooled a high temperature
elastomer is not necessary. Be sure that you do not put petroleum grease on the ethylene
propylene. Any petroleum product will attack ethylene propylene rubber (epr)
● The metal components. 316 grade stainless steel is preferred. Metal bellows or springs should not
Choosing the correct mechanical seal
not use cartridge mounted stationary seals unless they have been fitted with some type of self
aligning feature.
● A motion seal should be specified if the pump is equipped with sleeve or babbitt bearings. This is
● A high pressure seal should be used if the seal chamber pressure (not the pump discharge
pressure) exceeds 350 psi. (24 bar). High pressure seals are of a more rugged construction that
● Split seals can be used in some of these applications, but some designs have trouble when the
pressure alternates between a positive pressure and vacuum. Sleeve mounting the split seal helps

Hot water sealing
with impeller adjustment, or in the case of vacuum applications the seal can be installed
backwards, or with a discharge recirculation line installed to keep a positive pressure in the
stuffing box. Note: many hot water applications are dangerous so dual seals are recommended.
● Care must be exercised if you use a stationary metal bellows seal design. Flow through the normal
flush or recirculation connection can cause a substantial temperature differential across the seal
face that can cause the lapped seal faces to become distorted.
● To insure the longest possible seal life, the water should be cooled as close to ambient
temperature as possible. The cooler the water the better it will lubricate the faces.
jacketed stuffing box on the pump, to cool down the stuffing box fluid. Be sure there are no
recirculation or flush lines coming into, or out of, the stuffing box. If there is no jacket installed
on the stuffing box one can be purchased from the pump manufacturer or an outside vendor. If
you purchase the jacket from an outside vendor be sure to order the enlarged, jacketed seal
chamber or replacement back plate with the large, jacketed seal chamber cast into it.
❍ NOTE : Be sure the cooling jacket is functioning. If you are in an area that has hard water
● If cooling is not at all possible, another alternative is to pressurize the stuffing box to at least one
atmosphere above the water vaporization pressure. This can be done by installing a close fitting
bushing into the bottom of the stuffing box and using a recirculation line from the pump discharge
to pressurize the box. As noted above, be careful of leaks in the fittings. This could be dangerous
in some high pressure boiler feed pump or boiler circulating pump applications. Depending upon
the pressures involved you may be better off with a special high pressure seal design.
❍ NOTE : You are going to have trouble when the heat transfers back to the bearing oil.
with the manufacturer for this accessory. At 200° Fahrenheit (100° C.) non contaminated
● It is not wise to install a cooler between the pump discharge and a conventional stuffing box.
Although this arrangement will provide adequate cooling, in most cases it is too dangerous at
elevated temperatures because of possible leaks in the piping and fittings.
● An A.P.I. type gland with a cool quench is not a good choice for this application.
❍ The quench water will vaporize when it hits the hot surfaces under the seal, causing solids
to form that will restrict the seal movement and contribute to the corrosion of the seal
sleeve and other components.
❍ Those designs that have the springs out of the sealing fluid can easily clog the springs in
this solution.
❍ Excess quenching water can leak back into the bearings through the grease or lip seal.

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Sealing slurries
SUBJECT : The sealing of liquid slurries 3-4
and/ or pressure. The solids may or may not be abrasive. It does no good to try to identify the number of
solids or their size because no one knows how these numbers relate to slurry related seal problems.
Whenever you deal with slurries there are several problems you must consider:
● If the slurry is abrasive it can wear the rotating components. This can be a serious problem with
thin plate metal bellows seals.
adjustments that will cause problems with mechanical seals
open.
Seal faces should be lapped flat to within three helium light bands. That is a distance just a little bit shy
of one micron. Compare this to the fact that the smallest object that can be seen with the human eye is
forty microns in size, and you will appreciate the technology used in the manufacture of mechanical
seals. As a matter of comparison look at a common coffee filter. It filters out particles larger than ten to
fifteen microns.
There are three approaches to the sealing of solids :
● Design a seal with non clogging features.

Let's look at each of the approaches, and in the process learn a sensible method of sealing a slurry.
Build a seal with non clogging features.
● Take the springs out of the sealing fluid.They cannot clog if they are not in the slurry.
● Use a non stick coating to prevent the slurry from sticking to the sliding components.
● Use only balanced seal designs. Additional heat generated at the seal faces can cause many
products to solidify, coke, and crystallize creating even more solids problem.
● Metal bellows designs can be used, but they must have extra thick plates to resist excessive wear.
these thicker plates. Rotating the abrasive fluid with the bellows can be a big asset. Some
Create a clean sealing environment.
large bore sealing chamber. Try to give yourself at least 1 inch (25 mm. ) radial space if possible. The
work and some do not. Let's look at each of them. First we will look at the solutions that do not work
very well and comment on their problems :
● Bad Solution #1. Connect a filter in the line from the pump discharge to the stuffing box. Since
the discharge is a higher pressure the flow of liquid through the filter will clean up the fluid and
then there will be clean liquid flowing to the stuffing box..
❍ Comment : The problem with this idea is that the filter will clog and no one will clean it.
● Bad Solution #2. Install a cyclone separator into the line instead of a filter. Connect it between the
❍ Comment: This idea is just as bad. The cyclone was never intended to be a single pass
device. They work well if used in a bank of several filters but there is not enough pressure
differential between the suction side of a pump and the stuffing box for them to be
effective.

Sealing slurries
● Bad Solution #3. Install the seal outside the stuffing box so the springs will not be located in the
dirty fluid.
❍ Comment: The problem with this idea is that as the seal faces wear they must move
forward and in doing so they will move into the dirty fluid. The result will be that the
movable face will hang up in the solids and the faces will open. Another problem with this
approach is that centrifugal force throws the solids into the seal faces and not away from
them.
pressure, clean liquid barrier between the seals.
❍ Comment: This is a very common approach to the problem and has all of the problems
associated with installing the seal outside the stuffing box. In addition to a rapid failure
you will also experience product dilution as the barrier fluid leaks into the pump.
faces.
❍ Comment: Needless to say they will not prevent the faces from opening and when they do
open, experience shows that you are going to destroy both hard faces. Some seal salesmen
may even try to convince you that the seal faces are designed to "grind up" the solid
particles into a fine powder. In other words the seal is designed as some type of a "quasi-
milling machine"
Good Solution #1.
springs in the fluid then more flushing will be required. There are various sources for the flushing
liquid :
❍ Finished, clean product or one of the mixture's clean ingredients
❍ A compatible fluid.
❍ A solvent.
❍ An additive that is going to be added down stream and could be injected into the stuffing
box location.
❍ Clean water.
❍ A compatible grease can be used with most balanced seals running at lower speeds
● NOTE : Never introduce live steam into the stuffing box as it could cause the product to flash and
pump starting and to leave the flushing valve open for a few minutes after the pump has stopped
Good Solution #2.
● Install an oversize, jacketed sealing chamber and "dead end" the fluid. "Dead ending" means that
important. Heat Transfer Oil is a prime example.
● If the fluid you are sealing is not hot, the cooling jacket will not be necessary. Some times one
shot of clean liquid into this oversize, dead ended stuffing box, is all that is necessary to seal even
a severe slurry. Needless to say this application works best on a continuous running pump.
● If the specific gravity of the solids is less than the liquid they are mixed in, centrifugal force will
not work for you. A clean flush will be necessary in this instance or one shot of a higher specific
gravity compatible liquid.
Good Solution #3.
● If the solid particles are sub micron in size two seals with a higher pressure barrier fluid becomes
Good Solution #4.
stuffing box back to the suction side of the pump. The size of this line will be determined by the
size and number of solids that you are trying to remove.
● This will cause liquid to flow from behind the impeller to the stuffing box and then on to the
suction of the pump. Fluid entering the stuffing box, from behind the impeller has been
Sealing slurries
❍ You are pumping close to the vapor point of the fluid, as lowering the pressure could cause
the pumping fluid to vaporize in the stuffing box and in some cases between the seal faces.
❍ You are sealing a Duriron pump where the impeller adjusts to the back plate.
❍ You are sealing double ended pups where the stuffing boxes are at suction pressure.
❍ If the solids have a low specific gravity or density and float on the liquid.
Compensate for the fact that the rotating unit will go out of balance.
● The seal faces have to be vibration dampened. O-Ring type seals are equipped with a natural
questionable.
plus or minus 1/8" (3 mm. ) in a radial direction and 1/8" (3 mm) in an axial direction.
adjustment.
normal clearance doubles. A typical normal clearance would be 0.008" to 0.015" ( 0,2 to 0,4 mm).
of wear ring wear.
A few more thoughts about the sealing of slurries :
● Kaoline (China clay) is a product that is used in many industries including paper and
pharmaceutical. Its' abrasive particles are less than one micron in size and as a result will
penetrate lapped seal faces causing rapid carbon and hard face wear. In this application it is
necessary to use two mechanical seals with a higher clean barrier pressure between the faces to
prevent most of the penetration.
used as some particles will always penetrate the faces.
is necessary.
❍ CAUTION! It is important that the flushing fluid be kept at a higher pressure than the
stuffing box pressure. If this pressure differential fails it could force the packing into the
rear of the mechanical seal. A split adapter plate installed between the split seal and the
stuffing box face can prevent the packing from blowing out if the flushing pressure is lost.
● If you elect to use a rotating metal bellows in a slurry application, remember that the bellows
should rotate the fluid in the sealing chamber. Most bellows designs allow the thin bellows plates
to cut through the abrasive slurry and experience severe wear and breakage in a short period of
time.

Sealing slurries
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Sealing mixers
SUBJECT: The sealing of mixers and agitators 3-7
Mixer applications are the same as process pump applications except for a couple of things:
● Dual seals are usually required (especially in top entering mixers) because the seal is frequently
located above the fluid causing a single seal to run dry.
Please refer to the following drawingfor the bearing arrangement of a typical mixer. You will note that
figure "A" the packing helps to stabilize the shaft and is acting as another support bearing. Packing never
the number runs into the hundreds.
Picture "B" is one method of solving the problem. The mixer shaft is placed inside a "Quill Shaft" that is
two piece shaft.
This original equipment seal is a poor choice because most mixer manufacturers choose an inferior
unbalanced "back to back" double seal that will damage the expensive stub shaft and clog easily if there
are solids in the mixing liquid. The following illustration describes this " back to back" double seal:

Sealing mixers
The best, and lowest cost solution is to install a motion seal in the stuffing box and solve the problem
● The inner seal should be balanced in both directions because many of these applications can
fluctuate between pressure and vacuum. This feature will also prevent the inner seal from blowing
open and allowing the barrier fluid to contaminate the product if you loose barrier fluid pressure
between the seals.
movement.
the faces together.
seal has some sort of self aligning feature to compensate for misalignment caused by the set
Single split seals, mounted on a split sleeve have become very popular for mixer type applications (see
the following illustration). The shaft movement can be partially stabilized by installing a split sleeve
bearing in the stuffing box. A wide variety of materials are available for this split bearing. Check with
your local distributor.
The split seal is also a good choice for those mixers that have a moveable shaft that seals a Teflon ring
piece.
Dirt and solids fall into the stuffing box and cannot be centrifuged out. Flushing liquid tends to channel
through the solids and does a poor job of removing them from the stuffing box.
There are a couple of possible solutions.

Sealing mixers
● Cut off the stuffing box and move the seal into the vessel so that centrifugal force will throw the
solids away from the flexible seal components
● Use a higher specific gravity fluid in the stuffing box to prevent gravity from pulling the solids
into the seal area. A high density grease could be a good solution.
❍ If you cannot tolerate grease you should be able to find some type of a compatible fluid
that will work.

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Sealing non lubricants
SUBJECT: The sealing of non lubricants 4-8
When we are discussing mechanical seals, a lubricant is defined as a fluid that has a film thickness of at
not a lubricant we are forced to use the self lubricating characteristics of the carbon/ graphite mixture
used in the manufacture of the seal face.
The key to this self lubrication is that carbon can form strong chemical bonds with gases such as water
vapor. The adsorbed gas then weaken the interlacing bonding forces, which in turn reduce the rubbing
friction. Many other types of vapors and gases can be readily adsorbed by carbon/ graphite and in some
instances inorganic compounds can be added to the carbon/ graphite if adsorbable gases are not present
or in short supply. Graphitizing of the carbon (heating it to 5000 degrees Fahrenheit or 2750 degree
Centigrade) is another approach to self lubrication.
In the seal business we are faced with the challenge of sealing three types of non lubricants. I will
address the problems in order of their difficulty :
THE NON LUBRICATING LIQUID
Hot water and many solvents fit into this category. The lack of lubrication at the seal faces causes more
rapid wear of the carbon face.
lubricant. As the seal face wears, the graphite is deposited on the hard face (you can see the black ring)
leaving the carbon behind. The function of the hard face is to give the graphite a place to deposit. Testing
has shown that when we seal a lubricating fluid the lubricant becomes trapped between these asperities
(the peaks the graphite leaves when it deposits on the hard face) and in many cases becomes a vapor,
separating the two running surfaces.
"slipstick". Without proper lubrication the lapped seal faces try to stick together, but "slip" when the seal
vibration with a resultant "chipping" at the out side diameter of the carbon face, along with drive lug and
slot wear.
numbers are not really valid because the carbon is sensitive to "P" but not to "V"
because the generated heat can be carried away by the conductivity of the non lubricating liquid
All of the above means that the elastomer (O-ring) will probably not be affected by the extra heat
generated between the seal faces, as a result of the poor or no lubricating properties of the fluid you are
sealing.
THE NON LUBRICATING GAS
you have the additional problem of heat because gases are for the most part good insulators and do not let
the heat generated between the faces dissipate to the surrounding product and metal stuffing box. Heat

Sealing non lubricants

● Most fluids are affected by an increase in heat. They can: crystallize, solidify, lose their viscosity,
temperature.
SEALING A DRY SOLID
You now have all of the problems associated with the sealing of a gas with the additional problem of a
those seal designs that have non clogging features. These features would include:

● You might consider rotating the seal in the powder to take advantage of centrifugal force, to throw
the solids away from the sliding components.
● Select non fretting designs. They are especially important in dry solids applications.
● Teflon coating of the rotating parts helps to prevent the solids from sticking to the moving
components.
trouble with the solids packing around the outside diameter of the mechanical seal. A clean flush with air
or a suitable gas seldom works in this application because the air channels through the dry solids, or the
vessel pressure will equalize with the incoming air pressure stopping the flow.
Most of these applications are slow speed (less than 500 rpm.) so a non clogging type seal works well. A
non metallic, outside seal can be used if you are prepared to clean it out with air or some other gas
between batches.
If the seal does clog up, it is easy to disassemble the seal for cleaning between batches.

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Temperature and pressure
SUBJECT: Sealing products sensitive to a change in temperature or pressure. 8-9
Liquids and gases are both called fluids and a fluid can shorten the life of a seal in two ways;

● It can damage one of the seal materials. Elastomers are very sensitive to both temperature and
pressure.
In this paper we will be considering how small changes in either temperature or pressure will cause one
or both of these failures to occur, and learn how to prevent these changes especially when the pump is
stopped and often subject to both temperature and pressure fluctuations. In another paper in this series we
learned that a change in temperature could:
● Cause a fluid to crystallize, sticking the seal to the shaft and making the faces open as the shaft
moves. Caustic and sugar solutions are examples of this.
● Cause a liquid to vaporize, blowing the lapped seal faces apart, letting solids penetrate between
flashes to steam.
parts from moving or causing the seal faces to stick together. Sugar syrups do this when they get
hot, some fluids do it when they get cold.
● The corrosion rate of most corrosives increase with a rise in temperature. A general rule of thumb
says that the corrosion rate of an acid will double with a 18°F (10°C) rise in temperature. This is
the reason we avoid the use of packing in acid pumps. You will recall the packing generates
almost six times the heat of a balanced mechanical seal
If you are not using a dual seal with a pressurized barrier fluid, then you will get some sort of a pressure
drop across the seal face. A pressure drop could:
might occur:
● Allow sub micron size solids to penetrate between the faces, imbed themselves into the softer
carbon and destroy the lapped hard face.
close, the cycle repeats its self and the alternating closing and opening will probably crack the
carbon as it bangs against the drive lugs or chip the carbon face on the outside diameter.
● If the product freezes when it evaporates it could freeze any oil or grease that was put on the seal
face, causing damage to the carbon. This will also freeze the moisture on the outboard side of the
seal causing ice that can restrict the movement of the seal (you can see the ice on the shaft).
● Cause the liquid to solidify.
● Paint is a mixture of a solid and a solvent. If the solvent evaporates, the paint will solidify
between the faces. This can also occur if the suction of the pump is under a vacuum (negative
suction head) because the pump is trying to lift the fluid.
● Some liquids will form a film at the faces if the pressure drops
problems. But since pumpage pressure and temperature changes are normal (especially at shut down) we
are going to have to become skillful in controlling the temperature and pressure in the stuffing box area
to prevent a premature seal failure.
THE HEATING AND COOLING JACKET
If you use this technique be sure to check:
● A carbon thermal bushing is installed in the end of the stuffing box to reduce the heat transfer
between the product you are pumping and the fluid in the stuffing box.
● The cooling jacket must be free from scale and calcium build up. There are many cleaning
● Dead end the fluid; no recirculation lines either into or out of the stuffing box. Check carefully
● The best fluids to circulate through this jacket are steam and condensate. Shop or city water is
generally too hard and will form a calcium film on the inside of the jacket.
● You can use a mixer valve that will blend the steam and condensate to give you a very precise
control over the stuffing box temperature.
● The main advantage of this control is that it lets you regulate the stuffing box temperature when
the pump is shut down. That far out weighs the disadvantage of having to provide circulation to
the jacket.
seal components and very soon the seal will be in a clean environment at exactly the right
temperature.
● If your pump is not equipped with a jacket, one is probably available from the pump manufacturer
or an after market supplier.
THE QUENCH AND DRAIN CONNECTION is used to heat or cool the outboard side of a single seal
and wash away any product the might leak across the faces or build up outboard of the seal.
● Use only low pressure steam or water at connection "D". You do not want these products to
penetrate through the disaster bushing and get into the bearings. This is another reason to replace
those bearing grease or lip seals with either a labyrinth or a positive face seal.
can be burned.
❍ To prevent the shaft from hitting the seal if you have a bearing failure. If the product burns
this could cause a fire or an explosion. In any case the damage would be severe without
this non sparking disaster bushing.
❍ A steam line hooked up to this connection can be used to put out a fire in the stuffing box
area. All you need is a solenoid valve and a melt switch that will open the solenoid when it
senses high temperature (same as a fire sprinkler system).
A DISCHARGE RECIRCULATION CONNECTION connected between the pump discharge and the
stuffing box can be used to pressurize the stuffing box area with the discharge pressure available at the
pump.
THE DUAL SEAL is another way to control either temperature, pressure at the seal faces, or both at the
same time. Take a look at the following diagram:

You can:
or hold the temperature at precise limits if that is desirable.
● Bring the fluid in the bottom and out the top to avoid air pockets
● You can pressurize between the dual seals to prevent a pressure drop across the seal faces.
● If you use the two way balanced version of a dual seal you can choose either a higher barrier or
lower pressure buffer fluid between the seals.
board the inner seal. This can happen any time you seal a product that can freeze the moisture in
the atmosphere.
HERE ARE A FEW MORE CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT CONTROLLING PRESSURE AND

TEMPERATURE IN THE SEAL AREA:
shut down.
● There is little need to lower the pressure in the stuffing box area. If you find that the stuffing box
pressure is to high for your mechanical seal, you are better off purchasing a high pressure
mechanical seal that will satisfy your application.

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Viscous product sealing
SUBJECT: Sealing products that are sensitive to agitation. 6-12
much of an affect, because pumped liquids are continually being agitated.
and if you beat it fast enough, and long enough, an egg white (a fluid) will become a solid.
connection is commonly used for this purpose and if you will look at the area closely you will see that
the fluid is trapped in the seal face area where it is exposed to long periods of high speed agitation.
If the fluid is not affected by agitation or mixing, we say it is a Newtonian fluid (you remember, the
apple fell on his head and he discovered gravity). These fluids are not considered a sealing problem for
us unless they are sensitive to temperature or pressure changes, or contain lots of solids. The fluids we
are concerned about are the non Newtonian fluids, and the problem ones fall into three neat categories:
Dilatants. The more you agitate them, the more viscous they become and in many cases they can solidify.
same category. In the paper industry the product "Kaoline" is a common example.
● To insure proper sealing, you must insure that the product circulates through the stuffing box only
one time as would be the case if you used a suction recirculation line connected from the face of
the seal, at the bottom of the stuffing box, to the suction side of the pump, or some other low
pressure point in the system. In this application it is important to use either seals that have no
spring or springs in the fluid, or you can use metal bellows seals.
● Non drip paint is a good example of this type of application as would be automobile wax or most
● The decreased viscosity can cause the product to become a non lubricant as the film thickness
fluids.
fluid.
As is the case with just about any fluid sealing problem the use of a reliable, clean, compatible, liquid
In another paper we will discuss the affect of this changing viscosity on the performance of the pump. As
is the case with the mechanical seal the change is significant.

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Viscous product sealing

Sealing to OSHA 1910
SUBJECT: Sealing to the Osha 1910.119 process safety management standard and the clean air act
of 1990. 8-10
The Process Safety Management Standard was created to prevent the unwanted releases of hazardous
chemicals. The standard identifies more than 130 specific toxic and reactive chemicals covered in
specific quantities and processes that involve flammable liquids and gases in quantities of 10,000 pounds
or more. Hydrocarbon fuels may be excluded if used solely as a fuel.
A process is covered if it involves the toxic or reactive highly hazardous chemicals at or above the
specified threshold quantity of the standard. The threshold quantity is the amount of the chemical present
at any given point in time, not aggregated over a period of time. If you look in the last pages of this paper
you will find a list of these highly hazardous chemicals, toxins and reactives, along with their threshold
quantities.
The clean air act was created in 1990 to address the escape to atmosphere of Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOC). The proposed amendments for chemical plants apply to any component in contact
with a substance that is at least ten percent applicable VOC, and is in gaseous or light liquid VOC service
more than 300 hour annually.
To determine the amount of VOC in a gaseous leak, the VOC is measured at a distance no more than one
centimeter (less than a half inch) from the source.
PUMP STANDARDS
Phase 1 at the onset greater than 10000 ppm.
Phase 2 one year later . greater than 5000 ppm.
Phase 3 two and one half years later greater than 1000 ppm
Polymerizing polymer greater than 5000 ppm.
Food/ Medical greater than 2000 ppm.
All other pumps greater than 1000 ppm.
For components with moving parts (pumps) the first attempt to repair a leak must be made within two
days after the leak is detected. The standard also require the monthly visual inspection of all single
mechanical seals.
Pumps with dual mechanical seals can be exempted from the monthly inspection if the barrier fluid
pressure between the seals is at a higher pressure than the pump stuffing box pressure at all times and the
barrier fluid is not a light liquid VHAP (Volatile hazardous air pollutant), or is equipped with one of the
following three features designed to prevent VOC emissions from the outboard seal:
● A barrier degassing reservoir that transports the gas or vapor to a VOC control apparatus. That
system prevents applicable VOC from accumulating where it can be emitted from the outboard
seal.
● A closed-loop system that purges the barrier fluid into a process stream and returns process fluid
to the process without venting to the atmosphere.
● A sensor that detects failure of the seal system, the barrier fluid system or both.
If a leak is detected between the seals the first attempt at repair must be no later than five days and the
repair or replacement no later than 15 days.
Single seals are available that can satisfy current standards. They must be monitored monthly (EPA
Method 21) and visually inspected weekly. If they are detected leaking:
● The first attempt at repair must take place within five days.
● Repair or replacement within fifteen days.
● Phase three pumps, when the leak is greater than 2000 ppm.
The only sensible approach to the sealing of fluids and gases identified in these acts is the use of dual
seals designed with a two way hydraulic balance and the barrier fluid pressurized at least one atmosphere
above maximum stuffing box pressure. The tandem configuration would be a logical choice for both
rotating and stationary versions of a dual seal.

Sealing to OSHA 1910
In the following diagram I am showing a simple, unbalanced version of a dual tandem seal for
demonstration purposes. The preferred configuration would be:
● Hydraulically balanced seals with the inner seal balanced in two directions (two way balance.)
● The stationary version of the tandem configuration is the most desirable.
● A pressurized convection tank connected between the seals.
● A remote indication of the pressure in the convection tank.
● A pumping ring built into the seal. to increase the circulation between the seals.
● A cartridge version of the seal, with some sort of "self aligning" feature to prevent excessive face
movement of the stationary seals.
The preferred configuration should not only satisfy the regulations, but also will provide additional safety
features:
● The seal will not blow open if the barrier fluid pressure is lost. The two way balance will insure
that the inner seal faces will stay closed when the pressure reverses.
● The seal will be less sensitive to solids in the fluid. Centrifugal force will work for you throwing
the heavier solids away from the lapped faces.
● The higher barrier fluid pressure will help to lubricate the seal faces in some gas applications.
● You can easily detect if either of the seals fails prematurely. The convection tank pressure will
either drop to system or atmospheric pressure depending upon which seal wears out or fails first.
● The higher barrier fluid pressure will prevent some fluids such as ethylene oxide from penetrating
into and destroying the dynamic elastomer in the inboard seal.
● The barrier fluid can prevent the formation of ice outboard the seal in some low specific gravity
applications.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Carbon manufacture for mechanical seals
SUBJECT : How the Carbon/ Graphite seal face is manufactured and where carbon/graphite
cannot be used. 4-7
Seal companies purchase carbon/ graphite molded faces from one of several carbon manufacturers. The
seal companies pay for the necessary molds and then retain the exclusive use of them. A good seal face
would be a mixture of carbon, graphite and nothing else. The carbon is purchased as a by product of a
manufacturing process while the graphite is mined with the main sources being in Canada and
Madagascar. The cost of these elements is determined by two things:

● How pure is the product?
A good mixture would be 80% carbon and 20% graphite. Graphite is a good conductor of heat, a natural
lubricant, and has a laminar grain structure similar to a deck of cards allowing the individual grains to
slide over one another. It is this laminar structure that allows the graphite to release from the carbon/
graphite face and deposit on the hard face in the same manner a graphite pencil will write on a sheet of
paper.
To manufacture the finished product we place this mixture in an oversized mold using a hydrocarbon as
the glue to hold the powder together. Years ago "pitch" from a tree, was used for the same purpose. The
mixture is then compressed and placed in an oven at 2000° Fahrenheit (1000° C) for a period of thirty to
sixty days. The hydrocarbon will convert to carbon at this temperature. The piece must be heated slowly
or otherwise the carbon will combine with oxygen to form carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide which
will, in either case, ruin it.
At the end of this time the piece has shrunk a small amount, but still resembles a real carbon face. The
problem is :

● It has low density which would be a problem in vacuum applications.
If you want a serious carbon you must place the component into an autoclave, where a vacuum will
hydrocarbon and pressurized to force the hydrocarbon into the porous face under high pressure.
back into the oven and fired at 2000° Fahrenheit (1000 C.) for an additional 30 to 60 days.
You now have a more dense carbon/graphite, but you are a long way from a good one. Two more
About this time you hit a point of diminishing returns, so the fourth impregnation is pushed into the
If a seal manufacturer needs a only a few seal faces for test purposes he can machine them out of an
unfilled carbon and then send them to the carbon manufacturer for the final impregnations. Small batch
applications are handled like this also.
This is the type of face that should be the standard in all of your mechanical seals. It can be used in any
chemical or combination of chemicals except an oxidizing agent. As mentioned, the oxidizing agents will
combine with the carbon to form carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Here is a list of some of the
common oxidizers:
● Oleum, used in the manufacture of detergents and explosives.
● Perchloric acid, used in the manufacture of medicine, explosives, and esters .
● Sulfur trioxide, used to manufacture sulphuric acid.
● Nitric acid, used in fertilizer, dyeing, explosives, drugs, etching and medicine.
● Hot sulphuric acid, the most widely used industrial chemical.
● Chloric acid, ignites organic material on contact.
● Ferric chloride, used in sewage treatment photography, medicine and feed additives.
● Hydrofluoric acid, used for etching, cleaning castings and fermentation.

Carbon manufacture for mechanical seals

● Peroxide
● Chlorate
● Perchlorate
● Nitrate
● Permanganate
The Halogens are another group of chemicals that will attack carbon:
● Chlorine
● Fluorine
● Bromine
● Astintine
● Iodine
The degree of attack will be affected by the oxidizer's chemical concentration and temperature. If you are
handling any of these chemicals it would pay to test an unfilled carbon for compatibility prior to
installing a mechanical seal.
applications:
● If there is a possibility of color contamination of the product. Some paper and paint applications
have this problem.
● Some de-ionized water applications can attack carbon
Original equipment manufacturers (O.E.M.) use filled carbon in their seals and as a result you end up
with a spare parts problem. It is not unusual to find five different seals, with five different part numbers
and the only difference between them is the grades of carbon/ graphite.
fact that adsorbable gases are not present to weaken the interlacing bonding forces between the carbon
and the graphite. It is these adsorbable gases and/ or vapors that allow the graphite to release from the
compound and coat the hard surface with a low friction lubricating layer.
faces. The only exceptions being an oxidizing agent, those applications where carbon is not acceptable
because of color contamination and hot petroleum . You should contact the carbon manufacturers for
their catalog giving you the grades they have available and the "physicals " (specifications) of their
unfilled carbon. You can then check with your seal supplier to be sure he is using the proper unfilled
grade in your mechanical seals.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Special elastomers, Mechanical seals
SUBJECT : The super compounds 10-6
to prevent seal "hang up" or hysteresis. They must also be free to flex and roll to compensate for
mechanical seal face wear. Static O-rings do not have to move. They are used as a gasket and are a lot
more forgiving than dynamic O-rings because a small amount of swell can be tolerated that might even
improve their sealing.
There are many elastomer shapes available to you. Individual seal companies use wedges, V-rings, U-

● They can flex 0.003 to 0.005 inches (0.08 to 0 0.13 mm). before they roll, and then they can roll
up to half of their diameter making it a lot easier for the seal faces to follow shaft run out and end
play.
harder durometers are available for high pressure applications similar to those we find in pipe line
sealing.
● Because they are self energizing there is no need to spring load them to the shaft or sleeve. This
paper is an attempt to put these "super compounds" into a proper perspective. There are several of these
KALREZ®, a Dupont product that is not a true elastomer so you will experience some "compression set"
depending upon the compound you select. You have a few choices:
● Compound 1050. Slightly harder than 4079. Can be used to 500°F (260°C) in non oxidizing
and aldehydes.
● Compound 3018, To 600°F (315°C). It has the best hot water/steam resistance and the best high
below 400°F (205°C) .
The following compounds are also exhibited on the Special Elastomers chart .
● CHEMRAZ is distributed by Greene, Tweed & Company. Telephone (714) 875 3301. It is similar
to KALREZ® and can be used to 400°F (205°C). It is available in both black and white O-rings.
● FLUORAZ - is another product distributed by Greene Tweed & Company. Telephone (714) 875
3301. It can be used to 400°F (205°C). Field experience indicates that in operation it appears t o
be very similar to AFLAS.
● AFLAS is distributed through the 3M company. Telephone (612) 733 5353. It can be used to
400°F (205°C)
Special elastomers, Mechanical seals
called a "plastic" and becomes less desirable as a dynamic seal in mechanical seal design. Many of these
materials.
There are many selection charts available to help you pick the correct elastomer compound for your
application. Unfortunately your fluid may not be shown on some of these charts and the temptation is to
go to one of the super compounds for the solution. At other times you will tempted to standardize on a
super compound to avoid the selection process altogether. The attached chart will help you to avoid a
mistake in both of these instances.
The Special Elastomers chart link at the bottom of this page is unique in that it shows you where these
"super compounds" cannot be used. This does not imply that if the chemical is not listed, or if no
notation is made, that the compound is suitable for your service. It means nothing more than what it says.
These are the chemicals that each manufacturer has designated as not suitable for a dynamic O-ring
application.
You can look to see if your chemical is listed in the charts. Just click on the appropriate box:
A-C D-I J-Q R-Z
®DuPont Dow elastomer

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Super compounds A-C
Check the bottom of this chart for an explanation of the codes
CHEMICAL F C A C*
Acetaldehyde c n
Acetate Solvents n c
Acetic Anhydride c c
Acetone,Dry n n
Acetyl Acetone n
Acid, Acetic - hot or cold

n n c
concentrated
Acid, Acetic - cold dilute c n
Acid, Acetic 10% Sodium

c
Chloride
Acid, Acrylic n n
Acid, Alkyl-arylsuphonic n
Acid, Chloroacetic( Ethyl

n
Chloracetic)
Acid, Chlorosulfonic - cool

c
<50%
Acid, Chromic c
Acid, Hydrochloric
n n
concentrated and cold
Acid, Hydroxyacetic n
Acid, Monochloric Acetic n
Acid, Nitric (fuming) hot c
Acid, Phenyl Acetic n
Acid, Pyrogallic n
Acid, Pyroligneous n
Acid, Stearic (Octadecandic

c
Acid)
Acid, Sulfonic 140°F dilute c
Acid, Terephthalic c
Aerozene 50 (50% hydrazine,

c c
50% UDMH)
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Super compounds A-C
Acetyl Acetone n
Acetylene n n
Acrylonitrile c
Aldehyde c
Alkly Amine n n
Alkyl-arylsulphonics n
Alkyl Acetone c
Alkyl Benzene n
Alkyl Chloride n n n
Alkylate, Light n
Aluminum Hydroxide c
Amines, Mixed (EG:Allyl,

c
Ethyl, Etc.)
Amine. N-Butyl c
Aminobenzoic Acid n n
Aminopyridine n n
Ammonia Gas, dry c
Ammonium Bicarbonate
n
(Aqueous)
Ammonium Carbonate n
Ammonium Chloride (Sal

n
Ammonia)
Ammonia, Anhydrous Liquid c
Ammonia + Lithium metal

c n n
solution
Ammonium Hydroxide
n n
(concentrated)
Ammonium Nitrate (Mono,

n
Di & Tri Basic)
Ammonium Phosphate n n
Ammonium Thiocyanate c
Amyl Acetate n
Amyl Nitrate n

Super compounds A-C
Anti Freeze ( Water,Alchol or

c
Glycol)
Antimony Trioxide n n
Arochlor 1248 n
Aqua Regia c n
Barium Hydroxide c
Benzaldehyde n c c c
Benzene (Coal Tar Product)

n n
(Benzol)
Benzene?Methanol 30/70 or
c
50/50
Benzene Sulfon ic Acid n n
Benzine (Petroleum Product) c n
Benzol n
Benzol Chloride n n
Benzyl Alchol n n
Benzyl Benzoate n n
Black Liquor n n
Bleach Soluions n n
Blood c
Borax Solutions n n
Bordeaux Mixture n n
Brine n n
Brine, Chloride c
Bromine Anhydrous n n
Bromine, Wet c
Bromine Pentafluoride n c
Bromine Trifluoride n c
Bromo Methane c
Bunker C Fuel Oil n n
Butadiene n

Super compounds A-C
Butyl Acetate n n
Butyl Amine c
Butyl Phthalate n
Butyraldehyde c n
Caproic Acid c
Carbon Bisulphide n
Carbon Dioxide (Dry or wet) c
n n
(Anhydrous) >10%
Cadmium Cyanide n n
Calcine Liquors n
Calcium Arsenate n n
Calcium Hydroxide c
Camphor n n
Cane Sugar Liquors n n
Caprolactam n n
Carbon Bisulfide n n
Carbon Tetrachloride c c
Caustic Cyanogen n
Chlorine (Dry or wet) n n c
Chlorine Dioxide n c
Chlorine Trifluoride n c
Chloroacetone n
Chloroaniline n n
Chlorobenzene c
Chloroform n n
Chlorohydrin n n
Chloropicrin c
Chlorosulfonic Acid c
Chromium Potassium
c
Sulphate (Aqueous) 10%

Super compounds A-C
Coal Tar n n
Coppper Acetate (Blue

n
Verdigris)
Copper Ammonium Acetate

n
(Aqueous) CAA
Coppper Cyanide c
Creosote (coal tar) n n
Cresol (Methol Phenol) n n
Cupric Sulphate (Aqueous) c
Cupros Ammonia Acetate

n
(Aqueous)
Cyanide (Aqueous) n
Cyanogen in water n
Cyanogen Chloride n n
Cyclohexane c
Cyclohexanone c c c
Cyclohexene
n
(Tetrahydrobenzene)
Cycloxexanone c
F = Fluoraz
C = Chemraz
A = Aflas
C* = White Chemraz
n = Not suitable for either a dynamic or static O-ring. In some cases it was given this rating if field
experience proved the published information was not correct.
c = Caution. It could be suitable for static service but not dynamic applications.
Link to paper 10-6

Super compounds D-I
CHEMICAL F C A C*
DDT solution (Toluene
n
Solvent)
DDT soplution (Kerosene

n
Solvent)
Diacetone Alchol n
Diazinon n n
Dibutyl Cellusolve Adipate n
Dibutyl Phthalate c
Dibromoethyl Benzene n
Dibutylether n
Dichlorobenzene n
Dichloroethane n
Diesel Fuel #2 n
Diethyl Sulfate n n
Diethyl Ether n n
Diethylamine n n
Diethylbenzene n n
Diethylene Glycol n n
Di-isobutyl Ketone n
Di-sopropyl Ketone n
DI Water n
Dimethyl Formaldehyde n
Dimethyl Formide (DMF) n n
Dimethyl Hydrazine (UDMH) n
Dimethyl Phthalate c
Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) n n
Dinitrochloro Benzene &

n
Styrene
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Super compounds D-I
Dinitro-Chloro-Benzene
n
(DNCB)
Dinitrotoluene n
Dioxane n
Diphenyl n c
Diphenyl Oxide c
Dow Chemical 50-4 ET588 c c
Dow Chemical ET 378 c c
Dowtherm A (Dry) c
Drinking Water c
Dry Cleaning Fluids c c
Epichlorohydrin c c
Ether n
Ethyl Acetate n n
Ethyl Acrylate n
Ethyl Benzene n c
Ethyl Benzoate c n
Ethyl Cellosolve n
Ethyl Chlorocarbonate c
Ethyl Chloroformate c
Ethyl Ether (Ethyl Oxide) n
Ethyl Formate c n
Ethyl Pyridine n
Ethylene (Ethene) n
Ethylene Diamine c c
Ethylene Dichloride n
Ethylene Oxide n n n
Ethylene Oxide + Freon 12

n
12/80 concentration
Ethylene Trichloride n

Super compounds D-I
FC-43
n n
Heptacosofluorotributylamine
FC 75 n n
Fluorolube c c c
Formaldehyde (Methanol) c n n
Formalin 40% concentration n
Formamide n n
Formic Acid c c c
Freon TF n
Freon 11 & Refrig. oil n c c
Freon 12 & Refrig. oil n c c
Freon 22 & Refrig. oil n
Freon 112 with or without oil c c
Freon 113 & Refrig. oil n n n
Freon 114 & Refrig. oil n n n
Freon 114B2 n n
Freon 115 n n
Freon 142B n n
Freon C318 n n
Freon MF (F11) c c
Freon PCA n n
Freon TF n n
Freons, Liquid n
Fuel B or C n
Fufural c
Furaldehyde c c
Furfuraldhyde c c
Fuming Sulfuric Acid (20-

c c n
25% Oleum)
Gasoline Aromatic c n c n
Gasoline, 100 & 130 Octane c n c n

Super compounds D-I
Gasoline, Hi test with

c n n
Mercaptan, Dydrogen Sulfide
Green Sulfate Liquor c n
Halothane c c
Halowax Oil c c
Heptane n n
Hexachloro Acetone n n n
Hexane c c
Hexene (Butylethylene) n
Hexone n
Hydrazine (mineral filled

c c c
compound)
Hydrogen Chloride Gas c
Hydrogen Cyanide n n
Hydrogen Peroxide >90% n c
Hydroquinol c c
Hydroquinone c c
Ink n
Insecticides both Aromatic

n
and Non-aromatic
Iodine Pentafloride n c
F = Fluoraz
C = Chemraz
A = Aflas
C* = White Chemraz
Link to paper 10-6

Super compounds J-Q
CHEMICAL F C A C*
JP-3,4,5,6, or x c c
KEl-F Liquids n n
Kerosene c n c n
Lacquer (MEK Solvent) n
Lacquer thinner n
Lead Acetate, Liquid n
Lead, molten n
Lead Nitrate c
Lead Oxide n n
Lme Bleach c
Liquid Oxygen n n c
Liquor, Pulp mill c
Liquor, Steep c
Liquor, Sulphate c
Lithium Hydroxide n n
Lye n
Manganese n n
Magnesium Hydroxide c
Maleic Hydrazide c
Marsh gas (Methane) n
Marsh, with solvent n
Mayonnaise n
Melamine Resins n
Mercaptan n
Mercaptobenzothiazole
n n
(MBT)
Mesityl Oxide (Ketone) n n
Methacrylic Acid c
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Super compounds J-Q
Methane (marsh gas) n
Methyl Acetate n
Methyl Acrylate n
Methy Butyl Ketone n
Methyl Chloride n
Methyl Chloroform n
Methyl Cyclopentane n
Methyl Dichloride n
Methyl Ether n
Metyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) n n
Methyl Formate n
Methyl Isobutyl Ketone

n n
(MIBK)
Methyl Isopropyl Ketone n
Methyl Salicylate n
Methylene Chloride
n c
(Dichloromethane)
Methylene Dichloride n
MIL-23699 Lubricants n n
MIL-L-7808 Lubricants n n
Monobromobenzene c
Monochlorobenzene n
Monomethyl Hydrazine c c
Naphthalene n c
Nickel Acetate n
Nitric Acid Fuming c c n
Nitric Acid 98% c c
Nitric Acid 20% c c
Nitro Chloroform c
Nitro Ethane n c
Nitro Methane n

Super compounds J-Q
Nitro Propane c c
Nitrogen Tetroxide n c
NMP c
Oil, Kerosene c
Oleic Acid n n
Oleum n
Orthodichloro Benzene c
OS 45 type IV n
Oxygen, liquid n n c
Ozone c
Para-Al-Ketone n n
Paracymene c
Para-Dichlorobenzene c n
Penicillin, Liquid n
Pentaerythritol n n
Perchlorethylene n
Perchloric Acid c
Peroxide Of Hydrogen, cold

n
>90%
Petroleum Ether n
Phenol Formaldehyde Mix c
Phosphate Tributyl n
Photographic Developers c
Phthalate Dibutyl c
Phthalate Dioctyl c
Phthalic Esters n
Phthalic Anhydride
c n n
(Anhydrous)
Pickiling Solution n n
Pineridine c
Polyphenyl Ether n

Super compounds J-Q
Poly Vinyl Acetate n
Potassium Hydroxide c
Potassium Perfluoro Acetate n
Propiolactone, beta 70°F c
Propionaldehyde n
Popylene Glycol n n
Propylene Oxide n
Pydraul 230C, 312C & 540C c c
Pydraul 29ELT, 30E, 50E,

c c
65E & 90E
Pydraul 10E c c
Pydraul 115E c c
Pyridine c
Pyridine opil c
F = Fluoraz
C = Chemraz
A = Aflas
C* = White Chemraz
Link to paper 10-6

Super compounds R-Z
CHEMICAL F C A C*
Radiation c c
Raffinate c
Rescorcinol n n
Salt Water c
Sea Water c
Sewage c
Shellac n
Skydrol 55 B4 c
Slop Distillers c
Soap Solutions c
Sodium Acetate (Anhydrous) c
Sodium Chlorite (10%) c
Sodium Cyanide (Aqueous) n
Sodium Hydroxide n
Sodium Metasilicate c
Sodium Nitrate c
Solvasol 1,2,3,73 or 74 n
Stauffer 7700 c
Steam over or under 150° n n
Strontium Nitrate (Aqueous) n
Styrene n n
Sulfur Chloride (Aqueous)

n
cold
Sulfur Hexafluoride c c
Sulfur, Molten c
Sulpholiginis Salts, dilute c
Sulfuric Acid Fuming c n n
Sulphuric Chlorohydrin c
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Super compounds R-Z
Tetrachloro Ethane n
Tetrachloro Ethylene n
Tetra Ethyl Lead n
Tetrahydrofuran n
Titanium Tetrachloride n c c
Toluene n n
Toysl Arginine Methyl Ester n n
Toxaphene c
Trichloro Benzene n c
Trichloro Ethane (dry or wet) n
Trichloro Ethylene (dry or

n n
wet)
Trichloro Nitromethane n
Trichlorotrifluoroethane n
Triethanolamine c c
Tri-Fluoro-Vinyl-Chloride n
Turpentine n
UDMH c c
Unsymerical Dimethyl
c c
Hydrazine
Urea, Anhydrous or wet

c
(Carbamide) 100%
Urine c
Varnish, Aromatic c
Vinyl Acetate n
Vinyl Pyridine n
Water c
Whiskey and Wines c
White Liquor c n
Xylene (Dimethylbenzene) n n
F = Fluoraz
C = Chemraz
A = Aflas
C* = White Chemraz
Super compounds R-Z
Link to paper 10-6

Seal O-ring selection
SUBJECT : Selecting the correct elastomer (O- ring) for your mechanical seal application 4-9
This paper is to be used with the O-ring selection guide you will find in the chart and data section of this
web site. The guide is an attempt to select the fewest number of elastomers that will give you satisfactory
sealing of most of the chemicals we find in the process industry. As you can see from the selection, most
of the chemicals can be handled by either fluorocarbon (Viton/ Fluorel) or Ethylene Propylene.
The following paragraphs describe the codes used in the chart.
● V - Fluorocarbon. The compound specified is the specific one that has some water immersion
capability. Dupont E60 Viton ®, 3M Fluorel 2174, Parker 747-75 and Parker V884-85 are typical
examples .
● E - Ethylene propylene
● C - Perfluoroelastomers. Chemraz (a registered trademark of Greene, Tweed & Co.) or Kalrez ®
are typical examples. These are very expensive compounds.
● N - Neoprene
● B - Buna N
● Bu- Butyl
elastomer proves to be acceptable a non-elastomer seal may be your only answer.
for your mechanical seal application. It was created from published information, various industry guide
lines and many years of practical experience by field sales and engineering people. Most mechanical
seals use at least one dynamic elastomer, so even small amounts of swelling or chemical attack is almost
always un-acceptable. When using this chart please keep the following in mind:
● Chemical attack will usually double with a 10°C (18°F) increase in temperature. If the elastomer
friction. Elastomers are poor conductors of heat. Cooling one side of the O-ring does not always
allow the coolant to conduct to the hot side.
● If the chemical name is followed by (*), the chemical is called an oxidizer. Oxidizers
spontaneously emit oxygen at either room temperature or under slight heating. The oxygen can
then combine with the carbon in mechanical seal faces or the carbon black used to color O-rings,
causing chemical attack. The largest group of oxidizing materials is comprised of peroxides.
Hydrogen peroxide and benzoyl peroxide are typical. Permanganates, chlorates and some nitrates
are also strong oxidizing agents. These materials additionally constitute a dangerous fire hazard so
two seals may be required.
The degree of carbon and elastomer attack is determined by the chemical concentration and temperature.
The higher the concentration and the higher the temperature the more likely the attack.
Plant experience is your best protection, but if you have no experience in handling these chemicals it
would be wise to immersion test both the black O-ring and carbon face prior to installing a mechanical
seal. You could duplicate the temperature by placing the test vessel in an oven or on a hot plate when
practical.
● In most cases Chemraz or Kalrez ® will handle the job if there is no plant experience or if
limit is exceeded.
hardening of the elastomer. If the stuffing box temperature is too high it is necessary to cool down
the seal area. Using an installed pump jacket is the obvious solution. Keep in mind that quenching
or the use of two seals with a cool barrier fluid between them, cools only one side of the O-ring. If
cooling is not possible you will have to use a non-elastomer seal.
Elastomer Temperature range F. Temperature range C.

Flurocarbon (Viton ®) -15 to 400 -25 to 205
Ethyle propylene -70 to 300 -55 to 150
Chemraz -20 to 450 -30 to 230

Seal O-ring selection
Kalrez ® 0 to 500 -20 to 260
Neoprene -45 to 300 -45 to 150
Buna N -65 to 225 -55 to 105
Buna S -75 to 250 -60 to 120
choose is chemically and temperature compatible with these solvents, cleaners and steam.
● Some processes will not allow any thing "black" in the system. White colored O-rings are
available for many compounds.
that EPR. is easily attacked by any petroleum product so be careful with the type of lubricant you
lubricant but to be sure check for compatibility. There is a high temperature version of this
inboard side of a double seal application.
● Many of the chemicals listed are dangerous. Be sure to use an A.P.I. gland or better still, two
mechanical seals in these applications.
❍ De-ionized and demineralized water has had various ions and minerals removed and as a
result is constantly trying to replace them as the water moves through the pipes and around
other hardware. The result is that sometimes the water can attack stainless steel and some
seal face materials including carbon. You may have to do some immersion testing to be
sure if your choices are satisfactory.
attack some elastomers

❍ Waste water is liable to be any thing.
Ethylene Propylene Rubber (EPR) is the first choice in most water and water based applications, but the
● Look up the chemical in the O-ring compatibility guide in the CHARTS AND GRAPHS section
of my home page. If your product is not on the list, or is a combination of several chemical on the
list, go to step "2".
gages, filters, strainers, etc. If you have no experience with elastomers in this fluid, go to step "3".
● Test is the next step. If possible, start with two elastomers of the same compound and immerse
change weight, shape, or appearance. If the elastomer does not pass this test go to step "4".
● Chemraz or Kalrez ® is usually the end of the line. If neither is satisfactory you will have to use a
non elastomer seal. If a reliable flush is available the elastomer may be compatible with the flush,
but remember that if you lose the flushing fluid the product will attack the elastomer.
® Registered trademark of DuPont Dow Elastomers
Link to Chemical listing guide

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Chemical listing guide
CHEMICAL LISTING GUIDE FOR O-RINGS

This is an alphabetical listing of most of the common chemicals we find in industry. The chart was made
to be used with my technical paper, " Selecting the correct elastomer for your application".
You can learn several things from this listing:
● The preferred O-ring material for the application. Column #2

● If the fluid is soluble in water. Column #3
● If the fluid is hazardous. Column #4
Click any of the following headings to go to the right spot on the list:
A B C D E-H
I-L M-O P Q-S T-Z
Please remember that your chemical is often a mixture of several chemicals that can react with the O-ring
differently than any of the single components of the mixture.
You should additionally be aware that is very common to clean and flush process lines with a solvent or
steam. The O-ring you select must be chemically compatible with these cleaners and solvents.
The last thing to remember is that each O-ring has an upper and lower temperature limit. Do not exceed
these numbers.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150
E mail mcnally@mcnallyinstitute.com
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/chemlisting.html [7/21/03 11:46:41 AM]

O-RING SELECTION A
O-RING SELECTION GUIDE A
PLEASE SEE THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THE CODES
Abietic Acid C O
Absolut Alchol V M F
Acetaldehyde E M F,T
Acetamide E C
Acetanilide C H
Acetate of lime E C
Acetate solvent E - -
Acetic Acid + Methanol E - -
Acetic Acid < 40 % C M
Acetic Acid < 5% V,E M
Acetic Acid > 40 % C M
Acetic Acid Amide E C
Acetic Acid Crude E - -
Acetic Acid Ethenyl Ester V,E - -
Acetic Acid Methyl Ester E - -
Acetic Acid Vapors V,E - -
Acetic Acid. Glacial C - -
Acetic Aldehyde E - -
Acetic Anhydride C C
Acetic Ester E C F,E
Acetic Ether E C F,E
Acetic Oxide C C
Acetoacetic acid C C
Acetol E C
Acetone E M F
Acetone 1 % + water E M
Acetone Carboxylic Acid C C
Acetone Chloroform C S T
Acetone Crboxylic Acid C C
Acetone Cyanohydrin E C T
Acetonitrile E C T,F
Acetonyl Alchol E C
Acetophenetidide C S
Acetophenetidin C S
Acetophenone E S
Acetotoluidide C - -
Acetronitrine C - -
Acetyl Acetone E S
Acetyl Benzene E S
Acetyl Carbinol E C
Acetyl Chloride W V T,F
Acetyl Oxide C C
Acetylene E,V S F,E
Acetylene Gas E - F,E
Acetylene Gas with Water B M -
Acetylene Tetrabromide E,V O T
Acetylene Tetrachloride V S T
Acetylenogen C D E
Acetylmethylcarbinol E M
Acetylphenetidin C S
Acetylphenol C S
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O-RING SELECTION A
Aconitic Acid C C
Acraldehyde E C F,E
Acridine C O C
Acroleic Acid C M O
Acrolein E C F,E
Acryladehyde E C F,E
Acrylic Acid C M
Acrylic Copolymer C - -
Acryloid 954 C - -
Acrylonitrile C O F
Adipic Acid C S
Advasol 210 C - -
Aerozene 50
(50% Hydrazine, 50% UDM) E - -
Air <200F E,V M
Air <400F V - -
Airpmatic solvent 1040 C - -
Alcohol (Ethyl) E M
Alcohol (Iso-Butyl) V M
Alcohol (Iso-Propyl) E,V M
Alcohol (Methyl) E M
Alcohol (Octyl) E M
Aldehyde Acetaldehyde E - -
Aliphatic Dicarboxylic Acid C - -
Alkanes C - -
Alkanesulphonic Acid C - -
Alkazene V O
Alkoxides C - -
Alkoxylated amine c2,c3 C - -
Alkyd Resins V - -
Alkyl Acetone C - -
Alkyl Amine C - -
Alkyl Aryl Sulphonates C - -
Alkyl Arylsulphonics C - -
Alkyl Benzene V - -
Alkyl Benzotriazole C - -
Alkyl Chloride C - -
Alkyl Dimethylamine C - -
Alkyl Sulfide C - -
Alkylate (Light) V - -
Alkylate bottoms C - -
Alkylated benzene Sulfonate C - -
Alkylnapthalene Sulfonic Acid C - -
Allyl Acetone C C T
Allyl Aldehyde E C F,E
Allyl Amine C C
Allyl Chloride C O F,T
Allyl Ketone E - -
Allylidene Diacetate C - -
Alpha Pineene C - -
Alpha Picoline C - -
Alum > 10 % E - -
Alum Potash E - -
Alum RT < 10 % E - -

O-RING SELECTION A
Alum Solution V,E - -

Aluminum Acetate E O
Aluminum Bromide E,V V
Aluminum Chloride
(forms HCL with water E, V V
Aluminum Ethylate C - -
Aluminum Fluoride E,V S
Aluminum Fluosilicate C H
Aluminum Formate C C
Aluminum Hydrate E O
Aluminum Hydroxide E O
Aluminum Linoledate C - -
Aluminum Nitrate E,V C
Aluminum Oxalate C - -
Aluminum Oxide B O
Aluminum Phosphate C O
Aluminum Potassium Sulfate E C
Aluminum Salts E,V - -
Aluminum silicate (clay) E O
Aluminum Sodium Sulfate C C
Aluminum Sulphate E,V C
Alums-NH3-CR-K E O
Amine: <160F° C O
Amines-Mixed C O
Amino Benzene E O T
Amino Phenol C - -
Aminoanthraquinone C O
Aminoazobenzene E O
Aminobenzene Sulfonic Acid C S
Aminobenzoic Acid C O
Aminoethylethanol-amine C - -
Aminomethane E O F,T
Aminopyridine C - -
Aminosalicylic Acid C - -
Ammonia alum E - -
Ammonia, anhydrous E C T
Ammonia: Aqueous E C T
Ammonia: Compressor N - -
Ammonia: Gas E - -
Ammonia: Gas, Cold Liquid
E - -
anhydrous
Ammonium Acetate C C
Ammonium Acid Carbonate E C
Ammonium Arsenate C - -
Ammonium Bicarbonate E C
Ammonium Bichromate C C F
Ammonium Bifluorid C C T
Ammonium Bisulfite C - -
Ammonium Bromide C C
Ammonium Carbamate E C
Ammonium Carbonate E H
Ammonium Chloride V.E C T
Ammonium Citrate, Dibasic C C
Ammonium Dichromate C C F
Ammonium Diphosphate C - -
O-RING SELECTION A
Ammonium Fluoride C C T
Ammonium Fluosilicate C C T
Ammonium Formate C - -
Ammonium Hydrogen Carbonate E C
Ammonium Hydrogen Fluoride C - -
Ammonium Hydroxide 3 Molar or
E - -
concentrated
Ammonium Iodide C C
Ammonium Lactate C C
Ammonium Metaphosphate C - -
Ammonium Molybdate C C
Ammonium Mono-Basic C - -
Ammonium Nitrate E C E
Ammonium Nitrate75% E - -
Ammonium Nitrite E - -
Ammonium Oxalate C C T
Ammonium Perchlorate* C C E
Ammonium Perchloride C - -
Ammonium Persulfate 10% B C F
Ammonium Persulfate Solution* E C F
Ammonium Phosphate Dibasic E C
Ammonium Phosphate Mono basic E S
Ammonium Phosphate Tribasic E - -
Ammonium Picrate C C
Ammonium Polysulfide C O T
Ammonium Salicylate C C
Ammonium Salts E C
Ammonium Silicofluoride C C T
Ammonium Sterate E O O
Ammonium Sulfamate C C E
Ammonium Sulfite C - -
Ammonium Sulphate E C
Ammonium Sulphide E C T
Ammonium Thiocyanate C C
Ammonium Thiocyanide V,E - -
Ammonium Thioglycollate C C
Ammonium Thiosulfate V,E C
Ammonium Tribasic C - -
Ammonium Tungstate C C
Ammonium Valerate C - -
Amonoxylene C O T
Amyl Acetate E - E
Amyl Alcohol E S E
Amyl Borate B - -
Amyl Butyrate C - -
Amyl Chloride V O F
Amyl Chloronaphthalene V - -
Amyl Cinnamic Aldehyde C O
Amyl Hydride V C F,E
Amyl Laurate C - -
Amyl Mercaptan C O F
Amyl Naphthalene V - -
Amyl Nitrate* E -
Amyl Phenol C C

O-RING SELECTION A
Amyl Propionate C -
Amylene E C F,E
Amylum V,E - -
Analine Sulfate C - -
Analine Sulfite C - -
Anderol L-774(Di-Ester) V - -
ANG-25 (Di ester Base) TG749 V - -
ANG-25 (Glyceral Ester) V,E - -
Anhydrous Ammonia E C T
Anhydrous Hydrazine C M E
Anhydrous Hydrogen Fluoride E - -
Anikline Hydrochlorine C - -
Aniline E O T
Aniline Dyes E - T
Aniline Hydrochloride E C T
Aniline Oil E - -
Aniline Salts E C T
Animal Oil (Lard Oil) V O
Anisole C O
Anisoyle Chloride C D T
ANO-366 V - -
Ansul Ether 161 or 181 C - -
Ant Oil E - -
Anthracine C O C
Anthranilic Acid C H T
Anthraquinone C O
Anti foam agent C -
Antichlor V,E C
Antimony Chlorides E O
Antimony Pentafluoride C H
Antimony Peroxide* C - -
Antimony salts B C T
Antimony Sulfate C D T,F
Antimony Trichloride E O
Antimony Trifluoride C D T
Antimony Trisulfate C D T,F
COLUMN #2 THE O-RING (V) Viton ® grade 747-75, (E) ETHYLENE PROPYLENE, (B) BUNA N, (Bu) BUTYL, (C) CHEMRAZ OR Kalrez
®, (N) NEOPRENE
COLUMN #3 SOLUBLE IN WATER (C) COLD WATER, (H) HOT WATER , (O) NOT SOLUBLE, (S) SLIGHTLY SOLUBLE, (V) REACTS
VIOLENTLY WITH WATER, (D) DECOMPOSES, (H) HYDROLIZES, (M) MISCIBLE
COLUMN #4 HAZARDOUS, NEEDS TWO SEALS (F) FIRE, (T) TOXIC, (C) CARCINOGEN, [E) EXPLOSIVE

® REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF DUPONT DOW ELASTOMERS
Link to Chemical Listing Guide

O-RING SELECTION B
O-RING SELECTION GUIDE "B"
Baking soda E C
Bardol B V O
Barium Carbonate E,V O T
Barium Chlorate C C T
Barium Chloride E,V C T
Barium Chloride 25% V C -
Barium Cyanide E,V C T
Barium Hydrate E,V S T
Barium Hydroxide E,V S T
Barium Iodide C C T
Barium Monohydrate B S T
Barium Monosulfide E,V C T
Barium Nitrate * V C F
Barium Octahydrate B C T
Barium Oxide C V T
Barium Peroxide * C S F,E
Barium Polysulfide C - -
Barium Salts E,V - -
Barium Sulfate V O
Barium Sulfide E,V C T
Barium Sulfonate C - -
Basic Iron Sulfate B - -
Bay Oil V - -
Bayol D,or 35 V - -
Beer E,V O
Beer Wort B O
Beet Juice & Pulp B O
Beet Sugar Liquors E,V O
Beet Sugar, Liquid E,V O
Belt Drive E - -
Benzadine 3 Sulfonic Acid C - -
Benzadine Acid C - -
Benzal Alcohol V - -
Benzal Amine N
Benzal Chloride C - -
Benzaldehyde E S
Benzaldehyde-disulfonic acid C - -
Benzamide C H
Benzanthrone C - -
Benzene (Benzol) V S F
Benzene Carbanol E - -
Benzene Carboxylic Acid V S
Benzene Hexachloride C - T
Benzene Sulfonic Acid 10% V -
Benzenecarbonitrile C - -
Benzidine C H C
Benzil C 0
BenzIlic Acid C H
Benzin B - -
Benzine ( gasoline) V O F
Benzo-tri-chloride C H
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O-RING SELECTION B
Benzocatechol C - -
Benzochloride V,E - -
Benzoic (Anhydride) C - -
Benzoic Acid (Solution) V S
Benzoic Acid over 250° F C O
Benzol (Benzene) V S F
Benzol Hydride E S
Benzolin V S
Benzonitrile C H T
Benzophenol V C
Benzophenone V C
Benzotrifluoride C O F
Benzoyl Chloride C D T
Benzoyl Peroxide * C S F,E
Benzoylsulfonic Acid C - -
Benzyl Acetate C S
Benzyl Alcohol V S
Benzyl Benzoate V O
Benzyl Bromide C O
Benzyl Butyl Phthalate C - -
Benzyl Cellulose C - -
Benzyl Chloride V O
Benzyl Phenol C S T
Benzyl Salicylate C O
Beryllium Chloride C C T
Beryllium Fluoride C C T
Beryllium Oxide C C T
Beryllium Sulfate C C T
Beta Carotene V - -
Bicarbonate of soda E,V C
Bichloride of Mercury E - -
Biphenyl V - -
Biphenyl Oxides V - -
Bischofite V,E - -
Bismuth Carbonate E,V O
Bismuth Nitrate* C D F
Bismuth Oxychloride C O
Bismuth Subcarbonate E,V O
Bismuthyl Carbonate E,V - -
Bittern C - -
Bivinyl V O F,E
Black Ash E,V - -
Black point 77 E,V - -
Black Sulphate Liquors E C
Black Sulphate liquors over 280°
C C
F.
Black Sulphite Liquors V C
Blanc Fixe, Synthetic E,V - -
Blank Fixe V - -
Blast furnace gas V - -
Bleach Liquor * E,V C F
Bleach solutions* E C T
Blend lube additive C - -
Blood E C
Blue Copperas E,V C T
O-RING SELECTION B
Blue Coppreras E,V C

Blue Verdigris E - -
Blue Vitriol E C T
Boiled Linseed Oil V O
Boiler Feed Water (to 290 F. ) E C
Boiler feed water over 290°F C C
Bonderite Solutions V - -
Boracic Acid E,V H
Borax E,V C
Borax Solutions E,V C
Bordeaux mixture E,V - -
Boric Acid E,V H
Borneol C O F
Bornyl Acetate C O
Bornyl Alcohol C O F
Bornyl Chloride C O
Bornyl Formate C - F
Boron Bromide C D E
Boron Chloride C D T
Boron Fluids (HEF) V - -
Boron Fluoride C C T
Boron Hydride C C E
Boron Phosphate C C
Boron Tribromide C D E
Boron Trichloride C D T
Boron Trifluoride C C T
Boron Trioxide C - -
Boronated ashless C - -
Brake Fluid (non petroleum) E -
Brake fluid (petroleum) V - -
Bran Oil E - -
Bray GG-130 V - -
Brayco 719-R (WH 910) E - -
Brayco 885 (MIL-L-6085A) V - -
Bret 710 E - -
Bret 77 E - -
Brine, Sea Water E C
Brine-Calcium Chloride 30% E,V C -
Brine-Copper Chloride to 75% E,V C
Brine-Sodium Chloride E C
Brom 114 V - -
Bromic Acid C C T
Bromine Anhydrous Liquid V - -
Bromine Gas V - -
Bromine Pentafluoride C V E
Bromine Trifluoride C V E
Bromine Water V - -
Bromine* V S T
Bromobenzene V O
Bromobenzene Cyanide C - -
Bromochlorotrifluoroethane V - -
Bromoform C S T
Bromomethane V S
Bromotrifluoromethane C - -

O-RING SELECTION B
Bronzing Liquid B - -
Brown Acetate E - -
Brown Stock E,V - -
Bruceite E - -
Brucine Sulfate C - -
Brucite E,V - -
Brudium V - T
Bunker C Fuel Oil #6 V O
Bunker Oil V O
Burnt Alum V,E - -
Burnt Lime E O F
Buryronitrile E - -
Butadien V O F,E
Butadien (Monomer) V,E - -
Butanal C S F
Butane V C F,E
Butanediols C - -
Butanoic Acid E,V - -
Butanoic Acid E,V C
Butanol (Butyl Alcohol) V - -
Butenedioic Acid V - -
Butoxethanol E - -
Butryolactone C - -
Butter Milk E,V C
Butter Of Antimony E - -
Butter-Aminal Fat E,V O
Butyl Acetate or N Butyl Acetate E S F
Butyl Acetyl - Ricinoleate E,V O
Butyl Alcohol V S T
Butyl Butanoate E,V - -
Butyl Carbitol E - -
Butyl Cellosolve E - -
Butyl Cellosolve Adipate E - -
Butyl CitratE C O
Butyl Ether E O F,E
Butyl Glycolate C - -
Butyl Hydrate V - -
Butyl Hydride V - -
Butyl Hydroxide V - -
Butyl Lactate C S
Butyl Mercaptan V S F
Butyl Methacrylate C O T
Butyl Oleate V O
Butyl Oxalate C - -
Butyl Oxide B - -
Butyl Phenols C O
Butyl Phthalate E - -
Butylene V O F
Butylene V O F
Butyraldehyde C S F
Butyric Acid V,E C
Butyric Aldehyde C S F

O-RING SELECTION B
Butyric Anhydride C O
Butyrolactone C M
Butyroyl Chloride C M
Butyryl Chloride C M
Column #2. THE O-RING- (V) VITON ® grade 747-75, (E) ETHYLENE PROPYLENE, (B) BUNA N, (Bu) BUTYL, (C) CHEMRAZ OR
Kalrez®, (N) NEOPRENE
Column# 3. SOLUBLE IN WATER- (C) COLD WATER, (H) HOT WATER , (O) NOT SOLUBLE, (S) SLIGHTLY SOLUBLE, (V)
REACTS VIOLENTLY WITH WATER, (D) DECOMPOSES, (H) HYDROLIZES, (M) MISCIBLE
Column #4. HAZARDOUS, NEEDS TWO SEALS- (F) FIRE, (T) TOXIC, (C) CARCINOGEN, [E) EXPLOSIVE
® DuPont Dow Elastomers

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/O-ring/O-RING_SELECTION_C.html
O-RING SELECTION GUIDE "C"
Cadmium Chloride C C T
Cadmium Cyanide E,V - T
Cadmium Nitrate C C F,E
Cadmium Oxide C O T
Cadmium Sulfate C C T
Cadmium Sulfide C O T
Cajeputene V - -
Cake Alum B - -
Calamine V - -
Calcine Liquors V,E - -
Calcium Acetate E C
Calcium Acid Sulfate E,V C
Calcium Benzoate C - -
Calcium Bicarbonate C - -
Calcium Bisulfate E,V C
Calcium Bisulfide E,V - -
Calcium Bisulfite E,V C
Calcium Bromide C C
Calcium Carbonate Slurry E,V C
Calcium Chlorate * C C F,E
Calcium Chloride E,V C
Calcium Chromate C S C
Calcium Cyanide E C T
Calcium Dihydrogen Sulfite E,V C
Calcium Disulfate E,V - -
Calcium Fluoride C O T
Calcium Fluorphosphate V - -
Calcium Formate C - -
Calcium Gluconate C H
Calcium Hydrate E,V S
Calcium Hydride C D F
Calcium Hydrogen Sulfide E,V C
Calcium Hydrosulfide V C
Calcium Hydroxide E,V S
Calcium Hydrozide V,E - -
Calcium Hypochloride E,V - -
Calcium Hypochlorite* E,V D F
Calcium Hypophosphite C - -
Calcium Lactate C S
Calcium Magnesium Chloride C S
Calcium Metasilicate E.V C
Calcium Monoxide E - -
Calcium Naphthenate C - -
Calcium Nitrate* E,V S F
Calcium Oxide E C
Calcium Oxlate C O T
Calcium Oxychloride* E,V D F
Calcium Permanganate* C C F
Calcium Peroxide* C O F
Calcium Phenate C - -
Calcium Phenosulphonate C - -
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Calcium Phosphate mono basic slurry E,V C

Calcium Propionate C C
Calcium Pyridine Sulfonate C - -
Calcium Salts E,V - -
Calcium Silicate E,V C
Calcium Stearate E,V O
Calcium Sulfaminate C - -
Calcium Sulfate E O
Calcium Sulfhydrate V C
Calcium Sulfide E,V S
Calcium Sulfite E,V S
Calcium Sulfonate C - -
Calcium Thiosulfate E,V C
Calcium Tungstate C S
Calciumn Carbide C D E
Caldium Oxide E - -
Calgon E - -
Caliche Liquors E,V - -
Calx E - -
Camphene C O F
Camphor C S F
Camphoric Acid C C
Candol V - -
Cane Sugar Liquors E,V C
Capric Acid C O
Caprilic Aldehyde E - -
Caprioc Aldehyde E - -
Caproic Acid C S
Caproic Aldehyde C O E
Caprol Hydride V - -
Caprolactam C C T
Capronaldehyde C - -
Caproyl Alcohol E - -
Capryl Alcohol B - -
Caprylic Alcohol E,V - -
Carbamate V - -
Carbamide E,V - -
Carbazotic Acid V C E
Carbinol E - -
Carbitol E - -
Carbolic Acid. (Phenol) V - -
Carbon Bisulphide V - -
Carbon Dioxide, Dry or wet V C
Carbon Disulphide V S
Carbon Fluorides C - -
Carbon Monoxide E,V S T
Carbon Oxychloride E S T
Carbon Tetrabromide C - -
Carbon Tetrachloride V O T
Carbonate of Soda C - -
Carbonated Beverages E M
Carbonic Acid E,V - -
Carbonic Anhydride E,V - -
Carbonyl Chloride E S T

Carbonyl Diamide E,V - -

Carboxy Benzene V S
Casein E,V O
Castor Oil V O
Catalyst Mixture C - -
Catsup V C
Caustic - Baryta E,V - -
Caustic Arsenic B D T
Caustic Chloride of Sodium C - -
Caustic Cyanogen C - -
Caustic Lime E,V - -
Caustic Potash E S T
Caustic Soda, E C
Caustic White water E C
Cellosolve E - -
Cellosolve Acetate E - -
Cellosolve Butyl E - -
Cellosolve Methyl C - -
Celluguard E,V - -
Cellulose Acetobutyrate C - -
Cellulose Ether C O
Cellulose Nitrate C O F.E
Cellulose Tripropionate C - -
Cellulube 300,500 E,V O
Cellulube 90, 100, 150, 220 E O
Cellulube A60 E O
Cellutherm 2505A V - -
Cerium Chloride C C
Cerium Fluoride C O T
Cerium Nitrate* C C F
Cerium Sulfate C C
Cerous Chloride C C
Cerous Fluoride C C T
Cerous Nitrate* C C F
Cetane (Hexadecane) V O O
Cetyl Alcohol C O F
Chaser ( aromatic oils) C - -
Chaulmoogric Acid C - -
Chemax hco-5 C - -
Chile Niter V,E - -
Chile Nitrate* E,V C F,E
Chile Saltpeter* E C F,E
China Clay (Kaoline) E O
China wood oil V O
China Wood Oil (Tung oil) V - -
Chloracetaldehyde C C
Chloracetaldehyde E - -
Chloracetic Acid E - -
Chloral C C
Chloramine C C
Chloranthaquinone C - -
Chlorate Of Lime E - -
Chlordane V O T
Chlorextol V - -

Chlorfoethylbenzene V - -
Chloric Acid * C - F
Chloride of lime E - -
Chlorinated Biphenyl V - -
Chlorinated Lime E,V D T
Chlorinated Salt Brine V C
Chlorinated Solvents, V - -
Chlorinated Water E M
Chlorine (Anhydrous or liquid)* V S F
Chlorine Dioxide* V D E
Chlorine Fluorides C - -
Chlorine Peroxide* V - F
Chlorine Trifluoride C - F
Chlorine water E C
Chlorine, Dry or wet * V S F
Chloro azotic Acid* V O T
Chloro nitrous Acid* V O T
Chloro Xylenois C - -
Chloro-Acetyl Chlorides C - -
Chloro-Alkyl Ethers C - -
Chloroacetic Acid E C
Chloroacetone E C
Chloroacetyl Chloride C - -
Chloroamino Benzoic Acid C - -
Chloroaniline C - -
Chloroazotic Acid V - -
Chlorobenzaldehyde C - -
Chlorobenzene (Mono-, Di-, Tri) V - -
Chlorobenzo-Chloride C - -
Chlorobenzo-Trifluoride C - -
Chlorobenzol V - -
Chlorobenzol V - -
Chlorobromomethane V - -
Chlorobromopropane C - -
Chlorobutadiene V - -
Chlorobutane C - -
Chlorobutanol VC S T
Chlorodifluoromethane C S T
Chlorododecane V - -
Chloroethane E,V H F
Chloroethane Sulfonic Acid C - -
Chloroethanoic Acid V,E - -
Chloroethanol C - -
Chloroethyl Alcohol E - -
Chloroform V S T
Chlorohydrin C M
Chloromethane V S F
Chloromethyl V - -
Chloromethyl Ether C - -
Chloronitrobenzene C - -
Chloropentafluoro-ethane C O
Chloropentane V - -
Chloroprene V - -
Chloropropylene Oxide E O T

Chlororoformyl chloride E S T
Chlorosilanes C - -
Chlorosulphonic Acid E D T
Chlorotoluene V S T
Chlorotoluene Sulfonic Acid C H O
Chlorotoluidine C - -
Chlorotrifluoroethylene C D F
Chlorotrifluoromethane C -
Chlorous Acid * C - -
Chlorowax 500c C O
Chlorox V - -
Chlorpicrin C - -
Chlorxylois C - -
Cholesterol C - -
Chresylic Acid V - -
Chrome Acid, greater than 50% V C T
Chrome Alum E,V - -
Chrome Ammonium Alum B - -
Chrome Plating solutions V - -
Chromic Acid to 50% V C T
Chromic Chloride C O T
Chromic Fluorides C C T
Chromic Hydroxide C O O
Chromic Nitrates * C C E
Chromic Oxide .88 Wt. Aqueous
V,E O
Solution
Chromic Phosphate C O
Chromic Sulfate C O
Chromium Chloride C O T
Chromium Fluoride C C T
Chromium Potasium Sulfate E,V C T
Chromium Sulfate (Basic) C O
Chromium Trioxide C - -
Chromyl Chlorides C V T
Chrysolepic Acid V - -
Cider E C
Cinene V - -
Cinene V C
Cinnamic Acid C O
Circo light process oil V - -
Citric Acid V,E C
Citrous Oils V - -
Citrous Pectin Liquor B - -
Clay slurry E, O
Cleaners, Naptha V - -
Coal gas V - -
Coal Tar (Bunker C #6 fuel) V O
Coal Tar Creosote V O
Cobalt Acetate C C
Cobalt Chloride E,V C
Cobalt Chloride 2N C C
Cobalt Linoleate C O
Cobalt Naplthenate C - -
Cobalt Sulfate C - -
Cobaltous Acetate C C
Cobaltous Chloride E,V C

Coca - Cola E C
Coco Butter B - -
Cocoa Butter V - -
Cocoanut Oil E,V - -
Cocoanut-Fatty Acid V - -
Cod Liver Oil E,V -
Coffee E,V C
Coffee Extract E,V C
Coke oven Gas V - -
Coliche liquors E - -
Collodil Silica V - -
Colza Oil E,V - -
Component header C - -
Concrete E C
Condensate less than 280° F. E M
Condensate over 280°F C M
Convelex 10 V - -
Coolanol V - -
Copper Acetate E S
Copper Ammonia Acetate E - -
Copper Arsenate, Basic E,V O T
Copper Borofluoride E,V - -
Copper Carbonate E,V O T
Copper Chloride E,V C
Copper Cyanide E,V O T
Copper Fluoborate V - -
Copper Fluoride E,V S T
Copper Gluconate C C
Copper Lasur V - -
Copper Napthenate C O
Copper Nitrate V C E
Copper Nitrite V S
Copper Plating solution E,V - -
Copper Salts E,V - -
Copper Sulfide V O T
Copper Sulphate V,E C T
Copper Sulphate - Blue Vitrol E,V - -
Copperas E - -
Copra Oil E,V C
Core oil B - -
Corn Oil V O
Corn Starch Slurry E,V C
Corn Syrup V C
Cottonseed Oil V O
Creosois V - -
Creosols V O T
Creosote & Light Oil V O T
Creosote, Coal Tar V O T
Creosote, Wood V O T
Creosylic Acid V - -
Cresol M,O, or P V - -
Cresylic Acid E O
Croton oil V O T

Crotonaldehyde C C F
Crotonolic Acid C S T
Crude Oil V O
Cryolite V - -
Crystal Ammonia B - -
Cubic Niter E,V - -
Cubic Saltpeter E.V - -
Cubnic V E -
Cumaldehyde C O F
Cumene V O T
Cumene-Hydroperoxide * C S F
Cupric Acetate E - -
Cupric Arsenate E,V - -
Cupric Carbonate V - -
Cupric Chloride V - -
Cupric Cyanide E.V - -
Cupric Fluoride E,V - -
Cupric Nitrate E,V - -
Cupric Sulfate E,V C T
Cupric Sulfide V - -
Cupric Sulphate E,V C T
Cuprous Ammonia Acetate (CAA ) C - -
Cuprous Chloride V O E
Cuprous Oxide C - -
Cutting Oil V O
Cyanamide C C
Cyanic Acid E O E
Cyanide Acid Solutions E - -
Cyanide compounds E - -
Cyanoacetic Acid C C
Cyanogen Chloride C C T
Cyanogen Gas C - -
Cyanogen in Water C - -
Cyanohydrin C - -
Cyanuric Chlorides C C
Cyclic Esters E - -
Cyclododectriene C - -
Cyclohexane V O F
Cyclohexanol V S T
Cyclohexanol Esters C - -
Cyclohexanone E S T
Cyclohexatriene V - -
Cyclohexene C O F
Cyclohexylamine E C F
Cyclohexylamine Carbonate C - -
Cyclohexylamine Laurate C - -
Cyclopentadiene C - -
Cyclopentane V O F
Cyclopolyolefins C - -
Cymene V O


http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/O-ring/O-RING_SELECTION_D.html
O-RING SELECTION GUIDE "D"
Danforth's Oil V - -
DBD E O T
DC 200, 510,710 E - -
Dcf 200 C - -
De-Butanizer Reflux V - -
De-Ethanizer Charge V - -
Dead Oil E - -
Decahydronaphthalene V O
Decalin V O
Decane V O
Decanol B O
Decene C O
Decylene C O
Defoamers (oil base) V O
Degreasing fluid V C
Dehydrated Alcohol E C
Dehydrated Alcohol E,V C
Deionized Water * E C
Denatured Alcohol E,V C
Detergent, Water Solution E C
Developing Fluids (Photo) V C
Dextrin E,V - -
Dextro Lactic Acid C - -
Dextron V O
Dextrose E.V C
Diacetic Acid C C
Diacetone E - -
Diacetone Alcohol E M F
Diacetylmethane E S O
Dialkyl Sulfates C - -
Diallyl Ether C - -
Diallyl Phthalate C O F
Diamine E M E
Diaminoethane E - -
Diammonium Phosphate C - -
Diamyl Phenol V O T
Diamylamine E S
Diamylene V O F
Diatomaceous Earth E O O
Diazinon V S T
Diazon (insectacide) V - -
Dibenzofuran V O
Dibenzyl Ether E O
Dibenzyl Peroxide* C S F,E
Dibenzyl Sebacate V O O
Dibromethyl Benzene V O O
Dibromoethylbenzene V O
Dibromotetrafluoroethane E,V -
Dibutryl Cellosolve Adipate E - -
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/O-ring/O-RING_SELECTION_D.html (1 of 4) [7/21/03 11:47:03 AM]

Dibutyl Ether E O F,E

Dibutyl Phthalate E O T
Dibutyl Sebacate E O
Dibutylamine C S
Dicalcium Phosphate V - -
Dicalite C O
Dichloro- Isoprpyl- Ether C O
Dichloro-Butane V O F
Dichlorobenzene V O
Dichlorodifluoromethane V C
Dichloroethane V S F
Dichloroethylene V S F
Dichlorohexane V - -
Dichloromethane V S
Dichloropentane V O
Dicyclohexylamine C S
Diesel Oil V O
Diester Lubricant MIL-L-7808 V O
Diester Synthetic Lubricants V O
Diethanolamine (DEA) C C
Diethyl Dioxide E - -
Diethyl Ether C S F
Diethyl Formaldehyde E - -
Diethyl Hydrazine E - -
Diethyl Maleate E C
Diethyl Oxide C S F
Diethyl Sebacate V - -
Diethyl Sulfate E O T
Diethylamine E M F
Diethylaniline E S
Diethylbenzene V O
Diethylcarbanol E,V - -
Diethylene Dioxide E M E
Diethylene Ether E M F
Diethylene Glycol E,V M O
Diethylene Oxide E M F
Diethylene Triamine E C T
Difluorodibromo-methane E - -
Dihydroxyethane E,V - -
Dihydroxypropane E,V - -
Dihydroxysuccinic Acid V - -
Diisobutyl Ketone E O T
Diisobutylene V - F
Diisodecyl Phthalate E O
Diisooctyl Sebacate V -
Diisoprene V - -
Diisopropyl Benzene V O
Diisopropyl Ether B M F
Diisopropyl Ketone E - -
Dilute Acids E - -
Dilute Alkalies E - -
Dimenthyl Formamide (DMF) E - -
Dimethyl V O F
Dimethyl aniline E S T

Dimethyl Acetamide E M T
Dimethyl amine C O F
Dimethyl carbinol V - -
Dimethyl henol V S T
Dimethyl ketol E M
Dimethyl Ketone E M F
Dimethyl methane V S F,E
Dimethyl ormamide E M
Dimethyl phthalate E O T
Dimethyl Polysiloxane E,V C
Dimethyl Polysilozane V - -
Dimethyl sulfoxide C M
Dimethyl Terephthalate V O
Dimethyl ther E C F
Dimethylbenzene V O F
Dinitrobenzene V S T
Dinitrochlorobenzene V S T
Dinitrotoluene C S T
Dioctyl Phthalate E O
Dioctyl Sebacate E O
Dioctyl-Amine C S
Dioform V - -
Dioxane E - -
Dioxolanes E C F
Dioxysuccinic Acid V - -
Dipentene V C
Dipentylamine E - -
Diphenyl V - -
Diphenyl dimide C O
Diphenyl Oxides V O
Diphenyl, Chlorinated V - -
Dipropyl V - -
Dipropyl methane B O F
Dipropyl Methane V O F
Dipropylene Glycol E C
Disodium Phosphate E,V C
Divinyl V O F,E
Divinyl Benzene V O E
DMF (Dimethyl Formamide) E M
DMP (Dimethyl Phthalate) E,V O T
DMT (Dimethyl Terephthalate) V O
Dodecanol B O
Dodecyl Alcohol B O
Dodecyl Benzene V -
Dodecyl Toluene V - -
Dolomite V -
DOP E O
Douglas Fir Oil W - -
Dow 209, 50% solution E O
Dow chemical 50-4 E - -
Dow ET588 E - -
Dow Guard E,V - -
Dow Per V - -
Dowanols E - -

Dowtherm, A,E or F less than 350°F V O

Dregs E,V - -
Drinking Water E C
Dry Cleaning Fluids V - -
DTE light oil E - -
Dye Colors V -
Dye Liquors + caustic boil out C -

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/O-ring/O-RING_SELECTION_E-H.html
O-RING SELECTION GUIDE "E-H"
Effluent, Clarified E,V C

Effluent, Sludge E,V C
Elco 28-EP Lubricant V - -
Embalming fluid E - -
EMK E - -
Enamel B - -
Epichlorohydrin E O T
Epoxy Resins E - -
Epsom salts E,V C
Erythrene V O F,E
Esam 6 fluid E - -
Esso fluids and oils V - -
Esstic 42,43 V - -
Ethamine E - -
Ethanal E - -
Ethane V O F
Ethane Hydrate V O F
Ethane Nitrile E - -
Ethanedionic Acid V,E - -
Ethanoic Acid C M
Ethanoic Anhydride C - -
Ethanol E - -
Ethanol Amine E - -
Ethanonitrile E - -
Ethanoyl Chloride V V F
Ethenyl Benzene >150F° C - -
Ethers C S F
Ethly Butanol B - -
Ethoxy Ethane C - --
Ethyl Acetate Organic Ester E S F,E
Ethyl acetic acid E,V C
Ethyl Acetoacetate E C
Ethyl Acrylate E C F
Ethyl Alcohol E M F
Ethyl Aldehyde E M F,E
Ethyl Amine E M F
Ethyl Benzene E,V O A
Ethyl Benzoate V O
Ethyl Bromide V S
Ethyl Butyl Alchol B S
Ethyl Cellosolve E - -
Ethyl Cellulose E O
Ethyl Chloride E,V H F
Ethyl Chlorocarbonate V D F
Ethyl Chloroformate VV D F
Ethyl Cyanide E C F
Ethyl Cyclopentane V O
Ethyl Ethanoate E - -
Ethyl Ether C S F
Ethyl Formate V S F
Ethyl Hexanol E,V - -
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Ethyl Hexyl Alcohol E,V - -

Ethyl Hydrate E - -
Ethyl Mercaptan V - -
Ethyl Methyl Ketone E - -
Ethyl Orthosilicate V - -
Ethyl Oxalate V - -
Ethyl Oxide gas C - -
Ethyl Pentachlorobenzene V - -
Ethyl Propyl Carbinol V - -
Ethyl Pyridine E - -
Ethyl Silicate V,E - -
Ethyl Sulfate E - -
Ethylacrylic Acid E - -
Ethylene V S F,E
Ethylene Alcohol E,V - -
Ethylene Bromide V S C
Ethylene Chloride (dry) V S F
Ethylene Chlorohydrin V M T
Ethylene Diamine E C T
Ethylene Dibromide V S C
Ethylene Dichloride V S F
Ethylene Glycol E,V C
Ethylene Oxide C M F
Ethylene Trichloride V - -
Ethylic Acid E - -
Ethylic Alcohol E - -
Ethylmorpholene Stannous Octoate
E,V - -
(50/50 mixture)
Ethyne (acetylene) E,V S F,E
Ethyrene V - -
Ex-Tri V - -
Fat Lime E - -
Fatty Acids V - -
FC-43 Heptacosofluoro-tri -
E,V - -
Butylamine
Ferric Chloride * E,V O
Ferric Dichloride E,V - -
Ferric Nitrate E,V - -
Ferric Perchloride B - -
Ferric Persulfate B - -
Ferric Salts E,V - -
Ferric Sulfate E - -
Ferric Sulphate E - -
Ferric Trisulfate B - -
Ferriferous Chloride B - -
Ferriferous Persulfate B - -
Ferrous Salts E,V - -
Ferrous Ammonium Sulfate V - -
Ferrous Chloride E,V - -
Ferrous Hydroxide E,V - -
Ferrous Nitrate E,V - -
Ferrous Sulfate E,V - -
Ferrous Sulfide B - -
Fertilizer Salts W - -
Film Dope C - -
Filter Alum B - -
Firedamp V - -
Fish Oil V - -
Fisher reagent E - -
Flaxseed Oil V - -
Flores Martis B - -
Fluoboric Acid E - -
Fluorinated Cyclic Esters E - -
Fluorine * C - F
Fluorocarbon oils E - -
Fluorochloroethylene V - -
Fluorolube E - -
Fluosilicic Acid E,V - -
Flurobenzene V - -
Formaldehyde E - -
Formaldehyde-Formalin Bu - -
Formaldehyde-Formalin <10% Bu - -
Formalin Bu - -
Formic Acid E - -
Formonitrile E,V - -
Freon BF V - -
Freon MF,PCA,TF B - -
Freon K-152A,K142B, C318 E - -
Freon 112 ,113 V - -
Freon 114 E,V - -
Freon 115 E,V - -
Freon 21 C - -
Freon 22 E - -
Freon 22 and ASTM Oil #2 (50/50
N - -
Mixture)
Freon 31 E - -
Freon 32 E - -
Freon 114B2 V - -
Freon 13,13B1,14 E,V - -
Freon 12 and Suniso 4G (50/50
V - -
Mixture)
Freon 11 with oil B - -
Freon 12 V - -
Freon 12 and ASTM Oil #2 (50/50
V - -
Mixture)
Freon, 11 V - -
Fructose E,V - -
Fruit Juices (Concentrated) N - -
Fruit Juices (Dilute) N - -
Fuel Oil Acedic V - -
Fuel Oil #6 V - -
Fumaric Acid V - -
Fumarole Acid E,V - -
Fuming Sulphuric Acid (20/25%
V - -
(Oleum)*
Furan (Furfuran) C - -
Furane C - -
Furfuraldehyde E - -
Furfuryl Alcohol E - -
Furic Acid C - -

Furyl Carbinol E - -
Fusel Oil E,V - -
Fyrquel 150,220,300,550 E - -
Gallic Acid V - -
Gallotannic acid E,V - -
Gas Oil B - -
Gasoline-Refined V O F.E
Gasoline-Sour V O F
Gasoline-Tanker Service V O F
Gelatin E,V - -
Generator Gas V - -
German Saltpeter E,V - -
Gibbsite E - -
Girling brake fluid E - -
Glacial Acetic Acid E - -
Glauber's Salt V - -
Glucose E,V C
Glue E - -
Glue Sizing E - -
Glutamic Acid C - -
Glycerine E,V - -
Glycero Monochlorhydrin C - -
Glycerol E,V - -
Glycerol Dichlorhydrin C - -
Glycerol Triacetate C - -
Glycerophosphoric Acid C - -
Glyceryl Hydroxide E,V - -
Glyceryl Phosphate C - -
Glyceryl Triacetate B - -
Glycidol C - -
Glycol Acetate E,V - -
Glycol Butyl Ether E - -
Glycol Chlorohydrin E - -
Glycol Diethylene E,V - -
Glycol Ether C - -
Glycol Ethylene B - -
Glycol Monoacetate E,V - -
Glycol Propylene E,V - -
Glycolic Acid E - -
Glycols E,V C
Glycoxal, 40% C - -
Glyoxylic Acid C - -
Gold Monocyanide E,V - -
Grain Mash E,V - -
Grape Juice E C
Grease (petroleum base) V O
Green Copperas V - -
Green Sulphate Liquor E H
Gulf Endurance oils V O
Gulf FR fluids E - -
Gulf GS-7050 Grease V S
Gun Cotton C O F,E
Halothane V - -
Halowax Oil V - -

Hannifin lube A V - -
HCL V - -
Heavy Water E - -
HEF-2 and -3 High Energy Fuel) V - -
Helium E,V - -
Hepar Calis E,V - -
Heptachlor C - -
Heptachlorobutene C - -
Heptaldehyde C - -
Heptalene B - -
Heptanal B - -
Heptane B O F
Heptanolic Acid C - -
Heptyl Aldhyde V - -
Heptyl Carbinol E - -
Heptyl Hydride V - -
Heptylene B - -
Hexachlorbutene C - -
Hexachloro Acetone E - -
Hexachlorobutadiene C - -
Hexachloroethane C - -
Hexadecane V O
Hexadecanoic Acid V - -
Hexaethyl Tetra-phosphate C - -
Hexafluoroethane C - -
Hexafluoroisopropanol C - -
Hexafluoroxylene C - -
Hexahydrobenzene V - -
Hexahydrophenol V - -
Hexalin V - -
Hexamethylene V - -
Hexamethylene Diamine C - -
Hexamethylene Tetramine E - -
Hexamethylenediamine Dimmonium
C - -
Adipate
Hexamethylenediamine Tetramine
C - -
(Urotropine)
Hexamethylphosphoramide C - -
Hexamine E - -
Hexane V - -
Hexanedioic Acid C S
Hexanol V - -
Hexanol Tert V - -
Hexone E - -
Hexyl Acetate C - -
Hexyl Alcohol V - -
Hexyl Hydride B - -
Hexylene V - -
Hexylene Glycol V - -
Hexylresorcinol C - -
Hi-Tri V - -
High Viscosity Lubricant U4,H2 E,V - -
Hilo MS#1 E - -
Home Heating Oil V O
Honey E,V H
Houghto-Safe 271 (Water and

E,V - -
Glycol Base)
Hydrargylite E - -
Hydrargyrum E,V - -
Hydrated Baryta E,V - -
Hydrated Lime E,V - -
Hydratite Liquid V - -
Hydraulic Fluids Pydrauls &
E - -
Skydrauls)
Hydraulic Oil ( Phosphate Ester) E - -
Hydraulic Oil (Petroleum Base) V O
Hydrazine E M E
Hydrazine Hydrachloride C - -
Hydrazine Hydrate C M F
Hydrazine, Unsynmmetrical
C - -
Dimethyl
Hydrazino Benzene W - -
Hydriodic Acid E,V - -
Hydro-Drive, MIH 50,MIH 10
V O -
(Petroleum Base)
Hydroabietyl Alcohol C - -
Hydrobromic Acid E,V - -
Hydrobromic Acid Gas V - -
Hydrobutanedioic Acid V - -
Hydrocarbons, Alicylic V O -
Hydrocarbons, Aliphatic V O -
Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated V O -
Hydrocarbons, Light V O -
Hydrocarbons, Normal V O -
Hydrocarbons, Olefinic V O -
Hydrocarbons, Saturated V O -
Hydrochloric Acid Concentrated V - -
Hydrochloric Acid 3 Molar E,V - -
Hydrocyanic Acid E,V - -
Hydrofluoric Acid, * V - -
Hydrofluoric Acid, Anhydrous* V - -
Hydrofluosilic Acid E,V - -
Hydrogen Bromide V - -
Hydrogen Chloride gas E - -
Hydrogen Cyanide E - -
Hydrogen Dioxide V - -
Hydrogen Fluoride V - -
Hydrogen Gas E,V - -
Hydrogen Oxide E,V - -
Hydrogen Peroxide * V - F
Hydrogen Sulphide E - -
Hydrolube E,V - -
Hydrolube (Water and Ethylene
E,V - -
Glycol)
Hydroquinone V - -
Hydroxether E - -
Hydroxy Succinic Acid V - -
Hydroxy Toluene V - -
Hydroxy-2-Propane E C
Hydroxyacetic Acid (Hydro -
C - -
Acetic)

Hydroxyacetone E C
Hydroxybenzene V - -
Hydroxybutane E,V - -
Hydroxycitronellal C - -
Hydroxyethyl Acetate E,V - -
Hydroxyformic Acid E,V - -
Hydroxyoctane B - -
Hydyne E - -
Hyjet - S lll or W E - -
Hypnone E S
Hypo E,V - -
Hypochlorous Acid V - -
Hypoid Lubes V - -

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/O-ring/O-RING_SELECTION_I-L.html
O-RING SELECTION GUIDE "I-L"
Ice Spar E,V - -
Icestone E,V - -
Idoform E - -
Indole C - -
Industron FF44,FF48,FF53 V - -
Ink E,V C
Insecticides C - -
Iodine * V - -
Iodine Pentafluoride C - -
Iron Chloride E - -
Iron Dichloride E,V - -
Iron Hydroxide E,V - -
Iron Monosulfide V - -
Iron Nitrate E,V - -
Iron Perchloride B - -
Iron Persulfate B - -
Iron Protochloride E,V - -
Iron Salts E,V - -
Iron Sesquichloride E,V - -
Iron Sesquisulfate E,V - -
Iron Sulfate E - -
Iron Sulfide V - -
Iron Tersulfate E,V - -
Iron Trichloride E,V - -
Iron Vitriol E,V - -
Iso Eugenpl C - -
Iso Octane V - -
Iso Pentane V - -
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/O-ring/O-RING_SELECTION_I-L.html (1 of 6) [7/21/03 11:47:14 AM]

Isoamyl Acetate C - -
Isoamyl Alchol E,V - -
Isoamyl Butyrate C - -
Isoamyl Chloride C - -
Isoboreol C - -
Isobutane V - -
Isobutanol E,V - -
Isobutric Acid C - -
Isobutryladehyde C - -
Isobutyl Acetate C - -
Isobutyl Alcohol E,V - -
Isobutyl Carbinol E,V - -
Isobutyl Methacrylate C - -
Isobutyl Methel Ketone E - -
Isobutyl n-Butyrate E,V - -
Isobutyl Phosphate C - -
Isobutylene V - -
Isobutyraldehyde E - -
Isobutyric Acid E - -
Isocrotyl Chloride C -- -
Isocyanic Acid E O E
Isodecanol C - -
Isododecane V - -
Isophorone (Ketone) E - -
Isopropanol E,V - -
Isopropyl Acetate E - -
Isopropyl Acetone C - -
Isopropyl Alcohol E,V - -
Isopropyl Benzene V - -

Isopropyl Carbinol E - -
Isopropyl Chloride V - -
Isopropyl Ether B M F
Isopropyl Methyl Benzene V - -
Isopropyl Toluene V - -
Isopropylformate C - -
Isotane V - -
Isovaleric Acid C - -
Jet Fuel (JP3,4,5) V O F
Jews Pitch V - -
JP 3(MIL-J-5624 V O F
JP 4(MIL-J-5624) V O F
JP 5(MIL-J-5624) V O F
JP 6(MIL-J-25656) V O F
JP X(MIL-F- 25604) V O F
Kalinite E,V - -
Kandol V - -
Kaoline E C
Kel-F liquids E - -
Kerosene (Similar to RP-1 and JP-1) V O F
Ketchup E,V C
Keto Hexamethylene E - -
Ketones E - -
Keystone #87HX-Grease V O
Krystallin V - -
Kyanol V - -
Lacquer Solvents C - -
Lacquers C - -
Lacquers with Ketone solvents C O

Lactams-Amino Acid E - -
Lactic Acid hot V - -
Lactic Acid cold E,V - -
Lactol V - -
Lactones (Cyclic Esters) E - -
Lard, Animal Fat E O
Latex V O
Laughing Gas E,V - -
Lauric Acid V - -
Lauryl Alcohol B - -
Lavender Oil V - -
Lead Acetate E - -
Lead Arsenate C - -
Lead Azide C - -
Lead Bromide C - -
Lead Carbonate C - -
Lead Chloride E,V - -
Lead Chromate C - -
Lead Dioxide C - -
Lead Linoleate C - -
Lead Napthenate C - -
Lead Nitrate E - -
Lead Oxide C - -
Lead Salts E,V - -
Lead Sulphamate E,V - -
Lead Sulphate E,V - -
Lead Tetraethyl V - -
Lehigh X1169 V - -
Lehigh X1170 V - -

Lemon Oil V - -
Leucogen E,V - -
Levolinic acid V - -
Levulinic Acid C - -
Light Analine V - -
Light Grease V O
Light Petroleum Gas (LPG) V O
Ligroin (Petroleum Ether or Benzine) V O
Lime (Calcium Oxide) E - -
Lime Bisulfite V - -
Lime Bleach V,E - -
Lime Hydrate E,V - -
Lime Nitrate E,V - -
Lime Saltpeter E.V - -
Lime Slurries E - -
Lime Soda E - -
Lime Sulphur E,V - -
Lime Water E C
Lime, Caustic E,V - -
Limestone E,V - -
Limonene V - -
Limonene V C
Lindol (TCP) C - -
Lindol, Hydraulic Fluid (Phosphate

E - -
Ester Type)
Lineoleic Acid C - -
Linseed Oil V O
Liquid Oxygen C - -
Liquid Petroleum Gas V O F
Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) V O F

Liquid Rosin V - -
Liquid Soap E,V C
Liquimoly V - -
Liquor- Black (sulfite) <350°F V C
Liquor- Black (sulfite) >350°F C H
Liquor-Black (sulphate) <280°F E C
Liquor-Black (sulphate) >280°F C H
Liquor-Green < 280° F E C
Liquor-Green > 280° F C H
Liquor-White <280° F . E C
Liquor-White >280° F C H
Lithium Bromide Brine E,V - -
Lithium Carbonate C - -
Lithium Chloride E,V - -
Lithium Citrate C - -
Lithium Hydroxide E - -
Lubricating Oils,Di-Ester V O
Lubricating Oils,Petroleum Base V O
Lubricating Oils,SAE 10,20,30,40,50 V O
Lye Solutions E S T

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/O-ring/O-RING_SELECTION_M-O.html
O-RING SELECTION GUIDE "M-O"
Machine Oil V O
Maddrell's Salt E,V - -
Magnesium Acetate E - -
Magnesium Ammonium sulfate E,V - -
Magnesium Bisulfite E - -
Magnesium Carbonate V - -
Magnesium Chloride E,V - -
Magnesium Citrate E,V - -
Magnesium Dioxide E,V - -
Magnesium Hydrate E - -
Magnesium Hydroxide E,V - -
Magnesium Nitrate E - -
Magnesium Oxide E,V - -
Magnesium Salts E,V - -
Magnesium Sulphate E,V - -
Magnesium Sulphite E.V - -
Maize Oil V O
Malathion V - -
Maleic Acid V - -
Maleic Anhydride V - -
Malic Acid V - -
Malonyl Nitrile E - -
Malt Beverage E C
Manganese Chloride V - -
Manganese Nitrate B - -
Manganese Salts V - -
Manganese Sulfide V - -
Manganese Sulfite V - -
ManganeseSulfate E,V - -
Maple Sugar Liquors E,V C
Marsh Gas V - F,E
Mash B - -
Mayonnaise V C
Mcnalliumoxide V C
MCS 312 V - -
MCS 352 E - -
MCS 463 E - -
MEA (Monoethanolamine) E - -
Mecuric Sulfate E,V - -
Mecurous salts E,V - -
Medthyl Acetone E - -
Melamine Resins E - -
Mercaptans C - -
Mercuric Chloride E,V - -
Mercuric Cyanide E,V - -
Mercurous Nitrate E,V - -
Mercury E,V O T
Mercury Bichloride E,V - -
Mercury Chloride E,V - -
Mercury Salts V - -
Mercury Vapors E,V - -
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Mesityl Oxide (Ketone) E - -

Methadiene V - -
Methallyl Alcohol B - -
Methanal E,V - -
Methanamide E - -
Methane V - F,E
Methanoic Acid E - -
Methanol E - -
Methenyl Trichloride V S T
Methyl Acetate E - -
Methyl Acetoacetate E - -
Methyl Acrylate E - -
Methyl acrylic Acid E - -
Methyl Alcohol E - -
Methyl amine E O F,T
Methyl Amyl Alcohol B - -
Methyl Amyl Carbinol B - -
Methyl Benzene V - -
Methyl Benzoate V - -
Methyl Bromide V - -
Methyl Butanol B - -
Methyl butyl ketone E - -
Methyl Carbonate V - -
Methyl Cellosolve E - -
Methyl Cellulose B - -
Methyl Chloride VV S E
Methyl Chloroform V - -
Methyl Chloroformate V - -
Methyl Cyanide E C T,F
Methyl Cyclopentane V - -
Methyl Dibromide V - -
Methyl Dichloride V - -
Methyl Ether V,E C F
Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) E O F,E
Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide* C - -
Methyl Formate N - -
Methyl Hexane V - -
Methyl Hexanol B - -
Methyl Hydrate B - -
Methyl Hydride V - -
Methyl Hydroxide B - -
Methyl Iodide E - -
Methyl Isobutenyl Ketone(MIBK) C - -
Methyl Isopropyl Ketone E - -
Methyl Mercaptan E - -
Methyl Methacrylate C - -
Methyl Methane V - -
Methyl Oleate V - -
Methyl Oxide E,V C F
Methyl Phenol V - -
Methyl Phenol Ether C O
Methyl Phenyl Ketone E - -
Methyl Polysiloxanes E,V - -
Methyl Propanol E,V - -

Methyl Propyl Carbinol B - -

Methyl Propyl Salicylate E - -
Methyl Sulfoxide C - -
Methylacetal E - -
Methylated Spirits E - -
Methylene Bromide C - -
Methylene Chloride V S
Methylene Dichloride V - -
MIL H 22251 E - -
MIL H 7083 E - -
MIL P 27402 E - -
Milk E,V C
Milk of lime E - -
Milk Of Magnesia E,V C
Mine Water E,V C
Mineral Naptha V - -
Mineral Oils V O
Mineral Pitch V O
Mineral Spirits V O
Minesate, Sunoco 3XF V - -
Miribilite E,V - -
Mixed acids C - -
Mobil oil SAE 20 V O
Mobilgas WA200 Typ A automatic
V O
transmission fluid
Molasses V H
Molten Sulfur <350°F V O
Molybdic Acid E,V - -
Molysite E,V - -
Mono bromo benzene V - -
Mono chloro acetic Acid E - -
Mono chloro acetone E - -
Mono chloro difluoro methane E - -
Mono chloro ethane V - -
Mono chloro phenol V - -
Mono ethanol amine E - -
Mono ethyl amine E - -
Mono isopropanol Amine C - -
Mono methyl Amine E - -
Mono methyl Analine E - -
Mono methyl aniline V - -
Mono methyl Ether E,V - -
Mono methyl Hydrazine E - -
Mono nitro chloro benzene V - -
Mono vinyl Acetylene V - -
Mono vinyl Arsenate E,V - -
Monoammonium Phosphate E - -
Monsel's Salt E,V - -
Mopar Brake Fluid E - -
Morrhua Oil E,V - -
Mosaic Gold B - -
Motor Oil V O
Mullite (clay) E O
Muriate Of Ammonia E,V - -

Muriatic Acid E,V - -
Mustard E,V C
n-Heptane V - -
n-Hexaldehyde C - -
n-Hexaldehyde E - -
n-Hexane V - -
n-Hexene-1 V - -
Napalm V - F
Naphtha V - F
Naphthalene V - -
Naphthalenic V - -
Naphthenic Acid V - -
Natural Gas V O F,E
Neatsfoot Oil V - -
Neohexane V - -
Neon E,V - -
Neosol B - -
Neville Acid V - -
Niacin E - -
Nickel E,V - -
Nickel Acetate E - -
Nickel Ammonia Sulfate V - -
Nickel Chloride E,V - -
Nickel Nitrate E,V - -
Nickel Plating Solution B - -
Nickel Salts E,V - -
Nickel Sulfate -E,V - -
Nickel Sulphate E,V - -
Nicotine V - -
Nicotine Bentonite B - -
Nicotine Sulfate B - -
Nicotinic Acid E - -
Niter Cake E,V - -
Niter-potassium Nitrate E,V - -
Niter-sodium Nitrate E - -
Nitrating Acid N - -
Nitric Acid to 100%* C1 - F
Nitro carbol E - -
Nitro benzene V - -
Nitro benzine V - -
Nitro benzol V - -
Nitro calcatite E,V - -
Nitro cellulose C O F,E
Nitro Cotton C O F,E
Nitro ethane C - -
Nitro hydrochloric acid V O T
Nitro methane E - -
Nitro muriatic Acid V - -
Nitro propane E - -
Nitrogen Gas E,V - -
Nitrogen Monoxide E,V - -
Nitrogene Tetroxide C - -
Nitrous acid V - -

Nitrous Monoxide E,V - -

Nitrous Oxide E,V - -
Nitroxanthic Acid V - -
Nonanoic Acid B - -
Nonenes B - -
Norge Niter E,V - -
Norge Saltpeter E,V - -
Norway Saltpeter E,V - -
Noryl G.E. phenolic E - -
NRRO V - -
Nut Oil V - -
Nutra sweet E,V - -
Oakite Alkaline Materials E - -
Octa chloro toluene V - -
Octa decadienoic Acid C - -
Octa decane V - -
Octanol E,V - -
Octyl Alcohol V - -
Oil, Corn V - -
Oil, Asphalt Base V O
Oil, Bay V - -
Oil, Bone V - -
Oil, Castor V - -
Oil, Cinammon V - -
Oil, Citric V - -
Oil, Clove V - -
Oil, Cocanut V - -
Oil, Cod Liver V - -
Oil, Cotton Seed V - -
Oil, Creosote V - -
Oil, diesel V - -
Oil, Ginger E,V - -
Oil, Hydraulic (petroleun base) V - -
Oil, Lemon V - -
Oil, Linseed V - -
Oil, Lubricating V - -
Oil, MIneral V - -
Oil, Mineral Base V - -
Oil, Mirbane V - -
Oil, Olive V - -
Oil, Orange V - -
Oil, Palm V - -
Oil, Peanut V - -
Oil, Peppermint V - -
Oil, Petroleum Crude V - -
Oil, Pine V - -
Oil, Rapeseed E,V - -
Oil, Red V - -
Oil, Rosin V - -
Oil, Sesamee Seed V - -
Oil, Silicone E,V - -
Oil, Soybean V - -
Oil, Sperm V - -
Oil, Tanning V - -

Oil, Turbine V - -
Oil, Turpentine V - -
Oil, Ucon V - -
Oil, Vegetable V - -
Oil, Vitriol V - -
Oleic Acid V - -
Oleum (Fuming Sulfuric Acid) * V O F
Oleum Lini V - -
Oleum Spirits V - -
Oleyl Alcohol C - -
Olive Oil V - -
Oronite 8200 V - -
Oronite 8515 V - -
Orthcarsenic Acid E,V C T
Ortho Chloranaline C - -
Ortho Chloro ethyl benzene V - -
Ortho Chloro phenol C - -
Ortho Cresol C - -
Ortho Dichlor benene V - -
Ortho dichloro benzol V - -
Ortho Nitro toluene C - -
Ortho Phosphoric Acid V - -
Orthoboric Acid E,V - -
Orthoxylene V - -
Oxalic Acid (Weak) E,V - -
Oxy ethylene Succinic Acid V - -
Oxygen to 210 F E,V - -
Ozone E,V - -

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/O-ring/O-RING_SELECTION_P.html
O-RING SELECTION GUIDE "P"
2-Propanone E M F
n- Propyl Acetone E - -
n-Propyl Acetate E - -
Paint Thinner, Duco V - -
Palm Oil V - -
Palmetic Acid V - -
Palmitic Acid V - -
Paper stock E O
Par aldehyde C - -
Par-al-ketone C - -
Para xylene V - -
Para cymene V - -
Para Dichloro benzol V - -
Para thion C - -
Para-acetylphenetidin C S
Para-Amino benzoic Acid C - -
Para-Amino salicylic Acid C - -
Para-Bromo benzyl penyl ether C - -
Para-Chloro phenol C - -
Para-Cresol C - -
Para-Diaminodiphenyl C H C
Para-Dichloro benzene V - -
Para-ethoxyacetanilide C S
Para-Formaldehyde C - -
Para-Nitro analine C - -
Para-Nitro benzoic Acid C - -
Para-Nitro phenol C - -
Para-Toluene Sulfonic Acid C - -
Paraffin (Molten) V - -
Parker O Lube V - -
Patent Alum E,V - -
Peanut Oil V - -
Pearl Ash V,E - -
Pectin Liquor V - -
Pella Oil V - -
Penta chloro diphenol V - -
Penta chloro ethane C- -
Penta chloro phenol c - -
Penta erythritol c - -
Penta erythritol Tetranitrate c - -
Pentane 2 Methyl or 3 Methyl V - -
Pentane (Liquid) V C F,E
Pentane 2-4 Dimethyl V - -
Pentane n-Penta V - -
Pentanedione 2-4 E S
Pentanoic Acid E - -
Pentyl Penta noate C - -
Peppermint Oil V - -
Per fluoro tri ethylamine C - -
Per manganic acid C - -
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/O-ring/O-RING_SELECTION_P.html (1 of 6) [7/21/03 11:47:27 AM]
Per sulfuric Acid C - -

Peracetic Acid C - -
Peralgonic Acid C - -
Perchloric Acid-2N * V - -
Perchloro ethylene to 170° F V - -
Perchloro methane V O T
Perester C - -
Peroxide* V - -
Peroxydol E,V - -
Peroxyhydrate B - -
Perphosphate E,V - -
Peru Saltpeter E,V - -
Petrol V - -
Petrolatum V - -
Petrolene V - -
Petroleum Ether V - -
Petroleum Jelly V - -
Petroleum Oil, Crude V - -
Petroleum, Naptha V - -
Phen oxy benzene V - -
Phenacetin C S
Phene V - -
Phenol V C
Phenol (10% Aqueous) V - -
Phenol Sulfonic Acid C - -
Phenol-Formaldehyde C - -
Phenolic Sulfonate C - -
Phenoxin V - -
Phenyl Acetate C S
Phenyl Acetamide C - -
Phenyl Acetic Acid E - -
Phenyl Amine E - -
Phenyl Benzene V - -
Phenyl Bisulfide V - -
Phenyl Cellosolve E,V - -
Phenyl Chloride V - -
Phenyl Ethane V - -
Phenyl Ether V - -
Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol C - -
Phenyl Ethyl Ether C - -
Phenyl Ethyl Molonic Ester C - -
Phenyl Ethylene V - -
Phenyl Formic Acid V - -
Phenyl glycine C - -
Phenyl Hydrazine V - -
Phenyl Hydride V - -
Phenyl Hydroxide V - -
Phenyl Mercuric Acetate C - -
Phenyl Methane V - -
Phenyl Methyl Ketone E S
Phenyl Sulfonic Acid V - -
Phenylene Diamine C - -
Phenylic Acid V - -
Phorne C - -

Phorone E- - -
Phosgene gas or liquid E S T
Phosphate Esters E - -
Phosphoric Acid (crude) V - -
Phosphoric Acid Triphenyl Ester E,V - -
Phosphorous Pentoxide E,V - -
Phosphorous Trichloride E,V - -
Photagraphic Developers V - -
Photogen V - -
Photographic Emulsion E,V - -
Phthalate Esters C - -
Phthalic Acid E,V - -
Phthalic Acid Anhydride E - -
Phthalic Anhydride E - -
Phthalic Terephthalic Acid C - -
Pickle Alum E,V - -
Pickling Solution V - -
Picoline, Alpha E - -
Picric Acid, H20 Solution V C E
Picric Acid, Molten V C E
Pimelic Ketone E - -
Pimilic Ketone E - -
Pine Oil V - -
Pinene V - -
Piperazine C - -
Piperdine C - -
Piric Acid Molten C - -
Piric Acid Water Solution C - -
Pitch V - -
Plasticizer C - -
Plating Solutions, Antimony V - -
Plating Solutions, Arsenic V - -
Plating Solutions, Brass E,V - -
Plating Solutions, Bronze E,V - -
Plating Solutions, Cadmium E,V - -
Plating Solutions, Chrome E,V - -
Plating Solutions, Cobalt C - -
Plating Solutions, Copper E - -
Plating Solutions, Gold E,V - -
Plating Solutions, Indium V - -
Plating Solutions, Iron V - -
Plating Solutions, Lead E,V - -
Plating Solutions, Nickel E,V - -
Plating Solutions, Others E,V - -
Plating Solutions, Platinum V - -
Plating Solutions, Rhodium E,V - -
Plating Solutions, Silver E,V - -
Plating Solutions, Tin E,V - -
Plating Solutions, Zinc E.V - -
Pneumatic Service V - -
Poly Butadiene C - -
Poly Ethylene C - -
Poly Ethylene Terephthalate C - -
Poly Glycerol C - -

Poly Gycols E,V - -

Poly Isobutylene C - -
Poly Isoprene C - -
Poly Methyl Methacrylate C - -
Poly Proplylene C - -
Poly Styrene C - -
Poly Vinyl Acetates E - -
Poly Vinylidene Chloride C - -
Polyester Monomers C - -
Polyethylene Glycol E,V - -
Polyv Vinyl Alchol V - -
Potash E,V - -
Potash Alum E,V - -
Potash Caustic E - -
Potasium Aluminum Sulfate E,V - -
Potasium Thiosulphate V - -
Potassium Chromic Sulfate E,V - -
Potassium Stannate C - -
Potassium Acetate E - -
Potassium Acid Sulfate C - -
Potassium Alum E,V - -
Potassium Antimonate C O -
Potassium Bicarbonate E,V - -
Potassium Bichromate E,V - -
Potassium Bifluoride C - -
Potassium Bisulfate E,V - -
Potassium Bisulfite E,V - -
Potassium Bitartrate C - -
Potassium Borates E,V - -
Potassium Bromate E,V - -
Potassium Bromide E,V - -
Potassium Carbonate E,V - -
Potassium Chlorate E,V - -
Potassium Chloride E.V - -
Potassium Chromate E,V - -
Potassium Citrate C - -
Potassium Cupro Cyanide E,V - -
Potassium Cyanide E,V - -
Potassium Dichromate E,V - -
Potassium Diphosphate C - -
Potassium Ferricyanide E,V - -
Potassium Ferrocyanide C - -
Potassium Fluoride E,V - -
Potassium Glucocyanate C - -
Potassium Hydrate Z S
Potassium Hydrogen C - -
Potassium Hydroxide E - -
Potassium Hypochlorite E - -
Potassium Iodate C - -
Potassium Iodide E,V - -
Potassium Metra bisulfite C - -
Potassium Metra silicate C - -
Potassium Monochromate C - -
Potassium Muriate E,V - -

Potassium Nitrate E,V - -

Potassium Nitrite E,V - -
Potassium Per fluoro acetate E - -
Potassium Per manganate * B - -
Potassium Perchlorate V - -
Potassium Peroxide* C - -
Potassium Persulfate E,V - -
Potassium Phosphate,Di or Tri E,V - -
Potassium Rhodanid C - -
Potassium Salts E,V - -
Potassium Silicate E,V - -
Potassium Sodium Tartrate C - -
Potassium Stearate C - -
Potassium Sulfate E - -
Potassium Sulfate Hydroxide C - -
Potassium Sulfide E,V - -
Potassium Sulfite E,V - -
Potassium Sulphate E,V - -
Potassium Sulphite E,V - -
Potassium Tartrate C - -
Potassium Triphosphate E,V - -
Potato Oil E,V - -
Potato Spirit E,V - -
Potsassium Oxalate C - -
Poyassium Pyrosulfate C - -
Prestone Antifreeze E,V - -
PRL - High Temp. Hydr. Oil. V - -
Producer Gas V - -
Propane V S F,E
Propane Propionitrile V - -
Propanediol E,V - -
Propanetriol E,V - -
Propanol E,V - -
Propene V - -
Propene Nitrile C O F
Propenoic Acid C M
Propenoic Acid Nitrile C - -
Propenol E,V - -
Propenol V - -
Propenyl Hydrate E,V - -
Propio nitrile E - -
Propion Aldehide E - -
Propionic Acid E - -
Propy Benzene C - -
Propyl Acetone E - -
Propyl Alchol E,V - -
Propyl Alcohol E,V - -
Propyl Amine C - -
Propyl Amine E - -
Propyl Cyanide E - -
Propyl formic Acid E,V C

Propyl Propionate C - -
Propylene V - -
Propylene Carbonate C - -
Propylene Chloride C - -
Propylene Dichloride V - -
Propylene Glycol B - -
Propylene Oxide E - -
Propylene Polymer C - -
Prussic Acid E,V - -
Pulp Stock E - -
Pydraul, 135, A200, 312 V - -
Pydraul, 150 E,V - -
Pydraul, AC, F9, 600, 625 V - -
Pyracetic Acid V - -
Pyranol V - -
Pyranol, Transformer oil V - -
Pyrene V - -
Pyrex V - -
Pyridine Oil E - -
Pyridine Sulfate C - -
Pyridine Sulfonic Acid C - -
Pyrite B - -
Pyroacetic Spirit E - -
Pyrogallic Acid V - -
Pyrogallol V - -
Pyrogallolcarboxylic Acid V - -
Pyrogard 42,43,53,55 (Phosphate
E - -
Ester)
Pyrogard C, D V - -
Pyroligneous Acid E - -
Pyroligneous Spirit B - -
Pyrolube V - -
Pyrosulfuric Acid C - -
Pyrosulfuryl Chloride C - -
Pyroxylic Spirit B - -
Pyruvic Acid E C

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/O-ring/O-RING_SELECTION_Q-S.html
O-RING SELECTION GUIDE "Q-S"
Quicklime E - -
Quicksilver E,V - -
Quinine C - -
Quinine Bisulphate E,V - -
Quinine Hydrochloride C - -
Quinine Tartrate C - -
Quinizarin C - -
Quinne Sulphate E,V - -
Quinoine C - -
Quinone A - -
Radiation E - -
Raffinate C - -
Range Oil E O
Rape Oil E,V - -
Rapeseed Oil E,V - -
Raw Linsed Oil V - -
Red Oil RJ-I (MIL-F-25558) V - -
Red Oil RP-I (MIL-R-25576) V - -
Red Oil (Mil-H-5606 B - -
Refined Linseed Oil V - -
Resins less than 350 F° V - -
Resorcinol V - -
Retinol V - -
Rhigolene V - -
Rhodan Salts E,V - -
Rhodium C - -
Riboflavin C - -
Ricinoleic Acid C - -
Ricinus Oil V - -
Road binders V - -
Rock Salt E,V - -
Roman Vitriol E,V - -
Rose Oil V - -
Rosin Oil V - -
Rosin Size E,V - -
Rosins E,V - -
Rotenone And Water E,V - -
Rum E,V C
Rust Inhibitors V - -
Saccharose E,V - -
Saccharum Solutions E,V - -
Safety Kleen (mixed solvents) C - -
Sal Ammonia E,V - -
Sal Ammoniac E,V C
Sal Chalybdis E,V - -
Sal Soda E,V - -
Sal Tartan E,V - -
Sal Volatile E,V - -
Salad Dressing V C
Salicyladehyde E,V - -
Salicylic Acid E,V - -
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Salimiak E,V - -
Saliter E,V - -
Salt E,V - -
Salt Brine Z - -
Salt Cake E,V - -
Salt Of Lemery E,V - -
Salt Of Tartar E,V - -
Salt Of Vitriol E,V - -
Salt Water E - -
Saltpeter- Calcium Nitrate Potsassium
E,V - -
Nitrate or Sodium Nitrate
Sand Acid (Fluorosilicacid) V - -
Santo Safe 300 V - -
Sea (Salt) Water E - -
Seed oil E,V - -
Sesame seed Oil V - -
Sewage E - -
Shale Naptha V,E - -
Shellac V - -
Sherwood Oil V - -
Shortening V - -
Sieman's Gas V - -
Silent Spirit E - -
Silicate Esters V - -
Silicate Of Soda E,V - -
Silicic Acid E,V - -
Silicofluoric Acid V - -
Silicone Fluid E - -
Silicone Greases E,V - -
Silicone Oils E,V - -
Silver Acetate V - -
Silver Cyanide E,V - -
Silver Nitrate E,V - -
Silver Salts E,V - -
Silver Sulfate E,V - -
Skelly, Solvent B,C,E V - -
Skydrol 500 E - -
Skydrol 7000 E - -
Slaked Lime E,V - -
Sludge Acid E - -
Soap Liquor V - -
Soap Solutions E,V - -
Soda E,V - -
Soda ,Baking E,V - -
Soda Ash E,V - -
Soda Niter E,V - -
Soda Saltpeter E,V - -
Soda, Caustic E - -
Soda, Lime E - -
Soda, Washing E - -
Sodan B - -
Sodium to 350° F. V - -
Sodium Acetate E - -
Sodium Acid Carbonate E,V - -
Sodium Acid Sulfate E,V - -
Sodium Allum E,V - -

Sodium Aluminate E,V - -
Sodium Aluminum Sulfate E,V - -
Sodium Arsenate V - -
Sodium Benzoate E,V - -
Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) E,V - -
Sodium Bichromate E,V - -
Sodium Bisulfate E,V - -
Sodium Bisulfite E,V - -
Sodium Borate E,V C
Sodium Borohydride V - -
Sodium Bromides E,V - -
Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash) E,V - -
Sodium Chlorate C - -
Sodium Chloride E,V - -
Sodium Cyanide E - -
Sodium Diphosphate B - -
Sodium Ethoxide B - -
Sodium Ferricyanide E,V - -
Sodium Ferrocyanide E,V - -
Sodium Fluoaluminate E,V - -
Sodium Fluoborate V - -
Sodium Fluoride E,V - -
Sodium Hexa meta\ phosphate E,V - -
Sodium Hydrate E,V - -
Sodium Hydrochlorite V - -
Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate E,V - -
Sodium hydrogen Sulfate E,V - -
Sodium Hydrosulfite E,V - -
Sodium Hydroxide E C
Sodium Hypochlorite < 20% V - -
Sodium Hypochlorite > 20 % C - -
Sodium Metaphosphate E,V - -
Sodium Metasilicate V - -
Sodium Nitrate E,V - -
Sodium Nitrite E,V - -
Sodium Perborate E,V - -
Sodium Peroxide * E,V - -
Sodium Phosphate (Mono) E,V - -
Sodium Phosphate (Tribasic) E,V - -
Sodium Phosphate Dibasic) E,V - -
Sodium Plumbite B - -
Sodium Polyphosphate E,V - -
Sodium Pyroborate E,V - -
Sodium Salts E,V - -
Sodium Silicate E,V - -
Sodium Subsulfite E,V - -
Sodium Sulfhydrate E - -
Sodium Sulfide E,V - -
Sodium Sulfite E,V - -
Sodium Sulphate E,V - -
Sodium Sulphide & Sulphite V - -
Sodium Superoxide V - -
Sodium Tetraborate (Borax) E - -

Sodium Thiocyanate E,V - -

Sodium Thiophosphates E,V C
Sodium Thiosulfate E,V - -
Sodium Triphosphates B - -
Sodium Tripolyphosphate B - -
Solene V - -
Soluble Glass E - -
Solvents, General C - -
Sorgum V - -
Sour Crude Oil N - -
Sour Natural Gas N - -
Sovasol No. 73 & 74 V - -
Sovasol No. 1,2& 3 V - -
Soy Sauce V - -
Soya Oil V - -
Soybean Oil V - -
Spent sulfite liquor V - -
Sperm Oil V - -
Spirit E,V - -
Spirits Of Turpentine V - -
Spry V - -
SR-10 Fuel V - -
SR-6 Fuel V - -
Standard Oil Mobilube GX-90 EP
V - -
Lube
Stannic Chloride E,V - -
Stannic Fluoborate V O -
Stannic Salts V - -
Stannic Sulfide B - -
Stannous Chloride 15% E,V - -
Stannous Sulfide B - -
Starch Gum E,V - -
Starch Slurry E,V - -
Starch Syrup E,V - -
Stauffer 7700 V - -
Steam, Below 300F E - -
Stearic & Oleic Acid C - -
Stearic Acid B - -
Stearin E - -
Steep Liquor (Water) C - -
Stoddard Solvent V - -
Styrene (Monomer) V - -
Styrene (Monomer) above 150 F C - -
Styrene Polymer V - -
Succinic Acid E,V - -
Sucrose Solution E,V C
Sucrose Solutions V - -
Sugar Of Lead E - -
Sugar Solutions E,V C
Sulfamic Acid V - -
Sulfate Liquors E - -
Sulfite Liquors V - -
Sulfolane V - -
Sulfonic Acid C - -
Sulfuric Acid greater than 50% C - -
Sulfuric Acid * V - -
Sulfuric Acid Diethyl Ester E - -
Sulfuric Chlorohdrin E D T
Sulfurous Anhydride V - -
Sulphite Liquors V - -
Sulphite Pulp V - -
Sulphur E,V - -
Sulphur Chloride V - -
Sulphur Dichloride V - -
Sulphur Dioxide E - -
Sulphur Hexafluoride E - -
Sulphur Liquors V - -
Sulphur Molten < 350°F V - -
Sulphur Trioxide * dry or wet C - -
Sulphuric Acid *greater than 50% C1 - -
Sulphuric Acid Fuming * C1 - -
Sulphurous Acid V - -
Sunsafe (Fire Resist. Hydr. Fluid) V - -
Super Shell Gas V - -
Swan Finch EP Lube C - -
Sym-tetrabromethane E,V O T
Sym-tetrachloroethane W S T
Syrup (High Sugar) V - -

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/O-ring/O-RING_SELECTION_T-Z.html
O-RING SELECTION GUIDE "T-Z"
Table salt E,V - -

Tail liquor V - -
Tall oil B - -
Tallol B - -
Tallow B - -
Tan V - -
Tannic Acid E,V - -
Tannin E,V - -
Tar Camphor V - -
Tar, Bituminous V - -
Tar, Hot (350 F max.) V - -
Tartaric Acid V - -
Terpene V - -
Terpineol V - -
Tertiary Butyl Calectechol V - -
Tertiary Butyl Mercaptan V - -
Tertiary Butyl Alcohol V - -
Tetra bromo ethane V - -
Tetra butyl Titanate V - -
Tetra chloro ethane V - -
Tetra chloro ethylene V - -
Tetra chloro methane V - -
Tetra decanol B - -
Tetra ethyl Lead V - -
Tetra ethyl Lead blend V - -
Tetra ethyl Orthosilicate B - -
Tetra ethylene Glycol V - -
Tetra hydro furan E - -
Tetra hydro naphthalene V - -
Tetra methylene Oxide E - -
Tetralin V - -
Tetrane V - -
Thenardite E,V - -
Therminol <350°F V O F
Thio Acid Chloride C - -
Thio amyl Alcohol C - -
Thio diacetic Acid C - -
Thio ethanol C - -
Thio glycolic Acid C - -
Thio phosphoryl Chloride C - -
Thiokol E,V - -
Thionl Chloride V - -
Thionyl Chloride C - -
Thiophene C - -
Thioreau C - -
Thorium Nitrate C - -
Tide water oil V - -
Tiglic Acid C S T
Tin Ammonium Chloride C - -
Tin Bichloride V - -
Tin Chlorides V - -
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Tin Crystals V - -
Tin Dichloride V - -
Tin Protochloride V - -
Tin Salts V - -
Tin Tetrachloride E,V - -
Tincal E,V - -
Titanic Acid C - -
Titanium Dioxide E - -
Titanium Salts V - -
Titanium Sulfate C - -
Titanium Tetrachloride V - -
Tolu quinone C - -
Toluene sulphonic Acid C- - -
Toluene Bisodium Sulfite C - -
Toluene Diisocyanide E - -
Toluene Sulfonamide C - -
Toluene Sulphfonyl Chloride C - -
Toluene-Toluol V - -
Toluidine C - -
Toluidine C - -
Toluol V - -
Tolylaidehyde C - -
Tomato Juice B - -
Torula Yeast V - -
Town Gas V - -
Toxaphene C - -
Transformer Oil V - -
Transmission Fluid Type A V - -
Tri alkyl pentaborane V - -
Tri ammonium Phosphate E,V - -
Tri bromethyl benzene C - -
Tri but oxyethyl Phosphate E,V - -
Tri calcium Phosphates V - -
Tri chloro acetic Acid E - -
Tri chloro benzene V - -
Tri chloro ethane V - -
Tri chloro ethane, Dry V - -
Tri chloro ethane, Wet V - -
Tri chloro ethanol amine C - -
Tri chloro ethylene V - -
Tri chloro ethylene, Dry V - -
Tri chloro ethylene, Wet V - -
Tri chloro fluoro methane B - -
Tri chloro methane V S T
Tri chloro monofluoro methane V - -
Tri chloro nitro methane C - -
Tri chloro trifluororthane C - -
Tri cresyl Phosphate V,E - -
Tri ethanol amine V - -
Tri ethyl Aluminun V - -
Tri ethyl Borane V - -
Tri ethyl Phosphate C - -
Tri ethylamine V - -
Tri ethylene Glycol V - -

Tri ethylene tetramine C - -

Tri fluorethane V - -
Tri fluoro acetic Acid C - -
Tri fluoro choloro ethylene C - -
Tri fluoro ethane V - -
Tri fluoro methane C - -
Tri fluoro vinyl Chloride V - -
Tri hydrox benzoic Acid E,V - -
Tri methyl benzene C - -
Tri methyl methane V - -
Tri methyl pentane V - -
Tri methylene Glycol E,V - -
Tri octyl Phosphate E - -
Tri poly phosphate E - -
Tri potassium Phosphate C - -
Tri sodium Phosphate C - -
Tri sodium Phosphate E - -
Tri-normal-butyl Phosphate E - -
Triacetin E - -
Triaryl Phosphate E,V - -
Triazane E - -
Tributly Phthalate E - -
Tributyl Amine C - -
Tributyl Citrate C O
Tributyl Mercaptan V - -
Tributyl Phosphate E - -
Trichloro acetyl Chloride C - -
Trichloro-tert-butyl Alchol C S T
Trichloropane V - -
Trii sopropyl benzyl chloride C - -
Trinidad Pitch V - -
Trinitrophenol V,E - -
Trinitrotoluene V - -
Tritium C - -
Tung Oil (China Wood Oil) V - -
Turbine Oil V O
Turbine Oil #15 (MIL-L-7808A) V O
Turbo Oil #35 V O
Turpentine V - -
Turps V O
Type I Fuel(ASTM Ref. Fuel A) V O
Type I Fuel(MIL-S-3136) V O
Type II Fuel MIL-S-3136 V O
Type III Fuel MIL-S-3136 V O
Ucon Hydrolubes V - -
UDMH V - -
Undecycenic Acid C - -
Undecylic Acid C - -
Univis 35 (mineral oil) V - -
Univis 40 (hydraulic Fluid) V - -
Unslaked Lime E - -
Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine
E - -
(UDMH)
Uranium C - -
Uranium Hexachloride V - -
Uranium Sulfate C - -
Urea E,V - -
Urea Carbamate E - -
Urea Formaldehyde B - -
Urine E,V - -
Valeric Acid E - -
Vanadium Oxide C - -
Vanadium Pentoxide C - -
Vanilla Extract B C
Varnish V O
Vasoline V O
Vegetable Juices V - -
Vegetable Oil E,V - -
Versilube F-50 V - -
Vinegar E,V - -
Vinyl Acetate E,V - -
Vinyl Acrylate C - -
Vinyl Benzene V - -
Vinyl Benzoate C - -
Vinyl Chloride, C - -
Vinyl Cyanide C O F
Vinyl ethylene V O F.E
Vinyl Fluoride V - -
Vinyl Pyridine C - -
Vinyl Toluene V - -
Vinyl Trichloride V - -
Vinylidene Chloride V - -
Vitriol, Oil of V - -
VV-H-910 E,V - -
Wagner 21B Brake Fluid E O
Walnut Oil V O
Washing Soda E,V O
Water Glass E,V - -
Water, Acid mine E C
Water, Deionized * E C
Water, Distilled E C
Water, to 280 F E C
Wax E,V O
Wemco C V - -
Whey V - -
Whiskey & Wines V - -
White Copperas E,V - -
White Lead Sulfate V - -
White liquor E - -
White Oil V - -
White Pine Oil V - -
White Spirit V - -
White Vitriol E,V -
White water E C O
Whiting E,V - -
Wines E,V C
Wolmar Salts E,V - -
Wood Alcohol E C
Wood ether E,V C F

Wood Oil V - -
Wort N C
Xenon E,V - -
Xylene V O F
Xylidines C - -
Xylol V - -
Yeast E,V - -
Zeolites C - -
Zeolites E,V - -
Zinc Acetate E - -
Zinc Ammonium Chloride C - -
Zinc Carbonate C - -
Zinc Chloride E,V - -
Zinc Chromate C - -
Zinc Cyanide C - -
Zinc Diethyl dithio carbamate C - -
Zinc Dihydrogen Phosphate C - -
Zinc Fluoro silicate C - -
Zinc Hydrosulfite E - -
Zinc Napthenate C - -
Zinc Nitrate B - -
Zinc Oxide C - -
Zinc Phenol sulfonate C - -
Zinc Phosphate C - -
Zinc Salts E,V - -
Zinc Silico fluoride C - -
Zinc Stearate C - -
Zinc Sulfide C - -
Zinc Sulphate E,V - -
Zirconium Nitrate C - -
Column #2. THE O-RING- (V) Viton ® grade 747-75, (E) ETHYLENE PROPYLENE, (B) BUNA N, (Bu) BUTYL, (C) CHEMRAZ OR

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/05-html/5-2.html
SUBJECT: Selecting the correct hard face seal material 5-2
A good mechanical seal should run leak free until the carbon/graphite seal face wears away. This is the
same way we decide if we are getting good life with our automobile tires. The tires should not go flat or
the sidewalls "blow-out". The tire tread should wear at a rate that is consistent with our driving habits.
An inspection of your used seals will show that 85% or more of mechanical seals fail long before the
faces wear out. The seal starts to leak and an inspection shows that there is plenty of wearable face
visible. Some of these failures are caused by the wrong choice of seal face materials so we have to be
knowledgeable about those materials that are available to us. The ideal hard face material would
incorporate many features including the following:

● Self lubricating.
● Low friction.
● The ability to be molded in thin cross sections.
● And of course, low cost
With just a few exceptions, seal companies purchase hard face materials from outside vendors. Be sure
the face component you chose is identified by material, type and grade so that you can check out the
"physicals". Some companies change the generic name of the material to confuse you. Make sure you
know exactly what you are purchasing, or you will never be able to trouble shoot a seal failure caused by
Here is some information about the common hard face materials we use in the seal business:
of silicon carbide .
● As of this writing, carbon/ graphite vs. reaction bonded Silicon Carbide has been demonstrated to
There are many manufacturers of reaction bonded Silicon Carbide. They include:
COMPANY DESIGNATION
BNFL REFEL
COORS SC-2
NORTON DD-630
PURE CARBON PS 9242
Shunk and Hoechst of West Germany are also manufacturers of reaction bonded silicon carbide .
❍ Nitric Acid *

* Results vary with temperature and concentration. These chemical can leach out the silicon leaving a
weakened structure that can act like a grinding wheel against the softer carbon face.
● This material begins as a mixture of silicon carbide grains and a sintering aid which is pressed and
subsequently sintered as its name implies. Unlike Reaction bonded SiC, there is no free silicon
present . These direct sintered materials have no metal phase and are therefore more resistant to
chemical attack.
● There are two grain shapes available to the manufacturer. Alpha (Hexagonal Structure), and Beta
(Cubic Structure). There does not appear to be any difference in the chemical resistance, wear or
friction of these two grain shapes.
● These self sintered materials will not be attacked by most process chemicals.
● Here are a few of the bigger manufacturers:
COMPANY DESIGNATION
Carborundum SA-80
Kyocera SC-201
ESK EKasicD (the standard)
ESK Tribo 2000 (Controlled porosity)
ESK Tribo 2000-1 (Controlled porosity + graphite)

● Self sintered silicon carbide carries a slight price premium compared to the reaction bonded
version.
● Although the preferred seal face material, it is sometimes too brittle for some designs.
Tungsten Carbide
● Cobalt and nickel are the common binders. Each is susceptible to selective chemical attack of this
metallic binder that will leave a skeletal surface structure of tungsten carbide particles.
caustic and other high PH fluids. The temperature at the seal face is higher than the temperature of
bronze.
● Tungsten carbide is easy to insert into a metal holder so it is the most common material used in
metal bellows and other hard face&endash;metal composite designs.
● Many sales people promote two hard faces as the ideal face combination for slurry and similar
services. Keep in mind that solids cannot penetrate between seal faces unless they open. Seal
faces are lapped to a flatness of less than one micron (three helium light bands), and as long as
they stay in contact solids are filtered out. Here are some of the main disadvantages of using two
hard faces in a seal application:
❍ Higher cost compared to using carbon as a seal face.
❍ If either face is "out of flat" it is almost impossible for the faces to lap them selves back
together again.
❍ Carbon graphite provides an additional lubricating film if you are sealing a poor or non
lubricating fluid.
❍Carbon graphite can easily be inserted into a metal holder.

❍ In the event the equipment is run dry, carbon/ graphite is self lubricating.
❍ Use two hard faces in the following applications. or any place carbon is not acceptable:
■ If you are sealing hot oil or almost any hot hydrocarbon. Most oils coke between
the seal faces and can pull out pieces of carbon , causing fugitive emissions
problems.
■ If the product tends to stick the faces together.
■ Some DI water applications can attack any form of carbon.
■ Halogens can attack all forms of carbon. These chemicals include:
■ chlorine
■ fluorine
■ bromine
■ astintine
■ iodine
■ If the product you are sealing is an oxidizer that will attack all forms of carbon,
including black O-rings.

■ If you are pumping a slurry and you cannot keep the two lapped faces together by
flushing, suction recirculation, a large diameter stuffing box or some other method
usually employed to seal a large percentage of solids.
■ If nothing black is allowed in the system because of a possible color contamination
of the product you are pumping.

● Plated or coated faces can "heat check" and crack due to the differential expansion of the coating
and the base material.
● PV factors as a design tool are unreliable because carbon is sensitive to "P" but not to "V".
● Water can cause cracking problems with both 85% and 99.5% ceramic. The cause is not fully
understood, but hydrogen embrittlement is suspected as the main cause. Cracks have been
observed after seven to eight temperature cycles.
Use an unfilled carbon in all applications except an oxidizing agent, halogen, cryogenic fluid, or if color
contamination is a potential problem. See another paper in this site for details about how carbon/graphite
seal faces are manufactured.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Seal metal selection
SUBJECT : Selecting the correct metal for the mechanical seal components 5-9
Selecting the best metal for the seal components is usually a simple task. If the pumps' wetted (they get
wet from the pumpage) parts are manufactured from a non-metallic material such as Teflon, Kynar,
Polyethylene, etc. we choose non-metallic seal components, but if the wetted parts are manufactured
from iron, steel, stainless steel or bronze, and they are not showing signs of corrosion, the seal
components (with the exception of the springs) can usually be manufactured from grade 316 Stainless
Steel.
The springs must be manufactured from Hastelloy C or a similar corrosion resistant material to avoid the
problems associated with "Chloride Stress Corrosion" and the 300 series of stainless steel
There are exceptions to all general rules, however, and it turns out that there are a number of places we
stainless steel or bronze are usually satisfactory. The following list describes some of those chemicals
and identifies the metal normally selected by the equipment manufacturer for chemical resistance. Keep
in mind that the chemical resistance of any material is affected by temperature, concentration, stress etc.,
so check with some one knowledgeable before you specify any material:
CHEMICAL METAL
Arocolor Bronze
Barium Casrbonate Bronze
Benzene Carbon steel or Beronze
Benzene, hot Bronze
Bromine gas Bronze
Calcium carbonate 303/304 stainless steel
Phenol (carbolic acid) 303/304 stainless steel
Butyl phthalaate Bronze
Dichlorodifluoromethane (F-12) 303/304 stainless steel
Diethyl ether 430 stainless
Ethanol Bronze
Ethanolamine 303/304 stainless steel
Fluorine gas, dry 430 stainless steel
Hydrogen chloride gas, wet Carbon steel
Magnesium sulfate 303/304 stainless steel
Monoethanolamine 303/304 stainless steel
Mixed acids Bronze
Nickel chloride 303/304 stainless steel
Nuclear primary water systems 304 stainless
Potassium bicarbonate 303/304 stainless steel
Potassium chlorate 303/304 stainless steel

Potassium hydrate 303/304 stainless steel
Potassium permanganate Bronze
Pyrogallic acid Bronze
Sodium benzoate Bronze
Sodium bichromate Bronze
Sodium bromide Bronze
Sodium chlorate Bronze
Sodium citrate Bronze
Sodium dichromate Bronze
Sodium ferricyanide Bronze
Sodium fluoride Bronze
Sulfuric acid Carbon steel, 430 stainless steel or Alloy 20
Titanium tetrachloride Carbon steel
Uricacid Bronze
If you have any doubt about the compatibility of 316 Stainless Steel with your pump you can check your
MATERIAL PERCENTAGE
Chrome 18-20
Nickel 8-12
Carbon .08
Iron 64-70
Silicone 1
Manganese 2
Sulphur .030
Phosphorous .045
The designation 316 stainless steel is not used in all countries, The following list shows the designations
used by some other nations for a similar product :
COUNTRY DESIGNATION

Germany 1.4571 or V4A
England EN58J
Sweden 2343
Hungary K035
Czechoslovakia 17246

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Corrosion, stainless steel
SUBJECT: Corrossion problems associated with stainless steel 4-1
The rotating equipment business uses a great deal of 300 series stainless steel, and as a result we often
experience corrosion that is described in a variety of technical terms that include:
● General corrosion
● Galvanic corrosion
● Pitting
● Inter granular corrosion
● Stress corrosion cracking
● Erosion- corrosion
● Fretting
● Concentrated cell or crevice corrosion
● Micro organisms
The last page of this report is a list titled "The Galvanic Series Of Metals and alloys". I will be referring
to this chart during our discussion.
The basic resistance of stainless steel occurs because of its ability to form a protective coating on the
metal surface. This coating is a "passive" film which is resistant to further "oxidation" or rusting. The
formation of this film is instantaneous in an oxidizing atmosphere such as air, water, or many other fluids
that contain oxygen. Once the layer has formed we say that the metal has become "passivated" and the
oxidation or "rusting" rate will slow down to less than 0.002" per year (0,05 mm. per year).
Unlike aluminum or silver this passive film is invisible in stainless steel. It is due to the combining of
oxygen with the chrome in the stainless to form chrome oxide which is more commonly called
"ceramic". This protective oxide or ceramic coating is common to most corrosion resistant materials.
Halogen salts, especially chlorides easily penetrate this passive film and will allow corrosive attack to
occur. The halogens are easy to recognize because they end in the letters "ine". Listed in order of their
activity they are: fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine and astatine. These are the same chemicals that will
penetrate Teflon and cause trouble with Teflon coated or encapsulated O-Rings and/ or similar coated
materials. Chlorides are one of the most common elements in nature and if that isn't bad enough they are
also soluble, active ions; the basis for good electrolytes, the best conditions for corrosion or chemical
attack.
GENERAL OR OVERALL CORROSION.
This type of corrosion occurs when there is an overall breakdown of the passive film formed on the
stainless steel. It is the easiest to recognize as the entire surface of the metal shows a uniform "sponge
like" appearance. The rate of attack is affected by the fluid concentration, temperature, fluid velocity and
stress in the metal parts subject to attack. As a general rule the rate of attack will double with an eighteen
degree Fahrenheit rise in temperature (10° C.) of either the product or the metal part.
If the rotating portion of the seal is rubbing against some stationary component, such as a protruding
gasket or fitting the protective oxide layer will be polished off and the heat generated will increase the
corrosion as noted above. This explains why corrosion is often limited to only one portion of the metal
case.
There are many good publications available to help you select the proper metal for any given mechanical
seal application. As a general rule, if the wetted parts of the equipment are manufactured from iron, steel,
stainless steel or bronze, and they are showing no signs of corrosion, grade 316 stainless is acceptable as
long as you do not use stainless steel springs. (see chloride stress corrosion)
GALVANIC CORROSION
If you put two dissimilar metals or alloys in a common electrolyte, and connect them with a voltmeter, it
will show an electric current flowing between the two. (This is how the battery in your automobile
works). When the current flows, material will be removed from one of the metals or alloys ( the
ANODIC one) and dissolve into the electrolyte. The other metal (the CATHODIC one) will be protected.
Now let's take a look at the Galvanic Series chart that is attached to this report. The further apart the
materials are located on this chart the more likely that the one on the ANODIC end will corrode if they
are both immersed in a common fluid considered to be an electrolyte. water, containing chlorides, is one
of the best.
Example #1.
A ship has lots of bronze fittings and a steel hull. Note that steel is located seven lines from the ANODIC
end, and bronze is listed at twenty seven rows from the same end. Sea water is a perfect electrolyte so the
bronze fittings would immediately attack the steel hull unless something could be done to either protect

the steel or give the bronze something else to attack. The classic way to solve this problem is to attach
sacrificial zinc pieces to the hull and let the bronze go after them. Again, looking at the chart, you will
note that zinc is found on line three from the top of the chart. In other words the zinc is further away
from the bronze than the iron is, so the galvanic action takes place between the zinc and the bronze,
rather than between the steel and the bronze. Zinc paint is used for the same reason in many applications.
Example #2
Nickel base tungsten carbide contains active nickel. When this face material is used in dual seal it is
common to circulate water or antifreeze containing water between the seals (as mentioned in the
beginning of this report, water can be an excellent electrolyte because of the addition of chlorine and
fluorine). You will note that active nickel is located twenty one rows from the top of the chart. Passivated
316 stainless steel is positioned nine rows from the bottom. This means that the stainless steel can attack
the nickel in the tungsten carbide causing it to corrode. Many of you have run into this problem already.
The rate at which corrosion takes place is determined by :
● The distance separating the metals on the galvanic series chart

● The temperature and concentration of the electrolyte. The higher the temperature, the faster it
happens. Any stray electrical currents in the electrolyte will increase the corrosion also.
● The relative size of the metal pieces. A large cross section piece will not be affected as much as a
smaller one.
● Many metal seal components are isolated from each other by the use of rubber O-Rings or similar
materials and designs. Shaft movement that causes fretting of the 316 stainless steel rubs off the
passivated layer and exposes the active stainless to the electrolyte until the metal part becomes
passivated once more. This is one of the reasons we see corrosion under O-rings, Teflon, and
similar materials. In the next paragraph I will be discussing another cause of corrosion under
rubber parts.
PITTING
This is an accelerated form of chemical attack in which the rate of corrosion is greater in some areas than
others. It occurs when the corrosive environment penetrates the passivated film in only a few areas as
opposed to the overall surface. As stated earlier the halogens will penetrate passivated stainless steel.
Referring to the galvanic chart you will note that passivated 316 stainless steel is located nine lines from
the bottom and active 316 stainless steel is located thirteen lines from the top. Pit type corrosion is
therefore simple galvanic corrosion, as the small active area is being attacked by the large passivated
area. This difference in relative areas accelerates the corrosion causing the pits to penetrate deeper. The
electrolyte fills the pits and prevents the oxygen from passivating the active metal so the problem gets
even worse. This type of corrosion is often called "concentrated cell corrosion". You will also see it
under rubber parts that tend to keep oxygen away from the active metal parts, retarding its ability to form
the passivated layer.
INTERGRANULAR CORROSION
All Austenitic stainless steels (the 300 series, the types that "work harden", is one of them) contain a
small amount of carbon in solution in the austenite. Carbon is precipitated out at the grain boundaries, of
the steel, in the temperature range of 1050° F. (565° C) to 1600° F. (870° C.). This is a normal
temperature range during the welding of stainless steel.
This carbon combines with the chrome in the stainless steel to form chromium carbide starving the
adjacent areas of the chrome they need for corrosion protection. In the presence of some strong
corrosives an electrochemical action is initiated between the chrome rich and chrome poor areas with the
areas being low in chrome becoming attacked. The grain boundaries are then dissolved and become non
existent. There are three ways to combat this:
● Anneal the stainless after it has been heated to this sensitive range. This means bringing it up to
the proper annealing temperature and then quickly cooling it down through the sensitive
temperature range to prevent the carbides from forming.
● When possible use low carbon content stainless if you intend to do any welding on it. A carbon
content of less than 0.3% will not precipitate into a continuous film of chrome carbide at the grain
boundaries. 316L is as good example of a low carbon stainless steel.
● Alloy the metal with a strong carbide former. The best is columbium, but sometimes titanium is
used. The carbon will now form columbium carbide rather than going after the chrome to form
chrome carbide. The material is now said to be "stabilized"
CHLORIDE STRESS CORROSION.
If the metal piece is under tensile stress, either because of operation or residual stress left during
manufacture, the pits mentioned in a previous paragraph will deepen even more. Since the piece is under
tensile stress cracking will occur in the stressed piece. Usually there will be more than one crack present
that causes the pattern to resemble a spider's web. Chloride stress cracking is a common problem in
industry and not often recognized by the people involved. In the seal business it is a serious problem if
you use stainless steel springs or stainless steel bellows material. This is the main reason that Hastelloy C
is recommended for spring material. Here are some additional thoughts about chloride stress cracking
that you will want to consider:
● Chlorides are the big problem when using the 300 series grades of stainless steel. The 300 series
is the one most commonly used in the process industry because of its good corrosion resistant
proprieties. Outside of water chloride is the most common chemical found in nature and
remember that the most common water treatment is the addition of chlorine.
● Beware of insulating or painting stainless steel pipe. Most insulation contains plenty of chlorides
and piping is frequently under tensile stress. The worst condition would be insulated steam traced,
stainless steel piping.
If it is necessary to insulate stainless steel pipe a special chloride free insulation can be purchased or the
pipe can be coated with a protective film prior to insulating.
● Stress cracking can be minimized by annealing the metal, after manufacture to remove residual
manufactured stresses.
● Never replace a carbon steel bolt with a stainless steel one unless you are sure there are no
chlorides present. Bolts can be under severe tensile stress.
● No one knows the threshold values for stress cracking to occur. We only know that you need
tensile stress, chlorides, temperature and the 300 series of stainless steel. We do not know how
much chloride, stress or temperature.
● Until I figured out what was happening I had trouble breaking stainless steel fishing hooks in the
warm water we have in Florida.
● Many cleaning solutions and solvents contain chlorinated hydrocarbons. Be careful using them on
or near stainless steel. Sodium hypochlorite, chlorethene. methylene chloride and trichlorethane
are just a few in common use. The most common cleaner used with dye checking material is
trichloroethane accounting for the reason we sometimes experience cracks after we weld stainless
steel and die check it to check the quality of the weld.
EROSION CORROSION
This is an accelerated attack resulting from the combination of mechanical and chemical wear. The liquid
velocities in some pumps prevents the protective oxide passive layer from forming on the metal surface.
The suspended solids also remove some of the passivated layer increasing the galvanic action. You see
this type of corrosion very frequently at the eye of the pump impeller.
FRETTING CORROSION
This type of corrosion is easily seen on the pump shaft or sleeve. You will see the damage beneath:
● The grease or lip seal that is supposed to protect the bearings.

● The packing used to seal the fluid.
● The dynamic Teflon or elastomer used in most original equipment seals.
● The vibration damper used in rotating metal bellows seals.
● Under the rubber boot used in low cost seals, if they did not attach them selves to the shaft
properly.
As mentioned earlier, 300 series stainless steel passivates its self by forming a protective chrome oxide
layer when ever it is exposed to free oxygen. This oxide layer is very hard and when it imbeds into a soft
elastomer it will cut and damage the shaft or sleeve rubbing against it. The mechanism works like this:
● Oxygen passivates the active stainless steel forming a protective ceramic layer.
● The seal or packing removes the oxide layer as the shaft or sleeve rubs against it.
● The ceramic sticks into the soft elastomer turning it into a "grinding surface".
● The oxide reforms when the active metal is exposed and the process starts all over again.
● A visible groove is cut into the shaft or sleeve that will cause seal leakage and "hang up".
CONCENTRATED CELL OR CREVICE CORROSION
This corrosion occurs any time liquid flow is kept away from the attacked surface. It is common between
nut and bolt surfaces, under O-rings and gaskets, and between the clamps and stainless steel shafts we
find in many split seal applications. Salt water applications are the most severe problem because of the
salt water low PH (8.0&endash;9.0). Here is the mechanism:
● Chlorides pit the passivated stainless steel surface.

● The low PH salt water attacks the active layer that is exposed
● Because of the lack of fluid flow over the attacked surface oxygen is not available to re passivate
● The inside of the O-ring groove experiences the same corrosion as the shaft or sleeve.

SELECTIVE LEACHING
The process fluid selectively removes elements from the piping or any other part that might be exposed
to the liquid flow. The mechanism is:
● Metals are removed from the liquid during a de-ionization or de-mineralizing process.
● The liquid tries to replace the missing elements as it flows through the system.
● The un-dissolved metals often coat them selves on the mechanical seal faces or the sliding
components and cause a premature seal failure.
● Heat accelerates the process.
MICRO ORGANISMS
These organisms are commonly used in sewage treatment, oil spills and other cleaning processes.
Although there are many different uses for these "bugs", one common one is for them to eat the carbon
you find in waste and other hydrocarbons, and convert it to carbon dioxide. The "bugs" fall into three
categories:
● Aerobic, the kind that need oxygen.

● Anaerobic, the kind that do not need oxygen.
● Facultative, the type that goes both ways.
If the protective oxide layer is removed from stainless steel because of rubbing or damage, the "bugs"
can penetrate through the damaged area and attack the carbon in the metal. Once in, the attack can
continue on in a manner similar to that which happens when rust starts to spread under the paint on an
automobile.
GALVANIC SERIES OF METALS AND ALLOYS
MAGNESIUM
MAGNESIUM ALLOYS
ZINC
ALUMINUM 5052, 3004, 3003, 1100, 6053
CADMIUM
ALUMINUM 2117, 2017, 2024
302, 303, 304, 321, 347, 410,416, STAINLESS STEEL (ACTIVE)
NI - RESIST
LEAD-TIN SOLDERS
LEAD
TIN
NICKEL (ACTIVE)
BRASSES
COPPER (CA102)
SILICONE BRONZE
NICKEL SILVER
430 STAINLESS STEEL
MONEL 400, K500
SILVER SOLDER
NICKEL (PASSIVE)
CARPENTER 20 CB-3 STAINLESS (PASSIVE), INCOLOY 825

NICKEL - MOLYBDEUM - CHROMIUM - IRON ALLOY (PASSIVE)
SILVER
GRAPHITE
ZIRCONIUM
GOLD
PLATINUM

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Troubleshooting index
● Troubleshooting pump failures

● A different method of troubleshooting pumps and seals 5-6
● A little bit more about centrifugal pump cavitation 9-10
● A.P.I, and C.P.I. specifications merger 12-5
● Analizing the rub marks in a centrifugal pump failure 5-05
● Centrifugal pump shaft displacement 9-2
● Maintenance practices that cause seal & bearing problems 6-8
● Operating practices that cause maintenance problems 6-7
● Positive displacement pump troubleshooting 12-4
● Pump bearings, why do they fail? 4-12 updated 12/4/97
● Pump selection practices that cause maintenance problems 6-9
● Shaft fretting. What causes the problem? 10-3
● The different types of cavitation 1-3 updated 11/20/97
● The centrifugal pump is not producing enough head 10-9
● The centrifugal pump is not producing enough capacity 10-10
● The centrifugal pump is drawing too much amperage. 10-11
● The centrifugal pump looses suction, the pump is cavitating 10-12
● The reasons for premature bearing failure 5-3
● Troubles with no apparent cause 4-5
● Troubleshooting common centrifugal pump problems 1-02
●
Troubleshooting mechanical seal failure

● Causes of overheating in cartridge seal designs 7-4
● Corrosion problems associated with stainless steel 4-1
● Design, operation, and maintenance problems associated with mechanical seals 8-11
● Troubleshooting mechanical seal failure, a quick refrence guide 4-11
● Troubleshooting mechanical seals, an overview of the subject. 3-1
● Troubleshooting mechanical seals at equipment disassembly 3-9
● Troubleshooting mechanical seals at the pump site 4-2 Revised 12/13/98
● Why do most mechanical seals fail? 2-2
● Why do not good seals wear out? 9-9
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/home-html/Troubleshooting.html [7/21/03 11:47:48 AM]

Troubleshooting
SUBJECT : A little bit more about troubleshooting centrifugal pumps and mechanical seals. 5-6
One of the U. S. based Japanese automobile manufacturers has a unique method of troubleshooting any
type of mechanical failure. The system is called the "Five Whys". It is a simple but powerful concept,
nothing has been solved until the question "why ?" has been asked at least five times and a sensible
answer has been given for each of the "why" questions. As an example:
open)
pressure.
● This was a packing conversion and a stock sleeve was used.
● They were both stored in the same bin.
6 Why were they stored in the same bin?
stop.
Now you get the idea! Needless to say you may have to go further than just five "whys". Let's try another
example:
● I don't know.
You have not finished five "whys" so you better go find out why the level in the tank go too low or the
problem is going to repeat its self. In the above example the float got stuck on a corroded rod, giving an
incorrect level indication.
One more example should do it:
● The elastomer got hard and cracked.
● It got too hot.

Troubleshooting

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Cavitation
SUBJECT: A little bit more about Cavitation 9-10

● The formation of bubbles in a low pressure area of the pump volute.
Just what then is this thing called cavitation? Actually it is all of the above. In another section of this
series I described the several types of cavitation, so in this paper I want to talk about another side of
cavitation and try to explain why the above happens.
bubbles, so cavitation is really about the formation of bubbles and their collapse. Bubbles form when
ever liquid boils. Be careful not to associate boiling with hot to the touch. Liquid oxygen will boil and no
one would ever call that hot.
ambient sea level pressure of 14.7 psia (one bar) water will boil at 212°F. (100°C) If you lower the
vapor pressure for any temperature of water. If you fall below this vapor pressure the water will boil. As
an example:
Fahrenheit Centigrade Vapor pressure lb/in2 A Vapor pressure (Bar) A

40 4.4 0.1217 0.00839
100 37.8 0.9492 0.06546
180 82.2 7.510 0.5179
212 100 14.696 1.0135
300 148.9 67.01 4.62
a pump to keep everything in absolute numbers to avoid the use of minus signs. So instead of calling
atmospheric pressure zero, we say one atmosphere is 14.7 psia at seal level and in the metric system the
term commonly used is one bar, or 100 kPa if you are more comfortable with those units.
The capacity of the pump is reduced
require priming.
The head is often reduced
● Bubbles unlike liquid are compressible. It is this compression that can change the head.
The bubbles form in a lower pressure area because they cannot form in a high pressure area.
● You should keep in mind that as the velocity of a fluid increase, the pressure of the fluid
A noise is heard
● Any time a fluid moves faster than the speed of sound, in the medium you are pumping, a sonic
3,273 miles per hour (5,267 kilometers per hour).
Cavitation
Pump parts show damage
● The bubble tries to collapse on its self. This is called imploding, the opposite of exploding. The
bubble is trying to collapse from all sides, but if the bubble is laying against a piece of metal such
as the impeller or volute it cannot collapse from that side, so the fluid comes in from the opposite
side at this high velocity proceeded by a shock wave that can cause all kinds of damage. There is
a very characteristic round shape to the liquid as it bangs against the metal creating the impression
that the metal was hit with a "ball peen hammer".
● This damage would normally occur at right angles to the metal, but experience shows that the
high velocity liquid seems to come at the metal from a variety of angles. This can be explained by
the fact that dirt particles get stuck on the surface of the bubble and are held there by the surface
tension of the fluid. Since the dirt particle has weakened the surface tension of the bubble it
becomes the weakest part and the section where the collapse will probably take place.
suction of the pump to reduce this capacity and lower the possibility of cavitation. They choose this
solution because they fear that throttling the discharge of a high temperature application will heat the
fluid in the pump and almost guarantee the cavitation. In this case air injection is the better choice of two
evils.

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Cavitation
SUBJECT : Cavitation 1-3
Cavitation means that cavities are forming in the liquid that we are pumping. When these cavities form at
the suction of the pump several things happen all at once.
● We experience a loss in capacity.

● We can no longer build the same head (pressure)
● The efficiency drops.
● The cavities or bubbles will collapse when they pass into the higher regions of pressure causing
noise, vibration, and damage to many of the components.
classification of cavitation. This is an error because we will learn that to correct each of these conditions
we must understand why they occur and how to fix them. Here they are in no particular order :
● Vaporization
● Air ingestion
● Flow turbulence
● The Vane Passing Syndrome
Vaporization .
A fluid vaporizes when its pressure gets too low, or its temperature too high. All centrifugal pumps have
a required head (pressure) at the suction side of the pump to prevent this vaporization. This head
requirement is supplied to us by the pump manufacturer and is calculated with the assumption that fresh
water at 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Centigrade) is the fluid being pumped.
Since there are losses in the piping leading from the source to the suction of the pump we must determine
the head after these losses are calculated. Another way to say this is that a Net Positive Suction Head is
Required (N.P.S.H.R.) to prevent the fluid from vaporizing.
We take the Net Positive Suction Head Available (N.P.S.H.A.) subtract the Vapor Pressure of the
product we are pumping, and this number must be equal to or greater than the Net Positive Suction Head
Required.
To cure vaporization problems you must either increase the suction head, lower the fluid temperature, or
decrease the N.P.S.H. Required. We shall look at each possibility:
Increase the suction head

● Raise the tank
● Put the pump in a pit
small in diameter.
❍ A suction strainer is clogged.
❍ Be sure the tank vent is open and not obstructed. Vents can freeze in cold weather
❍ Something is stuck in the pipe, It either grew there or was left during the last time the
❍ A bigger pump has been installed and the existing system has too much loss for the
increased capacity.
❍ A globe valve was used to replace a gate valve.
❍ The pump speed has increased.
● Install a booster pump

● Pressurize the tank
Lower the fluid temperature

● Insulate the piping from the sun's rays.
● Be careful of discharge recirculation lines, they can heat up the suction fluid.
Reduce the N.P.S.H. Required

Cavitation
● Use a double suction pump. This can reduce the N.P.S.H.R. by as much as 27% or in some cases
it will allow you to raise the pump speed by 41%
● Use a lower speed pump
● If possible install an Inducer. These inducers can cut N.P.S.H.R. by almost 50%.
● Use several smaller pumps. Three half capacity pumps can be cheaper than one large pump plus a
It is a general rule of thumb that hot water and gas free hydrocarbons can use up to 50% of normal cold
water N.P.S.H. requirements, or 10 feet (3 meters), whichever is smaller. I would suggest you use this as
a safety margin rather than design for it.
Air ingestion
A centrifugal pump can handle 0.5% air by volume. At 6% air the results can be disastrous. Air gets into
as system in several ways that include :
● Through the stuffing box. This occurs in any packed pump that lifts liquid, pumps from a
condenser, evaporator or any piece of equipment that runs in vacuum.
● Valves above the water line.
● Through leaking flanges
● Vortexing fluid.
● A bypass line has been installed too close to the suction.
● The suction inlet pipe is out of fluid. This can occur when the level gets too low or there is a false
reading on the gauge because the float is stuck on a corroded rod.
Both vaporization and air ingestion have an affect on the pump. The bubbles collapse as they pass from
the eye of the pump to the higher pressure side of the impeller. Air ingestion seldom causes damage to
the impeller or casing. The main effect of air ingestion is loss of capacity.
Although air ingestion and vaporization both occur they have separate solutions. Air ingestion is not as
severe as vaporization and seldom causes damage, but it does lower the capacity of the pump.
Internal Recirculation
This condition is visible on the leading edge of the impeller, and will usually be found at the discharge
tip working its way back to the suction. It can also be found at the suction eye of the pump.
As the name implies the fluid recirculates increasing its velocity until it vaporizes and then collapses in
the surrounding higher pressure. This has always been a problem with low NPSH pumps and the term
SPECIFIC SUCTION SPEED was coined to give you a guide in determining how close you have to
operate to the B.E.P. of a pump to prevent the problem.
The higher the number the smaller the window in which you have to operate. The numbers range
between 3,000 and 20,000. Water pumps should stay between 3,000 and 12,000. Here is the formula to
determine the suction specific speed number of your pump:
rpm = Pump speed

gpm = Gallons per minute or liters per second of the largest impeller at
its BEP
Head= Net positive suction head required at that rpm
● For a double suction pump the flow is divided by 2 since there are 2 impeller eyes
● Try to buy pumps lower than 8500.(5200 metric ) forget those over 12000 (8000 metric) except
for extreme circumstances.
● Mixed hydrocarbons and hot water at 9000 to 12000 (5500 to 7300 metric) or higher, can
probably operate satisfactorily.
● High specific speed indicates the impeller eye is larger than normal, and efficiency may be
compromised to obtain a low NPSH required.
● Higher values of specific speed may require special designs, and operate with some cavitation.
● Normally a pump operating 50% below its best efficiency point (B.E.P.) is less reliable.
With an open impeller pump you can usually correct the problem by adjusting the impeller clearance to
the manufacturers specifications. Closed impeller pumps present a bigger problem and the most practical
solution seems to be to contact the manufacturer for an evaluation of the impeller design and a possible
change in the design of the impeller or the wear ring clearances.
Turbulence
Cavitation
We would prefer to have liquid flowing through the piping at a constant velocity. Corrosion or
obstructions can change the velocity of the liquid and any time you change the velocity of a liquid you
change its pressure. Good piping layouts would include :
● Ten diameters of pipe between the pump suction and the first elbow.
● In multiple pump arrangements we would prefer to have the suction bells in separate bays so that
one pump suction will not interfere with another. If this is not practical a number of units can be
installed in a single large sump provided that :
● There must be a minimum spacing of at least two suction diameters between pump center lines.
● All pumps are running.
● The upstream conditions should have a minimum straight run of ten pipe diameters to provide
uniform flow to the suction bells.
● Each pump capacity must be less than 15,000 gpm..
● Back wall clearance distance to the centerline of the pump must be at least 0.75 of the suction
diameter.
● Bottom clearance should be approximately 0.30 (30%) of the suction diameter
● The minimum submergence should be as follows:
FLOW MINIMUM SUBMERGENCE

20,000 GPM 4 FEET
100,000 GPM 8 FEET
180,000 GPM 10 FEET
200,000 GPM 11 FEET
250,000 GPM 12 FEET
The metric numbers are :
FLOW MINIMUM SUBMERGENCE

4,500 M3/HR 1.2 METERS
22,500 M3/HR 2.5 METERS
40,000 M3/HR 3.0 METERS
45,000 M3/HR 3.4 METERS
55,000 M3/HR 3.7 METERS
The Vane Passing Syndrome
You will notice damage to the tip of the impeller caused by its passing too close to the pump cutwater.
The velocity of the liquid increases if the clearance is too small lowering the pressure and causing local
vaporization. The bubbles collapse just beyond the cutwater and there is where you should look for
volute damage. You will need a flashlight and mirror to see the damage unless it has penetrated to the
outside of the volute.
The damage is limited to the center of the impeller and does not extend into the shrouds. You can prevent
this problem if you keep a minimum impeller tip to cutwater clearance of 4 % of the impeller diameter in
the smaller impeller sizes (less than 14' or 355 mm.) and 6% in the larger impeller sizes (greater than 14"
or 355 mm.).
To prevent excessive shaft movement bulkhead rings can be installed in the suction eye. At the discharge
rings can be manufactured to extend from the walls to the impeller shrouds.

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Cavitation

API specifications
Subject : A.P.I. (American Petroleum Institute) and C.P.I. (Chemical Process Industry) merger 12-
06
Any prediction about the future of the pump and seal business would have to include the high probability
that the CPI will adopt the API seal standard. The adoption of this standard will be enthusiastically
supported by the CPI insurance companies and will dramatically increase the price of mechanical seals to
the consumer as well as bring seals into a commodity status which has been the goal of some of the
largest pump and seal manufacturers all along.
Recent pump/seal mergers, buy outs, and alliances hint that the adoption of these new standards will also
dramatically increase the profits of these highly competitive manufacturers.
The API (American Petroleum Institute) standard is the one universal standard being used by oil
refineries throughout the world. There is on going talk about combining this standard with the chemical
industry ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard for a single unified pump standard.
The problem with all standards of this type is that they have produced a failure rate in mechanical seals
that exceeds 85%. The only part of a mechanical seal that is sacrificial is the carbon face and in better
than 85% of the cases there is plenty of carbon face left when the seal begins to leak. The A.P.I.
specification addresses just about everything about mechanical seals. The subjects include:
● Seal design
● Materials
● Accessories
● Instrumentation
● Inspection, testing and preparation for shipment.
● Manufacturing.
In this section we will be looking at just a few of those parts of the A.P.I. standard 682 that when
combined with the C.P.I. standard, will be affecting your seal purchases in the near future. Most of this
information was taken from A.P.I. Standard 682, First Edition, dated October 1994. I recommend you get
hold of a copy of this and any future updates to learn the full particulars.
2.1.1
● All standard mechanical seals, regardless of type or arrangement, shall be of the cartridge design.
2.1.2
● The standard single arrangement pusher seal shall be an inside-mounted balanced cartridge seal.
2.1.5
● The standard, un-pressurized dual mechanical seal shall be an inside, balanced, cartridge mounted
mechanical seal (with two rotating flexible elements and two mating rings in series).
● Outer seals shall be designed to the same operating pressure as the inner seal, but do not have to
be balanced.
● Cooling for the inboard seal is achieved by a seal flush. Cooling for the outside seal is
accomplished by a circulating device moving a buffer fluid through an external seal flush system.
2.1.6
● The standard pressurized dual mechanical seal shall be an inside, balanced, cartridge mounted
mechanical seal (with two rotating flexible elements and two mating rings in series). The inner
seal shall have an internal (reverse) balance feature designed and constructed to withstand reverse
pressure differentials without opening.
2.1.7
● The standard configuration for API single pusher and all dual mechanical seals is for the flexible
elements to rotate. For seals having a seal face surface speed greater than 25 meters per second
(5000 feet per minute), the standard alternative of stationary flexible elements shall be provided.
2.2.6
● O-ring grooves shall be sized to accommodate perfluoroelastomer O-rings.
2.27
● For vacuum services, all seal components shall be designed with a positive means of retaining the
sealing components to prevent them from being dislodged.

API specifications
2.3.3.1
● Seal chambers shall conform to the minimum dimensions shown in Table 1 or Table 2. With these
dimensions the minimum radial clearance between the rotating member of the seal and the
stationary surfaces of the seal chamber and gland shall be 3 mm (1/8 inch).
2.3.5.1
● For horizontally split pumps, slotted glands shall be provided to make disassembly easier.
2.3.5.2
● Provisions shall be made for centering the seal gland and/or chamber with either an inside-or
outside diameter register fit. The register fit surface shall be concentric to the shaft and shall have
a total indicated run out of not more than 125 micrometers (0.005 inch). Shaft centering of
mechanical seal components or the use of seal gland bolts is not acceptable.
2.3.10
● Seal chamber pressure for single seals, and for the inner un-pressurized dual seal, shall be a
minimum of 3.5 bar (50 psi.) or 10 percent above the maximum fluid vapor pressure at seal
chamber fluid temperature. This margin shall be achieved by raising the seal chamber pressure
and/or lowering the seal chamber temperature. Lowering the temperature is always preferable.
Pumps which develop less than 3.5 bar (50 psi) differential pressure may not meet this
requirement and alternate requirements shall be agreed upon by the purchaser and the seal
manufacturer
2.3.18.1
● On vertical pumps the seal chamber or gland plates shall have a port no less than 3 mm, (1/8")
above the seal faces to allow the removal of trapped gas. The port must be orificed and valved.
2.3.20
● For single seals and when specified for dual seals, a non-sparking, floating-throttle bushing shall
be installed in the seal gland or chamber and positively retained against blowout to minimize
leakage if the seal fails.
2.4
● Shaft sleeves shall be supplied by the seal manufacturer.
2.4.1
● Unless otherwise specified a shaft sleeve of wear, corrosion, and erosion resistant material shall
be provided to protect the shaft. The sleeve shall be sealed at one end. The shaft sleeve assembly
shall extend beyond the outer face of the seal gland plate.
2.4.3
● Shaft sleeves shall have a shoulder or shoulders for positively locating the rotating element or
elements.
2.4.4.4
● Shaft to sleeve sealing devices shall be elastomeric O-rings or flexible graphite rings.
2.4.5
● Standard seal sizes shall be in even increments of ten millimeters. It is preferred that alternate
seals be sized in increments of 0.635 mm (0,25 inches) starting with 38.0 mm (1.5 inches).
2.4.6
● Sleeves shall have a minimum radial thickness of 2.5 mm (0.100 inches).
2.4.8
● Sleeves shall be relieved along their bore leaving a locating fit at or near each end.
2.4.9
API specifications
● Shaft to sleeve diametral clearance shall be 25 micrometers to 75 micrometers (0.001 inch to

0.003 inch
2.4.10.2
● Drive collar set screws shall be of sufficient hardness to securely embed in the shaft.
2.4.9
● Shaft to sleeve diametrical clearance shall be 25 micrometers to 75 micrometers (0.001 inch to

0.003 inches)
2.5.1
● Seal and mating rings shall be of one homogeneous material. Overlays and coatings shall not be
used as the sole source of wear resistant material. Materials such as silicone or tungsten carbide
may be enhanced by applying additional coating.
2.6.1
● The type A standard pusher seal shall incorporate multiple springs with O-rings as the secondary
sealing elements. When specified on the date sheet option, a single spring shall be furnished.
3.2.2
● One of the seal face rings shall be premium grade, blister resistant carbon graphite with suitable
binders and impregnates to reduce wear and provide chemical resistance. Several grades are
available; therefore, the manufacturer shall state the type of carbon offered for each service.
3.2.3
● The mating ring should be reaction bonded silicone carbide (RBSiC). When specified, self
sintered silicone carbide (SSSiC) shall be furnished.
3.2.4
● Abrasive service may require two hard materials. Unless otherwise specified for this service, the
seal ring shall be reaction bonded silicone carbide and tungsten carbide (WC) with nickel binder
3.6
● Unless otherwise specified, metal bellows for the type B seal shall be Hastelloy C. For the type C
seal, Inconel 718.
3.7.2
● Unless otherwise specified, gland plate to seal chamber seal shall be fluoroelastomer O-ring for
services below 150°C (300°F). For temperatures over 150°C (300°F) or when specified, graphite-
filled type 304 stainless steel spiral wound gaskets shall be used.
4.2.1
● If you are using dual mechanical seals, only mechanically forced seal flush and barrier/buffer
fluid systems shall be provided. Systems that rely upon a thermo-syphon to maintain circulation
during normal operation are not allowed.
4.2.3
● Seal systems that utilize internal circulating devices, such as a pumping ring, that rely upon the
rotation of the mechanical seal to maintain circulation shall be designed to thermo-syphon when
the seal is not running.
4.5.4.1.1
● If a dual seal buffer/barrier fluid reservoir is specified, a separate barrier/buffer fluid reservoir
shall be furnished for each mechanical seal
API specifications
Section 4.4.4 contains numerous references to dual seal system reservoirs.
4.5.5.1
● The purchaser will specify on the date sheets the characteristics of the buffer/barrier fluid.
Section 4.6 addresses the circulation of the buffer/barrier fluid.
There will be some benefits to the user when the API specification is adopted in to the CPI industry
● The decision to standardize on balanced seals is a wise one. It will reduce the seal inventory of
most consumers and prevent a lot of premature seal failures.
● Allowing slotted glands for horizontally split pumps is a good idea. It should also extend to end
suction centrifugal pumps.
● Requiring seal chamber vents on vertical pump installations makes sense.
● Banning coated or plated seal faces makes sense.
● Requiring the manufacturer to specify the carbon he is supplying is an excellent idea.
What is the problem with this API specification as a standard for the Chemical Process Industry? There
are a lot of things I do not like about it in its present form. If combining with the CPI means a complete
re-writing of the API specification that will be fine depending upon the final result.
● 2.1.1 Some seal designs do not lend themselves to a cartridge design. Split seals as an example.
You could mount a split seal on a split cartridge, but that would be "over kill" in most cases.
● 2.1.2 I do not like the definition of pusher seal in this standard. The term "pusher seal" is
emotionally charged and misleading. It is used to describe a reliable O-ring seal in the same
category as spring loaded Teflon® wedges, or chevrons, and non-elastomer "U" cup designs. The
implication is that the "non-pusher" metal bellows seal is a better choice. The fact is that O-ring
seals are usually a better choice because of their ability to flex and roll and the O-ring provides a
built in vibration damper that eliminates the need for letting a bellows metal face holder bounce
off the shaft or sleeve.
● 2.1.5 The dual seal specification recognizes only tandem or series mounted rotating seals. It
ignores concentric and "face to face" designs that make sense in some applications where space is
not available for tandem configurations. Over the years the API has failed to recognize that there
are four ways to install dual seals in a pump. They have played with the terminology over the
years but have never got it simplified. It should be:
● Face to face
● Tandem or series
● Back to back
● Concentric, or one inside of the other.
● 2.1.6 The specification calls for the inner seal of a dual seal to be either balanced or reverse
balanced depending upon whether high pressure barrier fluid or lower pressure buffer fluid is
circulated between the dual seals. It totally ignores two way balance of the inner seal that would
allow the consumer his choice between barrier or buffer fluid.
● 2.1.6 The specification call for the dual seals to be mounted in series (tandem), but almost all gas
dual seals supplied to refineries to date have been supplied in the "back to back" configuration
which is the worst possible installation method for slurry and abrasive service.
● 2.1.7 The specification approves rotating seals only and recommends stationary seals for speeds
above 5000 fpm (25 m/sec). The fact is that stationary seals are almost always a better choice for
leak free and the more severe fugitive emission sealing.
● 2.1.7 Stationary seals (the spring or springs do not rotate with the shaft) can be cartridge mounted
if you take precautions to insure that the rotating face stays square to the shaft when the cartridge
sleeve is set screwed or tightened to the shaft. It is not an easy problem to solve, but there are
several solutions to the problem. Please see "stationary cartridge seals".
● 2.2.6 The specification calls for O-ring grooves with a larger groove dimension than normally
used to accommodate perfluoroelastomer O-rings.
● 2.3.5.2 The specification assumes all pump manufacturers have provided a machined diameter
concentric to the pump shaft so that the seal gland can be machined to register on an inside or
outside diameter. The fact is that most pumps were manufactured for packing and do not have
these concentric machined surfaces available to the seal manufacturer. In the CPI industry, shaft
centering makes the most sense.
● 2.3.10 Maintaining a seal chamber 50 psi (3.5) bar above vapor pressure does not make any sense
in the majority of balanced seal applications.
● 2.4.1 The specification calls for a shaft sleeve and allows the manufacturer to reduce the diameter
of the solid shaft to accommodate the sleeve. This increasing of the pump shaft L3/D4 adversely
affects the pump and seal performance.
● 2.4.1 The specification calls for sealing the sleeve on one end, but fails to specify the impeller end
except in the case of O-ring seals. If the seal is on the outboard end, the space between the sleeve
and shaft can fill with solids and hamper the removal of the sleeve. This can be a major concern in
hot oil type applications where "coking" is always a problem.
● 2.4.9 A shaft to sleeve diametral clearance of 0.001 inch to 0.003 inch is not practical. You will
never be able to remove the sleeve once some solids get between the sleeve and shaft, and they
API specifications
will get there!

● 2.6.1 The standard seal is equipped with multiple springs, but the standard does not specify the
springs must be located outside the fluid. If located in the fluid they can easily clog with solids.
● 3.2.3 Reaction bonded silicone carbide is specified as the standard hard face even though it is
sensitive to caustic and other high pH chemicals frequently used to clean lines and systems. In
most cases alpha sintered would be a much better choice.
● 4.2.1 The term "flush" is misleading. Over the years the API has failed to recognize the
differences in bringing liquid to the pump stuffing box area and lumped them all under the
common term "Flush". There is better terminology:
❍ Discharge recirculation connects the discharge of the pump to the stuffing box to raise

❍ Suction recirculation connects the bottom of the stuffing box to the suction side of the
pump usually allowing clean fluid to circulate from behind the impeller into the stuffing
box.
❍ Barrier fluid describes a higher-pressure fluid that is circulated between dual seals.
❍ Buffer fluid describes a low-pressure fluid circulating between dual seals.
❍ Quenching fluid is introduced into the seal gland outboard the seal to wash away leakage
and control the environment outboard the seal.

❍ Jacketing fluid circulates around the outside the stuffing box to control stuffing box
temperature.
❍ Flushing fluid is fluid from an outside source introduced into the stuffing box that dilutes
the pumpage. It is seldom desirable, but sometimes necessary.

● The specification allows spring-loaded elastomers (O-rings) that do not have the ability to flex
and roll.
● The specification allows a single spring seal design even if it is sensitive to the direction of
rotation.
● The specification does not prohibit the use of mechanical seals that frett (damage) shafts and
sleeves.
● The specification should call for the seal's dynamic O-ring to move towards a clean surface to
prevent "hang up".

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pump troubleshooting
SUBJECT : Troubleshooting rub marks in a centrifugal pump 5-05
When a centrifugal pump is disassembled there are a couple of things visible to the trained trouble
shooter. He can see either corrosion or evidence of rubbing, damage or wear. When ever a rotating piece
of hardware hits a stationary piece it leaves a mark that is clearly visible and capable of being analyzed
for cause.
This type of rub mark should never be confused with the dull appearance we see on a piece of metal that
has been rotating in an abrasive slurry. In strong corrosive applications the rub mark may not be visible.
The contact will cause an increase in the metal temperature causing rapid chemical attack. This condition
is easy to identify because the corrosion is localized at the rubbing location.
Shaft fretting is another common rub mark that should not be confused with the rub marks we will be
discussing in the following paragraphs. Fretting is visible between the dynamic elastomer in the
mechanical seal and the sleeve or shaft that the elastomer is sealing against. You will also observe this
type of damage immediately under the grease or lip seals that we find being used to seal most bearing
applications.
There are five possible rubbing combinations that can be seen:
1. All around the rotary and one spot on the stationary.

2. All around the stationary and one spot on the rotary.
3. All around both the rotary and stationary.
4. One spot on both the rotary and stationary.
5. One spot on the rotating component.
You should look for the rub marks on those pieces that normally come in close contact. Common sense
will dictate that the further the hardware is located from the bearings, the more likely the contact will
occur. Here are some likely candidates for rubbing when the pump experiences shaft deflection, or any
other type of radial displacement. Look for contact between :
● The stationary and rotary parts of the wear rings that are installed in most closed impeller pump
designs.
● The shaft&endash;sleeve and the mechanical seal stationary face inside diameter.
● The shaft&endash;sleeve and the bottom of the pump stuffing box, or stuffing box restrictive
bushing.
● The shaft&endash;sleeve and the A.P.I. gland disaster bushing.
● The outside diameter of the mechanical seal rotating element and the inside diameter of the
stuffing box. You will need a mirror and flashlight to see the stuffing box inside diameter.
● The impeller and the volute casing or the pump back plate.
● The outside diameter of the rotating seal, and a protruding gasket or fitting.
In the following paragraphs I will list the observations, explain the causes and where practical list some
of the conditions that can initiate the problem with centrifugal pumps. If you would like to learn more
about how to trouble shoot the rubbing marks we normally find in ball bearings, please refer to another
paper in this series
Observation - All around the rotary, one spot on the stationary. The shaft is being deflected from its true
position or the hardware surrounding the rotating piece is being forced into the rotary unit.
● The pump is operating off of its B.E.P. The stationary mark will be visible at either 240° or 60°
from the discharge "cut-water" as measured in the direction of shaft rotation.
❍ Some one has throttled the pump discharge valve.
❍ The capacity has increased.
❍ The discharge lines have a solids build up on the I.D. or there is a restriction in the
discharge piping.
❍ The tank is being filled from the bottom. The head is increasing as the tank fills.
❍ The discharge by-pass line is not functioning.
❍ You have the wrong size pump.
❍ Two pumps are piped in parallel. The larger pump is shutting the discharge check valve of
the smaller pump.

❍ The pump speed has changed.
❍ The system has been altered. Piping and fittings have been added or removed.
❍ The pump was started with the discharge valve fully open or shut.
❍ The viscosity of the liquid has changed.
❍ The impeller has been trimmed.
❍ The discharge piping or a fitting on the discharge has been damaged.
❍ The motor is running at the wrong speed. This could be caused by a change in the specific
gravity of the pumped fluid.

❍ The suction head has changed & the discharge head changed to compensate.
❍ An in-line filter is clogged.
● The shaft is pulley driven. The off-set driver is causing the deflection.
❍They never were aligned.

❍ Thermal growth.
❍ Vibration has loosened the hold down bolts.
❍ The seal was changed and the pump was not realigned.
❍ A universal joint has been installed between the pump and the driver.
● Pipe strain
❍ Thermal growth - no expansion joints.
❍ During the installation process the piping was forced to the pump suction&emdash; instead
of piping from the suction to the pipe rack.

❍ A center line design pump was not specified for elevated temperatures.
● A protruding piece of stationary hardware is contacting the rotating part.

❍ A fitting is protruding into the stuffing box through the lantern ring connection.
❍ A gasket on the gland face is extruding into the stuffing box.
● A recirculation line aimed at the seal will give the appearance of rubbing marks if there is a lot of
abrasives in the re-circulating fluid.
● The mechanical seal gland has slipped and is now contacting the rotating shaft.
● A bad foot bearing on a mixer.
● The stationary seal face was not centered on the shaft and now the inside diameter of the seal face
is rubbing on the shaft. A severe cocking of the seal face can cause the same problem.
Observation - All around the stationary, one spot on the rotary.

❍ It never was straight.
❍ The shaft was damaged when it was dropped.
❍ The shaft was overheated and warped when the sleeve was removed.
● The rotary unit is out of balance. You must balance everything that rotates with the shaft such as
the impeller, sleeve, sleeve gasket, drive key, seal, bearings, coupling, motor etc.
❍ It never was balanced.
❍ Cavitation damage.
❍ Some of the product has attached it self to the rotating assembly.
❍ The impeller is the most logical place to look for un balance problems, especially in the
balancing holes.
❍ Erosion can remove metal from the rotating parts.
❍ Corrosion can do the same.
❍ Temperature distortion.
❍ A non concentric sleeve, seal, impeller, coupling, etc.
❍ The impeller was trimmed and not re&endash;balanced.
❍ A piece was damaged during the installation process.
● The rotary unit is dragging something around with it.

❍ A piece left over from the last seal change. No one notices that one of the springs has
fallen out and is resting in the bottom of the stuffing box, getting ready to be picked up by
the new seal.
❍ A piece of the seal has come loose. Look for set screws, springs, drive lugs and all of the
obvious seal parts.

● The pump is running at a critical speed, or it has passed through a critical speed.
● The seal or sleeve is not concentric with the shaft.
Observation - The mark is all around both units.
● Look for a combination of the first two discussed. This is a very common condition.
● Thermal expansion.
❍ The shaft usually expands faster than restriction bushings placed in the bottom of the
stuffing box.
❍ Hot oil applications use a thermal bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box to gain more
efficiency from the cooling jacket.

❍ Steam is often used as a quench with an A.P.I. gland. This gland has a close fitting disaster
bushing that can be overheated by the quench temperature.

❍ Bad bearings or a loose bearing fit.
❍ Cavitation - there are five types&emdash; see Volume 1 Number 3
❍ Harmonic, from nearby equipment.
❍ Seal "slip stick".
Observation - One spot on both the stationary and rotary units.
● This is caused by a momentary deflection of the rotary unit. Just about the only time it happens is
when some one drops the pump while it is being transported.
Observation &endash; One spot on the rotating unit.
● Someone has hit the piece with a hammer.


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Shaft displacement
SUBJECT: Shaft displacement cheat sheet 9-2
This paper is the first in a series of "Cheat Sheets" that will summarize the information you have been
learning through out this series. These sheets will not substitute for your learning of the subject. They are
intended to outline the subject in a logical way so that you will be able to make an effective presentation
on any of the subject material.
We know that seals fail for only two reasons:

● The lapped faces open.
Common sense dictates that the more the shaft deflects from the center of the stuffing box, the more
likely the lapped faces are to separate. Rotating seals (the spring loaded face rotates with the shaft) are
very sensitive to this type of shaft displacement or any other form of misalignment between the
stationary and rotating faces.
THE PUMP IS OPERATING OFF THE BEST EFFICIENCY POINT (BEP)
● The wrong size pump was selected because safety factors were added to the computations.
● A discharge valve is throttled to decrease the excessive capacity .
● An orifice has been installed in the discharge piping to limit flow.
● Two pumps are being operated in a parallel mode with different diameter impellers.
● Two pumps are being operated in series with different width impellers.
● The suction tank level is increasing or decreasing dramatically.
● The centrifugal pump is discharging into the bottom of the tank instead of the top. The head is
changing.
● The system pressure is being maintained by a head tank. The centrifugal pump is acting like an
accumulator because it stars when the head tank pressure falls and stops when the pressure tank
pressure is reached.
● You are using a variable speed motor, trying to maintain a flat system curve.
● The impeller diameter has been changed.
● The specific speed of the impeller is too high or too low for the application.
● The piping system has changed:
● There have been piping additions and deletions since the pump was originally sized.
● Extra pumps have been installed into the system.
● The piping inside diameter is reduced because of product build up.
● A globe valve has been substituted for a gate valve in the system.
● An oversized impeller was installed to satisfy a system requirement.
● The pipe was damaged when a truck ran over it.
THE PUMP IS CAVITATING
● Suction vaporization. The suction temperature is too high or the suction pressure is too low.
● Vane passing syndrome. There is not enough clearance between the tip of the impeller and the
pump cut water.
● The suction specific speed number is in excess of 8500 (5000 in the metric system)
● Air ingestion. The fluid is vortexing at the pump suction or air is entering the system through
packing, valves above the water line, flange gaskets, etc...
● Turbulence&emdash;there is an elbow too close to the suction.
● A discharge bypass line is recirculating to the pump suction.
THE PUMP IS VIBRATING
● Dynamic unbalance of the rotating assembly caused by erosion, corrosion, or damage.

● Harmonic vibration. The shaft is vibrating in harmony with something close by.
● Slip stick. The seal faces are slipping and sticking due to poor lubrication.
● Water hammer.
● The pump is hitting a critical speed.
● Bent shaft
● Bad bearings
● Poor lubrication.
● Contamination of the lubricant.
● Poor quality.
● Bad installation.
● Over lubrication.
● The bearing is being retained by a snap ring..
OTHER CAUSES OF SHAFT DISPLACEMENT
● Pipe strain caused by either mechanical or thermal expansion.

Shaft displacement
● Start up thrust.
● Water hammer
● High L3/D4 number
● Thermal growth, both axial and radial.
● Impeller adjustment.
● The pump pedestal is not five times the mass of the hardware sitting on it.
THE STUFFING BOX IS CAUSING THE MISALIGNMENT PROBLEM
● The face is not machined square to the shaft.

● The stuffing box is not concentric with the shaft.
● Some bolted on stuffing boxes can slip with vibration.

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Troubleshooting pumps
SUBJECT: Maintenance practices that cause high seal and bearing maintenance problems 6-8
not spend this year's budget, next year's will be reduced. Management views maintenance savings as
bottom line money and works at reducing maintenance man power and inventory costs. Here are some of
the maintenance practices that increase the pump failure rate:
Problems with pump maintenance that can cause excessive shaft movement and deflection. This shaft
displacement is a major cause of premature seal and bearing failure.
problems."
Needless to say the seal and bearings stand a good chance of being destroyed in the process, along
● Using the coupling to compensate for misalignment. A coupling is used to transmit torque and
compensate for axial growth of the shaft, nothing else! It cannot compensate for misalignment
between the pump and its' driver.
homogeneous, it must be re-balanced after any machining operation has taken place.
● Throttling the pump discharge to stop a cavitation problem. The more you pump the more
N.P.S.H. you need, so throttling does work, but you may be now operating off the pumps' B.E.P.
resulting in shaft deflection.
● Failure to machine the stuffing box square to the shaft will result in excessive seal movement.
● Turning down a shaft and repairing it with a polymer material will weaken the shaft making it
more sensitive to deflection forces. That practice was common with packed pumps, but should be
avoided when mechanical seals are being used.
● Substituting a globe valve for a gate valve will throw the pump off of its B.E.P. causing shaft
deflection.
same affect.
● Installation problems:
❍ The seal is installed at the wrong length. There are a lot of ways to do this from reading the
print wrong to the sleeve moving after the seal was attached to the sleeve.
attacked. Petroleum grease on Ethylene Propylene O-rings is a good example of this

❍ The seal was installed before the impeller setting was made or an impeller adjustment was
made without resetting the mechanical seal. In most cases this will cause the seal faces to
open prematurely.
❍ The sleeve was hardened to resist packing wear causing the seal set screws to slip and the
faces to open.
❍ The elastomer (rubber part) exceeded its' shelf life. This is a real problem with the Buna

❍ Installing a stationary seal on a cartridge will cause the rotating face to "cock" when the set

● An environmental control was lost while the seal was installed in the pump. Typical
environmental controls include:
❍ Clean flushing liquid to keep solids away from the moving seal parts.
❍ Barrier fluid is used to circulate between two mechanical seals. Sometimes the circulation
is done by simple convection, but pumping rings and forced circulation are common also.
Check to see if your convection tank has to be pressurized. This is a common problem with
many original equipment seals. Feel the convection lines to make sure the convection is
taking place in the right direction.
❍ A stuffing box vent should be connected from the area of the seal faces to the suction side
of the pump, or some other low pressure area to prevent air from being trapped at the seal
faces.
❍ A discharge recirculation line, and a bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box are often
used to pressurize the stuffing box to prevent the product from vaporizing at or between
● The seal was installed with unidentified materials, making troubleshooting almost impossible.
● Which carbon is being used? There are a hundred available and they are not all alike.
● Which elastomer? Do you know both the material and the grade?
● What material are the metal components manufactured from? Not all stainless steel grades are
alike, and stainless steel springs or metal bellows should never be used because of potential
problems with chloride stress corrosion.
● There are many hard seal faces in use. All ceramics, silicone carbides and tungsten carbides are
not alike.
● The outside springs were painted on a double seal when the pump area was refurbished.
● If the open impeller is adjusted backwards (this is a common problem if a facility has both
Duriron and Goulds pumps), it can create a vacuum in the stuffing box as the "pump out vanes"
are running too close to the back plate.
box is cooling down the shaft as well a the seal area. Shaft cooling is necessary to prevent heat
● If the oil level is too high or the bearings are over greased, the low specific heat of the lubrication
● During storage, or while in a standby condition, nearby equipment that is vibrating can induce
vibration into the static bearings causing "false brinneling" or hardening of the bearing balls and
races.
❍ leakage through the packing or mechanical seal.
❍ From moisture in the air as the moisture enters the bearing casing through "aspiration".
❍ From the quench gland on a mechanical seal.

❍ The shaft outside diameter was the wrong tolerance. Remember that the tolerance is given

races
❍ The oil was over heated and varnish particles are now in the race ways.
● The thrust bearing is being retained by a simple snap ring. During operation the shaft thrust is
usually toward the volute and this thin ring.

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SUBJECT: Operation practices that cause frequent seal and bearing maintenance problems 6-7
The fact of the matter is that there are three types of problems we encounter with centrifugal pumps and
poor operation is one of them. If you are curious, the other two are design problems and poor
maintenance practices.
premature seal and bearing failure. Design and maintenance practices will be discussed in other papers in
this series.
When pumps were supplied with jam packing, the soft packing stabilized the shaft to prevent too much
deflection. In an effort to save flushing water and to conserve power, many of these same pumps have
since been converted to a mechanical seal and the radial stabilization the packing provided has been lost.
The bad operating practices include:
life. Here are some of the common reasons why a pump is run dry:

● Sump fluids are often dirty, corrosive or both. The control rods for the float switch will often
"gum up" or corrode and give a false reading to the operator. He may think that there is an
adequate level, when in fact, the tank is empty.
Dead heading the pump can cause severe shaft deflection as the pump moves off of its best efficiency
point (B.E.P.). This translates to excessive heat that will affect both the seal and the bearings as well as
causing the seal faces to open, and the possibility of the impeller contacting the volute when the shaft
deflects.
discharged to the suction side of the pump the increased temperature can cause cavitation.
Operating off of the best efficiency point (B.E.P.). Changing the flow rate of the liquid causes shaft
deflection that can fail the mechanical seal and over-load the bearings.
● Starting the pump with the discharge valve closed to save power.
● The level in the suction tank is changing. Remember that the pump pumps the difference between
the discharge and suction heads. If the suction head varies, the pump moves to a different point on
its curve.
the tank fills. Some systems were designed for a low capacity positive displacement pump and
Centrifugal pumps must discharge to the top of the tank to prevent this problem.
readings.
operations understand their function and need because many times we find the controls installed, but not
functioning.
If the jacket clogs up, this differential will be lost and seal failure will shortly follow.
● Barrier fluid is circulated between two mechanical seals. There may or may not be a differential
temperature depending upon the flow rate. If a convection tank is installed, there should be a
temperature differential between the inlet and outlet lines. The line coming out of the top of the
seal to the side of the tank should be warmer than the line from the bottom of the tank to the
bottom of the seals, otherwise the system is running backwards and may fail completely. The
level in the tank is also critical. It should be above the tank inlet line or no convection will occur.
Some convection tanks are pressurized with a gas of some type. Many original equipment
(O.E.M.) seal designs will fail if this differential pressure is lost.
● Some seal glands (A.P.I. type) are equipped with a quench connection that looks like the seal is
leaking water or steam. If there is too much steam pressure on this quench connection, the
excessive leakage will get into the bearings causing premature failure. The steam is often used to
keep the product warm to prevent it from solidifying, crystallizing, getting too viscous, building a
film on the faces etc. Operating people frequently shut off the quench to stop the condensate from
leaking.
● Flushing fluids are used for a variety of purposes, but most of the time they are used to get rid of
amount of flush is determined by the seal design. As an example, those designs that have springs
in the product require more flush.
be coming out of the seal gland and not the stuffing box lantern ring connection.
There are some additional things that all operators should know to insure longer rotating equipment life.
As an example :
● You should know where the best efficiency point (B.E.P.) is on a particular pump, and how far it
is safe to operate off the B.E.P. with a mechanical seal installed.
● You should be aware that washing down the pump area with a water hose will cause premature
are the best example of the exception to this rule. The popular Durco pumps adjust to the back
plate causing a compression of the seal faces that can create mechanical seal "over heating"
problems.
clean a tank. Both the elastomer and some seal faces (reaction bonded silicone carbide is a good
sleeves that weaken the shaft and restrict pump operation to a narrow range at the B.E.P..
departments
● Shutting the pump discharge valve suddenly, will blow the seal open.
● All ceramics cold shock.
● If you use two hard faces or dual mechanical seals in slurry applications, you will not need
● If you use metal bellows seals for hot oil applications, you will not need the stuffing box cooling
jacket operating.
● It is O.K. to use an oversized impeller because throttling back will save power.

shooting.
● As you wander around the plant look out for painters that paint the springs of outside and double
time.
● If the pump is getting hot or making excessive noises, report it immediately. After the failure, it
● A great many motor and electrical problems are caused by these same wash down hoses.

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Troubleshooting positive displacement pumps
Subject: Troubleshooting the positive displacement rotary pump. 12-04
No liquid discharge.
● The pump is not primed. Prime it from the outlet side by keeping the outlet air vent open until
liquid comes out the vent.
● The rotating unit is turning in the wrong direction.
● Valves are closed or there is an obstruction in the inlet or outlet line. Check that the flange gaskets
have their center cut out.
● The end of the inlet pipe is not submerged. You can either increase the length of the inlet pipe into
the liquid level or raise the level in the tank.
● The foot valve is stuck.
● A strainer or filter is clogged.
● The net inlet pressure is too low.
● A bypass valve is open.
● There is an air leak some where in the inlet line. Air can come in through gaskets or valves above
the fluid line.
● The stuffing box is under negative pressure. Packing is allowing air to get into the system. You
should convert the packing to a mechanical seal
● The pump is worn. The critical clearances have increased.
● Something is broken. Check the shaft, coupling, internal parts, etc.
● There is no power to the pump.
The pump is putting out a low capacity.
● The pump's internal clearances have increased. It is time to change some parts.
● The net inlet pressure is too low; the pump is cavitating.
● A strainer or filter is partially clogged.
● The speed is too low. Check the voltage.
● The tank vent is partially frozen shut.
● A bypass line is partially open.
● A relief valve is stuck partially open.
● The inlet piping is damaged. Something ran over it
● A corrosion resistant liner has collapsed in the inlet piping.
● Air is leaking through the packing. You should go to a mechanical seal.
The pump looses its prime after it has been running for a while.
● The liquid supply is exhausted. Check the tank level; sometimes the float is stuck, giving an
incorrect level reading.
● The liquid velocity has increased dramatically.
● The liquid is vaporizing at the pump inlet.
● A bypass line is heating the incoming fluid.
● An air leak has developed in the suction piping.
The pump is using too much power
● The speed is too high.

● The liquid viscosity is higher than expected.
● The discharge pressure is higher than calculated
● The packing has been over tightened. You should convert to a mechanical seal.
● A rotating element is binding. Misalignment could be the problem or something is stuck in a close
clearance and binding the rotating element.
Excessive noise and vibration.
● Relief valve chatter.

● Foundation or anchor bolts have come loose.
● The pump and driver are misaligned.
● The piping is not supported properly.
● The liquid viscosity is too high. The pump is starving. Check the temperature of the incoming
liquid. Check to see if the supply tank heater has failed.
Excessive noise or a loss of capacity is frequently caused by cavitation. Here is how the NPSH required
was determined initially:
With the pump initially operating with a 0 psig. inlet pressure and constant differential pressure,
temperature, speed and viscosity; a valve in the inlet line is gradually closed until cavitation noise is
clearly audible, there is a sudden drop off in capacity or there is a 5% overall reduction in output flow.
Cavitation occurs with:
● A loss of suction pressure.

Troubleshooting positive displacement pumps
● An increase in fluid velocity.

● An increase in inlet temperature.
Here are some common causes of cavitation problems:

● A collapsed pipe liner.
suction.
packing.
● The inlet piping has been moved or altered in some way. Has a foot valve, strainer, elbow, or
some other type of hardware been installed in the suction piping?
● Has a layer of hard water calcium or some other type of solid formed on the inside of the suction
piping reducing its inside diameter over some period of time?
You are experiencing rapid pump wear.
● There are abrasives in the liquid you are pumping causing erosion problems. You may have to go
to a larger pump running at a slower speed.
● There is some corrosion in one or more of the pump elements.
● There is a lack of lubrication.
● You have a severe pipe strain problem. It could have been caused by thermal growth of the
hardware.
● Too much misalignment.
● The pump is running dry.
● When all else fails the best way to reduce NPSH required is to select a larger pump and run it at a
slower speed.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Bearing failure
SUBJECT : Why do pump bearings fail? 4-12
What do we mean by good bearing life? Most of us change the bearings every time we disassemble the
equipment to replace the mechanical seal or the packing sleeve. Is this really a sensible thing to do? If
you think about it for a minute there is nothing in a bearing to wear out, there are no sacrificial parts.
Bearing life is determined by the number of hours it will take for the metal to "fatigue" and that is a
function of the load on the bearing, the number of rotations, and the amount of lubrication that the
bearing receives. Pump companies predict bearing life measured in years. As an example, the Duriron
pump company anticipates a three hundred year life for the radial bearing on their 3 x 2 x 10 pump ( 75
mm. x 50 mm. x 250 mm.) when pumping a liquid with a specific gravity of "one" (fresh water).
To understand the term "fatigue" we will conduct an experiment:

because you are cycling the metal in its "elastic range" ( it has a memory similar to piece of
rubber).
straightened position. This time you stressed the metal in its' "plastic range" where it did not have
a memory.
twenty cycles. The metal fatigued more quickly because it "work hardened" and became brittle.
The more you stress the metal by flexing it the quicker it will work harden and break.
● You have just demonstrated that fatigue is a function of stress and cycles.
● When the bearing is pressed on a rotating shaft the load passes from the inner race( inside ring)
through the balls to the bearing outer race (the outside ring).
● Each ball carries a portion of the stress as the balls roll under the load. It is this stress that will
eventually fatigue the metal parts.
When a pump is operating at its best efficiency point (B.E.P.) the only load the bearing has to carry is:
● The weight of the rotating assembly.

● The stress caused by the interference fit on the shaft.
● Any bearing preload specified by the manufacturer.
The fact is that most bearings become overloaded because of:
● The wrong interference fit between the bearing and the shaft ( the shaft was out of tolerance).
● Misalignment between the pump and its' driver.
● Bent shafts.
● An unbalanced rotating element.
● Pushing the bearing too far up a tapered sleeve.
● Operating the pump off of its best efficiency point (B.E.P.).
● Shaft radial thermal expansion.
● A futile attempt to cool the bearings by cooling the bearing housing with a water hose or some
other similar system. Cooling the outside diameter of a bearing causes it to shrink, increasing the
interference and causing additional stress.
● Cavitation.
● Water hammer.
● Axial thrust.
● The bearing housing is sometimes out of round.
● Vibration of almost any form.
● The impeller is located too far away from the bearing. This is a common problem in many mixer/
agitator applications.
● A bad bearing was supplied. This is becoming more of a problem with the increase in counterfeit
parts we are finding in industry.
This overloading will cause heat to be generated, and heat is another common cause of premature bearing
failure.
Heat will cause the lubricant to:
● Decrease in viscosity, causing more heat as it loses its ability to support the load.
● Form a "varnish" residue and then "coke" at the elevated temperature. This "coking" will destroy
the ability of the grease or oil to lubricate the bearing. It will also introduce solid particles into the
lubricant.
In addition to the heat generated by overloading we get additional heat from:

Bearing failure
● The oil level is too high or too low. Too often pumps are aligned but not leveled.
● The bearing was over greased.
● The shaft material is conducting heat from the pumpage back to the bearing housing. This is a
common problem in heat transfer oil pumps, or any time a metal bellows seal is used in an
application and the stuffing box cooling jacket is shut off or inoperative.
● A loss of barrier fluid between double seals causing a temperature rise that conducts heat back to
the bearings.
● A failed cooling jacket in the bearing housing around the stuffing box or built into the seal gland.
● Grease or lip seal contact on the shaft, right next to the bearings.
● A failed cooling "quench" in an A.P.I. type seal gland.
A leading bearing manufacturer states that the life of bearing oil is directly related to heat. Non
contaminated oil cannot wear out and has a useful life of about thirty years at thirty degrees centigrade
(86 F.). They further state that the life of the bearing oil is cut in half for each ten degree centigrade rise
(18 F.) in temperature of the oil.
This means that oil temperature regulation is critical in any attempt to increase the useful life of anti
friction bearings.
Probably the major cause of premature bearing failure is the contamination of the bearing lubrication by
moisture and solids. As little as 0.002% water in the lubricant can reduce bearing life by 48%. Six
percent water can reduce bearing life by 83% percent.
There are several methods used by pump companies to keep this water and moisture out of the bearing
housing:
● A flinger ring to deflect packing or seal leakage away from the bearings. A silly arrangement at
best.
● Keeping the bearing oil hot to prevent the forming of condensation inside the bearing case. A
ridiculous system when you consider that bearing life is directly related to heat.
● The use of "so called" sealed bearings. You can call them any thing you want, but the seals will
not seal anything, especially moisture or water.
● Grease or lip seals that have a useful life of about two thousand hours (84 days at 24 hours per
day) and will cut the expensive shaft directly under the seal lip. Double lip seals will cut the shaft
in two places.
● Labyrinth seals that are superior to lip seals but not totally effective because you are still trying to
seal with non contacting surfaces that are useless Statically.
The moisture comes from multiple sources:
● Packing leakage flows back to the bearing area.

● Because of packing leakage a water hose is used to wash down the area. This washing splashes on
to the pump bearing case also.
● Aspiration, moist air enters through the lip or labyrinth seals when the bearing case cools down.
● A seal quench gland that often has steam, condensate or cooling water leaking out and directed at
the radial bearing.
The moisture causes several problems:
● Pitting and corrosion of the bearing races and rolling elements that will increase the fatigue of the
metal components.
● Free atomic hydrogen, in the water, appears to cause hydrogen embrittlement of the bearing metal
accelerating the fatigue.
● A water and oil emulsion does not provide a good lubricating film.
We get solids into the lubricant from several sources:
● Metal seal cage wear. This is the part the separates the balls that are held between the bearing
races. It is often manufactured from brass or a non metallic material.
● Abrasive particles leach out of the bearing housing casting.
● Often solid particles were already contaminating the grease or oil we are using for the lubricant.
● Solids were introduced into the system during the assembly process because of a lack of
cleanliness.
● Airborne particles penetrate the bearing seals.
● Particles worn off of the grease or lip seals penetrate into the bearings.
How to keep solids and moisture out of the bearing housing.
● Seal the inside of the bearing housing with epoxy or some other suitable material to stop rusting
and to prevent solids from leaching out of the metal case. If you do this be careful about using
some of the new high detergent lubricants. They might be powerful enough to remove this
protective coating.

Bearing failure
● Replace the grease or labyrinth seals with positive face seals. In the future, you are going to need
these seals to prevent hydrocarbon fugitive emissions.
● Install an expansion chamber outside of the bearing casing to accept the air (approximately 16 oz.
or 475 ml. in a typical process pump) that expands as the bearing casing increases in temperature.
Without this expansion chamber approximately one atmosphere of pressure will build up in the
bearing housing. This is not a problem for a mechanical seal, but during long periods of shut
down the pressure could be lost.
● Clean the oil in the bearing casing by installing a simple oil circulating and filtering system or
change the oil frequently.
When do you go from anti-friction ball and roller bearings to hydrodynamic (sleeve) bearings in a
centrifugal pump?
● Any time the DN number exceeds 300,000 (Bearing bore times rpm)
● If the standard bearings fail to meet an L10 life of 25.000 hours in continuous operation or 16,000
● If the product of the pump horsepower and speed in rpm is 2.7 million or greater.
The past several years have seen a decrease in the quality of the bearings available for rotating
equipment. We find prepacked bearing being shipped with too much, or no grease at all. Stabilization
temperatures have changed and overall quality has diminished. If you adopt the above suggestions you
should not have to be changing your bearings as frequently as you are now.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

SUBJECT : Pump selection practices that cause high seal and bearing maintenance problems. 6-9
Purchasing well designed hardware does not bring automatic trouble free performance with it. The very
best equipment will cause problems if it was not designed for your particular application. Here are a few
of the more common selection problems we find with centrifugal pumps:
● Buying the same size pump as the one that came out of the application. That's O.K. If the old
pump was the correct size, but the odds are that it was too big because of the safety factors that
were added at the time of purchase. This will cause the pump to run off of its best efficiency point
(B.E.P.) and you will spend a lot of production money for the additional power that is needed to
run against a throttled discharge valve or orifice installed in the discharge piping.
● Buying to a standard, or making a decision based on efficiency, and believing that these two some
used the shaft L3/D4 number is almost always too large. Efficiency is always gained at the
expense of maintenance. Efficiency means tight tolerances and smooth passages that will
eliminate reliable double volute designs and keep the maintenance department busy adjusting
tight tolerances to maintain the efficiency you paid for.
run at the same speed, or the larger pump will throttle the smaller one causing it to run off the best
efficiency point, deflecting the shaft. The capacity should be looked at if the higher capacity pump
might exceed the N.P.S.H. available.
same speed or the higher capacity pump will either cavitate because the smaller capacity pump
can not feed liquid at the proper capacity, or it will run throttled if it is feeding the smaller pump.
In either case the larger of the two pumps will be adversely affected.
● Purchasing a larger pump because it will be needed in the future. Will raise the operating cost to
unacceptable levels (Power = head x capacity) as the pump is run against a throttled discharge
valve. This inefficient use of power will translate to a higher heat environment for the seal along
with all of the problems associated with shaft deflection.
● Using a variable speed motor to compensate for a pump curve that is not flat enough. Many boiler
feed pumps require a flat curve so that the pump can put out varying capacities at a constant boiler
pressure (head). We see this same need if we are pumping a varying amount of liquid to a very
high constant height.
● Varying the speed of a pump is similar to changing the diameter of the impeller. If you look at a
typical pump curve you will observe that the best efficiency point (B.E.P.) comes down with
impeller size to form an angle with the base line (capacity line) of the graph. This means that if
you vary the speed of the impeller, the pump always runs off the B.E.P. except in the case where
the system curve intersects the pump curve, or in the case of an exponential system curve such as
we find in a typical hot or cold water circulating system.
● Double ended pumps installed in a vertical position to save floor space. Makes seal replacement a
nightmare unless you are using split or cartridge designs.
reliable guide because we seldom know where it is pumping on its' curve. Chart recorders
installed on both the suction and discharge side of the pump will give a more accurate reading of
the present head if they are left on long enough to record the differences in flow. The trouble with
this method is that it will also record a false head caused by a throttled valve, an orifice, or any
other restriction that might be present in the piping.
● Requesting too low a required N.P.S.H. will cause you to end up with a different kind of
cavitation problem. See another paper in this series for information about "Internal recirculation".
● Failure to request a "center line design" when pumping temperature exceeds 200°F (100°C) it will
● The use of "inline" pumps to save floor space. Many of these designs are "close coupled" with the
motor bearings carrying the radial and thrust loads. Because of typical L3/D4 numbers being very
pump should have been designed with a separate bearing case and a "C" or "D" frame adapter
installed to connect a motor to the bearing case.
● Thrust bearings being retained by a simple snap ring. Beyond 65% of its rated efficiency most
centrifugal pumps thrust towards the pump volute. The thin snap ring has to absorb all of this
axial thrust and most of them can not do it very well .
● The mechanical seal has been installed in a packing stuffing box that is too narrow to allow free
seal movement. If a mechanical seal was specified, the pump back plate should have been
manufactured with a large diameter seal chamber. In most cases the stuffing box recirculation line
should be installed from the bottom of this large seal chamber to the suction side of the pump or a
low pressure point in the system. There are some exceptions to this, however:
❍ If you are pumping at or close to vapor point.
● High temperature applications have several special needs:



❍ A cartridge seal design that allows open impeller adjustment after the pump has come up

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Fretting
SUBJECT: Shaft fretting 10-3
The next time you remove a grease or lip seal (the rubber seal located next to the bearing) you will note
that the shaft is grooved and damaged under the rubber lip. You will see this same damage in a few other
locations also:
● On the sleeve under the stuffing box packing, if you are still using packing in your pumps.
● On the sleeve under the Teflon® wedge, "U' cup, or "V" rings if you are using original equipment
type mechanical seals.
● Underneath the spring loaded o-ring found on many popular single and double mechanical seals.
● Underneath the rubber bellows of the type #1 seal if the rubber bellows did not vulcanize to the
shaft.
This shaft or sleeve damage is called fretting and it will cause you several problems:
● Sleeve replacement is costly.

● The pump bearings are often destroyed in the process of removing the damaged shaft sleeve.
● The shaft diameter was reduced to accommodate the wear sleeve. This reduction weakened the
shaft, raised the L3/D4 number, and increased shaft deflection problems.
● The seal can "hang up" in the fretted groove, opening the lapped seal faces.
● The fretted grove becomes an additional leak path for the fluid. This is a major cause of seal
failure
What causes this fretting problem? How can a soft piece of rubber or a slick wedge of Teflon cut a hard
shaft? It doesn't seem to make any sense.
Surprisingly it has nothing to do with dirt in the air or abrasives in the fluid. The problem will occur even
if you are pumping a filtered, clean lubricant in a sterile atmosphere.
To understand fretting you must first understand the term "corrosion resistant". Some materials resistant
corrosion others do not. What is the difference? We say that iron rusts, but aluminum oxidizes. A look at
any dictionary will verify that these terms mean the same thing. So why do we use different terms to
describe the same problem?
The answer lies in the way a metal rusts or oxidizes. If the oxide layer is protective we say that the
material is corrosion resistant. Take aluminum as an example:
● Aluminum protects its self by forming a layer of aluminum oxide on the surface when it is
exposed to oxygen. It is very visible and looks almost white in color.
● A more common name for aluminum oxide is ceramic,a dense, hard, corrosion resistant material.
After this dense layer is formed on the surface of the aluminum the oxidation or rusting rate is slowed
down to less than 0.002 inches (0,05 mm) per year, and this is the definition of corrosion resistant.
If this protective oxide layer is rubbed or polished off by the packing, lip seal or Teflon wedge the oxide
will immediately reform to protect the base material. It is this constant oxide removal and reforming that
causing the shaft grooving that is so visible. We get the same reaction when we polish silver. The
"tarnish" replaces its self to protect the silver.
Shaft vibration and end play causes a constant axial movement of the shaft through the mechanical seal
dynamic rubber or Teflon® part. Bearing grease seals and stuffing box packing are stationary, so the
rotating shaft is constantly being polished by these materials when the pump is running
There is a second problem associated with fretting. The ceramic oxide that is removed imbeds its self
into the rubber part causing a wear or grinding action on the base metal.
Stainless steel protects its self by forming a protective oxide called chrome oxide, one of the hardest
ceramics. When this oxide forms we say that the active stainless steel is now "passivated". It is this
chrome oxide imbedded into the packing, Teflon®, or rubber lip that does so much damage to the shaft
sleeve.
So now we have two causes of fretting:
● The removal of the passivated layer by the rubbing action of the rubber or Teflon®.
● The hard ceramic that we removed sticking into the rubber or Teflon causing a grinding action.
Now that we know the causes of fretting what is the solution?
● Replace bearing lip or grease seals with labyrinth or the newer positive face seals. Face seals are
the better choice.
● Stop putting packing into pumps. You don't need that kind of leakage any more.
● Do not use mechanical seals that are designed with a dynamic elastomer positioned on the pump
Fretting
shaft or sleeve. Most original equipment seals are designed this way. Stationary cartridge seals,
most balanced O-ring seals and all bellows seals eliminate the shaft dynamic elastomer and the
fretting associated with it.
® DuPont Dow elastomer

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SUBJECT: The pump is not producing enough head to satisfy the application 10-9
This is the first paper in a four part series about pump troubleshooting. Let me begin by pointing out that
there are a couple of things you must keep in mind when troubleshooting centrifugal pump problems:
sized. This means that throttling is a normal condition in most plants, causing the pump to run on
the left hand side of its curve.
THE PROBLEM COULD BE IN THE PUMP ITS SELF

❍ The impeller is running at too slow a speed
❍ You are running an induction motor. Their speed is different than synchronous motors. It's
always slower. The pump curve was created using a variable frequency motor that ran at a
constant speed. Put a tachometer on your motor to see its actual speed.
❍ A variable frequency motor is running at the wrong speed.
motor.
● There is something physically wrong with the motor. Check the bearings etc.
● Check the voltage of the electric motor. It may be too low.
● The impeller is damaged. The damage could be caused by excessive wear, erosion, corrosion or
some type of physical damage.
the ceramic that are passivating the impeller, causing localized corrosion.
● In an ANSI and similar design centrifugal pumps, the normal thrust towards the volute has bent
the snap ring designed for bearing retention. This can allow the rotating impeller to hit the
stationary volute.
● Here are some examples of shaft displacement:
❍ Operating the pump too far off the BEP.
❍ Pulley driven applications.
❍ Pipe strain.
❍ Misalignment between the pump and driver.
❍ The shaft could be bent.
❍ The rotating assembly was probably not dynamically balanced.
● The impeller is clogged. This is a major problem with closed impellers. With the exception of
finished product, most of what you will be pumping contains entrained solids. Remember also
that some products can solidify, or they can crystallize with a change in fluid temperature or
pressure.
● Impeller balance holes have been drilled between the eye and the wear rings of a closed impeller.
The reverse flow is interfering with the product entering the impeller eye. A discharge
recirculation line should have been used in place of the balance holes to reduce the axial thrust.
● The double volute casting is clogged with solids or solids have built up on the surface of the
casting.
● The open impeller to volute clearance is too large. 0.017" (0,5 mm) is typical. This excessive
clearance will cause internal recirculation problems. A bad installation, thermal growth, or normal
impeller wear could be the cause.
❍ A large impeller to cutwater clearance can cause a problem called discharge recirculation.
Wear is a common symptom of this condition.

● If the impeller is positioned too close to the cutwater you could have cavitation problems that will
● The impeller specific speed number is too high. Lower specific speed numbered impellers are
used to build higher heads.
● The impeller is running backwards

● The shaft is running backwards because of a wiring problem.
● The pump is running backwards because the discharge check valve is not holding and system
pressure is causing the reverse rotation. This is a common problem with pumps installed in a
parallel configuration. Check valves are notoriously unreliable.
● The impeller has been installed backwards. This can happen with closed impellers on double
ended pumps
● The second stage of a two stage pump is wired backwards. The pump reverses when the second
stage kicks in. You should have heard a loud noise when this happened.
❍ This is a common problem if the shaft L3/D4 number is greater than 60 (2 in the metric
system).
❍ You should replace the rings when the original clearance doubles. Needless to say this can
only be determined by inspection.

● If you are pumping a product at 200°F (100°C) or more you should use a centerline design volute
to prevent excessive wear ring wear as the volute grows from the base straight up, engaging the
wear rings.
● A wear ring is missing. It was probably left off during the installation process.
● A high suction tank level is reducing the differential pressure across the pump increasing its
capacity. The pump pumps the difference between the suction and discharge heads.
lose its prime.
● Air is coming directly into the pump. This happens with a negative pressure at the suction side.
Negative suction happens when the pump is lifting liquid, pumping from a condenser hot well etc.
❍ Air is coming into the stuffing box through the pump packing.
❍ Air is coming into the stuffing box through an unbalanced mechanical seal. As the carbon
face wears the spring load holding the faces together diminishes.
❍ If you are using mechanical seals in vacuum service, they should be of the O-ring design.
Unlike other designs, O-rings are the only shape that seals both pressure and vacuum.
❍ The pump was not primed prior to start up. With the exception of the self priming version,

❍ Air can enter the stuffing box if the gasket between the two halves of a double ended pump
is defective or does not extend to the stuffing box face. Any small gaps between the face of
the stuffing box and the split at the side of the stuffing box will allow either air in, or
product out.
❍ Air is coming into the suction side of the pump through a pin hole in the casing.
❍ Air is entering the stuffing box between the sleeve and the shaft. This happens if you
convert a double ended pump from packing to a mechanical seal and fail to install a gasket
or o-ring between the impeller hub and the sleeve.
● The open impeller was adjusted backwards and now the close fitting "pump out vanes" are
creating a vacuum in the stuffing box.
● You need a volute casing instead of a concentric casing. Volute casings are much better for
producing head.
● The pump was not selected to meet the system curve requirements because no system curve was
given to the pump supplier.
● At replacement time the same size pump was purchased because no one had calculated losses in
the system.
● The pump was sized from a piping diagram that was thirty five years old. There have been
numerous piping changes and additions since the original layout. In many instances additional
pumps have been installed and this pump is running in parallel with them, but nobody knows it.
THE PROBLEM IS ON THE SUCTION SIDE OF THE PUMP. THE PUMP COULD BE
CAVITATING.

❍ Air is being pumped into the suction piping to reduce cavitation problems
❍ Fluid returning to the sump is being aerated by too far a free fall. The return line should
terminate below the liquid level.

❍ The fluid is vortexing at the pump inlet because the sump level is too low and the pump
capacity is too high.

❍ Air is coming into the system through valves above the water line or gaskets in the piping
flanges.
❍ The liquid source is being pumped dry. If this is a problem in your application you might
want to consider a self priming pump in the future.

❍ There is too much piping between the pump suction and the source tank. You may need a
booster pump or an inducer. The higher the pump speed the bigger the problem.
❍ There is an elbow too close to the pump suction. There should be at least ten diameters of

pipe between the elbow and the pump suction. Suction piping should never run parallel
with the pump shaft in a double ended pump installation. This can cause unnecessary shaft
thrusting.
❍ A piece of pipe of reduced diameter has been installed in the suction piping.
❍ Piping was added on the inlet side of the pump to by-pass a piece of equipment that was
installed on the floor.

❍ A piping to pump reducer has been installed upside down causing an air pocket.
Concentric reducers can cause the same problem..

❍ Multiple pump inlets are too close together.
● The pump inlet is too close to the tank floor.

● A gasket with too small an inside diameter has been installed in the suction piping restricting the
liquid flow.
● A gasket in the suction piping is not centered and is protruding into the product stream.
● A globe valve has been substituted for a gate valve in the suction piping. The loss of head in a
globe valve is many times that of a gate valve.
pump.
● The piping inlet is clogged.
● A filter or strainer is clogged or covered with something.
● Intermittent plugging of the suction inlet.
❍ Loose rags can do this.
❍ If the suction is from a pond, river, or the sea, grass can be pulled into the suction inlet.
● A foot valve is stuck.

● The foot valve is too small.
● A small clam or marine animal cleared the suction screen, but has now grown large on the pump
side of the screen.

❍ A foreign object is stuck in the piping It was left there when the piping was repaired.
❍ The suction is being throttled to prevent the heating of the process fluid. This is a common
operating procedure with fuel pumps where discharge throttling could cause a fire or
explosion.



❍ The tank float is stuck, showing a higher tank level that does not exist.
❍ There is not enough NPSH available for the fluid you are pumping. Maybe you can use an
inducer or booster pump to increase the suction pressure.

PROBLEMS ON THE DISCHARGE SIDE OF THE PUMP INCLUDING THE PIPING
● The pump discharge is connected to the bottom of the tank. The head is low until the level in the
tank increases.
● Units in the discharge piping should not normally be shut off, they should be by-passed to prevent
too much of a change in the pump's capacity.
● If too many units are being by-passed in the discharge system the head will decrease as the
capacity increases. This can happen if an extra storage tank farm is being by-passed because the
storage capacity is no longer needed.
● A bypass line has been installed in the pump discharge increasing the capacity and lowering the
head.
● Piping or fittings have been removed from the discharge side of the pump reducing piping
resistance.
● Connections have been installed in the discharge piping that have increased the demand that
increases capacity.
● The pump is acting as an accumulator, coming on when the tank level drops. The head will be low
until the accumulator is recharged.
discharge piping is entering into the top of a tank and discharging at a lower level The pump must
build enough head initially to take advantage of the siphoning action.
● A discharge valve (manual or automatic) is opened too much.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Pump troubleshooting
SUBJECT: The pump is not producing enough capacity to satisfy the application 10-10
This is the second paper in a four part series about pump troubleshooting. Let me begin by pointing out
that there are a couple of things you must keep in mind when troubleshooting centrifugal pump
problems:
THE PROBLEM IS IN THE PUMP ITS SELF:
● The impeller diameter is too small

● The impeller width is too narrow
● The impeller speed is too slow. Check the voltage and frequency
● The impeller is damaged.
● The impeller is clogged.
● The open impeller clearance is too large.
● The impeller to cutwater clearance is too large.
● The impeller specific speed number is too low.
● The impeller has been installed backwards
● The shaft is running backwards.
● A wear ring is missing.
● The second stage of a two stage pump is wired backwards.
● A bubble is trapped in the eye of the impeller.
● A low suction tank level is increasing the differential pressure across the pump decreasing its
capacity.
● Air is coming into the pump suction through the packing.
● Air is coming into the pump suction through an unbalanced mechanical seal.
● The pump was not primed prior to star up.
● You may need a concentric casing rather than the volute design.
● You are using a variable speed motor trying to produce a flat curve. Remember that both the head
and capacity change with speed.
● The pump is the wrong size. Someone gave the pump distributor a wrong system curve
THE PROBLEM IS ON THE SUCTION SIDE OF THE PUMP
● There is too much piping between the pump suction and the source tank.
● There is an elbow too close to the pump suction.
● A filter or strainer is clogged.
● Intermittent plugging of the suction inlet. Loose rags can do this.
● A foot valve is stuck
● The tank float is stuck. Showing a higher tank level that does not exist.
● The tank vent is partially shut or frozen.
● A globe valve has been substituted for a gate valve.
● Solids have built up on the piping walls.
● A liner has broken away from the piping wall and has collapsed in the piping.
● The piping was collapsed by a heavy object that hit the outside of the piping.
● A foreign object is stuck in the piping It was left there when the piping was repaired.
● A small clam cleared the suction screen, but has now grown large on the pump side of the screen.
● The sun is heating the inlet piping. It should be insulated to prevent this problem.
● Piping was added on the inlet side of the pump to compensate for a piece of equipment that was
installed in the shop.
● A reducer has been installed upside down.
● A discharge recirculation line is heating the incoming fluid.
● The pump capacity is too high for the tank volume.
● Multiple pump inlets are too close together.
● There is not enough NPSH available for the fluid you are pumping. Maybe you can use an inducer
to increase the suction pressure.
● Air is coming into the system through valves above the water line or gaskets in the piping.
● Air is being pumped into the suction piping to reduce cavitation problems

● Fluid returning to the sump is being aerated by too far a free fall.
● The fluid is vortexing at the pump inlet because the sump level is too low.
● The tank is being heated to deaerate the fluid, but it is heating the fluid up too much.
pump.
● The operating temperature of the pumped fluid has increased.
● The suction is being throttled to prevent the heating of the process fluid.
PROBLEMS ON THE DISCHARGE SIDE OF THE PUMP INCLUDING THE PIPING
● Extra piping has been added to the system to accommodate extra storage capacity.
● A bypass line has been installed in the pump discharge.
● Piping or fittings have been added to the discharge side of the pump.
● An orifice has been installed in the discharge piping to reduce the capacity or produce a false
head.
● A gate valve has been substituted for a globe valve in the discharge piping.
● A check valve is stuck partially closed.
● An orifice has been installed into the piping to restrict flow.
● The piping was collapsed by a heavy object that hit the outside of the piping.
● The discharge valve is throttled too much.
● There is a restriction in the discharge piping.
● Extra pumps have been installed into the existing piping They are connected in parallel, but are
not producing the same head.
● Two pumps are in parallel. The larger one is shutting the check valve of the smaller pump.
second pump. They should be running at the same speed with the same width impeller
● The pump discharge is connected to the bottom of the tank. The head is increasing and the
capacity is decreasing as the tank fills.
● The pump is acting as an accumulator&emdash;coming on when the tank level drops. The head is
too high when the tank fills.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

SUBJECT: The centrifugal pump is drawing too much amperage. 10-11
This is the third paper in a four part series about pump troubleshooting. As mentioned in paper number
ten, volume number ten, there are a couple of things you must keep in mind when troubleshooting
centrifugal pump problems:
selected. This means that throttling is a normal condition in most plants, causing the pump to run
on the left hand side of its curve.
The increased amperage can be caused by a pump that is too large for the application.

point most of the time.
● The capacity requirement has been lowered and the pump is being throttled rather than cut back
sized.
water.
● The specific gravity of the fluid has increased for some reason.
The increased amperage is caused by two part rubbing together as a result of shaft displacement. Here are
some common causes of shaft displacement:
● Pipe strain
● A bent shaft.
● Cavitation.
● Water hammer.
● Operating off the BEP.
● Thermal growth.
● Pulley driven pumps.
● Different types of vibration including harmonic, slipstick, induced, etc...
There are many parts that can come into contact when the shaft displaces.
● The end of the stuffing box can be hit by the shaft or sleeve. There is often a close fitting bushing
installed in this location.
● The rotating shaft and the stationary seal face.
● The shaft and the API gland disaster bushing.
● Check the shaft and housing tolerances along with the installation method.
● Cooling a bearing outside diameter causes it to shrink and over compress.
● The wrong lubrication level. There is too much lubricant in the bearing


● If there is an elbow too close to the suction of a double ended pump, and the piping is running
● Converting packing to a mechanical seal can increase the axial loading on the bearing

● An unbalanced mechanical seal is being used in a high pressure application. There is too much
face load
volute, or back plate, depending upon the pump design.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

SUBJECT: The pump works for a while and then looses suction 10-12
This is the fourth paper in a four part series about pump troubleshooting. As mentioned in paper number
eleven, volume number ten, there are a couple of things you must keep in mind when troubleshooting
centrifugal pump problems:
Cavitation is a main cause of loosing pump suction, but remember that there are several different types of
cavitation:
● Vaporization of the liquid within the pump caused by a loss of suction head or an increase in
suction temperature.
● The "vane passing syndrome" caused by too small an impeller to cutwater clearance.
● Too high a suction specific speed number will cause internal recirculation problems resulting in
cavitation. The suction specific speed number is obtained from a formula that can be found in
paper 9-12 of this series.
● Air ingestion on the suction side of the pump allows air and bubbles into the suction of the pump.
● Turbulence of the fluid that releases entrained gases into the suction piping.
Each of these cavitations has been addressed in other papers in this Technical Series. In this paper we
will be looking at only the intermittent loss of suction fluid. You will be looking at several possibilities:
● A recurring restriction in the suction piping that may or may not be causing a cavitation problem
within the pump.
● Intermittent cavitation problems as opposed to a design or operation problem that causes a
constant cavitation condition.
● A repetitive need for an increase in the pump's capacity.
Now we will take a look at each of these possibilities in detail:
A re-occurring restriction in the suction piping that may or may not be causing a cavitation problem
within the pump.

● A collapsed pipe liner will restrict the piping at higher velocities.
● The suction is being throttled to prevent heating of the process fluid. This can happen with some
volatile fuel applications.
● Air is being introduced into the suction side of the pump to reduce the capacity. This is sometimes
done with low specific gravity fluids to avoid throttling the discharge that might overheat and
flash the product.
Intermittent incidents that cause cavitation problems

● The level in the suction tank increases, decreasing the differential head across the pump. This will
increase the pump capacity until the level in the tank drops.
suction.
operating temperature, or if a cleaner or solvent is being flushed through the lines.

● A booster pump is malfunctioning or leaking excessively.
packing.
A repetitive need for an increase in the pumps capacity.
● A bypass line, or relief valve opens, decreasing the discharge resistance, increasing the capacity.
● A break or leak in the line down stream of the pump will increase the capacity of the pump as the
head drops.
● The pump is supplying many sources and too many valves are open at one time.
● The pump discharge is being directed to several different tank farm locations. The changing
piping resistance is changing the pump's head and capacity.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Specific speed
SUBJECT: The difference between specific speed and suction specific speed 9-12
The best way to describe the shape of an impeller is to use its specific speed number. This is a
dimensionless number that was generated by the formula :
Ns = Specific speed
N = Pump shaft speed
Q = Capacity in GPM.
H = Total head in feet
● Pumps for high head low capacity occupy the range 500 to 1000. While low head high capacity
● For a given head and capacity the good news is that the pump having the highest specific speed,
that will meet the requirements, probably will be the smallest size and the least expensive. The
bad news it that it will run at the highest speed where abrasive wear and cavitation damage
become a problem.
flashing of the product and a type of cavitation known as " The vane passing syndrome".
percent of the impeller diameter. If you are using greater than fourteen inch diameter impellers the
If you work in both metric and imperial units as I do, the subject of specific speed becomes very
In the metric system the capacity is calculated in liters/ minute and the head in meters. Knowledgeable
people in this area feel that if the calculations are done in imperial or other metric units the final number
should be reduced by the following amount:
U.S. Gallons/ minute and feet divide the result by 1.63
U.K. Imperial gallons and feet divide the result by 1.93
M3/hour and meters divide the result by 1.50

Specific speed
SUCTION SPECIFIC SPEED is another number that we use in pump selection. The formula looks the
same as the regular specific speed formula, but in this formula we use the NPSH required number rather
than the total head produced by the pump.
Ns = Specific speed
N = Pump shaft speed
Q = Capacity in GPM.
NPSH = Net positive suction head required to prevent cavitation. Remember that this number is for sixty
eight degree F. (20°C) fresh water. You are going to have to add the vapor pressure of you product to this
number to get the real number that you will be using.
We use this number to predict cavitation problems with your impeller selection.
four . Fewer and thinner vanes help to reduce the blockage in the impeller inlet. A disadvantage to
capacity.
● Water applications can run at these higher numbers because the amount of fluid expansion is very
low for hot water. Mixed hydro-carbons have this same advantage because unlike a single
product, the flashing of the mixed hydro-carbons does not take place all at the same time.
● Inducers have been used successfully with suction specific speed numbers of approximately 24,
000
● In their desire to quote a low NPSH required some manufacturers will cut away the impeller inlet
vanes to reduce fluid drag and thereby lower the NPSH required. If this has been done with your
application, you must insure that the impeller to volute clearance is adjusted correctly with open
impeller designs and the wear ring clearance meets the manufacturers specifications with closed
impeller designs, or you will experience internal recirculation problems and cavitation at the
impeller outlet vane tips. Keep the suction specific speed number below 8500 and this problem
should never comes up.
A pump's suction specific speed (SSS) number is a constant. You can re-arrange the formula to calculate
a new NPSHR:
In the metric system we calculate the capacity in liters/sec and the NPSH in meters. You should try to
keep the final SSS number below 5200. Above 7800 you are going to have trouble with internal
recirculation and cavitation.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Bearing troubleshooting
SUBJECT: Troubleshooting premature bearing failure 5-3
As discussed in a another technical paper on this web site, bearings have no wearable surfaces, they are
instead designed to fatigue after many hours of service.
In a properly operating bearing the race ways and rolling elements will become dull in appearance. This
the visible paths that I will be referring to in the following paragraphs, so their appearance and location is
interference fit and rotating with the shaft . The outer race remains stationary or in a fixed position.
the raceways and rotating elements in this type of an installation:
The radial load is rotating with the shaft, This is caused by an unbalanced rotating assembly or a bent
shaft.
● The inner ring appearance. The load acts all of the time at the same place in the race way. Here
the path pattern is at its widest, tapering off at the ends. If the load is only radial, the pattern will
be in the center of the race way and will extend around slightly less the half the race way
circumference.
● The outer ring appearance. The path will extend around the entire race way. It will be uniform in
width and if the load is only radial, it will be in the center of the race way.
The radial load is unidirectional. This is what we would expect to find with a properly operating piece of
equipment. If the equipment is operating off of its best efficiency point, is misaligned, or if there is
excessive pipe strain the pattern will be the same, only more pronounced.
● The inner ring appearance. The path will be in the center of the race way, uniform in width and
visible around the entire circumference of the race way.
half of the raceway. It will be located in the center of the race way, if the load is only radial.
The radial load is multidirectional . Cavitation, too tight an interference fit, preloading, or cooling a
bearing outside diameter are all common causes of this problem.
● The inner ring appearance. All around the race way, widest where the load was the greatest.
● The outer ring appearance. All around the race way, widest where the load was the greatest.
The axial load is unidirectional. This is the normal condition of all end suction centrifugal pumps.
appearance.
● The outer ring appearance. The ball path will be oval, extending from one side of the race way to
visible to the trained trouble shooter.
expansion, seizing etc.… The particles come from:

❍ Varnish and "coke" that forms where the lubricant overheated.

❍ Lack of cleanliness during the installation process. The bearings are being installd next to
the area where the mechanic is grinding a new edge on his lawnmower blade.
❍ Silica leaching out of the casting
prevent rust.
❍ Airborne - through the bearing seals or housing vent.
● You will see" mirror like" surfaces on the metal parts that look like the piece was "lapped".
❍ Brown 700° F. 370° C.
❍ Blue 800° F. 425° C.
❍ Black 900° F. 480° C.
❍ Many pre-lubricated bearings actually have no lubricant at all installed. Check yours to be
sure. Bearing quality is a serious maintenance problem.

● If the bearing case has no expansion chamber installed, a build up of internal pressure, as the
bearing case comes up to temperature, can blow out of the seals. At shut down, moisture laden air
● Be sure the pump has been leveled to insure the correct lubrication height.
Look for smearing of the metal . When two non lubricated surfaces slide against each other, under load,
the material transfers from one surface to the other.
● The metal melts and then re-hardens, causing localized stress that can produce cracks in the
metal..
"slip fit". This slipping can also cause "fretting corrosion" as the protective oxide film is worn
away from the metal surface.
damage. Roller bearings are more susceptible to this type of damage because the balls, in a ball bearing,
big problem during storage.
❍ An induction heater was used during assembly, causing "false Duriron".
❍ The bearing was installed by pressing on the wrong race.
● The pump was used as a ground for a welding rig.
Look for flaking or spalling of the metal race way. Since there is nothing in a bearing to wear out, flaking


● The pump is operating too far off of its best efficiency point (B.E.P.).
● Pipe strain.
● Cavitation.
● Pulley driven design.
In addition to overloading there are additional sources of heat that can destroy the lubricant :
applications.
● Someone is cooling the power end case causing the bearing outer race to shrink.
shaft slows down.
Look for cracks in the metal.
● Mishandling.

❍ A water hose being used to wash down the area.
the bearing case.

❍ Steam or water from a seal quench gland. This is a common problem with the A.P.I. gland
that is commonly used in oil refineries.

The major bearing companies do a good job of providing the literature and photographs that you need to
do effective "comparison troubleshooting". Check with your bearing supplier for the availability of this
information.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

seal troubleshooting
SUBJECT: Pump and seal problems with no apparent cause 4-5
These problems are the ones that drive you crazy. No matter how hard you look the solution keeps
evading you. Over the years I have collected quite a few examples. I offer some of them for your
enjoyment and maybe, in the process, they will help you solve the "un-solvable"
CAVITATION
The pump cavitated every time it rained.
● Solution: The product temperature would cause it to vaporize very close to ambient pressure, and
when it rained atmospheric pressure dropped enough to cause the problem.
The pump never cavitated in the summer months, only during the winter when everything was cooler.
● Solution: The tank vent froze during the winter months causing the pump to pull a partial vacuum
in the tank.
The cavitation started suddenly.
● Solution: A plastic pipe liner collapsed at the suction side of the pump or the gate fell off a gate
valve.
The cavitation started after the packing was converted to a mechanical seal. A careful inspection showed
that the seal was not leaking air into the suction.
● Solution: The pump had speeded up (increased the rpm) when the packing was removed. This
increase in speed and capacity caused the cavitation.
The cavitation kept getting worse with time, nothing obvious had changed in the system.
● Solution: The product had formed a coating on the inside of the suction pipe increasing the
pressure drop and resulting in a loss of suction head.
The cavitation only occurred when there was a higher head at the suction of the pump and stopped
cavitating when the level fell in the tank - just the opposite of what should have happened.
● Solution: The pump was pumping to a fixed discharge head. The capacity of the pump increased
when the suction level was higher, because the pump delivers the difference between the suction
and discharge head. When the differential went down, the capacity increased.
Two pumps were installed in parallel, one cavitated the other did not. They had separate suction lines so
that was not the problem.
● Solution: Some one had installed an oversized section of pipe on the discharge side of the pump
that was cavitating. The lower discharge resistance caused an increase in capacity which caused
the cavitation. When the proper sized pipe was installed the cavitation stopped.
The pump had been cavitating for some time, but after a visual check everything appeared normal.
● Solution: A globe valve had been substituted for a gate valve on the suction of the pump. A globe
valve can add the equivalent of another 100 feet (30,5 meters) of pipe to the system.
The pump started to cavitate when a flange gasket was replaced on the suction side of the pump.
● Solution: The inside diameter of the gasket was too small. It was acting as an orifice, and
restricting the flow.
The pump cavitated about one third of the time it was running.
● Solution: A close inspection of the system revealed that there was no surge tank installed between
the pump discharge and the multiple outlets that were using the product. The pump was acting like
an accumulator and started to cavitate when the demand went up and the discharge head dropped.
The pump cavitated although here was excessive suction head available.
● Solution: There was too much velocity on the suction side of the pump. I saw this problem in
Scandanavia in an application where the pump was taking a suction on a flow of water coming off
of a mountain.
THE SEAL WAS GETTING HOT

The seal was showing evidence of running dry, but the fluid level was never lost in the pump.
● Solution: Air was trapped in the stuffing box of a vertical pump after it was converted from
packing to a mechanical seal. Most seal designs have no facility for venting the stuffing box in a
vertical application
The seal showed evidence of running dry.
● Solution: The open impeller had been adjusted backwards and the "pump out vanes" on the rear of
the impeller were pumping the stuffing box dry. This happens if you are using several brands of
pumps and the maintenance mechanics confuse the impeller adjustment method. Some pumps
adjust towards the volute (Goulds), some adjust towards the back plate (Duriron). It is easy to mix
them up.
There was little to no fluid circulating between the two seals.
● Solution: The pipe fitting had bottomed out in a gland inlet elbow shutting off the flow. This
sometimes happens after the seal has been repaired several times and the pipe thread shows some
wear letting it protrude further into the elbow fitting.
The mechanic had marked the seal location on the shaft sleeve before the impeller was installed. When
the impeller was tightened against the shaft shoulder the sleeve moved and over compressed the seal.
Durco pump impellers adjust to the pump back plate. When you make impeller adjustments you over
compress the mechanical seal.
A cooling jacket was being used, but the seal continued to get hot. I have seen multiple reasons for this:
● A discharge recirculation line had also been installed, but it was hidden by some insulation. The
cooling jacket could not keep up with the heat being added by the recirculation line.
● The inside of the cooling jacket had become coated with a layer of calcium because hard water
was being used as the cooling medium. Condensate should have been substituted.
● A thermal bushing had not been installed in the bottom of the stuffing box.
● The cooling jacket flow changed with fluctuations in shop water pressure.
● The inner seal of some double seal applications can get hot if the mechanic installs the cartridge
seal by pushing on the gland and fails to reset the seal compression with the installation clips. The
interference from the cartridge sleeve elastomer can cause enough resistance to compress the inner
seal and unload the outer seal.
THE SEAL WOULD LEAK FOR NO APPARENT REASON
The open impeller was being adjusted without resetting the seal. Many operators make their own impeller
adjustments.
The seal faces were opening because the equipment's sliding foot had been bolted to the floor allowing
the shaft to grow through the stuffing box when the unit came up to temperature.
The cartridge seal had been hydrostatically tested with water and then put into a hot oil application. It
leaked almost immediately.
● Solution: The trapped water vaporized when the unit was started. This could be a dangerous
condition because water trapped in a gasket and then flashed to steam could blow the equipment
apart.
The seal would start leaking about thirty minutes after the pump started.
● Solution: The carbon insert would come loose in its holder when the seal came up to temperature.
At shut down the metal holder would shrink and everything appeared normal.
The seal was tested in the shop, but leaked when it was installed in the pump that was operating at
cryogenic (cold) temperature.
● Solution: The faces had to be lapped at cryogenic temperature to keep them flat at the seal
operating temperature. The cryogenic temperature can also harden the O-ring and freeze any
lubricant that was put on the seal face.
The seal was found to be leaking every Monday morning.
● Solution: A utility man did not know about seals. He would loosen the gland on the weekend so
that what he thought was packing would drip a little. The leak was found by the regular
maintenance people every Monday morning.
The leakage occurred during the winter months.
● Solution: Someone circulated commercial anti freeze between two seals to act as a barrier fluid.
The brand they selected contained a chemical to plug up radiator leaks and it kept plugging up the
seal.
The seal would fail only during the winter months. The problem was traced to swelling of the dynamic O-
ring but no logical reason could be found for its failure.
● Solution: During the winter months a worker decided to oil the bed of his dump truck to make the
mined, raw product slip off easier. The petroleum oil he used attacked the Ethylene Propylene
(EPR) O-ring in the mechanical seal, installed downstream in the system.
The seal area was wet, but no visible leakage could be seen.
● Solution: It turned out that there was a flange leaking above the pump and dripping the product
next to the shaft.
The problem was traced to the fact that the mechanic was installing the seal at the wrong dimension. The
written instructions were clear and placed in the box and yet the mechanic continued to do the installation
incorrectly.
● Solution: The mechanic could not read. He had been faking it for many years and was quite good
at it. The same problem occurs with older mechanics that refuse to wear glasses and as a result
cannot see the funny little lines between the numbers on their measuring scale.
The centrifugal pump discharge was connected to the bottom of a surge tank. As the tank filled, the pump
operating point shifted from too much capacity to too much head, deflecting the shaft in two directions.
The outside seal in a double seal application failed suddenly. Nothing had changed in the system.
● Solution: Routine maintenance included repainting the pump. The paint spray got into the outside
seal springs and stopped them from moving.
The seal ran great for several days and then started to leak. It tested all right on the test bench after it had
been removed from the pump.
● Solution: It had been set screwed to a hardened sleeve and the set screws gradually loosened.
The seal was changed several times, but the steady leak persisted.
● Solution: The leak was occurring between the pump sleeve and the shaft. This is a common
problem in double ended pumps that have been converted to a mechanical seal. You often have to
devise a method of sealing the sleeve to the shaft or the sleeve to the impeller because the
manufacture has not provided one.
The seal started to leak after many months of service. A bench vacuum test showed that the seal was all
right.
● Solution: The seal was fretting the shaft below the Teflon wedge allowing the leak to come
through this groove.
The seal ran approximately six months and then failed.
● Solution: The lines were steam cleaned and the wrong grade of Viton® was in the seal. Most
Viton® compounds will be attacked by steam, caustic or other water based solutions.
The seal was installed correctly, but it leaked immediately.
● Solution: The solid, hard face is usually lapped on only one side. The face had been installed
backwards and the rotary unit was running on a non lapped surface.
SEAL COMPONENT DAMAGE IS VISIBLE, BUT WHAT IS THE CAUSE?
It looked like a seal part had come loose in the stuffing box, but all of the parts were there.
● Solution: During a previous installation a small spring had been lost when it fell into a drain hole
in the bottom of the seal gland. It came loose after a later installation. This is a problem when
several people work on the same pump.
The bellows plates were breaking but there was no evidence of corrosion, excessive wear, or vibration.
● Solution: A discharge recirculation line was directing high velocity abrasive particles at the thin
metal section of a metal bellow seal.
The inner seal of a dual, rotating "Back to back" seal was showing excessive face wear in a short period
of time.
● Solution: The inner seal stationary face was not locked in the bottom of the stuffing box and when
the system pressure overcame the barrier fluid pressure, the stationary face was pushed into the
inside rotating face. When the pump was stopped the spring pushed the stationary face back to its
normal position.
The carbon showed massive damage in a cryogenic (cold) application.
● Solution: The carbon had been lubricated at assembly and the lubricating oil froze in the cryogenic
atmosphere.
The bellows plates showed massive wear.
● Solution: The seal was rotating in an abrasive slurry. Metal bellows seals should be designed to
rotate the fluid inside of the stuffing box, instead of rotating through the fluid.
OTHER PROBLEMS
The pump had been recently overhauled and at start up the pump was reading high amperage, but low
flow.
● Solution: One of the wear rings had been left off of the suction side of the impeller and the fluid
was recirculating to the pump suction.
The pump made a terrific racket during start up. It produced the proper head, but the capacity was less
than anticipated.
● Solution: It was a two speed pump and the second speed had been wired backwards.
In an acid application, a stationary seal showed localized corrosion only on the gland.
● Solution: This was an older pump with a bolted on stuffing box that would slip because the bolts
were worn. This caused the shaft to run against the gland causing it to overheat and, in an acid
application, the corrosion rate of the acid doubles with an 18° F. (10° C) rise in temperature. It
doesn't make any difference if the acid or the part gets hot, the affect is the same.
The dual seal convection tank was running backwards.
● Solution: The seal was not centered in its gland, and as the shaft turned, the close tolerance
between the seal and the gland outlet increased the velocity of the liquid enough to drop the
pressure and cause the tank to convect backwards.
The pump was converted from packing to a mechanical seal and then started to break shafts.
● Solution: The pump was operating way off of its best efficiency point, causing major shaft
deflection. The packing was acting as a bearing and supported the shaft during this deflection.
The product was solidifying in the stuffing box. Steam was being used to heat a jacket around the pump.
The header gauge showed adequate pressure.
● Solution: The gage was located too far away from the pump jacket. The line was not insulated and
this allowed the steam to experience a pressure drop between the header and the stuffing box
heating jacket. The result was that the steam cooled down below the necessary heating
temperature. The problem was only visible when the pump was stopped for a period of time.
The nickel base tungsten carbide face was being chemically attacked.
● Solution: A galvanic action occurred between the passivated stainless steel and the active nickel
contained in the tungsten carbide face.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150


SUBJECT : Centrifugal Pump Troubleshooting 1-02
You have four opportunities to trouble shoot centrifugal pumps and each opportunity can offer you a clue
as to what is wrong with the pump. Let's take a look at each of these conditions:
The pump is hooked up to the piping and it is running :
● You can observe leakage from the stuffing box or some other area. This would include gaskets,
bearing seals and cracks or holes in the piping.
● You can hear an abnormal noise. You can probably "pin point" the source if you try.
● There is evidence of excessive heat in one or more of the components.
● You can detect excessive vibration either from the use of instruments or one of your senses
● You can check if stuffing box environmental controls are hooked up properly, and in many cases
tell if they are functioning correctly.
● You can check the position of control and isolation valves throughout the system. This is
especially important to check while the pump is running.
● If there are meters available you can check :
❍ Flow
❍ Pressure
❍ Power consumption
❍ Temperature
❍ Speed
● You can estimate if the foundation is too weak. It should be five times the mass of the hardware
sitting on it.
The pump is still hooked up to the piping, but it is not running. You will be present during the removal
process :
● You can check alignment between the pump and driver.

● During the removal process you can check for excessive pipe strain.
● You can check if the piping has been installed according to good engineering practices. This is a
major factor in many cavitation problems.
The pump has been taken into the workshop, but has not yet been disassembled and you will be present
at the disassembly.
● You can check the seal installation dimension.

● You can feel if there is restricted movement of any of the rotating parts.
● You can see if there is any loose hardware in the assembly
The pump has been disassembled. You were not present, but the parts are available for your inspection.
● You can see evidence of wear, rubbing or discoloration of the components.

● You can see evidence of corrosion.
● You can see if any parts are missing.
● You can see if any material or coating has attached its self to one of the components. As an
example, calcium can build up on the inside of pipes and restrict flow, or magnetite (Fe304) build
up on the seal components.
In this paper we will address the last condition. The pump has been disassembled. You were not present,
but the parts are available for your inspection.
When a rotating part such as a shaft seal, impeller, etc. comes in contact with a stationary part such as the
inside of the stuffing box, a wear ring, stationary bushing etc., there will be evidence of this contact in
the form of rubbing, wear, discoloration or damage to one or both of the components. There are four
possibilities that we will be able to see :
● A rubbing mark, or evidence of wear all around the rotating part and one place on the stationary
part.
● All around the stationary part and one place on the rotating part.
● Evidence of rubbing or wear all around both the rotating and stationary parts.
● One mark on both the rotating and stationary component.
The cause could be the result of a problem in design, operation or maintenance. I will attempt to isolate
these three areas as we look into the problems.
All around the rotating part, one spot on the stationary part.
● Design Problems:
❍ The pump is pulley driven and the shaft L3/D4 is too high.
● Maintenance Problems:
❍ The pump and driver are not aligned properly


❍
❍ A gasket or fitting is protruding in, and touching the rotating part.
❍ Excessive pipe strain. This is a common problem when a Centerline Design is not
specified for applications over 200 F (100 C)

● Operation problems:
❍ A major cause of this problem is the fact that the pump is operating too far from its best
efficiency point (B.E.P.) and the shaft is not large enough to resist the bending.
All around the stationary, one spot on the rotary.
● Design Problems
❍ You have converted the pump to a mechanical seal. The unit was originally designed for
the packing to act as a bearing and stabilize the shaft. This is a very big problem with
mixers and agitators
● Maintenance Problems
❍ Normal wear
❍ Damage
❍ Corrosion of the impeller
❍ Foreign material attached
❍ The impeller was trimmed and not re balanced.
❍ The seal, sleeve, or impeller is not concentric with the shaft.
❍ The unit never was balanced.
❍ Excessive heat or force was used during sleeve, seal, or bearing removal.
❍ The rotating unit is dragging something around with it.
All around both the rotating and stationary units. This problem could be caused by a combination ofthe
first and second examples or:
● Design Problems:
❍ High temperature application. The shaft is expanding and a restriction bushing is growing
in towards the shaft/sleeve.

❍ The pump is operating at a critical speed. This can happen with variable speed motors.
● Operation Problems:
❍ The pump is cavitating
● Maintenance Problems
❍ Bad bearings.
❍ The oil is contaminated with water, product, dirt, rust, casting leaching, etc..
❍ Incorrect oil level.
❍ Poor fit because of shaft tolerances or the installation technique.
❍ Excessive load due to a variety of reasons.
❍ Oil temperature too high. Be sure to cool the oil not the bearings. Cooling the housing will
cause it to shrink and thereby increase the squeeze on the bearing.
One mark on both the rotating and stationary component.
● I have only seen this one time and that was when the pump fell off the back of a pick up truck.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Cartridge seals, high heat
SUBJECT: Causes of overheating in cartridge mechanical seals 7-4
Too much heat can cause multiple problems with mechanical seals:
● The elastomer (rubber part) can be damaged.

● Carbon-graphite faces can pit as trapped air expands within the carbon, or the product carbonizes
and pulls out pieces of the seal face.
● Plated faces can heat check and crack causing rapid carbon face wear.
● The filler in some carbon /graphite compounds can melt or oxidize at elevated temperatures.
● Critical dimensions can change causing the lapped seal faces to go out of flat and leak
● Corrosion always increases with increasing temperature.
● An inefficient heating or cooling jacket on the pump.

❍ A layer of calcium or some other similar product has built up on the jacket walls,

❍ A thermal bushing was not located in the bottom or end of the stuffing box.
❍ If steam is being used as the coolant, the pressure is too high.
❍ The fluid is not "dead ended" in the stuffing box. There is either suction or discharge

❍ Clearance between the seal outside diameter and the stuffing box bore is not sufficient.
● The shaft material is conducting the product heat to the cartridge static elastomer and other
components. As an example: carbon steel conducts heat much better than a stainless steel shaft.
● The dual seal convection tank is not convecting.
● The quench has failed.

● The product has a low specific heat and poor conductivity. Oil is a good example of such a
product.
● The seal faces were over-compressed during the installation process.
● A wrong installation measurement was used.
● The mechanic did not read, or understand the print dimension.
● The pump sleeve moved as the impeller was tightened on the shaft.
● The measurement was taken at the wrong place. The stuffing box face is the only safe reference
point.
● Unbalanced seals generate more heat than hydraulically balanced mechanical seals.
● Silicone carbide and tungsten carbide dissipate heat faster than 99.5 ceramic or
applications.
circulation of the barrier fluid system. When oil is used as a barrier fluid forced circulation or the
The above problems are not unique to cartridge seals, there are however some problems that are unique:
applications the inner seal can over compress as the outside seal looses some of its compression.
shaft.
● Some open impeller pump designs (Duriron as an example) adjust to the back plate rather than the
volute. Be sure to reset the cartridge seal after the impeller adjustment.
the seal.
● Higher pressure applications, or water hammer can move the set screws and over compress the
seal faces.
Cartridge seals, high heat
pump that uses that type of adjustment method. The Chesterton System #1 pump is a good
example of this design.
proper face loading.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Trpobleshooting seals
SUBJECT: Mechanical Seal design, operation, and maintenance problems 8-11
In my seminars I teach that mechanical seals fail prematurely because:

● A seal component becomes damaged.
In the following paragraphs we will learn how these failures can be separated into:
● Design problems.
● Operation problems.
● Maintenance problems.
These individual subjects have been discussed in other sections of this Technical Series. The purpose of
this paper is to give you an overview of the subject, and assist you in your troubleshooting function.
MECHANICAL SEAL DESIGN PROBLEMS
Problems with the Seal Faces:
● Wrong carbon or hard face selected. The material is not compatible with the fluid you are sealing,
and the cleaner or solvent used to clean or flush the system.
● Face flatness problems:
● The face cross section is too narrow causing temperature or pressure distortion problems.
● The material modulus of elasticity is too low.
● The face is not hard enough.
● All clamping forces must be "equal and opposite" to prevent face distortion. In many designs they
are not.
● The differential expansion between the seal face and its holder can cause the face to go out of flat.
● The faces were not lapped at a cryogenic temperature and the seal is being specified for cryogenic
service.
● Bad packaging.
● Poor heat conductivity:
● Carbon is a poor conductor of heat compared to most hard faces.
● Many ceramics are not good conductors of heat .
● Plated or coated faces can "heat check" due to a differential expansion rate between the coating
and the base material.
● The seal face is sometimes insulated by a gasket or elastomer.
● Low expansion steel face holders are not usually corrosion resistant.
● No vibration damping has been provided to prevent "slip stick" vibration problems. This is a
major problem with metal bellows seals.
● Unbalanced seal designs require excessive flushing or cooling to remove unwanted heat.
● The carbon must be dense enough to prevent entrained air pockets from expanding and causing
pits in the carbon face. An "unfilled carbon" with four impregnates is the best.
The Springs or bellows.
● Springs in the fluid can clog easily, especially the small springs.
● Stainless steel springs and bellows are sensitive to chloride stress corrosion problems.
● A single spring can be wound in the wrong direction.
● Thin bellows plates and small cross section springs are sensitive to abrasive wear.
● Rubber bellows experience a catastrophic failure mode when the bellows ruptures.
● Stressed metal corrodes faster. Springs and metal bellows are subjected to high stress.
● Too much spring or bellows movement will cause an early fatigue of the metal.
The Dynamic Elastomer (the one that moves)
● Some elastomers do not move to a clean surface as the face wears.

● Spring loaded elastomers stick to the shaft or sleeve and are sensitive to the shaft diameter and
finish.
● Elastomers positioned in the seal face are subject to the heat generated between the seal faces.
● Dynamic elastomers are very sensitive to the shaft tolerance and finish.
Operating conditions too severe for the design.
● Elastomers and some seal faces are sensitive to temperature extremes.

● Excessive pressure can distort seal faces causing them to go out of flat.
● Excessive pressure can cause elastomer extrusion.
● High speed can separate the seal faces in rotating seal designs.
● High speed can cause excessive heat at the seal faces.
● Excessive shaft movement separates faces also.
● Hard vacuum can "out gas" an elastomer causing it to leak.

Dual seals
● Rotating "back to back" designs:

● Centrifugal force throws solids into the inner faces.
● Inner seal blows open if barrier fluid pressure is lost.
● Inner stationary face is not positively retained to prevent movement if the pressure is lost between
the faces.
● When the outboard seal fails the inboard will fail also due to the pressure drop between the faces.
● The inner seal has to move into the sealing fluid as the face wears. This is a major problem if the
fluid contains solids.
● Failure to use "two way" hydraulic balance causes the inner faces to open with a reversal in
barrier fluid pressure.
Design problems that cause excessive shaft movement
● An elbow is installed too close to the pump suction inlet.

● The mass of the foundation is not five times the mass of the pump and its driver.
● Wrong size pump was specified because of safety factors and, as a result, the pump is operating
off the B.E.P.
● The pump was selected oversize in anticipation of a future need.
● A "centerline" design should have been selected when the operating temperate exceeded 200°F
(100°C).
● The shaft L3/D4 is too high.
The pump is cavitating due to a design problem.
● Too high a N.P.S.H. is required. You need a double suction pump.

● The suction specific speed number is too high.
● You are using too low a specific speed impeller.
● A reducer has been installed up side down, letting an air pocket into the suction.
● The impeller to cutwater clearance is too low.
● There is too much suction resistance due to excessive piping.
● Too much suction lift for the fluid temperature.
Other design problems
● Some seal designs cannot compensate for thermal shaft growth or impeller adjustment. Cartridge
versions are needed for this feature.
● The pumping fluid is located at the inside diameter of the seal faces.
● Solids will be thrown into the lapped faces destroying some face materials.
● Solids will pile up in front of the movable faces, preventing them from compensating for wear.
● Most seal faces are weak in tension.
● Hysteresis (delay) problems caused by the seal mass and sliding elastomers.
● Poor packaging that allows face damage during shipment and storage.
● Designs that frett (damage or groove) the shaft or sleeve.
● High speed requires the use of stationary seal designs. Centrifugal force can open rotating designs
above 5000 fpm. (25 m/sec.)
● The seal is positioned too far from the bearing housing.
● Lack of a self-aligning feature is causing excessive face movement.
● A tapered stuffing box can cause face damage.
● No vent has been provided to vent the stuffing box in a vertical application.
● Hardened shafts and sleeves can cause the seal set screws to slip.
● A discharge recirculation line is aimed at the lapped faces, causing them to wear, and interfering
with the seal movement.
Problems caused by the product you are sealing.
● The fluid can flash or vaporize between the faces.

● Viscous fluids open seal faces as they restrict seal movement.
● Products that solidify will open and damage seal faces.
● Crystallizing products restrict seal movement and open the faces.
● Film building products cause the faces to open. Hot oil is typical.
● The fluid can attack one of the seal components, especially the elastomer.
● All chemicals have the potential for corroding a seal component. It is just a mater of time.
● Some fluids are poor lubricants:
● This can cause excessive wear.
● Color contamination problems as the carbon wears.
● "Slip stick" vibration problems.
● Slurries clog up the sliding seal components and open the faces.
● Cryogenic fluids can attack some carbon faces and most elastomers.
● High temperature fluids attack elastomers and change the state of the fluid you are sealing.
● Some fluids can cause the formation of ice outboard the seal, restricting seal movement as the

face wears.
● Agitation can cause some fluids to change their viscosity.
● Cleaners or solvents are attacking a seal component.
OPERATION PROBLEMS
Operations that cause excessive shaft movement that will open or damage the seal faces
● Opening and closing valves in the suction and/or discharge causing the pump to operate off the
B.E.P, and the shaft to deflect.
● Pumping the supply tank dry, causing excessive vibration and heat.
● Series or parallel pump operation can cause shaft deflection.
● Running at a critical speed will cause the shaft to defect.
● Cavitation problems:
● Low N.P.S.H.
● Air getting into the system through packing.
● A stuffing box, suction recirculation line is heating the incoming fluid.
● A discharge bypass line is heating the suction fluid
● A discharge recirculation line is aimed at the seal face restricting its movement.
● Water hammer is opening or damaging the lapped faces.
● The piping system has been altered since the pump was installed.
● The pump is being started with the discharge valve shut or severely throttled.
● Starting a pump with the discharge valve open is just as bad.
Operations that cause excessive heat and corrosion problems
● Cleaners or solvents used in the lines can attack a seal component, especially the elastomer.
● A product concentration change will affect corrosion.
● A change of product.
● Either a temperature or pressure change in the system will affect both.
Operations that cause the seal faces to open
● The seal is seeing frequent reversing pressures.

● Loss or lack of an environmental control.
● Flush not working.
● Quench is shut off.
● Barrier fluid not circulating.
● Loss of heating or cooling.
● Heating jacket clogged.
● Pressure drop in the stuffing box.
● Flushing with a dirty product.
● Quenching with shop water leaves solids outboard Of the seal that will cause a hang-up as the seal
moves forward to compensate for wear.
● The quenching steam pressure is too high. It is getting into the bearings.
● The pump and driver are not aligned&emdash;causing excessive seal movement.
● Pipe strain.
● Thermal growth.
● Bad installation techniques that can injure a seal component.
● Wrong lubricant put on the dynamic elastomer.
● The impeller clearance was set after the seal installation.
● The face is inserted backwards, only one side is lapped.
● The seal is set at the wrong installation length.
● The sleeve moved when the impeller was tightened to the shaft.
● A lubricant was put on the seal face that froze when the product evaporated across the lapped
faces.
● The sleeve is not concentric to the shaft.
● Impeller clearance is not being maintained, causing vibration problems.
● The impeller is positioned too close to the cutwater.
● The seal has been set screwed to a hardened shaft.
● No seal or gasket between the shaft sleeve and the solid shaft. This is a big problem with double
ended pumps.
● The seal environmental control is not being maintained.
● Flushing fluid is being restricted or shut off.
● Quenching steam is shut off.
● The barrier fluid tank level is too low
● The convection tank is running backwards.
● The cooling jacket is restricted due to a calcium build up.
● You are running both a discharge recirculation line and a cooling jacket.
● Out of tolerance shaft dimensions will restrict seal movement.
● The impeller clearance was made without re-adjusting the seal face load.
● The shaft sleeve was removed to accommodate a smaller diameter seal. The sleeve was providing
● A gasket is protruding into the stuffing box restricting the seal movement.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Seal troubleshooting
SUBJECT : A quick reference guide for mechanical seal failure 4-11
Of all the seal related activities, analyzing mechanical seal failure continues to be the single greatest
problem for both the consumer and the seal company representative. I have addressed this problem in
several of my other technical papers. If you will take a little bit of time to familiarize yourself with the
following outline you should feel a lot more comfortable the next time you are called upon to do some
seal troubleshooting.
I should mention here in the beginning that as you look over the failed seal components keep in mind that
a rebuilt seal may have some marks that occurred during a previous failure, making them especially
difficult to analyze, but regardless of the design mechanical seals fail for only two reasons:
● Damage to one of the components

● The seal faces open prematurely.
We will start with damage. This damage is almost always visible. Look for :
Corrosion - The elastomer swells or the other seal parts become "sponge like" or pitted.
● The product you are sealing is attacking one of the seal components.
● The attack is coming from the cleaner or solvent used to clean the lines between batches or at the
end of a "run".
● The attack is coming from lubricants put on the elastomers or seal faces. Petroleum grease on
Ethylene Propylene O-rings will cause them to "swell up".
● Galvanic corrosion - Happens with dissimilar materials in physical contact and connected by an
electrolyte. As an example: stainless steel can attack the nickel binder in a tungsten carbide face.
● Oxidizers and Halogens attack all forms of carbon including black O-rings.
KEEP IN MIND THE CORROSION INCREASES WITH TEMPERATURE
Physical damage.
● Wear or rubbing of a flexible component.

● Thermal shock of some seal face materials. Especially those that are hard coated or plated.
● Thermal expansion of the shaft or sleeve can break a stationary seal face or interfere with the free
movement of a dynamic elastomer.
● The rotating seal hits something because of shaft deflection.
● Temperature extremes (both high and cryogenic) will destroy elastomers and some seal face
materials.
● Erosion from solids in the product you are pumping.
● Fretting caused by the dynamic elastomer removing the passivated layer from the corrosion
resistant shaft or sleeve.
● Fluid abrasion that can weaken materials and destroy critical tolerances.
● A discharge recirculation line circulates high velocity liquid with entrained solids that can break a
metal bellows and injure lapped seal faces, as well as interfere with the free movement of the seal.
● The elastomer or rubber part can swell and breaks the face.
● Problems at installation. This includes mishandling, setting at the wrong compression, putting the
wrong lubricant on the elastomer etc.
● Fatigue of the springs caused by misalignment.
The seal faces opening prematurely is the second cause
Scoring or wear of the hard face is the most common symptom of this failure. The scoring occurs
because the solids imbed into the softer carbon face after they open. The seal faces must stay in contact,
but there are all kinds of conditions that are trying to force or pull them open.
Physical causes
● Axial shaft movement (end play or thrust). This is normal at start up.
● Radial shaft movement (run out or misalignment)
● Operating off of the pump's best efficiency point.
● Hysteresis caused by a viscous (thick) product.
● Centrifugal force tries to separate the faces in a rotating seal application.
● Hydrodynamic forces generated between the lapped faces.
● Pressure distortion caused during pressure peaks such as water hammer and cavitation.
● Thermal distortion that can cause the seal face to separate from its holder or "go out of flat".
● A failure to provide equal and opposite clamping across the stationary seal face will cause
distortion.
● A hardened sleeve can cause the seal set screws to slip.
● A wrong initial setting of the face load.
● Springs can clog if they are located in the product.
● Loose set screws. If the sleeve is too soft they can vibrate out.

● Shaft tolerance and finish is out of specifications.

● The rotating shaft or seal hits something.
● The discharge recirculation line can force open the faces.
● Outside springs painted by maintenance people.
● A cartridge seal installation method can compress one set of faces and open the other.
● Vibration.
● Fretting hang up.
● Cartridge mounted stationary seals move excessively unless they have some type of "built in" self
aligning feature.
Product problems . With a loss of an environmental control the fluid can:
● Vaporize between the lapped faces forcing them open and causing a "chipping" of the carbon
outside diameter as well as leaving solids between the lapped faces.
● Become viscous preventing the faces from following normal "run out".
● Solidify between the lapped faces or around the faces.
● Crystallize between the faces or around the dynamic portions of the seal.
● Build a film on the sliding components or between the faces causing them to separate.
● Be a slurry and/ or abrasive
● Operate in a vacuum causing the ingestion of air between the faces of some unbalanced seal
designs.
● Swell up the dynamic elastomer, locking up the seal .
● Cause slipstick between the faces if the sealed fluid is a non, or poor lubricant
The common causes of shaft displacement.
● Operating off the pump's best efficiency point (B.E.P.).

● A bent shaft.
● A non concentric sleeve or seal.
● Vibration
● Slip stick
● Harmonic
● Induced
● Passing through, or operating at a critical speed.
● The stuffing box is not square to the shaft, causing misalignment problems.
● Pipe strain.
● An impeller adjustment is made to compensate for normal impeller wear.
● Thermal growth of the shaft in both a radial and axial direction.
● Bad bearings or a poor bearing fit.
● Two direction axial thrust at start up is normal.
● The motor is finding its magnetic center.
● Cavitation - there are five separate types of damage that can be observed.
● The unit is pulley driven causing excessive side thrust
● The impeller is positioned too far from the bearings. This is a severe problem in mixer or agitator
applications.
How to preventing product problems that cause premature seal failure.
Control the environment in the stuffing box.
● Control the temperature in the seal area

● Use the correct spring or bellows compression.
● Use only hydraullically balanced seals.
● Select a low friction face combination.
● Avoid "dead ending" the stuffing box.
● Jacket the stuffing box
● Quench behind the seal with the correct temperture steam or fluid
● Use a gland jacket
● Utilize two seals with a barrier fluid between them
● Use heat tape around the stuffing box
● Use a heat pipe to remove heat from the stuffing box.
● Vent the stuffing box, especially in a vertical application
● Flush in a cool compatible liquid.
● Control the pressure in the seal area
❍ Be sure to use only hydraulically balanced seals.
❍ Discharge recirculation will raise the pressure if you put a restrictive bushing into the
bottom of the stuffing box.

❍ Suction recirculation will lower the pressure in the stuffing box.
❍ Use two seals and let the barrier fluid control the pressure between the seals.

Cross connect the stuffing boxes to equalize the stuffing box pressures in a multi stage
❍
pump.
❍ Stage the stuffing box pressure with tandem seals.
❍ Impeller pump out vanes will lower stuffing box pressure.
● Give the seal more radial space

❍ Bore out the existing stuffing box if it is possible.
❍ Make or buy a new back plate with the large stuffing box cast into it.
❍ Make or buy a large bore stuffing box and attach it to the back plate after you have
machined the old one off.

● Flush the product away if you are unable to control it.
❍ Suction recirculation will bring fluid into the stuffing box from behind the impeller, where
it is usually cleaner. This works on most closed impeller pump applications and those open
impeller pump applications where the impeller adjusts to the volute rather than the back
plate.
❍ Flush with a clean liquid from an outside source.
❍ A pressurized barrier fluid between two seals can keep solids from penetrating between the
faces if the faces should open. This application will also work if the solid particles are less
than one micron in diameter (Kaoline is such a product).
Build the seal to compensate for operating extremes.
Slurry features that can be part of seal design.
● Springs out of the fluid

● Teflon coating the metal parts so particles will not stick to sliding components.
● The elastomer moves to a clean surface as the face wears.
● Keep the sealing fluid on the outside diameter of the seal to take advantage of centrifugal force
that will throw solids away from the lapped faces.
● Rotate the fluid with the seal to prevent erosion of the seal components. A simple vane
arrangement can accomplish this.
● Use two hard faces if you find it impossible to keep the lapped seal faces together.
● Use a pumping ring to keep solids away from the faces.
● Mount the seal closer to the bearings to diminish the affect of shaft deflection.
Design for higher temperature capability
● Eliminate elastomers when ever possible.

● If you cannot eliminate elastomers, the O-ring location becomes important. Try to move the
elastomer away from the faces.
● Hydraulically balanced seals generate less heat.
● Select low friction faces.
● Fool proof, correct installation dimensions are necessary. A cartridge design is your best choice.
● Keep a good product circulation around the components.
● A good lapping technique will keep the faces flat at high and cryogenic temperatures.
● Pumping rings will keep fluid circulating between two seals. If you are using balanced seals a
simple convection tank is usually more than adequate. An air operated diaphragm pump can be
used in the line to increase the circulation. Try to avoid the use of petroleum based fluids as the
barrier or buffer fluid between the seals. Petroleum based fluids have a very low specific heat that
will increase the temperature between the seals,
● Gland features such as quenching, recirculation, venting and flushing help.
● Choose well designed faces that will resist thermal distortion. The closer you get to a "square
block" design, the better off you are going to be.
● Do not insulate the faces with an elastomer.
Design for pressure resistance
● Limit the number of diameters in any single seal component

● Laminated bellows will allow you to keep a low spring rate while maintaining pressure capability,
if you are using a welded metal bellows design.
● Finite element analysis of the seal components will prevent pressure and temperature distortion.
● Use more mass to resist hoop stresses.
● Higher modulus materials will resist bending and deformation.
● Use a tandem seal design for pressure break down between two seals.
Design for corrosion resistance
● Choose good materials, clearly identified by type and grade.

● Eliminate elastomers when possible. Elastomers are the most corrosion sensitive part of the seal.
● Design non stressed parts when ever possible
● Try not to weld any of the metal components. If it is necessary, monitor the temperature to
prevent inter granular corrosion
● Control the temperature. Corrosion increases with temperature.
● Use non metallic materials for non metallic equipment.
● Watch out for galvanic corrosion when using dissimilar materials.

● Do not use stainless steel springs. Stick with Hastelloy "C" if the metal parts of the seal are
manufactured from iron, steel, stainless steel, or bronze. If the seal is manufactured from a
different metal, use springs manufactured from that material.
● Do not depend upon flushing to provide corrosion resistance. Use the correct materials, keeping in
mind that solvents and steam are sometimes used to flush the lines. Any materials that you select
must be compatible with these flushing or cleaning fluids also.
If you need cryogenic capability
● Go to a welded metal bellows configuration to eliminate all elastomers.

● You will need a special carbon/ graphite face that has an organic material impregnated to assist in
the release of the graphite.
● Avoid plated or coated hard faces. Differential expansion will cause them to crack.
● Always lap the faces at a cryogenic temperature.
● Do not coat the faces with grease or oil. It will freeze at cryogenic temperatures.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Seal troubleshootin
SUBJECT : An overview of seal troubleshooting 3-1
Seal problems are almost always associated with face leakage, but as we will soon learn there are other
leak paths in addition to the obvious one between the lapped seal faces.
In the following paragraphs, we will be looking at all of these leak paths. Keep in mind that seals are
classified into many categories : stationary, rotary, balanced, unbalanced, inside, outside, metallic, non-
Metallic, single, dual, elastomer, metal bellows, rubber bellows, cartridge, split, solid, etc.. These
classifications were described in another paper in this series Try to keep these classifications in mind as
we investigate the cause of seal failure.
As with former papers, I will be presenting the troubleshooting hints in an outline form. You should not
find these terms confusing because I have assumed you have a pretty good knowledge of mechanical
seals or otherwise you would not be attempting to trouble shoot them.
In the event you do have trouble with some of the terms or techniques any representative of a reputable
seal company should be able to explain them to you.
LEAKAGE AT THE SEAL FACES.
The seal face is not flat. (Flatness should be measured within three helium light bands, (0,000033" or 1
micron)
● The face was damaged by mishandling.

● Poor packaging. The seal should be able to survive a 39" (1 meter.) drop. To insure this, the seal
must be shipped in a reusable box insulated with plenty of foam or any other adequate insulation.
● The face was distorted by high pressure or surges in pressure. "Water hammer" would be an
example.
● It was distorted when you tightened the stationary face against an uneven surface.
● The clamping is not "equal and opposite" across the stationary face. This is a common problem
with "L" shaped and "T" shaped stationary faces.
● The "hard" seal face has been installed backwards. You are running on a non lapped seal face. It is
common practice to lap only one side of a hard face.
● The face is being distorted by a change in temperature. This happens when you forget to vent a
vertical pump.
● The face never was flat. You have a bad part.
● The carbon metal composite was not stress relieved after the carbon was "pressed in".
The face has been chemically attacked.
● Oxidizing agents attack all forms and grades of carbon graphite.

● Some de ionized water will attack any form of carbon.
● Corrosion increases with any temperature increase. A 10 ° Centigrade (18°F.) rise in temperature
will double the corrosion rate of most corrosives.
● A cleaner or solvent is being flushed through the lines and it is attacking the carbon.
● You are using a poor grade of Carbon. Go to an unfilled grade such as Pure Carbon Company
grade 658 RC. This is a common occurrence if the seal is being repaired by some one other than
the original manufacturer.
The plating or hard coating is coming off of the hard face.
● All coatings are porous. The chemical is penetrating this porous coating and attacking the bond
between the coating and the base material, or the base material its self.
● An inferior plating was originally put on the base material.
● Differential expansion of the dissimilar materials is causing them to separate.
The seal face is cracked, pitted or damaged.
● High temperature is heat checking (cracking) the plated face. This is a common problem with
cobalt based tungsten carbide. The nickel base version is less likely to crack.
● The product is solidifying between the faces and they are breaking at start up. Most face materials
have high compressive strength, but tend to be weak in tension.
● Excessive vibration is causing the drive pins to crack the face. Low cost seals experience this
problem quite often.
● There is a high temperature differential across the ceramic. 7 to 10 cycles can break even good
ceramics in hot water or hot petroleum products.
● Air is trapped in the Carbon. Heat is causing it to expand and blow out pieces of the carbon face.
The carbon usually blisters prior to blowing out. The solution is to go to a more dense carbon.
● The product is vaporizing and allowing solid material to blow across the lapped face. This is a
common occurrence in boiler feed water applications.
● The seal faces have opened, solids penetrated and imbedded into the soft carbon causing rapid
wear in the hard face. The same problem occurs if the carbon was relapped using lapping powder.

Seal troubleshootin
● Lubricant, on the faces is freezing in cryogenic (cold) applications.

● The elastomer is being chemically attacked and swelling up. This can break the face in those seal
applications where the elastomer is positioned in the seal inside diameter. In some instances the
swelling elastomer will open up the two faces, allowing the solids to penetrate. This can be a
problem with boot mounted faces
● The rotating shaft, or sleeve, is hitting the stationary face. This can happen if the pump is running
off of its B.E.P., which almost always occurs at start up.
● The seal is being mishandled during installation. Good packaging and proper training can solve
many of these problems.
● The crack may have occurred during disassembly. Check to see if there is discoloration deep in
the crack. Discoloration means that it occurred during, or before, operation.
● Petroleum products can "coke" at the face causing pieces of carbon to be pulled out as the face
rotates. You will have to select two hard faces for this application.
● The rotating face is not centered in the stationary face and is running off the edge of the stationary
face. Look for rubbing marks around the O.D. of the rotary unit. A bent shaft or out of balance
rotating assembly is the most common cause
● You will notice a much wider wear track if you are experiencing this problem.
● The seal will appear to "spit" as lubricant is dragged across the face and off the seal outside
diameter.
● Dirt can be dragged across the faces as they separate.
The movable face is not free to follow whip, wobble or run out.
● The rotating face is hitting the I.D. of the stuffing box.

● The recirculation line from the pump discharge is aimed at the seal faces and interfering with their
free movement.
● Dirt or solids are clogging the movable components. Magnetite is a very big problem in most hot
water applications.
● The product is interfering with the free movement of the components. It is:
● Crystallizing ( like sugar)
● Solidifying (like glue)
● Viscous (molasses)
● Building a film on the sliding components ( hard water or paint)
● Coking (oil or any other petroleum product)
● The elastomer has been chemically attacked causing it to swell up and interfere with free
movement of the face.
● Temperature growth of the shaft is interfering with the free movement of the movable face.
● The shaft or sleeve is the problem.
● It is over size - + 0.00" - 0.002" ( 0,00-0,05 mm.) is ideal.
● It is too rough; it should be at least 32 R.M.S. (0,8 microns)
● It is fretted, corroded or damaged in some way.
● Solids have attached themselves to that portion of the shaft where the dynamic elastomer is
located.
● A gasket or fitting is protruding into the stuffing box.
● Solids from outside the stuffing box are getting under the faces. This is a common problem with
vertical pumps.
● The elastomer is spring loaded and the interference on the shaft is restricting the face movement.
● The elastomer has extruded because of high pressure or excessive clearance.
● A foreign object has passed into the seal chamber and is interfering with the free movement of the
seal.
The product has plated, or formed on the face and a piece of it has broken off.
● This problem occurs with products that are sensitive to temperature and/ or pressure changes.
The set screws have come loose.
● The shaft has been hardened.

● They have worked loose in a sleeve that is too soft.
● The hardened set screws have corroded.
● They were not replaced when the seal was rebuilt and as a result are not "digging" into the shaft.
The face has lost its spring load.
● The initial setting was wrong.

● Temperature growth of the shaft has altered the original setting.
● The impeller has been adjusted towards the wet end of the pump.
● The sleeve moved when the impeller was tightened to the shaft.
● The cartridge seal was pushed on the shaft by pushing on the gland and the seal is now over
compressed. In a dual seal application this will over compress the inner seal and open up, or
unload the outer seal.
The product is vaporizing and blowing the faces open. This happens in hot applications if there is water
Seal troubleshootin
in the product.
● It can also occur if the pump/seal was hydrostatically tested with a water base fluid.
The inner seal, of a dual seal application was not balanced in both directions and is opening up with
reversing pressure. This is a common problem in unbalanced seals that are subject to both vacuum and
pressure or if the barrier fluid pressure varies.
The single spring, found in some seal designs, was wound in the wrong direction for the shaft rotation.
The Bellows seal has lost cooling and the anti vibration lugs are engaging the shaft. Shaft movement will
cause the faces to open.
LEAKAGE AT THE ELASTOMER LOCATION.
Compression set ( the elastomer has changed shape).
● Either the product is too hot or there is too much heat being generated at the seal faces. You must
vent vertical pumps to prevent this problem.
● This is a common problem with most grades of Dupont's Kalrez® material, preventing it from
being free to flex and roll.
The elastomer is cracked.
● The shelf life has been exceeded. Buna N (Nitrile) has a shelf life of only twelve months because
of its sensitivity to ozone attack.
● High heat is the main cause.
● Chemical attack. In most cases the elastomer swells but cracking and shrinking does occur in
isolated cases.
● Cryogenic (cold) temperatures freeze the elastomer and it will crack when hit..
● The rubber bellows did not stick to the shaft because the wrong lubricant was used. The shaft
turned inside the bellows causing high heat.
● The seal faces stuck together. The shaft was turning inside the rubber bellows causing excessive
heat.
The elastomer is cut or damaged.
● Mishandling.
● The elastomer was slid over a rough spot on the shaft or sleeve. Be careful of old set screw marks,
splined shafts, key ways, etc.
● It was extruded by high pressure. You may need a backup ring.
● The product is penetrating into the elastomer and blowing out the other side. This problem is a
common occurrence when you are trying to seal ethylene oxide.
● Teflon jacketed O-Rings can split in the presence of halogenated fluids. The halogen will cause
the elastomer to swell up, inside of the Teflon jacket. Halogens can be recognized because most
of them end in the letters "ine", such as bromine, astintine, chlorine, fluorine, iodine, etc..
The elastomer is not seated properly.
● It was twisted during installation.

● High pressure can cause the elastomer to extrude or twist in the O-Ring groove.
● Solids have "built up" or penetrated between the elastomer and the shaft.
● The shaft is corroded, damaged, or fretted.
● The shaft is oversized.
● Excessive travel can cause the elastomer to "snake". Most o-rings can roll up to one half of their
diameter.
● The O-ring groove is damaged or coated with a solid material.
The elastomer has swollen or changed color.
● Product attack. This is the most common cause and usually occurs within five to ten days
● The wrong lubricant was used at installation. As an example, you should never put petroleum
grease on EPR O-rings.
● Solvents or chemicals used to clean the lines are not compatible with the elastomer.
● Steam can harm many elastomers including most grades of Viton®.
● Oxidizers can attack the carbon black in O-Rings and other elastomers.
The elastomer leaks when pressurized in the opposite direction.
● A common problem with unbalanced, dual seal applications. Two way balanced seals are
recommended for these applications.
● Remember that O-Rings are the only common elastomers that seal in both directions. Wedges, U
Seal troubleshootin
cups, and chevrons do not have this ability.
OTHER LEAK PATHS TO CONSIDER
Between the carbon and its metal holder.
● Some seal companies, and most seal repair facilities, glue the carbon in place. The glue may not
be compatible with the product you are sealing.
● "Pressed in" carbons can leak in a high temperature application because of the differential
expansion between carbon and metal. Low expansion metal is available for these applications
Between the shaft and the sleeve.
● Damaged gasket or gasket surface.

● Distorted sleeve or shaft.Many packed, double ended pumps have this problem because there is
no gasket between the impeller and the sleeve that is holding it in place.
Stationary face gasket or elastomer leaking.
● This leak path is not always visible. It often looks like face leakage.
Gland gasket or gasket surface leakage.
● This leak path should always be visible.
Pipe flange leaking above the seal and dripping into the seal area.
● I found this one after every other avenue was exhausted.
At the weld location if a seal face holder is welded to the cartridge sleeve.
At the pipe connections, ancillary hardware, A.P.I. Gland fittings, and recirculation lines.
A scratch or nick in the o-ring groove. Remember that up to 100 p.s.i. (6 bar) o-rings seal on the O.D.
and the I.D. not the sides.
Seal faces will not leak visibly if they are lapped flat and we keep them in total contact. Shaft movement
is the main contributor to the opening of the seal faces and allowing solids to penetrate. Shaft movement
is caused by many factors. In the following paragraphs we will be looking at most of them.
CAUSES OF EXCESSIVE SHAFT MOVEMENT, INCLUDING VIBRATION.
Cavitation
● Vaporization caused by too high a product temperature or too low a suction head.
● Air is entering the stuffing box. A common problem with pumps that run in a vacuum or taking a
suction from an evaporator or condenser.
● Internal recirculation. Occurs when the Suction Specific Speed is too high, or when either the
impeller or wear ring clearance becomes excessive.
● The vane passing syndrome occurs if the O.D. of the impeller is too close to the pump cutwater.
This clearance should be at least 4% of the impeller diameter in the smaller size impellers and at
least 6% in the larger diameter impellers (greater than 14 inch or 355 mm.)
● Turbulence. Occurs if there is not laminar flow in the lines.
The bearings are worn excessively.
● Contamination of the lubricant is the biggest cause. Grease or lip seals have a useful life of only
2000 hours (84 days).
● Poor fit or installation.
● Serious misalignment. The misalignment can be the result of pipe strain or misalignment between
the pump and its driver.
The shaft is bent.
● Usually occurs during sleeve removal or if the bearing was installed with an arbor press.
● Improper storage with the long shaft supported only on the ends.
● Heating the shat to remove the sleeve is another common cause
The impeller is out of balance.
● The impeller was damaged by either wear, corrosion or cavitation.

Seal troubleshootin
● Product has built up on the vanes or in the balance holes.

● The impeller diameter was reduced and the impeller was not re balanced
● The impeller never was balanced.
An unbalanced rotating assembly.
Pressure surges or water hammer.
Worn coupling.
The pump is operating off of its best efficiency point.
Rubbing of a rotating component.
● The shaft is hitting the wear ring, or a stationary wear ring is contacting a rotating wear ring.
● The shaft is hitting the seal gland or stationary face.
● A seal rotating component is hitting the stuffing box I.D..
● A recirculation line aimed at the seal faces is causing a pulse each time the impeller vane passes
the fitting.
● A gasket or fitting is protruding into the stuffing box.
The stationary seal face is not perpendicular to the rotating shaft. This causes the spring loaded, rotating
face to move back and forth twice per revolution.
● The stuffing box face is not square to the shaft. The stuffing box face is often a rough casting.
● Tightening the gland bolts through a gasket is cocking the stationary face.
● Pipe strain.
● Temperature growth.
● A convection tank, or some other heavy device is hanging off of the gland.
● Bearing fit or wear.
● Coupling alignment.
● Shaft deflection. The deflection can be caused by operating the pump off of its best efficiency
point, the rotating assembly is out of balance, or the shaft is bent.
● Poor installation technique.
VIBRATION AT THE SEAL FACES.
Harmonic vibration.
● The seal is vibrating in harmony with some rotating component. The same thing that causes a rear
view mirror to vibrate in an automobile. Most harmonic vibration can be stopped by changing the
speed of the equipment or "damping" the vibrating component.
Slipstick--caused by:
● Poor lubricating fluids.

● Hot water.
● Solvents.
● Some detergents.
● Gases
● Dry running applications.
● Too high a face load.
● Using unbalanced seals.
● Poor installation technique.
● Face load has changed because of temperature growth or impeller adjustment.
● You are using a high friction face combination. Often occurs if you use two hard faces.
A discharge recirculation line aimed at the seal faces.
● Each time the impeller passes the recirculation connection it causes a pulse of fluid at the seal
face.
Vaporization of the product at the seal face.
● Happens frequently with products that contain water, and are operated at elevated temperature.
● Can occur at the seal face because of high face load or if you use unbalanced seals.
EXCESSIVE AXIAL MOVEMENT OF THE SEAL
● Temperature growth.
● The impeller was adjusted, after the seal was installed, to compensate for wear.
● The rotor motor, moved to its magnetic center at start up.
Seal troubleshootin
● The equipment is equipped with sleeve or babbitted bearings and has excessive end play.
● Shaft thrust.
● There is a thrust towards the bearings caused by the combination of the fluid changing direction in
the impeller and acting on the shaft and/or impeller surfaces. This thrust is offset by a thrust
towards the wet end caused by the impeller shape.
● In centrifugal pumps the resulting force can be in either direction, depending upon how close the
pump is operating to its best efficiency point. Above 65% of its best efficiency, the thrust is
towards the wet end. Below 65% of the best efficiency the thrust is towards the power or bearing
end. There is little to no movement at 65% of the pumps best efficiency. This means that at start
up the shaft moves in both directions accounting for a higher percentage of seal failure at start up.
● Vertical mixer shafts often lift vertically when solids are mixed with liquid.
SHAFT NOT CONCENTRIC WITH THE STUFFING BOX, this will cause a wiping action in
stationary seals.
● The shaft is bending as you move away from the pump B.E.P.
● It bends at 240 degrees, from the cutwater, at low flow and high head.
● It bends at 60 degrees, from the cutwater, at high flow and low head.
● Pipe strain.
● Temperature growth causes the stuffing box to move relative to the shaft.
● The seal is not concentric with the sleeve/ shaft.
● The back plate is not machined concentric to the stuffing box.
Heat is always an indication of wasted energy, but it can also have a disastrous affect on seal life and
performance. Let's take a look at what is causing this heat
CAUSES OF HIGH HEAT AT THE SEAL FACES.
Too much spring compression.
● Installation error.
● No print was used or the mechanic cannot read the print he was given.
● The shaft was marked in the wrong location.
● The mechanic used the wrong marking tool. The mark is too wide.
● The impeller was adjusted after the seal was installed.
● A cartridge seal was installed on the shaft, by pushing on the gland. Interference from the sleeve
elastomer has caused an over compression of the seal. In some dual seal applications the outer
seal will become under compressed.
● The shaft moved because of thrust.
● Thermal growth of the shat.
Problems with some seal designs.
● Unbalanced seals are supplied by original equipment companies. They generate more heat than
balanced seals.
● The elastomer is located too close to the seal faces. The heat generated at the faces is affecting
both the elastomer and the seal face.
● The carbon face is insulated by an elastomer.
● The face is too wide causing the hydraulic force to generate excessive heat.
● The Carbon seal face is too narrow causing excessive heat from the spring pressure.
● A vertical seal installation is not being vented. The faces are running dry in a bubble.
● Speeds above 5000 F.P.M. (25 m/sec) require a special balance and less spring load. A 60/40
balance and a face load of 8 psi. to 15 psi. ( 0,07 to 0,2 n/mm2) would be normal.
● An outside metal or elastomer bellows seal is almost impossible to vent.
● Spring loaded elastomers cause varying seal face loads. The actual load depends upon shaft
tolerance and installation dimension.
● Some seal faces are glued in. The glue acts as an insulator preventing the face heat from
conducting to the metal holder.
● Many single spring designs are uni-directional requiring both right handed and left handed seals
on a double ended pump.
● Many metal bellows designs lack effective vibration damping.
● Stationary seal designs require clean flushing if solids are present. centrifugal force does not
throw the solids away from the moveable (spring loaded) components.
Problems with face materials.
● Heat conductivity is low in some materials. (ceramic, carbon, Teflon)

● The coefficient of friction varies with face combinations and various sealing products.
Seal troubleshootin
● Carbon/ metal composite faces conduct heat better than plain carbon/ graphite, as long as there is
a true interference fit and they are not glued together to hold them in place.
Problems with the pump operation that causes high heat at the faces.
● Operating off of the B.E.P

● The degree of the problem is determined by the L3/D4 ratio.
● Operating at vapor point, causing cavitation.
● Running dry.
● Gases.
● Dry solids.
● Pumping a tank dry.
● Losing barrier fluid in a dual seal application.
● Vacuum applications.
● Vertical pumps not vented in the stuffing box.
● The liquid is not a lubricant.
● Pump out rings on the back of the impeller running too close to the pump back plate.
Other causes of high heat.
● The shaft, or sleeve is rubbing a stationary component.

● The gland.
● The bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box.
● The bushing in the A.P.I. gland.
● A pump wear ring.
● A protruding gasket.
● A fitting.
● The stationary portion of a mechanical seal.
● The shaft, or sleeve, is not straight.
● It is bending, because the pump is operating off of its best efficiency point.
● It is bent. This often happens when the sleeve is removed.
● The rotating assembly is not balanced.
● The shaft never was straight.
● Install a large diameter stuffing box. You should be able to get at least 1" (25 mm.) all around the
rotating unit.
● Connect a recirculation line from the bottom of the stuffing box to the suction side of the pump.
You can do this in almost every case except when you are pumping a product at its vapor point or
if the solids have a specific gravity lower than the fluid.
● The cooling jacket is clogged.
● There is no carbon restriction bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box and you are using the
cooling jacket. The restriction bushing slows down the heat transfer.
● The flush is not constant. The pressure is changing.
● Quenching steam or water has been shut off during pump shut down.
● The double seal barrier fluid is not circulating.
● The cooling jacket has become clogged by the calcium in the hard water. Try condensate instead.
● The filter, or separator, is clogged.
● Either the suction or discharge recirculation line is clogged.
● If you are using double seals, remember that two seals generate twice as much heat and
conventional cooling may not be sufficient. Contact the manufacturer for the rules when using
convection tanks and dual seals. You may need a "built in" pumping ring.
● Solids in the stuffing box are interfering with a rotating component.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Seal Troubleshooting
SUBJECT : Troubleshooting mechanical seals at equipment disassembly 3-9
All seals fail for the same reasons:
● The faces open up and allow dirt or solids to penetrate.

● One of the seal components has been damaged by either the product, heat, or a cleaner used to
flush the system.
After the failure has occurred you will frequently get a chance to analyze the failed components. You are
going to be looking for several things:
seal.
the above.
THE CARBON FACE
Chipping on the O.D. of the carbon. Indicating vibration.
● This can be caused by harmonic vibration, or if the rotating equipment hits a critical speed.
possibility.
● Vaporization of the liquid causing the faces to rapidly open and then close as the leaking fluid
cools the faces.
● A discharge recirculation line is aimed at the carbon seal face.
● Water hammer is a another possibility.
ammonia and it can coke at the elevated temperature.
the carbon face under a magnifying glass.
Chips at the I.D. of the carbon
● Solids, or a foreign object of some type from outside of the pump are getting under the gland and
are being thrown into the seal faces. This can occur if the seal leaked at some time and the product
solidified on the outboard side of the seal. It can also occur if liquid, containing solids, is used in
the quench connection of an A.P.I. type gland.
● If the seal was installed outside of the stuffing box, as is the case with non metallic seals, solid
its B.E.P.
● A solid product was blown across the seal face. This happens in boiler feed water applications.
● You are using the wrong carbon. Something in the product or the flush is attacking the carbon
filler. Switch to an unfilled carbon such as Pure grade 658 RC or C.T.I. grade CNFJ.
dioxide.
● Some forms of de ionized water will pit and corrode carbon faces
tension or shear. This problem is common with intermittent pumps each time they start up.
● The elastomer is swelling up under a carbon or hard face.
● Mishandling.
● Ice is forming on the outboard side of the seal and preventing the seal from moving to compensate
for face wear.
A coating is forming on the carbon face:
● A change in temperature. Many products solidify at temperature extremes.

● The product is taking a pressure drop across the seal faces and solidifying.
● Selective leaching is picking up an element from the system and depositing it on the seal face.
impeller "pump out vanes" are causing the vacuum.
● The system protective oxide is depositing at the faces. In hot water systems we experience this
problem with magnetite (Fe3O4) until the system stabilizes.
Coking
● This is a problem with all oils, and petroleum products in particular.

● The carbon is not dense enough, causing the expanding gases trapped beneath the surface of the
carbon to explode through the face.
● Product is solidifying between the faces and pulling out pieces of the carbon as the seal revolves.
coated or plated hard faces. Cobalt base tungsten carbide is a typical example.
and heating of the seal faces
● Any installation problem:
● The inner face of a "back to back" double seal application is not positively locked in position. A
snap ring must be installed to prevent the inboard stationary face from moving towards the
rotating face when the high pressure barrier fluid pressure is lost or overcome by system pressure.
● The seal was installed at the wrong dimension.
● A cartridge double seal was installed by pushing on the gland. Friction, between the shaft and the
sleeve O-Ring is compressing the inner seal.
● A vertical pump was not vented.
● Solids have penetrated between the faces.
● The faces are not flat.
● The movable face is sluggish.
● The product is vaporizing between the faces because of either high temperature or low stuffing
box pressure .
● Non lubricants will cause rapid face wear. A non lubricant is any fluid with a film thickness less
than one micron at its load and operating temperature..
● High pressure distortion.

● The stationary face is not perpendicular to the shaft.
● The shaft is bending because the pump is running off of its B.E.P.
● Mishandling.
● Poor packaging.

● The hard face has been installed backwards and you are running on a non lapped surface.
● When the carbon was lapped the lapping plate was too hot and as a result, not flat.
● Solids are imbedded in the carbon. The faces have opened.
❍ The seal was set screwed to a hard shaft.
❍ The elastomer (rubber part) is spring loaded to the shaft causing the faces to open as the
shaft moves due to end play, vibration or carbon wear. The shaft/ sleeve is over sized
causing an excessive interference between the elastomer and the shaft/ sleeve.
❍ The sleeve finish is too rough.
❍ The product has changed from a liquid to a solid.
❍ Dirt or solids are interfering with the seal movement.
❍ Some one put the wrong compression on the faces.
❍ Shaft fretting is hanging up the face.
❍ The face has been distorted for some reason allowing solid particles to enter.
❍ The sliding elastomer has swollen up causing too much interference on the shaft/ sleeve.
❍ Poor centering is causing the rotating face to run off the stationary face. Keep in mind the
gland bolts are not always concentric with the shaft.

❍ The single spring was wound in the wrong direction.
❍ An out of balance rotating assembly or bent shaft is causing the rotating face to "run off"
of the stationary face.
THE HARD FACE.
Chemical attack.
● Some ceramics and silicone carbides are attacked by caustic. Check to see if your seal face
contains silica. As an example: both reaction bonded silicone carbide and 85% ceramic have this
high silica content.
Cracked or broken.
● Excessive vibration will cause cracking at the drive lug location..
design allows a spring to contact the I.D. of the hard face.
● Mishandling.
● Poor packaging.
Heat check (a common problem with coated or plated faces)
● Caused by a high heat differential across the face. Most hard coating have only one third the
expansion rate of the stainless steel base material.
Hard coating coming off of the face.
Analysis of the wear track on the hard face.
Deep grooves&emdash;excessive wear. Solids imbedded in the carbon are causing the problem. The
solids were trapped between the faces when the seal faces opened.
● The seal was set screwed to a hard shaft.

● The elastomer is spring loaded to the shaft preventing it from flexing as the shaft vibrates..
● The shaft/ sleeve is over sized causing the dynamic elastomer or bellows vibration damper to hang
up..
● The shaft/ sleeve finish is too rough
● The product has solidified in the seal components.
● Dirt or solids are interfering with seal movement.
● Not enough spring compression on the faces.
● Fretting of the shaft/ sleeve is hanging up the face.
● The face has been distorted by either excessive temperature or pressure.
● The sliding elastomer has swollen up due to chemical attack of the product or a cleaner that was
flushed through the lines. The wrong choice of rubber lubricant, at installation, can also cause the
problem
● Poor centering is causing the rotating face to run off of the stationary face..
● The single spring was wound in the wrong direction.
The wear track is wider than the carbon.
● Worn bearings.
● Bent shaft.
● Unbalanced impeller.
● Sleeve not concentric with the shaft.
● Seal not concentric with the sleeve.
● In a stationary seal, the stationary carbon is often not centered to the shaft, causing a wiping
action.
The wear track is narrower than the carbon.

● The hard face was over tightened against an uneven surface.
● The hard face clamping forces are not "equal and opposite".
● The face never was flat, or it was damaged during shipment.
Non Concentric pattern. The wear track is not in the center of the hard face.
● Pipe strain.
● Misalignment between the pump[ and its driver.
● High pressure.
● The hard face is not wide enough.
● You are using a two bolt gland and the gland is too thin causing it to distort.
● Some products solidify when two or more chemicals are mixed together.
● Mishandling.
● Poor packaging.
● The hard face has been installed backwards and you are running on a non lapped surface.
● It was shipped out of flat.
THE ELASTOMER.
Compression set. The O-ring has changed shape.
● … High heat is almost always the cause unless you are dealing with Kalrez, Chemraz, or a similar
material where a certain amount of compression set is normal.
● High heat.
● The shelf life was exceeded. This is a big problem with "Buna N" that has a shelf life of only
twelve months.
● Mishandling.
● Forced out of the O-Ring groove by high pressure.

● The liquid has penetrated the elastomer, vaporizing inside and blowing out pieces. This is a
problem with Ethylene Oxide.
● Halogenated fluids can penetrate the Teflon coating on an elastomer and cause the base material
to swell up, splitting the Teflon jacket.
Swelling, changing color, weight or size. Almost always caused by:
● Chemical attack.
● Be careful of the lubricant used to install the elastomer.
● Some compounds are sensitive to steam. Most Vitons are a good example of this problem.
● The bellows did not vulcanize to the shaft because you used the wrong lubricant.
● The shelf life was exceeded.
high velocity liquid are abrading the bellows.
THE METAL CASE OR BODY OF THE SEAL.
Corrosion.
appearance. It always increases with temperature.
and small crevices.
(412-825 C.), unless it has been stress relieved. A common problem with welded pieces.
● Galvanic corrosion. Occurs with dissimilar materials in contact with and connected by an
electrical current. Common in brine, caustic, and salt water applications.
demineralized or de ionized water applications.
● Micro organisms, that will attack the carbon in active stainless steel.
Rubbing--All around the metal body.
● Pipe strain.
Partial rubbing -- On the metal body.
● Bent shaft.
● The product has attached its self to the impeller.
● The impeller never was balanced.
● The impeller was trimmed, and not re balanced.
● The seal is not concentric with the shaft, and is hitting the stuffing box I.D..
Discoloration. Caused by high heat. Stainless steel changes color at various temperatures.

FAHRENHEIT COLOR OF THE METAL CENTIGRADE

700 - 800 Straw Yellow 370 - 425
900 - 1000 Brown 480 - 540
1100 - 1200 Blue 600 -650
> 1200 Black > 650
NOTE: To tell the difference between discoloration caused high heat and product attaching to the metal
part, try to erase the color with a common pencil eraser. Discoloration will not erase off.
Product sticking to the metal surfaces.
● Heat is the main cause.

● The product pressure has dropped.
● Air or oxygen is getting into the system.
● Valves above the water line.
● Through the stuffing box.
● The product was not deaerated.
● The pump suction is not completely submerged.
● The bypass return is too close to the pump suction.
● The liquid is vortexing in the suction line.
● A non O-Ring elastomer is being used in the seal allowing air to enter the stuffing box when you
are sealing a vacuum application.
● The system protective oxide coating is depositing on the sliding metal components.
The following applications cause a vacuum to be present in the pump stuffing box.
● Pumps that lift liquid.

● Pumping from an evaporator.
● Pumping from the hot well of a condenser.
● Pumps that prime other pumps.
● The open impeller was adjusted in the wrong direction and the impeller pump out vanes are
causing the vacuum.
The Teflon coating is coming off some of the metal parts.
● Coatings are very porous. They do not provide corrosion resistance. The base material is being
attacked by the product.
DRIVE LUGS, PINS, SLOTS, etc.
Broken.
● Chemical attack.
● Excessive side load.
● The seal faces are glued together because the product has solidified.
● A cryogenic fluid is sticking the faces together.
● Vibration.
● Slipstick.
● Corrosion.
● Improper fit.
● Bad part.
THE SPRINGS.
Broken or cracked.
● Chloride stress corrosion problems with 300 series stainless steel.
Corroded.

● Stressed material corrodes much faster than unstressed material. The springs are always under
severe stress.
Clogged.
● Be sure to distinguish between "cause and effect". If the springs are located outside the liquid, it
happened after the failure.
● If the product solidifies or crystallizes it can clog springs exposed to the pumped fluid.
● Dirt or solids in the fluid can clog exposed springs.
Twisted.
● Almost always an assembly problem. The lugs were not engaged in the slots. This is a problem
with many seal designs. Check to see if your seals can come apart easily or if the drive lugs can
change position when the seal is not compressed.
● The single spring, rubber bellows seal, was not vulcanized to the shaft.
● The stationary is not perpendicular to the shaft, causing excessive spring movement.
Broken Metal Bellows.
● Fatigue caused by over flexing in the plastic range of the metal

❍ Slipstick.

Because these seals do not have a dynamic elastomer to provide vibration damping some other means
must be provided or vibration will always be a problem.
THE SLEEVE, OR SHAFT.
● Fretting.
● The set screws slipped on a hardened shaft or were not tightened properly. The seal faces stuck
● Salt water applications are particularly troublesome when a static elastomer or clamp is attached
to the shaft. Pitting caused by the chlorides and the low PH of salt water are the main problems.
● The pump is running off of its best efficiency point.

● Bad bearings.
● Bent shaft.
● Pipe strain.
● High temperature applications require a "center line: pump design.
Corrosion. See above description under metal corrosion
.THE SET SCREWS.

● Corroded. Check to see if you are using hardened set screws. This type is normally supplied with
● Loose.
❍ Sleeve too soft. They are vibrating loose.

THE GLAND.
Rubbing at the I.D.
● Partial rubbing.
● The gland has slipped.
● Improper installation. It was not centered to the shaft.
● Pipe strain.
● Rubbing all around.
● The shaft is not concentric with the sleeve.
● The seal is not concentric with the sleeve.
● Bad bearings.
● Bent shaft.
● Solids attached to the shaft, or caught between the shaft, and the gland.
● Cavitation.
Corrosion.
Passages clogged or not connected properly.
● A.P.I Gland.
❍ Hooked up wrong.
❍ Flushing connection clogged.
❍ Quench connection clogged.
BUSHINGS
Rubbing at the I. D.
● Partial rubbing.
● The A.P.I. gland has slipped.
● Improper installation. It was not centered to the shaft.
● The gland bolt holes are often not concentric with the shaft/ sleeve.
● Excessive pipe strain.
● Rubbing all around.
● The shaft is not concentric with the sleeve.
● The seal is not concentric with the sleeve.
● Bad bearings.
● Bent shaft.
● Unbalanced impeller.
● Cavitation
Erosion.
● Dirt and solids are present in the discharge or suction recirculating fluid.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

SUBJECT : Troubleshooting mechanical seals at the pump site 4-2
Leakage can occur at any time throughout the life of the mechanical seal. To troubleshoot seals
effectively it is helpful to know just when the leakage starts. This is the advantage of being able to
troubleshoot a running pump or one that is still hooked up to its piping. By noting the type of leakage and
when the leakage occurs we can do a more thorough job of analyzing any seal failure. In addition to
leakage we will be looking for other symptoms that are visible to the trained troubleshooter.
We will start with the different types of leakage. Please look at the following diagram.
The leakage occurs while the pump is both running and stopped.
The leakage can be detectable visually, by odor, or by instrumentation. A strobe light can sometimes be
used to determine its location. As you can see in the above diagram there are several leak paths possible.
You must determine which ones you have. The seal can leak :
At the lapped faces. Since they are a wearable surface the leak will probably get either better or worse. It
should never remain constant. The leak started because:
● The outside springs in a dual cartridge seal were painted during routine maintenance.
● The spring load has been reduced because of thermal growth, axial thrust, or impeller adjustment.
● The seal was set screwed to a hardened shaft and has vibrated loose.
● One or both of the seal faces is not flat. Solid tungsten carbide and silicone carbide faces are often
lapped flat on only one side. Check to see if the face has been installed backwards.
● The dynamic elastomer has swollen up and seized the spring loaded face, preventing it from
remaining in contact with the stationary face.
● The product prevented the lapped seal faces from remaining in contact.
● Dirt has gotten into the sliding components.
● The product has crystallized.
● The product solidified or became very viscous.
● The product is vaporizing across the seal faces expanding and blowing them open.
At the static and dynamic elastomer locations.
● This type of leak tends to remain constant and will often stop when the small opening clogs up
with solids. The leak can be caused by a damaged elastomer or damage on the surface where the
elastomer seals. In some instances the elastomer is not seated properly. It is twisted because of
either poor installation, excessive shaft movement, or high pressure extrusion.
At the gland gasket.
● This is the easiest leak to detect because it is very visible and does not change with shaft rotation.
Between the shaft sleeve and the shaft.
● This is a common problem with double ended pumps, where the sleeve is used to position the
impeller and there is no method of sealing the sleeve against the impeller.
Between the seal face and its metal holder.
● The leakage frequently increases, as the product temperature increases, because the metal face
holder has an expansion rate three times that of the carbon or hard faces.
Through fretting damage
● The damage is caused by spring loaded dynamic O-rings, Teflon wedges, chevrons, U- cups etc.

● You can't miss the frett marks. They will be located on the pump shaft, pump sleeve, or inner
sleeve of the mechanical seal.
The seal leaks only when the pump is running.
● The stationary face has been over tightened against the stuffing box face causing it to go out of
flat. Statically the carbon will readjust to the distorted hard face.
● The clamping is not equal and opposite across the static seal face. Look for different width
gaskets at the front and rear of the static face. Again, the carbon will readjust when the shaft is not
turning.
● Between face and holder. The holder heats up and expands faster than the pressed in face. The
leak will begin when the metal holder comes up to temperature. Remember that metal expands
three times faster than a seal face.
● Cryogenic (cold) service will harden the elastomer. Be sure to check the lower temperature limit
of the elastomer that was selected.
● The shaft is bending and not allowing the seal to move freely. This occurs if the pump is operating
off of its best efficiency point and the shaft L3/D4 is not small enough to resist the bending.
● The product is vaporizing across the seal faces.
● Cavitation, slip stick, harmonic, or some other type of vibration is bouncing the faces open, check
the lugs or drive pins for sign of excessive wear.
● The seal was installed without enough compression or the impeller was adjusted after the seal was
installed and thermal expansion of the shaft is opening the faces.
● A discharge recirculation line is aimed at the seal faces or some other critical point and the faces
are being forced open.
● A non- concentric seal, bad sleeve installation, or an out of balance rotating assembly, is causing
the rotating portion of the seal to run off the stationary face.
● A bent shaft can cause the rotating portion of the seal to run off the stationary face.
● The rotating portion of the seal is hitting a stationary object. Look for:
● A foreign object that has worked its way into the stuffing box area.
● A stationary portion of the rotating equipment, such as a close fitting bushing.
● At elevated temperature the product thins out (the viscosity decreases) and is leaking through an
elastomer. It will not leak at the cooler temperature when the product viscosity is higher.
● High temperature is causing the lapped seal face to go out of flat.
The seal leaks only when the pump is not running.
● The seal is also leaking while running, but the leak is vaporizing and not visible. Hold a piece of
white paper over the seal area and see if the paper becomes damp.
● A meniscus caused by centrifugal force and liquid surface tension had formed at the inside
diameter of the seal faces. This prevented a leaking seal from dripping while the shaft was
turning.
● You are using high temperature grade Kalrez. It is too hard at ambient temperature and will soften
at operating temperature.
● The pump is running under vacuum and while it is running air is being pulled into the system. The
fluid leaks out when the shaft is static. This can occur if an open impeller that was designed to be
adjusted against the volute has accidentally been adjusted backwards against the back plate. The
impeller "pump out vanes" can then pull a vacuum in the stuffing box. This is a common problem
if you use a lot of Duriron pumps and then bring in a few of another brand.
The leak occurs only at start up and then stops after a short time.
● Face distortion. Caused by a high pressure surge that was created when the pump was started with
the discharge valve shut.
● The shaft is bending, and interfering with the seal movement.
● Occurs because the pump is running with the discharge valve throttled or shut. Operators shut the
discharge valve at start up to save electricity and prevent cavitation.
● The same problem can occur if the pump is started with the discharge valve wide open and
because of the lack of discharge resistance the pump will run to the right hand side of its curve. In
some cases you could also burn out the electric motor.
● The product has changed state, and becomes a liquid again when the pump comes up to operating
temperature. The product had :
● Crystallized
● Solidified
● Became viscous
● Excessive axial shaft movement at start up. This is a common problem with sleeve bearing
equipment.
The seal leaks intermittently or after the pump has run for a fixed period of time
Look for reoccurring events that initiate the leakage. They can include:

● Flushing the lines at the end of a batch or season.

● Alternating pumps in a multiple pump arrangement.
● An additive is being put into the product.
● Batch operations are beginning or ending.
● The cooling water is passing through temperature cycles.
● The outside ambient temperature has changed dramatically. I ran into a situation where a supplier
was oiling the bed of his truck to prevent solids from sticking in the winter and this oil attacked
the elastomer in the seal.
● Hard water is being used as a flush and it is gradually restricting the flush lines or cooling jacket.
● A filter or strainer is clogged in a flush line.
● The flushing water pressure drops at certain times of the day because of demand.
● The boiler or cooling tower is being blown down.
● There is a control valve in the pump discharge that is causing the pump to occasionally operate
too far off of the B.E.P.
● The stuffing box is cycling between a positive and negative pressure.
● Vortexing can occur if the pump suction falls too low. This also occurs in mixers and agitators..
● You are quenching a high temperature application with water. As the quench water vaporizes it
leaves dissolved solids outboard of the seal restricting axial movement as the seal faces wear.
● The pump is cavitating on a regular or intermittent basis. Here are a few possibilities:
● The suction level falls too low
● The tank vent freezes.
● The velocity is too high on the suction side of the pump.
● A suction strainer is plugged up.
● A stuck or broken check valve in the pump suction piping.
● A temporary loss of discharge head.
● A booster pump has shut off.
● A suction eccentric reducer was installed up side down allowing slugs of air into the suction of the
pump.
● The fluid is vortexing in the supply tank. The level is too low for the pump capacity.
● The pump is lifting liquid and the foot valve is sticking..
● The impeller is too close to the cutwater.
● Air is entering the system through the pump packing.
● A lower "specific speed" impeller as been substituted.
● The pump was specified with too low a "suction specific speed" number.
● The pump is running at a higher speed or a larger impeller was installed after the system heads
were calculated.
● In some parallel pump installations, a stronger pump can throttle the weaker one causing shaft
deflection.
● The wrong lubricant was used on the dynamic elastomer, causing it to swell up.
● Reaction bonded type, Silicone Carbide can crack if the lines were flushed with Caustic solution.
TYPES OF LEAKAGE.
The leak rate is changing, It gets better or worse.
surface.
The faces spit liquid.
● The product is vaporizing at the faces - check the fluid vapor point. When using balanced seals
the stuffing box pressure must be at least one atmosphere higher than the product vapor point.
● The stationary was not centered to the shaft - a common problem.
● Product has solidified on the seal face and a piece has broken off. This is usually initiated by a
high temperature between the faces.
the material.
● The product is viscous.
● The product has started to solidify.
● The shaft/ sleeve is too large in diameter restricting movement of the seal. Spring loaded, dynamic
elastomers such as Teflon wedges, U- cups, Chevrons and spring loaded O-ring designs are very
sensitive to this problem
● Dirt or solids are clogging the seal and preventing it from following shaft run out.
● In a non O-Ring version, the spring load is too high causing the elastomer or Teflon to stick to the
shaft.
● A bending, or bent shaft is causing the seal outside diameter to contact the inside diameter of the
● The pump is running with too high or too low a head. Check the pump curve against actual
operating conditions.
Constant dripping. It gets neither better nor worse. This cannot be a damaged seal face leak because seal
faces are a wearable surface and the leak rate would have to change.
● The elastomer is cut or nicked.

● There is damage in the O-Ring groove. Maybe the O-ring was removed with a sharp metal
● There is a leak path between the carbon and the holder.
● Leaking at the cartridge sleeve location.
● Leaking between the sleeve and the shaft.
● Leaking between the gland and the stuffing box.
● Seal faces are stuck open.
● The elastomer has swollen up due to chemical attack by either the product, the flush, what ever is
being used to clean the lines, or by the lubricant that was put on the elastomer to help the
installation. This attack usually takes place within one week of exposure to the non compatible
lubricating fluid.
THE STUFFING BOX AREA IS GETTING HOT.
Heat is being generated at the seal faces. Unbalanced seals generate more heat than balanced seals.
● The carbon is being insulated by an elastomer and cannot dissipate the heat.
● High friction face materials. Two hard faces usually generate more heat than carbon vs. a hard
face.
● The stuffing box has not been vented. This is especially important in vertical applications.
● You do not have a barrier fluid between the seals in a dual seal application.
● Flushing.
● Quenching.
● The cooling jacket is clogged or not functioning for some reason.
● The discharge or suction recirculation line is clogged.
● The barrier fluid has stopped circulating in a dual seal application or you are using oil as a barrier
fluid. Oil has a low specific heat and poor conductivity, making it a poor choice as a heat transfer
medium. If you must use oil as the barrier fluid you may have to forsake convection and go to a
forced circulation system or a pumping ring.
● An A.P.I. type gland has been piped incorrectly
● Poor conductivity of the hard face. Silicone carbide is better than 99.5 ceramic.
● A wrong installation measurement.
● The impeller was adjusted after the seal was installed. Any pump impeller that adjusts against the
back plate has this problem. Durco pumps are a good example.
● Excessive axial movement of the shaft.
● Thermal expansion
A seal component is rubbing the inside diameter of the stuffing box, or against a product that has
attached its self to the inside of the stuffing box.


A suction recirculation line was used to lower stuffing box pressure. The high velocity recirculation is
heating up the return line.
NOISE IN THE STUFFING BOX.
❍ Vaporization.
❍ Turbulence
❍ Air ingestion
● A component is rubbing.
● The seal has come loose from the shaft.
● A foreign object has entered into the stuffing box.
● The sleeve is hitting an A.P.I. disaster bushing.
AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT FAILURE.
The convection tank
● It is running backwards.
● The seal faces are off center causing a pumping action across the faces.
● The inlet and outlet ports are not drilled properly.
● A cartridge double seal has not been centered properly
● One of the seals is leaking. The pressure or level change should tell you which one.
● Temperature change.
● No air pocket in the tank.
● Not convecting. It was installed incorrectly. The minimum and maximum dimensions were
ignored.
● Meter broke.
● Line clogged.
● The gage graduations are too large.
● Valve not open
● Line clogged

insulation).
● Some one has shut off the cooling water or steam.
VIBRATION.
● Cavitation. Remember there are five types.

● The pump is operating off of its best efficiency point.
● Unbalanced impeller or rotating assembly. Look for wear or product is attached.
● Bent shaft.
● Bad bearings.
● Pipe strain. Maybe you need a center line design pump
● Rotating component hitting a stationary component.
● The pump is running at a critical speed
● Harmonic vibration induced by nearby equipment.
● Pipe hangers are spaced improperly.
● The mass of the pump base is not five times the mass of the pump, and motor.
● The base is too narrow. Imaginary lines extended downward thirty degrees to either side of a
vertical through the pump shaft must pass through the bottom of the foundation, not the sides.
● Seal "slip stick" that can occur when pumping non lubricants such as hot water and most solvents.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Mechanical seal failure
SUBJECT : Why Mechanical Seals fail 2-2
A mechanical seal can either wear out or fail. To determine which your seals are doing, look at the
wearable face. In most instances this will be the face manufactured from some grade of carbon/ graphite.
Since the seal face is the only sacrificial part of the mechanical seal, a worn out seal is identified as one
that has no carbon nose piece left at the time it started to leak. A failed seal is identified by the fact that it
has substantial carbon remaining at the time it started to leak.
The above illustrations show the difference between a worn out and a new mechanical seal.
Most consumers experience seal failure rates in excess of 85%, and for the most part these seal failures
are easily correctable. Seal failures fall into only two broad categories, either the seal faces opened, or one
of the seal components was damaged by contact, heat or corrosion. Whenever we try to troubleshoot any
mechanical seal it is wise to remember that only three things are visible:
● Evidence of damage including corrosion, physical damage, or discoloration of one of the seal
component materials. Most mechanical seals are constructed of three materials:
❍ Metal parts
❍ A face combination
❍ Some rubber like parts (called elastomers)
● The product is attaching to a sliding component causing sticking, or coating on the face causing
face separation.
Here are some reasons why a mechanical seal face would open:
The dynamic elastomer is not free to slide or move on the rotating shaft or sleeve.
● The shaft is oversize. A tolerance of + 0.000 - 0.002 inches (+ 0,00 - 0,05 mm) would be typical.
● The shaft finish is too rough. Most seal companies want at least a 32 R.M.S. (0,8 micro meters)
surface finish in the area of the dynamic (sliding) elastomer.
● The fluid we are pumping is causing the elastomer to stick to the shaft. The dynamic O-ring can
generate a lot of heat if there is misalignment between the shaft and the stuffing box face. The
rapid movement of the elastomer will generate localized heat causing the following to occur at a
faster rate:
❍ The product is solidifying (glue and paint will do this)
❍ It is crystallizing (sugar syrup and caustic are good examples)
❍ It is building a coating on the shaft (petroleum products will form varnish or coke at
elevated temperatures, or hard water will form a layer of calcium. etc.)

● Dirt or solids are restricting the elastomer from moving.
● Chemicals added to treat water or impurities in the water can collect on the seal sliding surfaces
● A chemical has attacked the elastomer causing it to swell up and restrict the movement of the seal.
In some instances a swollen elastomer has been known to open seal faces while the pump was not
running in a standby mode.
● The shaft or sleeve has been hardened and the set screws have slipped. Many sleeves were hard
coated to resist packing wear. Stock rooms are full of these sleeves.
● The seal has lost its compression.
❍ It was installed with the wrong compression.
❍ The impeller was adjusted after the seal was attached to the shaft. This is a very common
problem with A.N.S.I. or other back pull out pumps.

❍ A temperature change has altered the location of the seal. Remember that each inch of
stainless steel shaft will grow one thousandth of an inch for each one hundred degree
Fahrenheit rise in temperature or 0.001"/1"/100°F . Metric grows 0,001 mm/1 mm of shaft
for each 50°C rise in temperature.
❍ The open impeller was adjusted to compensate for normal wear. Typical pump
specifications allow the impeller and the casing each to wear as much as 0.125 inch (3 mm)
and still be adjusted back to the correct pump efficiency. This is important when you
realize that the average mechanical seal has a carbon nose that extends only 0.125 inch (3
mm).
● The springs, spring or bellows are not operating properly.
❍ A single spring has been installed backwards allowing the faces to stay in contact while the
shaft or sleeve rotates within the dynamic elastomer or end fitting.

❍ Excessive misalignment is causing rapid flexing of the spring or bellows causing them to
fatigue.
❍ The drive lugs have failed and the multiple springs are twisted in their holder.
❍ The product has clogged the springs.
❍ Many times the outside springs of a dual seal have been painted either at the pump
company or as part of a normal maintenance routine.
Something is restricting the free movement of the seal.
● The product is viscous. Remember that some products become more viscous with agitation. These
products are called dilatants (cream becomes butter with agitation)
● A recirculation line from the discharge of the pump is aimed at the seal and interfering with its
movement.
● A foreign object is in the stuffing box.
● A protruding gasket is touching the movable part of the seal
The shaft is being displaced causing the seal to hit something as it rotates or to cause the rotating face to
run off of the stationary face.
● The pump is operating off of its best efficiency point (B.E.P.) causing the shaft to bend.
● The rotating assembly is out of dynamic balance.
● There is misalignment between the motor and the pump.
● Pipe Strain is twisting the pump stuffing box.
● Heat causes expansion and that always opens the possibility for rubbing or wear.
● Cavitation, slip stick, harmonic vibration, bad bearings or some other form of vibration is causing
excessive movement of the shaft.
● The shaft sleeve is not concentric with the shaft causing it to run "off center".
● The pump designed with sleeve or babbitted bearings and shaft movement is excessive.
The seal face is being distorted by either temperature or pressure.
The product is vaporizing between the seal faces causing the faces to blow apart.
● If boiler feed water vaporizes it leaves behind all of the chemicals that were added to the water to
prevent hardness, adjust PH, soften boiler scale etc....
● In cryogenic (cold) applications the vaporizing fluid can freeze any lubricant that might have been
placed on the seal faces. This frozen lubricant can damage the carbon/ graphite seal face.
An environmental control has failed. There are many types used with Mechanical Seals, here are a few of
the common environmental controls:
● Flushing is used for cooling and to wash away solids.

● Quenching is used for temperature control and vapor removal.
● Barrier fluids are used to keep air away from a fluid and to provide temperature control.
● Cooling/ heating jackets are used to keep products in a liquid state and at the proper temperature.
● A suction recirculation line is installed from the bottom of the stuffing box to the suction side of
the pump. This is done to remove stuffing box solids in the pumping fluid and to provide cooling
to the seal components.
● A line can be installed from the discharge of the pump to the stuffing box to increase stuffing box
pressure whenever you pump a fluid close to its vapor point. It is also wise to install a carbon
restriction bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box with a clearance of approximately 0.005" to
0.007" (0,13 mm to 0,018 mm) on the inside diameter.
● Dual seals can be installed to prevent a pressure drop across the inside seal face and to control the
temperature at the seal face.
Unbalanced seals and some split seals can open their lapped faces in vacuum applications.
● Those pumps that run under vacuum include: condensate pumps, heater drain pumps, pumps that
lift liquid and any pump that takes its suction from a condenser or evaporator. Remember to use O-
ring elastomers in vacuum applications as this shape elastomer will seal either vacuum or pressure.
● The product has built up on one of the seal faces causing the faces to separate. This is a common
problem with petroleum products or any product that can build a film on a surface. Since this
coating is not dense enough to provide good sealing, it can cause the faces to leak at shutdown.
When a seal face opens it allows solids to penetrate between the lapped surfaces. The solids imbed
themselves into the softer carbon/graphite face causing it to act like a grinding wheel. This grinding
action will cause severe wear in the hard face. It should be noted that seal face opening accounts for the
largest majority of mechanical seal failures.
The second major cause of seal failure is when one of the seal components is attacked by the sealing fluid
or a chemical being used to clean or flush the lines. Chemical attack is easy to see:
● The Carbon will appear to have a sponge like appearance

● Plated materials will have their hard coating peel off when the base material is attacked. This same
thing happens when you allow rust to penetrate behind automobile paint and you then notice that
the paint is peeling off in sheets.
● The elastomer will usually swell up and get soft. When an elastomer shrinks and gets hard it is
almost always evidence of excessive heat. Prior to failure caused by excessive heat, most
elastomers will take a compression set ( the round O-Ring becomes square)
● Metal components will develop pits and an overall dull appearance. The color of the metal is often
an indication of the amount of heat it was subjected to:
FAHRENHEIT COLOR OF THE METAL CENTIGRADE

700 - 800 Straw Yellow 370 - 425
900 - 1000 Brown 480 - 540
1100 - 1200 Blue 600 -650
> 1200 Black > 650
Here are a few things to consider when you suspect corrosion is the problem :
The corrosion rate of almost all chemicals doubles with each 18 degree Fahrenheit (10 C.) rise in
temperature.
● Be sure to vent vertical pumps. Air trapped in the stuffing box is a good insulator.
● See if the operator is running the pump with a restricted discharge. In addition to deflecting the
shaft it can cause a severe heat rise in the pump. The control valve may be stuck in the throttled
position.
● Try to use a recirculating line from the bottom of the stuffing box to the suction side of the pump.
This is practical in almost any application other than when we are pumping a product close to its
vapor point and there would be a danger of vaporizing the product in the stuffing box.
● When ever possible bore out the packing stuffing box or install a large seal chamber in place of the
packing stuffing box. This extra room will allow centrifugal force to centrifuge and clean the fluid
in the seal chamber as well as provide extra cooling in the seal area.
● It is normal to dead end the fluid in the stuffing box when a cooling or heating jacket is being
used. If a recirculation line is installed in the stuffing box along with the cooling jacket, the jacket
will become inoperative because the circulating hot fluid will not be in the stuffing box long
enough to be cooled by the jacket.
● Be sure to check that the cooling jacket is functioning. A layer of calcium inside the jacket, can
just about stop heat transfer. If the water is too hard in your area, consider condensate as an
alternative cooling fluid.
● More than one stuffing box jacket has frozen in cold weather, be sure to use non freezing cooling
fluids at lower temperatures
● If a convection tank is being used with dual seals make sure it is operating. Every design has
limits, make sure you are not exceeding them. Also check that the fluid is flowing from the top of
the stuffing box to the convection tank and returning to the bottom of the stuffing box. I have seen
many of these applications running backwards.
● Use only balanced seals. They generate less heat than unbalanced seals.
● If there is a bypass line installed from the discharge piping to the suction side of the pump, it may
be heating up the incoming fluid.
● Check to see if the cooling jacket has been isolated and drained. This often occurs when a metal
bellows seal is used in hot oil applications. An empty cooling jacket will act as an insulation to the
stuffing box fluid.
● Remember that the cooling jacket is also there to cool down the shaft and protect the bearings. Do
not disconnect it.
When you look for corrosion be sure to check out any cleaners or solvents that are used to flush out the
system or clean the lines. Many grades of Viton® can be attacked by cleaning the lines with steam or
caustic. It is important to identify all of the materials used in the seal components.
● Carbon fillers can be attacked by heat and chemicals

● Plated materials can crack due to differential expansion.
● Stainless Steel springs can break due to Chloride Stress Corrosion.
● Hardened set screws can corrode and vibrate loose.
● Some elastomers can be attacked by steam. Be careful of using petroleum grease on elastomers as
some compounds can be attacked by any petroleum product.
Some hard coatings have very little flexibility and will crack with a small differential temperature. Be
careful of tungsten carbide with a cobalt binder; nickel binder would be a much better choice.
®DuPont Dow elastomer

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SUBJECT: Why do not good seals wear out? 9-9
We know that a mechanical seal is supposed to run until the carbon wears down, but our experience
shows us this never happens with the original equipment seal that came installed in the pump. We buy an
expensive new mechanical seal and that one doesn't wear out either. What is wrong? Was the new seal a
waste of money?
Not really. You are doing something that appears logical, you are trying to solve the seal problem by
purchasing a different seal, but that is like trying to get a good paint job on an automobile by buying a
good brand of paint. If you wanted to get a good paint job on an automobile you would have to do four
things and purchasing a good brand of paint is only one of them.
Here are the things you would have to do in no particular order:
● Prepare the body. This is the most costly part involving metal repair, rust removal, sanding,
masking etc.
● Buy a good brand of paint. All paint is not the same, and like anything good it will cost more
money than many other brands.
● Apply the paint correctly. This means exactly the right amount of air pressure and a technique that
guarantees no drips or runs. It also means a super clean paint room and frequent sanding between
primer and finish coats. Needless to say the paint job can be ruined in this step.
● Take care of the paint after it has been applied. This means that you have to keep the car washed
and waxed and garaged in bad weather. It also means frequent touch ups and paying attention to
small details.
If you did those four things correctly, how long can a paint job last on an automobile? Obviously for
years. Step outside and watch the cars go by and you will see evidence of people that are not doing those
four things. In fact it is so rare that when we see an older car that looks good, we stare at it.
Getting good seal life involves four steps also. They should be obvious, but let's look at them any way.:
● Prepare the pump for the seal, that's the body work
● Purchase a good seal, the good paint.
● Install the seal correctly, apply the paint correctly
● Apply the correct environmental control if necessary (and it probably is),washing and waxing.
We will look at each of these subjects in detail and hopefully begin to increase the life of our mechanical
seals to the point where most of them wear out. We will be discussing seals for centrifugal pumps in this
paper, but the information applies to just about any kind of rotating equipment including mixers and
agitators.
Prepare the pump for the seal
● Do an alignment between the pump and driver. Use a laser aligner. A "C or D" frame adapter is an
even better choice.
● Dynamically balance the rotating assembly. You can use most vibration analysis equipment to do
this. Check with your supplier if you do not have the program.
● Make sure the shaft is not bent. Rotate it between centers.
● Avoid shaft sleeves. A solid shaft is less likely to deflect and is much better for a mechanical seal.
● Reduce pipe strain where ever possible.
● Use a "center line" design pump if the product temperature is greater than 200°F (100°C). This
will reduce some pipe strain problems at the pump.
● Use pumps with a low ratio. This is extremely important with intermittent service pumps.
● Use an oversize stuffing box. Avoid tapered designs. Give the seal lots of room.
● Try to get the stuffing box face as square to the shaft as possible. There are facing tools available
to do this.
● Reduce vibration by any techniques you know or can learn.
● Do not let the pump cavitate. The seal faces will bounce open and possibly become damaged.
● Water hammer can occur if power is lost to the pump while it is running. Maybe you can take
some preventative action to avoid water hammer problems.
● Be sure the mass of the pump/motor pedestal is at least five times the mass of the hardware sitting
on it.
● Be sure there are ten diameters of pipe between the pump suction and the first elbow.
● Be sure the base plate is level and grouted in place.
● Keep the open impeller adjusted to lessen vibration and internal recirculation problems.
● Make sure the bearings have the proper amount of lubrication and that water and solids are not
penetrating into the bearing cavity. Replace the grease or lip seals with labyrinth or face seals.
● Avoid discharge recirculation lines connected to the stuffing box. In most instances suction
recirculation will be better.
● If the pump has wear rings, check their clearance.
● Make sure the wetted parts of the pump are manufactured from corrosion resistant materials.
Cleaners and solvents in the lines sometimes cause problems that the designer never anticipated.
● Seal off any air that might be leaking into the suction side of the pump and remove any that might
be trapped in the volute.
Purchase a good seal
● Use hydraulically balanced designs that seal both pressure and vacuum.
● If you are going to use an elastomer in the seal try to use an o-ring. They are the best shape for
lots of reasons, but don't let any one spring load the o-ring or it will not flex or roll as it should.
● Use non fretting seal designs. Shaft fretting is a major cause of premature seal failure.
● Stationary seals (the springs do not rotate with the shaft) are better than rotating seals (the springs
rotate) for sealing fugitive emissions and any other fluids.
● If the seal has small springs keep them out of the fluid or they will clog easily. There are plenty of
seal designs that have this non-clogging feature.
● A wide hard face is excellent for the radial movement we see in mixer applications and those seals
that are physically positioned a long way from the bearings.
● You will need some sort of vibration damping for high temperature metal bellows seals. They
lack the elastomer that normally performs that function.
● Use designs that keep the sealing fluid at the seal outside diameter, or centrifugal force will throw
solids into the lapped faces and restrict their movement when the carbon wears.
● Use unfilled carbons for the seal faces. They are the best kinds and the cost is not excessive.
● Be sure you can identify all of the seal materials. It is impossible to troubleshoot a "mystery
material". Do not let the supplier tell you that his material is proprietary. If that is his attitude find
another supplier or manufacturer, otherwise you deserve all of the problems you are going to
have.
● Try to keep elastomers away from the seal face. The elastomer is the one part of the seal that is
the most sensitive to heat, and the temperature is hottest at the faces.
● Any dangerous or expensive product should be sealed with dual seals. Be sure the hydraulic
balance is in both directions or you are gambling that one of the faces might open in a pressure
reversal or surge.
● If the design has a carbon pressed into a metal holder, be sure the carbon was pressed and not
"shrunk in". Pressed carbon will shear to conform to irregularities in the metal
holder&emdash;helping to keep the lapped faces flat.
Install the seal correctly
● Cartridge seals are the only design that makes sense if you want to make impeller adjustments and
they are a lot easier to install because you do not need a print, or take any measurements to get the
correct face load.
● Cartridge dual seals should have a pumping ring built in. Use buffer fluid (lower pressure)
between the seals when ever possible to avoid product dilution problems. Avoid any type of oil as
a buffer fluid because of oil's low specific heat and poor conductivity.
● Keep the seal as close to the bearings as possible. There is usually room to move the seal out of
the stuffing box and then use the stuffing box area for a support bushing to help stabilize the
rotating shaft. Depending upon the application you will have to decide if this support bushing has
to be retained axially.
● Split seals make sense in just about any application that does not require dual seals or fugitive
emission sealing (leakage measured in parts per million)
● Split seals are the only design to use on double ended pumps or otherwise you will have to replace
both seals when only one seal has failed. They also allow you to change seals without having to
do a re-alignment with the pump driver.
● Do not lubricate seal faces at installation. Keep solids off the lapped faces. If there is a protective
coating on the seal faces be sure to remove it prior to installation
● Rubber bellows seals require a special lubricant that will cause the bellows to stick to the shaft. It
is normally a petroleum based fluid, but you can check with your supplier to be sure.
● Rubber bellows seals require a shaft finish of no better than 40 RMS, or the rubber will have
difficulty sticking to the shaft.
● In a vertical application, be sure to vent the stuffing box at the seal faces. You may have to install
this vent because the pump manufacturer never provided it. Many cartridge seals have a vent built
in that you can connect to the pump suction or some other low pressure point in the system.
Take care of the seal
● The seal would prefer to be sealing a cool, clean, lubricating liquid. We seldom have one of those
to seal so maybe you can apply an environmental control in the stuffing box area to change your
product into a cool, clean, lubricating liquid:
● If you are using a jacketed stuffing box, be sure the jacket is clean. Condensate or steam are the
best fluids to circulate through the jacket. Install a carbon bushing in the end of the stuffing box to
act as a thermal barrier that will help to stabilize the stuffing box temperature.
● Flushing is the ultimate environmental control. It causes product dilution, but if you are using the
correct seal you won't need much flush. Four or five gallons per hour (notice I said hour not
minute) should be enough for that type of seal.
● Keep the fluid moving in the stuffing box to prevent a build up of heat.
● Suction recirculation will remove solids that are heavier than the product you are sealing. Since
that is the most common slurry condition, use suction recirculation as your standard. Learn where

not to use it also.

● Discharge recirculation will allow you to raise the pressure in the stuffing box to prevent a fluid
from vaporizing between the lapped faces. Try not to aim the recirculation line at the lapped
faces, it could injure them. If you are using a metal bellows the recirculation line can act as a sand
blaster and cut the thin bellows plates.
● If the product is too hot, cool the stuffing box area, There are lots of ways to do this. Check other
sections of the Technical Series for ideas.
● It is important to remember that these environmental controls are often more important when the
pump is stopped because soak temperatures and shut down cooling can change the stuffing box
temperature drastically, causing the product to change state.
● Dangerous products will need an A.P.I. type gland if you elect not to use dual seals. The disaster
bushing that is part of the A.P.I. configuration should protect the seal from physical damage if you
should lose a bearing when the pump is running.
● Do not put too much steam or water through the quench connection or it will get into the bearing
case. Leakage out the drain connection is often perceived as a seal failure by operators. Be sure
they know the difference.
● Be sure the connections are made correctly. It is easy to mix up the four ports and get the flush or
recirculation line into the quench port.
Does any one ever do all of these four things? Unfortunately not. If we did eighty five or ninety percent
of our seals would be wearing out rather than the ten or fifteen percent that wear out now. The
prematurely failed seal with plenty of carbon face left continues to be the rule.
The most common excuse we hear to explain our lack of good seal life is that there is never time to do it
right, followed by the cliché, "but there is always time to fix it". Most of us do one or two of the
necessary steps and experience an increase in our seal life. There is nothing wrong with an increase in
seal life, but that is a long way from wearing out seals.
Think about it for a minute. If the seal is lasting a year, how big can the problem be? The temperature
cannot be too high or the pressure too severe. If that were true it wouldn't take a year to fail the seal. The
product can't be too dirty for the same reason.
We often find the problem is as simple as a seal design that is fretting the shaft, causing a leak path
through the damaged sleeve or shaft. Other times we find that the flush that is used to clean the lines
once a year is the culprit, and no one is changing the seal materials to reflect this threat to the seal
components.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Charts and graphs index
CHARTS AND GRAPHS YOU WILL NEED
● ANSI pump dimensions, inch sizes

● ANSI pump dimensions, metric sizes
● Bearing fit tolerances
● C/R lip seal life chart
● Calculating the friction loss in inch size fittings and valves
❍ Fittings, inch size
❍ Valves, inch size
● Calculating the friction loss in inch size piping

❍ 1.250" and 1.500" pipe
❍ 2.000" and 2.500" pip
❍ 3" pipe
❍ 6" pipe
● Calculating the friction loss in metric pipe and fittings

● Carbon physicals
● Carcinogens list
● Classifying chemicals for sealing
● Cross section of a volute pump showing shaft deflection
● English to metric conversion tables 8-5
● Galvanic series of metals
● Glossary of seal and pump terms
● Mechanical seal hard face materials
● NPSH reducton chart
● O-ring compatibility guide
● OSHA 1910 regulation
● Pump types
❍ The A.N.S.I. pump
❍ The close coupled pump
❍ The closed impeller, end suction, centrifugal pump
● Pump term relationships

● Seal face flatness readings
● Vapor Pressure Charts
❍ Vapor pressure chart -60 to 240°F.
❍ Vapor Pressure chart -180 F. to 60 F.
● Viscosity corrections for centrifugal pumps

● Water properties
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ANSI ddimensions inch
ANSI PUMP DIMENSIONS INCH SIZE

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ANSI Dimensions metric
ANSI PUMP DIMENSIONS METRIC SIZES

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bearing fit tolerances

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C/R lip seal failure chart
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http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/Charts/Friction_fittings.html

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Friction coefficients, valves

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Pipe friction loss

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Pipe friction loss

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Pipe friction loss

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Pipe friction loss

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Pumps and seals metric friction losses
CALCULATING THE FRICTION LOSS IN METRIC

SIZE PIPING
SOME NOTES FOR THE METRIC PIPE FRICTION CHART SHOWN BELOW
● The chart is calculated for fresh water at 15°C.

● Use actual bores rather than nominal pipe size.
● For stainless steel pipe multiply the numbers by 1.1.
● For steel pipe multiply the numbers by 1.3
● For cast iron pipe multiply the numbers by 1.7
● The losses are calculated for a fluid viscosity similar to fresh water
THE FOLLOWING CHART WILL LET YOU CALCULATE THE LOSES

THROUGH VARIOUS TYPE VALVES AND FITTINGS.
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Pumps and seals metric friction losses

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Seals and pumps carbon physicals
PURE CARBON COMPANY
CARBON GRADE PHYSICALS
The following chart will assist you in selecting the correct grade of carbon/graphite for your mechanical
seal. With the exception of sealing cryogenics and dry running applications, Pure Carbon company's
grade 658RC will probably be your first choice

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Carcinogens
A LIST OF KNOWN CARCINOGENS

Known carcinogens are defined as "those substances for which the evidence from human studies
In the following list I have noted some commercial uses for each of the carcinogens shown. As you
would expect, this is a developing subject.
Be sure to use dual seals any time you have to pump these chemicals.
4-Aminobiphenyl...... No commercial use in the United States. Was used as a rubber antioxidant and as a
reagent for detecting sulfates.
Analgesic mixtures containing Phenacetin...... Prescription and over the counter drugs.
Arsenic and certain Arsenic compounds...... Pesticides, wood preservatives, alloying additive, glass and
nonferrous alloys.
Asbestos...... Insulation, gasketing, packing, coatings, plastics, textiles, friction materials.
Azathioprine...... Medical use.
Benzene ... Solvent, gasoline additive.
Benzidine ..... Dyes in textile and paper
Bis(chloromethyl)ether and technical grade Chloromethyl Methyl Ether ..... Synthesis of plastic and ion
exchanger resins
1,4-Butanediol Dimethylsulfonate (Myleran) ..... Medical use.
Chlorambucil ..... Medical use.0Chromium and certain Chromium compounds ..... Stainless steel,
pigment, medical, plating, wood treatment, paint.
Conjugated Estrogens ..... Medical uses.
Cyclophosphamide ..... Medical uses.
Diethylstilbestrol ..... Medical uses.
Melphalan ..... Medical uses.
Methoxsalen with Ultra-violet A Therapy (PUVA) ..... Medical uses.
Mustard Gas ..... Biological studies, weapons.
2-Naphthylamine ..... Dyes, rubber, used only for research purposes.
Thorium Dioxide ..... Nuclear, flame spraying, welding electrodes, high temperature ceramics.
Vinyl Chloride ..... Plastics, wrapping film, phonograph records, credit cards, floor tiles.
In addition to the above chemicals there are substances which may reasonably be anticipated to be
carcinogens. Defined as "those for which there is a limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans or
sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals".
2-Acetylaminofluorene ..... Medical uses.
Acrylonitrile ..... Synthetic fibers resins, plastics, elastomers .
Adriamycin ..... Medical uses.
Aflatoxins ..... Research.
2-Aminoanthraquinone ..... Dyes, paints plastics, rubber, printing inks.
o-Aminoazotoluene ..... Pigments, coloring oils, wax polishes.
1-Amino-2-methyllanthraquinine ..... Dye for synthetic fibers as well as animal furs.
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Carcinogens
Amitrole ..... Herbicide, now limited to non-crop applications.
o-Anisidine Hydrochloride ..... Dyes.
Benzotrichloride ..... Plastics, dyes and pigments.
Beryllium and certain Beryllium compounds ..... Alloys for aerospace applications, ceramic additive to
glass and plastic.
Bischloroethyl Nitrousourea ..... Medical uses
1,3-Butadiene ..... Synthetic rubber, tires, nylon carpet backing, latex adhesives.
Cadmium and certain Cadmium compounds ..... Coating and plating.
Carbon Tetrachloride ..... Production of Freon 11 & 12, degreasing, plastic and resin production.
Chlorendic Acid ... Flame retardant, foams.
Chlorinated Parraffins (C12, 60% Chlorine) ..... Lubricant additive, flame retardant, rubber production
1-(2-Chloroethy)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (CCNU) ... Medical uses.
Chloroform ..... Production of fluorocarbon, refrigerant, heat transfer medium in fire extinguishers.
3-Chloro-2-methylpropene ..... Fumigant, textile additive, plastics.
4-Chloro-o-phenylenediamine ..... Hair dye, photographic chemicals.
C.I. Basic Red 9 Monohydrochloride ..... Dye for textiles, leather printing inks, china clay.
p-Cresidine ..... Dyes.
Cupferron ..... A reagent to separate tin from zinc and copper and iron from other metals.
Dacarbazine ... Medical uses.
DDT ..... Insecticide. In the US. it used only under Public Health Service supervision.
2,4-Diaminoanisole Sulfate ..... Fur, acrylic fiber, polyester, wool , cotton and hair dye.
2,4Diaminotoluene ..... Polyurethane, dye.
1,2-Dibromo-3-ch loropropane ..... Soil fumigant.
1,2-Dibromoethane (EDB) ..... Gasoline antiknock additive, pesticide.
1,4-Dichlorobenzene ..... Space deodorant (toilets, rooms) germicide.
3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine and 3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine Dithydrochloride ..... Pigments.
1,2-Dichlorethane ..... Component of leaded fuel, production of vinyl chloride.
Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride) ..... Solvent in paint removers, manufacture of vitamins,

degreasing agent.
1,3-Dichloropropene (Technical Grade) ..... Pesticides.
Diepoxybutane ..... Curing agent for polymers.
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate ..... Used to make poly vinyl chloride.
Diethyl Sulfate ..... Surfactants, dyes, agricultural chemicals.
Diglycidyl Resorcinol Ether ..... Liquid epoxy resin.
3,3'-Dimethoxybenzidine ..... Production of azo dyes.
4-Dimethylaminoazobenzene ..... To color polishes and other wax products.

Carcinogens
3,3'-Dimethylbenzidine ..... Dye, chlorine test kits.
Dimethylcarbamoyl Chloride ..... Dyes, pesticide.
1,1-Dimethylhydrazine ..... Propellant for liquid fuel rockets.
Dimethyl Sulfate ..... Used to manufacture other chemicals.
Dimethylvinyl Chloride ..... Organic synthesis.
1,4-Dioxane ..... Stabilizer in chlorinated solvents.
Direct Black 38 ..... Dye.
Direct Blue 6 ..... Dye.
Epichlorohydrin ..... Epoxy resins.
Estrogens (Not Conjugated): Estradiol-17ß ..... Medical uses.
Estrogens (Not Conjugated): Estrone ..... Medical uses.
Estrogens (Not Conjugated): Ethinylestradiol ..... Medical uses.
Estrogens (Not Conjugated): Mestranol ..... Medical uses.
Ethyl Acrylate ..... Paper coatings, emulsion based polymers.
Ethylene Oxide ..... Manufacture of ethylene glycol and polyester.
Ethylene Thiourea .... Rubber, O-rings, electroplating.
Formaldehyde (Gas) ..... Adhesives, chemical production, Medical uses.
Hexachlorobenzene ..... Pesticide.
Hexamethylphossphoramide ..... Solvent for polymers, de-icing additive for jet fuels.
Hydrazine and Hydrazine Sulfate ..... Agricultural chemicals, rocket fuel, oxygen scavenger in boiler
feed water.
Hydrazobenzene ..... Dye, additive to motor oil.
Iron Dextran Complex ..... Medical uses.
Kepone® (Chlordecone) ..... Insecticide, no longer used in the US.
Lead Acetate and Lead Phosphate ..... Drier in paints and varnish, colorant in hair dyes.
Lindane and other Hexachlorocyclohexane Isomers ..... Insecticidal treatment for wood, grain and live
stock.
2-Methylaziridine (Proplyleneimine) ..... Paper, textile, rubber.
4,4'-Methylenebis(2-chloroaniline) (MBOCA) ..... Curing agent.
4,4'-Methylenebis(N,N-dimethyl)benzenamine ..... Dye.
4,4'-Methylenedianiline and its Dihydrochloride ..... Manufacture of polyisocynates and isocyanates.
Metronidazole ..... Medical uses.
Michler's Ketone ..... Dyes and pigments.
Mirex ..... Pesticide, fire retardant.
Nickel and certain Nickel compounds ..... Stainless and alloy steel.
Nitrilotriacetic Acid ..... Detergent, water treatment.

Carcinogens
5-Nitro-o-Anisidine ..... Dye.
Nitofen ..... No present commercial use. Was a herbicide.
Nitrogen Mustard Hydrochloride ..... Medical uses.
2-Nitropropane ..... Solvent, inks, paints polymers.
N-Nitrosodi-n-butylamine ..... Medical uses.
N-Nitrosodiethanolamine ..... No commercial use.
N-Nitrosodiethylamine ..... Stabilizer in plastics, gasoline and lubricant additive.
N-Nitrosodimethylamine ..... Liquid rocket fuel, solvent.
p-Nitrosodiphenylamine ..... Rubber, dye.
N-Nitrosodi-n-propylamine ..... No commercial use. Used in cancer research.
N-Nitroso-N-ethylurea ..... No commercial use.
N-Nitroso-N-methylurea ..... Medical uses
N-Nitrosomethylvinylamine ..... Research chemical.
N-Nitrosomorpholine ..... No commercial use.
N-Nitrosonornicotine ..... Research chemical.
N-Nitrosopiperidine ..... Epoxy resin.
N-Nitrosopyrrolidine ..... No commercial use.
N-Nitrososarcosine .... No commercial use
Norethisterone ..... Medical uses
4,4'-Oxydianiline ..... Production of polyimide and poly(ester)mide resins.
Oxymetholone ..... Medical uses.
Phenacetin ..... Medical uses.
PhenazopyridineHydrochloride .. .. Medical uses.
Phenoxybenzamine Hydrochloride ..... Medical uses.
Phenytoin ..... Medical uses.
Polybrominated Biphenyls ..... Flame retardant, plastics.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls .... Heat transfer and hydraulic fluids.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbones, 15 listings .... Coal tar, roofing, creosote, asphalt
● Benza(a)anthracene
● Benzo(b)fluoranthene
● Benzo(j)fluoranthene
● Benzo(k)fluoranthene
● Benzo(a)pyrene
● Dibenz(a,h)acridine
● Dibenz(a,j)acridine
● Dibenz(a,h)anthracene
● 7H-Dibenzo(c,g)carbazole
● Dibenzo(a,e)pyrene
● Dibenzo(a,h)pyrene
● Dibenzo(a,l)pyrene
● Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene
● 5-Methylchrysene

Carcinogens
Procarbazine Hydrochloride ..... Medical uses.
Progesterone ..... Medical uses.
1,3-Propane Sultone ..... Detergents lathering agents.
Propiolactone ..... Medical uses.
Propylene Oxide ..... Coatings and adhesives.
Propylthiouracil ..... Medical uses.
Reserpine ..... Medical uses.
Saccharin ..... Sweetening agent.
Safrole ..... Flavoring agent.
Selenium Sulfide ..... Shampoos.
Streptozotocin ..... Medical uses.
Sulfallate ..... Herbicide.
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) ..... Research chemical.
Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene) ..... Dry cleaning and textile production.
Thioacetamide ..... Replacement for hydrogen sulfide in qualitative analysis.
Thiourea ..... Animal glue.
Toluene Diisocyanate ..... Polyurethane foam.
o-Toluidine and o-Toluidine Hydrochloride ..... Dyes and pigments.
Toxaphene ..... Insecticide.
2,4,6-Trichlorophenol ..... Wood preservative, anti mildew.
Tris(1-aziridinyl)phosphine Sulfide ..... Medical uses.
Tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate ..... No longer used in the US. Was a flame retardant.
Urethane ..... No commercial use because of its toxicity

● Soots, tars and mineral oils
Delisted Chemicals
● Aramite® ..... No US. residents exposed.

● N,N-Bis(2-chloroethy)-2-naphthylamine (Chlornaphazine) ..... No US. residents exposed.
● Cycasin ..... No US. residents exposed.
● Methyl Iodine ..... Re-evaluated by IARC. Now considered to be in group 2: no evidence for
humans, limited evidence for animals.

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SUBJECT: Classifying chemicals for mechanical sealing.
I. Fluids sensitive to small changes in temperature and or pressure. The temperature change can cause the
fluid to:
● Vaporize
● Crystallize
● Become viscous
● Solidify
● Build a film on the seal sliding surfaces
● Increase the corrosion rate of the fluid. A 10°C. increase can double the corrosion rate of most
fluids.
II. Fluids sensitive to agitation (non Newtonian fluids)
● Dilatants increase their viscosity with agitation

● Thixothrophic fluids decrease in viscosity with agitation.
● Plastic fluids release their viscosity suddenly. Catsup is an example.
III. Fluids that need two seals
● Dangerous fluids
● Pollutants
● Carcinogens
● Fluids that emit fugitive emissions
● Expensive fluids
● Any time a premature seal failure would cause an expensive down time.
IV. Slurries
● You must pump the fluid at a velocity of 4 to 7 ft/sec. (1,2 to 2,3 meters / sec. to prevent a bed of
solids in the pipe.
● Slurries are defined as solids in liquid. The number and size of the solids is not important.
● Abrasion becomes a problem when you pump at a velocity greater than 10 Ft./sec. (3 Meters/
sec.). The abrasive fluids can:
❍ Clog internal seal parts
❍ Throw the impeller out of balance
❍ Cause frequent open impeller adjustments
❍ Can cause excessive wear of the metal bellows plates
V. Non Lubricating fluids (in order of difficulty to seal)
● Liquids
● Gases
● Dry solids
VI. Fluids that react together to form a solid. Often a mixer or blender application
● Polymers
● Epoxies
VII. Clean lubricating liquids
● Most finished products fall into this category
VIII. Extreme operating conditions. These are non-chemical, but present seal problems.
● The fluid is too hot for a seal component

❍ The O-ring or any elastomer is the most sensitive to high temperature.
❍ Some filled carbon have a low temperature limit.
● The fluid is a cryogenic. It is too cold for a seal component

❍ The O-ring is sensitive to temperature changes
❍ The carbon must be lapped at cryogenic temperature.
● The pressure in the stuffing box (not the discharge pressure) is too high. It is greater than 400 psi
(28 bar)
❍ The load on the seal faces can be too high causing excessive heat.
❍ The elastomer (O-ring) can extrude and become damaged.
❍ The lapped seal faces can deform and go out of flat.
❍ The seal can push off the set screws.
● Hard vacuum. Less than 1 torr

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The elastomer (O-ring) will shrink and leak.

❍
● High shaft speed. Greater than 5000 fpm. (25 m/sec.)

● Excessive shaft axial & radial motion
❍ Axial movement causes changes in the seal face loading. Radial movement can separate
the lapped faces.

● Excessive vibration
IX. Not listed in the above categories.
● Polishing liquid
❍ Antimony Peroxide
● Anaerobic fluids
❍ Super glue

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Volute cross section

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Conversion chart
SUBJECT: CONVERSION TABLES
VELOCITY
m/s ft/s m/min ft/min km/h mile/h

1 3.281 60 196.85 3.6 2.2369
0.305 1 18.288 60 1.0973 0.6818
0.017 0.055 1 3.281 0.06 0.0373
0.005 0.017 0.305 1 0.0183 0.01136
0.278 0.911 16.667 54.68 1 0.6214
0.447 1.467 26.822 88 1.6093 1
MASS FLOW RATE
kg/s lb/s kg/h lb/h ton/h tonne/h

1 2.205 3600 7936.64 3.5431 3.6
0.454 1 1633 3600 1.607 1.633
2.78 x10-4 6.12 x10-4 1 2.205 9.84 x 10-4 0.001
1.026 x10-4 2.78 x10-4 0.454 1 4.46 x 10-4 4.54 x 10-4
0.282 0.622 1016 2240 1 1.016
0.278 0.612 1000 2204.6 0.9842 1
VOLUMETRIC RATE OF FLOW
U.S.
L/s L/min m3/h ft3/h ft3/m imperial g/min U.S. barrell/ day petroleum
gal/min
1 60 3.6 127.133 2.1189 13.2 15.85 543.439
0.017 1 0.06 2.1189 0.0353 0.22 0.264 9.057
0.278 16.667 1 35.3147 0.5886 3.666 4.403 150.955
0.008 0.472 0.0283 1 0.0167 0.104 0.125 4.275
0.472 28.317 1.6990 60 1 6.229 7.480 256.475
0.076 4.546 0.2728 9.6326 0.1605 1 1.201 41.175
0.063 3.785 0.2271 8.0209 0.1337 0.833 1 34.286
0.002 0.110 0.0066 0.2339 0.0039 0.024 0.029 1
FORCE
kilogram force
Newton N kilonewton kN pound force lbf
kgf (kilopond kp)

Conversion chart
1 0.001 0.102 0.225
1000 1 101.97 224.81
9.807 0.0098 1 2.205
4.448 0.0044 0.454 1
PRESSURE AND LIQUID HEAD
Newton
per square pound
meter kilogram
force
kilo - force per millimeter of inch of
per
pascal square foot of meter of mercury mercury
N/M2 or bar square
centi-meter water water
inch
kPa mm Hg in Mg
Pascal
kgf/cm2
lbf/in2
(Pa)
1.045
1 0.001 1x105 1.02x105 3.35x10-4 1.02x10-4 0.0075 2.95x10-4
x10-4
1000 1 0.01 1.02x10-2 0.145 0.335 0.102 7.5 0.295
100000 100 1 1.02 14.5 33.52 10.2 750.1 29.53
98067 98.07 0.981 1 14.22 32.81 10 735.6 28.96
6895 6.895 0.069 0.0703 1 2.31 0.703 51.72 2.036
2984 2.984 0.03 0.0305 0.433 1 0.305 22.42 0.882
9789 9.789 0.0980. 0.1 1.42 3.28 1 73.42 2.891
133.3 0.133 0.0013 0.0014 0.019 0.045 0.014 1 0.039
3386 3.386 0.0338 0.0345 0.491 1.133 0.345 25.4 1
1 Pascal equals 1 newton per square meter (1Pa = 1N/M2)
1 mm Hg is also called 1 "torr"
The international standard atmosphere (1 atm) = 101325 pascals or 1.01325 bar. This is equal to 1.03323
kgf/cm2 or 14.6959 lbf/in2
1 millibar = 100 pascal (1mb = 100 Pa
ENERGY AND WORK
joule kilojoule megajoule foot pound force British thermal unit kilowatt hour
therm
J kJ MJ ft lbf B.t.u. kWh
1 0.001 1 X 10-6 0.737 9.48 x 10-4 9.48 x 10-9 2.78 x 10-7
1000 1 0.001 737.56 0.9478 9.48 x 10-6 2.78 x 10-4
1 x 106 1000 1 737562 947.82 9.48 x 10-3 0.2778
1.356 1.36 x 10-3 1.36 x 10-6 1 1.28 x 10-3 1.28 x 10-8 3.77 x 10-7

Conversion chart
1055.1 1.0551 1.05 x 10-3 778.17 1 1 x 10-5 2.931 X 10-4
1.0551 x 108 105510 105.51 7.78 x 107 100000 1 29.307
3.6 x 106 3600 3.6 2.65 x 106 3412.1 0.03412 1
1 joule = 1 newton meter
POWER
Watt kilogram force meter per sec. foot pound force per second horsepower
metric horsepower
W kgf m/s ft lbf/s hp
1 0.102 0.00136 0.738 0.0013
9.806 1 0.133 7.233 0.0131
735.5 75 1 542.476 0.9863
1.356 0.138 1.84 x 10-3 1 1.82 x 10-3
745.70 76.04 1.0139 550.0 1
VOLUME
cubic millimeter cubic centimeter cubic meter cubic inch cubic foot cubic yard
mm3 cm3 m3 in3 ft3 yd3
1 0.001 1 x 10-9 6.1 x 10-5 3.531 x 10-8 1.3068 x 10-9
1000 1 1 x 10-6 0.061 3.531 x 10-5 1.308 x 10-6
1 x 109 1 x 106 1 61024 35.31 1.308
16387 16.39 1.639 x 10-5 1 5.787 x 10-4 2.143 x 10-5
2.832 x 107 2.832 x 104 0.0283 1728 1 0.0370
7.646 X 108 7.646 x 105 0.7646 46656 27 1

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Galvanic series of metals
GALVANIC SERIES OF METALS AND ALLOYS

MAGNESIUM
MAGNESIUM ALLOYS
ZINC
ALUMINUM 5052, 3004, 3003, 1100, 6053
CADMIUM
ALUMINUM 2117, 2017, 2024
302, 303, 321, 347, 410,416, STAINLESS STEEL (ACTIVE)
NI - RESIST
LEAD - TIN SOLDERS
LEAD
TIN
NICKEL (ACTIVE)
BRASSES
COPPER (CA102)
SILICONE BRONZE
NICKEL SILVER
430 STAINLESS STEEL
MONEL 400, K500
SILVER SOLDER
NICKEL (PASSIVE)
CARPENTER 20 CB-3 STAINLESS (PASSIVE), INCOLOY 825NICKEL - MOLYBDEUM -
CHROMIUM - IRON ALLOY (PASSIVE)
SILVER
GRAPHITE
ZIRCONIUM
GOLD
PLATINUM

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Glossary index
GLOSSARY OF PUMP AND SEAL TERMS

A B C D E F
G H I J K L
M N O P Q R
S T U V W X-Z
CLICK ON THE APPROPRIATE BOX TO FIND THE DEFINITION OF YOUR WORD.

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Glossary A
Adapter
● Connects and aligns the power end of an ANSI pump to the wet end.
A.N.S.I. Standard
● American National Standards Institute. A set of specifications (envelope dimensions) for

centrifugal pumps manufactured in the United States
A.P.I. gland
● A seal gland that incorporates a non sparking disaster bushing along with a vent and drain
connection (quench), and a flushing connection.
A.P.I. Specifications
● American Petroleum Institute Specifications. Usually adopted by oil refineries for petroleum
applications. Includes seal gland and piping recommendations.
Absolute pressure
● Atmospheric pressure added to gauge pressure.
Active metal
● A corrosion resistant metal that has not been passivated. The protective oxide layer has not
formed.
Affinity laws
● They predict how capacity, head and horsepower are affected by changes in the centrifugal pump
impeller diameter or shaft speed.
Air ingestion
● Air is coming into the stuffing box because of a negative suction pressure.
Alignment
● The center line of the pump is perfectly aligned with the centerline of the driver (usually an
electric motor).
Alpha sintered
● A type of silicone carbide that does not contain silica.
Ambient heat/pressure
● The heat or pressure in the area where the equipment is located.
Annealing
● To soften the metal by heating it to a predetermined temperature somewhere below its melting
point.
Anodize
● A treatment used on aluminum to put a heavy stable film of oxide on the metal surface.
Anti-friction bearing
● Usually referring to a ball or roller bearing
Application
● A description of the fluid and operating conditions that we are trying to pump or seal.
Atmospheric pressure
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Glossary A
● At sea level, atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi.
AVS Standard
● An old, obsolete standard that has been replaced by the A.N.S.I. standard.

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Glossary B
Back plate
● Used in some centrifugal pumps to position the stuffing box and provide an impeller wear
surface.
Back pull out pump
● A design that allows the wet end of the pump to be left on the piping when the power end
and adapter are removed. A.N.S.I. pumps are designed this way.
Back to back double seal
● The rotating seal faces are facing in opposite directions. The worst possible configuration. In
the past this term was used to describe a higher barrier fluid pressure between dual
mechanical seals.
Balanced seal
● A design in which the seal face closing area is reduced to lower the closing force, and reduce
the heat generation between the faces.
Balance Ratio
● A 70/30 balance ratio means that 70% of the seal face closing area is seeing the stuffing box
pressure and 30% is not seeing the pressure.
Ball bearing
● Consists of an inner race, an outer race, and a series of balls between them. Often called a
precision or anti friction bearing.
Bar
● Metric term for one atmosphere of pressure.
Barrier fluid
● The high pressure fluid that is circulated between two mechanical seals. The fluid should
enter the bottom and leave the top to prevent air pockets.
Base plate
● The pump and motor mount on this unit. The pump and motor feet closest to the coupling
should be doweled to the base plate.
Bayonet
● The mechanical seal drive lugs wear into the drive slots and prevent the seal faces from
moving forward to compensate for wear.
Bearing
● Supports the rotating shaft and allows it to turn with a minimum amount of friction. Could
be either sleeve or anti-friction type
Bellows
● Can be manufactured from metal or non metallic materials to eliminate flexing, rolling or
sliding elastomers in mechanical seal designs.
Bellows plate
● A thin, stamped disc. Two are welded together to form a convolution.
Bernoulli's law
● A moving stream of liquid or gas exerts less sideways pressure than if it were at rest. The
result is that things seem to be drawn into the stream, but they are really being pushed in by
the higher pressure from outside.
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Glossary B
B.E.P.
● The best efficiency point. It is the point where the power coming out of the pump (water
horse power) is the closest to the power coming into the pump (brake horse power) from the
driver. This is also the point where there is no radial deflection of the shaft cause by unequal
hydraulic forces acting on the impeller.
B.H.P.
● Brake horse power. The actual amount of horsepower being consumed by the pump as
measured on a pony brake or dynamometer.
Body bound bolts
● The bolt has an interference fit with the bolt hole.
Brinnell hardness
● A method of measuring the hardness of metal parts and hard seal faces. Above 350 the
standard machining operations of turning, boring, drilling, and tapping become
uneconomical.
Buffer fluid
● The low pressure fluid that is circulated between dual mechanical seals.
Buna N
● Some times called Nitrile. A common elastomer used in the sealing of oil or water. Sensitive
to Ozone attack and therefore has a short shelf life.
Bushing
● A close fitting support device used to restrict flow between two liquids, thermally isolate a
hot liquid, support the rotating shaft, break down pressure etc. Commonly made of carbon
or Teflon.
Bypass line
● Used to either re-circulate fluid from the pump discharge to the stuffing box, the stuffing
box to the pump suction, or the pump discharge to a lower pressure point in the system.

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Glossary C

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C frame adapter
● Used to connect and align the pump to the motor with registered fits. (imperial dimensions. Called
the D frame adapter in the metric system)
C.L.A.
● Center line average. A method of measuring surface finish in the metric system. Uses microns as
a unit.
Canned pump
● A non seal pump with the shaft, bearings and rotor contained in a can to prevent product leakage.
Limited to pumping clean lubricating liquids.
Capacity
● Fluid flow measured in gpm, liters/min, M3/hr. etc.
Carbide
● The compound formed when carbon combines with an element. The carbides of metal are very
hard and are often used as a mechanical seal face.
Carbon bushing
● Used as a restrictive bushing in flushing applications, a thermal barrier in high temperature

applications, a disaster bushing in an A.P.I. gland and to support a deflecting shaft in many
mechanical seal applications.
Carbon/ graphite
● A common mechanical seal face material chemically inert to most fluids with the exception of
oxidizers, bleaches, halogens and a few other fluids.
Carbonizing
● A reduction of hydrocarbons resulting in the formation of carbonaceous residue that will interfere
with the movement of a mechanical seal. Often called "coking".
Carcinogen
● A cancer producing substance.
Cartridge seal
● A self contained assembly containing the seal, gland, sleeve, and both stationary and rotating seal
faces. Usually needs no installation measurement. Must be used if impeller adjustments are made.
Cartridge seals are the standard for A.P.I. seal applications.
Catalyst
● A chemical additive that decreases the time of a chemical reaction with out being affected by the
reaction.
Cavitate
● Cavities or bubbles form in the fluid low pressure area and collapse in a higher pressure area of
the pump, causing noise, damage and a loss of capacity.
Center line design
● The pump is suspended on feet attached to the sides of the volute instead of the bottom. Used in
higher temperature (> 100°C) pumping applications.
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Glossary C
Centipoise
● The metric system unit of viscosity.
Centistoke
● The kinematic unit of viscosity. Viscosity in centipoises divided by the liquid density at the same
temperature, gives kinematic viscosity in centistokes.
Centrifugal pump
● Moves liquid with centrifugal force. Available in circular and volute configurations.
Centrifugal separator
● Sometimes called a cyclone separator. Uses centrifugal force to throw solids out of the fluid. Does
not work very well in slurry seal applications.
Ceramic
● A hard, chemically inert seal face material that includes products refereed to as silicone carbide.
Change of state
● When a liquid flashes into a vapor, solidifies, crystallizes, cokes etc.
Chemraz®
● An "elastomer like" material manufactured by Green Tweed of England. Used to seal most
solvents and other aggressive fluids.
Chloride stress corrosion
● Occurs in the 300 series of stainless steel. Caused by a combination of tensile stress, chlorides and
heat. No one knows the threshold values.
Chrome carbide
● Forms when chrome forms with carbon in the heat affected zone during the welding of stainless
steel. The use of low carbon stainless steel is recommended in these applications.
Chrome Oxide
● The passivated layer that forms on the 300 series of stainless steel.
Circular casing
● Used with centrifugal pumps that circulate fluid rather than build head or pressure.
Clam Shell
● Used to set the pitch (distance between convolutions) while heat treating a metal bellows core.
Close coupled
● The pump impeller is mounted directly on the motor shaft. There is no separate bearing case.
Coated Face
● A hard coating is plated or welded to a softer base material. Presents problems with different
thermal expansion rates, the hard coating can "heat check" or crack. Not recommended as a seal
face material.
Coke
● A hard black substance that forms when petroleum products are over heated. It interferes with seal
movement and will open the lapped faces.
Composite

Glossary C
● When used in the content of mechanical seal faces, it refers to either a non metallic material or a
combination of non metallic face inserted into a metal holder.
Compression set
● The elastomer changes shape when it has been exposed to too much heat. Round O-rings come
out square.
Concentric dual seal
● One seal is located inside the other, with a common hard face shared by both of them. Because of
its large radial space requirement the seal is usually limited to mixer type applications.
Concentricity
● When the parts share the same center line they are concentric to each other.
Condensate
● Condensed steam.
Convection
● A natural circulation of fluid. The hot fluid (lighter) rises and the cool fluid (heavier) sinks.
Convection tank
● Used to contain fluid between two mechanical seals. An enclosed heater or cooler can be used to
control the barrier or buffer fluid temperature. Pressure or level gages can indicate which seal has
failed.
Convolution
● Two metal bellows plates welded or formed together. To count the number of convolutions in a
metal bellows you count the spaces between the bellows plates.
Cooling jacket
● Surrounds the stuffing box of the pump to control the temperature of the fluid in the stuffing box.
Usually molded into the back plate.
Corrosion resistant
● Corrodes at a rate of less than 0.002 inches (0.05 mm) per year.
Coupling
● Used to connect the pump to the driver. It transmits torque and compensates for axial growth, but
not for radial misalignment.
Critical speed
● Any object made of an elastic material has a natural period of vibration. When a pump rotor or
shaft rotates at any speed corresponding to its natural frequency, minor unbalances will be
magnified. These speeds are called the critical speeds.
Cryogenic
● Very cold temperatures.
Cutwater
● Directs the pumped liquid to the discharge piping.
Cyclone separator
● A device used in some seal applications to separate solids from liquid by utilizing centrifugal
force. Not very reliable.

Glossary C

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D frame adapter
● Used to connect and align the pump and motor (manufactured in metric dimensions). The
Imperial version is called a "C" frame adapter.
D-Gun process
● A metal spray process used to put a hard surface on a softer metal. This is the normal method of
applying nickel base tungsten carbide. It is preferred over the popular Plasma Process if you arre
manufacturing a mechanical seal face.
D.I.N. standard
● The German standard for industrial products.
Damping
● The physical touching of a component to arrest vibration.
Dead ending
● Isolating the stuffing box. No recirculation or flushing lines in or out.
Deflection
● Movement or displacement of the shaft in a radial direction.
Density
● Measured in gm/cm2 or lb/in 2 A measure of the weight of the fluid. A better term than specific
gravity.
Dial indicator
● A tool used to measure concentricity or displacement of a shaft.
Dilatant
● A liquid that thickens (increases its viscosity) with agitation.
Disaster bushing
● Used in A.P.I. glands to support the shaft in the event of a bearing failure, or to prevent product
from rushing to atmosphere after a seal failure. The close clearance (0.025 inch or 0.5 mm.)
directs most of the leakage through a drain connection in the seal gland to an appropriate
container.
Discharge recirculation
● Connecting a line from the discharge side of the pump to the stuffing box. Should be used with a
close fitting bushing in the end of the stuffing box to increase the stuffing box pressure. A
common application when pumping a fluid close to its vapor point.
DN factor
● Do not use precision bearings if the bearing bore (millimeters) x rpm. is 300,000 or greater
Double balanced seal
● Hydraulically balanced in both directions. A desirable feature, but seldom provided by seal
manufacturers.
Double seal
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Glossary C
● An out dated term describing two seals in a pump. The latest terminology is "dual seals". In the
past the term was used to describe a higher pressure barrier fluid between dual seals.
Double suction pump
● The rotor is suspended between two bearings with the fluid entering on either side of the impeller.
Used at higher capacities.
Double volute
● A centrifugal pump design that incorporates two cut waters to prevent shaft deflection when the
pump is operating off of the B.E.P. Lowers the efficiency of the pump and therefore seldom used
on smaller size impellers.
Drive lugs
● These lugs or pins transmit the torque from the set screws to the seal face.
Dry running
● Running without fluid at the seal face.
Dual Seal
● Two seals running in various configurations: back to back, tandem, face to face, or concentric.
Ductility
● The property of a metal that lets you give it a great deal of mechanical deformation without
cracking.
Dynamic elastomer
● The rubber part that has to move to move or flex to compensate for seal face wear or shaft
movement.
Dynamic head (system head)
● The pump head created by friction in the piping system.
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Glossary E

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Effective diameter
● In metal bellows terminology it is the calculated diameter where the pressure penetrates between
the metal plates. This number is used to determine the hydraulic balance diameter of the seal face.
Efficiency
● Power out of the equipment divided by power in.
Elastic range
● The stressed part retains its memory and returns to its original shape.
Elastomer
● A rubber like material that, when compressed and then released will return to 90% of its original
shape in less than five seconds.
Electrolysis
● A process involving chemical change caused by the passage of an electric current through a
liquid.
Endurance limit.
● Beyond this point the metal will fatigue without increasing the stress.
E.P.A.
● Environmental protection agency. A government agency with a mandate to protect the

environment.
E.P.R.
● Ethylene propylene rubber. The most common elastomer used in the sealing of water based and
higher pH materials. Cannot be used in petroleum products.
Extrusion
● Permanent displacement of a portion of the O-ring into a gap, under the action of fluid pressure.
Eye of the impeller
● The center of the impeller, where the fluid enters.
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Glossary F

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Face combination
● The materials chosen for the lapped seal faces. Usually a grade of carbon graphite running on a
hard face material.
Face to face seals
● Two seals running against a common seal face. The barrier fluid pressure is always lower than
Face flatness
● Measured by an optical flat and a monochromatic light. The measurement is read in helium light
bands (.0000116 inches or 0,3 microns).
Face lubrication
● The fluid or vapor that sometimes exists between lapped mechanical seal faces.
Face pressure
● The sum of all the loads on the seal face including the spring load, hydraulic load and shaft axial
thrust, divided by the area of the seal face. This face load is reduced by friction between the
sliding elastomer and the shaft or sleeve.
Filled carbon
● Contains organic or inorganic materials that might be sensitive to temperature, or be attacked by

the fluid you are sealing. Usually a low cost carbon.
Filter
● A devise used to remove solid particles from liquid. It removes smaller paricles than a strainer.
Finite element analysis
● A computer generated method of predicting seal face distortion.
Flashing
● A rapid change in liquid state from a liquid to a gas.
Flatness
● Measured by Helium light bands (0.0000116" or 0,3 microns) as opposed to surface finish that is
measured by R.M.S. or C.L.A.
Flexibility factor
● Same as L3/D4 Used to predict shaft bending problems.
Flexible member
● The portion of the seal containing the springs or bellows.
Flexible shaft
● A shaft with an operating speed higher than its first critical speed
Fluid
● The material assumes the shape of its container. It could be either a liquid or a gas.
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Glossary F
Flurocarbon
● Genetic term for the elastomer called Viton®. Viton is a Dupont Dow elastomer product.
Flush
● Putting an outside liquid into the stuffing box of the pump at a pressure higher than stuffing box
pressure. All of this liquid mixes with and dilutes the pumped fluid.
Foot
● Supports the wet and power end of the pump and attaches it to the base plate.
Force
● Created whenever pressure works on an area. The units are pounds. (F = P x A)
Formed metal bellows
● Manufactured by stretching and compressing the metal bellows material. Not usually used in
mechanical seals because of its high spring rate.
F.P.M. (fpm.)
● Feet per minute. When used in the context of seals it is measured at the center of the seal face.
Francis vane impeller
● The most popular impeller shape with a specific speed between 1500 and 4000.
Free length
● The uncompressed axial length of a seal.
Frett or fretting
● Damage or grooving caused by the removal of the protective oxide that is formed on most
corrosion resistant metals. It happens when a softer material (rubber) rubs against a hard shaft or
sleeve. A common problem with low cost O.E.M. mechanical seals and bearing grease or lip
seals.
Fugitive emission
● The government has designated certain chemicals as hazardous to the environment. If any of these
chemicals is released to the atmosphere they are called fugitive emissions.
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Glossary G

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Galvanic series
● A list of metals with those on the top of the list being attacked by those lower down in the list.
The father apart on the list, the faster the attack.
Gasket
● Used between two static surfaces to provide a seal. Made from a variety of deformable materials.
Gland
● The part that holds one half of the mechanical seal and attaches to the stuffing box.
Grease seal
● A spring loaded elastomer seal commonly used to seal bearings. Sometimes called a "lip seal".
Not a good choice for sealing the bearing casing of a pump. A labyrinth or face seal would be a
better choice.
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Glossary H

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Halogen
● Elements that attack carbon. Fluorine, bromine, chlorine, astatine and iodine.
Hard face
● A seal face either rotating or stationary. The most common materials are silicone carbide,
ceramic, tungsten carbide, Stellite, Ni-resist. The hard face must be the wider seal face.
Harmonic vibration
● Vibtrating in harmony with something near by. This can be a big problem for bearings in
stationary or non running equipment.
Hastelloy "C"
● A nickel rich, corrosion resistant metal used for mechanical seal springs and metal bellows
because it is not sensitive to chloride stress corrosion.
Head
● The equivalent height of the liquid. 20° C. water is used as the standard where 10 meters (33.9 ft.)
of water equals one atmosphere (14.7 psi. or 1 bar). The term head is used instead of pressure in
the centrifugal pump business.
Helium Light Band
● A method of measuring seal face flatness. One helium light band equals 0.0000116 inches or 0.3
microns. Seal faces are normally lapped to within three helium light bands of flatness.
Horse power
● 33,000 foot pounds per minute. A common method of measuring work.
Hydraulic balance
● A method of reducing mechanical seal face loading by reducing the seal face closing area.
Hydraulic force
● Occurs any time pressure acts on a seal face area. Force times distance divided by time is a
measurement of work done.
Hydrocarbon
● A petroleum product consisting of hydrogen and carbon.
Hydrodynamic force
● Generated at the seal faces because, for all practical purposes, liquid is not compressible.
Hydrodynamic seal
● Special geometric features on the seal face that provide lift by taking advantage of the rotation of
one seal face upon the other.
Hydrogen embrittlement
● A premature fatigue of metal caused by the presence of free hydrogen. This is a major cause of
ceramic breakage in hot water seal applications, and bearing fatigue if moisture penetrates into the
bearing case.
Hydronium ion
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Glossary H
● An ion formed by the transfer of a proton from one molecule of water to another. Used to
determine the pH of a substance. Each step increases by a factor of ten.
Hydrostatic seal
● Maintains a controlled gap between the seal faces by balancing the open and closing forces. There
is a small amount of leakage across the faces when the shaft is rotating. Used in some compressor
applications, but not very practical for the chemicals found in the process industry.
Hysteresis
● The delay or lag that causes seal faces to open.
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Glossary I

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I.D.
● Inside diameter.
I.S.O.
● International standards organization. Sets pump and seal standards for the metric community.
Impeller
● Attaches to the end of the shaft to impart energy to the fluid being pumped. Available in open,
semi- open and closed designs.
Impeller eye
● The center of the impeller or the point where fluid enters the impeller.
Impeller setting
● Open impellers require a clearance between the volute or the pump back plate depending upon
design. This clearance must be set when the pump is at operating temperature and must be reset to
compensate for wear. (0.015" to 0.020" or 0,04 mm to 0,05 mm is typical)
Impeller shroud
● the plates located on one or both sides of the impeller vanes. Prevents solids from penetrating
behind the vanes.
Impeller vane
● Located between the eye and the discharge side of the impeller. Directs the flow of the liquid to
the outside diameter of the impeller.
Implode
● The opposite of explode. Bubbles implode in the higher pressure areas of the pump making noise
and causing damage to the metal parts. This is normally called cavitation
Inclusion
● A non metallic slug of material which has become entangled in the metal during its manufacture.
A severe problem in thin cross section metal bellows manufacture.
Inducer
● A small axial flow vane that attaches to the impeller of a centrifugal pump to increase the
N.P.S.H. available.
Induction motor
● The most common type used in industry. Has a slippage of 2 to 5 percent compared to
synchronous motors.
Inline pump
● Mounted in the piping. No base plate or alignment required.
Internal recirculation
● A loss of efficiency caused by liquid flowing through wear rings or the impeller to volute
clearances.
Intergranular corrosion
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Glossary I
● A corrosion of the grain boundaries in the body of the material.
Iteration
● A technique used in impeller design. You repeat the action until you get to the final result. Very
difficult to do until the new computer programs became available.
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Glossary J

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Jacket
● Usually refers to the heating/ cooling jacket surrounding the stuffing box on some pumps.
Joule
● A metric unit for the measurement of heat. Defined as the energy required to move one Newton
over one meter.
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Glossary K

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Kalrez®
● An "elastomer like" material manufactured by E.I. Dupont that is used to seal most solvents and
other aggressive fluids. It is available in several different grades.
Kilowatt
● One thousand watts. The normal unit for work in the metric system
kPa
● A metric unit for pressure. 100 kPa = one atmosphere.
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Glossary L

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L3 / D4
● A guide line for determining pump shaft stiffness where the length of the shaft is compared to its
diameter. This number should be below 60 in imperial units and 2.0 in metric units.
Labyrinth seal
● A non contacting seal utilizing a tortured path for the escape of the fluid. Utilizes a series of
pressure drops to reduce the leakage.
Lantern Ring
● A device used to supply lubricant to packing. Usually located in the middle of the packing ring
set.
Linear pressure drop
● A straight line pressure drop across the lapped seal faces. Seldom happens.
Line bearings
● Position the rotor or shaft radially. Normally of the sleeve type.
Line bored
● When the drilling or boring is done on a jig that insures every component is in a straight line.
Lip Seal
● See grease seal.
Low flow
● A condition that can cause excessive heat inside the pump volute. A temperature rise of 10°C
(18°F) across the operating pump is considered excessive. Usually caused by throttling a pump
discharge valve.
Lubricant
● Any fluid that will maintain a film thickness of one micron or more at its operating temperature
and load.
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Glossary M

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Mach number
● The relationship between a moving body and the speed of sound in that locality which can vary
with temperature, altitude and there fore pressure.
Magnetic drive
● A type of seal less pump that is pretty much limited to pumping clean lubricating liquids. Similar
in concept to a canned pump.
Magnetic seal
● Uses magnetic materials rather than springs to keep the lapped seal faces together. Limited to non
corrosive fluids because of the magnets.
Magnetite
● Iron oxide ( Fe3O4). A protective coating the forms on iron pipe to prevent further rapid
corrosion. Usually black or maroon in color. Can be very destructive to mechanical seal
components until the oxide stabalizes. We often find these iron pipes in new hot water systems
Mating ring
● Another name for the hard face in a mechanical seal. It can be either rotating or stationary.
Mean Diameter
● The middle diameter. Usually refers to the center of the seal face. The term is commonly used
with metal belows seals to describe the middle diameter of the bellows plate.
Mechanical seal
● A positive sealing device used to seal all fluids (liquids and gases). The primary seal is a set of
lapped seal faces that are installed perpendicular to the shaft.
Metal bellows
● Used in mechanical seal designs to eliminate the need for a dynamic elastomer.
Metal fatigue
● A breakage of the metal caused by the bending and flexing of a metal part beyond its endurance
limit.
Micro Organisms
● Used in a variety of chemical processes. Can cause corrosion of stainless steel if they penetrate
the passivated layer and attack the carbon content of the stainless steel.
Minimum flow
● A condition that can cause excessive heat inside the pump volute. A temperature rise of 10°C
(18°F) across the operating pump is considered excessive. Normally caused by throttling a pump
discharge valve.
Miscible
● When one liquid mixes or blend with another liquid. Same as soluble.
Modulus of elasticity
● Refers to the stiffness of the material. The higher the modulus the stiffer the shaft. Most pump
shafts have similar modules numbers. Also called Young's modulus. The relationship of stress to
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Glossary M
strain. If seal faces have a high modulus they are less likely to distort under pressure.
Moment of inertia
● Referring to rotation about an axis. In the pump business it refers to a formula that describes the
shape of the shaft. A solid shaft would have a different moment of inertia than a hollow shaft.
Monochromatic light
● A single color light used with an optical flat to read seal face flatness.
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Glossary N

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Negative pressure
● Less than atmospheric pressure.
N.P.S.H.A.
● The net positive suction head available to prevent cavitation of the pump. It is defined as:
Atmospheric pressure + gage pressure + static pressure - vapor pressure - friction loss in the
suction piping.
N.P.S.H.R.
● Net positive suction head required to stop a pump from cavitating. This number is given to you by
the pump manufacturer. Since the number was generated by testing with cold fresh water, it can
be lowered in some cases if you are pumping hot water or some hydrocarbons.
Newton
● A metric unit of force. Kilogram x gravity.
Newtonian fluid
● A fluid that does not change viscosity as it is agitated.
Non lubricant
● The fluid that will not maintain a film thickness of at least one micron at its operating temperature
and load. A concern with mechanical sealing.
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Glossary O

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O.D.
● Outside diameter.
O.E.M.
● Original equipment manufacturer. The pump or seal company, not the distributor of the products.
Oil analysis
● A sensible preventative maintenance technique to check the oil for solids, water etc.
Oil life
● Lubricating oil has a useful life of about thirty years at thirty degrees centigrade if it is not
contaminated.
Oil mist
● A lubrication system where oil and air are mixed and sent into the pump bearing case. Not
friendly to the environment.
Operating length
● Measured after the seal has been compressed the proper amount. The measurement is usually
made from the face of the stuffing box.
Optical flat
● A high quality glass lapped flat on one side and used with a monochromatic light to read seal face
flatness.
O-ring groove
● The space into which an O-ring is inserted. Dynamic O-ring grooves use a different dimension
than static O-ring grooves.
OSHA
● Occupational and Safety Health Act. Government regulations that affec the sealing business.
OSHA 1910 is one of the more important that impacts the training of seal mechanics and
operators.
Over hung impeller
● Not supported with bearings on either side of the impeller.
Oxidizer
● Combines with carbon to form carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide. The oxidizers attack all forms
of carbon including the seal face and any black O-rings in the system.
Ozone
● Created by oxygen atoms combining with oxygen molecules in a high energy atmosphere .Will
prematurely age Buna rubber. Ozone forms in the shop as a result of the sparking of electric
motor brushes.
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Glossary P

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P.D. Pump
● Positive displacement pump. It can pump a high pressure or head, but at a low volume.
P.V. Factor
● An attempt to correlate the relationship between the pressure and the velocity at the mechanical
seal faces. Unfortunately carbon graphite is sensitive to P, but not to V so the correlation does not
work too well.
Packing
● The soft rings that mechanical seal replace to stop leakage. Packing must leak because it works on
the theory of a series of pressure drops to reduce the stuffing box pressure to the point where the
leakage is acceptable. A minimum of five rings of packing is required to do this.
Parallel operation
● The pumps are discharging to a common header. It is important that the impeller speed and
outside diameters be the same or one of the pumps will throttle the other.
Pascal
● A metric unit for pressure. 100 kPa = one atmosphere.
Passivated
● The protective oxide layer (ceramic) has formed on the metal surface.
pH
● A measure of the acidity or the alkalinity of a fluid. The scale ranges from 0 (acid) to 14 (alkali)
with 7 considered neutral.
Physicals
● Same as the specifications.
Pipe strain
● The strain on the pump volute caused by the piping. It will cause excessive mechanical seal
movement and can cause contact between rotating and stationary pump and seal components.
Pitting
● Surface voids caused by corrosion, erosion or cavitation.
Plasma spray
● A method of putting a hard coating on a base material. Not recommended for mechanical seal
faces.
Plastic range
● If you stress metal enough, it stretches through the elastic range, its yield point and ends up in the
plastic range where it loses its memory.
Positive displacement pump
● Called a PD pump. Gear, sliding vane, progressive cavity, lobe etc. the capacity determined by the
pump speed. The maximum head is determined by the horsepower available and the casing
strength.
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Glossary P
Power end
● The end of the pump that attaches to the power source and does not get wet from the pumpage.
The bearings are in this part.
Power factor
● A measure of how the voltage leads or lags the amperage.
Plastic range
● The metal has been stressed beyond its yield point and will not return to its original shape.
Precision bearing
● Ball or roller bearing as opposed to a sleeve or babbitt bearing.
Pressure drop
● Referring to the loss of pressure from the outside to the inside of the mechanical seal faces or
across the individual rings of packing.
Press fit
● The best way to insert a carbon/graphite face into a metal holder. The carbon will shear to
conform to the holder's irregular shape. Usually done with an arbor press.
Pressure gradient
● The pressure drop between the seal faces. Usually illustrated by a wedge.
Pressure head
● The pump head exerted by atmospheric pressure or any additional pressure that might be in the
vessel.
Pump curve
● A diagram supplied by the pump manufacture to describe the relationship between the head and
the capacity of a particular pump using various size impellers. The curve also include information
about efficiency, horse power consumption, N.P.S.H. required, etc.
Pump out vane
● Located behind the impeller shroud in some impeller designs to lower stuffing box pressure.
Should no be used in hot well condensate pumps or any pump running with a negative stuffing
box pressure.
Pumping ring
● Used with a convection system to get circulation between two mechanical seals. Absolutely
necessary if oil is used as a barrier fluid because of oil's poor specific heat..
Pusher seal
● A design that has a spring loaded dynamic elastomer or rubber like part. A very poor design that
should be avoided.
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Glossary Q

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Quench
● The introduction of a fluid outside the seal to cool the product, or dilute any leakage across the
seal faces.
Quill shaft
● A hollow shaft with another shaft inside it.
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Glossary R

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Radial
● 90 degrees to the centerline of the shaft.
Radial bearing
● In an end suction centrifugal pump it is the bearing located closest to the stuffing box. This
bearing handles most of the radial loads put on the impeller.
Reaction bonded
● A method of manufacturing silicone carbide mechanical seal faces. These materials are sensitive
to caustic and some other high pH liquids.
Renkin scale
● Used to measure low temperatures in the Fahrenheit scale. Similar to Kelvin which is used to
measure low temperatures in the Centigrade system.
Repeller
● A second impeller used to lower the stuffing box pressure.
Reverse balance
● A common type of hydraulic balance used on outside mounted mechanical seals.
Rigid shaft
● A shaft with a rotating speed lower than its first critical speed.
RMS
● Root mean square. A measure of surface finish or smoothness. Metric uses C.L.A. or centerline
average for the same purpose.
Rockwell "C"
● The scale most often used to measure hardness of the hard seal face.
Rotating seal
● When the spring loaded or moveable portion of the seal rotates with the shaft.
Run out
● Twice the distance that the center of the shaft is displaced from the axis of rotation.
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Glossary S

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Seal faces
● The lapped faces that that provide the primary sealing in a mechanical seal.
Seal life
● Seals should run leak free until the sacrificial face (usually carbon/ graphite) is worn away. More
than 85% of the mechanical seals in use today fail prematurely.
Seal only pump
● The pump does not have a conventional stuffing box so it could not be supplied with soft packing.
Self align
● A method of keeping both mechanical seal faces square to the rotating shaft.
Self sintered silicone carbide
● Same as Alpha sintered. No free silica present. Can be used in caustic and higher pH liquids.
Series operation
● The pumps are connected with the discharge of the first pump discharging to the suction of the
other. The speed and impeller widths must be the same or the difference in capacities could cause
cavitation or over heating problems.
Shaft packing
● The soft packing supplied by pump manufacturers. Most of these leaking packings are being
replaced by mechanical seals.
Shelf life
● Usually refers to the seal elastomer. Buna "N" is the biggest problem because of Ozone attack.
Shore "A"
● A scale used to measure elastomer hardness.
Shut off head
● The maximum head that the pump can generate with a given impeller outside diameter and
horsepower driver.
SiC
● Silicone carbide. A common mechanical seal face material. A type of ceramic.
Sintered material
● Formed from a powder as opposed to being melted and poured into a mold.
Skidding
● A term used in describing how an impeller slides on the solids in the bottom of a mixer.
Sleeve bearing
● A non precision bearing. Usually manufactured from carbon, Teflon. brass etc., Allows too much
axial and radial movement for most mechanical seal applications.
Slenderness ratio
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Glossary S
● Another name for L3/D4
Slip stick
● An alternating slipping and sticking of the seal faces caused by a poor lubricant between the faces.
Will cause vibration problems at the seal face unless the vibration is dampened.
Slurry
● Solids in liquid. It is impossible to define when the quantity and size of the particles becomes too
much for the mechanical seal.
Soft foot
● The tendency for one of the pumps feet to rise when the hold down bolt is loosened. Very bad for
alignment.
Soluble
● When one liquid dissolves or mixes with another liquid.
Span
● The width of the metal bellows. The distance from the inside diameter to the outside diameter.
Specific Gravity
● A measure of the weight of a liquid. Fresh water at 4°C (39°F) is given a value of one. If the
liquid you are questioning will float on water the specific gravity is less than one. If it sinks, it is
higher than one. Density is a better term.
Specific heat
● Refers to the amount of calories or BTUs required to raise a quantity of a liquid one degree.
Specific speed
● A formula that describes the shape of a pump impeller. The higher the specific speed the less
N.P.S.H. required.
Speed of sound
● In air it is 1090 feet per second, in water it is 4800 feet per second.
Spool piece
● Usually refers to a seal and bearing combination that is supplied for some mixer applications. It
depends upon the application, but this is not a good idea if there are already two anti-friction
bearings already installed on the shaft
Spring force
● The force on the seal faces caused by the spring compression.
Stainless steel
● Alloy steels containing a high percentage of chromium.
Static head
● The maximum height the liquid is being pumped as long as you take into consideration the siphon
affect in some piping systems.
Stationary seal
● The spring loaded or moveable portion of the seal does not rotate with the shaft. Must be used
when the seal surface speed exceeds 5000 fpm. or 25 meters per second.
Stiffness ratio

Glossary S
● Another name for L3/D4
Strain
● A measure of the amount of deformation produced in a substance when it is stressed.
Stress
● A measure of the intensity of the load applied to a material. Stress is expressed as the load divided
by the cross-sectional area over which it is applied.
Stress relieve
● To take residual stress out of an object. This is very important with lapped seal faces; especially
those that have been inserted into a metal holder.
Stuffing box
● That portion of the pump that held the packing and now holds the mechanical seal.
Stuffing box pressure
● Between suction and discharge pressure but closer to suction pressure.
Suction head
● The head on the suction side of the pump. You subtract it from the discharge head to determine
the head being produced by the pump. It is a sum of the static, pressure and friction heads.
● Piping from the bottom of the stuffing box back to the suction side of the pump. Used to lower
pressure and circulate liquid in the stuffing box.
Suction specific speed
● A formula that will predict one of the types of cavitation. Pumps should be purchased with a
number below 8500 (10,000 metric)
Surface speed
● A measure of the feet per minute the seal face or some other component is moving.
Synchronous motor
● Runs with out slippage. Used in elevators and compressors frequently, but seldom used in
pumping. Pumps mostly use induction or "squirrel cage" motors.
System curve
● A description of what the pump is required to perform. The pump will pump where the system
curve intersects the pump curve.
System head
● The head caused by friction in the piping. valves and fittings.

Glossary T

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Tandem seals
● The seals are facing in the same direction with a low pressure barrier fluid circulating between
them.
T.D.H.
● Total discharge head. A combination of the suction head and the head being produced by the
pump.
10-2 inches
● A way to write 0.01 inches.
Tensile strength
● The strength measured when the part is being pulled axially.
Thermal conductivity
● A measure of the material's ability to conduct heat. This is a very important factor in the selection
of mechanical seal faces.
Thermal imaging
● A troubleshooting piece of equipment that will let you see hot spots in the equipment.
Thermoplastic
● A plastic material that can be softened or melted repeatedly without change of properties.
Injection molded parts are manufactured with Thermo-plastic materials.
Thermosetting
● A plastic material that can be softened and molded but cannot be re-used or reverted to its original
state.
Thixotrophic fluid
● The viscosity of the fluid decreases with agitation. Non drip paint is an example of such a fluid.
Thrust bearing
● Locates the rotor or shaft axially. Normally located clse to the coupling.
Torr
● One millimeter of mercury. Used in both the imperial and metric systems a a unit of measurement
in vacuum service.
Total head
● The amount of head produced by th epump. Discharge head minus suction head. If suction head is
a negative number it is added to the discharge head.
Thrust
● In a centrifugal pump it refers to the axial movement of the shaft. The thrust can be towards the
wet or power end of the pump and at start up it thrusts in both directions.
Thrust bearing
● Designed to take the axial thrust in pump applications. It is usually located next to the coupling
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Glossary T
and is often supplied in a "double row" configuration.
Transducer
● Attached to the pump and used to send a vibration signal to a meter where it can be read.
Tungsten carbide
● A common hard face seal material available in several grades depending upon hardness and
corrosion resistance. Cobalt and nickel are the two most common types.
Turbulence
● Disturbed fluid. Can cause cavitation problems in a centrifugal pump. Often caused by an elbow
located too close to the pump suction inlet.
Two way balance
● A method of balancing a mechanical seal in two directions. A very important consideration in

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Glossary U

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Unbalanced seal
● Not hydraulically balanced to generate low heat at the seal faces. Typical of original equipment
designs.
Unfilled carbon
● Containing carbon/ graphite and nothing else. Filled carbons contain inorganics that will be
sensitive to some chemicals and temperature extremes. Unfilled carbons are the prefereed seal
faces.
U.S.C.S.
● United States Customary System. Al dimensions are in inch units.
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Glossary V

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Variable speed motor
● Used to control flow in a system by varying the frequency of the motor. Recommended for
circulating systems and any other system where the main head is friction losses in the piping
system.
V.D.M.A.
● A German standard for mechanical seals.
Vacuum
● Any pressure less than atmospheric. Can present a problem for the elastomer in many seal
applications.
Vane passing syndrome
● A type of cavitation caused by the impeller/ cutwater clearance being too small.
Vapor pressure
● Below this pressure, the liquid at this temperature will vaporize.
Vaporize
● The fluid passes from a liquid to a gaseous state. If this happens at the seal faces the seal faces
will be blown open.
Velocity
● A measurement of the speed of the liquid in the system. Measured in feet or meters per second.
The pump is a constant velocity device.
Velocity head
● Part of the total head calculation. Derived from the formula h = V2/2g
Vent
● To remove air or gas from the system. It is important to vent the stuffing box in vertical pumps to
prevent the seal faces from running dry.
Vibration Damping
● Important in metal bellows seal designs. The elastomer acts as a vibration damper in the other
seals. The vibration can chip carbon faces, destroy anti-rotation drive lugs, and open the lapped
seal faces.
Viscosity
● Resistance to pouring. Higher viscosities can restrict seal movement. Centrifugal pumps can
handle a maximum viscosity similar to 30 weight oil at room temperature. Above this viscosity a
positive displacement pump should be used.
Viton®
● An E.I. Dupont Dow manufactured elastomer widely used in the sealing industry. The generic
name is fluorocarbon. Many of these compounds are attacked by water and steam.
Volute casing
● Derives is name from a spiral shaped casing surrounding the pump impeller. It converts velocity
energy to pressure energy.
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Glossary V
Vortex Pump
● A type of pump used for excessive solids. The impeller is recessed into the volute. A very low
efficiency design, but practical in many applications.
Vortexing liquid
● Creating a "whirlpool affect" that can draw air into the suction of the pump.
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Glossary W

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Water Horse Power (W.H.P.)
● The calculated horse power coming out of the pump using the formula WHP = head x gpm/3960
Watt
● A measure of power. 746 watts equals one horsepower.
Wave spring
● A disc washer used when axial space is at a premium. Does not allow very much axial travel of
the seal.
Wear ring
● Used with closed impeller pumps to restrict leakage from the high pressure side of the pump to
the low pressure side. Should be replaced when the recommended clearance is doubled.
Welded metal bellows
● A seal design used to eliminate the use of elastomers. Excellent for cryogenic and hot
applications. Not as effective for hot petroleum applications because of "coking" problems
Wet end
● The part of the pump that gets wet from the pumping fluid. Includes the volute, stuffing box,
impeller wear rings, and shaft or sleeve
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Glossary X-Z

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Yield point
● Where the metal passes from the elastic to the plastic range
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Hard Faces
MECHANICAL SEAL HARD FACE MATERIALS

Elastic
Hard Face Tensile Thermal Thermal Temperature Coeff.of
Hardness Modulus Density
Material Strength Expansion Conductivity Limit Friction
E
vs.
Carbon
Gray cast iron 5 100 200 10 45 7.2 200 -
Hastelloy "B" 6 230 1300 18 45 8.9 800 -
M-2 Tool steel 7 200 2000 11 25 8.2 500 -
Niresist 4 100 400 18 15 7.4 500 -
316 Stainless 4 200 600 16 16 8 600 -
440C Stainless 5 200 800 10 25 7.8 600 -
Stellite 7 220 1000 14 15 8.4 1000 -
T/C - Cobalt 8 600 1400 4 100 15 400 0.07
T/C - Nickle 8 600 600 5 90 15 250 0.07
Ceramic 85% 8 200 150 5 12 3.4 1400 0.07
Ceramic
8 350 250 7 25 3.9 1700 0.07
99.5%
SiC Alpha
9.7 400 250 4 130 3.1 1000 0.02
Sintered
Sic Reaction
9.7 400 250 4 150 3.1 1000 0.02
Bonded
(a) Severe
oxidation in
air, or
significant loss
of hardness, or
changed
microstructure.
Hard Face
Material
Vickers N/mm2 Watts/m°C Gm/cc. °C(a)
Siliconized
graphite
PE-8148 2000 16 50 1.95 232
Reaction
Bonded
PR9242 2400 365 145 3.08 1372
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Hard Faces
Reaction
Bonded
plus graphite
152 153 2.8 538
PG9723
Alpha sintered
PS-10070 3000 400 130 3.1 1649
PS-10138 3000 407 130 3.1 1649

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NPSH reduction chart
NPSH REDUCTION CHART

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OSHA 1910
SUBJECT: O.S.H.A. 1910 REGULATION

The regulation is predictably vague, and presently only applies to pressure vessels, storage tanks,
processing piping, relief and vent systems, fire protection system components, emergency shut down
systems, alarms, interlocks and the part that is important to you, pumps . For the first time Washington is
telling the pump user that he has to now document the training he provides to those people (including
contractors) that will be operating or repairing his pumps. Be sure to pick up a copy of this regulation for
your library.
Here are some of the ingredients you will find in the regulation :
● The chemicals in the O.S.H.A. # 1910 specification are different than those chemicals identified
by the E.P.A. for fugitive emission consideration. The O.S.H.A. list identifies those chemicals that
are considered "extremely hazardous" chemicals. O.S.H.A. feels that the general industry
standards are not sufficient for these chemicals
● Your employer is going to have to create a Process Safety Management audit team (PSM) that
will audit company training programs along with insuring that present and future engineering
practices conform to accepted standards and codes.
● The employer is going to have to identify the codes and standards he relied upon to establish his
engineering practices. If he departs from these codes and standards, he must document that the
design and construction are suitable for the intended purpose.
● The written training programs must be reviewed for adequacy of content, frequency of training,
and the effectiveness of the training in terms of goals and objectives. These training programs
must be revised if after the training the employee is not at the level of skill or knowledge that was
expected.
● Contract employees must also receive updated and current training.
● If an accident occurs, the plant is going to have to prove that their training program was adequate.
● Any mechanical changes made by the maintenance department have to be evaluated to determine
whether operating procedures and practices also need to be changed. The term "Change" includes
all modifications to equipment.
● For existing processes that have been shut down for turnaround or modification, the employer
must ensure that any changes other than "replacement in kind" made to the process during
shutdown go through the management of change procedures.
● Equipment installation jobs need to be properly inspected in the field for use of proper materials
and procedures to insure that qualified workers do the job.
● The employer must ensure that the contractor has the appropriate job skills, knowledge, and
certification.
● The regulations require detailed records of every action taken in maintaining or rebuilding a
pump. The employer must identify which procedures were followed and why he elected to use
those procedures. He must also identify the training that maintenance personnel had on repairing
pumps in that service.
● Equipment used to process, store or handle hazardous chemicals has to be designed, constructed,
installed and maintained to minimize the risk of release of such chemicals.
● The employer must prepare three lines of defense to prevent hazardous chemical from injuring
personnel:
❍ Contain the chemical in the equipment. The use of two mechanical seals and a convection
tank is a good example of containing the chemical.

❍ Control the release of the chemicals through venting with a seal quench and vent
connection to a scrubber or flare, or to surge or overflow tanks designed to receive such

chemicals. Dikes or designed drainage systems would be another alternative.
❍ A sensible evacuation system is the third line of defense.
If an accident happens and any of the listed chemicals are released to the environment, the employer is
going to have to prove he did every thing he could have to prevent the accident and contain the spill. If
O.S.H.A. does not agree with his assessment, the employer is likely to suffer stiff penalties.
Since you have knowledge that 90% of mechanical seals are failing prematurely (the carbon sacrificial
face is not wearing out) I expect this new regulation should encourage your employer to send more
people to seal and pump schools and enroll his engineering, maintenance, and supervisory people in an
appropriate certification training program.

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ANSI pump

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Close coupled pump

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Closed impeller, end suction centrifugal pump

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Pump term relationships
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEAD CAPACITY, HORSEPOWER AND EFFICIENCY
For information on how to use this chart, click here

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Pumping terms
SUBJECT: PLAYING WITH A FEW PUMP TERMS 12-11
In any discussion of centrifugal pumps you will find that there are several terms that are interrelated:
● Head
● Capacity
● Horsepower consumption
● Efficiency
In past papers I showed you formulas that calculated some of these relationships.
As an example, here is the formula for measuring the water horsepower or the horsepower out of the
pump:
Efficiency is defined as the horsepower (water horsepower) out of the pump divided by the horsepower
(brake horsepower) into the pump. The formula to calculate it with head and capacity numbers is:
● TDH = the total discharge head measured in feet

● GPM = gallons per minute.
● HP = horsepower required. This number is shown on the pump print.
● 3960 = a conversion number we get by dividing 8.333 (the weight, in pounds, of one gallon of
water) into 33,000 ( foot pounds in one horsepower).
Like all mathematical formulas you can change the order of the formula to calculate a different term. As
an example if you want total discharge head :
Or you can convertr it to read gallons per minute instead:
Horsepower required might be another choice:
If you are not comfortable using formulas another way to do this is to use a chart like the one attached to
this paper. If you know any of the following three numbers the chart will give you the fourth
● Head (TDH)
● Capacity (GPM)
● Efficiency
● Horsepower in (HP)
Lets do an example. The following numbers were supplied, what is the head that will be produced by the
pump?
● Brake horsepower in = 17.6

● Efficiency = 70%
● Capacity = 350 gpm
To determine the head you would enter the graph at 17.6 horsepower, go up to the 70% efficiency point
and then run parallel to the existing lines until you reach the "break line".
From the break line you would go up the chart to 350 gallons per minute and then over to the head of 140
feet. That wasn't too bad was it?
Here is another example: How many gallons per minute will this pump put out?
● Brake horsepower in = 20
● Efficiency = 50%
● Capacity = 150 gpm
Did you get about 265 gpm? I know the numbers are hard to read, but if you do not want to work with
Pumping terms
formulas and you need the information, outside of asking someone else, what are your choices?

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Pumps & seals flatness readings
SEAL FACE FLATNESS READINGS

The following chart describes the patterns you could observe if you looked through an optical flat at a
lapped mechanical seal face that was illuminated by a monochromatic light source. For an explanation of
how these patterns were formed you can read the paper Reading seal face flatness 6-3 on another page in
this web site.
I have left the white background to assist you in seeing the patterns a bit easier.
1 Helium light band 2 Helium light bands 3 Helium light bands 4 Helium light bands
0.0000116" 0.0000232" 0.0000348" 0.0000464"

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Seal face flatness
SUBJECT : Reading seal face flatness 6-3
There is often confusion between the terms "Seal face flatness" and "Seal face surface finish".
Seal face surface finish addresses the subject of roughness, and is measured in terms of "rms" ( root mean
square) or CLA (center line average). There are a couple of ways to make the measurement:
● We can do it manually by comparing our sample to standards that have been polished to different
degrees of roughness.
a screen and measures the roughness by a built in scale. This equipment is often called a
profilometer.
manner.
lapped faces..
There are several ways you could measure flatness :
● You could place "machinist's bluing dye" on a know flat, rub the sample piece against it and look
for transfer of the dye. Again this method would not be accurate enough for our purposes.
To understand this last method of measurement you only have to know that it is a characteristic of light
that when two lights of the same wave length interfere with each other, the light disappears and the
reflecting piece goes black. When you discuss visible light, color and wave length mean the same thing,
so to make the measurement we use :
● A monochromatic or single wave length light source (mono means one, and chromatic means
color). Any color (wave length) could be used, but most companies use a pink color that comes
off a helium gas light source. This color has a wave length of just about 0,6 microns (0.000023
inches).
● You will also need a precision ground and polished clear glass of optical quality (like the type you
would find in a good pair of eye glasses or binoculars) that has been lapped flat on one at least
one side.
The optical flat is placed on the piece to be measured. The monochromatic light is aimed at the piece and
this light reflects off of the piece back through the optical flat causing interference light bands. If the
distance between the optical flat and the piece we are measuring is one half the wave length of helium, or
an even multiple of the number, the band will show black. This is referred to as a helium light band and
because it is one half the wave length of helium it measures 0,3 microns or 0.0000116 inches.
To understand this measurement I might mention that the smallest object that can be seen with the human
eye is forty (40) microns. Another way to understand this measurement is to know that the average coffee
filter is in the range of ten to fifteen (10 to 15) microns. Sophisticated seal people know that this means
that solids cannot penetrate between the seal faces unless they open.
We check the flatness of our seal face by comparing the pattern we see to a chart that is supplied by the
measuring equipment manufacturer. You can find a copy of these patterns in the chart section of this web
page. The paper is labeled Seal face flatness readings
These charts were supplied by:
Surface Finishes Co. Inc.

39 Official Rd.
Addison, Illinois, 60101-4592
U.S.A.
There are some things that you should know about flatness readings :
● Hard seal faces should read less than three light bands for seal faces with a mean diameter up to
four inches (100 millimeters). There should be no visible leakage. Leakage is always subject to
definition, but three light bands of flatness will allow a mechanical seal to seal vacuum down to a
measurement of one Torr (one millimeter of mercury).
Seal face flatness
● Carbon graphite faces relax after lapping. Although lapped to less than one light band by the seal
manufacturer, you will see readings as high as three light bands if you check the faces. These
faces should return to flat once they are placed against a hard face that is flat.
● Most large seal manufacturers use finite element analysis techniques to design these faces. Some
repair and smaller seal facilities supply, replace or repair these faces with no provision for
keeping them flat during temperature and pressure transients.
● Carbon/ graphite seal faces should not be relapped because the relapping procedure will drive the
trapped solids further into these faces. It goes without saying that lapping powder or paste should
not be used to lap carbon / graphite faces. They should be lapped dry on ceramic stones of varying
grit or finish.
● Seals that are going to be used in cryogenic (cold ) service should be lapped at the cryogenic
temperature.
● Some seal companies use a concave taper to prevent the ingress of solids at start up. This is one of
the reasons for the three light band allowable tolerance.
● Normal lapping produces a slight convex taper because the outer diameter of the seal face is
larger than the inner diameter causing more wear as the piece rotates. Some seal companies use a
convex lapping surface to compensate for this.
● If the seal faces stay flat within three helium light bands, and the lapped seal faces stay in contact,
a single stationary type mechanical seal can easily pass fugitive emission specifications of less
than one hundred parts per million.
● Carbon faces that have been pressed into a metal holder have special flatness problems. The metal
"modulus of elasticity" is almost ten times that of the carbon face, so the assembly must be stress
relieved to keep the carbon flat.
● Carbon pressed into a metal holder usually stays flatter than a design where the carbon is inserted
into a holder that has been compressed with an induction coil.

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Vapor Pressure Chart

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Vapor press -80 to 60

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Properties of water
PROPERTIES OF WATER

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Web links

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SOME HANDY LINKS TO OTHER WEB PAGES
If you find some useful links, please let me know by e-mail and I will add them to this page. Thanks
in advance.
BEARINGS
● Bearing dictionary
● Bearing fits
● Bearing L10 life and load calculation
● Bearing selection
● Carborundum
● SKF Bearings
● Timken Bearings
CHEMICALS AND ELEMENTS
● Abbreviations of chemical compounds

● California EPA chemical database
● Chemical resistant chart
● Hazardous chemical list from OSHA
● Metals and powdered metals
● Periodic table of the elements, with details
● Rice University Chemical engineering links
● University of Akron Hazardous chemical database
CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING BASICS
● Baume degrees vs. specific gravity

● Cavitation University of Texas
● Density and specific gravity
● Physical properties of materials
● Specific gravity and viscosity of various liquids
● Corrosion photographs
COUPLINGS
● Frontline
● Lovejoy
● Rexnord
● T.B.Woods
ELASTOMERS AND O-RINGS
● Green Tweed elastomers

● O-Ring information including sizes
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
● BSI (British Standard Institute)

● EPA (Environmental protection agency home page)
● NASA
● NSF National Science Foundation
● NIST Nat'l Institute of Standards and Technology
● NTIS National Technical Information Service
● OSHA home page
● Smithsonian Institution
● US Federal Government Agencies Comprehensive list
INSTRUCTION
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Web links
● Cooling towers. All you need to know.

● Irrigation pumping systems. The basics
● PD pump instruction
● Pump types Different types explained
● Technical data reference tables Van Voorhis Eng. Services
● Engineering manual Massachusets Maritime Academy
LEGISLATION THAT AFFECTS PUMPS AND SEALS
● EPA clean air act
METAL
● Hafnium
● Metals index
● Stainless steel data base
MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS
● Currency converter
● Demonstrated life of pump component from pump practices
● Dictionaries 281 available
● Friction loss, viscous fluids
● Government statistics
● Maintenance information from MAXIMO
● Material data
● Pump efficiency testing
● Pump fluid data. All kinds of data from Pump Net
● Pump practices vs component life
● ZIP codes
PUMP COMPANIES
● Pump Web a link to all pump company home pages

● An explanation of pump types
● British Pump makers Association Members
● Bell and Gossett
● Blackmer
● Carver
● Cat
● Discflo
● Eddy Pump
● Flowserve
● Fybroc
● Gorman-Rupp
● Goulds pump
● Grundfos
● Hayward Gordon
● Jabsco
● Moyno
● Roper
● Seepex
● Sims
● Sundyne
● Vanton
● Viking
● Wilfley
PUMP AND SEAL ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT
● Presay Pneumatic seal

● Seal Master Pneumatic seal
SEAL AND PUMP STANDARDS
● A.P.I (American petroleum Institute)

Web links
● AIP (Australian Institute Of Petroleum)

● ISO standards
● ISO 9000 in plain english
● Pump Standards
SEAL COMPANIES
● Burgmann Germany
● Chesterton USA
● Flowserve (Durametallic seals)
● Inpro
● John Crane USA
SEAL FACE MATERIALS
● Carborundum
● Morgan advanced materials
TECHNOLOGY APPLICABLE TO PUMPS AND SEALS
● Heat pipe (NASA) technology

● Piezoelectric ceramics f.a.q.
TROUBLESHOOTING
● Cavitation research
● Oil seal failure analysis Chicago Rawhide
Mc Nally home page

Most asked questions, seals
SUBJECT: The most asked questions about mechanical seals 10-2
What is considered good life for a mechanical seal?
● The only part of a mechanical seal that is supposed to be sacrificial is the carbon face. The seal
should run leak free until the carbon face is worn away. If the seal leaks for any other reason we
consider it a premature failure and always correctable.
● Two hard faces are selected when carbon is not acceptable in the application and you have run out
of options. You are then trying to get the longest life you can.
● The only variable in seal life should be the lubricating quality of the product you are sealing. Hot
water, many gases and most solvents are typical non-lubricants.
● With all of that said, the fact is that in excess of eighty five percent of mechanical seals fail
prematurely. When seals are removed from the running pump most of the carbon face is still
intact. Little face wear is the rule not the exception.
Why do most seals fail prematurely?

● The seal faces open.
What are the most common causes of component damage?
● Corrosion of one of the seal components.

● Physical damage that includes the affects of high heat..
What are the most common causes for the lapped seal faces to open?

● Solids in the product are clogging the moveable components.
● The product changed state and interfered with the free movement of the seal. It:
❍ Crystallized.
❍ Became viscous.
❍ Solidified.
❍ Built a film on the sliding components and the lapped faces.
❍ The product vaporized across the lapped faces blowing them open.
Do seal faces have to be lubricated? Can they run dry?
● The graphite in the carbon/graphite face is a natural lubricant. In operation the graphite separates
from the mixture and transfers to the hard face. This means that the seal face combination you are
normally running is carbon on graphite. The hard face is just some place to put the graphite.
● Moisture must be present for the graphite to separate from the carbon/graphite mixture.
● Running dry means higher heat at the faces. If you are using a good unfilled carbon/graphite (and
you should be) the faces are not going to be your problem. The elastomer and the product you are
sealing can be very sensitive to a temperature change in the stuffing box, or an increase of
temperature at the seal faces.
Do seal faces have to be kept cool?
● Most carbons and hard faces can tolerate a lot of heat. The elastomers (rubber parts) are the parts
you have to watch. They are the most sensitive to a change in stuffing box temperature, especially
if they are positioned in the seal face.
● Hydraulically balanced seals generate very little heat between the faces.
● Unbalanced seals usually require cooling because of the excessive heat they can generate.
● Some face combinations generate more heat than others. Two hard faces as an example.
● Some seal materials conduct heat better than others. Ceramic is a poor heat conductor and carbon
is not much better. Tungsten carbide and silicone carbide are excellent conductors of heat.
When should you use two hard faces?
● With any of the oxidizing agents.

● When sealing any of the halogens.
● If the product tends to stick the faces together.
● If you are sealing hot oil and you have to pass a fugitive emission test.
● Some de-ionized water will attack carbon in any form.
● When you are not allowed anything black in the system because of the possibility of color
contamination.
● Any time carbon/graphite will not work for some reason.
● If the specifications call for two hard faces.
Why not standardize on two hard faces?

● They generate higher heat than the carbon/ hard face combination.
● They are not very forgiving. If the faces are not dead flat at installation, they seldom lap them
selves flat in operation.
Do seals have to leak.?
● Any good quality mechanical seal should run without visible leakage.
● Single, stationary, (the springs do not rotate) hydraulically balanced mechanical seals can pass a
fugitive emission test as long as the rotating portion of the seal is designed to be located square to
the shaft.
● Rotating seals (the springs rotate with the shaft) seldom can pass a fugitive emission test. They are
too sensitive to various forms of misalignment.
● Cartridge mounted stationary seals usually fail fugitive emission testing because the set screwing
of the cartridge to the shaft prevents the rotating face from positioning its self square to the shaft.
Some seal companies offer some type of a self aligning design to solve this problem.
Why do most original equipment seal designs frett and damage the shaft under the dynamic elastomer or
spring loaded Teflon.?
● Corrosion resistant shafts and sleeves protect themselves from corrosion by forming a protective
oxide (ceramic) layer on the metal surface. The dynamic elastomer in the seal polishes this layer
away as the shaft slides through the elastomer because of shaft vibration, pipe strain,
misalignment etc.
● The ceramic protective oxide that is removed by the polishing action imbeds its self into the
elastomer causing it to act as a grinding wheel that increases the sleeve or shaft damage.
Do you have to flush most slurry applications?
● It depends upon the percentage of solids. Most fluid with entrained solids can run without flush if
you have met the following conditions:
● The packing stuffing box has been replaced with a larger inside diameter version. Centrifugal
force will throw the solids away from the lapped seal faces.
● You are using a hydraulically balanced seal that generates low heat.
● The seal springs are not located in the fluid.
● The fluid is at the seal outside diameter.
● The dynamic elastomer moves to a clean surface as the carbon wears.
● You are using suction recirculation to get flow in the stuffing box.
I am looking for a simple solution to a difficult problem. Do discharge recirculation filters or cyclone
separators installed between the pump discharge and the stuffing box make sense in slurry applications?
● I wish they did!

● Filters clog and then there is no circulation in the stuffing box.
● Cyclone separators were never intended to be a single pass devise. The also require a substantial
difference in pressure between the discharge and the clean liquid connections. In a pump
application these pressures are too close together.
If I put a higher fluid pressure barrier fluid between dual seals, shouldn't that keep the faces clean?
● No, the clean fluid always takes the path of least resistance. That is the same reason that higher
pressure air does not keep dry solids from penetrating the lapped faces.
● Centrifugal force will pack solids in front of the inboard seal face and restrict its movement.
Do you need a higher pressure barrier fluid between dual seals?
● Higher pressure is called barrier fluid, lower pressure is called buffer fluid.
● The only dual seals that require a barrier fluid are the "back to back" rotating, unbalanced
versions, and you shouldn't use them any way.
● Balanced tandem seals (one behind the other) use a buffer fluid that will not dilute your product if
the inner seal fails. They also put the pumping fluid at the inner seal outside diameter where it
belongs.
● Dual seal should be hydraulically balanced in both directions so that they will stay shut regardless
of the direction of the fluid pressure.
How does seal hydraulic balance work?
● There are two forces closing the seal faces.

❍ A spring force caused by the spring, springs, or bellows pushing on the seal face.
❍ A hydraulic force caused by the pressure of the fluid acting on the closing area of the seal
faces.
● There are three forces opening the mechanical seal:
❍ A hydraulic force caused by fluid or vapor trapped between the lapped faces.

❍Centrifugal force that is causing the rotating portion of the seal to try and become
perpendicular to the rotating shaft.
❍ Hydrodynamic forces generated between the seal faces because for all practical purposes
liquids are not compressible.

● We balance these forces by reducing the closing area of the seal faces and thereby reduce the
closing force. This is normally done by a small sleeve inserted into the seal or as step machined
into the shaft. Metal bellows seals have an effective diameter measured through the bellows to
accomplish the same thing.
Is it O.K. to have a third party rebuild my mechanical seals?
● Not really. If you are happy with your seal have the manufacturer, or the company that sold it to
you do the rebuilding. Here are a couple of reasons why:
❍ Carbon/graphite has to be molded in a sintering process. The third party does not own the
molds for your carbon/graphite face. Machined carbons do not have the density required
for good seal faces.
❍ There are many grades of elastomers. How do you insure you have the right grade. You
cannot tell by looking at the part.

❍ Lapping is a real art. The temperature has to be closely controlled to get the right flatness.
Should I be using split mechanical seals?
● There are places where they are the only logical solution:
❍ Double ended pumps. If one seal is leaking why take the pump apart and change both?
Change only the one that is leaking.

❍ Large vertical pumps. Sometimes you have to take the roof off the building to remove the
solid mechanical seal.

❍ Large size shafts are a natural for split seals.
❍ Changing a seal means doing a re-alignment. Why go through that again?
❍ If you have to remove a lot of pump insulation to get to the seal.
❍ If the pump is in an awkward location, split seals make sense.
● Many split seal designs can run with no visible leakage, but they seldom can pass a fugitive
emission test that calls for leak rates in the order of parts per million.
If I touch the lapped faces, are they ruined?
● Not at all. Touching seal faces seldom causes any problems. We are trying to keep solids from
penetrating between the lapped faces so the less you handle them the less likely solids will be
deposited on the faces.
Why should you not use stainless steel springs or stainless steel bellows in mechanical seals?
● Chloride stress corrosion is the problem and chlorides are every where. Use hastelloy "C" springs
and metal bellows and you will never have this problem.
Why not standardize on Teflon as the preferred rubber part in a mechanical seal?
● Teflon® is not an elastomer, it does not have a memory. It has to be spring loaded to the sleeve or
shaft. This spring loading interferes with the flexibility of the seal and prevents the elastomer part
from flexing and rolling to compensate for minor shaft movements.
Why not mount the seal outside the stuffing box and then dirt and solids will not get into the springs and
sliding parts of the mechanical seal?
● The sealing fluid will be at the inside diameter of the lapped faces and centrifugal force will throw
solids into the faces.
● Solids will pile up in front of the seal preventing the faces from moving forward when the carbon
wears.
What is a cartridge seal?
● The rotating portion of the seal is mounted on a cartridge sleeve and this assembly is connected to
the stationary portion of the seal along with the seal gland to form a cartridge assembly. Cartridge
seals simplify the assembly process and allow you to make impeller adjustments without upsetting
Do I need the new gas seals if I want to seal fugitive emissions?
● Not really. Rotating seals do not pass fugitive emission tests because of their sensitivity to
misalignment. Stationary seals usually do not have this limitation.
● The difficulty arises when you try to install a stationary seal on a cartridge sleeve. When you
tighten the sleeve set screws to the pump shaft you introduce misalignment between the rotating
seal face and the rotating shaft. Hysteresis (delay or lag) problems take over and the result is the
stationary seal design fails to pass the fugitive emission test. Any good cartridge mounted self
aligning seal can resolve this problem.
● Although a single seal can pass the test, a dual seal is recommended with a low pressure buffer
fluid between the seals to act as a back up when the first seal wears out or fails. The buffer fluid
will prevent unwanted product dilution and simplify the installation because there is no need for a
compatible high pressure barrier fluid that is often hard to find.
Why does my outside mounted seal make a whistling sound?
● The seal faces are running dry. The product is not a lubricant.
Every time I remove a rubber bellows seal from my pump it is stuck to the shaft. Why?
● It is supposed to vulcanize its self to the shaft so that it can drive the rotating face. If you can
remove it easily something is wrong. You probably used the wrong lubricant on the rubber during
installation. This is a case where the lubricant we use is supposed to attack the rubber and make it
swell.
When my metal bellows seal fails because of breakage at the plates, the break is always near the end
fittings and never in the middle of the bellows. How is that explained?
● This is the common mode of failure for excessive vibration. Metal bellows seals need some type
of vibration damping to stop harmonic and "slip stick" vibration problems.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Pump school 1997 schedule
PUMP AND SEAL SCHOOL SCHEDULE
There are no schools scheduled for the

balance of 2003
http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/school.html [7/21/03 11:51:54 AM]

School curriculum

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150
In the following paragraphs you will learn about the two day schools I conduct throughout the United
States and Canada. If you are interested in scheduling a scchool or attending any of these schools, either
give us a call or send an e-mail message to the address shown above.
On another web page I show a schedule of the schools I have booked for the remainder of the year. The
type of school that I will be holding is determined by the distributor or company that has hired me to
conduct the school.
THE STANDARD TWO DAY PUMP AND SEAL SCHOOL
This two day course will answer most of the questions you have had about seal and bearing life and why
pumps cause most of the problems they do. You do not need a background in either seals or pumps to
keep up with the class. No advanced mathematics are used to explain the subjects.
● You will learn how to determine if you are getting good seal and bearing life. How long should a
seal or bearing last in a centrifugal pump ?
● Present domestic and international pump standards. How do they affect seal performance ?
● You will learn how the pump curve is created and then you will learn how to read a curve to
evaluate the pump's performance .
● The basic formulas for converting head to and from pressure.
● The relationship between centrifugal pump head, pressure, capacity and liquid velocity.
● The three basic rules needed to understand the problems we have with centrifugal pumps.
● Explaining shaft deflection. Including an explanation of L3 /D4
● How to reduce shaft deflection
● Dynamic balance of the rotating assembly. Is it necessary?
● Alignment methods we use to align the pump to its driver
● An introduction to cavitation.
● Bearing lubrication. Which is the best method ?
● The best way to prevent moisture and solids from entering the bearing cavity.
● Common misconceptions about mechanical seals.
● The main causes of premature mechanical seals failure.
● Rotary vs. Stationary seal designs.
● The role of the large stuffing box in determining seal life
● The problems we find with most seal installations.
● Cartridge design seals. What are their limitations ?
● Split seal designs. Are they reliable enough for the process industry.
● Seal predictive maintenance. Is their a sensible program available
● The use of dual mechanical seals. When are they not a sensible choice ?
THE ADVANCED TWO DAY PUMP AND SEAL TROUBLESHOOTING SCHOOL
As you would expect, attendance at the basic school is a necessary qualification for enrolling in this
advanced school. Many years of experience is not a good enough background, because we often find that
the person claiming to have thirty years experience really has one year of experience thirty times.
● A quick review of pump basics.

● How to get the maximum pump efficiency.
● The affinity laws. What happens when you change the impeller diameter or speed?
● The four rub marks that tell you what is wrong with the centrifugal pump
● The pump does not produce enough head. What is the problem
● The pump does not produce enough capacity. How do I fix it?
● The pump is using too many amps. What is wrong?
● The ten types of corrosion we see with stainless steel pump and seal components
● The different causes and cures for centrifugal pump cavitation problems
● Creating the system curve so you can specify the correct pump and driver for your application.
● Calculating NPSH available to prevent cavitation
● The magnetic drive pump. Does it eliminate the need for seals?
● Series and parallel pump operation
● A review of mechanical seal basics
● The four step procedure to getting proper mechanical seal life
● Special seals that are available commercially. Do you need them?
● An explanation of Mechanical Seal hydraulic balance, reverse balance and two way balance
● Gas seals. Both hydrodynamic and hydrostatic versions.
● An introduction to Seal application.
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School curriculum
THE SEAL APPLICATION SCHOOL
During this two day course you will learn how to pick the correct mechanical seal design, choose the
correct seal materials and then seal any chemical or combination of chemicals, as well as any cleaners or
solvents that might be flushed through the lines.
This information will be applicable to centrifugal pumps, positive displacement pumps, mixers, agitators,
etc.
● Is this a seal application, or should you be using packing?

● How the product you are sealing can cause a premature failure of the mechanical seal.
● The main sources of excessive heat in the pump stuffing box.
● The affect of heat on the chemical you are trying to seal.
● Classifying chemicals into sealing categories that can be sealed by the proper environmental
control.
● How to choose the correct seal materials for your application and any cleaners or solvents that are
going to be flushed through the lines.
● Selecting the correct metal components including welded metal bellows materials.
● Learning about the seal face materials that are available and then selecting the correct seal face
combination for your application.
● An explanation of the different elastomer shapes and compounds available, and learning how to
select the correct one for your application.
● An explanation of the different environmental control that are available to avoid the use of special
seal designs.
● Various method you can use to control the temperature in the pump stuffing box when the pump
is running and stopped.
● Various methods of controlling the pressure in the pump stuffing box. You will learn how to raise
it, lower it, or keep it within certain limits
● How to remove solids from the fluid in the stuffing box without having to dilute your product
● When to use dual seals.
● Sealing categories that require the use of special seal designs.
● A description of the special seals that are available when the use of an environmental control is
not practical.
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Affinity laws, positive dis;placement pumps
Subject: The affinity laws for rotary, positive displacement pumps 13-6
The affinity laws accurately predict the affect of changing the speed of a centrifugal or rotary pump, and
they also do a fairly good job of predicting the affect of changing the diameter of a centrifugal pump. In
another paper (02-01) we discussed the affinity laws as they apply to centrifugal pumps, but in this paper
we will look at their use with rotary pumps.
Rotary pump designs include: gear, vane, lobe, progressive cavity, screw, etc. They are more commonly
know as positive displacement (PD) pumps and act very different than centrifugal pumps:
● PD pumps do not have a best efficiency point (B.E.P).

● There is no impeller shape (specific speed) to consider.
● There is no system curve to match.
● Their capacity is a constant even if the head changes.
● Unlike a centrifugal pump, if you were going to fill a tank with a PD pump you would fill the tank
from the bottom rather than the top to save energy costs.
Take a look at the following two curves. The one on the left describes a centrifugal pump curve with the
curve shape determined by the "specific speed" number of the impeller. The curve on the right describes
the curve we get with a typical Rotary Pump.
H = Head in feet or meters
Q = Capacity in gpm, or M3/hr
What happens when you change the speed of each of these type pumps? We will look at what happens
when you double the speed and change from 1750 rpm to 3500 rpm. This is a drastic change in speed,
but not uncommon.
If you are using a variable speed motor, pulley arrangement or gear box the speed change might not be as
dramatic, but the formulas you will be using remain the same.
NEW SPEED/OLD SPEED = A NUMBER , or
3500/1750 rpm. = 2, or
1500/ 3000 rpm. = 0.5
First we will take a look at what happens with a centrifugal pump when you double the speed. In the
metric system I will show what happens when you cut the speed in half:

● Or in metric units: 50 Cubic meters per hour x 0,5 = 25 Cubic meters per hour
The head varies by the square of the number.
● Example : A 50 foot head x 4 (22) = 200 foot head

● Or in metric: A 20 meter head x 0,25 ( 0,52) = 5 meter head
The horsepower required changes by the cube of the number.
● Example : A 9 Horsepower motor was required to drive the pump at 1750 rpm.. How much is
3
❍ We would get: 9 x 8 (2 ) = 72 Horse power is now required.
● Likewise if a 12 kilowatt motor were required at 3000 rpm. and you decreased the speed to 1500
the new kilowatts required would be: 12 x 0,125 (0.53) = 1,5 kilowatts required for the lower rpm.
The NPSH required varies by approximately the square of the speed
● Example 9 feet x 22 = 36 feet

● Or in metric 3 meters x 22 = 12 meters
Lets compare that to the rotary, positive displacement pump. Again we will double the speed, and in the
metric units we will cut the speed in half:
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Affinity laws, positive dis;placement pumps

● Or in metric: 50 Cubic meters per hour x 0,5 = 25 Cubic meters per hour
There is no direct change in head with a change in speed. The pump generates whatever head or pressure
that is necessary to pump the capacity.
The horsepower required changes by the number
● Example : A 9 Horsepower motor was required to drive the pump at 1750 rpm.. How much is
❍ We would get: 9 x 2 = 18 Horse power is now required.
● Or in metric units, if a 12 kilowatt motor were required at 3000 rpm. and you decreased the speed
to 1500 the new kilowatts required would be: 12 x 0,5 = 6,0 kilowatts required for the lower rpm.
The NPSH required varies by the square of the speed
● Example 9 feet x 22 = 36 feet

● Or in metric, 3 meters x 0,25 ( 0,52) = 0,75 meters
Rotary pumps are often used with high viscosity fluids. There is a set of Affinity Laws for changes in
viscosity, but unlike changes in speed the change in viscosity does not give you a direct change in
capacity, NPSH required, or horsepower. As an example: an increase in viscosity will increase the
capacity because of less slippage, but twice the viscosity does not give you twice the gpm.
Since there are a variety of Rotary Pump designs operating over a wide range of viscosities, simple
statements about changes in operating performance are hard to make, but the following relationships are
generally true.
Here are the Viscosity Affinity Laws for Rotary Pumps:
● Viscosity 1>Viscosity 2 = gpm 1 > gpm 2

● Viscosity 1>Viscosity 2 = BHP 1 > BHP 2
● Viscosity 1>Viscosity 2 = NPSHR 1 > NPSHR 2
● Viscosity 1>Viscosity 2 = No direct affect on differential pressure.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/14-html/14-03.htm
Subject: Pump and driver alignment 14-3
In the pump business alignment means that the centerline of the pump is aligned with the centerline of
the driver. Although this alignment was always a consideration with packed pumps, it is critical with
sealed pumps especially if you are using rotating seal designs where the springs or bellows rotates with
the shaft.
A little misalignment at the power end of the pump is a lot of misalignment at the wet end, and
unfortunately that is where the seal is located in most pump applications.
Misalignment will cause many problems:
● It can cause rotating mechanical seals to move back and forth axially two times per revolution.
The more the seals move the more opportunity for the lapped faces to open
● Packing could support a misaligned shaft. A mechanical seal cannot.
● Misalignment will cause severe shaft or sleeve fretting if you use spring loaded Teflon® as a
secondary seal in your mechanical seal design.
● The pump bearings can become overloaded.
● The misalignment could be severe enough to cause contact between stationary and rotating seal
components:
● The wear rings can contact.
● The shaft can contact the restriction bushing often found at the end of the stuffing box.
● The shaft or sleeve can contact the stationery face of the mechanical seal.
● The shaft can contact the disaster bushing in an API (American Petroleum Institute) gland.
● The impeller could contact the volute or back plate.
Regardless of the alignment method you select, you must start with a pump and driver in good repair. A
perfectly aligned piece of junk is still a piece of junk. You should also check the following:
● A straight shaft that has been dynamically balanced.

● Good wear rings with the proper clearance.
● The correct impeller to volute, or backplate clearance.
● The elimination of "soft foot".
● Eliminate all pipe strain.
● Good bearings installed on a shaft with the proper finish and tolerances.
● A good mechanical seal set at the proper face load. The closer the seal is to the pump bearings the
better off you are going to be.
All pump to driver alignments consist of four parts:
● You must level the pump and driver. If the pump is aligned without being level, the oil level will
be incorrect and you will develop bearing problems.
● You then take a series of radial and axial measurements to see where the pump is located in
respect to its driver (motor).
● You make calculations to see how far the driver must be moved to align the centerline of the
pump to the centerline of the driver. These calculations must consider that the pump and driver
operating temperature will probably be very different than the ambient temperature when you are
taking the readings.
● Most pump manufacturers should be able to supply you with the proper readings for a hot
alignment. They are the only people that know how their unit expands and contracts with a change
in temperature.
● You must now shim and move the driver to get the alignment. Most of the small pump designs are
not equipped with "jack bolts" so this will be the most difficult part of the alignment procedure.
You cannot move the pump because it is connected to the piping.
I see lots of pumps that have never been aligned properly. When you talk to the people that should be
concerned, you get the following comments:
● Alignment is not important. I have been working with pumps for years and we never do it at this
facility. And we do not do dynamic balancing of the rotating assembly either!
● There is no time to do an alignment. Production wants the unit back on line, and they will not
allow me the time to do it properly.
● We purchase good couplings. The coupling manufacturer states that their coupling can take a
reasonable amount of misalignment.
It turns out that there are at least three methods of getting a good pump to driver alignment, and a good
coupling is not one of them. The coupling is used to transmit torque to the shaft and compensate for axial
thermal growth, nothing else. You install a good coupling after you have made the pump to driver
alignment, not instead of making the alignment.
Here are some acceptable methods:

The reverse indicator method is an acceptable method, but it does take a great deal of time. There are
plenty of schools that teach this method if you are interested in learning how to do it:
● Very accurate especially for small diameter flanges

● Not affected by axial float.
● Can be used with a flexible coupling in place.
● You have to rotate both shafts
The laser is the latest method. It is also the most popular. There are lots of people that can teach you to
use the equipment, once you have made the purchase.
The "C or D" frame adapter is probably the easiest method of all and available from most quality pump
manufacturers It solves most of the problems with thermal expansion.
You use a machined, registered fit to insure the alignment.
The shaft to coupling spool method:
● The best method when there are big distances between the shaft ends.
● A simple method to use.
● Most people rotate both shafts
Face and rim method:
● Use this method if one of the shafts cannot be rotated.

● An excellent method for large shaft diameters (8 inches or 200mm or greater) or if the diameters
are equal to, or greater than the span from the bracket location to the face and rim location where
the readings are to be taken.
● Not too good a method if there is axial float from sleeve or journal bearings.
Given a choice I would select the C or D frame every time.
● The "C frame" is for inch sizes The "D frame" for metric sizes.
● Automotive people use the same concept to align an automobile transmission to the engine. They
call the adapter a "bell housing".
● The concept was originally developed for the marine industry where it would be impossible to
bolt the motor and pump to the deck of the ship, and then do an alignment. The hull flexes making
any conventional alignment ineffective. The same logic applies to off shore drilling rigs.
● The adapter does a better job of equalizing the heat transfer between the pump and the driver. It
does not all have to conduct through the shaft.
● The adapter is available for all quality end suction centrifugal pumps. Check with your supplier
for the availability of one for your pump
● When given a choice, select a ductile rather than a cast adapter.
● Up to about thirty-horse power (22 KW) you hang the motor on the pump. Above thirty-horse
power (22 KW) you hang the pump on the motor.
● The adapter solves the problem of "there is no time to do an alignment".
● If your motor does not have a "C or D" end bell, one can be installed when the motor is rewound.
Some, but not all explosion proof motors are available with a C or D frame end bell. Check with
your supplier.
If you do not have a C or D frame adapter you will be involved in the last three steps of the four-step
procedure.
Once you have made all the measurements, put in the recommended compensation for thermal
expansion, and figured out all the calculations for how much to move the driver, and in which direction;
now comes the fun part; moving the driver.
You can hit the motor with a big hammer, but small dimensions are hard to get with this method.
Some people use an adjusting wheel that attaches to shims. This will give you a very precise movement
that is necessary for a proper alignment
Another method is to use an adjusting wheel that slips over the motor hold down bolts. Many mechanics
make there own tools and these units also work very well for precise motor movement.
How concerned should you be about alignment? You do it on your automobile when you notice uneven
tire wear or the car drifts to one side of the road when you loosen your grip on the wheel, and have no
problem justifying the cost and time involved. It is the same logic you use towards the added cost and
time spent balancing the tires and wheels of your car.
We do not always apply the same logic to our very expensive rotating equipment in the shop, but we
should. A mechanical seal should run trouble free until the carbon sacrificial face has worn away. When
we inspect the seals we remove from leaking pumps we find that in better than 85% of the cases there is
plenty of carbon face left on the seals. The seals are leaking prematurely and the seal movement caused
by pump to motor misalignment is a major contributing factor.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

ANSI Standard
The ANSI pump Standard 14-5
ANSI is an acronym used to describe the American National Institute Pump Standard. The standard
evolved from the American Voluntary Standard (AVS) that was first proposed by the Manufacturing
Chemists Association in the nineteen fifties. It is a set of inch dimensional standards that describe the
envelope dimensions of a back pull out, centrifugal pump.
If you live in the United States, it is probably the only pump standard you will ever use. Among the
standardized dimensions you will find:
● The location of the pump holds down bolts.

● The distance between the suction and discharge nozzle centerlines.
● The height of the pump coupling.
There are currently three overall standard pump lengths:
● 17.5 inches
● 23.5 inches
● 33.875 inches.
The European equivalent of this standard would be the ISO (International Standards Organization)
standard. Germany has their own standard called the DIN (Deutsche Industrial Norm).
The ANSI standard has gone through several revisions since it was originally adopted and there is lots of
talk about combining it with the present API (American Petroleum Institute) standard to create a single
standard for centrifugal pumps in the United States. The result of this merger is going to be a
combination of the problems inherent in both these standards. My paper 12-5 describes these problems in
detail
The main problem with this and similar standards is that they were written for packed pumps and are
only now changing to reflect the increasing usage of mechanical seals. The most obvious change has
been the acceptance of oversize stuffing boxes, but these standards still have a very long way to go.
Ultimately the ANSI committee is going to have to accept the fact that short pumps with very low shaft
L3/D4 numbers is the logical approach if American pumps are going to stay competitive.
In the following paragraphs you will find all the dimensions of the ANSI standard, end suction
centrifugal pump:

ANSI Standard
The next diagram shows the detail of a typical ANSI pump and names the individual parts

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

API gland
The API gland 15-9
The seal gland is that part that holds the stationary half of the mechanical seal and attaches to the stuffing
box. The most universally used gland is labeled the American Petroleum Institute (API) gland:
The API (American Petroleum Institute) gland incorporates several important environmental controls and
safety features. It should be specified for all petroleum refinery service because of the danger of an
explosion or fire, but should also be recommended any time you are pumping any type of dangerous
product. The gland has several features you need to understand:
● (DB) describes a non-sparking disaster bushing installed in the rear of the gland to prevent metal
to metal contact in the event of a bearing failure in the pump. The maximum clearance of this
bushing should be 0.025" (0,6 mm) on the diameter. Carbon is the most common material used
for this bushing. Please note that the bushing is pushed against a shoulder machined into the
gland. A straight through bore with a snap ring retainer will not meet the API specification.
● (Q) is the quench, or drain and vent connection
● (F) Is the flush connection that can be connected to the discharge side of the pump for discharge
recirculation, the suction of the pump for suction recirculation, or to an outside flushing
connection to introduce clean fluid into the pump stuffing box.
Let's take a closer look at some of these features and see where we might take advantage of them outside
of the petroleum industry:
The Disaster Bushing
● Although the gland is expensive this bushing is an excellent feature any time you do a packing
conversion because, in the event of a bearing failure, the shaft will deflect into the disaster
bushing in the gland preventing a major destruction of the mechanical seal. Some manufacturers
build a gland that has these features but does not meet the API specification for fitting size,
bushing retention method, etc. These glands are commonly used outside the petroleum industry
where the features are needed, but the cost is too high for the API standard version.
● The bushing prevents a massive leakage out the back of the gland when you experience a sudden
seal failure. The majority of the leakage is directed to the drain connection. This is an important
safety feature for any people in the area
● Sometimes Teflon is substituted as a disaster bushing material for those low specific gravity
products that freeze when released to atmosphere. The Teflon shrinks when it gets cold and
provides a better sealing surface.
The Quench, or Drain and Vent connection
● This fitting allows you to bleed small quantities of low pressure steam between the seal and the
disaster bushing to keep the seal faces warm when the pump is at rest. This is very necessary with
those products that become viscous or setup and harden when cooled to ambient temperature
● In the event of a massive seal failure, most of the leaking fluid will be directed down the drain
connection. Low specific gravity gases can be directed up the vent to a flare where they can be
burned off
● Low-pressure steam can be connected to this fitting and a solenoid-operated valve can open in the
event of a fire, to quench the fire with steam, and put it out.
Flushing connection:
● Discharge recirculation is used to direct fluid from the discharge side of he pump to the stuffing
box
● This feature can be used to pressurize the stuffing box and prevent a fluid from vaporizing. This is
commonly done in hot water applications. You should use a close fitting bushing in the end of the
stuffing box to reduce the amount of pressure drop.
● Suction recirculation is used to direct fluid from the bottom of the pump stuffing box back to the
pump suction
API gland
● We do this to clean up the liquid in the stuffing box. The fluid is being directed from in back of
the impeller (where it has been centrifuged), into the stuffing box, and finally back to the pump
suction.
● Use this fitting to vent the pump stuffing box when the pump is installed in a vertical position.
Failure to do this can cause the seal faces to run dry
● Flushing is used to introduce clean fluid into the stuffing box at a pressure of about one
atmosphere (14.7 psi or 1 bar) above stuffing box pressure.
● We like to use this connection to flush away undesirable fluid (solids, crystallizing, dangerous,
etc.)

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

API Plans that I use
API plans that I use. 15-05
The American Petroleum Institute (API) issues guide lines to help petroleum people select and then pipe
various types of controls for mechanical sealing applications. These piping arrangements are described in
a series of plans issued by the API.
Although 17 plans are described, only a few are really needed. Any time you have 17 choices there is
bound to be some confusion. In the following paragraphs I will describe those API plans that I use on a
regular business. In the following paragraphs I will describe where I use these plans and, in the process,
hopefully simplify your selection decisions
Plan #01 Discharge recirculation to pressurize the pump stuffing box
A recirculation line is connected from the discharge side of the pump to the
stuffing box. The high-pressure discharge fluid is then recirculated through
the stuffing box to the rear of the impeller and eventually to the pump
discharge.
This technique presents a couple of problems for maintenance people:
● The pump wear rings, critical tolerances and close fitting bushings can experience rapid wear as
the solids pass through these narrow clearances.
The only legitimate use of this discharge recirculation line is to pressurize the stuffing box to prevent a
liquid from vaporizing, and that is where I recommend its use.
for any personnel in the area and any entrained solids can clog up the heat exchanger.
When this line is used to pressurize the stuffing box you should keep several additional thoughts in mind:
bushing material but it should be about 0.002 inches/ inch (0,002 mm/mm) of shaft diameter. This
bushing will help in raising the stuffing box pressure
metal plates used in a metal bellows seal.
Plan #02 Circulation through a pump heating or cooling jacket
Condensate, steam, or heat transfer oils work well as the

heat transfer medium
This is the best method of controlling the temperature of a

fluid in the pump stuffing box if the temperature must be
controlled when the pump is not running.

control is in use. Some of these lines could be covered up by insulation, so look out for them. High
temperature pumps should come equipped with a cooling or heating jacket installed around the pump
stuffing box. If a jacket (B) has not been installed on your pump it can probably be purchased from the
pump manufacturer or an "after market" supplier.
recirculation lines should be installed. Any material that has poor thermal-conducting properties will be
● A small amount of liquid or steam through the jacket can control the stuffing box to whatever
temperature range you need. In some instances cool heat transfer oil is utilized. Keep in mind that
this jacket may also be providing cooling to the bearing case as well as the stuffing box.
● Be sure the jacketing fluid is free from calcium (hard water) or any substance that can build a film
on the inside of the jacket surface and restrict the heat transfer. A number of cleaners are available
if you experience this problem. Condensate and steam are good jacketing fluids that present few
clogging or film building problems, and are available in most plants.
● Remember that both condensate and low-pressure steam will cool hot oil in the stuffing box. A
mixing valve can blend steam and condensate to get precise temperature control
● Its pressure determines the temperature of steam. You can monitor the steam pressure out of the
heating jacket to determine the steam temperature.
Plan #13 Suction recirculation to keep a flow going through the stuffing box
This is the best general piping layout for most of your applications
In this arrangement a line is connected between the suction of the pump

and the bottom of the stuffing box or seal gland connection. Many
pumps have a connection already tapped at the suction throat of the
pump for a suction gage. If this fitting is available you can install one in
the piping or in the pipe flange if the piping is not thick enough to be
drilled and tapped.
Try to make the stuffing box connection as close to the seal faces as possible to insure a good circulation
through the stuffing box.
● Stuffing box pressure is almost always higher than the suction pressure of the pump. Liquid from
behind the impeller will be circulated through the stuffing box to the pump suction. The impeller
has centrifuged this liquid and the result is that the liquid going into the stuffing box is
considerably cleaner than what you are pumping.
● In many cases you can eliminate the need for flushing in clean liquid and diluting your product.
This environment control works very well in closed impeller pump designs and those open
impeller designs that adjust towards the pump volute rather than the back.
● CAUTION! You should not use suction recirculation in the following applications:
❍ Any time you are pumping at, or close to the product's vapor point.
❍ If the fluid entrained solids have a low specific gravity. In other words, they float.
❍ If you are using a Duriron pump or any impeller that adjusts to the back plate.
❍ Suction recirculation can also be used to lower the pressure in the pump stuffing box. A
close fitting bushing must be installed into the bottom of the box to assist in establishing a
pressure drop. You must be careful to insure that this bushing is secured by a snap ring or
some other positive retention method to prevent the differential pressure across the bushing
from blowing the bushing into the mechanical seal. If the fluid contains abrasive solids you
will experience some erosion of the bushing inside diameter as the abrasive fluid
accelerates through the bushing on its way to the pump suction.
Plan #62 The quench gland. Often called the API gland

extinguish a flame. In the seal business, quench (Q) is a term used to describe the introduction of a fluid
outside the mechanical seal. We use this fluid to:

● To dilute any leakage that might migrate across the seal faces.
● The Quench connection is labeled (Q). A close fitting bushing (DB) in the end of the gland directs
the quench fluid down a drain hole on the opposite side of the seal gland
● Steam is the most popular quench medium, but care should be taken that the steam pressure is
very low, or the hot steam will penetrate through the nearby bearing seals and contaminate the
bearing oil.
Plan #53 Barrier/ buffer fluid using an internal pumping ring
Any time you use dual seals (two seals) in an application; you should have a fluid circulating between
them to prevent the generation of unwanted heat. The following illustration shows a tandem arrangement
of dual rotating seals.
● If the pressure of the fluid between the seals is higher than stuffing box pressure we call it barrier
fluid. If the pressure is lower than stuffing box pressure we call it buffer fluid
● The buffer/barrier liquid can be circulated either by forced circulation, a pumping ring or
convection (each a different API plan number). The method that you will use will be dictated by
the heat being generated by the pressure in the stuffing box, the shaft speed and shaft size. Since
heat generation is also a function of seal design, all seal manufacturers provide charts or graphs to
give you the correct guidelines that will insure the proper amount of circulation between the seals.
● If you elect to use a forced circulation system be sure to introduce the fluid into the bottom of the
stuffing box or gland connection and out the top. This arrangement will insure that the space
between the seals is vented allowing proper cooling to take place.
● Forced circulation is the recommended method with all vertical shaft applications; although it is
possible to offset the centering of the seal gland and get a small amount of pumping action as the
liquid circulating in the seal gland changes its velocity at the convection tank connections.
● Many of the latest seal designs utilize a built in pumping ring to enhance convection. This
pumping arrangement is very necessary whenever oil is used as the barrier fluid because of oil's
low specific heat and poor conductivity.
The following illustration shows a typical convection system that can be used with two balanced seals.
Check with your supplier for recommended pipe size, height and length. CAUTION! Do not hang the
convection tank on the seal gland. The increased offset weight can distort the internal clearances of the
gland.

● Water is one of the best barrier or buffer fluids because of its high specific heat and good
conductivity. Petroleum oil is probably one of the worse because of its low specific heat and poor
conductivity. Keep this in mind when you select a barrier or buffer fluid for your seals.
● The type of seal you select will determine if the fluid between the seals has to be kept higher or
lower than the stuffing box pressure.
● Fluctuating pressures are normal in this business so you should select seals that are hydraulically
balanced in both directions to eliminate any problems that might be caused when the barrier fluid
or system pressure varies.
● Be sure to connect the convection tank or forced lubrication system so that the inlet is at the
bottom of the double seal and the outlet discharges from the top of the seal. This arrangement will
allow the seal to vent and insure that the passages are full of liquid.
Plan #3. Flushing to remove unwanted fluid in the stuffing box.
Do not confuse flushing fluid with discharge recirculation,

suction recirculation, quenching, barrier fluid, buffer fluid or
jacketing fluid.
● A clean liquid from an outside source is brought into the stuffing box through a regulating valve
at one atmosphere (15 psi. or 1 bar) higher than stuffing box pressure. The liquid should be
brought in at the bottom of the stuffing box to insure thorough cleaning. All of this flushing liquid
will eventually go into, and dilute your product.
● If you are using balanced O-ring seals you will only need enough liquid to remove solids that
might interfere with the seal movement. You will not need additional liquid flow to provide
cooling because balanced seals do not generate enough heat to cause heat problems in most
applications.
● Seal designs that have the springs out of the fluid require only one to two gallons per hour (4 to 8
liters/hour) of flush. NOTE: this is per hour, not per minute. If you are using mechanical seal
designs with multiple springs in the fluid, check with your manufacturer for his flushing
recommendations.
● The clean flushing fluid can come from several sources:
❍ Clean water such as condensate
❍ Any fluid compatible with your product
❍ A liquid solvent for your product
❍ One of the ingredients in the product
❍ Finished product will never hurt raw product and finished product is almost always clean.
❍ An additive that is going to be put into the product down-stream that can be added at the
pump stuffing box instead.

❍ If you are using shop water as the flush, you must be careful or solids in the flushing water
will clog up the flow control valve. The shop water pressure also tends to vary through out
the day and in some instances it can fall below the pump stuffing box pressure. Most states
require an air gap in the line if you want to use shop or city water as a flushing medium. A
back flow preventer valve is used many times but it is illegal in many states. Check your
local regulations.
When you should use flushing plan #32?
● To introduce clean liquid into the stuffing box that will remove solids or any problem fluid.
● To cool a hot liquid by flushing in a cold one.
● To replace a liquid that is sensitive to changes in either temperature and/ or pressure.
● CAUTION! Do not be tempted to use flushing to substitute a non-corrosive liquid for a corrosive
liquid and thereby save the cost of expensive seal components. Someone is going to shut off the
flush for sure, and the incompatible seal components will be chemically attacked and the seal will
fail prematurely.
Here are some of my comments about each of the plans recommended by the API:
Plan 01. A line from the pump discharge is connected to the pump stuffing box. We discussed this one as
a legitimate method of raising stuffing box pressure
Plan 02. The stuffing box is dead-ended. Heating or cooling fluid is circulated through the stuffing box
jacket. This is the best method of controlling thew stuffing box temperature when the pump is not
running.
Plan 11. A line is connected from the discharge side of the pump and recirculated through an orifice into
the gland flush connection. Orifices are hard to size and since many pumping fluids contain solids
orifices are easy to clog.
Plan 12. A line is connected from the discharge side of the pump and recirculated through a strainer and
control orifice to the gland flush connection. If solids are present in the fluid the strainer will frequently
clog along with the orifice
Plan 13. A line is connected from the bottom of the stuffing box, through a flow control orifice, to the
suction piping. Controlling the size of the orifice to get exactly the right flow is difficult. In most cases
you will not need the orifice
Plan 21. Discharge recirculation through a flow control orifice and cooler into the seal chamber. You are
cooling with high-pressure, pump discharge fluid. Not too good an idea! Hot, high-pressure fluids can be
dangerous if the cooler or its inlet and outlet-line fittings leak. There are better cooling methods that
utilize lower fluid pressure. Jacketing, barrier fluid and quenching come to mind. Also note that with this
arrangement you only get the cooling effect when the pump is running. This could cause a premature seal
failure when the pump stops.
Plan 22. Discharge recirculation is passed through a strainer, orifice and then through a cooler to the
stuffing box. The above mentioned problems with the cooler, orifice and strainer can combine together
for a real problem
Plan 23. A pumping ring is installed in either the stuffing box or within the mechanical seal components
that will pump the stuffing box fluid through an external cooler and then back to the stuffing box. This is
a good arrangement because it uses lower pressure cooling fluid. You find this arrangement on the
stuffing box of many boiler feed pump sealing applications.
Plan 31. Discharge recirculation through a cyclone separator to the stuffing box, Cyclone separators are
not very effective in removing the solids that fail mechanical seals. I would not waste my time with this
one.
Plan 32. Flushing liquid from an external higher pressure source to the stuffing box. A good solution if
you can tolerate some product dilution and insure the flushing pressure remains higher than the stuffing
box pressure.
Plan 41. Discharge recirculation through a cyclone separator and cooler to the stuffing box. This
combines two problems into a bigger problem.
Plan 51. An external reservoir providing a dead ended blanket of fluid to the quench connection of the
API gland
Plan 52. External reservoir providing buffer fluid for the outer seal of an un-pressurized dual seal
arrangement. During operation an internal pumping ring provides circulation. The reservoir is connected
to a vapor recovery system and is maintained at a pressure less than the pressure in the seal chamber.
This is a common and good environmental control. If the inner mechanical seal is hydraulically balanced
in both directions you can use this arrangement most of the time.
Plan 53. Pressurized external barrier fluid reservoir supplying clean fluid to the seal chamber.
Circulation is by an internal pumping ring. Reservoir pressure is greater than the process pressure being
sealed. Typically used with a tandem dual seal. Likewise a good environmental control when the
pumping fluid is dangerous.
Plan 54. Pressurized 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 system pressure
being sealed. Typically used with tandem dual seal. Another good environmental control
Plan 61. Tapped connect for purchaser's use. (flush connection). We discussed flush a little earlier
Plan 62. External fluid source providing a quench (steam is the most common quench fluid). Typically
used with a close fitting bushing in the rear of the gland to prevent the steam from entering into the
bearing cavity. A good environmental control. We discussed it earlier

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Seal hydraulic balance
SUBJECT: Mechanical Seal hydraulic balance 8-01
Seal hydraulic balance is one of the most effective tools we have to counter the detrimental affects of
heat being generated in the stuffing box area. The original patent for hydraulic balance was granted in
1938, but the concept has never been adopted by the "original equipment manufacturer" (O.E.M.), and so
to this day it remains only as an "after market" product.
Hydraulic balance is very easy to understand, please look at the following diagram:
A = The spring loaded face with an area of 2 in2 (6 cm2)
B = The stationary face held to the front of the stuffing box by gland "G"
P = The hydraulic pressure in the stuffing box is given as 100 psi (10 Kg./cm2)
To understand hydraulic balance you must know that:
● Pressure (lbs./in2) x Area (in2) = Force (lbs.) or

● Pressure (Kg/cm2) x Area (cm2) = Force (Kg. *)
* Multiply this number by gravity (9.8 m/sec2) and you get Newtons of force.
There are at least two forces closing the seal faces:
● The mechanical spring force.

● The hydraulic force caused by the stuffing box pressure acting on the seal face area.
There are at least three forces trying to open the seal faces:
● A hydraulic force is created any time there is fluid between the seal faces.
● A centrifugal force created by the action of the fluid being thrown outward by the rotation of the
pump shaft.
● A hydrodynamic force created because trapped liquid is, for all practical purposes, non
compressible.
Let's look at these forces individually and in a little more detail!
First we will look at the closing forces:
● A spring load of 30 psi. (2 Kg/cm2) is an industry standard when the seal face is new and a load of
10 psi (0.7 Kg/cm2) should still available when the carbon seal face has worn away. We need this
minimum load to prevent normal vibration from opening the lapped faces. You set this load by
installing the mechanical seal with the proper amount of compression as shown on the mechanical
seal installation print. A tolerance of plus or minus 1/32" (0,8 mm.) is typical.
● Since the definition of hydraulic force was given as pressure X area :
● 100 psi x 2 in2 = 200 pounds of closing hydraulic force, or
● 10 Kg/cm2 x 6 cm2 = 60 Kg of closing hydraulic force.
Now we will look at the opening forces
1. First the hydraulic force:
● Testing shows that some times there is a film of liquid between the faces, some times there is only
vapor, some times there is nothing at all, and some times there is a combination of all three. This
means that if there is liquid or vapor between the faces, it is under pressure trying to force the
lapped faces apart. The stationary face (B) cannot move because it is being held by gland "G", but
the spring loaded face (A) will respond to this force.
Look at the following diagram. If we assume a straight line or linear pressure drop across the seal faces,
we would get an average of:
● 50 lbs/in2 x 2 in2 = 100 pounds of force trying to open the seal face,
or 5 Kg/cm2 x 6 cm2 = 30 Kilograms of force trying to open the seal faces.
2. Centrifugal force is acting on the spring loaded face (A) trying to spin it perpendicular to the rotating
shaft.
● Stationary face (B) is not perpendicular to the shaft because it is referenced against the stuffing
box face which is a casting that is not perpendicular or square to any thing. A gasket located
between the gland and the stuffing box further compounds the problem. Testing has shown that a
surface speed of 5000 fpm. or 25 meters per second centrifugal force is powerful enough to open
most mechanical seal faces.
3. Seal faces are lapped to within three helium light bands or slightly less than one micron. This slight
waviness is enough to generate hydrodynamic lifting forces as we try to compress non-compressible
liquid that is trapped between the lapped faces.
Two forces closing, and three forces opening the seal faces. If the closing forces are the greater forces the
seal will generate heat that is often destructive, but always a waste of energy and pump efficiency. If the
opening forces are the greater forces the seal will leak and that is never desirable.
A balanced seal, by definition, balances these opening and closing forces so that the seal will not get hot
and it will not leak. How is that accomplished? Since the hydraulic closing forces were twice the opening
forces (100 psi. vs. 50 psi.) we have installed a sleeve inside the seal to reduce the closing area and there
by reduce the closing force. Look at the following diagram for an explanation:
You can now see that the 100 lbs/in2 (10 Kg/cm2) is now pushing on only 1in2 (3 cm2) because the inner
sleeve is attached to the shaft and cannot move. The opening force remains the same. The numbers look
like this:
● 100 lbs/in2 x 1 in2 = 100 lbs. Closing

● 50 lbs/in2 x 2 in2 = 100 lbs. Opening or
●
● 10 Kg/cm2 x 3 cm2 = 30 Kg. Closing

● 5 Kg/cm2 x 6 cm2 = 30 Kg. Opening
As you can see, we have eliminated the hydraulic forces from acting to open or close the seal faces. This
leaves only the spring force to close the seal and the hydrodynamic and centrifugal forces to try to open
the seal faces. The question then becomes, "can the spring force balance the other two?"
And there is another point to consider, was the pressure drop across the seal faces really linear?
All of these questions were answered way back in 1938 by physical testing. The final design solved the
problem by overbalancing the closing hydraulic forces to compensate for:
● The non linear pressure drop across the seal faces.

● The hydrodynamic opening forces
● Centrifugal opening force.
Look at the following diagram for the final result:

Seventy percent (70%) of the seal face area is exposed to the hydraulic closing force instead of the fifty
percent (50%) shown in the previous drawing. This is the standard 70-30 balance used by most
mechanical seal companies. The seal designer can increase or decrease the percentage of over balance by
changing the stepped sleeve diameter. We would want to do this to:
● Decrease the face loading for low specific gravity fluids and higher speed shafts.
● Increase the face loading for higher viscosity liquids.
All that was required to hydraulically balance the seal was the simple low cost sleeve, but it is this
additional cost that is keeping the original equipment manufacturer from adopting the design as his
standard. The "bottom line" is that with an un-balanced seal design you either suffer the consequences of
adding heat to the stuffing box area, or having to provide cooling to remove the heat that is being
generated by the un-balanced seal.
Keep in mind that this heat is never desirable because:
● Heat means a loss of expensive energy.

● Heat will affect the elastomer (rubber part) in the seal reducing its' life.
● Heat can injure some carbon faces by melting the fillers and expanding the air pockets trapped
below the surface, causing pits in the carbon that will prevent it from passing a fugitive emission
test.
● Some hard faces can be damaged by a rapid temperature change.
● Plated surfaces can "heat check" and crack due to the differential expansion between the coating
and the base metal.
● Many products can vaporize at elevated temperature, blowing the faces open and leaving solids
between the lapped faces.
● Heat will change the viscosity of many liquids. It many cases it will diminish, but in some cases
the viscosity can increase.
● Corrosion always increases with additional heat.
● Petroleum base products can "coke" between the faces.
● Lapped faces can go "out of flat" and critical tolerances change at elevated temperature.
Stick with hydraulically balanced seals. The unbalanced versions do not make any sense. Besides low
heat generation balanced seal have other advantages:
● They will allow you to standardize on one seal style for both high and low pressure applications.
● The O-ring version will seal either vacuum or pressure.
● Balanced seals can compensate for "water hammer" and pressure surges.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Seal balance
SUBJECT: Two way hydraulic balance 8-2
There are several reasons why you might want to invest in the higher cost of installing two seals in your
pump, or some other pieced of rotating equipment:
● The product is dangerous.

● A seal leak could cause a pollution problem.
● The product is very costly.
● Unscheduled down time is too expensive.
● You need fugitive emission protection.
● It is a sensible way to institute a predictive maintenance program for mechanical seals.
Please look at the following diagram and you will see a major problem with almost all dual seal
applications:
In a typical dual seal application, barrier fluid is circulated between the seals at a pressure at least one
atmosphere (14.7 psi, or 1 bar) higher than stuffing box pressure. This presents some operating problems:
● Since systm pressure can vary, the barrier fluid pressure must be kept at one atmosphere higher
than the maximum stuffing box pressure and that pressure is very hard to predict because of
pressure surges, cavitation, and water hammer in the system.
● Barrier fluid pressure can vary depending upon its source. Shop water is notorious for pressure
variations.
● If the system pressure exceeds the barrier pressure, the inner seal can blow open.
● If the barrier fluid piping or fittings are damaged or leaking, the inner seal will blow open
allowing the product to escape to atmosphere. Remember that you purchased the second seal to
prevent that possibility.
● Some mixer applications alternate between pressure and vacuum.
● If the outside seal wears out, or fails prematurely the barrier fluid pressure will drop, and the inner
seal will blow open. In other words, if the seal works properly, both seals will fail at the same
time.
Hydraulically balancing the inside seal will not help because with a standard 70-30 balance the seal is
hydraulically balanced in only one direction. You can check the paper 8-1 in this series if you are not
familiar with standard seal balance.
In that paper we learned how to balance a rotating seal (the spring loaded face rotates). Now we will see
how a stationary seal (the spring loaded face does not rotate) is balanced. Please refer to the following
diagram:
If the higher pressure is coming from side "A" you have the classic 70-30 hydraulic balance, but if the
higher pressure is at "B" you have a 30-70 balance and the seal faces will open.
In 1939 a solution was found for this very real problem, and it was called "two way balance". Look at the
following diagram, it appears to be very similar to the previous diagram with two major exceptions.
● The dynamic 0-ring is placed in an odd shaped groove.

● The stationary seal face is wider than the previous version. The O-ring cross section represents
40% of the area of the seal face with 30% of the face area outside and inside of the O-ring area.

Seal balance
If the higher pressure is at side "A" the O-ring "C" is pushed against gland "D" and any sliding action of
the seal face will take place at the inside diameter of the O-ring. In that case 70% (40%+ 30%) of the
face area would see the pressure and 30% would not. The classic 70-30 balance.
Reverse the pressure to side "B" and the O-ring will bottom against the seal face and all sliding, or
flexing will occur on the O-ring outside diameter, allowing 70% (40%+ 30%) of the seal face area to see
the pressure and 30% would not.
In other words you would have the same 70-30 balance regardless of the direction of the higher pressure.
This presents some very real advantages over non-two way balanced designs.
● You can elect either a higher or lower barrier fluid pressure. It is your choice. With a lower barrier
fluid pressure you can just about eliminate the possibility of product dilution.
● A rupture in the barrier fluid pressurizing system will not open the inner seal face, allowing the
product to escape to atmosphere.
● Water hammer, cavitation, or pressure surges will not blow the seal open. The faces always shut
with the higher pressure, the way they are supposed to.
Are there any disadvantages to this design? Yes, a couple:
● A wide seal face is required restricting the use of the seal to mostly mixer applications because of
the additional radial room needed. There seldom is enough room in the typical centrifugal pump
stuffing box to accommodate the cartridge version of this design.
● Because one half of the dynamic O-ring groove is mounted in the gland and the other in the seal
face, The O-ring must slide when the pressure reverses, and in some slurry applications it will
"hang up" unless flushing water is available.
● Extra cost is usually involved if it is not a standard seal with your supplier.
In recent years other methods of achieving two way balance have evolved with very obvious advantages.
One of them is shown in the following diagram:
● A narrow seal face can be used.

● The seal will fit conventional stuffing box bore dimensions.
● The dynamic O-ring does not have to slide when the pressure reverses. This is a very important
feature when sealing slurries, viscous fluids and liquids that can crystallize
● Manufacturing cost is reduced.
● Conventional O-ring cross sections can be used.
The diagram should be self explanatory. You will note that in this version the hydraulic balance reverses
from 70-30 to 60-40.
It does not make sense to install two seals into a pump without this two way balance feature. Be sure to
specify it in all future purchases and proposals.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Seal balance

Bearing seals
Subject : Centrifugal pump ball bearing seals 13-9
Bearings are normally lubricated with either oil or grease. Oil mist is another alternative, but recent
fugitive emission regulations are making this form of bearing lubrication less desirable. According to the
SKF Bearing Company, both oil and grease have a useful life of thirty years at thirty degrees Centigrade
(86°F). The Duriron pump company estimates that the L10 life of a radial ball bearing in their end suction
centrifugal pump, operating at its BEP(best efficiency point), to be between one and three hundred years.
So what is going wrong with the lubricant and bearings in our pumps? We do not get a service life any
where near those numbers. It turns out that most bearings fail prematurely for only two reasons:
● High heat that caused the lubricant to "varnish" and then form "coke" that will introduce solids
into the lubricant.
● Contamination of the lubricant by water, moisture and solids.
The water gets into the bearing from three different sources:
● Leakage from packing. As you know, packing leaks.

● Moisture from a water hose that is being used to wash down the base plate and general area
because of packing and other types of leakage. If nothing leaked there would be no need for a
water hose to wash down the area.
● Aspiration. A fancy name that means moisture in the air is penetrating into the bearing case when
the housing temperature reduces.
Original equipment manufacturers traditionally use low cost grease and oil seals to prevent this ingress of
moisture and solids. Take a look at the following diagram:
The spring loaded grease or lip seal shown on the left is typical of the
type supplied by these manufacturers and has a rated life of less than
two thousand (2000) hours (83 days at 24 hours per day).
The rubber lip will polish the corrosion resistant shaft, remove the
protective oxide layer that has formed to protect the shaft from
corrosion, and then proceed to cut a groove beneath the rubber lip. This
is called "shaft fretting" and is explained in detail in paper 10-3 of this
series.
Eighty three days is not a satisfactory life for anyone, so you are going to have to come up with an
alternative to these short lived destructive seals. At the end of this paper I have attached a chart that was
published by the Chicago Rawhide Company showing a life comparison between their seal and a
competitor called The National Seal Company. At his writing Chicago Rawhide is a division of the SKF
Bearing Company of Sweden.
Here are a couple of alternatives you should consider to replace the lip or grease seals that make no sense
what so ever:
The labyrinth seal is a non contacting shaft seal that works very well
as long as the shaft is turning. It is very effective against packing
leakage and water hoses, but not too effective against aspiration. Part
"A" remains stationary in the bearing housing while part "B" turns
with the shaft
This seal should not damage your shaft and is available in both a solid
and split configuration. There are many materials and internal
configurations available so investigate them carefully.
Magnetic face seals have been around for many years. They take very
little axial space and are very effective against moisture, water and
solids.
I should mention here that some people are uncomfortable having

magnets that close to the bearings.

Bearing seals
Spring loaded face seals are the latest and probably the best
alternative available. The can be purchased in a variety of materials
and sizes and are available in the desired stationary seal
configuration.
They are effective against packing leakage, water hoses and

aspiration, especially when used with a bearing case expansion
chamber. Unlike grease or lip seals that will not damage your shaft or
sleeve.
There are several versions of a bearing case expansion chamber.

Usually they are supplied with either a rubber or metal bellows.
From cold to operating temperature, the bearing case pressure will

increase about twelve to fourteen psi. (about one bar) The expansion
chamber will keep this increase to below one psi.
The majority of premature bearing failures can be prevented by following a few simple rules:
● Purchase quality bearings. Remember that there are a lot of counterfeit bearings out there, so be
careful.
● Install the bearings correctly on a shaft that has been manufactured to the right finish and
tolerance.
● Fill the bearings with the proper amount of grease or oil to the correct level. Be sure the pump is
level before you do this.
● Install face seals to keep moisture and solids out of the bearing case.
● Install an expansion chamber in the bearing case filling connection.
● If you use oil, check the oil level on a regular basis
● Never cool a bearing outside diameter. It will shrink and over heat. If cooling is necessary, cool
the oil never the bearing.

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bearing lubrication
Subject: Ball bearing lubrication in centrifugal pumps 14-1.
The manufacturer using the bearing in his equipment, not the ball bearing manufacturer, determines the
anticipated life of a ball bearing. This life, once determined, is called the L10 life of the bearing and it is
based on the premise that 90% of the bearings will last a certain amount of revolutions before they
experience metal fatigue.
Fatigue is a weakening and eventual breaking of metals due to a prolonged strain. Since the manufacturer
of the equipment that uses the bearing is the only one that know the operating conditions, he sets the L10
life. It is usually measured in years. This fatigue or L10 life is determined from:
● The bearing material

● The load on the bearing. (stress)
● The number of load cycles the bearing material is exposed to (strain).
Duriron pump company literature states that the radial bearing in their 2 x 3 x 10 Mark two, group two
pump has a L10 life of 300 years. In other words 90% of those bearings would be expected to run 300
years before they would experience a fatigue failure.
Since the pump end user is not experiencing anything like that type of life, what is causing the premature
failure? Is it a manufacturing, installation, maintenance or operation problem?
It turns out that bearings fail for two main reasons:
● Contamination of the bearing oil by water or moisture.

● High heat often caused by too much lubrication.
As little as 0.002% water in the bearing oil will reduce bearing life 48%. The water enters from packing
leakage, wash down hoses and aspiration caused by the temperature cooling down in the bearing casing
after shutdown, and moisture laden air entering the bearing case. A 6% water content in the oil will
reduce bearing life by as much as 83%. The water or moisture contamination comes from three main
sources:
● Packing leakage.
● Water hoses used to wash down the base plate area because of packing leakage.
● Aspiration or moisture in the air entering the bearing case especially when the pump is stopped.
In paper 13-9 we talked about the seals you can use to keep this moisture out of your bearing case. In this
paper we will investigate the second reason bearings fail.
Excessive heat!
A couple of paragraphs above I said that over lubrication would cause high heat. What is the problem
with over lubrication? If a little lubrication were good, wouldn't a lot be better? Not really! Think about it
this way. Picture yourself on a hot day walking along the beach. You go into the water up to your ankles,
and as you walk along rapidly you feel cool and refreshed. Now walk rapidly in water up to your waist
and you see the problem. It takes a lot of energy to get through the same temperature water and this
would make you hot and fatigued instead of cool and refreshed
It's the same thing with lubrication. Too high a lubrication level and the bearing will consume energy as
it plows through the lubricant. This energy will show up as heat added to the lubricant causing it to first
lose its viscosity and then the lubricant will begin to form varnish and coke as it gets hotter. Varnish and
coke are another name for solids.
The problem with grease and oil lubricants is their low specific heat and their poor conductivity. Some of
the synthetics are better, but they have a temperature limit that is still too low for many pumping
applications. It is for this same reason that we do not recommend putting any type oil between dual seals
if we can avoid it.
The SKF bearing company claims that uncontaminated grease and oil has a useful life of thirty years at
30°C (86°F) They further state that the life of grease and oil is cut in half for each 10°C (18°F) rise in
temperature. That means that at 100°C (212°F) oil and grease have a useful life of only 90 days. Here are
your lubrication options:
Grease packed
● Grease is hard to change because the usual method is to pump grease into a grease fitting and let
the new grease push out the old grease. This method guarantees the bearing will be over
lubricated.
● The only proper way to grease a bearing is to hand pack it full, but not the cavity where it is
located. As the bearing heats up some of the grease will leak into the cavity reducing the amount
bearing lubrication
of lubrication in the bearing.
Oil is easy to install and change.
● Be sure you have an oil level indicator on your pump.

● Be sure the pump is level. Many pumps have been aligned without checking to see if they were
level.
● The oil level should be half way through the bottom ball when the pump is at rest.
● Unfortunately you cannot use oil lubrication on a vertical installation.
● Some mechanical applications use bearings of different diameters. This makes it impossible to
maintain a correct oil level. Vertical applications have the same problem.
Oil mist is the preferred method if you can solve the fugitive emissions problem.
● Oil mist can provide a positive pressure inside the bearing to keep out contaminants.
● It takes 5000 to 6000 psi (340 to 405 bar) to mist 30-weight oil and that pressure is not available
in your pump. Mixing the oil with air presents a problem because of venting hydrocarbons to the
atmosphere.
If you find the bearing lubricant is getting too hot, most pumps have a facility for cooling the oil in the
bearing case. Never attempt to cool a bearing by cooling the outer case. Steel will expand or contract at
the rate of about 0.001 of an inch, per inch, per 100 degree Fahrenheit. (0.001 mm/mm/ 50°C).
In other words if you cool the bearing case it will contract or shrink and increase the load on the bearing.
The rule is "cool the oil, never the bearing".
Lubricants are made from various oils and additives. The three most popular oils are:
● Mineral oils, pure and refined.

● Synthetic oils for higher temperatures.
● Animal and vegetable oils that are not normally used for bearing lubrication because of the risk of
acid formation after a short operating period.
The most common synthetic oils are:
● Diesters that are usable to 120°C. (250°F)

● Silicone oils that are usable to 200°C.(395°F)
● Fluorinated oils have good oxidation stability but are so expensive most lubricating companies do
not use them.
● Polyglycols are good for bearings over 90°C (195°F) Their oxidation stability is good and they
have recorded service lives ten times longer than those of corresponding mineral oils. Their
specific gravity is more than 1.0 so water floats on top of them.
● Synthetic hydrocarbons have the advantage of a viscosity that is reasonably independent of
temperature. They can be used to 200°C ( 395°F)
Lubricants are supplied with various additives to increase their performance:
● Anti-oxidants improve the oxidation stability of the lubricant by 10 to 150 times, decreasing
corrosion and preventing the oil from becoming more viscous.
● Corrosion protective additives do just they say.
● Anti-foaming additives prevent foaming that would reduce the load carrying capability of the
lubricant. They cause the foam bubbles to burst when they hit the surface.
● Film stiffeners reduce wear through metallic contact. They form a surface layer with a surface
tension greater than the lubricant.
● Additives with a polar effect cause the molecules to take up an orientation perpendicular to the
metal surfaces. They reduce friction at temperatures up to a maximum of approximately 100°C
(212°F)
● Organic zinc compounds have an anti-wear affect. They prevent direct contact between the ball
and the races.
● Active EP additives form a chemical combination with the bearing metal reducing friction.
● Solid additives such as molybdenum disulfide improve the lubricating qualities. The particles are
about 2 micron in size and adhere to the metal surfaces.
Be sure the bearing inner race has an interference fit on the shaft, with no knurled surfaces, shims, or
polymers used to build the shaft up to the proper tolerance. We need this fit to conduct heat away from
the bearing and into the shaft.
Some metal bellows salesman tell their customers that their bellows seal does not need cooling and
recommend that the customer shut off the stuffing box cooling jacket to save either water or steam.
They either forget, or do not know that this stuffing box cooling is also cooling the shaft, allowing it to
conduct heat away from the bearings.

bearing lubrication

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Pump-Non seal type
SUBJECT : The non seal pump 3-11
Non-leak pumps have been the dream of pump designers ever since the first pump was invented back in
the dark ages. We all want a non leaking pump for the obvious reasons:
● Pollution problems.
● Cost of the product.
● Housekeeping problems.
● The product is a potential danger to personnel.
● Leaking seals are the major cause of premature pump failure.
● Most bearing failure is caused by water contamination of the bearing oil when a water hose is
used to wash down the pump area. No leak means no wash down.
Because of this desire there are a number of companies willing to supply just about any kind of
"Voodoo" you are looking for. Let's take a look at the non seal pump subject and see if this type of pump
make sense in your application.
Most designs fall into three categories:
● The canned pump

● The magnetic pump
● The repeller pump.
The first two designs are very similar in operation. Look at the following illustration.:
THE CANNED PUMP ( FIGURE "A")
An electric motor stator is attached to the shaft and the magnetic fields are placed outside of the "can".
Current flows from the windings through the product and the "can" to the stator, causing it to rotate. The
pumped fluid flows through the pump bearings and around the stator. Since the pump is in a "can" the
fluid cannot leak out.
THE MAGNETIC PUMP ( FIGURE "B")
A magnet is attached to the shaft. An electric motor turns some magnets outside of the can and the
magnetic field is transferred to the magnet inside the "can" causing it to turn. The magnets are covered
with a corrosion resistant covering.
Although this version costs more money, it has the advantage of being able to use a "can" with a larger
cross section meal skin. Depending upon the design this can be as much as 0.125" or 3 mm. larger in
cross section
Both versions have the same limitations

Pump-Non seal type
● Because you cannot use anti-friction bearings, the pumped fluid must provide lubrication to the
sleeve bearings. To be considered a lubricant the fluid must have a film thickness of at least one
micron at operating temperature and load or the sleeve bearings will experience severe wear.
Many fluids, including hot water and most solvents are not considered lubricants.
● The pumped fluid must be clean or the solids will collect in the close passages surrounding the
armature or magnet as well as in the close tolerances between the sleeve bearing and the shaft.
This will interfere with the pump performance and cause premature bearing failure. Acids and
solvents clean the lines they are pumped through and as a result the fluid often ends up full of
solids and oxides removed from the passivated piping.
● If the "can" ruptures you will have a catastrophic failure.
● If you do not have a positive method of pumping the fluid through the bearings, and around the
"can" overheating of the area will become a problem. The result can be flashing of the product
and a potential loss of lubricating ability as the fluid increases in temperature and decreases in
viscosity.
● The pump operates in a narrow window. This is satisfactory for a pump that is going to operate
twenty four hours a day, three hundred and sixty five days a year, but not for intermittent service.
● The canned or magnetic drive pump is less efficient that conventional centrifugal pumps.
● You must never pump a tank dry with these designs. You will almost always trash the pump if
you do, and these pumps are not cheap.
Where are canned or magnetic drive pumps a sensible choice?
● If you are pumping clean, finished product that is either expensive or hazardous, and there are
plenty of those in the process industry.
● If the pump runs twenty four hours a day. It is just a matter of picking the right size pump that
keeps you close to the best efficiency point (B.E.P.)
Another approach to eliminating seal problems with the standard centrifugal pump is to, install some type
of a non-contacting seal and "repeller". There are a lot of different designs but they all share the same
basic concept:
● The seal faces will be in contact when the pump is stopped, but will open as the shaft starts to
rotate. The opening can be done by centrifugal force or an air system operating an expensive
metal bellows.
● As the pump is rotating, a secondary impeller (referred to as a repeller) takes over to pump the
leaking stuffing box fluid back to the system. To be effective the repeller must be the same
diameter as the impeller.
When asked why the pump engineers felt it was necessary to come up with this complicated concept the
answer was always the same, "To prevent premature wear of the seal faces"
One look at the mechanical seals that had been removed from conventional centrifugal pumps would
have proved that this concept is flawed. There is plenty of wearable carbon face left on 90% of the
mechanical seals that were removed when they began to leak. A simple inspection would show that for a
variety of reasons the faces have opened and solids have penetrated between them causing face damage.
These solids penetrate into the softer carbon face where they are trapped. The impregnated carbon face
will then act like a grinder causing wear and damage to the hard face.
The trouble with all of these repeller designs is that they open the faces on purpose allowing the solids to
penetrate between the faces as the pump slows down at shut off.
All is not bad however. To install these seals most manufacturers need an oversized stuffing box. This
means that you can throw these "funny seals" away and there is usually plenty of room to install a real
seal with plenty of clearance.
To design a good seal for pumps or any other piece of rotating equipment you only have to follow a
couple of simple rules:
● Select designs that generate the least amount of heat.

● Choose corrosion resistant materials that will survive in the products you are pumping as well as
any cleaners or solvents that might be flushed through the lines.
● Design as many non clogging features into the seal as you can. Removing the springs from the
sealed fluid is a good example
● Keep the lapped seal faces together. Good seals are lapped to less than a micron of flatness
meaning that dirt or solids cannot penetrate until they open.
● Choose designs that are easy to install. Split seals and cartridge seals are the obvious choices.
● If the product is dangerous use back up seals.
● When needed apply the correct environmental control.

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Pump-Non seal type

Carbon seal face
CARBON IN A METAL HOLDER 15-03
Carbon Graphite is probably the best seal face you can use in most of your water and chemical
applications. Its corrosion resistance and natural lubricity provides two of the features we need in a good
seal face material. The question sometimes comes up about how to insert the carbon into the mechanical
seal. Should it be captured into some type of a metal holder or would you be better off using a
"monolithic" or solid version?
And to make it even more confusing, the top seal companies use both versions interchangeably. Let's see
if we can make any sense out of the subject
Here is a picture of a carbon/graphite seal face sometimes called a

"monolithic" face
This is a picture of a carbon/graphite face inserted into a metal

holder. This design is often called a "composite.
Although monolithic faces have become popular in recent years, there are some real advantages in using
a carbon/metal holder composite over a solid carbon/graphite face:
● You can use a smaller cross section carbon that, when impregnated, tends to be more homogenous
eliminating unwanted air pockets and making it a better conductor of heat.
● Carbon is stronger in compression than it is in tension. The metal holder keeps the carbon face in
compression
● The metal holder makes a good "heat sink' to carry unwanted heat away from the seal face.
● Dynamic O-rings and other elastomer shapes slide on a metal holder easier than they do on
carbon. When the shaft is not turning the elastomer tends to creep into the porosity of the carbon
causing a higher "breakaway friction" at start up that can translate into the lapped seal faces
opening.
● Metal anti-rotation pins and slots work best when metal is contacting metal
The are some disadvantages to a carbon/metal composite:
● At elevated temperatures the differences in thermal expansion between the two materials can
cause the carbon to loosen in the holder and leak or spin. Low expansion metals such as Carpenter
42 and Invar 36 are available for those applications.
● There are problems keeping the carbon face flat after it has been installed in the metal holder.
Differential expansion is just one of these problems. The stresses caused by inserting the carbon
into the metal holder can cause it to go "out of flat".
● Sometimes a filler material is inserted behind the carbon face between it and the metal holder to
prevent pressure from penetrating in vacuum and reverse pressure applications. You have to be
careful of the corrosion resistance of this filler material. Also be aware that many of these filler
materials are poor conductors of heat.
There are at least three ways to insert the carbon into the metal holder:
● Glue it in.
● Shrink it in.
● Press it in.
Let's look at each of the methods:
● Gluing is never acceptable. The fluid you are sealing could attack the glue and the glue will act as
an insulator that will prevent the conduction of heat generated at the seal faces, back to the metal
holder.
● Heating the metal holder, dropping in the carbon and letting the metal holder grab the carbon as it
cools, causes all kinds of stress problems that will allow the lapped carbon face to go "out of flat".
The out of roundness of the carbon outside diameter does not match the out of roundness of the
metal holder. This means that the metal holder will engage the carbon at high spots and introduce
stress into the lapped face. This insertion method is still used by some seal manufacturers causing
them serious flatness problems.
● Pressing the carbon into a metal holder with an arbor press causes the carbon to shear and
conform to the "out of roundness" of the metal part. The stress is greatly reduced and this is

Carbon seal face
without question the best method if you intend to use a carbon / metal composite.
There does not appear to be a straightforward answer to this composite / monolithic subject so seal
designers choose one or the other to simplify or lower the cost the of their particular seal design. Metal
bellows designs almost exclusively use the composite version because of problems attaching a
monolithic face to a welded metal bellows.
Now you know about the advantages and disadvantages of both designs for those few times you get to
make a choice.

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pump basics
Subject: Some of the basics you need to understand centrifugal pumps 13-4.
Fortunately the centrifugal pump business is a logical business so if you understand seven definitions,
three formulas, and three rules, the whole pump thing will make sense. The following are some of the
basics I teach in my pump seminars.
Let me say here at the beginning that you really do have to understand the following. You cannot fake it.
The good news is these definitions, formulas, and rules are not complicated and they will allow you to
troubleshoot just about any pump problem. We will begin with the seven definitions:
Head
If you point the discharge of a centrifugal pump straight up into the air it will pump the fluid to a certain
height or head called the shut off head. This maximum head is mainly determined by the outside
diameter of the pump's impeller and the speed of the rotating shaft. The head will change as the capacity
of the pump is altered
The head is measured in either feet or meters. It is important for you to understand that the pump will
pump all fluids to the same height (air or sulfuric acid, it doesn't make any difference) if the shaft is
turning at the same rpm. The only difference between the fluids is the amount of power it takes to get the
shaft to the proper rpm. The higher the specific gravity of the fluid the more power (amps) required.
Capacity
The amount of fluid the pump will move is determined mainly by the width of the impeller and the shaft
speed. Capacity is normally measured in gallons per minute (gpm.) or cubic meters per hour (m3/hr).
High capacity pumps need a wide impeller and that is why most manufacturers shift to the double ended
design at high capacity. The bearings on either side of the shaft do a better job of supporting the wider
impeller.
Best efficiency point (B.E.P)
There are two definitions of a pump's best efficiency point .
● The point where the power going into the pump is the closest to the power coming out
● The point where the pump shaft experiences the least amount of vibration.
Brake horsepower
The amount of actual horsepower going into the pump, not the horsepower used by the motor or driver.
In the metric system we use the term kilowatts
Specific gravity
A measure of the weight of a liquid compared to 39°F (4°C) fresh water. Fresh water is assigned a value
of 1.0. If the product floats on this water the specific gravity (sg.) is less than one. If the fluid sinks in
fresh water the specific gravity is more than one. Density is a better term and someday I am sure it will
replace specific gravity as the common unit.
Velocity
A measure of how fast the fluid is moving. Velocity = feet/second, or meters/second in the metric
system.
Gravity
G = 32.2 ft/sec2 or 9,8 meters/ sec2 in the metric system
Next we will learn the three formulas:
First you have to know how to convert head to pressure because pump curves are shown in feet or meters
of head. You have to know how to make the conversion to be able to reference the gage readings to the
numbers on the pump curve.

pump basics
Next you have to know how to convert pressure to head because pressure gages are calibrated in psi or
bar and you have to make the conversion to read the pump curve.
The last formula you need to know is how velocity converts to head. The only thing a pump can do is
impart velocity to the fluid. Since most pumps run at one speed, the pump can be described as a constant
velocity device. You have to understand how that velocity converts to head.
Here are the three rules I mentioned at the beginning of this paper:
Velocity + Pressure = a constant
This means that if the velocity of the fluid increases, the pressure (90° to the flow) will decrease. If the
flow decreases, the pressure will increase. The two numbers added together will always come out to the
same number. Flow often changes in a pump meaning that the pressure is changing also.
Velocity x Area = a constant
If the area inside of a pipe decreases, the flow through the pipe will increase as it passes through the
restriction. The two numbers multiplied together always come out to the same number. Inside a
centrifugal pump there are passages of various areas and hence various velocities and pressures.
Pressure x Area creates a force.
The unit we use to measure force is pounds, or in the metric system we use Newtons (kilograms x
gravity). Force can deflect the impeller and rotating shaft so that the pump's wear rings will come into
contact, or the rotating mechanical seal will hit something that can open the faces or damage a
component. It is important to keep the forces equal around an impeller to prevent shaft deflection.
If you understand the above definitions, formulas and rules, you should not have any trouble following
the discussions I have about pumps and seals in these papers

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Pump design problems
SUBJECT: What is wrong with the modern centrifugal pump? 3-10
Ask for a pump recommendation from your favorite supplier and chances are he will recommend one of
the standard pump designs that conform to either the A.N.S.I., I.S.O. or D.I.N. specifications. On the
surface that might seem like a good recommendation, but the fact is that all of these designs will cause
you maintenance problems.
Please refer to the following illustration. I have pictured some of the more obvious problems that we find
with these designs.
THE IMPELLER IS TOO FAR AWAY FROM THE BEARINGS
The pump was designed for packing and that is where the problem starts. To produce enough axial space
to accommodate at least five rings of packing (any less would cause sealing problems), a lantern or
lubricating ring, a gland to tighten the packing and enough room to get your hands in there, the
manufacturer had to move the pump impeller too far away from the bearings. He is depending upon the
packing to act as part of the bearing system, especially at start up when the shaft is subjected to its
maximum radial deflection.
Impeller imbalance, vibration, misalignment, pipe strain, cavitation, critical speeds, and other forms of
shaft deflection add to the existing problem, causing excessive movement of the mechanical seal
components.
If the pump had been designed for a mechanical seal the impeller would have been positioned closer to
the bearings saving considerable initial investment cost (short shafts cost less money). This was not done,
however, and so the seal is jammed into the small radial space provided for the packing.
IN MOST CASES A SLEEVE WAS INSTALLED ON THE SHAFT
The shaft diameter was reduced to accommodate the sleeve and this compounded the problem. Sleeves
are installed for several reasons:
● To provide corrosion resistance when building the shaft of corrosion resistant material would be
too costly.
● To provide a wear surface for packing and those seals that frett or damage shafts.
● To position an impeller
● Some seal manufacturers use the sleeve as a convenient method of attaching a metal bellows seal
to the shaft.
In ninety percent of the cases the second reason is why most manufacturers use shaft sleeves. To evaluate
the relationship between shaft diameter and length, familiarize yourself with the concept of L3/D4 that
was explained in several of the earlier papers published in this series.
THE STUFFING BOX INSIDE DIAMETER IS TOO SMALL
The stuffing box cross section was narrowed to about 3/8 inch (10 millimeter) to accommodate small
cross section packing. In the smaller shaft sizes the cross section is 5/16" (8 mm.). This narrow space
does not give the seal enough room to utilize centrifugal force to throw solids away from the lapped seal
faces, or provide enough clearance for adequate cooling of the components and sealing fluid. This has
caused many customers to provide expensive and unreliable flushing that could be eliminated in many
instances, if there was adequate room between the seal and the inside wall of the stuffing box.
THE STUFFING BOX IS TOO LONG.

The length was added to accommodate all the rings of packing and the lantern ring. Recognizing this
length as a problem the manufacturer did not leave enough room between the face of the stuffing box and
the first obstruction, to accommodate some of the modern cartridge double seals or the newest split
mechanical seals.
THERE IS NO DOUBLE VOLUTE TO PREVENT RADIAL LOADING OF THE IMPELLER
This has caused customers to install inefficient "by pass" lines to prevent shaft breakage and seal damage
at start up or when running too far off of the best efficiency point of the pump.
MOST OF THESE PUMPS ARE OF THE BACK PULL OUT DESIGN.
This means that the wet end is left on the piping and the power end along with the adapter are brought
back to the shop for seal replacement and repair. Unless you have a seal cartridge mounted, or you are
using a split seal design, you will have trouble making an initial impeller adjustment with most of the
open impeller designs in use today. The direction of adjustment varies with manufacturers.
THE IMPELLER ADJUSTMENT IS ALMOST ALWAYS MADE FROM THE BEARING END OF
THE PUMP.
This means that to compensate for wear (a very common problem when pumping abrasives) the shaft has
to be moved either towards the front of the pump volute or, as in the case of the Durco pump, back
towards the back plate. This movement can be as much as a total of .250 inches (6 millimeter). In either
case the seal setting is disturbed and short seal life follows. Most plants have both types of designs that
causes confusion with the mechanics.
THE WRONG MECHANICAL SEALS ARE BEING SUPPLIED BY THE PUMP MANUFACTURER.
Unless you have specified a particular seal brand and model number the seals are always unbalanced
designs with unknown grades of materials, having very limited application and causing a profusion of
spare parts.
Most original equipment manufacturer (O.E.M.) seals will damage shafts (fretting) causing the use of
shaft sleeves that will weaken the shaft and raise the L3/D4 number above 60 (2 mm. the metric system)
"C" OR "D" FRAME ADAPTERS ARE NOT BEING PROVIDED AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT.
Although not available for every pump, these adapters can be used to eliminate the need for time
consuming and costly alignment procedures. None of the popular pumps are equipped with jack bolts to
facilitate the manual alignment and this just compounds the problem. The result is that we find alignment
not being done at all in some cases, and done poorly in others, The excuse is always the same, "There is
no time to do it correctly". The result is poor seal and bearing performance.
LIP OR GREASE SEALS ARE BEING PROVIDED TO PROTECT THE BEARINGS FROM WATER
GETTING IN AND DESTROYING THE LUBRICATION.
These lip seals have a design life of less than two thousand hours (three months) and will damage the
expensive shaft, as they remove the protective oxide layer. All pump manufacturers recognize the short
life problem and they install a small rubber ring outboard of the lip seal to try to deflect the water or
chemical away from the bearings.
Water ingestion is a major cause of bearing failure. Liquid enters the bearing through the lip seals from
three different sources:
● Packing leakage
● From the water hose that is used to wash away packing leakage.
● From the atmosphere (aspiration) when the pump stops and the bearing case cools down. As much
as 16 ounces (0,5 liters) of air is expelled from the pump as its' temperature increases from
ambient to operating . This moisture laden air returns through the vent or lip seals as the bearing
case cools down at pump shut off.
The problem with water ingestion can easily be solve by replacing the lip seals with mechanical face
seals and providing an expansion chamber on the bearing case. Labyrinth seals are another solution
although they are not as totally effective as face seals. Neither the labyrinth seals nor the face seals
should cause fretting problems at the bearing location.
THE BEARING LUBRICATION SYSTEM IS POORLY DESIGNED.
● The oil level must be located half way through the lower ball of the bearings when the pump is
shut off. You need a good sight glass to see this location. Most pumps do not have a proper sight
glass and an oiler doesn't make any sense since there is no place for the oil to go, and it cannot

wear out.
● Greased bearings applications have no protection to prevent over greasing. The recommended
greasing procedures generally are not followed
● An oil mist system would be the best if you could solve the problem of leakage of the mist to
atmosphere and the resultant fugitive emissions problems.
● If you open the bearing case of your spare power ends you will find that the inside of the case is
often badly rusted. The manufacturer should have provided some type of a protective coating to
prevent this problem. If you elect to provide your own coating (and you should) be careful about
using synthetic oils for your bearing lubrication. They contain strong detergents and can remove
many of these protective coatings.
A RECIRCULATION LINE HAS BEEN INSTALLED FROM THE DISCHARGE SIDE OF THE
PUMP BACK TO THE STUFFING BOX..
Many liquids contain solids. Centrifugal force will throw these solids against the inner wall of the volute
and out this recirculation line. They will then enter into the stuffing box at high velocity, causing
In most cases the problem can be solved by eliminating this line and connecting a new line from the
bottom of the stuffing box to the suction side of the pump. This will recirculate fluid from behind the
impeller, (where it is much cleaner) through the stuffing box, and back to the suction side.
● CAUTION do not connect to the suction side if you are pumping the fluid at or near its vapor
point. It could flash in the stuffing box.
This system is not as effective if you are using an open impeller design that adjust towards the back plate
(Durco as an example)
THE THRUST BEARING IS BEING RETAINED BY A SIMPLE SNAP RING.
Up to 65% of its efficiency most centrifugal pumps thrust towards the thrust bearing, but between 65%
and 100% of the pumps efficiency (the normal running mode) the thrust is towards the pump volute and
this means that the simple snap ring is carrying the whole load. This is the reason we see so many bent
and broken snap rings. A more positive retaining system is needed.
THE WET END IS NOT A CENTER LINE DESIGN
The above illustration explains the centerline concept. This design will compensate for metal expansion
at the wet end of the pump. It should be specified every time the pumping temperature exceeds 200° F
(100° C).
Note that the volute is being supported on its sides. This will allow thermal growth to take place both up
and down eliminating a great deal of suction pipe strain, wear ring damage and subsequent seal
misalignment at the stuffing box face.

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Seal specifications
SUBJECT: Writing a set of seal specifications 4-3
It is extremely important for any modern process company to have a good set of seal specifications.
When written properly the specifications will:
Classify seals by operating conditions.
Speed
● You can use rotating seals (the spring rotates with the shaft) to 5000 feet per minute (25 Meters
per sec.) as measured at the seal faces.
● You must use stationary seals for speeds greater than 5000 feet per minute (25 Meters per sec.) as
measured at the seal faces. Stationary seal are usually a much better choice for all speeds because
they are not sensitive to mis-alignment between the pump and the driver and other forms of shaft
deflection
Pressure
● Specify balanced seals for stuffing box pressures of one Torr vacuum to 400 psi. (28 bar) Note:
this is not discharge pressure.
● Use heavy duty seal designs for greater pressures. These designs incorporate:
❍ Back up rings to prevent elastomer extrusion.
❍ Thicker cross section components to prevent face distortion.
❍ New configurations have become popular since the introduction of finite element analysis
programs.
❍ Lower spring pressure at the seal faces.
❍ A different balance ratio. Especially with fluids having a specific gravity below 0.4.
● Specify two way balance for double seal applications. This will prevent opening the inner seal if
barrier fluid pressure is lost, or if there are fluctuations in stuffing box pressure.
Temperature
● Use O-rings to published temperature limits.

● Use non elastomer (metal bellows) seals for temperatures outside these limits. Petroleum products
being the exception because of "coking". In these applications seal chamber cooling is necessary.
Motion capability
● Specify excessive motion designs for mixers, agitators, sleeve bearing equipment, etc. These
designs incorporate:
❍ Wider hard faces so that the thinner carbon/ graphite face has more radial movement
capability.
❍ More internal clearance in the seal components.
❍ Axial movement capability without compressing or extending the spring or springs and
affecting proper face loading.
Use dual seals
● Any time you pump:

❍ Dangerous products
❍ Pollutants
❍ Costly products
❍ If down time is very expensive.
❍ Fluids that give off fugitive emissions.
● These dual seals can be used in the following configurations:

❍ Rotating face to face
❍ Rotating tandem
❍ Rotating concentric
❍ Stationary back to back
❍ Stationary concentric
❍ Stationary tandem
● Do not use dual seals in the following configurations:

❍ Rotating back to back
❍ Stationary face to face
❍ Stationary tandem if the first stationary face is positioned in the bottom of the stuffing box.
In each of these configurations the sealed product is at the inside diameter of the seal faces and sliding
components. Solids in the fluid will cause problems as centrifugal force throws the solids into the seal
faces and restricts the free movement of the sliding and flexing components.
The inner seal should be pressure balanced in both directions to prevent opening of the inner seal if
barrier fluid (or system) pressure fluctuates or is lost. Two way balance can easily compensate for

Seal specifications
vacuum or reversing pressure.
Clearly identify all of the seal materials, otherwise it will be impossible to troubleshoot a premature
seal failure.
● Carbon/graphite. Only unfilled grades are acceptable with the exception of cryogenic service,
where a special self lubricating grade is necessary. Do not use a carbon /graphite if you are
sealing petroleum products. The small pits that form in the face will not allow the seal to pass a
fugitive emission standard.
● Hard faces. Alpha sintered silicone carbide, nickel base tungsten carbide and 99.5 Ceramic are all
satisfactory faces for most applications. Keep in mind that 99.5 ceramic is a poor heat conductor
● Elastomers. Use the O-ring configuration. Any of the acceptable and available compounds are
satisfactory. The O-rings must not be spring loaded or glued in any manner. When using Viton®
specify those grades that can be used with water and steam.
● Metal components. Any corrosion resistant material compatible with the pumped fluid and pump
components is acceptable. The springs or metal bellows should be manufactured form Hastelloy
"C" or any other acceptable material not subject to chloride stress corrosion.
Desirable features in any mechanical seal.
● Centering ability. You want to start out with the narrow softer face in the center of the wider hard
face so that the seal can compensate for maximum shaft deflection. Centering can be
accomplished by:
❍ Piloting the inside of the stuffing box.
❍ Piloting the outside diameter of the stuffing box face.
❍ Shim stock at the inside diameter of the stationary face and center off he shaft.
❍ Cartridge centering clips.
● Anti clogging features:

❍ The dynamic elastomer moves to a clean location.
❍ Centrifugal force throws the solid particles away from the lapped seal faces and flexible
components.
● Non fretting designs with no dynamic elastomers touching the shaft or sleeve. Solid shafts should
be specified to help resist shaft deflection at start up and when running off of the pump curve best
efficiency point (BEP)
● Built in environmental controls where possible.
❍ Flush/ recirculation/ vent connection.
❍ A vent and drain/ quench connection.
❍ Disaster bushing for bearing failure and personnel protection.
● The smallest cross section possible to maximize the room in the narrow stuffing box. You need
this room for radial shaft movement and for some place to centrifuge heavier solids in the liquid
● Cartridge designs for open impeller adjustment and ease of assembly.
❍ Be sure the cartridge is sealed to the shaft or sleeve at the inboard end. Outboard sealing
can let solids penetrate between the seal sleeve and the shaft making the seal removal
difficult
● Split designs for easiest installation and to avoid re-alignment between the equipment and its
driver.
❍ Glued elastomers are never acceptable. The glue will cause a hard spot to form in the
elastomer causing the dynamic seal to leak.

● Vibration damping, especially with metal bellows designs.
● Slotted or other forms of non dedicated glands for maximum flexibility.
● Rotate the fluid in the stuffing box rather than have the seal components rotate through the fluid.
This is especially important in metal bellows designs because of their thin plates. Abrasive fluids
can cause severe wear in a short period of time.
Repair kits
Present and more restrictive future legislation will discourage the shipment of seals to outside repair
facilities or back to the manufacturer because of personnel hazard problems. Try to select designs that
can easily be cleaned and the critical parts replaced at your facility. The following parts must always be
replaced:
● The carbon/ graphite face. Relapping is not acceptable because trapped solids and lapping fluid
will be forced into the soft carbon. Machining or grinding a blank carbon is not acceptable
because the blank will not have enough density when the outer layers are removed.
● The springs work harden with time and corrode at a faster rate than the other metal components.
● All of the elastomers (rubber parts).
● Set screws. They are not manufactured from hardened material because of corrosion resistance
and if used several times, will "mushroom" and lose their holding ability.
● Gaskets.
Relapping of the hard face is acceptable as long as there are no cracks or chips visible.

Seal specifications
® E.I.DuPont Dow elastomer

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Dual mechanical seals
SUBJECT : The dual seal arrangement 8-8
Dual seals are recommended for a variety of purposes that include:
● To prevent a costly product from leaking.

● To prevent a dangerous product from leaking to the atmosphere.
● To prevent a pollutant from escaping to the atmosphere.
● As a back up seal to prevent costly down time when the first seal wears out or fails. This is an
important element in any predictive maintenance program.
All of the above are sensible reasons for using two seals in a pump, but In this paper we will be
considering the use of dual seals as an environmental control to prevent the sealed product from either
opening the seal faces, or damaging one of the seal components, the two reasons any mechanical seal
ever failed.
We can use the dual seals to:

● To break down the pressure in a high pressure application, by inserting an intermediate pressure
between the seals. Two lower pressure seals can then be used to seal a high pressure fluid that
would normally require a very expensive high pressure mechanical seal.
● To provide a lubricant if one is needed to prevent "slip stick". This is almost always the case when
you are sealing a gas.
configurations.
● Back to back or facing in opposite directions

● Tandem or facing in the same direction
● Face to face or facing towards each other
● Concentric or one inside the other.
by:
the convection tank, and finned piping coming out of the tank will aid convection if heat removal
is a problem.
pumping ring.
● Introducing the fluid between the seals, from an external source. Be sure to bring the fluid in at
the bottom of the gland and out the top to prevent an air pocket from forming in the gland.
either a high or low pressure barrier fluid and to prevent the seal faces from opening if either the
system or the barrier fluid pressure fluctuates.
● Be sure to select seal faces with good thermal conductivity.
● Try to locate any elastomers away from the seal faces if possible. Elastomers are very sensitive to
heat.
First we will look at the back to back version of a rotating seal:

The rotating back to back version would be your worst possible choice. Here are some of the reasons :
in O-ring grooves, they should not be spring loaded. The Durametallic CRO seal is typical of that
configuration.
places just beneath the O-rings. See another section of this series for a further explanation of shaft
fretting.
Tandem is the next version. This is the configuration you find in most Oil Refinery applications.
Here are a few comments about this version:
● It takes the most axial space of the four types and as a result is seldom found in the process
programs.
dilution.
The face to face version is next
This face to face version is a compromise between the "back to back" and the tandem version:
The concentric version is next, but I do not have an illustration to show you. In this version we have one
of the seals inside the other sharing a common stationary face. The stationary face is drilled between the
rotating faces to allow circulation of the barrier fluid.
● Like the tandem and "face to face" versions you normally circulate a low pressure buffer fluid
between the faces.
stationary face.
The convection tank is a unit you can either purchase or manufacture your self. When a manufacturer
supplies this unit, it requires a "Boiler Maker Stamp" and a 600 psi rating, making it very expensive to
purchase. You can probably manufacture one for your purposes at a much lower cost.
● Anti-freeze is popular in northern climates. Do not use the commercial brand that contain a
● If a flush is being used in the system you can always use that as a barrier fluid.
is not too high.
Use a pressure higher than stuffing box pressure between the seals to:
● To provide face lubrication if the product you are sealing is a non lubricant. This will prevent
● Cause a product to vaporize and open the lapped faces
● Cause a fluid to solidify, paint is a good example
● Cause Ethylene Oxide to attack the dynamic O-ring in the inboard seal. Ethylene Oxide can
penetrate the elastomer and blow out the other side if there is a differential pressure across the O-
ring.
Use a lower pressure between the seals to:
● Create an intermediate pressure in a high pressure application.

CAUTION Do not split the pressure between stuffing box and atmospheric pressure. This will put an
equal load on both seals and they will wear out at the same rate.
Circulate the correct temperature fluid between the seals, especially when the pump is shut down. You
are going to have to make the decision as to what barrier fluid temperature is needed. You can increase
the temperature, decrease it or hold it within narrow limits:

Here are a few more considerations:

load.
and the proper materials this is possible, but not recommended. You should use a convection tank
under some fluid pressure to be able to tell if you have had a seal failure, and which seal has
failed.
desirable.
❍ Back to back is acceptable, the fluid will be at the seal O.D.
❍ Face to face is not acceptable. The fluid will be at the I.D. of the faces and centrifugal
force will work against you.

❍ Concentric is O.K. if you can locate a concentric version of a dual seal.
❍ If you are going to use a cartridge version of the stationary dual seal, be sure it has some
type of self aligning feature to prevent excessive movement as a result of "cocking" when
the cartridge sleeve is attached to the shaft.

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pumps
SUBJECT : A few pumping terms 1-5
If we want to discuss centrifugal pumps we must learn the definition of some pumping terms.
Take a look at the above drawing. We will be using this drawing to learn some of these terms.
In the drawing I have described a pump with two discharge nozzles. We will pretend for a moment that it
has only one and that one is pointing straight up. We will also be ignoring pipe friction in this part of our
discussion.
With a given diameter impeller, and rotating at some given rpm. this centrifugal pump would throw the
liquid straight up to some maximum height. We will call this maximum height the shut off head of the
pump. As mentioned this head is determined by the impeller diameter and shaft rpm. If I were to increase
either one the shut off head would be a larger number. Note that at this shut off head there would be no
fluid coming out of the pipe. In other words the fluid would have no Velocity. When we measure this
head we use the units of either feet or meters.
If I rotated the discharge nozzle to a horizontal position, and again ignoring pipe friction, the fluid would
come out at a maximum velocity. At this point there would be no discharge head. When we talk about
velocity we express it as so many Feet Per Second or Meters Per Second. Pump curves do not show the
term velocity, they show capacity and rate it in Gallons per Minute (gpm.) or cubic meters per hour
(m3/hr.)
It should also be obvious from this discussion that as the head increases the velocity will decrease and
likewise if you increased the velocity of the liquid the head would decrease.
This centrifugal pump can give the fluid either Velocity, Head, or a combination of both.
As I rotated the discharge nozzle from the vertical to the horizontal position, the fluid would describe a
Pump Curve. The shape of the curve would be determined by the shape of the impeller. The term we use
to describe impeller shape is Specific Speed.
This head can be converted to a more familiar term if you wish. We can convert head to pressure if we
remember that 2.31 feet of 68 degree Fahrenheit fresh water is equal to a pressure of one pound per
square inch. In the metric system 10,2 meters of fresh water at 20 C. equals one bar.
If we are pumping a liquid other than 68 F. fresh water we must consider the weight of that liquid to
determine the correct pressure. We use 68 F. as the standard because 20 C. is the international standard
for measuring things and in the Fahrenheit system 20 C. converts to 68 F.
We use the term specific gravity to describe the weight of a liquid. Water is given a value of one (1) so if
the liquid will float in fresh water it will have a Specific Gravity of less than one (1). If it will sink in
fresh water the specific gravity will be greater than one (1).
The formula for converting head to pressure looks like this:

pumps
In summary then we have learned that a centrifugal pump is a constant velocity device. We convert some
of this velocity to head ( pressure ) to satisfy our pumping needs.
In any given pump application there is an ideal combination of head and velocity . When we are pumping
at this ideal we say that the pump is pumping at its best efficiency point.
A very important point to remember is that the pump is pumping the difference between the discharge
and suction heads. To know exactly what the pump is doing you must know the head at both the suction
and discharge side of the pump. These readings can easily be measured with pressure gauges or chart
recorders and the results converted to pressure using the formula I gave you in this paper.
The best efficiency point (B.E.P.) is described as the point where we have the least amount of shaft
deflection and the power input is closest to the power output. In other words, the shaft is not bending and
we are using the least amount of power for the job the pump is doing.
This best efficiency point is usually some where between 80% and 85% of the pumps shut off head, but
you are going to have to look at the pump curve to get an exact number.
SPECIFIC SPEED is a method of describing the shape of the pump impeller. Most of the popular pumps
used in the process industry are of the Francis Vane type.
Take a look at the diagrams shown below. Picture "A" describes two pumps hooked up in Series. If these
pumps are the same size we will double the head out put of a single pump, but keep the capacity the
same. If they are different sizes we will be limited to the capacity of the smaller pump, and the heads will
add together.
Picture "B" describes two pumps hooked up in parallel. In this configuration we will double the capacity
of one pump, but the head will remain the same.
pumps
When ever you want to talk about heat you have to use the term btu. (British Thermal Unit) or calorie. A
btu. is defined as the amount of heat that is needed to raise one pound ( about one pint) of fresh water one
degree Fahrenheit. In other words, if I heated one pound of water from 60 F. To !00 F. I must have used
40 British Thermal Units. A calorie is defined as the amount of heat necessary to raise one gram( one
milliliter) of water one degree Centigrade.
We use the term specific heat to describe how many BTUs., or calories are needed to raise one pound or
one gram of a liquid, other than water, one degree Fahrenheit or Centigrade. Oil would typically have a
Specific Heat of 0.35 so it would only take 0.35 BTUs. or Calories to raise oil one degree. Another way
to look at is that oil will get almost three times as hot as fresh water if the same amount of heat is added
to both of them.

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Pump critical speed
SUBJECT : Calculating the centrifugal pump first critical speed 5-4
In a previous paper I addressed the radial deflection of a centrifugal pump shaft when the pump operated
off of its best efficiency point. We calculated the magnitude of the deflection from the basic formula:
I reviewed this formula with you because we are going to use the same formula to learn the first critical
speed of a centrifugal pump.
At this point it is important to note that any object made from an elastic material (and metal is an elastic
material) has a natural period of vibration. This happens because the pump rotating assembly is not
absolutely uniform around the center line of the shaft. We get variations in the density of the materials as
well as manufacturing tolerances and casting irregularities contributing to the problem.
This eccentricity produces deflection when the rotating assembly rotates at the speed the centrifugal force
exceeds the elastic restoring forces. At this speed the assembly will vibrate as if it were unbalanced, and
could fail the seal, bearings or fatigue the shaft itself. The lowest speed at which this happens is called
the first critical speed.
The first critical speed is linked to the pump's static deflection. We can calculate this deflection by going
back to the original formula and substituting the weight of the rotating assembly for the "W" in the
formula. You can use either pounds or Newtons.
It should also be noted that this critical speed can be very destructive in mixer and agitator applications
because of their very high L3/D4 numbers.
Now that you have calculated the static deflection (sag) of the shaft as measured at the impeller, we will
use this number to calculate the first critical speed of the pump. For all practical purposes you can
calculate the first critical speed by using one of the following formulas:

Pump critical speed
As you can see, these numbers are well in excess of the 1750 or 1450 r.p.m. that we normally use for
centrifugal pump speed. They are, however, lower than the higher speed pumps that run at 3500 r.p.m. or
3000 r.p.m. This means that higher speed pumps and variable speed pumps will experience shaft
deflection as they pass through or run at these critical speeds.
Since operation off of the B.E.P. is common for centrifugal pumps, you will be experiencing shaft loads
well in excess of those noted in the above examples&emdash; meaning that your critical speed will
actually be experienced at a much lower r.p.m. than noted. The numbers we calculated reference a shaft
running in air. In actual practice the impeller and a major portion of the rotating assembly is immersed in
liquid that provides a hydrodynamic support to help stabilize the assembly. This hydrodynamic
stabilizing force is referred to, by pump people, as the "Lomakin Effect".
Shaft packing provided an additional stabilization affect, but it was lost when the modern pumps were
converted to mechanical face seals. Closed impeller pumps continue to retain some of the effect in their
wear rings (this is, in fact, the major cause of wear ring wear).
In addition to the radial force created by passing through a critical speed, the rotating assembly is
subjected to additional radial loads:

● Bent or warped shafts.
● An unbalanced rotating assembly.
● Operating off of the B.E.P.
● Pressure surges and water hammer.
● Corrosion and erosion of the rotating parts, especially the impeller.
● Thermal growth.
● Some centrifugal pumps are belt driven.
● Piping misalignment.
● Cavitation.
All of these radial forces will have a major affect on the life of the seal and bearings, as well as the shaft
itself. Since it is almost impossible to calculate all of these changing forces in advance, it is important for
you to stabilize the shaft as best you can to hold the deflection to an absolute minimum. Your options
include:
● Eliminate shaft sleeves and use only solid, corrosion resistant shafts. This will make a major
difference in any piece of rotating equipment.
● You can increase the shaft diameter by up-grading the centrifugal pump power end to a more
robust model. Many pump and after market suppliers have adapters and up-grade kits readily
available.
● Stabilize the shaft with a sleeve bearing in the packing chamber and move the mechanical seal
closer to the precision bearings. You can use any suitable material for the sleeve bearing with
carbon, Ryertex, and Teflon being the most popular. Most people prefer to use split mechanical
seals with these stabilization bushings.
Changing the shaft material will not help. All the common shaft materials have just about the same
modulus of elasticity:
● In USCS units = The modulus is 28 to 30 X 106 psi.

● In SI units = The modulus is 0,196 to 0,210 X 106 N/ mm2
If you are purchasing a new pump try to purchase larger diameter or shorter shafts when ever possible.
The L3/D4 number referred to in other papers of this technical series is as good a guide as any thing else
you can use.
Converting packed pumps to a mechanical seal presents a major shaft stabilization problem to the pump
manufacturer. Some day the A.N.S.I. (American) and I.S.O. (European) standards will be modified to
compensate for this change. Between now and then you will have to provide your own stabilization if
you want to achieve satisfactory seal and bearing life.

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Sealing dangerous fluids
Subject : The sealing of dangerous fluids.13-5
The definition of fluids includes both liquids and gases and any of these fluids could be labeled
dangerous for a variety of reasons:
● The fluid is a fire hazard.

● The fluid is an explosive.
● The fluid can be toxic to people.
● Pollutants are dangerous.
● Radioactive material is dangerous.
● Hot or cryogenic liquids that could injure personnel if they came into contact with them.
● Toxic fluids are dangerous
● And the list goes on...
My seal application technique involves classifying these fluids into one or more of seven specific
categories. Dangerous fluids are just one of these categories, but dangerous fluids could be placed into
one or more of the other six categories also. Here are the other six categories in case you do not know
them:
● Fluids sensitive to a change in temperature and/or pressure.(like caustic)

● Fluids sensitive to agitation. (cream becomes butter with agitation)
● Non-lubricating gases and liquids. (hot water is a poor lubricant)
● Film building fluids.(paint as an example)
● Products that react together to form a solid.(Styrofoam)
● Clean lubricating liquids.(cold water)
Dangerous fluids are just like any other fluid you will be sealing, you must always make two decisions:
● Choose corrosion resistant materials for the seal components and be sure the seal materials are
also corrosion resistant to any cleaners or solvents that might be flushed through the pump and
piping.
● If necessary, apply the correct environmental control to ensure that the product stays in either a
liquid or gaseous state and does not solidify, vaporize, crystallize, build a film, etc. Paper 2 -12
discusses these classifications in great detail. Paper 3 -2 will teach you about the various
environmental controls we use to prevent the fluid from changing state.
In every instance you will need some type of seal back-up protection to protect personnel in the area
when he seal wears out or fails. In most cases it will mean installing dual seals, but here are some other
options:
An A.P.I. gland with a disaster bushing (DB), and a quench (Q)

and drain connection that will direct most of the mechanical seal
leakage to a collecting tank or out to a flare where it can be
burned.
Dual seals with a convection tank supplying liquid to the second

seal. The convection tank is filled with a high pressure barrier
fluid to ensure that there will be no pressure drop across the inner
seal face to the convection tank.
Here is a picture of a typical convection tank. The tank can be

either purchased or manufactured in your shop.
Purchased tanks must meet the boiler makers code, meaning that
the high pressure requirement might make them very expensive
for your application.
Some other back up options include:
● Dual seals installed with a convection tank filled with a low pressure buffer fluid to ensure that
there will be no product dilution if the inner seal fails.
● Dual, hydrodynamic gas seals with a high pressure inert gas barrier fluid to ensure that no barrier/
buffer liquid will get into the pumpage.
Sealing dangerous fluids
● Dual hydrostatic gas seals with a high pressure inert gas barrier fluid for the same application.
Some additional things to consider when you are sealing dangerous fluids.
● Most hydrodynamic gas seals are uni-directional. Be sure the shaft is turning in the correct
direction to generate the necessary hydrodynamic force. Hydrostatic gas seals do not have that
limitation.
● Avoid un-necessary pipe taps. Heat exchangers and coolers installed between the pump discharge
and the stuffing box require a minimum of four pipe connections. You would be better off with a
jacketed stuffing box. A high temperature, high pressure boiler feed pump is typical of this
application.
● If you are sealing an intermittent service pump remember that any environmental controls such as
heating/cooling, or stuffing box pressure control will probably have to function when the pump is
stopped as well as running.
● A low L3/D4 pump shaft is critical with dangerous products. Shaft deflection is a major cause of
seal damage and seal face openings. Shaft deflection also raises the possibility of rotating and
stationary parts contacting, causing potentially dangerous sparking.
● Reduce stuffing box heat generation as much as possible:
● Avoid "discharge throttling" if you are pumping dangerous fluids sensitive to increases in product
temperature. The extra heat generated by the internal recirculation could cause an explosion, fire,
etc. This is an instance when suction throttling may be appropriate.
● Selecting low friction, non sparking seal faces with good heat conductivity would be a wise
choice. Carbon/graphite vs. silicon carbide would be such a combination
● Try not to use oil as a buffer or barrier fluid in a convection tank. Oil has a low specific heat and a
poor conductivity that will almost guarantee the generation of unwanted heat between the dual
seals. If oil is absolutely necessary be sure to use a pumping ring between the dual seals because
convection will probably not be efficient enough to provide the proper circulation and cooling.
● Hydraulic balance is very necessary for low heat generation between the seal faces, and "two way
balance" for the inboard seal of a dual seal arrangement would be a wise choice.
● A large inside diameter stuffing box will reduce heat generation in the seal area.
● A good flow through the stuffing box is another way to remove unwanted heat. Suction
recirculation is your best choice for most applications.
● If sparking could set off an explosion or fire, a closed impeller pump with non-sparking wear
rings and a non-sparking disaster bushing in the seal gland would be a good choice. Most oil
refineries have elected this design; it is called an API gland.
● Bellows seals have the possibility of rupturing and causing a massive failure. This is especially
true of rubber bellows seals.
● Try to incorporate as many non-clogging features into the seal as you can.
● Use designs where the springs are positioned out of the fluid.
● The elastomer should move to a clean surface as the carbon face wears.
● The carbon face should wear towards a clean surface. This can be a problem with some outside
mounted seals and the inner seal of some dual seal arrangements.
● Put the rotating parts of the seal into the fluid to take advantage of centrifugal force that will
throw solids away from the lapped faces.
● Do not use seal designs that will frett or damage the shaft or sleeve. This damage becomes a
potential leak path or a place to restrict seal movement, and open the lapped faces.

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Hydrostatic seal
Subject: Hydrodynamic gas seals.13-01
The idea is very simple. Let the seal faces ride on a film of gas either pumped to or flowing between the
seal faces. Unlike hydrostatic seals that create a balanced opening and closing force to maintain just the
right amount of seal face separation, the hydrodynamic seal depends upon the generation of a lifting
force to separate the seal faces. Take a look at Paper 12-02 in this series for a description of hydrostatic
sealing.
Please take a look at the following illustration:
The hydrodynamic lifting force is created by the seal face geometry (shape
or configuration).
The shaft must be rotating at a reasonable rpm to provide the proper lifting
force.
Hydrodynamic forces are generated by the viscous shear of the gas film when the smooth face is rotating,
so unlike the hydrostatic version these seals operate effectively only while the pump shaft is turning. You
experience this same phenomena when you trap water in the tread of your automobile tire causing the car
to hydroplane and lift off the road surface.
Unlike liquids, gases are compressible but you do generate a similar lifting force if the face geometry is
designed and built correctly. The idea is to direct the gas into a some narrow channels that will increase
the gas pressure causing the face separation.
Gas seals have become very popular in recent years for a variety of reasons:
● A growing market for fugitive emission sealing.

● The increasing use of two seals in a pump opens the possibility of contaminating the process fluid
with the barrier fluid circulating between the dual seals.
● In many applications there is no flushing water available for face cooling and lubrication.
● Non-contacting gas seal have the potential to generate less heat than conventional face seals.
● Some pumps experience dry running periods that might damage lapped seal faces.
● Air and gas compressors do not have fluid available for cooling between dual seals.
● Nitrogen is the most popular gas used in these applications but in some instances both shop air
and steam have been used.
● The gas leak rate is proportional to the cube of the gap between the sealing faces. This gap is
normally in the order of less than one helium light band (0.0000116 inches or 0,3 microns)
creating a leak rate of less than one standard cubic foot per minute.
● In those applications where the system temperature must be maintained above 200°F. (100°C)
steam is normally selected as the gas barrier fluid.
● Hydrodynamic gas seals work best when there is gas on both sides of the seal faces. When sealing
slurries or those applications where the fluid is sensitive to a change in temperature, Conventional
environmental controls will be needed in addition to the gas barrier fluid.
Hydrodynamic gas seals also present a few problems to the user:
● You have to have a continuous supply of inert gas on hand.

● Unlike hydrostatic seals most hydrodynamic designs are unidirectional. There are some bi-
directional design available. Check them out if you have to seal double ended pumps where the
ends of the shaft are turning in opposite directions.
● The shaft has to be tuning at a reasonable rpm to provide the proper dynamic lifting forces. Many
turbine driven pumps are rolled or rotated at a slow speed to keep the turbine and piping warm.
This can cause destructive wear to the seal face geometry.
● The dimensions required are very critical. You need seal face materials that do not distort over a
wide range of temperature and pressure. This can be a serious problem with most conventional
seal face materials.
● Any gas that gets into the system could cause cavitation problems with the pump if the gas
volume exceeds 3%.
● There should be some facility available to remove any excess gas that might leak into the system.
● Some consumers complain of excessive noise in the gas lines.
● In some dual seal applications the barrier or buffer fluid is used to regulate the temperature at the
seal faces. Gas does not do this very well because of its poor thermal conductivity.

Hydrostatic seal

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Hydrostatic sealing
SUBJECT: Hydrostatic sealing 12-2
There are presently two types of non contacting seals available for fugitive emission and gas sealing:
● Hydrodynamic or lift off seals that float on a cushion of gas.

● Hydrostatic seals where the seal faces are separated by controlling the opening and closing forces
acting on the faces.
Non-contacting seals have a couple of advantages over conventional face seals:
● The product you are trying to seal does not have to be a lubricant. Gases or hot water are
examples of typical non-lubricating fluids. A non-lubricant is defined as a fluid that will not
maintain a film thickness of one micron or more at its operating temperature and load.
● The is little to no heat being generated at the seal faces. Heat causes all sorts of expansion and
other problems. The non-contacting seal eliminates many of these problems.
● Except for some possible erosion, you should not experience any face wear.
● Dual versions of these seals can use an inert gas as a barrier fluid and eliminate the possibility of
any fugitive emissions escaping to the atmosphere.
CAUTION
Be careful about selecting the rotating "back to back" dual seal

design as shown on the left.
Centrifugal force will throw solids under the inner seal faces
restricting their movement, and in many instances damage the
faces.
Of course there is a down side to non-contacting seals. You are going to experience some leakage either
into the atmosphere, or your product. The trick is to keep the leakage within acceptable limits. Most of
the time we are talking about leakage in the order of a portion of a standard cubic foot per hour (not per
minute).
In another paper we will discuss hydrodynamic sealing. This paper is all about hydrostatic sealing and
the principle behind this type of seal is not too difficult to understand:
We will maintain a very small, constant separation between the seal faces regardless of any shaft
movement, thermal expansion or face distortion caused by pressures that might be present. We will
accomplish this by controlling the opening and closing forces between the seal faces to maintain the
desired separation .
To understand hydrostatic forces you must first understand that any time you multiply two numbers
together you are describing a rectangle. Look at the following line drawing. Here we are demonstrating
that if you multiply two things by four things you get eight things, and as you can see it is a rectangle.
Force is pressure times area. Force is a rectangle.
Look at the following drawing. You are looking at a typical hydrostatic seal:
You are looking at a stationary version of this type of seal. Let's check out at the individual parts:

Hydrostatic sealing
● S = Spring loaded stationary seal face.

● R = Rotating face. It is held to the shaft shoulder by a clamping sleeve. A gasket would be located
on either side of the rotating face.
● G = Gland
Although this drawing looks like a conventional mechanical face seal we will learn that the seal faces
never do come into contact. In the next sketch we will look at a detail of the stationary face.
The thing to notice in this sketch is the width of he channel leading to the stationary nose piece. As you
can see we are talking about a distance that is not visible to the human eye.
The smallest object that can be seen with the human eye is forty (40) microns and we are talking about a
distance of one micron. This dimension is lapped, not machined into the stationary face in the same way
we lap conventional seal faces.
We are going to use this small width to develop a two stage pressure drop across the seal face. This is
different than a conventional mechanical seal where we experience one pressure drop from the outside to
the inside of the extended nose.
In the next drawing we will look at the forces acting on the stationary face and learn how we are able to
obtain the desired face separation by experiencing two pressure drops.
Let's look at the force generated on the back of the stationary face:
● The force on the back of the stationary face (S) is represented by the rectangle formed when the
pressure was multiplied by the area ( Closing force = P x A)
● This closing force is in addition to the spring load and is not affected by the axial position of the
stationary face. The area remains a constant. The closing force changes with the system pressure.
Now we will look at the force generated between the faces:
● The stationary face (S) has a larger area (A)

● The pressure between the seals (P) starts out the same as on the back of the stationary face (S) but:
● If the rotating face should try to come into contact with the stationary face the pressure would be
felt to point (b) and then we would experience a pressure drop across the extended nose on
stationary face (S). This would cause a larger force between the faces, causing the stationary face
to move away from the rotating face.
Hydrostatic sealing
● If the rotating face should move away from the stationary face too far a distance, we would take a
single pressure drop from point (a) to point (c). This would cause a reduction of the force between
the faces causing the stationary face (S) to move towards the rotating face (R)
● Somewhere between these two extremes is where the opening and closing forces equalize. It is
shown by the dotted line (a-d-c). In this position we take a slight pressure drop from (a-d) and
another pressure drop from (d-c). It is at this point that the opening and closing forces are in
equilibrium.
In summary:
If the shaft moves axially and the hydrostatic faces try to come together the opening force builds up and
separates the faces, but as they begin to separate we lose the two pressure drop concept and take a linear
pressure drop between the faces, causing them to close again. In practice the faces do not move once they
have found the correct separation.
The result of all of this is a very stiff and stable system. If the fluid you are sealing is an inert gas the leak
rate will be very low and in the order of a portion of a standard cubic foot per hour (not minute). This is
more than acceptable in most applications.
I saw this system first used in early 1960 for the sealing of compressor air in an aircraft application.
Compressor air is very expensive and worth conserving. The concept was later used in commercial
compressor applications in the chemical process industry.
Although these were successful systems, why do we not see more of these applications in recent years?
● The sealing of gas is the largest market for this application and until the chemical industry
requirement for fugitive emission sealing came into popularity the application was limited to the
smaller compressor market.
● In past years we did not have the stable materials that were needed for the seal faces. Needed
temperature and pressure variations would cause the loss of the critical lapped dimension into the
stationary face. Silicone carbide has changed all of that.
● Hydrodynamic sealing is the present fad. The hydrostatic concept was developed mainly in the
aircraft industry with limited commercial application Most of the major commercial seal
companies either do not know about the concept, or have elected to ignore it.
Hydrostatic seals offer some real advantages over their hydrodynamic cousins:
● An important feature of this face geometry is that it is independent of shaft rotation. Most of the
hydrodynamic, or lifting designs have to be engineered for clockwise or counter-clockwise
rotation and experience all kinds of "mix-up" problems on double ended pumps.
● Hydrodynamic seal designs require that the shaft be tuning at a reasonable rpm to provide the
proper dynamic lifting forces. Many turbine driven pumps are rolled or rotated at a slow speed to
keep the turbine and piping warm. This can cause destructive wear to the hydrodynamic seal face
geometry.

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L3/d4 and premature seal failure
SUBJECT: The relationship between the pump L3/D4 and premature seal failure. 11-6
Some pump and mechanical seal sales people talk about L3/D4 . How important is the number when it
comes to selecting a pump? Well that is what this paper is all about, but keep in mind that any discussion
of L3/D4 is limited to single stage, end suction centrifugal pumps.
● L = the length of the shaft measured from the center of the impeller to the center of the radial or
inboard bearing. This measurement must be in inches or millimeters.
● D = the outside diameter of the solid shaft measured beneath the sleeve, if one has been installed
on the shaft. The measurement is in inches or millimeters.
The frame #1 pump is commonly supplied with a six inch impeller and turns at 3500 rpm (150 mm at
3000 rpm) The pump is used in applications that require a high head (pressure) and modest capacity.
If we compare the L3/D4 numbers of some shafts that are used in this very popular and competitively
priced U.S. frame I pump, we would find the following:
U.S. BRAND NAME L3/D4 NUMBER

Duriron Mark II Group I solid shaft
129
Duriron Mark II Group I with a sleeve

353
Goulds 3196 ST with a solid shaft

64
Goulds 3196 ST with a sleeve

146
Worthington CNN frame 1

216
If you looked at the European and Asian versions of this same design you would find that their L3/D4
numbers are in the range of 3 to 5. At my schools I teach that the number should be less than 60 (2 in the
metric system). Does this mean that these models are not acceptable as good quality process pumps?
Of course not. It means that these pumps are designed for different purposes, in the same way a Porche
sports car is designed differently than a Mazda Miata. They are both two door sports cars, but they sell
for radically different prices.
If you want the feel of a sports car as you drive around town, the Miata is a good choice, but if you
intend to drive down the German autobahn at 200 kilometers per hour, the more expensive Porche would
probably be a more sensible selection.
Pumps are like that. If you are going to run a pump twenty four hours a day, 365 day a year, and not open
and close system valves, these lower cost pumps would be a logical choice. All you are required to do is
size the pump correctly and then the shaft displacement, at the best efficiency point (B.E.P.), would be
negligible.
If you are going to do any of the following a pump with a shaft L3/D4 number less than 60 (2 in metric)
would make a lot more sense.
● Start and start the pump a lot. Batch operations as an example.

● If tank levels are going to change. Loading and unloading pumps often experience this.
● Operate the pump with a variable speed motor and the application is not a circulating system or a
system where the head is predominately system head.
● Run the pump throttled because it was purchased too large for the application anticipating the
need for a larger pump in the future.
● Let inexperienced people size the pump and add in safety factors because they do not trust their
skill in pump selection.
● Operate at different points on the pump curve by opening and closing valves in the system. Some
applications require the isolation of parts of the system as a normal routine. The valves are
opened, closed or throttled to satisfy the local demand.
● Start the pump with the discharge valve throttled or shut to save power.
● Experience occasional cavitation problems.
● Fill a tank from the bottom instead of the top. This is a common occurrence if the pump is putting
a head on the system.
The conventional automobile water pump is attached to a vibrating engine. The shaft is pulley driven and
the service is intermittent. At best, a very difficult application for the mechanical seal we find on all of
these applications.
What kind of a L3/D4 number do we find on the shaft of this pump? Less than fifteen is typical in the
L3/d4 and premature seal failure
imperial system.
Check with your pump supplier to learn the L3/D4 number of the pump you are about to purchase. Often
you can get the correct L3/D4 by specifying the pump with a solid shaft rather than with a sleeve, but in
other cases you may have to go to a more expensive heavy duty model.

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SUBJECT : A technique for making troubleshooting decisions 7-7
The rules are very simple. Decisions have to be made when doing nothing will cause the condition to
degenerate. As an example: if you can live with the present leak rate, you don't have to make any
decisions about fixing the leak, but If you can't live with the problem because the pollution people are
going to close you down, then you better start making a decision and the following sequence should help
you come up with the correct one:
● Decide if this is a generic problem or just a unique event.

● Decide what the decision really has to accomplish.
● Be prepared to do what is right rather than what is convenient or acceptable.
● Know that nothing is going to happen until the decision is converted to action.
● You are going to need a feed back system to compare the results of your decision or action. In
other words you have to test the results.
Let's look at each of these points in detail:
1. Generic problems require a specification, standard, rule, policy or principle. It is only then that
manifestations of the same generic situation can be handled intelligently. There are four possibilities you
will encounter:
● The problem is truly generic. The individual occurrence is only a symptom of a much larger
problem.
❍ Example: The seal is failing because of shaft deflection caused by starting the pump with
the discharge valve shut in an attempt to save power. The shaft has to be stabilized or this
problem will reoccur each time the equipment is started.
● It is a unique event for the individual, but actually is a generic problem.
❍ Example: The ceramic face fractures in hot water, but seems to work well in other fluids,
or the carbon face pits in higher temperature hydrocarbons but has no problem in other hot
fluids. Problems of this type are only solved by educating the work force or having only
qualified people do the troubleshooting.
● It is truly exceptional, a really unique event.
❍ Example: The seal leaked when the pump was at operating temperature, but does not leak
at start up or during shut down because the carbon was pressed into a metal holder and
became loose due to the differential expansion rate of the metal holder and the carbon. It
did not have enough squeeze or interference. This is a quality control problem.
● You are seeing the early manifestation of a new generic event.
❍ Example: The carbon cracked when the O-ring on the Inside diameter of the seal face
swelled up due to chemical attack. It happened when your plant instituted a new line
cleaning process that uses a chemical that is not compatible with the elastomer.
It would be foolish to treat any new event as just another example of an old problem. Blaming operator
error and bad maintenance practices is frequently used to mask generic design problems. The fact is that
most pumps and mixers in use today were never designed to be used with mechanical seals. The long,
overhung shafts were designed to be supported by multiple rings of lubricated packing. The result of this
design error is that premature seal and bearing failure has become the norm. The truly generic problem is
being treated as a "unique event". Shaft/sleeve fretting, water in the bearing oil, and oil seal shaft damage
are actually generic in nature, but seldom addressed as such. It is far easier to blame the problem on dirt
in the atmosphere or in the product and then replace the hardware to have the experience repeat its self
over and over again.
The hardest thing to realize its that there are no "facts" for you to act on. There only events until someone
makes them relevant. You must decide if the explanation explains the observed events and if it explains
all of them.
2. Now that you have decided you have a generic problem, and a decision to correct the problem has
been made, can you verbalize what the decision has to accomplish? Here are a few examples of what is
possible:
● Standardizing on good seal materials can avoid common material mix up problems. Do not leave
material decision problems to the vendor. He is oriented to choose the lowest cost material that
will perform the function properly. He has not been trained to think in terms of solving spare part
and material mix up problems.
● Balanced O-ring seals can function in both pressure and vacuum applications.
● O-rings are the only elastomer shape that can seal in both directions.
● Balanced designs balance the opening and closing forces acting on the seal faces to prevent
leakage and the generation of destructive high heat.
● Two way balance is necessary in dual seal applications so that you can choose either a high or low
barrier fluid pressure between the seals and not be concerned about the seal faces blowing open
when and if the pressures reverse.
● A low L3/D4 pump shaft will resist excessive shaft deflection and movement. This is an important
consideration if you want to increase seal and bearing life.
● A stuffing box heating jacket can be controlled to prevent many chemicals ( caustic, sugar, etc.)
from crystallizing, vaporizing, solidifying etc.

● Centerline design pumps can eliminate a lot of misalignment problems and wear ring damage
when the pumping fluid temperature exceeds 200°F (100°C)
● The correct grade of carbon/graphite can run dry for long periods of time.
3. Now we come to the third and hardest part of the process, Are you prepared to do what is right rather
than acceptable or convenient? Insight is not achievement. You will be judged on your results not your
words. No matter how many people are involved, the results will always be identified with a single name
and it probably will be yours.
Unfortunately a change in supplier, design, or specification makes some one look like he made a wrong
initial decision. Too often companies keep doing the same old thing because the boss will "lose face" or
it is too difficult to change the standards.
Change is always difficult and uncomfortable for some people. Remember the old western expression,
"the pioneers catch all of the arrows". Remember also that they end up with all of the land.
● Modifying a pump to lower the L3/D4 can mean changing the original specifications, but the seal
and bearings will work better.
● Installing an oversize stuffing box and hooking up a suction recirculation line is inconvenient, but
it will dramatically increase the life of most mechanical seals.
● For many years maintenance people have complained that, "there is never time to do it right but
there is always time to fix it!". That is the same reason heart attack victims start a sensible diet
and exercise program after the heart attack. There was no time to exercise in the past, but there is
plenty of time to do it now. How would you feel if your supplier gave you a discrepant part
because there wasn't time to get a good one? Most rotating equipment problems manifest
themselves in poor seal and bearing life. Are you just replacing these items or are you solving the
generic problem that is causing them?
If you are not in a position to make the necessary decision, team up with somebody that is. There is
nothing more powerful than the combination of an engineer willing to take a chance on a new idea and a
maintenance man prepared to make the decision work.
One more thought on this subject is to remember that it is crazy to consider something that might work if
nothing goes wrong. Miracles do happen, but you can't count on them.
4. Converting a decision to an action will never occur until it becomes some one's responsibility to carry
it out in specific steps. It is only a wish until a person is chosen and a time limit is set. You must act or
not act, you must never compromise:
● Who is supplying the print for the pump modification? Who will do the machining?
● Who will enter the new parts into the spare parts system and sign the purchase order for the new
inventory?
● What is going to happen to the old spare parts that are now obsolete. Who will take charge of
them?
5. Even the best of decisions eventually become obsolete. You must go and look for your self. Do not
even think about having someone else do the follow-up.:
● You decided to purchase a standard ANSI, ISO or API pump. Did this solve or increase your seal
and bearing problems?
● Should you continue to use solid seals or would split designs make more sense?
● Is purchasing an efficient pump increasing your maintenance problems? It often does. You would
probably be better off with a less efficient design like a double volute type and solve the shaft
deflection problems you are experiencing every time the pump operates off of its best efficiency
point (B.E.P.)

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Density
Density and specific gravity 16-02
We often describe a fluid by its "lightness or heaviness". In solids we think of materials like cork or balsa
wood as being very "light" and lead and gold as being "heavy". In fluids we know that gasoline is lighter
than water because it floats on water. The fact is that nothing is heavy or light by its self. It is only heavy
or light compared to something else.
To calculate this "heaviness" or density we divide the mass of the material in pounds by its volume in
cubic feet, or the mass in grams by its volume in cubic centimeters. This exercise generates a number that
we can use to compare the densities of various fluids
The densities of ordinary substances vary from the least dense, hydrogen gas, with a density of 0.000089
grams per cubic centimeter to the element osmium which, at 22 grams per cubic centimeter, is only
slightly more dense than gold or platinum. Density is such a characteristic property of each substance
that it may even be used to identify the substance.
I once visited a gold mine in South Africa, and at the end of the tour we were shown a cubic foot block of
pure gold (12" x 12" x 12"). The guide told us that any one of us could take the block home if we could
carry it out the door. All of us were willing to give it a try, but quickly gave up when we were told it
weighed 1200 pounds.
Since the gram is defined as the mass of a cubic centimeter of water, water must by definition have a
density of 1 gram per cubic centimeter. It actually varies a little with changes in temperature, but its
density is exactly 1 somewhere around 39 degrees Fahrenheit or 4 degrees Celsius
Specific gravity is also a measurement of heaviness. It is the term most commonly used in English
speaking countries. To determine a specific gravity number you compare the density of a substance to
that of an equal volume of fresh water. It is expressed without units. In the metric system, specific
gravity is the same as in the English system. If something is 7.85 times as heavy as an equal volume of
water (such as iron is) its specific gravity is 7.85. Its density is 7.85 grams per cubic centimeter, or 7.85
kilograms per liter, or 7.85 metric tons per cubic meter.
Gases are commonly compared to dry air, which has a density of 1.29 g per liter under so-called standard
conditions (0° C and 1 atmosphere pressure). For example, liquid mercury has a density of 13.6 kg per
liter. Its specific gravity is 13.6.
The gas carbon dioxide, which has a density of 1.976 g per liter under standard conditions, has a specific
gravity of 1.53.
Because it is the ratio of two quantities that have the same dimensions (mass per unit volume). Specific
gravity has no dimension.
In the pump business we assume the pump to be pumping cold fresh water so specific gravity is a useful
term, but of the two methods of describing "heaviness", density makes the most sense. When the US
finally converts to the metric system, the term "specific gravity" should disappear.

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http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/16-html/16-02.htm [7/21/03 11:53:24 AM]

Double volute pump
The double volute pump 14-6
In all of my classes and writings I discuss the advantages of using a double volute centrifugal pump to
eliminate radial shaft deflection caused by operating off the best efficiency point (BEP) of a single stage
centrifugal pump.
In this paper I will answer those questions I get the most frequently asked about double volute designs
The single volute pump impeller will deflect either 60° or 240°
from the cut water depending upon which side of the pump's best
efficiency point (BEP) you are operating.
These numbers can change if you are using a low or high

specific speed impeller, but they are good numbers for the high
percentage of Francis vane impellers (SS 1500 to 4000) we find
in industry. You can read about specific speed (SS) in my Paper
7-3 .
The double volute design is actually two single volute designs

combined together.
Although this drawing does not show it clearly, the total throat
area of the two volutes is the same as the single volute design.
Double volute pumps were created to eliminate most of the

radial thrust caused by operating off the pump's best efficiency
point (BEP).
In its simplest form the double volute design tricks the impeller into thinking that it is located in a
circular casing. A circular casing does not generate any significant radial forces.
Let's take a look at a few of the specifics:
● Testing has shown that the double volute does not entirely eliminate the radial forces, but they are
reduced greatly. Although the volute is symmetrical around its centerline, the two passages
directing the liquid to the discharge nozzle are not. This means that the radial forces do not
exactly cancel and a slight radial force does exist.
● Testing has further shown that a double volute pump will be 1% to 2% less efficient at its best
efficiency point (BEP), but 2% or more efficient on either side of the best efficiency point (BEP).
This means that the double volute will have an overall higher efficiency than its single volute
cousin. Unfortunately many pumps are purchased with the efficiency given at the best efficiency
point not the actual operating point used to make the purchasing decision.
● Double volute pumps should never be specified for low flow (less than 400 gpm or 90 m3/hr.)
operations especially if there are solids in the product. The narrow passages behind the dividing
rib can easily clog with solids. They should, however, always be specified for larger volume
applications.
● The rib can cause some production problems with the castings especially in small sizes.
● Testing has shown the minimal radial thrust was experienced when the dividing rib did not extend
all the way to the volute discharge flange.
● On large pumps there has been some problems with the rib cracking at the center when the pump
is subjected to high hydro test pressures. The reason for this is not really understood. Some
manufacturers ignore this because in operation they know that the pressure will be the same on
both sides of the rib. Other manufacturers leave a gap of 2-3 millimeters in the center to prevent
the cracking.
● Triple volute casings have been tried, but haven't proved to be effective enough to justify their
high manufacturing cost.
● If you have an occasion to repair the double volute cutwaters (and you can with some of the
newer metal repair compounds), be sure the cutwaters are located physically 180 degrees apart.
● Many large double ended pumps have atrocious L3/D4 shaft numbers and are therefore supplied
with a double volute as a standard.
Why do we see so many end suction and smaller double ended pumps being supplied without this double
volute? The answer is easy. The lower efficiency at the pump's BEP (best efficiency point) has just about
eliminated the double volute as a design that will be quoted in this era of high efficiency. As a consumer
you should be looking for three features from your purchased items: performance, reliability and
efficiency in that order.
Unfortunately most purchasing decisions specify efficiency first, assuming that reliability and
Double volute pump
performance are inherent in the product. Unfortunately they are not!

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Shaft deflection
SUBJECT : Solving a major cause of shaft deflection in volute type pumps 6-5
To understand the following paragraphs, you must understand three rules about fluids:
1. As the velocity of a liquid increases the pressure (measured 90 degrees to the flow) decreases and
as the velocity decreases the pressure will increase. This is the same principle we use when we
place a venturi in a water hose, so that we can spray chemicals on the lawn.
2. Pressure, working against an area, will cause a force. (Pressure x Area = Force)
3. For non turbulent liquid flow to occur the velocity of the liquid times the area it is passing through
must remain a constant
The following illustration describes a volute pump. It is called a volute pump because the impeller is
mounted off center. The impeller vane clearance is closest at the cut water and increases as you move
towards the discharge.
For this pump to operate properly the pumped liquid must move at a constant velocity around the
impeller, even though the volute area is increasing. Since the impeller area (at the outside diameter) is a
constant, the pressure generated by the constant velocity of the liquid will not cause any radial forces on
the impeller (rule #1). We control this liquid velocity by the design and speed of the pump.
Three possible conditions can be present:
Condition #1- The liquid is fed between the impeller vanes in just the right proportions, and there is just
the right amount of resistance, or head at the discharge of the pump to keep the liquid moving at a
constant velocity around the impeller causing a constant pressure at the impeller outside diameter (rule
#1). We call this "operating at the best efficiency point" (B.E.P.) and there is no unbalanced radial force
acting on the impeller, thrusting it in a radial direction
Now we will investigate two other common operating conditions
Condition #2 - The pump is operating to the right hand (high capacity) side of the pump curve with little
or no resistance or head at the discharge side of the pump.
As the liquid travels 180 degrees from the cutwater location it increase in velocity due to the lack of
resistance at the pump discharge. As the velocity of the liquid increases the pressure will decrease at
approximately 240 degrees from the cut water, causing a radial force (rule #2) to be generated 60 degrees
from the cut water (in the direction of shaft rotation).
Condition #3 - The discharge valve is shut. No flow is entering or leaving the pump casing.
For steady flow to occur the velocity of the trapped liquid times the area of the volute casing must remain
a constant (rule #3). Since the area immediately following the cutwater is very small, the liquid must
increase in velocity&emdash; causing the pressure to decrease, with a resultant force being generated at
240 degrees from the cut water. You will note that this is exactly 180 degrees from the previous force.
The exact points at which the forces will be generated is determined by the Specific Speed (shape) of the
impeller. Francis vane impellers (the most popular shape) deflect at approximately 60 and 240 degrees
measured from the cutwater, in the direction of shaft rotation. Radial vane impellers deflect at close to 90
and 270 degrees. Axial flow impellers deflect close to 180 and zero degrees from the cut water.
Any time a centrifugal pump operates away from its best efficiency point a radial force is generated that
will attempt to bend the shaft. This can cause a rotating component, such as a wear ring or mechanical
seal to contact a stationary component causing damage to either or both of them.
You can recognize the problem when you inspect the damage at the point of contact. There will be a
mark all around the rotary unit and a mark at either 60 or 240 degrees on the stationary component.
The excessive deflection can cause a lot of other problems including:

Shaft deflection
● Opening up the mechanical seal faces as the rotating portion of the seal contacts a stationary
component.
● Overloading of the bearings, especially the radial bearing.
● Damage to the impeller and volute.
● Excessive wear ring wear and loss of pump efficiency as the gap increases. This is a major
concern with "vertical&endash; in line" designs.
● Excessive shaft fretting (wear) at the bearing seal locations.
● Damage to the bearing seals
● Packing sleeve wear.
● Excessive packing leakage.
● Overheating of the packing.
● Damage to the stuffing box throat bushing.
● Damage to an A.P.I. gland disaster bushing.
● The breaking of a stationary seal face.
Here are some things you can do to help reduce the deflection:

● Go to a larger diameter shaft. You can do this by either replacing the present power end with a
larger diameter shaft or in some cases you can replace the sleeved shaft with a solid version.
● Remove the packing and substitute a sleeve bearing in its place. The seal can be relocated
between the face of the stuffing box and the bearing case. Any time you get the seal closer to the
bearings you are better off.
● Install a recirculation line between the pump discharge and a low pressure point in the system.
This will work for throttled applications if you are prepared to lose some of the pump's efficiency.
● Go to a double volute pump design. The slight loss in efficiency is worth it.
● If the main head is "system head" a variable speed motor would make sense.
● Tell the operator to operate the pump at its best efficiency point. (Good luck with that one!)
● You will notice that I did not recommend up grading to a different shaft material. Unfortunately
all of the common shaft materials have approximately the same modulus of elasticity, so they will
all have the same bending problem.

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pump curve
SUBJECT : How to read a pump curve 2-3
Please look at the above illustration. You will note that I have plotted the head of the pump against its
capacity. The head of a pump is read in feet or meters. The capacity units will be either gallons per
minute, liters per minute, or cubic meters per hour.
According to the above illustration this pump will pump a 40 capacity to about a 110 head, or a 70
capacity to approximately a 85 head (you can substitute either metric or imperial units as you see fit)
The maximum head of this pump is 115 units. This is called the maximum shutoff head of the pump.
Also note that the best efficiency point (BEP) of this impeller is between 80% and 85% of the shutoff
head. This 80% to 85% is typical of centrifugal pumps, but if you want to know the exact best efficiency
point you must refer to the manufacturers pump curve.
Ideally a pump would run at its best efficiency point all of the time, but we seldom hit ideal conditions.
As you move away from the BEP the shaft will deflect and the pump will experience some vibration.
You will have to check with your pump manufacturer to see how far you can safely deviate from the
BEP (a maximum of 10% either side is typical)
Now look at the following illustration:
Note that I have added some additional curves to the original illustration. These curves show what
happens when you change the diameter of the impeller.
Impeller diameter is measured in either inches or millimeters. If we wanted to pump at the best efficiency
point with a 11.5 impeller we would have to pump a capacity of 50 to a 75 head.
The bottom half of the illustration shows the power consumption at various capacities and impeller
pump curve
diameters. I have labeled the power consumption horsepower, but in the metric system it would be called
kilowatts
Each of the lines represents an impeller diameter. The top line would be for the 13 impeller the second
for the 12.5 etc. If we were pumping a capacity of 70 with a 13 impeller it would take about 35
horsepower. A capacity of 60 with the 12 impeller would take about 20 horsepower.
Most pump curves would show you the percent of efficiency at the best efficiency point . The number
varies with impeller design and numbers from 60% to 80% are normal.
When you will look at an actual pump curve you should have no trouble reading the various heads and
corresponding capacities for the different size impellers. You will note however, that the curve will
usually show an additional piece of information and that is NPSHR which stands for net positive suction
head required to prevent the pump from cavitating.
Depending upon the pump curve you might find a 10 foot (3.0 meter) NPSH required head at a capacity
of 480 Gallons per minute (110 cubic meters per hour) if you were using a 13 inch (330 mm.) diameter
impeller.
You should keep in mind that the manufacture assumed you were pumping 20° C ( 68° F ) fresh water
and the N.P.S.H. Required was tested using this assumption. If you are pumping water at a different
temperature or if you are pumping a different fluid, you are going to have to add the vapor pressure of
that product to the N.P.S.H. Required. The rule is that Net Positive Suction Head Available minus the
Vapor Pressure of the product you are pumping (converted to head) must be equal to or greater than Net
Positive Suction Head Required by the manufacturer.
Suppose we wanted to pump some liquid Butane at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Centigrade) with
this pump. If we look at the curve for Butane on a vapor pressure chart similar to the one shown in the
charts and graphs section of this web site you will note that Butane at 32°F needs at least 15 psi (1,0 Bar)
to stay in a liquid state. To convert this pressure to head we use the standard formula :
In other words Butane at this temperature would not vaporize as long as I had the above absolute heads
available at the suction side of the pump.

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SUBJECT : All about specific speed 7-3
Specific speed is a term used to describe the geometry (shape) of a pump impeller. People responsible for
the selection of the proper pump, for their application, can use this Specific Speed information to :

● Predict N.P.S.H. requirements.
Specific speed is defined as "the speed of an ideal pump geometrically similar to the actual pump, which
when running at this speed will raise a unit of volume, in a unit of time through a unit of head".
The performance of a centrifugal pump is expressed in terms of pump speed, total head, and required
flow. This information is available from the pump manufacturer's published curves. Specific speed is
calculated from the following formula, using data from these curves at the pump's best efficiency point
(B.E.P.):
N = The speed of the pump in revolutions per minute (rpm.)
Q = The flow rate in liters per minute ( for either single or double suction impellers)
H = The total dynamic head in meters
Please refer to the following chart:
Pumps are traditionally divided into three types: radial flow, mixed flow, and axial flow. When you look
at the above chart you can see there is a gradual change from the radial flow impeller, which develops
pressure principally by the action of centrifugal force, to the axial flow impeller, which develops most of
its head by the propelling or lifting action of the vanes on the liquid.
In the specific speed range of approximately 1000 to 6000 double suction impeller are used as frequently
as the single suction impellers.
If you substitute other units for flow and head the numerical value of Ns will vary. The speed is always
given in revolutions per minute (rpm.). Here is how to alter the Specific Speed number (Ns) if you use
other units for capacity and head :
● United States ....Q = G.P.M. and H = feet. Divide the Ns by 1.63

● British ............Q = Imp.G.P.M. and H = feet. Divide the Ns by 1.9
● Metric ............Q = M3/hour and H = meters. Divide the Ns by 1.5
As an example we will make a calculation of Ns in both metric and U.S. units :
● Q= 110 L/sec. or 396 M3/ hour or 1744 G.P.M.

● H = 95 meters or 312 feet

If the above results were describing an actual application, we would notice that it was a low specific
speed, radial flow pump, meaning It would be a large pump with a low efficiency. Going to 2900 rpm. or
higher would increase the Ns to 1000 or more, meaning a smaller pump with a much higher efficiency,
but this higher rpm. would have other possible consequences :
● The higher efficiency would allow you to use a less powerful driver that would reduce your
operating costs.
● A smaller pump makes associated hardware cheaper. For instance, a smaller diameter shaft means
a lower cost mechanical seal and lower cost bearings.
● Cavitation could become a problem as the increase in speed means an increase in the N.P.S.H.
required.
● If you are pumping an abrasive fluid, abrasive wear and erosion will increase with increasing
speed.
● Many single mechanical seals have problems passing fugitive emission standards at the higher
pump speeds.
● High heat is a major cause of bearing failure. The higher pump speeds contribute to the problem.
The following diagram illustrates the relationship between specific speed and pump efficiency. In
general, the efficiency increases as Ns increases.
Specific speed also relates to the shape of the individual pump curve as it describes head, capacity, power
consumption and efficiency.
In the above diagram you will note that :
● The steepness of the head/ capacity curve increases as specific speed increases.
● At low specific speed, power consumption is lowest at shut off and rises as flow increases. This
means that the motor could be over loaded at the higher flow rates unless this was considered at
the time of purchase.
● At medium specific speed the power curve peaks at approximately the best efficiency point. This
is a non overloading feature meaning that the pump can work safely over most of the fluid range
with a motor speed to meet the B.E.P. requirement.
● High specific speed pumps have a falling power curve with maximum power occurring at
minimum flow. These pumps should never be started with the discharge valve shut. If throttling is
required a motor of greater power will be necessary.
Keep in mind that efficiency and power consumption were calculated at the best efficiency point
(B.E.P.). In practice most pumps operate in a throttled condition because the pump was oversized at the
time it was purchased. Lower specific speed pumps may have lower efficiency at the B.E.P., but at the
same time will have lower power consumption at reduced flow than many of the higher specific speed
designs.
The result is that it might prove to be more economical to select a lower specific speed design if the
pump had to operate over a broad range of capacity.

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Dynamic balancingd, pump shaft
SUBJECT: Another look at dynamically balancing the pump rotating components 9-1
Everyone agrees that balancing the rotating components of a centrifugal pump is a good idea, but it is
seldom done. Evidently it doesn't appear to be too important or it would be receiving some sort of
priority when the pump is being overhauled or rebuilt.
To understand the importance of dynamic balance visualize yourself going down the highway in your
automobile at sixty miles an hour, and you throw off a small, lead wheel weight. Suddenly you notice a
severe vibration in the steering wheel that makes you feel very uncomfortable. Do you have any idea
how many rpm's the wheels were making at sixty miles an hour? Do you think it was slower or faster
than the rpm of your centrifugal pump? Let's figure it out in the inch size and then we will do it in metric:
A typical fourteen inch automobile wheel has a tire that is approximately twenty five inches in diameter.
This means that the circumference of that tire is 25 inches times 3.14 (pi) or 78.5 inches. Divide the 78.5
inches by 12 and you get 6.5 feet for the circumference of the tire.
At sixty miles an hour you car is going a mile a minute or 5280 feet a minute. Since the 6.5 feet
represents one revolution of the wheel we divide that into the 5280 feet and we get 812 rpm at sixty miles
an hour.
A typical metric tire would have a diameter of 635 mm. Multiply that by 3.14 and you would get just a
little bit less than two meters for the circumference. At 100 Km/hr you would be going 1.7 Km or 1700
meters/ minute. 1700 divided by two meters for one revolution of the wheel is 850 rpm.
This means that if a small lead weight can become that significant at 812 rpm or 850 rpm what does an
out of balance shaft in your pump do at electric motor speeds? Several things:
● The bearings will experience higher loading that will translate to premature failure.
● The mechanical seal faces can separate because of the induced vibration and shaft run out.
● The seal faces can become damaged as the vibration causes the carbon to bounce against the hard
face.
● Seal drive lugs wheel experience premature wear.
● Shaft fretting will increase dramatically under bearing grease seals and original equipment
mechanical seal designs.
What cause a pump shaft to go out of dynamic balance assuming it was balanced at pump assembly?
● Product attaches to the impeller.

● Impeller wear and damage caused by erosion and corrosion.
● A seal or sleeve that is not concentric to the shaft. Set screws guarantee that it will not be
concentric.
● The coupling, impeller, mechanical seal, bearings, sleeve, keys, etc. were not balanced as an
assembly.
● The impeller diameter was reduced and not re-balanced.
If you send the rotating assembly to an outside vendor for balancing be aware of several potential
problems:
● Unlike automobile tire balancing it is not simple to calculate how much weight to remove and
exactly where to remove it.
● Many of these people are experienced in only balancing electric motor armatures where it is
common to remove weight by removing portions of the fan blades.
● They frequently do not know how to remove weight from an impeller. I have seen instances
where weld bead was added that interfered with the pump hydraulics.

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http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/09-html/9-01.html [7/21/03 11:53:41 AM]

Pump motor
SUBJECT : Selecting the correct horsepower motor 6-4
Electric motors operate at their best power factor and efficiency when fully loaded so you do not want to
purchase a motor that is too big, and common sense dictates that one that is too small is even worse. In
the following paragraphs we are going to learn how to select the correct motor for your centrifugal pump
application.
Let's assume we will be selecting the motor for the pump described by the pump curve shown below.
The first thing we must do is decide what diameter impeller we will be using. The above curve shows
impeller diameters from "A " to "E". I have selected letters rather than numbers so that we can work the
examples in either metric or inch units.
For our example we will use impeller size "A". You will want to look to the right hand side of the curve
to select the last efficiency line. In this case it is the 50% line. This will give you the maximum capacity
for that size impeller. Note the capacity at this point (400) and then transfer this capacity and impeller
size to a second graph (many times this information is part of the pump curve or located very close to the
pump curve) that is supplied by the pump manufacturer. The second graph will look something like the
one illustrated below.
The numbers on the left side of the graph show either the brake horse power or the kilowatts being
consumed. You can select the appropriate units for your application. According to this graph we will be
using about 20 ( brake horse power or kilowatts) at the last efficiency line (400).
One assumption we made during this selection process was that the specific gravity of the fluid we were
pumping was one (1). If the fluid has a higher or lower specific gravity we must multiply the number on
the left hand side of the graph by the specific gravity number to get the correct horsepower or kilowatts
for your applicatioin.
If the pump was sized correctly for the application, it would run within ten percent of its best efficiency
point. For impeller size "A" that would be approximately 325 (as shown on the first graph) so we are
going to take advantage of the pump service factor (I'll explain that in a few minutes) to give us the
needed horse power if we should occasionally run at this higher capacity (400) or get into any other
temporary overload condition such as starting a pump that is rotating backwards.
The service factor rating is supplied by the motor manufacturer and is usually available in three ranges:
● A service factor of: 1.00 / 1.10 - most of these are older motors and a majority of them have
Pump motor
premium price.
Motors are available in a variety of horsepower and kilowatt ratings. Typical horse power ratings would
be: 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 5.0, 7.0, 10, 15, 20, 30, etc..
Our graph showed that we needed a 17 horse power motor, but a 15 horse power motor will work in this
application because of the service factor (15 x 1.15 = 17.25 horsepower available). Keep in mind that any
heat generation computations made by the motor manufacturer were made for the motor when it was
running at its rated horse power and not at the service factor rating. All this means is that the motor will
run hotter than anticipated, but still within acceptable limits.
Oil refinery applications use a second factor recommended by the American Petroleum Institute (A.P.I.).
are:
● To 25 horsepower (18,7 K.W.) = 1.25

● From 30 to 70 horsepower (22,4 to 52,2 K.W.) = 1.15
● A 100 horse power (74.6 K.W.) or more = 1.10
If we take the same example as noted above, and insert the A.P.I. additional requirement, we would come
up with :
● If 20 horse power is needed x 1.25 (A.P.I. specification) = 25 horsepower needed.
an example, suppose that the horse power requirement was 8.7 instead of the 20
According to the A.P.I. (American Petroleum Institute) you would need 8.7 x 1.25 = 10.8 horsepower, so
you would have to go to a 15 horse power motor because there is nothing in between 10 and 15
horsepower. According to the above information a 10 horse power motor has a service factor rating of
1.15 so, 10 x 1.15 = 11.5 horsepower or more than enough to satisfy the A.P.I. (American Petroleum
Institute) recommendation.]

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Preventing seal failure
SUBJECT: Preventing premature seal failure 10-4
Here is a three question quiz:
Question: How do you prevent premature mechanical seal failure?
Answer: Find out what is causing the seals to fail and prevent it from happening.
Question: How long should a mechanical seal last?
Answer: Until the sacrificial carbon seal face wears away.
Question: How often do seals wear out?
Answer : Less than ten percent of the time.
If you understand that simple logic you will be happy to lean that seals fail for only two reasons:
● The lapped faces opened.

In this paper we will discuss a few of the reasons that lapped seal faces open. In next month's paper we
will discuss how seal components become damaged. Do not make it too complicated. If you inspect a
failed seal and see no evidence of a component damage, then the seal faces must have opened, because
seals fail for only two reasons.
Here are the most common reasons that lapped faces open prematurely:
● The set screws slipped on a hardened shaft sleeve.

● The dynamic rubber part (the rubber part that moves) stuck to the shaft or sleeve.
● The spring load on the wedge, v-rings or u-cup used with most pusher type seals was too high.
The Crane #9, Durametallic ROTT and Borg Warner "U" are typical of these designs.
● The shaft or sleeve diameter was too large. +0.000 inches to -0.002 inches (+0.00 mm to -0,05
mm) is a good tolerance for mechanical seals.
are using rubber bellows designs that call for a finish of no better than 40 RMS..
● The O-ring groove was out of tolerance. There is too much interference on the shaft preventing
the O-ring from flexing and rolling.
● The elastomer swelled up because it was not compatible with the pumping fluid, or a cleaner that
lapped face out of its holder.
● The seal was installed on the shaft and then the semi-open impeller was adjusted to the pump
volute for the inital clearance setting, or to compensate for normal impeller wear.
● Thermal growth of the shaft. Every inch of shaft will grow 0.001" for each 100°°F (0.001
mm/mm/ °C of temperature increase.
● Sleeve bearings allow excessive axial movement. Some centrifugal pump designs utilize this type
of bearing as a thrust bearing.
● Harmonic vibration is a major source. The seal is vibrating in harmony with another piece of
equipment
● Cavitation is very common in many applications. Remember that there are five types of cavitation
and all of them can cause vibration problems.
● "Slip stick" vibration can occur between seal faces if the pumping fluid is not a lubricant. Hot
water is a good example of a non lubricating liquid. Most gases and dry solids are obvious non-
lubricants.
● Hitting a critical speed is another cause of vibration. Pumps that have this problem are said to
have flexible rather than rigid shafts.
● Installation errors:
❍ Not enough load on the lapped seal faces. Do not be tempted to increase the designed load
because the additional heat generated can be a cause of seal face damage.
❍ The seal was installed at a wrong inital setting.
❍ The sleeve moved when the impeller was tightened. Measurements should be taken after
the sleeve to shaft gasket is compressed.

❍ The mechanic misread the installation print.
❍ The mechanic used the old set screw marks as a guide and their location was not correct
No print was available at the installation site.

❍ The impeller was adjusted after the seal was attached to the shaft. Duriron is the exception

Preventing seal failure
because its impeller adjusts towards the back plate causing the seal to over compress.
❍ Shaft or sleeve thermal growth. In most seal designs this will unload the seal faces. The
seal must be attached to the shaft after all thermal growth has occurred. You are going to
need a cartridge seal to do this. Outside mounted, non metallic seals can be an exception.
They will over compress with thermal growth.
❍ Rotating type mechanical seals need the stationary face installed square to the shaft to
prevent excessive axial movement. Stationary designs need the rotating face to be installed
square to the rotating shaft. This is much easier to do as long as the seal face is not set
screwed to the shaft. It should be butted up against a square shoulder or some other type of
"squareness" must be provided.
❍ The wrong lubricant was used on the dynamic o-ring causing it to swell up and lock the
seal to the shaft.

● Reversing stuffing box pressure can cause most unbalanced seal designs to open.
the lapped faces. 5000 fpm (25 meters/sec) is just about the limit for rotating seal designs.
● The shaft is fretted (grooved from the dynamic elastomer) causing the moveable face to hang up
as it tries to compensate for wear.
❍ The lapped face was installed backwards. You are running on the non-lapped side.
❍ Seal used in cryogenic service (very cold) must be lapped at cryogenic temperatures.
❍ A temperature change or agitation can cause a product to become viscous.
❍ Products can solidify with a change in temperature, pressure or agitation.
surfaces.

❍ Solids clogged the springs or some other part of the seal, restricting seal movement.
❍ Solids outboard the seal can restrict axial movement as the seal moves to compensate for
carbon wear.
■ Ice can form when some products vaporize, or cold weather can freeze moisture in
the air.
■ Crystalls and solids can form outboard because of seal leakage or dirty quench
fluid.
■ If you are using a gland quench connection, the quenching fluid must be clean or it
will deposit contaminants outboard the seal.

seal applications.
If the faces open it will allow solids to penetrate between the lapped faces and then these solids will
embed into the softer carbon when the faces close. The contaminated carbon will then act as a grinding
surface making wear marks in the harder face.

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change in flow
What happens when we change the flow going through a piping system? 16-06
The affinity laws tell us what is going to happen to the fluid flow, head and power requirement when we
change the diameter of the pump impeller or change the speed of a centrifugal pump, but what happens
to the system when we change the amount of fluid going through the piping?
If the pipe size is not going to change, the friction loss in the piping will vary as the square of the
capacity ratio. That sounds kind of complicated so let's look at an example.
You have been pumping 300 gallons per minute through your piping system and now the production
people want to increase the capacity to 500 gpm. You had pulled out your pipe friction charts and
calculated that the combined piping, valve and friction losses totaled 20 feet when you were pumping
300 gpm. What is the loss going to be now that the capacity has increased to 500 gpm? Here is the
formula:
If we enter the numbers we get:
= 56 feet of head loss
Look what happened! We increased our flow by 1.67 times and our piping resistance increased 2.8 times.
Why do you need to know this? Because you need this new friction head number to add to the static and
pressure heads:
● To determine how close you are going to be to the pump's BEP. If you are too far off the BEP you
are going to have mechanical seal and bearing problems as the internal hydraulic forces try to
deflect the shaft from its designed centerline.
● To calculate the horsepower you will need to pump this increased amount of fluid through the
piping.
● To determine if the pump might go into cavitation. Higher capacities require more NPSH
available
Suppose we reduced the flow through the piping from 300 to 250 gpm? What happens then? Let's put
those number into our formula
= 14.2 feet of head loss

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PUMP SHAFT DEFLECTION
SUBJECT: Bending of the pump shaft 1-6
When a centrifugal volute type pump is operating at its best efficiency point (B.E.P.) the bending forces
are evenly distributed around the impeller.
If the pump discharge is throttled from this B.E.P. then the fluid velocity is changed and you will
experience an increase in pressure at approximately 240 degrees from the cutwater in the direction of
shaft rotation.
It also follows that if the pump capacity increases because of a lack of sufficient head then this change in
flow will cause an increase in pressure in the opposite direction, or at approximately 60 degrees from the
cutwater.
The following illustration shows these forces.


If you keep this ratio below 60 (2 in the metric system) you will not have too much trouble with shaft
bending. If, however, you do not have a low L3/D4 you will have problems with the shaft packing,
mechanical seals and the pump bearings. Keep in mind that we are measuring the shaft diameter. If there
is a sleeve on the shaft, do not measure the diameter of the sleeve.
Pump packing has a very poor memory and is not able to follow the bending or deflection of a badly
designed shaft. Some packings can be readjusted for the changing leak rate, but in almost every case
additional heat will be generated requiring even more flush water to remove the extra heat. If the packing
is not re adjusted with the changing of the pump discharge head then excessive leakage will follow, and
along with it&emdash; all of the problems associated with too much leakage.
A bending shaft can be deadly to a mechanical seal because it increases the opportunity for the rotating
part of the seal to contact a stationary portion of the pump, causing the lapped seal faces to open and let
solids penetrate. If we can keep the lapped seal faces together the seal will not leak and solids cannot
penetrate between them. The more shaft movement we have, the more likely the faces are to open.
Bearings are affected by the shaft movement in the same way they are affected by pump/ motor
misalignment. There will be an increase in the bearing loading and a corresponding increase in the
lubricating oil temperature.
A fourth problem with shaft movement is often overlooked. The pump has several critical tolerances and
shaft movement changes them. The most obvious are wear ring clearance, impeller clearance, bearing fit,
and seal face loading. These changes can cause additional heat generation, loss of capacity and loss of
efficiency.
In summary then, shaft deflection is certainly undesirable. If the L3/D4 is too high you will not be able to
operate in slight cavitation or very far from the Best Efficiency Point and in the real world that is not
very practical.
Be careful of most small pumps, they often operate at above 3000 rpm and their L3/D4 ratio is atrocious.

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NPSH Calculating it
SUBJECT : Calculating net positive suction head (NPSH) in non-metric units 11-12.
The definition of NPSHA is simple: Static head + surface pressure head - the vapor pressure of your
product - the friction losses in the piping, valves and fittings.
But to really understand it, you first have to understand a couple of other concepts:
● Cavitation is what net positive suction head (NPSH) is all about, so you need to know a little
about cavitation.
● Vapor Pressure is another term we will be using. The product's vapor pressure varies with the
fluid's temperature.
● Specific gravity play an important part in all calculations involving liquid. You have to be
familiar with the term.
● You have to be able to read a pump curve to learn the N.P.S.H. required for your pump.
● You need to understand how the liquid's velocity affects its pressure or head.
● It is important to understand why we use the term Head instead of Pressure when we make our
calculations.
● Head loss is an awkward term, but you will need to understand it.
❍ You will have to be able to calculate the head loss through piping, valves and fittings.
● You must know the difference between gage pressure and absolute pressure.
● Vacuum is often a part of the calculations, so you are going to have to be familiar with the terms
we use to describe vacuum.
Lets look at each of these concepts in a little more detail :
● Cavitation means cavities or holes in liquid. Another name for a hole in a liquid is a bubble, so
cavitation is all about bubbles forming and collapsing.
❍ Bubbles take up space so the capacity of our pump drops.
❍ Collapsing bubbles can damage the impeller and volute. This makes cavitation a problem
for both the pump and the mechanical seal.

● Vapor pressure is about liquids boiling. If I asked you, "at what temperature does water boil ?"
You could say 212° F. or 100° C., but that is only true at atmospheric pressure. Every product will
boil (make bubbles) at some combination of pressure and temperature. If you know the
temperature of your product you need to know its vapor pressure to prevent boiling and the
formation of bubbles. In the charts section of this web site you will find a vapor pressure chart for
several common liquids.
● Specific gravity is about the weight of the fluid. Using 4°C (39° F) as our temperature standard
we assign fresh water a value of one. If the fluid floats on this fresh water it has a specific gravity
is less than one. If the fluid sinks in this water the specific gravity of the fluid is greater than one.
● Look at any pump curve and make sure you can locate the values for head, capacity, best
efficiency point (B.E.P.), efficiency, net positive suction head (NPSH), and horse power required.
If you cannot do this, have someone show you where they are located.
● Liquid velocity is another important concept. As a liquid's velocity increases, its pressure (90° to
the flow) decreases. If the velocity decreases the pressure increases. The rule is : velocity times
pressure must remain a constant.
● "Head" is the term we use instead of pressure. The pump will pump any liquid to a given height or
head depending upon the diameter and speed of the impeller. The amount of pressure you get
depends upon the weight (specific gravity) of the liquid. The pump manufacturer does not know
what liquid the pump will be pumping so he gives you only the head that the pump will generate.
You have to figure out the pressure using a formula described later on in this paper.
● Head (feet) is a convenient term because when combined with capacity (gallons or pounds per
minute) you come up with the conversion for horsepower (foot pounds per minute).
● "Head loss through the piping, valves and fittings" is another term we will be using. Pressure drop
is a more comfortable term for most people, but the term "pressure" is not used in most pump
calculations so you could substitute the term "head drop" or "loss of head" in the system. To
calculate this loss you will need to be able to read charts like those you will find in the "charts you
can use" section in the home page of this web site. They are labeled Friction loss for water and
Resistance coefficients for valves and fittings.
● Gage and absolute pressure. Add atmospheric pressure to the gage pressure and you get absolute
pressure.
● Vacuum is a pressure less than atmospheric. At sea level atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi. (760
mm of Mercury). Vacuum gages are normally calibrated in inches or millimeters of mercury.
To calculate the net positive suction head (NPSH) of your pump and determine if you are going to have a
cavitation problem, you will need access to several additional pieces of information:
● The curve for your pump. This pump curve is supplied by the pump manufacturer. Someone in
your plant should have a copy. The curve is going to show you the Net Positive Suction Head
(NPSH) required for your pump at a given capacity. Each pump is different so make sure you
have the correct pump curve and use the numbers for the impeller diameter on your pump. Keep
in mind that this NPSH required was for cold, fresh water.
● A chart or some type of publication that will give you the vapor pressure of the fluid you are
pumping. You can find a typical vapor pressure chart in the "charts you can use" section in the
NPSH Calculating it
home page of this web site

● If you would like to be a little more exact, you can use a chart to show the possible reduction in
NPSH required if you are pumping hot water or light hydrocarbons. I will cover this subject in
great detail in another paper.
● You need to know the specific gravity of your fluid. Keep in mind that the number is temperature
sensitive. You can get this number from a published chart, ask some knowledgeable person at
your plant, or or take a reading on the fluid using a hydrometer.
● Charts showing the head loss through the size of piping you are using between the source and the
suction eye of your pump. You will also need charts to calculate the loss in any fittings, valves, or
other hardware that might have been installed in the suction piping. You can find these charts in
the "charts you can use" section in the home page of this web site
● Is the tank you are pumping from at atmospheric pressure or is it pressurized in some manner?
Maybe it is under a vacuum ?
● You need to know the atmospheric pressure at the time you are making your calculation. We all
know atmospheric pressure changes through out the day, but you have to start somewhere.
● The formulas for converting pressure to head and head back to pressure in the imperial system are
as follows:
❍ sg. = specific gravity

❍ head = feet
● You also need to know the formulas that show you how to convert vacuum readings to feet of
head. Here are a few of them:
To convert surface pressure to feet of liquid; use one of the following formulas:
● Inches of mercury x 1.133 / specific gravity = feet of liquid

● Pounds per square inch x 2.31 / specific gravity = feet of liquid
● Millimeters of mercury / (22.4 x specific gravity) = feet of liquid
There are different ways to think about net positive suction head (NPSH) but they all have two
terms in common.
● NPSHA (net positive suction head available)

● NPSHR (net positive suction head required)
NPSHR (net positive suction head required) is defined as the NPSH at which the pump total head (first
stage head in multi stage pumps) has decreased by three percent (3%) due to low suction head and
resultant cavitation within the pump. This number is shown on your pump curve, but it is going to be too
low if you are pumping hydrocarbon liquids or hot water.
Cavitation begins as small harmless bubbles before you get any indication of loss of head or capacity.
This is called the point of incipient cavitation. Testing has shown that it takes from two to twenty times
the NPSHR (net positive suction head required) to fully suppress incipient cavitation, depending on the
impeller shape (specific speed number) and operating conditions.
To stop a product from vaporizing or boiling at the low pressure side of the pump the NPSHA (net
positive suction head available) must be equal to or greater than the NPSHR (net positive suction head
required).
As I mentioned at the beginning, NPSHA is defined as static head + surface pressure head - the vapor
pressure of your product - loss in the piping, valves and fittings .
In the following paragraphs you will be using the above formulas to determine if you have a
problem with NPSHA. Here is where you locate the numbers to put into the formula:
● Static head. Measure it from the centerline of the pump suction to the top of the liquid level. If the
level is below the centerline of the pump it will be a negative or minus number.
● Surface pressure head. Convert the gage absolute pressure to feet of liquid using the formula:
❍ Pressure = head x specific gravity / 2.31
● Vapor pressure of your product . Look at the vapor pressure chart in the "charts you can use"
section in the home page of this web site. You will have to convert the pressure to head. If you
use the absolute pressure shown on the left side of the chart, you can use the above formula
● Specific gravity of your product. You can measure it with a hydrometer if no one in your facility
has the correct chart or knows the number.
NPSH Calculating it
● Loss of pressure in the piping, fittings and valves. Use the three charts in the "charts you can use"
section in the home page of this web site
❍ Find the chart for the proper pipe size, go down to the gpm and read across to the loss
through one hundred feet of pipe directly from the last column in the chart. As an example:
two inch pipe, 65 gpm = 7.69 feet of loss for each 100 feet of pipe.
❍ For valves and fittings look up the resistance coefficient numbers (K numbers) for all the
valves and fittings, add them together and multiply the total by the V2/2g number shown in
the fourth column of the friction loss piping chart. Example: A 2 inch long radius screwed
elbow has a K number of 0.4 and a 2 inch globe valve has a K number of 8. Adding them
together (8 + 0.4) = 8.4 x 0.6 (for 65 gpm) = 5 feet of loss.
In the following examples we will be looking only at the suction side of the pump. If we were calculating
the pump's total head we would look at both the suction and discharge sides.
Let's go through the first example and see if our pump is going to cavitate:
Given:
● Atmospheric pressure = 14.7 psi

● Gage pressure =The tank is at sea level and open to atmospheric pressure.
● Pumping =100 gpm. 68°F. fresh water with a specific gravity of one (1).
● Vapor pressure of 68°F. Water = 0.27 psia from the vapor chart.
● Specific gravity = 1
● NPSHR (net positive suction head required, from the pump curve) = 9 feet
NPSHA = Atmospheric pressure(converted to head) + static head + surface pressure head - vapor

● Atmospheric pressure = pressure x 2.31/sg. = 14.7 x 2.31/1 = 34 feet absolute
● Gage pressure = 0
● Vapor pressure of 68°F. water converted to head = pressure x 2.31/sg = 0.27 x 2.31/1 = 0.62 feet
● Looking at the friction charts:
❍ 100 gpm flowing through 2 inch pipe shows a loss of 17.4 feet for each 100 feet of pipe or
17.4/10 = 1.74 feet of head loss in the piping

● Adding these numbers together, 1.74 + 0.6 = a total of 2.34 feet friction loss in the pipe and
fitting.
NPSHA (net positive suction head available) = 34 + 5 + 0 - 0.62 - 2.34 = 36.04 feet
The pump required 9 feet of head at 100 gpm. And we have 36.04 feet so we have plenty to spare.
Example number 2 . This time we are going to be pumping from a tank under vacuum.

NPSH Calculating it
Given:
● Gage pressure = - 20 inches of vacuum

● Atmospheic pressure = 14.7 psi
● Pumping = 100 gpm. 68°F fresh water with a specific gravity of one (1).
● Vapor pressure of 68°F water = 0.27 psia from the vapor chart.
● Atmospheric pressure = 14.7 psi x 2.31/sg. =34 feet

● Gage pessure pressure = 20 inches of vacuum converted to head
❍ inches of mercury x 1.133 / specific gravity = feet of liquid
❍ -20 x 1.133 /1 = -22.7 feet of pressure head absolute
● Vapor pressure of 68°F water = pressure x 2.31/sg. = 0.27 x 2.31/1 = 0.62 feet
● Looking at the friction charts:
❍ 100 gpm flowing through 2.5 inch pipe shows a loss of 17.4 feet or each 100 feet of pipe
or 17.4/10 = 1.74 feet loss in the piping

● Adding these two numbers together: (1.74 + 0.6) = a total of 2.34 feet friction loss in the pipe and
fitting.
NPSHA (net positive suction head available) = 34 + 5 - 22.7 - 0.62 - 2.34 = 13.34 feet. This is enough to
stop cavitation also.
For the third example we will keep everything the same except that we will be pumping 180° F. hot
condensate from the vacuum tank.
The vapor pressure of 180°F condensate is 7 psi according to the chart. We get the specific gravity from
another chart and find that it is 0.97 sg. for 180° F. Fresh water.
Putting this into the pressure conversion formula we get:
● pressure x 2.31/sg. = 7 x 2.31 / 0.97 = 16.7 feet absolute
NPSHA (net positive suction head available) = 34 + 5 - 22.7 - 16.7 - 2.34 = -2.74 feet.
We need 9 feet, so the pump is going to cavitate for sure.
If you are given the absolute and vapor pressures in psia, and you forgot how to convet to feet of head;
you can use the following formula, providing you know the specific weight of the liquid you are
pumping :
● Pp = Absolute pressure expressed in psia. In an open system, Pp equals atmospheric pressure, Pa,
NPSH Calculating it
expressed in psia.
● Pvpa = Vapor pressure expressed in psia.
● W = Specific weight of liquid at the pumping temperature in pounds per cubic foot.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Friction losses in piping
SUBJECT: How pipe friction, liquid capacity and pump head are affected by the amount of liquid
flowing through a pipe. 11-8
You can use the following formulas to supplement the Affinity Laws you learned all about when you
read paper 2-1.
Please use these keys when you read the following ratios:
hf1 The friction loss in the piping, valves and fittings before the change in flow.
hf2 The friction loss in the piping, valves and fittings after the change in flow.
Q1 The pump capacity before the change in flow.
Q2 The pump capacity after the change in flow.
H1 The pump head before the change.
H2 The pump head before the change.
D1 The impeller diameter before the change.
D2 The impeller diameter after the change.
If you are not familiar with raising a number to some power, please look at the following examples :
● 32 means 3 x 3 = 9
35 means 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 243
32.5 is the same as 3 5/2 means 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 243, then take the square root of 243 = 15.6.
Another way is to do it is to multiply the square of 3 (9) by the square root of 3 (1.732) = 15.6.
The second way is easier.

Friction losses in piping

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Flow through an orifice
Approximate flow through an orifice 13-12
There are several reasons you might want to install a restrictive device or orifice in a piping system.
● To create a false head for a centrifugal pump, allowing you to run the pump close to its BEP.
● To increase the line pressure.
● To decrease the flow through a line.
● To increase the fluid velocity in a line.
The equation for flow through an orifice is a simple one to understand. Only the units are somewhat
awkward.
Q = AV
Q = The flow in cubic feet per second (ft3/sec).
A = The area of the orifice in square feet (ft2).
V = The velocity of the liquid in feet per second (ft/sec).
Experience shows that the actual flow is quite different than calculated because of the different shapes of
the various orifices. Look at the following diagrams and you will see some of these popular shapes. Each
has been assigned a "K" value.
We will enter that "K" value into our equation and the new equation becomes:
Q = AVK
To make the equation easier to handle we can express the velocity "V" as:
● g = 32.2 ft/sec2
● h = Head across the orifice. If the downstream side of the orifice is pressurized use the differential
head across the orifice.
It would also make sense to convert some of the terms in our equation to terms that are more convenient
to use. As an example:
● "Q" can be converted from cubic feet per second to gallons per minute:
3
❍ 1 ft /sec = 448.8 gpm.
● "A" The area in square feet can be converted to square inches:

2
❍ 1 ft = 144 square inches
Putting all of this together gives us a new formula that looks like this:

Let's plug in some numbers and calculate a flow through a typical orifice.
Given:
● h = 20 feet
● A = 0.049 square inches
● K = 0.62
Q = 25 x 0.049 x 0.62 x 4.47 or
Q = 3.40 gallons per minute
If we want to solve for the orifice area:
If you are uncomfortable working with the orifice area in square inches you can use the diameter instead.
Use the following equation:
Inserting the 0.049 square inches we calculated from the prior formula we get
or 1/4 inch
We made our formula more user friendly by substituting some conversions and now we can make our
calculations in gallons per minute and square inches, but the formulas would be better if we could
measure the orifice diameter rather than the orifice area
I took you through this exercise to show you how the formulas we use in these papers are derived. We
will re-write the flow and orifice diameter formulas again and maybe this time they will be simple
enough for anybody to use. We will start with the flow formula and then fix the orifice formula:
The formula for calculating the orifice diameter becomes:

Let's see if the formulas still work. Here are the numbers:
● d = .250 or 1/4 inch

● K = 0.620
● Q = 3.4 gallons per minute
● h = 20 feet
We will begin by solving for flow (Q)
Well that worked, now let's try for orifice size:
All of these above numbers were generated assuming that you were moving water through the orifice. If
you are making calculations for a liquid other than water you will have to factor in the viscosity of that
liquid compared to water.
We also made an assumption that the orifice diameter is not greater than 30% of the pipe diameter. There
is another formula we use for a less restrictive orifice.
Any time the ratio of the orifice diameter to the pipe diameter is greater than 30%
(0.30) you should modify the formula. The modifier (M) looks like this:
● d1 = orifice diameter
● d2 = pipe diameter
When you are using the modifier, the formulas look like this:
Now we will see what happens when a 0.250 inch (1/4) orifice is put into a smaller cross section 0.500
inch (1/2) pipe, assuming the other numbers stay the same:
This means that you would have to multiply by 1.03 so the 3.46 gpm we got in the last calculation would
become 3.56 gpm.
How accurate are these predicted numbers? Anytime you make a calculation using flow as a as part of
the equation, you will run into some variables that will affect your results:
● The roughness of the piping inside walls affects the friction loses.
● The piping material and allowable wall thickness tolerances.
● Solids buildup inside the piping. Calcium in water applications and coke in hot oil applications
are typical. Higher temperature usually hastens the solids buildup.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150


Fugitive emissions
SUBJECT : Fugitive Emissions and the Carcinogens 5-1
The clean air act of 1990 was signed by President Bush in November of 1990. This was the toughest
version yet. It addressed many subjects that included :
● To bring from 7 to 189 the number of toxic chemicals that will be controlled, aiming at a
reduction of 90% by the year 2000.
● The phasing out of chlorinated fluorocarbons (CFCs) and carbon tetrachloride by 2000 and the
banning of hydrochloroflurocarbons (HCFCs) by 2030
The first 41 categories of chemicals and compounds became law in November 1992. Sixty three more
were added in November 1994, another sixty three in 1997, and the rest by January 1, 2000. Hazardous
organics will be the first to be scrutinized. Benzene, coke oven emissions, and ethylene oxide sterilizers
will probably be among the first.
Plants will be required to install the best available air pollution control devices described as "Maximum
Achievable Control Technologies" (MACT). MACT will be defined as "the best available controls [for
plants of the same type], taking cost into account". New plants will have to match the control levels
reached by the lowest emitters in their category, while existing plants will have to meet a target based on
the average emissions from 12% of their competitors most tightly controlled plants.
In this paper I have noted the chemicals that are presently on both the Carcinogen and Fugitive
Emissions lists. The compounds on these lists should be sealed with two (dual) mechanical seals to
prevent their escaping to the atmosphere and violating the applicable restrictions or possible harming
personnel in the area.
The first list is for the fugitive emission chemicals . You will note that I have included some uses for
these compounds along with the names.
The list of 189 Toxic compounds includes :
● Acetaldehyde * ... Manufacturing acetic acid and acetic anhydride.

● Acryilic Acid * ... A monomer for polyacrylic and other acrylic polymers
● Acrylonitrile * ... Plastic fibers and grain fumigant.
● Allyl chloride ... Resins, adhesives
● Aniline * ... Rubber, dyes, explosives petroleum refining herbicides, fungicides.
● Benzene ... Styrene, insecticides, solvent, paint remover, rubber cement, gasoline anti- knock
additive.
● Benzyl Chloride ... Dyes, photograph developer, pharmaceuticals.
● 1,3-Butadiene ... Rubber, latex paints.
● Caprolactam * ... Plastics, film coatings, paint.
● Carbon Tetrachloride ... Refrigerants, propellants, metal degreasing, production of semi-
conductors.
● Chlorine ... Plastics, refrigerants, propellants, solvents, water treatment, sewage treatment, pulp
and paper.
● Chlorobenzene ... Solvent.
● Chloroform ... Refrigerant, propellants, plastics, dyes, drugs, solvent.
● Cresols/ cresylic acid ... Coatings, metal cleaning, oil additive, pesticide
● Cumene ... Production of phenol and acetone.
● Diethanolamine * ... Liquid detergent, paint, cutting oils, shampoo, cleaners, polish
● Dimethyl Phthalate ... Plastacizer, resins, rubber, solid rocket propellant.
● Epichlorohydrin * ... Epoxy resins, rubber, solvent, resins for paper industry.
● Ethyl Benzene ... Styrene production, solvent.
● Ethyl Chloride ... Manufacture of tetraethyl lead. Solvent for fats, oils, resins, waxes
● Ethylene Dichloride * ... Vinyl chloride, finish removers, penetrating agents.
● Ethylene Glycol * ... Anti-freeze, brake fluid, lacquers, paints, adhesives.
● Ethylene Oxide * ... Manufacture of ethylene glycol, petroleum demulsifier.
● Formaldehyde * ... Resins, preservative, dye, reducing agents.
● Glycol Ethers
❍ mono- and di-ethers of ethylene
❍ diethylene glycols
❍ triethylene glycols
● Hydrochloric Acid * ... Ore reduction, pickling, metal cleaning, cleaning.

● Hydrofluoric acid * ... Glass etching, aluminum production, cleaning castings.
● Maleic Anhydride ... Resins, pestacides, permanent press resins, fumaric acid manufacture.
● Methanol (methyl alcohol) * ... Anti freeze, dye, resins, chemical synthesis.
● Methyl Methacrylate ... Monomer for resins, impregnate for concrete.
● Methylene Chloride ... Paint remover, solvent, degreaser, textile coating.
● Phenol * ... Resins, solvent for refining, lubricating oil.
● Phosphorus ... Manufacture of phosphoric acid.
● Phthalic Anhydride ... Hardener for resins, dyes, chlorinated products.
● Propylene Oxide * ... Glycols, surfactant, detergents, synthetic lubricants.
● Styrene ... Foam, radiator leak stopper.
Fugitive emissions
● Styrene Oxide ... Organic intermediate.

● Perchloroethylene ... Dry cleaning solvent, drying agent for metals.
● Titanium Trichloride ... Reducing agent, stripping agent.
● Toluene ... Aviation gasoline, adhesive solvent, explosives, plastics.
● Trichloroethylene ... Metal degreasing, extraction solvent, dyeing, dry cleaning.
● Vinyl Acetate ... Latex paints, paper coating, adhesives, safety glass.
● Vinyl Bromide ... Synthesis.
● Vinyl Chloride ... Polyvinyl chloride, adhesive for plastics.
● Xylenes ... Aviation gasoline, protective coatings, rubber cements, lacquers.
● Compounds based on :
❍ Arsenic
❍ Beryllium
❍ Cadmium
❍ Chromium
❍ Cobalt
❍ Cyanide
❍ Lesad
❍ Manganese
❍ Mercury
❍ Nickel
❍ Selenium
● Radionuclides
● Radon
● Asbestos
* dissolves in water, so you should be able to use water as a flush or as a barrier fluid between two
mechanical seals. Check with your technical people to be sure.
In the United States, cancer is the second most common cause of death. Section 262 of Public law 95-622
of November 9,1978 stipulates that the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human services shall
publish an annual report which contains a list of all substances which either are known to be carcinogens
or may reasonably be anticipated to be carcinogens and to which a significant number of persons in the
United States are exposed.
The comprehensive list was published in the 1989 summary. I have extrapolated those chemicals that we
encounter in the petrochemical industry and left out those that are pretty much limited to the medical
profession. If you are interested in allowable exposure limits or have any other questions about the noted
chemicals contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Fifth Annual Report On
Carcinogens Summary 1989 NTP 89-239.
Known carcinogens are defined as, "those substances for which the evidence from human studies
The list includes :
● 4-Aminobiphenyl ... No commercial use in the United states. Was used as a rubber antioxidant
and as a reagent for detecting sulfates.
● Arsenic and certain Arsenic compounds ... Pestacides, wood preservatives, alloying additive, glass
and non ferrous alloys.
● Asbestos ... Insulation, gasketing, packing, coatings, plastics, textiles, friction materials.
● Benzene ... Solvent, gasoline additive.
● Benzidine ... Dyes in textile and paper.
● Bis(chloromethyl)ether and technical grade Chloromethyl Methyl Ether ... Synthesis of plastic
and ion exchanger resins.
● Chromium and certain Chromium compounds ... Stainless steel, pigment, Medical, plating, wood
treatment, paint
● Mustard Gas ... Biological studies, weapons.
● 2-Naphthylamine ... Dyes, rubber. Used only for research purposes.
● Thorium Dioxide ... Nuclear, flame spraying, welding electrodes, high temperature ceramics.
● Vinyl Chloride ... Plastics, wrapping film, phonograph records, credit cards floor tiles.
Here are some substances which may reasonably be anticipated to be carcinogens. Defined as, "those for
which there is a limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans or sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity
in experimental animals".
● Acrylonitrile ... Synthetic fibers resins, plastics, elastomers.

● 2-Aminoanthraquinone ... Dyes, paints plastics, rubber, printing inks.
● o-Aminoazotoluene ... Pigments, coloring oils, wax polishes.
● 1-Amino-2-methyllanthraquinine ... Dye for synthetic fibers as well as animal furs.
● Amitrole ... Herbacide, now limited to non crop applications.
● o-Anisidine Hydrochloride ... Dyes.

Fugitive emissions
● Benzotrichloride ... Plastics, dyes and pigments.

● Beryllium and certain Beryllium compounds ... Alloys for areo space applications, ceramic
additive to glass and plastic.
● 1,3-Butadiene ... Synthetic rubber, tires, nylon carpet backing, latex adhesives
● Cadmium and certain Cadmium compounds ... Coating and plating.
● Carbon Tetrachloride ... Production of Freon 11 & 12, de-greasing, plastic and resin production.
● Chlorendic Acid ... Flame retardant, foams.
● Chlorinated Parraffins (C12, 60% Chlorine) ... Lubricant additive, flame retardant, rubber
production.
● Chloroform ... Production of flurocarbon, refrigerant, heat transfer medium in fire extinguishers.
● 3-Chloro-2-methylpropene ... Fumigant, textile additive, plastics.
● 4-Chloro-o-phenylenediamine ... Hair dye, photographic chemicals.
● C.I. Basic Red 9 Monohydrochloride ... Dye for textiles, leather printing inks, china clay.
● p-Cresidine ... Dyes.
● Cupferron ... A reagent to seperate tin from zinc and copper and iron from other metals.
● DDT ... Insecticide. In the U.S. it used only under Public Health Service supervision.
● 2,4-Diaminoanisole Sulfate ... Fur, acrylic fiber, polyster, wool , cotton and hair dye.
● 2,4Diaminotoluene ... Polyurethane, dye.
● 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane ... Soil fumigant.
● 1,2-Dibromoethane (EDB) ... Gasoline anti-knock additive, pestacide
● 1,4-Dichlorobenzene ... Space deodorant (toilets, rooms) germacide
● 3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine and 3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine Dithydrochloride ... Pigments.
● 1,2-Dichlorethane ... Component of leaded fuel, production of vinyl chloride.
● Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride) ... Solvent in paint removers, manufacture of vitamins,
degreasing agent.
● 1,3-Dichloropropene (Technical Grade) ... Pesticides.
● Diepoxybutane ... Curing agent for polymers.
● Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate ... Used to make poly vinyl chloride.
● Diethyl Sulfate ... Surfacants, dyes, agricultural chemicals.
● Diglycidyl Resorcinol Ether ... Liquid epoxy resin.
● 3,3'-Dimethoxybenzidine ... Production of azo dyes.
● 4-Dimethylaminoazobenzene ... To color polishes and other wax products.
● 3,3'-Dimethylbenzidine ... Dye, chlorine test kits.
● Dimethylcarbamoyl Chloride ... Dyes, pestacide.
● 1,1-Dimethylhydrazine ... Propellant for liquid fuel rockets.
● Dimethyl Sulfate ... Used to manufacture other chemicals.
● Dimethylvinyl Chloride ... Organic synthesis.
● 1,4-Dioxane ... Stabilizer in chlorinated solvents.
● Direct Black 38 ... Dye
● Direct Blue 6 ... Dye
● Epichlorohydrin ... Epoxy resins.
● Ethyl Acrylate ... Paper coatings, emulsion based polymers.
● Ethylene Oxide ... Manufacture of ethylene glycol and polyster.
● Ethylene Thiourea ... Rubber, O-rings, electroplating.
● Formaldehyde (Gas) ... Adhesives, chemical production, medical.
● Hexachlorobenzene ... Pesticide
● Hexamethylphossphoramide ... Solvent for polymers, de-icing additive for jet fuels.
● Hydrazine and Hydrazine Sulfate ...Agricultural chemicals, rocket fuel, oxygen scavanger in
boiler feed water.
● Hydrazobenzene ... Dye, additive to motor oil.
● Kepone® (Chlordecone) ... Insecticide, no longer used in the U.S.
● Lead Acetate and Lead Phosphate ... Drier in paints and varnish, colorant in hair dyes.
● Lindane and other Hexachlorocyclohexane Isomers ... Insecticidal treatment for wood, grain and
live stock.
● 2-Methylaziridine (Proplyleneimine) ... Paper, textile, rubber.
● 4,4'-Methylenebis(2-chloroaniline) (MBOCA) ... Curing agent.
● 4,4'-Methylenebis(N,N-dimethyl)benzenamine ... Dye
● 4,4'-Methylenedianiline and its Dihydrochloride ... Manufacture of polyisocynates and
isocyanates.
● Michler's Ketone ... Dyes and pigments.
● Mirex ... Pesticide, fire retardant.
● Nickel and certain Nickel compounds .... Stainless and alloy steel.
● Nitrilotriacetic Acid ... Detergent, water treatment.
● 5-Nitro-o-Anisidine ... Dye
● 2-Nitropropane ... Solvent, inks, paints polymers.
● N-Nitrosodiethanolamine ... No commercial use.
● N-Nitrosodiethylamine ... Stabilizer in plastics, gasoline and lubricant additive.
● N-Nitrosodimethylamine ... Liquid rocket fuel, solvent.
● p-Nitrosodiphenylamine ... Rubber, dye.
● N-Nitrosopiperidine ... Epoxy resin.
● 4,4'-Oxydianiline ... Production of polyimide and poly(ester)mide resins.
● Polybrominated Biphenyls ... Flame retardant, plastics.
● Polychlorinated Biphenyls ... Heat transfer and hydraulic fluids.
● Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbones, 15 listings ... Coal tar, roofing, creosote, asphalt.

Fugitive emissions
Benza(a)anthracene
❍
❍ Benzo(b)fluoranthene
❍ Benzo(j)fluoranthene
❍ Benzo(k)fluoranthene
❍ Benzo(a)pyrene
❍ Dibenz(a,h)acridine
❍ Dibenz(a,j)acridine
❍ Dibenz(a,h)anthracene
❍ 7H-Dibenzo(c,g)carbazole
❍ Dibenzo(a,e)pyrene
❍ Dibenzo(a,h)pyrene
❍ Dibenzo(a,l)pyrene
❍ Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene
❍ 5-Methylchrysene
● 1,3-Propane Sultone ... Detergents lathering agents.

● Propylene Oxide ... Coatings and adhesives.
● Saccharin ... Sweetening agent.
● Safrole ... Flavoring agent.
● Selenium Sulfide ... Shampoos.
● Sulfallate ...Herbacide.
● Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene) ... Dry cleaning and textle production.
● Thioacetamide ... Replacement for hydrogen sulfide in qualitative analysis.
● Thiourea ... Animal glue.
● Toluene Diisocyanate ... Polyurethane foam.
● o-Toluidine and o-Toluidine Hydrochloride ... Dyes and pigments.
● Toxaphene ... Insecticide
● 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol ... Wood preservative, anti mildew.
● Tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate ... No longer used in the U.S. .Was a flame retardant.
● Urethane ... No commercial use because of its toxicity.
FUGITIVE EMISSIONS & CARCINOGENS
Fugitive emissions
● Acetaldehyde *
● Acryilic Acid *
● Acrylonitrile *
● Allyl chloride Aniline *
● Benzene
● Benzyl Chloride
● 1,3-Butadiene
● Caprolactam *
● Chlorine
● Chlorobenzene
● Chloroform
● Cresols/ cresylic acid
● Cumene Diethanolamine *
● Dimethyl Phthalate
● Epichlorohydrin *
● Ethyl Benzene
● Ethyl Chloride
● Ethylene Dichloride *
● Ethylene Glycol *
● Ethylene Oxide *
● Formaldehyde *
● Glycol Ethers
❍ • mono- and di-ethers of ethylene
❍ •diethylene glycols
❍ • triethylene glycols
● Hydrochloric Acid *
● Hydrofluoric acid *
● Maleic Anhydride
● Methanol (methyl alcohol) *
● Methyl Methacrylate
● Methylene Chloride
● Phenol*
● Phosphorus
● Phthallic Anhydride
● Propylene Oxide*
● Styrene
● Styrene Oxide
● Titanium Trichloride
Fugitive emissions
● Toluene
● Vinyl Acetate
● Vinyl Bromide
● Vinyl Chloride
● Xylenes
● Compounds based on :
❍ • Arsenic
❍ • Beryllium
❍ • Cadmium
❍ • Chromium
❍ • Cobalt
❍ • Cyanide
❍ • Lesad
❍ • Manganese
❍ • Mercury
❍ • Nickel
❍ • Selenium
● Radionuclides
● Radon
● Asbestos
Known Carcinogens
● 4-Aminobiphenyl
● Analgesic mixtures containing Phenacetin
● Arsenic and certain Arsenic compounds
● Asbestos
● Azathioprine
● Benzene
● Benzidine
● Bis(chloromethyl)ether and technical grade Chloromethyl Methyl Ether
● 1,4-Butanediol Dimethylsulfonate (Myleran)
● Chlorambucil
● Chromium and certain Chromium compounds
● Conjugated Estrogens
● Cyclophosphamide
● Diethylstilbestrol
● Dimethylnitrosamine
● Ethyleneimine
● Melphalan
● Methoxsalen with Ultra-violet A Therapy (PUVA)
● 4,4'-Methylene bis-(2-dichloroaniline)
● Methyl (chloromethyl) ether bis (Chloromethyl) ether
● Mustard Gas
● 1-Naphthylamine
● 2-Naphthylamine
● 4-Nitrobiphenyl
● Thorium Dioxide
● Vinyl Chloride
● 2-Acetylaminofluorene
Believed to be carcinogens
● 2-Acetylaminofluorene
● Acrylonitrile
● Adriamycin
● Aflatoxins
● 2-Aminoanthraquinone
● o-Aminoazotoluene
● 4-Aminobiphenyl
● 4-Aminodiphenyl
● 1-Amino-2-methyllanthraquinine
● Amitrole
● o-Anisidine Hydrochloride
● Aromatic Amines
● Auramine
● Benzotrichloride
● Beryllium and certain Beryllium compounds .
● Bischloroethyl Nitrousourea
● Bromoprene
Fugitive emissions
● 1,3-Butadiene
● Cadmium and certain Cadmium compounds
● Carbaryl
● Carbon Disulfide
● Chlorendic Acid
● Chlorinated Parraffins (C12, 60% Chlorine) 1-(2-Chloroethy)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea
(CCNU)
● Chloroform
● 3-Chloro-2-methylpropene
● 4-Chloro-o-phenylenediamine
● Chloroprene
● C.I. Basic Red 9 Monohydrochloride
● p-Cresidine
● Cupferron
● Dacarbazine
● DDT
● 2,4-Diaminoanisole Sulfate
● 2,4-Diaminotoluene
● Diazinon
● 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane
● 1,2-Dibromoethane (EDB)
● 1,4-Dichlorobenzene
● 3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine and 3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine
● Dichlorovos
● Dithydrochloride
● 1,2-Dichlorethane
● Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride)
● 1,3-Dichloropropene (Technical Grade)
● Diepoxybutane
● Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate
● Diethylstilboestrol
● Diethyl Sulfate
● Diglycidyl Resorcinol Ether
● 3,3'-Dimethoxybenzidine
● 4-Dimethylaminoazobenzene
● 3,3'-Dimethylbenzidine
● Dimethylcarbamoyl Chloride
● 1,1-Dimethylhydrazine
● Dimethyl Sulfate
● Dimethylvinyl Chloride
● 1,4-Dioxane
● Direct Black 38
● Direct Blue 6
● Epibromohydrin
● Epichlorohydrin
● Estrogens (Not Conjucated): Estradiol-17ß
● Estrogens (Not Cojugated): Estrone
● Estrogens (Not Conjucated): Ethinylestradiol
● Estrogens (Not Cojugated): Mestranol
● Ethyl Acrylate
● Ethyl alcohol
● Ethylene Dibromide
● Ethylene Oxide
● Ethylene Thiourea
● Formaldehyde (Gas)
● Halothane
● Hexachlorobenzene
● Hexachlorophene
● Hexamethylphossphoramide
● Hydrazine and Hydrazine Sulfate .
● Hydrazobenzene
● Iron Dextran Complex
● Kepone® (Chlordecone)
● Lead Acetate and Lead Phosphate
● Lindane and other Hexachlorocyclohexane Isomers
● Melphalan
● Methoxyflurane
● 2-Methylaziridine (Proplyleneimine)
● 20-Methylcholanthrene
● 4,4'-Methylenebis(2-chloroaniline) (MBOCA)
● 4,4'-Methylenebis(N,N-dimethyl)benzenamine
● 4,4'-Methylenedianiline and its Dihydrochloride
● Metronidazole

Fugitive emissions
● Michler's Ketone
● Mirex
● 1-Napthylamine
● 2-Naphthylamine
● Nickel and certain Nickel compounds
● Nickel Sulfide
● Nitrilotriacetic Acid
● 5-Nitro-o-Anisidine
● Nitofen
● 4-Nitrobiphenyl
● Nitrogen Mustard Hydrochloride
● 2-Nitropropane
● N-Nitrosodi-n-butylamine
● N-Nitrosodiethanolamine
● N-Nitrosodiethylamine
● N-Nitrosodimethylamine
● p-Nitrosodiphenylamine
● N-Nitrosodi-n-propylamine
● N-Nitroso-N-ethylurea
● N-Nitroso-N-methylurea
● N-Nitrosomethylvinylamine
● N-Nitrosomorpholine
● N-Nitrosonornicotine
● N-Nitrosopiperidine
● N-Nitrosopyrrolidine
● N-Nitrososarcosine
● Nitrous Oxide
● Norethisterone
● 4,4'-Oxydianiline
● Oxymetholone
● Perbromoethylene
● Phenacetin
● PhenazopyridineHydrochloride
● Phenoxybenzamine Hydrochloride
● Phenytoin
● Phosphine
● Polybrominated Biphenyls
● Polychlorinated Biphenyls
● Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbones, 15 listings
❍ Benza(a)anthracene
❍ Benzo(b)fluoranthene
❍ Benzo(j)fluoranthene
❍ Benzo(k)fluoranthene
❍ Benzo(a)pyrene
❍ Dibenz(a,h)acridine
❍ Dibenz(a,j)acridine
❍ Dibenz(a,h)anthracene
❍ 7H-Dibenzo(c,g)carbazole
❍ Dibenzo(a,e)pyrene
❍ Dibenzo(a,h)pyrene
❍ Dibenzo(a,l)pyrene
❍ Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene
❍ 5-Methylchrysene
● Procarbazine Hydrochloride
● Progesterone
● 1,3-Propane Sultone
● Propiolactone
● Propylene Oxide
● Propylthiouracil
● Reserpine
● Saccharin
● Safrole
● Selenium Sulfide
● Sodium o-phenylphenate
● Streptozotocin
● Styrene (Vinyl Benzene)
● Sulfallate
● 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)
● Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene)
● Thioacetamide .
● Thiourea
● Toluene Diisocyanate
● o-Toluidine and o-Toluidine Hydrochloride

Fugitive emissions
● Toxaphene
● 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol
● Tris(1-aziridinyl)phosphine Sulfide
● Tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate
● Urethane
● Vinyl Bromide
● Vinylidene Bromide
● Vinylidene Chloride
● Yellow fatty dye

● Soots, tars and mineral oils
Delisted Chemicals
● Aramite®
● N,N-Bis(2-chloroethy)-2-naphthylamine (Chlornaphazine)
● Cycasin
● Methyl Iodine
*Soluble in water, so you should be able to use water as a flush or barrier fluid between two seals. Check
with your technical people

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Pollutant Glossary
A glossary of the terms that are used whenever pollutants are discussed 15-6
The sealing of rotating fluid handling equipment and the ultimate containment of possible pollutants are
two subjects that go "hand in hand". Since we are involved in these subjects, we might as well learn the
language; so here is a list of the common pollution terms you may encounter. I was given this glossary
without an identification of the author. It appears to be a government publication from the Environmental
Defense Fund.
Glossary (Environmental Defense Fund?)
Acute Toxicity
Negative health effects from a single dose or exposure to a toxic chemical or other toxic substance.
Adverse Health Effect
Abnormal or harmful effect to an organism (e.g., a person) caused by exposure to a chemical. It includes
results such as death, other illnesses, altered body and organ weights, altered enzyme levels, etc.
Ambient
Surrounding, as in the surrounding environment. The medium surrounding or contacting an organism

(e.g., a person), such as outdoor air, indoor air, water, or soil, through which chemicals or pollutants can
be carried and can reach the organism.
Antagonism (chemical)
When the adverse effect or risk from two or more chemicals interacting with each other is less than what
it would be if each chemical was acting separately.
Attainment Area
A geographic area that meets the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) is called an
attainment area. An area with too much of a pollutant to meet the NAAQS for that pollutant is called a
non-attainment area.
NAAQSs are concentration levels for each of six criteria air pollutants, above which adverse effects on
human health may occur. The six criteria pollutants are used as indicators of air quality.
Authoritative Scientific or Regulatory Organization
Organizations that either have regulatory authority over a subject (such as control of certain chemicals in
certain contexts) or are widely recognized as using the best available scientific practices and peer review
processes in developing their policies and recommendations about that subject. Scorecard's lists of
recognized health hazards come from lists already put together by authoritative organizations.
Benzene-Equivalents
Scorecard's common unit of comparison for carcinogens, so that the seriousness of a release of one
carcinogen can be compared to a release of another. Scorecard's scoring system takes into account both a
chemical's toxicity and the amount of exposure resulting from a release. It uses benzene as the standard
for comparison and converts releases of other carcinogens into pounds of benzene-equivalents.
Bin
A range of values used for grouping purposes. In statistics, values are often grouped into bins to make
generalizations, or to draw comparisons. For example, Scorecard usually places chemicals in bins based
on their toxicity using 10 bins. Bin 1 includes the 10% of chemicals with the lowest toxicity, while bin
10 includes the 10% of chemicals with the highest toxicity .
Bioaccumulation
Bioaccumulation is the process by which chemicals concentrate in an organism. For example, DDT
concentrates in fish and birds that eat fish. This concentration effect is expressed as the ratio of the
concentration of the chemical in an organism (like a fish) to its concentration in the surrounding medium
(usually water). Bioaccumulation refers to the uptake of chemicals both from water (bioconcentration)
and from ingested food and sediment.
Cancer
Cancer is a group of more than 100 different diseases that occur when a cell, or group of cells, grows in

Pollutant Glossary
an unchecked, uncontrolled, or unregulated manner. It can involve any tissue of the body and can have
many different forms in each body area. Most cancers are named for the type of cell or the organ in
which they begin, such as leukemia or lung cancer.
Cancer Potency Estimate
An estimate of a chemical's likelihood to cause cancer, generally derived from animal studies and
extrapolated to humans.
Cancer Risk Score
How a chemical's estimated cancer risk compares with the cancer risk from other chemicals, after being
converted into a common unit of comparison.
Carcinogen
A chemical or physical agent capable of causing cancer.
Cardiovascular and Blood Toxicity
The adverse effects on the heart or blood systems which result from exposure to toxic chemicals.
CAS Registry Number
A unique number assigned to a chemical by the Chemical Abstracts Service, a division of the American
Chemical Society.
Chemical Carcinogenesis
Cancer caused by exposure to a chemical or chemicals.
Chemical Interaction
When two or more chemicals interact with each other, resulting in either antagonistic or synergistic
effects.
Chronic Toxicity
synergistic effects. Adverse health effects from repeated doses of a toxic chemical or other toxic
substance over a relatively prolonged period of time, generally greater than one year.
Connective Tissue
One of the four basic types of tissue in the body; a material consisting of fibers (e.g., tendons or
ligaments) that form a framework to support other body tissues (e.g., muscles).
Contaminant
Any substance or material in a system (the environment, the human body, food, etc.) where it is not
normally found; or, a substance in a system where it is naturally occurring , but found in an unusually
high concentration.
Dermal
concentration. Referring to the skin. Dermal absorption means absorption through the skin.
Developmental Toxicity
Adverse effects on the developing child which result from exposure to toxic chemicals or other toxic
substances. Adverse effects can include birth defects, low birth weight, and functional or behavioral
weaknesses that show up as the child develops.
Disease Incidence
The rate of new occurrences of a disease.
Dose-Response Assessment/Relationship
The amount of a chemical that an organism (such as a person) is exposed to is called the dose, and the
severity of the effect of that exposure is called the response. A dose-response assessment is a scientific
study to determine the relationship between dose and response, and how much dose is correlated with
Pollutant Glossary
how much response.
Ecological Health Ranking
How a chemical's adverse effect on plants and animals compares with that of other chemicals in a
relative ranking system.
Ecological Risk Assessment
A process used to estimate how likely it is that there will adverse effects on plants or animals from other
potential stress, such as the draining exposure to chemicals (or to of a wetland). The process includes
problem formulation, characterization of exposure, characterization of ecological effects, and risk
characterization.
Ecotoxicity
Being poisonous or harmful to plants or animals in some degree.
Endocrine Toxicity
Any adverse structural and/or functional changes to the endocrine system (the system that controls
hormones in the body) which may result from exposure to chemicals. Endocrine toxicity can harm
human and animal reproduction and development.
Environmental Fate
Where a substance ends up after it is released into the environment. Environmental fate depends on many
factors, including transport (e.g., wind, runoff) and transformation processes (e.g.degradation).
EPA or U.S. EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Epithelial Tissue
One of the four basic tissues of the body. The cell linings covering most of the internal and external
surface of the body and its organs, e.g. stomach lining.
Exposure Assessment
Identifying the ways in which chemicals may reach individuals (e.g., by breathing); estimating how
much of a chemical an individual is likely to be exposed to; and estimating the number of individuals
likely to be exposed.
Exposure Potential
An estimate of the total dose of a chemical received by an exposed organism (e.g., a person) or by a
population, not just via one pathway or medium but from all likely pathways.
Fate and Exposure Modeling
The scientific process used to predict where chemicals "end up" after being released into the
environment. For example: a chemical may be emitted into the air, but most of it might end up in
groundwater, because of the chemical's particular physical properties.
Genotoxicity
The adverse health effect a chemical has on genes and chromosomes, primarily gene mutations,
chromosome aberrations and changes in chromosome number. Genotoxicity may be indicative ofcancer-
causing chemicals.
Good Neighbor Agreement
A Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) is one important way that a community and a company with a
facility in that community can work towards improving the environmental performance of the company's
facility.
Half-life
The time in which the concentration of a chemical in the environment is reduced by half.

Pollutant Glossary
Hazard Identification
The first step in the risk assessment process. This step includes the identification of a chemical of
concern and its potential adverse effects.
Hazard Indicator
A quantitative measurement of a chemical's hazard. Scorecard includes hazard indicators for numerous
endpoints, including human health, ecological health, and combined human and ecological health. These
are based on different combinations of factors, such as toxicity, persistence, and exposure potential.
Hazard Ranking
How a chemical's adverse effects compare with other chemicals in a ranking system.
Health Hazard
Adverse effects to a living organism.
Human Health Ranking
How a chemical's adverse health effects on humans compare with the same effects from other chemicals,
in a ranking system.
Immunotoxicity
Adverse effects on the normal functioning of the immune system, caused by exposure to a toxic
chemical. Changes in immune function could produce higher rates of infectious diseases or cancer, or
more severe cases of those diseases. Immunotoxic chemicals can also cause auto-immune disease or
allergic reactions.
Industrial Sector
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes are a system of numerical codes that categorize industrial
facilities by the type of activity in which they are engaged. For example, SIC code 2911 refers to
petroleum refineries. Each code number represents an industrial sector.
Ingestion
Swallowing (such as eating or drinking). Chemicals can get into or onto food, drink, utensils, cigarettes,
or hands where they can then be ingested.
Inhalation
Breathing. Once inhaled, contaminants can be deposited in the lungs, taken into the blood, or both.
Integrated Health Ranking
How a chemical's adverse human and ecological health effects compare with thoseof other chemicals, in
a relative ranking system.
Kidney Toxicity
Adverse effects on the kidney, urethra or bladder caused by exposure to a toxic chemical. Some such
chemicals can cause acute injury to the kidney; others can produce chronic changes that can lead to
kidney failure or cancer.
Leukemia
Any of several cancers of blood-forming organs (usually bone marrow cells) which cause the
uncontrolled production of abnormal white blood cells (leukocytes).
Liver and Gastrointestinal Toxicity
Adverse effects to the structure and/or function of the liver, gall bladder or gastrointestinal tract caused
by exposure to a toxic chemical. The liver is frequently subject to chemical-induced injury because of its
role as the body's principal site of metabolism. Chemicals that damage the liver can cause diseases such
as hepatitis, jaundice, cirrhosis and cancer.
Musculoskeletal Toxicity

Pollutant Glossary
Adverse effects to the structure and/or function of the muscles, bones and joints caused by exposure to a
toxic chemical. Exposures to coal dust and cadmium, for example, have been shown to cause adverse
changes to the musculoskeletal system. Examples of musculoskeletal diseases which can be caused by
exposure to toxic chemicals include the bone disorders arthritis, fluorosis, and osteomalacia.
Mutagenicity
A change in the genetic material of a living organism, usually in a single gene, which can be passed on to
future generations.
Nephrotoxicity
Same as kidney toxicity.
Neurotoxicity
Adverse effects on the structure or function of the central and/or peripheral nervous system caused by
exposure to a toxic chemical. Symptoms of neurotoxicity include muscle weakness, loss of sensation and
motor control, tremors, cognitive alterations and autonomic nervous system dysfunction.
NIOSH
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a federal agency that conducts research on
occupational safety and health questions and makes recommendations to federal OSHA about new
standards for controlling toxic chemicals in the workplace.
Noncancer Risk Score
How a chemical's non-cancer risk compares with the non-cancer risk from other chemicals, after being
converted into a common unit of comparison.
OECD
The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a Paris-based intergovernmental

organization with 29 member countries. A forum in which governments can develop common solutions
to various social problems, including issues of toxic chemical management.
Ozone Depleting Substance Ozone in the stratospheric layer of the Earth's atmosphere keeps 95-99% of
the Sun's ultraviolet radiation from striking the Earth. Various chemicals deplete the ozone layer by
accelerating processes that destroy ozone, increasing the amount of ultraviolet radiation that reach the
surface. This radiation can cause genetic damage, eyedamage and damage to marine life.
Persistence
In Scorecard, persistence generally refers to environmental persistence: the length of time a chemical
stays in the environment, once introduced. Persistent chemicals do not break down easily in the
environment.
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are chemicals, chiefly compounds of carbon, that persist in the
environment, bioaccumulatethrough the food chain, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human
health and the environment.
Photosensitization
Sensitization or heightened reactivity of the skin to sunlight, usually due to the action of certain drugs.
Pollution Prevention
An approach that avoids creating toxic chemical emissions and waste in the first place; it reduces the
amount of toxic chemicals that businesses need to use in their operations.
Postnatal
Occurring sometime after birth, with reference to the newborn infant.
Prenatal
Preceding birth, with reference to the fetus.

Pollutant Glossary
Proposition 65
Formally known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxics Enforcement Act , Proposition 65 was enacted
in California by direct ballot initiative in November 1986. Generally, it requires warnings to citizens
when they are exposed to chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm,
and also forbids the discharge of those same chemicals into sources of drinking water in California.
Recognized Human Health Hazard
Authoritative national and internationalscientific and regulatory agencies have identified some chemicals
that cause specific adverse health effects with enough certainty to consider the effect a recognized hazard
of the chemical. To date, such efforts have been focused on cancer, reproductive toxicity, and
developmental toxicity. Scorecard uses lists developed under California's Proposition 65 (which combine
the hazard identification efforts of various authoritative bodies) as its primary reference for identifying
these chemicals.
Reference Concentration (RfC)
An estimate of the daily inhalation dose, expressed in terms of an ambient concentration, that can be
taken daily over a lifetime without appreciable risk.
Reference Dose (RfD)
An estimate of the daily ingestion dose, expressed in terms of amount per unit of body weight, that can
be taken daily over a lifetime without appreciable risk.
Reproductive Toxicity
Adverse effects on the male and/or female reproductive systems caused by exposure to a toxic chemical.
Reproductive toxicity may be expressed as alterations in sexual behavior, decreases in fertility or fetal
loss during pregnancy. Some official definitions of reproductive toxicity, for example in California's
Proposition 65, include developmental toxicity as part of reproductive toxicity.
Respiratory Toxicity
Adverse effects on the structure or functionof the respiratory system caused by exposure to a toxic
chemical. Respiratory toxicants can produce a variety of acute and chronic pulmonary conditions,
including local irritation, bronchitis, pulmonary edema, emphysema and cancer.
Risk
The probability that damage to life, health, and/or the environment will occur as a result of a given
hazard (such as exposure to a toxic chemical). Some risks can be measured or estimated in numerical
terms (e.g., one chance in a hundred).
Risk Assessment
An organized process used to describe and estimate the amount of risk of adverse human health effects
from exposure to a toxic chemical (how likely or unlikely it is that the adverse effect will occur). How
reliable and accurate this process is depends on the quantity and quality of the information that goes into
the process. The four steps in a risk assessment of a toxic chemical are hazard identification, dose-
response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization.
Risk Assessment Value
Risk assessment values are numbers that help define the level of health risk, both cancer and noncancer,
posed by a toxic chemical. They are derived from dose-response assessments of animal or human studies
that indicate a chemical cancause an adverse health effect.
Risk Characterization
An organized process used to evaluate, summarize, and communicate information about the likelihood of
adverse health or ecological effects from particular exposures to a toxic chemical in the environment, i.e.
how individuals or populations may be affected. It includes discussion of the kind of evidence it uses and
how strong that evidence is. Risk characterization is the final step in the process of risk assessment.
Risk Management
The process of actually trying to reduce risk, e.g., from a toxic chemical, and/or of trying to keep it under
control. Risk management involves not just taking action, but also analyzing and selecting among options
and then evaluating their effect.

Pollutant Glossary
Route of Exposure
The avenue by which a chemical comes into contact with an organism (such as a person). Possible routes
include inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact.
Safety Assessment
The process of evaluating the safety (or lack of safety) of a chemical in the environment based upon its
toxicity and current levels of human exposure.
Screening Level
Screening level information about a chemical's toxicity or exposure potential is derived from readily
available information using methods that do not require extensive analyses to support preliminary
evaluations of chemical safety. Screening level information is useful and necessary for ranking potential
problems, directing more detailed investigations, and taking preventative action.
Screening Risk Assessment
A risk assessment performed using available data and many assumptions to identify toxic chemical
releases that have a higher probability of posing health risks. If potential health risks are identified,
further investigation or risk reducing actions may be warranted.
SIC Code
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes are a system of numerical codes that categorize industrial
facilities by the type of activity in which they are engaged. For example, SIC code 2911 refers to
petroleum refineries. All companies conducting the same type of business, regardless of their size, have
the same SIC code. The basic SIC code is two digits long.
SIDS
The Screening Information Data Set createdby the member countries of the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 1990, for purposes of screening high-production-volume
chemicals used in those countries (including the U.S.). The purpose of the SIDS program is to complete
initial screening tests on those chemicals to identify their potential hazards to human health and the
environment, so that risk assessments can then be done for the chemicals with sufficient hazard potential.
The data set is a list of the tests and other information about a chemical that OECD considers to be the
necessary minimum for purposes of this preliminary screening.
Skin and Sense Organ Toxicity
Adverse effects on the skin or sensory organs caused by exposure to a toxic chemical. Sense organs
include eyes, ears, etc.
Suspected Human Health Hazard
These are hazards to human health from a chemical that are indicated by some scientific evidence, but
that have not been conclusively determined by an authoritative scientific or regulatory organization.
Scorecard uses numerous reports in the scientific or regulatory literature, and information abstracted
from major toxicological databases, as its sources for identifying chemicals with suspected human health
hazards of different kinds. Inclusion of a chemical on a "suspected" list should be viewed as a
preliminary indication that the chemical may cause this effect, rather than a definitive finding that it does.
Synergism (chemical)
When the adverse effect or risk from two or more chemicals interacting with each other is greater than
what it would be if each chemical was acting separately.
Threshold
A level of chemical exposure below which there is no adverse effect and above which there is a
significant toxicological effect.
Toluene-Equivalents
Scorecard's common unit of comparison for non-carcinogens, so that the seriousness of a release of one
non-carcinogen can be compared to a release of another. Scorecard's scoring system takes into account
both a chemical's toxicity and the amount of exposure resulting from a release. It uses toluene as the
standard for comparison and converts releases of other non-carcinogen into pounds of toluene-
equivalents.
Pollutant Glossary
Total Hazard Value
A quantitative value representing the total hazard of a chemical substance, derived by integrating the
chemical's human health effects, ecological effects, and exposure potential.
Toxic Equivalency Potentials
How a chemical's adverse human health effects compare with those of other chemicals, after being
converted into a common unit of comparison (Scorecard uses benzene-equivalents for carcinogens and
toluene-equivalents for non-carcinogens).
Toxicity
The extent, quality, or degree of being poisonous or harmful to humans or other living organisms.
Toxicity Weight
How a chemical's toxicity - either chronic, acute, or both - compares with other chemicals in a relative
ranking system.
TRI
Toxics Release Inventory. Under Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-
Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA), certain manufacturing facilities are required to report the amounts of
approximately 650 toxic chemicals that they release into the environment or produce as waste. The TRI
inventory is, at present, the only source of information used by Scorecard on environmental releases of
toxic chemicals and waste management of those chemicals.
TRI Chemicals
A list of about 650 toxic chemicals or chemical categories included in the Toxics Release Inventory
(TRI). In general, TRI chemicals are ones that U.S. EPA has found can be reasonably anticipated to
cause acute or chronic adverse human health effects, or adverse environmental effects.
TRI Facilities
Facilities that are required to report their environmental releases and chemical waste management of a
prescribed list of approximately 650 toxic chemicals to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). There are
over 20,000 facilities included in the TRI in 1995.
TSCA
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976. In theory, this law gave U.S. EPA the power to test,
regulate, and screen nearly all chemicals produced or imported into the United States. However, after
more than two decades, TSCA's promise is almost entirely unrealized.
Volatility
A chemical's tendency to evaporate into the air, usually measured in units of Pascals, atmospheres, or
pounds per square inch. Chemicals with high volatility tend toevaporate readily.
Weight of Evidence
The evaluation of published information about a chemical's toxicity and exposure potential that leads to a
conclusion about that chemical's safety or hazard. Important factors include the adequacy and number of
available studies; the consistency of results across studies; and the biological plausibility of dose-
response relationships.

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Pump grout
SUBJECT: Attaching the pump and motor base plate to the foundation. The grout. 7-5
The forces and vibrations present in our rotating equipment must be absorbed by the foundation or they
will be transmitted to the mechanical seal and pump bearings, causing higher stresses and premature
failure of one or both of these components. In another paper on this site labeled "Centrifugal pump
vibration readings 2-9" we learned several rules about this foundation including the one that states, "the
foundation must be at least five times the mass of the hardware attached to it". You can refer to this paper
for additional information
The grout, in conjunction with the anchor bolts and shims will act as the connector between the pump
base and the foundation ensuring that the forces and vibrations will be absorbed and dampened as much
as possible. This grout can be installed before, during or after the installation.
In the past, iron filled and gas expansive inorganic grouts were employed, causing frequent replacement.
Modern grouts, when properly installed can last for ten or fifteen years, or the expected life of most
pump and motor combinations. In the following paragraphs we will be looking as some of these modern
grouts to help you in making your final selection.
Regardless of the brand you select you are going to have to consider the "pour ability" of the grout to
avoid air pockets and voids that can become trapped between the pump base and the foundation it will
rest upon. Shrinkage is another consideration along with chemical compatibility and resistance to
"creep".
You should also consider that in many process plants the floors are constantly wet from pump and valve
leakage, steam leaks and wash down hoses. Be sure the grout you select will not be damaged by this
additional moisture.
The U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Specification CRD-C-621-89 describes various levels of "pour
ability" for non shrinking grout:
● FLUID. Like tomato soup. It can easily be pumped or poured.

● FLOWABLE. Like a milkshake. It can also be pumped or poured.
● PLASTIC. Like molasses. Too viscous to pump, but can be poured. These grouts are usually
"troweled" in place.
● DAMP PACK. Can be formed into a ball.
Most of the modern grouts fall into two categories:
Cement plus a natural or metallic aggregate.
● Significantly lower in cost than the epoxy type. In many cases it is only one third of the cost.
● They can easily be mixed at the installation site.
● By changing the amount of water you can easily change the "pour ability".
● Curing takes longer than the epoxy type and this can be an important consideration in many
applications.
● Chemicals can be added to the mixture to generate heat and accelerate the curing time, but the
proper amounts are often hard to calculate.
● Pouring forms are needed, but waxing of the forms is seldom needed.
● The foundation surface must be clean and saturated with water at least twenty four (24) hours
prior to the grouting application.
● Chemical resistance of these grouts is rated poor to fair.
● Replacement is simplified because the grout does not bond to metal.
Epoxy grout, consisting of three parts : a resin, a hardener, and an aggregate.
● All of the parts are usually pre measured so it is hard to make a mistake.
● The cost can be high. As much as three times as much as the cement types, and waste is always a
problem.
● It sets in about twelve hours so you can get "on line" a whole lot faster.
● Because it is so hard it can be very difficult to replace.
● This type is often your best choice for aggressive chemicals.
● Excellent for high electrical resistance. This helps if the welder is using the pump for a ground
Pump grout
and he is about to weld the bearings to the shaft in the process.

● Pouring forms must be waxed or wrapped in polyethylene to make removal easier.

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Pump vibration
SUBJECT : Centrifugal pump vibration readings 2-9
It is necessary to be interested in vibration because it has a major affect on the performance of your
pump. At least six components are seriously affected by vibration :
● The life of the mechanical seal is directly related to shaft movement. Vibration can cause carbon
face chipping and seal face opening. Drive lugs will wear, and metal bellows seals will fatigue. In
some instances the shaft movement can cause the rotating seal components to contact the inside of
the stuffing box, or some other stationary object, causing the seal faces to open and allowing
solids to penetrate between the lapped faces. Vibration is also a major cause of set screws
becoming loose and slipping on the shaft, causing the lapped seal faces to open..
● Packing is sensitive to radial movement of the shaft. You will not only experience excessive
leakage, but excessive sleeve or shaft wear also. Additional flushing will be required to
compensate for the heat that will be generated by the high friction packing.
● Bearings are designed to handle both a radial and axial load. They were not designed for the
vibration that can cause a brinneling (denting) of the bearing races.
● Critical dimensions and tolerances such as wear ring clearance and impeller setting will be
affected by vibration. Bearing internal clearances are measured in tenths of thousands of an inch.
(thousands of a millimeter)
● Pump components can be damaged by vibration. Wear rings, bushings and impellers are three
examples.
● Bearing seals are very sensitive to shaft radial movement. Shaft damage will increase and the
seals will fail prematurely. Labyrinth seals operate with a very close tolerance. Excessive
movement can damage these tolerances also.
● Pump and motor hold down bolts can become loose.
The vibration comes from a number of sources that include :
Mechanical causes of vibration
● Unbalanced rotating components. Damaged impellers and non concentric shaft sleeves are
common.
● A bent or warped shaft.
● Pump and driver misalignment.
● Pipe strain. Either by design or as a result of thermal growth.
● The mass of the pump base is too small.
● Thermal growth of various components, especially shafts.
● Rubbing parts.
● Worn or loose bearings.
● Loose parts.
● Product attaching to a rotating component.
● Damaged parts.
Hydraulic causes of vibration
● Operating off of the best efficiency point (BEP) of the pump.

● Vaporization of the product
● Impeller vane running too close to the pump cutwater.
● Air getting into the system through vortexing etc..
● Turbulence in the system ( non laminar flow).
● Water hammer.
Other causes of vibration.
● Harmonic vibration from nearby equipment.

● Operating the pump at a critical speed. Watch out for this problem in variable speed and pulley
driven pumps.
● Seal "slip stick" at the seal faces. This can occur if you are pumping a non lubricating fluid, a gas
or a dry solid.
● A pump discharge recirculation line aimed at the seal faces.
You can read the vibration a variety of ways:
● Frequency
● Amplitude
● Velocity
● Acceleration
● Spike Energy
● Acoustic emissions
● Deflection

Pump vibration
Many systems read vibration by recording acceleration. The problem with this method is that if you do
not know the frequency the readings are not very meaningful. Because of this most systems read an
average of all of the frequencies involved and recommend taking action when this average reading
doubles in a particular location. If bearings are your primary concern high and low electronic filters can
be used in some equipment to filter out frequencies below 55 Hz. and above 2500 Hz. These filters will
help the operator zero in on those frequencies normally associated with bearing problems.
Unfortunately, most vibration data references bearing operation. There is little to no information
available about mechanical seal vibration modes. The problem is further compounded by:
● The large variety of seal materials in use.

● Major differences, in design between popular brands of single and multiple seals.
● Availability of vibration damping in these seal designs.
● The wide spread use of environmental controls.
● The variety of fluids surrounding the seal
The vibration readings almost always means that the equipment has started to destroy its self. Most
companies are trying to collect enough data to predict the remaining life before total destruction takes
place.
vibration and then try to install hardware that can live with the vibration you have left. Recording
vibration makes sense only after good maintenance practices are in force.
Mechanical Problem Solutions
● Balance all of your rotating equipment. If you do not have dynamic balancing equipment in your
plant there are contractors and vendors anxious to work with you. Balance is always a problem
when you are pumping abrasives, or a slurry, because the rapid wear always destroys balance. In
the higher speed pumps this wear can be very severe.
● Bent shafts are a problem. If you can straighten them go ahead and do it, but most attempts are
unsuccessful. In the majority of cases you are better off replacing the shaft.
● Do a proper pump/ driver alignment using either a Laser or the reverse indicator method.
Upgrading the pump power end to a "C" or "D" frame motor adapter is a more sensible and
economical decision. Once the conversion is made misalignment ceases to be a concern. These
adapters are available for most motors and will maintain the proper alignment as the equipment
goes through its normal temperature transients.
● Always pipe from the pump suction to the pipe rack, never the other way. There are some more
piping practices that you should follow:
❍ If you are experiencing pipe strain because of thermal growth at the suction, you might
convert to a "centerline" design wet end and solve the problem. Center line designs make
sense any time you are pumping a fluid in excess of 200 degrees Fahrenheit (100
Centigrade)
❍ Try to use at least ten diameters of pipe between the pump suction and the first elbow.
❍ Valve stems, T branches and elbows should be perpendicular to the pump shaft not at a
right angle to it. This is especially important with double suction pumps because uneven
inlet flow will cause the impeller to thrust in one direction causing bearing problems on
one end of the pump.
❍ Pipe supports and hangers should be installed at unequal distances..
❍ Use lots of hangers to support the piping.
❍ Use lots of loops and expansion joints in the piping system.
❍ After fabrication and testing remove all supports and lock pins from the spring hangers,
loosen pipe flanges and adjust the system to free the pump from pipe strain.
❍ Reference the "Hydraulic Institute Manual", or a similar publication to learn the proper
methods of piping several pumps from the same suction source to prevent vortexing etc..
● The foundation should be three inches ( 75 mm) wider than the base plate, all around, up to 500
● Every inch of stainless steel grows 0.001 inch for every 100° Fahrenheit rise in temperature
(0,001 mm/mm/50° Centigrade) This thermal growth can cause the impeller to rub the pump
casing as well as cause rubbing in many close tolerance clearances such as the wear rings. Carbon
steel grows about 30% less than stainless steel.
● Any time the shaft moves there is the danger of parts rubbing. Thermal imaging equipment can
detect this rubbing easily. When ever you set tight tolerances be sure to allow for thermal growth
and, in the case of A.N.S.I. pumps, impeller adjustment.
● Worn or loose bearings are caused by improper installation or allowing water to enter the bearing
cavity. Labyrinth seals or positive face seals are the easiest solution to the water problem. Install
bearings by using a proper induction heater to prevent contamination during the installation
process.
● The answer to loose hold down bolts is obvious and requires no explanation.

Pump vibration
Hydraulic Problem Solutions
● You may be able to increase or reduce the impeller diameter to get close to the pump B.E.P., but
if this is not practical your best bet is to reduce the L3/D4 by going to a solid shaft or upgrading
the power end to a larger shaft diameter. In some instances you can install a support bushing in
the bottom of the packing stuffing box and install a mechanical seal closer to the bearings. Split
seals are ideal for this conversion. In a few instances, changing the shaft speed will solve the
problem. A closed loop system with a high system head is an ideal candidate for a variable speed
pump
● Insure that you have enough NPSH for your application. If there is not enough an inducer or
booster pump might solve the problem. Another section in this series explains "Cavitation" in
great detail, and offers many solutions to the problem.
● An impeller, running too close to the pump cutwater will cause vibration and damage. An
impeller tip to cutwater clearance of 4% (of the impeller diameter) in the smaller impeller sizes
(to 14 inch/355 mm) and 6% in the larger sizes will solve this problem. This becomes a problem
with most self priming pumps and the only solution is to contact your pump supplier for his
recommendation, if he has one. Repaired impellers sometimes experience this problem.
● Internal recirculation problems can be solved by either adjusting the open impeller or replacing
the closed impeller with an alternative design. This problem was discussed in another volume of
this technical series.
● Air can get into a system through valves above the water line or flanges, but the easiest way for
air to enter a system is through the stuffing box of a packed pump. The simplest solution is to
replace the pump packing with a balanced O-Ring seal. If vortexing is the problem, consult the
"Hydraulic Institute Manual" for information on vortex breakers and proper piping layouts to
prevent turbulence in the lines, and at the pump suction.
● Water hammer is not very well understood by our industry, but we know how important it is to
keep air out of the piping system.
● It is good practice to use one size larger suction pipe and then use a reducer to connect the piping
to the pump. Do not use concentric reducers. Eccentric types are much better, as long as you do
not install them upside down.
Solutions to other types of vibration
● The pump, or one of its components, can vibrate in harmony with another piece of equipment
located in close proximity. Isolation, by vibration damping, is the easiest solution to this problem.
This is a big problem with many metal bellows seal designs because they are lacking an elastomer
that functions as a vibration damper.
● Critical speed operation is not a common problem unless you are operating with a variable speed
drive. Changing the speed is the obvious solution. If that is not practical, changing the impeller
diameter is another solution.
● Seal "slipstick" is a problem with non lubricants such as hot water or most solvents. If you are
using O-Ring seals, the O-Ring is a natural vibration damper. Metal bellows seals require that a
separate vibration damper be installed, usually in the form of a metal component vibrating and
sliding on the shaft.
● Pump discharge recirculation lines can cause a vibration every time the impeller passes the
recirculation line "tap off". This vibration will affect the mechanical seal and like all vibration,
can be recognized by chipping of the outside diameter of the carbon face and worn drive lugs.
Most of us can not stop all of the vibration that is causing our seal, packing, bearing, and critical
clearance problems, so our only solution is to live with it. Unfortunately the standard pump and original
equipment seal is not prepared to handle vibration without major modification.

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Calculating the system head
SUBJECT : Calculating the total system head in USCS units 7-1:
USCS stands for "United States Customary System Units" as opposed to the SI (Le Système
International dÙnits) or metric units that have been adopted by the International standards Organization
(ISO). In a future paper I will present another paper using the metric units, but for the moment it is not
convenient to present it in both systems.
It turn out that "head" is a very convenient term in the pumping business. Capacity is measured in gallons
per minute, and each gallon of liquid has weight, so we can easily calculate the pounds per minute being
pumped. Head or height is measure in feet, so if we multiply these two together we get foot- pounds per
minute which converts directly to work at the rate of 33,000 foot pounds per minute equals one
horsepower.
upon the weight (specific gravity) of the liquid being pumped and the specific gravity changes with
temperature, fluid, and fluid concentration.
If you will refer to FIG 1, you should get a clear picture of what is meant by static head. Note that we
always measure from the center line of the pump to the highest liquid level
piping, fittings and valves called friction head, and a head caused by any pressure that might be acting on
the liquid in the tanks including atmospheric pressure, called " surface pressure head".
Once we know these heads it gets simple, we will then subtract the suction head from the discharge head
and the amount remaining will be the amount of head that the pump must be able to generate at the rated
flow. Here is how it looks in a formula:
System head = total discharge head - total suction head
H = hd - hs


As we make these calculations, you must sure that all calculations are made in either "feet of liquid
gauge" or "feet of liquid absolute". In case you have forgotten "absolute means that you have added
atmospheric pressure (head) to the gauge reading.

Now we will make some actual calculations:
Figure #2 demonstrates that the discharge head is still measured to the liquid level, but you will note that
it is below the maximum height of the piping.
Although the pump must deliver enough head to get up to this maximum piping height, it will not have to
a maximum siphon effect. It is derived from: 14.7 psi (atmospheric pressure) x 2.31 feet / psi = 33.4 feet
maximum siphon effect.
1. The suction head is negative because the liquid level in the suction tank is below the centerline of the
pump:
hss = - 6 feet
2. The suction tank is open, so the suction surface pressure equals atmospheric pressure :
hps = 0 feet gauge
3. You will not have to calculate the suction friction head, I will tell you it is:
hfs = 4 feet at rated flow
4. The total suction head is a gauge value because atmosphere was given as 0,
hs = hss + hps - hfs = -6 +0 -4 = -10 feet of liquid gauge at rated flow
The total discharge head calculation
1. The static discharge head is:
hsd = 125 feet
2. The discharge tank is also open to atmospheric pressure, thus:
hpd = 0 feet, gauge
3. I will give you the discharge friction head as:
hfd = 25 feet at rated flow
4. The total discharge head is:
hd = hsd + hpd + hfd = 125 + 0 + 25 = 150 feet of liquid gauge at rated flow
The total system head calculation:
H = hd - hs = 150 - (-10)= 160 feet of liquid at rated flow
Note: did you notice that when we subtracted a minus number (-10) from a positive number (150) we
Our next example involves a few more calculations, but you should be able to handle them. In this
example we are going to learn how to handle a vacuum application. Pipe friction numbers are taken from
the Hydraulic Institute Engineering Data Book. You can get a copy of this publication from your library
if you want to see the actual charts. I have some of this information in the chart section of this web site.
Specifications:
1. Transferring 1000 gpm. weak acid from the vacuum receiver to the storage tank
2. Specific Gravity - 0.98
3. Viscosity -equal to water
4. Piping - All 6" Schedule 40 steel pipe
5. Discharge piping rises 40 feet vertically above the pump centerline and then runs 400 feet horizontally.
There is one 90° flanged elbow in this line
6. Suction piping has a square edge inlet, four feet of pipe, one gate valve, and one 90° flanged elbow all
of which are 6" in diameter.
7. The minimum level in the vacuum receiver is 5 feet above the pump centerline.
8. The pressure on top of the liquid in the vacuum receiver is 20 inches of mercury, vacuum.
To calculate suction surface pressure use one of the following formulas:
● inches of mercury X 1.133specific gravity = feet of liquid

● pounds per square inch X 2.31specific gravity = feet of liquid
● Millimeters of mercury X 122.4 x specific gravity = feet of liquid
different sections, using the pump as the dividing line.
1. The suction side of the system shows a minimum static head of 5 feet above suction centerline.
hss = 5 feet
2. Using the first conversion formula, the suction surface pressure is:
hps = -20 Hg X 1.133/ 0.98 = -23.12 feet gauge
3. The suction friction head, fs, equals the sum of all the friction losses in the suction line. Friction loss in
6" pipe at 1000 gpm from table 15 of the Hydraulic Institute Engineering Data Book, is 6.17 feet per 100
feet of pipe.
in 4 feet of pipe friction loss = 4/100 x 6.17 = 0.3 feet
Friction loss coefficients (K factors) for the inlet, elbow and valve can be added together and multiplied
by the velocity head:
FITTING K FROM TABLE

6" Square edge inlet 0.50 32 (a)
6" 90 flanged elbow 0.29 32 (a)
6" Gate valve 0.11 32 (b)
Total coefficient, K = 0.90
Total friction loss on the suction side is:
hfs = 0.3 + 1.7 = 2.0 feet at 1000 gpm.
4. The total suction head then becomes:
hs = hss + hps - hfs = 5 + (-23.12) - 2.0 = -20.12 feet, gauge at 1000 gpm.
1. Static discharge head = hsd = 40 feet
2. Discharge surface pressure = hpd = 0 feet gauge
3. Discharge friction head = hfd = sum of the following losses :
Friction loss in 6" pipe at 1000 gpm. from table 15, is 6.17 feet per hundred feet of pipe.
In 440 feet of pipe the friction loss = 440/100 x 6.17 = 27.2 feet
Friction loss in 6" elbow:
from table 32 (a), K = 0,29
from table 15, V2/2g = 1.92 at 1000 gpm.
Friction loss = K V2/2g = 0.29 x 1.92 = 0.6 feet
The friction loss in the sudden enlargement at the end of the discharge line is called the exit loss. In
systems of this type where the area of the discharge tank is very large in comparison to the area of the
discharge pipe, the loss equals V2/2g, as shown in table 32 (b).
Friction loss at exit = V2/2g = 1.9 feet
hfd = 27.2 + 0.6 + 1.9 = 29.7 feet at 1000 gpm.
4. The total discharge head then becomes:
hd = hsd + hpd + hfd = 40 + 0 + 29.7 = 69.7 feet, gauge at 1000 gpm.
c. Total system head calculation:
H = hd - hs = 69.7 - (-20.2) = 89.9 feet at 1000 gpm.
Our next example will be the same as the one we just finished except. that there is an additional 10 feet
of pipe and another 90° flanged elbow in the vertical leg. The total suction head will be the same as in the
previous example. Take a look at figure # 4

hs = -20.12 feet, gauge at 100 gpm.
1. The static discharge head "hsd" will change from 40 feet to 30 feet, since the highest liquid surface in
the discharge is now only 30 feet above the pump centerline.(This value is based on the assumption that
the vertical leg in the discharge tank is full of liquid and that as this liquid falls it will tend to pull the
liquid up and over the loop in the pipe line. This arrangement is called a siphon leg).
2. The discharge surface pressure is unchanged:
hpd = 0 feet
3. The friction loss in the discharge pipe will be increased by the additional 10 feet of pipe and the
additional elbow.
In 10 feet of pipe the friction loss = 10/100 x 6.17 = 0.6 feet
The friction loss in the additional elbow = 0.6 feet
hfd = 29.7 + 0.6 + 0.6 = 30.9 feet at 1000 gpm.
= 30 + 0 + 30.9
= 60.9 feet, gauge at 1000 gpm.
5. Total system head calculation
H = hd - hs = 60.9 - (-20.12) = 81 feet at 1000 gpm.
For our last example we will look at gauges. Take a look at FIG 5:

Specifications:
● Capacity - 300 gpm.

● Specific gravity - 1.3
● Viscosity - Similar to water
● Piping - 3 inch suction, 2 inch discharge
● Atmospheric pressure - 14.7 psi.
Divide the heads into two sections again:
The discharge gauge head corrected to the centerline of the pump, in feet of liquid absolute is found by
absolute head:
hdg = (130 + 14.7) x 2.31 / (1.3 Specific Gravity + 4 ) = 261.1 feet, absolute
The discharge velocity head at 300 gpm. is found in table 9 of the Hydraulic Institute Engineering Data
Book
hvd = 12.8 feet at 300 gpm.
The suction gauge reading is in absolute terms so it needs only to be converted to feet of liquid, absolute.
hgs = 40 x 2.3 / 11.3 +2 = 73.08 feet absolute
The suction velocity head at 300 gpm. is found in table 11 of the Pipe Friction Manual:
hvs = 2.6 feet at 300 gpm.
The total head developed by the pump is:
H = (hgd + hvd ) - ( hgs + hvs ) = (261.1 + 12.8) - (73.08 + 2.6)= 198.22 feet absolute at
300 gpm.

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System head in metric units
Calculating the total system head in metric units 14-10
"Head" is a very convenient term in the pumping business. Pressure is not as convenient a term because
the amount of pressure that the pump will deliver is dependent upon the weight (specific gravity) of the
liquid being pumped and as you know, the specific gravity changes with the fluid temperature and
concentration.
Each liter of liquid has weight so we can easily calculate the kilograms per minute being pumped. Head
or height is measure in meters so if we multiply these two together we get kilogram meters per minute
which converts directly to work at the rate of 610 kgM/min = 1 kilowatt.
If you are more comfortable with metric horsepower units you should know that 735.5 watts makes one
metric horsepower
If you will refer to the above drawing (Fig #l ) you should get a clear picture of what is meant by static
discharge head. Please note that we always measure from the center-line of the pump impeller to the
highest liquid level
the pump. In addition to the static head we will learn that there is a second head caused by resistance in
the piping, fittings and valves called friction head and a third head caused by any pressure that might be
acting on the liquid in the suction or discharge tanks including atmospheric pressure. This third head is
called " surface pressure head".
Once we know all of these heads it becomes simple.We subtract the suction head from the discharge
head and the head that is remaining will be the amount of head that the pump must be able to generate at
its rated flow. Here is how it looks in a formula:
System head = total discharge head - total suction head or H = hd - hs


As we make these calculations you must be sure that all your calculations are made in either "meters of
liquid, gauge" or "meters of liquid, absolute". In case you have forgotten "absolute means that you have
added atmospheric pressure (head) to the gauge reading. Normally head readings are made in gauge
readings and we switch to the absolute readings only when we want to calculate the net positive suction
head available (NPSHA) to find out if our pump is going to cavitate.
We will begin by making some actual calculations. You will not have to look up the friction numbers
because I am going to give them to you, but you can find them in a number of publications including my
web site, my Pump and Seal Manual, or my CD. . Please note that the Pump annd Seal Manual is only
available in the U.S. and Canada. My CD is available Internationally and domestically.
Figure #2 demonstrates that the discharge head is still measured to the liquid level, but you will note that
it is now below the maximum height of the piping.
Although the pump must deliver enough head to get up to the maximum piping height it will not have to
a maximum siphon effect. It is derived from the formula to convert pressure to head:
Since atmospheric pressure at seal level is one bar we get a maximum siphon distance of 9.8 meters if we
ignore friction in the piping
● The suction head is negative because the liquid level in the suction tank is below the centerline of
the pump:
❍ hss = - 2 meters
● The suction tank is open so the suction surface pressure equals atmospheric pressure :
❍ hps = 0 meters gauge
In these examples you will not be calculating the suction friction head. When you learn how you will
find that there are two ways to do it
● You would look at some charts and add up the K factors for the various fittings and valves in the
piping. You would then multiply these K factors by the velocity head that is shown for each of the
pipe sizes and capacities. This final number would be added to the friction loss in the piping for
the total friction head.
● Or, you can look at a chart that shows the equivalent length of pipe for each of the fittings and add
this number to the length of the piping in the system to determine the total friction loss. You can
find this chart in my web site
For this example, I will tell you the total friction head on the suction side of the pump is:
● hfs = 1.5 meters at rated flow
The total suction head is going to be a gauge value because atmosphere was given as 0,
● hs = hss + hps - hfs = - 6 + 0 - 1.5 = - 7.5 meters of liquid gauge at rated flow
The total discharge head calculation is similar
● The static discharge head is: hsd = 40 meters
The discharge tank is also open to atmospheric pressure, so: hpd = 0 feet, gauge

I will give you the discharge friction head as: hfd =7 meters at rated flow
● The total discharge head is: hd= hsd + hpd + hfd = 40 + 0 +7 = 47 meters of liquid gauge at
rated flow
The total system head calculation becomes:
Head = hd - hs = 47 - (-7.5) = 54.5 meters of liquid at rated flow
Our next example (figure #3) involves a few more calculations, but you should be able to handle them
without any trouble.
If we were pumping from a vented suction tank to an open tank at the end of the discharge piping we
would not have to consider vacuum and absolute pressures. In this example we will be pumping from a
vacuum receiver that is very similar to the hotwell we find in many condenser applications
Again, to make the calculations you will need some pipe friction numbers that are available from my
book, CD or web site. I will give you the friction numbers for the following examples.
Specifications:
● Transferring 300 m3/hr weak acid from the vacuum receiver to the storage tank
● Specific Gravity of the acid = 0.98
● Viscosity = equal to water
● Piping = all 150 mm Schedule 40 steel pipe
● Discharge piping rises 15 meters vertically above the pump centerline and then runs 135 meters
horizontally. There is one 90° elbow in this line
● Suction piping has 1.5 meters of pipe, one gate valve, and one 90° elbow all of which are 150 mm
in diameter.
● The minimum level in the vacuum receiver is 2 meters above the pump centerline.
● The pressure on top of the liquid in the vacuum receiver is 500 mm of mercury, vacuum.
To calculate suction surface pressure use the following formula:
● The suction side of the system shows a minimum static head of 2 meters above suction centerline.
❍ hss = 2 meters
● Using the first conversion formula, the suction surface pressure is:
❍ hps = 500 x = 7.14 meters of vacuum
● The suction friction head fs, equals the sum of all the friction losses in the suction line. If you
referenced the metric pipe friction loss tables you would learn that the friction loss in 150 mm.
pipe at 300 m3/hr. is 9 meters per 100 meters of pipe.
Fitting Equivalent length of straight pipe

150 mm normal bend elbow 3.4 meters
150 mm Gate valve 2.1 meters
In a real life pumping application there would be other valves and fittings that experience friction losses:
● Check valves
● Foot valves
● Strainers
● Sudden enlargements
● Shut off valves
● Entrance and exit losses
● Etc...
The loss in the suction fittings becomes:
in 5.5 meters of pipe friction loss = x 9 = 0.50 meters
The total friction loss on the suction side is:
hfs = 0.14 + 0.50 = 0.64 meters at 300 m3/hr
hs = hss + hps - hfs = 2 - 7.14 - 0.64 = - 5.78 meters gauge at 300 m3/hr
● Static discharge head = hsd = 15 meters

● Discharge surface pressure = hpd = 0 meters gauge
Friction loss in 150 mm pipe at 300 m3/hr, from the charts is 9 meters per hundred feet of pipe.
hfd = 13.5 + .31 = 13.81 meters at 300 m3/hr
hd = hsd + hpd + hfd = 15 + 0 + 13.81 = 28.81 meters at 300 m3/hr.
H = hd - hs = 28.81 - (-5.78) = 34.59 meters at 300 m3/hr
Our next example will be the same as the one we just finished except that there is an additional 3 meters
of pipe and another 90° flanged elbow in the vertical leg. The total suction head will be the same as in the
previous example. Take a look at figure # 4

● hs = - 5.78 meters at 300 m3/hr
falls it will tend to pull the liquid up and over the loop in the pipe line. This arrangement is called
a siphon leg.
❍ hpd = 0 meters
● The friction loss in the discharge pipe will be increased by the additional 3 meters of pipe and the
additional elbow.
In 3 meters of pipe the friction loss = x 9 = 0.27 meters
The friction loss in the additional elbow = x 9 = 0.31 meters
● hfd = 0.27 + 0.31 =0.58 at 300 m3/hr.
hd = hsd + hpd + hfd = 28.81+ 0 +0.58 = 29.39 meters at 300 m3/hr
Head = hd - hs = 29.39 - (-5.78) = 35.17 meters at 300 m3/hr.
hs = - 5.78 meters at 300 m3/hr
falls it will tend to pull the liquid up and over the loop in the pipe line. This arrangement is called
a siphon leg.
❍ hpd = 0 meters
● The friction loss in the discharge pipe will be increased by the additional 3 meters of pipe and the
additional elbow.
❍ In 3 meters of pipe the friction loss = 3 /100 x 9 = 0.27 meters
❍ The friction loss in the additional elbow = 3.4 /100 x 9 = 0.31 meters

hfd = 0.27 + 0.31 = 0.58 at 300 m3/hr.
= 12 + 13.81+ 0 + 0.58
Head = hd - hs
= 26.39 - (-5.78)
= 32.17 meters at 300 m3/hr.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Centrifugal Pump
Subject: Changes in the discharge head of a centrifugal pump 1-1

● To determine if an installed pump is running at it's Best Efficiency Point (B.E.P.). Any time we go
off the B.E.P. the shaft is subject to radial side loading and potential problems with mechanical
seals, packing, bearings and couplings.
● To be sure the pump will have enough capacity.
● To prevent cavitation problems if the head is too low.
There are two methods of learning the head :
from a gage installed on the suction side of the pump.
● Calculate the discharge and suction heads from losses in the piping and associated hardware in the
lines.
As easy as this sounds we can still have many problems determining accurate head information because
of variations in the discharge system. In the following paragraphs I will describe how design, operation
and maintenance practices can affect this discharge head.
DESIGN PROBLEMS
● An automatic or manual control valve is controlling:

● Level - Boiler feed systems are typical.
● Mixture - many processes do this routinely.
● Pressure - Common with wash down pumps.
● Temperature - Typical for heat exchanger applications.
● Flow - Probably the most common application.
● Two or more pumps are running in parallel:
● A larger pump is closing the discharge check valve of a smaller pump.
● Only one pump is running and there is not enough head to stop it from running on either side of
it's B.E.P.
● The wrong size pump was originally installed. This is a common problem in new applications
because each individual involved has added a safety margin to the original operating
specifications. Every one involved in the pump selection has a real fear of buying a pump that is
too small for the application. It is also a common practice to purchase a pump that is known to be
too large for the application, because of anticipated future needs.
● A storage tank is being filled from the bottom, and the discharge head varies as the tank fills.
● The pump motor speed is changing:
● The packing was removed from an induction motor. These motors have a slippage from 2% to 5%
depending upon their quality and load.
● A mechanical seal was installed and the motor has speeded up changing the B.E.P..
● A variable speed motor is being used in a system with a high static head. These motors work best
where the head is mainly caused by the piping and valves, such as in a hot or chill water
circulating system.
● A higher rpm. pump has been substituted because of system demands and the piping is offering
too much resistance at this increased flow. Keep in mind that the pipe resistance varies by the
square of the speed. In other words if you double the speed of the pump you get four times the
resistance in the piping.
● The system has been altered to accommodate a change in the process. Another storage tank may
have been added, more valves, fitting or piping etc..
OPERATION PROBLEMS
● A discharge valve is being closed to save amperage. This is a common practice for starting
centrifugal pumps with lower "specific speed" impellers.
● The product viscosity has changed
● A different product is now going through the piping. This is a common problem in pipe line
applications.
● You are pumping a dilatant (Its viscosity increases with agitation).
● If the pump was sized for a higher viscosity product and the temperature has increased, or the
product viscosity lowers with agitation (thixotropic products do this) you can also go off of the
best efficiency point to the higher capacity side.
● The specific gravity of the product has changed causing a change in the rpm of the motor:
● A different product is now in the system
● The temperature of the product has changed. (Specific Gravity changes with temperature)

Centrifugal Pump
● A discharge valve is being throttled

● A common practice in an attempt to stop cavitation. (The lower the capacity, the less N.P.S.H.
Required)
● To compensate for impeller wear or worn wear rings
● To stop water hammer
● The impeller has been trimmed.
● The discharge of the pump is being restricted
● A foreign object was left in the pipe the last time the system was opened, or maybe the swing
check valve seat has come loose etc.
● There is a buildup of material on the wall of the piping and fittings. Hard water leaving a layer of
calcium on everything is a good example. Many other fluids can coat out on the pipe walls also.
● The pipe has collapsed (often not visible)
● A truck ran over it.
● A liner has come loose and is restricting the passage.
● A frozen water jacket has collapsed the pipe.
● A restricting fitting has been substituted or added to the system.
● A reducer
● A globe valve has been substituted for a gate valve. A globe valve can add another 50 to 100 foot
of head depending on the flow and pipe size.
● A gasket is protruding into the piping.
To size a pump properly, or to do effective trouble shooting it is important to know where the pump is
running on its curve. There are low cost chart recorders available to help you anticipate some of these
problems and get a clearer picture of what the system is actually doing. I strongly recommend the use of
one of these recorders prior to specifying a replacement pump in an existing application.
This discussion was an attempt to show you how we sometimes make an error in our calculations
because of lack of knowledge about varying discharge conditions. It should also demonstrate to you the
importance of the L3/D4 relationship to compensate for some of these unforeseen variables.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

pumps, heat
SUBJECT : Heat, how it affects the pump and mechanical seal. 1-4
Every day salesmen call on customers and make claims that their pump or mechanical seal can take more
heat than the other guys. Before we rush out to purchase these wonder products we should take a closer
look at the heat problem.
The heat comes from several sources:
● Generated at the seal faces or by packing rubbing against the sleeve.

● Friction of the pump rotating parts, especially if the discharge is throttled.
● Ambient conditions. The weather or atmosphere surrounding the pump.
● The product contains a certain amount of heat
● Two parts rubbing together that are not supposed to be rubbing can generate a lot of local heat.
● Grease seals. They rub against the shaft very close to the bearings.
● Running to the left of the best efficiency point (B.E.P.) means that the discharge is restricted.
The heat will affect you in several ways. It can :
● Increase the corrosion rate of any corrosive liquid.

● Change critical tolerances.
● Destroy some seal faces
● Shorten the life of any elastomer in the system.
● Change the state of the product you are pumping.
● Increase pipe strain.
● Waste valuable energy
● Change the viscosity of the bearing oil and eventually cause bearing failure
● On the suction side of the pump it can cause cavitation.
We will look at each of these areas in detail, and at the end of this paper make some recommendations to
improve both the pump and seal life.
WHERE THE HEAT COMES FROM:
HEAT GENERATED AT THE SEAL FACES :
The following numbers are typical of the conditions in a stuffing box when you are sealing with a
conventional original equipment, unbalanced seal.
OPERATING CONDITION INCH SIZE METRIC SIZE

Stuffing box pressure
100 psi 10 kg/cm2
Seal face diameter

2 inches 50 mm
Seal face area

1 inch2 6,5 mm2
Seal spring load 2,0 kg/cm2

30 psi
Face load from the spring

30 lbs. 13 kg
Shaft speed
3600 rpm 2900 rpm
Stuffing box volume

1 pint of water 500 cc of water
Face coefficient of friction

0.2 average 0,2 average
We will make the first calculation in the inch size:
Hydraulic closing force = 100 lbs/in2 * 1 in2 = 100 lbs
Hydraulic Opening force = An average of 50 psi on the faces * 1 in2 = 50 lbs.
100 lbs closing + 30 lbs Spring force - 50 lbs opening = 80 lbs closing

pumps, heat
80 lbs * 0.2 * 1885 F.P.M. = 30160 Ft lbs./ min
778 ft lbs. / min. = 1 Btu..
30160 / 778 = 38.8 Btu../min.
38.8 Btu../ min would raise 1 pint of water 38.8 degrees Fahrenheit each minute, so we would have to
Metric looks like this :
690 Joules/Sec.* 60 Sec./Min. = 41,400 Joules per minute.
41,400 * 0.239 joules per calorie = 9,895 calories (9,9 Kilo Calories) per minute.
9.9 Kilo calories per minute would raise 9,9 liters of water one degree Centigrade per minute.
Since we have only one half a liter (500 cc ) in the stuffing box, we would have to flush in 9,9 * 2 or 19,8
The amount of heat generated by a properly installed balanced mechanical seal is insignificant.
seal.
HEAT GENERATED BY FRICTION WITHIN THE PUMP
No pump is 100% efficient. If a pump is rated 60% efficient, that means that 40% of the power is being
converted to heat. In a normal temperature stabilized pump, running at its best efficiency point, (B.E.P.)
the temperature rise within the pump is calculated from the following formulas :

pumps, heat
HEAT FROM THE AMBIENT CONDITIONS
● If pipes, pumps, valves and other equipment are placed next to hot boilers or exposed to extreme
changes in weather we will have to consider this addition or removal of heat in troubleshooting
temperature related problems.
HEAT IN THE PRODUCT ITS SELF
HEAT GENERATED BY PARTS RUBBING TOGETHER
● Rotating parts rub against stationary parts when the pump shaft experiences deflection. Volume I
Number 1 of this series explained this problem in great detail.
HEAT GENERATED BY THE BEARING SEALS
WHAT AFFECT CAN ADDITIONAL HEAT HAVE ON THE LIQUID IN THE PUMP?
THE CORROSION RATE OF THE LIQUID WILL INCREASE :
● A general rule of thumb is that all chemical reactions double with a eighteen degree Fahrenheit
rise in temperature (10 degrees Celsius). Corrosion is a chemical reaction and therefore corrosion
increases with temperature. This is the best reason for converting any acid pump from packing to
a mechanical seal.
CRITICAL TOLERANCES WILL CHANGE.
● Critical tolerances include : Wear ring clearance, seal face loading, throttle/ thermal bushing
clearance, bearing interference, impeller/ case clearance, pump/motor alignment, etc.
● A general rule to remember is that each inch of stainless steel will grow 0.001" of an inch for each
100 degrees Fahrenheit temperature rise. In the metric system it grows 0,001 mm. per millimeter
for each 100 degree Celsius rise.
● Open impellers must be set to a specified clearance from the pump case or back plate. A 0.015" (
0,5 mm.) clearance would be typical. If you increase this clearance 0.002" (0,05 mm.) the pump
will lose 1% of its pumping capacity.
● In closed impeller applications the general rule is that each additional 0.001" (0,03 mm) of wear
ring clearance will decrease pump capacity by one percent.
● Unfortunately all materials do not grow at the same rate and in the same direction. As an example
steel grows about 60% to 70% less than stainless steel and most mechanical seal faces grow at
about one third the rate of stainless steel. This is important to remember when you make critical
settings and interferences and one of the main reasons we should do everything we can to keep
down excessive temperature rises within the system.
● This also explains why we have less trouble with mechanical seals and bearings in equipment that
runs continuously as opposed to intermittent service equipment that goes through many
temperature cycles.
SOME MECHANICAL SEAL FACES CAN BE DESTROYED.
● Many of the popular carbon/ graphite seal faces have binders and impregnates that can be melted
or otherwise destroyed by excessive heat. Some of the lower cost carbons will blister when sub
surface air expands because of elevated temperature. This is the main reason I have advocated
unfilled carbon/ graphite seal faces at all of my Rotating Equipment Seminars.
● Plated and coated hard faces are subject to heat checking and cracking if improper bonding
methods have been used. I do not recommend plasma spray processes for this reason.
● Some of the cheaper ceramic faces can be cracked with as little as a 100 degree Fahrenheit (55°
C.) temperature differential across the seal face.
● Pressed in carbons and hard faces can become loose in their holders. This has caused some seal
manufacturers to glue in seal faces and as you can imagine, not a very satisfactory solution.
● Some seal face designs can go out of flat with very little temperature differential. This is very
pumps, heat
critical in cryogenic (cold) applications and we often have to lap the seal faces at cryogenic
temperatures to prevent them from distorting in operation.
ELASTOMER (THE RUBBER PART) LIFE CAN BE DRASTICALLY SHORTENED
● Heat will cause elastomers to take a compression set and if enough heat is added the elastomer
will probably become very hard and crack. All elastomer compounds have a rated operating
temperature range that can found in another section of this series
THE PRODUCT CAN CHANGE FROM A LIQUID TO EITHER A SOLID OR A GAS.
● Water becomes steam. Glue, paint and all kinds of polymers with odd sounding names can
solidify. Oil changes its viscosity, caustic and sugar syrups crystallize and the list goes on and on.
Centrifugal pumps and mechanical seals can handle liquids, they have problems with vapors and
solids.
● If a Cryogenic evaporates across a mechanical seal face it can freeze any lubricant that might have
been put on the face and either tear up the carbon or break the hard face.
● The easiest product to pump or seal is a cool, clean, lubricating liquid. Heat can cause that liquid
to vaporize, crystallize, solidify, carbonize, build a film on surfaces, become dangerous etc.
● The finest lubricating oils will not work when the oil breaks down to form first varnish then coke.
The bearing oil will start to do this if the oil gets above 240 F. (115 C.). Remember that a properly
installed bearing is running about 10 degrees F. (5 C) hotter than the oil temperature. You can
only guess what kind of temperature rise we get in improperly installed bearings. You should also
remember that lubricating oil and grease has a useful life of thirty years at 30°C. and the life of
the lubricant is cut in half for each 10°C. rise in temperature
PIPE STRAIN
● Pipe strain causes the shaft to be displaced from the center of the pump assembly. Rubbing,
premature seal / bearing failure and misalignment are always the result of this problem.
THE WASTING OF COSTLY ENERGY.
● The energy we pay for can be used to move fluid in your process or heat it up. The pump's job is
to move fluid not generate heat. If you want to add heat to a liquid there are far more economical
and efficient methods of doing so.
CAVITATION
● Cavitation is defined as cavities or bubbles in the liquid. A major cause of cavitation is caused by
heating the incoming liquid beyond its vapor/ pressure point. See another section of this series for
a detailed explanation of the various types of cavitation.
CHANGING THE VISCOSITY OF THE BEARING OIL
● Heat lowers the viscosity of the bearing oil causing increasing wear. As the oil heats up it will
change state, first forming a varnish coating and then turning into a black coke.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO LOWER THE AMOUNT OF HEAT BEING GENERATED

WITHIN THE PUMP.
PUMP SHAFT PACKING
● With the development of the split mechanical seal in the early nineteen eighties pump packing has
become almost obsolete. Packing a pump shaft is like driving your automobile with the
emergency brake engaged. A balanced mechanical seal will generate six times less heat than a
good set of packing. This saving in electricity, or what ever form of energy you are purchasing
will more than pay for the seal in less than two years. A 50% return on investment should get the
attention of any accountant.
THE MECHANICAL SEAL.
● Use only the balanced type with low friction faces. Be sure to set the face load properly and
remember this has to be done when the pump is at its' operating temperature. A cartridge or split
seal is the only way to set face load. Back pull out pumps (A.N.S.I. or I.S.O. ) present a special
problem because the seal is installed in the shop and the initial open impeller setting is almost
always made at the piping. Those designs that adjust to the back plate are the exception.
● Open impellers have to be adjusted to keep the pump running efficiently. The seal must be
repositioned each time the impeller is moved. Again, cartridge or split seals are your only option.
● Be sure to vent vertical stuffing boxes to prevent air from being trapped in the stuffing box. Good
seals have this vent located in the seal gland.
● Make sure dual seals have the barrier fluid circulating either by convection, a pumping ring, or
pumps, heat
through a forced circulating system.

● Check that the environmental controls are functioning properly. Cooling jackets stop functioning
when calcium builds up on the jacket wall. Condensate or steam are good alternatives if you have
problems with hard water.
● Make sure that the stationary face is centered around the shaft to prevent rubbing if the shaft is
displaced because of run out, whip, wobble, unbalance, vibration, bending, misalignment etc.
BEARINGS
● Check the oil level and change the oil on a regular basis. A pump running at 1750 rpm is almost
the same as running your car at 50 miles per hour. This means that every 2000 hours your pump
shaft travels about one hundred thousand miles. If the pump runs twenty four hours a day it will
run 2000 hours in 83.3 days or just under three months. Imagine that your pump bearings go 100
thousand miles every three months. At 1500 rpm the pump bearings travel 150,000 kilometers
every 90 days. Check the oil level with a properly installed oil level gauge or sight glass, not the
dip stick we find installed on some pumps.
● If the bearings are not fit properly they will generate excessive heat. Refer to a bearing chart
during your next installation to insure you have the proper dimensions. The internal clearance in a
properly installed bearing is just a few ten thousands of an inch (thousands of a millimeter). To do
this properly you will need an induction coil and a shaft that has been ground to the proper
tolerances. Avoid cooling the outside diameter of the bearing because it will shrink and generate
still more heat. Cool the bearing oil, never the bearing or the housing holding it.
● The bearings should be lasting from twelve to fifteen years. Most failures are caused by
lubrication contamination or improper installation, try to do the job carefully.
● The grease or bearing lip seals should be thrown away and replaced with labyrinth seals or
positive face seals that will not add heat to the bearing oil or let contaminates into the oil
reservoir. The labyrinth, or positive face seals will not cut or wear the expensive shaft and as you
know, this is a serious problem with all grease seals.
AMBIENT HEAT
● Nothing beats insulation for keeping ambient temperature away from your pumping fluid.
● More than one maintenance man has built a dog house over his pump and controlled the
temperature within the dog house.
OTHER HEAT SOURCES
● Watch out for bypass lines and re circulating lines adding heat to the suction side of a pump.
● With some parallel pump installations one of the check valves can see a higher back pressure
causing the pump to run with a throttled discharge and generating more heat.
● A recirculation line from the discharge of the pump back to the stuffing box will not only add
additional heat to the fluid, but will also increase the amount of solids in the stuffing box. In
almost every case you will be better off connecting the line from the bottom of the stuffing box
back to the suction side of the pump. Caution: do not do this if you are pumping a fluid close to its
vapor point.
● Check the wear ring or impeller clearance on a regular basis. As the pump looses efficiency the
heat and vibration will increase.
● Pipe strain can cause wear ring contact.
PUMP MODIFICATIONS THAT WILL EITHER LOWER THE AMOUNT OF HEAT BEING
GENERATED OR LESSEN THE AFFECT OF THIS HEAT.
● Use a larger stuffing box for mechanical seal applications. You can use the jacketed type if you
need extra cooling. If you find there is not enough material to bore out the present box you can
purchase the larger bore box from your distributor or manufacturer as a spare part.
● If the pumping temperature exceeds 200 F (95° C) convert the wet end of your pump to a
"centerline design" to avoid pipe strain at the suction side of the pump.
● Convert to a solid stainless steel shaft to lessen the amount of heat that will be transferred to the
bearings.
● Add oil cooling to the bearing case if you are going to see higher temperatures. Be sure to cool the
oil, never the bearing outside diameter.
● Convert to a "C" or "D" frame adapter to avoid misalignment problems.
● Use mechanical seal designs that work better at these elevated temperatures. Desirable features
would include:
❍ Balanced for low heat generation.
❍ Split or cartridge for correct installation.
❍ Carbon/metal composite for better heat dissipation.
❍ High temperature elastomers or "no elastomer" designs
❍ Solid rather than a coated hard face.
❍ Unfilled carbon for density
CONCLUSIONS
pumps, heat
Excessive heat causes seal and bearing problems. Since the heat can increase corrosion, destroy seal
faces, vaporize the fluid, coke the oil, solidify some liquids and crystallize others, change critical
tolerances, attack the elastomers, increase the bearing squeeze, cause misalignment and pipe strain, etc, it
would be ridiculous to try to build a mechanical seal, or bearing capable of operating in excessive heat.
Most claims for high temperature seals address the problem of elastomers and ignore those other factors
that we have discussed in detail. This explains the popularity of the high temperature bellows seal that
must be cooled in all high temperature petroleum applications. There is no magic, but there is a sensible
approach.
Do as many of those things we have discussed in the above paragraphs and if you find that you still have
trouble, try to find some logical method of getting additional cooling to the seal and bearing oil. We
discussed a lot of those options in the above paragraphs.
Heat is always a problem, but now you have the tools to fight back.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Bernoulli
Head, Pressure and Mr. Bernoulli #16-08
The term "pressure" can be a little confusing because the units we use to measure pressure change in
various parts of the world. Here are a few units you could encounter in your travels:
● Psi.
● Bars
● kiloPascals
● Kilograms per square centimeter.
● Atmospheres
To clear up the confusion there are various charts available to help you make the conversion from an
unfamiliar unit to a more familiar one. As an example: psi/14.7 = Atmospheres. Regardless of the units
used, they all have one thing in common and that is that pressure is read with a gage of some type.
If you are new to centrifugal pumps, you must be confused by the industry's referral to "head" instead of
the more comfortable term "pressure". The units for head are normally feet or meters, but any units of
length could theoretically be used. And to compound the problem, there are no gages that read directly in
units of head. So why do pump people stick with a term that makes little to no sense?
The simple answer is because they have to. They have no choice!
Put a weight on the end of a string, spin it around a let it go straight up into the air. It will rise to a certain
height or head. The longer the string, and the faster you spin it, the further up it will go. That's what a
pump impeller does. It spins and gives speed or velocity to the fluid entering the pump. Pretend for a
moment that the discharge of a centrifugal pump is pointing straight up into the air. The bigger the
impeller and the faster the rpms, the higher it will throw the liquid. The maximum height an impeller will
throw the liquid is called its shutoff head.
Please take a look at the following diagram:
This diagram describes a static head of fluid. The static head measures 100 feet from the top of the fluid
to the center of the gage. Please note that the measurement is taken to the center of the gage not the base
of the tank. The pressure gage will convert this head or height to a pressure using the following formula:
p = pressure in psi.
h = height in feet
sg .= specific gravity of the fluid
2.31 = a conversion factor. (2.31 feet of fresh water equals 1 psi.)
Now, take a look at the next diagram

Bernoulli
The liquid is now flowing out of the tank, but an equal amount is entering the top. The head is the same,
but you will notice that the gage is reading less pressure.
What happened?
Some of the head has been converted into fluid velocity. If you want to know how much head was
converted you can use the following formula:
h=- head
V= velocity (feet per second)
G= 32.2 feet per second2
This means that if you want to calculate the head in a pumping system, reading the gages and converting
the pressure reading to head is not good enough. You must also add the velocity of the fluid, converted to
head.
All of this discussion leads us to Mr. Bernoulli and his famous equation. Bernoulli simply stated that the
head or pressure is equal everywhere in a piping system It is always a combination of both the dynamic
and static head. There are several versions of this equation published so please note that in the following
one the term specific gravity (sg) has been replaced with density (d).
In USCS units:
In SI or metric units
The individual terms mean:
144p/d= static pressure head or 0.102p/d= static pressure head
c2/2g =dynamic head
y = elevation (feet or meters)
g = gravity (32.2 ft/sec2 or 9,8 meters/sec2)
c = velocity (feet or meters/ sec.)
p = pressure (lb/in2 or kPa)
d = density (lb/ft3 or kg/l)

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Bernoulli

Pump general
SUBJECT: How wide is your vision? 5-11
When you fly as often as I do you sometimes find yourself sitting next to a celebrity. Some years ago
back, I had an occasion to fly with the playwright Arthur Miller, and because of my Navy background
the conversation came around to submarines and nuclear power, when Mr. Miller told me the following
story.
He once had an occasion to fly cross country seated beside a nuclear physicist. As they flew over the
western part of the United States, Miller noted that much of the scenery below was desert, unable to
support a very large population because of the lack of drinking water. The physicist pointed out that
some of the largest fresh water reserves on the earth were located close by in the Rocky Mountains, but
they were deep below the ground and hard to get at. He said there was enough water below the Rockies
to sustain a population of two hundred million people with no problem at all. He further stated that three
atomic explosions carefully placed could release this water.
Miller was impressed, but asked the nuclear physicist if the explosions would not in fact contaminate the
very water they were releasing? The physicist thought about it for a couple of seconds and then pointed
out that contaminated water was not his field.
This is the same problem that we see through out our industry. People with tunnel vision prepared to take
action, with no thought about the consequences of their actions, an example:
1. A group or committee puts together a specification for centrifugal pumps with no thought about what
happens when the pump is converted from conventional packing to a mechanical seal and you lose the
shaft support that the packing was providing.
2. The polymer salesman (similar to Devcon or Belzona) tells the customer to turn down his shaft and
build it up with the product he is selling. Not being a pump professional he does not realize that the shaft
is being weakened by this procedure. We see this same problem when the salesman tries to rebuild the
pump discharge cut-water and neither he nor the maintenance man knows the correct length. The result is
that the pump begins to cavitate following the repair.
3. The salesman sells the customer a mechanical or lip seal that will frett and damage his expensive shaft
and then tells the consumer to use a sleeve under the seal with out understanding that he is weakening the
shaft because of the "fretting corrosion".
4. The seal salesman tells the customer that he does not need cooling with his bellows seal. The customer
then learns that the stuffing box cooling jacket he did not hook up, or that he shut off, was also supplying
cooling to the shaft, to prevent heat from traveling back to the bearings that are very sensitive to heat.
5. The oil salesman tells the customer that synthetic oil is better in his pump power end, but doesn't
realize that the bearing case is coated with an epoxy or some other type of coating that can be removed
by the high detergent, synthetic oil. The result is contaminated bearings and premature pump failure.
6. The maintenance man, in an attempt to get a higher head at low cost, installs an over size impeller and
larger motor on the pump. This causes the impeller to run too close to the cut water, causing "Vane
Passing Syndrome Cavitation".
7. The well meaning maintenance man that re-laps his seal carbon faces with lapping powder that imbeds
its self into the carbon, causing it to act as a grinding wheel that will damage the expensive hard seal
face.
8. The operator that throttles the discharge of the centrifugal pump and breaks the shaft because he is
operating too far off of the best efficiency point and doesn't realize that the B.E.P. relates to shaft
deflection and breakage.
9. The maintenance man that repaints the pump room including the equipment, and doesn't realize that he
has painted the exposed springs on the outside seal of a double seal application.
10. The operator that flushes a solvent, caustic or steam through the lines and doesn't realize that the
elastomer in the mechanical seal is not compatible with the flush.
11. The mechanic that replaces carbon steel bolts with stainless steel bolts because they are rusting and
doesn't realize that he is now sensitive to chloride stress corrosion that can cause a catastrophic failure of
the part. We often see the same type of problem when people insulate stainless steel pipe and tanks.
12. The seal salesman that concerns him self with problems of clogging the seal in abrasive slurry
applications and does not realize that the abrasive slurry will cause the equipment to go out of dynamic
balance. The faster moving impeller will cause frequent impeller adjustments that will eventually unload
the seal and open the lapped seal faces.
13. The pump salesman that opens the eye of the impeller to get a lower net positive suction head
Pump general
(NPSH) and causes a "Suction Specific Speed" cavitation problem.
14. The seal salesman that installs a quench line behind the seal causing steam to enter into the bearing
case through the inexpensive grease or lip seal.
15. The pump company that installs a discharge recirculation line from the discharge side of the pump to
the stuffing box that causes the entrained solids to act like a sand blaster that cuts the thin seal bellows
plates.
16. The chemical manufacturer that blends chlorine with his cleaning chemical or coating so that it will
act as an antiseptic in the event the customer has an open cut on his hands. He does not realize that the
chlorine he added will cause problems with the stainless steel that the worker is cleaning or coating.
Chloride stress corrosion problems are very common in the process industry.
These types of problems, and a thousand more, will increase as we see more companies going to the
"multi craft" concept or contract maintenance. Your knowledge of seals, metal repair, and rotating
equipment will be invaluable to your company in the above and similar situations.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Pump impellers
SUBJECT: All about impellers 10-1
First the types:
The open impeller is nothing more than a series of vanes attached to a central hub for mounting on the
shaft without any form of side wall or shroud. This design is much more sensitive to vane wear than the
semi or closed impeller.
The semi-open impeller incorporates a single shroud at the back of the impeller. This is the most
common design used in the United States and the one you find on most ANSI standard pumps.
● The shroud often has "cast in" pump out vanes that will help circulate lubricating liquid from the
lantern ring connection through the packing ahead of the lantern ring.
● Most modern pump designs allow you to adjust the semi- open impeller without disassembling
the pump. This is a tremendous advantage if you want to maintain the pump efficiency by
adjusting the impeller to volute clearance for thermal expansion and volute/impeller wear.
Remember that if there is a mechanical seal in the stuffing box any impeller adjustment can
interfere with the seal face loading. Those designs that adjust to the volute (Goulds type) will
unload the seal faces and those that adjust to the back plate (Duriron type) will increase the seal
face loading.
● A typical volute or back plate clearance for a semi open impeller would be 0.015 to 0.020 inches
(0,4 to 0,5 mm). For each 0.002 inches (0,05 mm) you increase this clearance, the pump will lose
about 1% of its capacity.
The closed impeller has a shroud on either side of the vanes. This is the most common design found with
ISO standard pumps, oil refinery applications and the design you see on double ended pumps.
● To maintain impeller efficiency you are required to replace the wear rings after the original
clearance has doubled. The first problem is to determine when it has doubled, and then you have
to take the pump apart to replace them. The result is that timely replacement is seldom done, and
pump loss of efficiency with resultant vibration becomes the rule.
● The general rule of thumb is that the pump will lose about 1% of its capacity for each excessive
0.001 inches (0,025 mm) of impeller clearance.
● Since the wear ring clearance is usually smaller than the area of the balance holes drilled through
the impeller, you will lose the advantage of suction recirculation as stuffing box pressure is very
close to suction pressure.
The impeller specific speed number describes the shape of the impeller
● The shape of the head/ capacity curve is a function of specific speed, but the designer has some
control of the head and capacity through the selection of the vane angle and the number of vanes.
● The pump with the highest specific speed impeller, that will meet the requirements of the system,
probably will be the smallest and the least expensive. The bad news is that it will run at the
highest speed and be subject to maximum wear and damage from cavitation.
Radial flow impellers (low specific speed numbers)
● They should be specified for high head and low flow conditions.
● They seldom exceed 6 inches (150 mm) in diameter and run at the higher motor speeds
● The casing is normally concentric with the impeller as opposed to the volute type casings
normally found in the industry..
● These impellers exhibit a flat head/capacity curve from shut off to about 75% of their best
efficiency and then the curve falls off sharply.
● Radial flow impellers are normally started with a discharge valve shut to save start up power.
Axial flow impellers (high specific speed numbers)
● They run at the highest efficiency

● They have the lowest NPSH requirement.
● They require the highest power requirement at shut off, so they are normally started with the
discharge valve open.
Impellers can be manufactured from a variety of materials:
We would like a combination of a hard material to resist wear and a corrosion resistant material to insure
long life. This is often a conflict in terms because when we heat treat a metal to get the hardness we need,
we lose corrosion resistance. The softer metals can have corrosion resistance, but they lack the hardness
we need for long wear life. The best materials that combine these features are called the "Duplex
Metals". These duplex materials are now in their second generation. They can be identified by letters and
numbers such as Cd4MCu
If a new impeller is required because of cavitation, the new design should incorporate those features we

Pump impellers
have learned that will increase impeller performance:
● The use of large fillets where the vanes join the shrouds to lessen stress.
● Investment castings so that you can design in the compound curves that produce less wear.
● The latest design iteration to help reduce radial thrust.
● Sharpened leading edges of the vanes to reduce losses.
● A reduction of shroud to cutwater clearance to lessen internal recirculation.
● A conversion to the newer duplex metals.
Impellers can be designed for a variety of applications:
● The ideal impeller would have an infinite number of vanes of an infinitesimal size.
● The conventional impeller design with sharp vane edges and restricted areas is not suitable for
handling liquids that contain rags, stringy materials and solids like sewage because it will clog.
Special non-clogging impellers with blunt edges and large water ways have been developed for
these services.
● Paper pulp impellers are fully open and non-clogging. The screw conveyer end projects far into
the suction nozzle permitting the pump to handle high consistency paper pulp stock.
● Vortex pump designs have recessed impellers that pump the solids by creating a vortex (whirl
pool effect) in the volute and the solids move without ever coming into contact with the impeller.
You pay for this feature with a greater loss of pump efficiency.
● An axial flow impeller called an Inducer (it works like a booster pump) can be placed ahead of the
regular pump impeller, on the same shaft, to increase the suction pressure and lessen the chance of
cavitation. In some instances this can allow the pump to operate at a higher speed with a given
NPSH. The inducer will contribute less than 5% of the total pump head, and although low in
efficiency the total efficiency of the pump is not reduced significantly. The total reduction in
NPSH required can be as much as 50%.
● People often inquire about forward curved vanes. They have been tested.
● Both the capacity and efficiency were reduced.
● There was a slight increase in head.
● The impeller exhibited unstable characteristics at the low end of capacity range.
● The impeller exhibited steep characteristics at high end of the range.
● Increasing the number of vanes tends to flatten out the curve and steady the flow.
Impellers can be single or double suction designs.
● Because an over hung, single suction impeller does not require an extension of the shaft into the
impeller eye it is preferred for applications handling solids like sewage. The suction eye is defined
as the inlet of the impeller just before the section where the vanes start. In a closed impeller pump
the suction eye is taken as the smallest inside diameter of the shroud. Be sure to deduct the
impeller shaft hub to determine the area.
● Double suction pumps lower the NPSH required by about forty percent.
● Most double suction impellers are constructed so that the stuffing box is at suction pressure. This
causes you to lose the advantage of suction recirculation to prevent seal failure when handling
solids. You are going to have to flush many of these seals with a clean, compatible liquid that will
dilute your product to some degree.
Looking at the axial thrust in single stage pumps.
Single stage, single suction, semi-open impeller.
● The axial thrust generated is higher than in closed impellers because of the hub. Pump out vanes
and balance holes are a common solution to this problem.
● A mechanical seal can add to this axial thrust. The amount is dependent upon the design of the
seal. Balanced designs create less thrust.
Single stage, single suction, closed impeller:
● Balancing holes are not desirable with closed impellers because leakage back to the impeller inlet
opposes the main flow creating disturbances. A piped connection to the pump suction can replace
the balance holes
● Theoretically there shouldn't be any thrust in a double suction closed impeller, but:
● An elbow with the inlet piping running parallel to the shaft will cause an uneven flow into the
impeller eyes. This uneven flow will cause thrusting of the impeller in one direction depending
upon the flow difference. The eye is taken as the smallest inside diameter of the shroud.
Remember to deduct the area occupied by the impeller hub.
● The two sides of the discharge casing may not be symmetrical causing an axial thrust.
● Unequal leakage through both sets of packing can upset the axial balance. Leaking seals can do
the same thing.
Impellers can be cut down to keep the application close to the pumps best efficiency point :
● Theoretically up to twenty five percent of an impeller diameter can be removed, but any time you
Pump impellers
remove more than ten percent of the maximum impeller diameter the affinity laws are no longer
accurate because of slippage between the impeller outside diameter and the pump volute.
● Changing the impeller diameter changes the head, capacity and power requirements.
● The capacity can be increased by under filing the vane tips, but the discharge head and the power
requirement will automatically adjust to the values where the pump curve intersects the system
curve.
● If you intend to cut down the impeller diameter, the impeller should be cut down in at least two
steps and tested after each step.
● After cutting down the impeller diameter the discharge vanes should be reshaped to a long gradual
taper to increase the pumps performance. Chamfering or rounding the discharge tips will
frequently increase the losses and should never be done.
● Over filing is removing metal from the leading edge of the blade. This seldom produces any
increase in the vane spacing and produces a negligible change in pump performance.
● Under filing is removing metal from the trailing edge of the blade. If properly done it will
increase the vane spacing and can increase the capacity by as much as ten percent.
● If the inlet vane tips are blunt, over filing will increase the inlet area and the cavitation
characteristics can be improved.
● Cutting back the tongue increases the throat area and increases the maximum capacity. The
head/capacity is then said to "carry out further".

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Trimming the impeller
Subject : Increasing the centrifugal pump performance by modifying the impeller.12-6
The following information will apply to closed, semi-open and open impellers unless noted otherwise:
● We will be using the term Gap "A"

to describe the clearance between
the impeller shrouds to the volute
or casing and
● Gap "B" describes the clearance
between the impeller vanes and the
casing or volute.
● "D" describes the diameters of the
vanes and shrouds
What happens when you reduce the impeller vane diameter?
Several things :
● The affinity laws predict the result of this action, but they are not as accurate as we would like
them to be, especially if we are making more than a 10% reduction in impeller diameter. There
are several reasons why this is true :
❍ The affinity laws assume the impeller shrouds are parallel. This is true only in low specific
speed pumps.
❍ There is increased turbulence at the vane tips as the impeller is trimmed because the
shroud to casing clearance (Gap "A") is increasing. This is sometimes referred to as "slip" .
❍ The liquid exit angle is changed as the impeller is cut back, so the head/capacity curve
becomes steeper.
● Mixed flow (the popular version) are more affected than low specific speed, radial vane impellers
(high head/low capacity).
● I would recommend using only 75% of the calculated cut to stay on the safe side.
● The greater the impeller reduction and the higher the specific speed of the impeller, the more the
pump efficiency will decrease with impeller trimming.
● Impeller diameter reductions greater than 5% to 10% of the maximum will increase the NPSHR
(net positive suction head required). If there is a close margin between NPSHA (net positive
suction head available) and NPSHR (net positive suction head required) be sure to check with
your pump manufacturer for information on how these two will be affected by an impeller
reduction. Unfortunately many pump manufacturers do not publish this information along with
their pump curve.
● Excessive shroud to casing clearance (Gap "A" ) and the resultant recirculation to the low
pressure side of the pump will produce "eddy flows" around the impeller causing low frequency
axial vibrations that can translate to mechanical seal problems. This can be a real concern in large
pumps of over 250 horsepower (195 KW) or pumps pumping heads in excess of 650 feet (198
meters).
● For many years pump people have been machining the vane tips to reduce the vane passing
frequency vibrations (Gap "B") while carefully maintaining Gap "A". The pulsating forces acting
on the impeller can be reduced by 80% to 85% by increasing gap "B" from 1% to 6%.
● For impeller diameters up to 14 inches (355 mm) gap "B" should be at least 4% of the impeller
diameter to prevent "Vane passing syndrome cavitation" problems. Above 14" (355 mm) Gap "B"
should be at least 6% of the impeller diameter to prevent this type of cavitation.
Although both the vanes and shrouds are often cut in end suction, volute type centrifugal pumps; it is not
a good idea to do this in double suction designs. With these types of pumps you can reduce the vane
diameters, but the shrouds should remain untouched.
● Structural strength is a consideration when deciding how much to reduce the vane diameter in
double ended pumps because you could leave to much unsupported shroud. Some manufacturers
recommend an oblique cut that will improve the vane exit flow and add some strength to the
shrouds.
● Machining a radius where the trimmed vane meets the shroud is another good idea to add strength
to the assembly. Square corners are never a good idea.
Under filing the exit vanes is usually a good idea. Please look at the following diagram :

Trimming the impeller
● (d) is the distance before

filling
● (df) is the distance after filing
● Under filing will increase the pump capacity, especially for large circulating pumps. One look at
the above diagram will make this obvious.
● The exit angle of the fluid will change resulting in a higher head at design flow, but no change in
shut off head.
● Because of reductions in the wake of the fluid exiting the vanes. The efficiency of the pump
should improve slightly. The smaller the size of the pump the larger the effect.
● The technique of under filing is critical. Sharp corners, where the vane joins the shroud, can
initiate cracks and eventual impeller failure.
● At least 0.0125 inches (3 mm) of vane tip thickness must remain after the under filing.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Open vs. closed impellers
Subject: Open vs.Closed impeller design pumps 14-2.
The open impeller design
The fluid enters the eye of the impeller where the turning vanes
add energy to the fluid and direct it to the discharge nozzle. A
close clearance between the vanes and the pump volute, or back
plate in a few designs, prevents most of the fluid from
recirculating back to the eye of the impeller.
(L) shows the leading edge or higher-pressure side of the

impeller. (T) describes the trailing edge of the impeller
The closed impeller design
The fluid enters the eye of the impeller where the vanes add
energy to the fluid and direct it to the discharge nozzle. There is
no impeller to volute or back plate clearance to set.
Wear rings restrict the amount of discharge fluid that

recirculates back to the suction side of the impeller. When this
wear ring clearance becomes excessive the wear rings must be
replaced.
Did you get the difference? High pressure always flows to low pressure, so we now have two separate
methods of restricting internal recirculation that can lower the efficiency of your pump and generate a lot
of unwanted heat to the pumpage.
● A set impeller clearance, or

● Installed wear rings
There are advantages and disadvantages to each design:
CLOSED IMPELLER OPEN IMPELLER

The impeller to volute or back plate clearance must
Can compensate for shaft thermal growth, but if
be adjusted when the pump is at operating
there is too much axial growth the vanes may not
temperature and all axial thermal growth has
line up exactly with the discharge nozzle.
occurred
You would have to use soft, non-sparking

Good for volatile and explosive fluids because the materials for the impeller and that is not very
close clearance wear rings are the parts that will practical.
contact if the shaft displaces from its centerline
Efficiency can be maintained through impeller

The impeller is initially very efficient, but looses clearance adjustment.
its efficiency as the wear ring clearance increases
The impeller can be adjusted to compensate for

No impeller adjustment is possible. Once the wear
wear and stay close to its best efficiency. No pump
ring clearances doubles they have to be replaced.
disassembly is necessary.
This means the pump had to be disassembled just
to check the status of the wear rings.
The open impeller is less likely to clog with solids,

The impeller can clog if you pump solids or
but if it does, it is easy to clean.
"stringy material". It is difficult to clean out these
solids from between the shrouds and vanes.

The open impeller has all the parts visible.

The impeller is difficult to cast because the internal
parts are hidden and hard to inspect for flaws
The pump is less costly to build with a simple open

The closed impeller is a more complicated and
impeller design.
expensive design not only because of the impeller,
but the additional wear rings are needed.
The vanes can easily be cut or filed to increase the

The impeller is difficult to modify to improve its capacity.
performance.
You have a greater range of specific speed choices.

The specific speed choices (the shape of the
impeller) are limited
My experience in Europe has been that about 85% of the pumps used in the process industry are of the
close impeller design. Here in the United States it is the opposite, with the exception of oil refineries.
At one of my International seminars I quizzed a couple of KSB Pump Company application engineers
about this difference and was told they used closed impellers more often because the German mechanic
will not make the proper impeller clearance adjustment.
Oil refineries choose the closed impeller design because their products are often explosive or a fire
hazard. If you use open impeller pumps in these applications there is always the danger of the impeller
contacting the volute and causing sparks. This means that the impellers would have to be manufactured
from a non-sparking material, which is often too soft for the abrasives in an oil refinery application.
If you want to get a feel for thermal growth involved, be aware that a stainless steel shaft grows both
radially and axially at the rate of 0.001 inch, per inch of shaft, for each 100°F (0.001 mm/millimeter of
shaft length or diameter/50°C) rise in temperature.
Let's take a look at a typical heat transfer oil pump running at 600°F (300°C) and see what type of
expansions we are talking about. We will start with the inch version and assume a 20-inch long, 1.875-
inch diameter shaft.
If the 1.875 diameter shaft measured twenty inches from the end of the impeller to the thrust bearing and
you heated the shaft up an average of 400°F over ambient, it would grow 0.080 inches in length and
0.0075 inches in diameter.
● This would be enough axial growth to allow the impeller to contact the volute because a typical
impeller to volute clearance would be between 0.015 and 0.020 inches. The volute is often
manufactured from a different material than the shaft and we have no evidence that both the shaft
and volute will grow in the same direction and at the same rate.
● The radial growth is enough to allow the shaft to contact the low expansion metal vibration
dampers frequently used in metal bellows seals specified for this service.
If a heat transfer oil pump in the metric system had a 48mm shaft, 450mm long heated to 200°C over
ambient, it would grow 1.8mm in length and 0.20mm in diameter
This is the reason both seal and pump manufacturers recommend turning the shaft by hand prior to start
up, but be careful, it's hot!
All of this means that all impeller clearance must be set when the pump is at operating temperature. It
also means that you are going to have to specify cartridge mechanical seals in these applications because
their operating length must be set when the pump is at operating temperature, or anytime after the open
impeller has been adjusted to compensate for vane or volute wear.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150


Impeller shape vs. pump curve
Subject : How the shape of the pump impeller affect the pump curve.12-7
Pump people use the term specific speed to describe the shape of the pump's impeller. In paper Volume 7
Number 3, I have shown you the specific speed formula and how the specific speed number relates to :
● The pump's efficiency

● The NPSHR (net positive suction head required) to prevent cavitation.
● Suction specific speed.
● Possible motor overloading
● The pump cost
Please take a look at the following diagram. It describes how the specific speed number relates to the
shape of the impeller :
In this paper we are going to see how the shape of the pump impeller affects both the slope of the pump
curve and the amount of horsepower that will be consumed by the pump at various capacities.
Most of the pumps used in the process industry are of the Francis vane type with specific speed numbers
between 1500 and 4000. That would be curves number two (#2) and three (#3) in the following diagram.
These are the familiar curves you see on most of your pump prints.
In the following diagram you will also learn how this specific speed number (Ns) affects the shape of the
pump curve. As you can see, the higher the specific speed number, the steeper the curve.
The trick is to select the correct specific speed number so that the pump has a reasonable chance of
accomplishing exactly what you want to do. In other words the pump curve matches the system curve.
As an example :
● Some process systems require a high head, low capacity pump. A rotary positive displacement
pump would be a natural for the application but often these pumps do not have enough capacity
for the application. One look at the diagram above would show you that a lower specific speed
impeller on a centrifugal pump might make sense in that application.
● Many boiler feed pumps need a curve with a constant head, but a varying capacity. In other
words, a flat curve is necessary if the boiler pressure is going to remain a constant while the
capacity or steam demand changes. A specific speed number of between 900 and 2200 looks like
it would be a logical choice.
Impeller shape vs. pump curve
The next diagram show how the pump's horsepower consumption relates to each of these curve shapes.
From the above diagram you can draw several conclusions :
● Low specific speed pumps are started with the discharge valve throttled to save power.
● High suction specific speed pumps are started with the discharge valve open to save power.
● Please keep in mind that any time you throttle a pump discharge, the pump is operarting off its
best efficiency point and is subject to excessive radial forces that could deflect the shaft and cause
a premature mechanical seal failure.
If you will refer to other papers I have written about this subject you will learn how the specific speed
number of the impeller relates to pump efficiency and need for NPSHR (net positive suction head
required)

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

piping
A few things you should know about your pump's piping system 14-7
impeller.
● Piping should be arranged with as few bends as possible. If bends are necessary use a long radius
when ever possible
● Valve stems, T Branches and elbows should be installed perpendicular to the pump shaft, not at
right angles.
● If an expansion joint is installed in the piping between the pump and the nearest point of anchor in
the piping, It should be noted that a force equal to the area of the expansion joint (which could be
a lot larger than the normal piping size) times the pressure in the piping will be transmitted to the
pump proper. Pipe couplings that do not provide an axially rigid connection have the same affect.
If an expansion join or non-rigid coupling must be used, it is recommended that a pipe anchor be
installed between it and the pump.
● Be aware that radial forces are being generated in the pump housing from the pressure in the
piping system acting on the volute area. The magnitude and direction of the forces is dependent
upon the piping arrangement along with the areas and pressures involved.
● It is always a good idea to increase the size of the suction and discharge pipes at the pump nozzle
in order to decrease the head loss from pipe friction.
● If increasers are used on the discharge side to increase the size of discharge piping, they should be
installed between the check valve and the pump.
● Both a check and gate valve should be installed in the discharge piping with the check valve
placed between the pump and the stop valve to protect the pump from reverse flow and excessive
back pressure. Manually operated discharge valves that are hard to reach should have some
facility for quick closing. A sprocket rim wheel and chain or a remotely operated motor are two
alternatives you might consider.
● Suction piping must be kept free of air leaks.
● The installation of check valves should be avoided in the suction piping although they are often
used to reduce the number of valves that have to be operated in switching between series and
parallel pump operation.
● A foot valve is often installed in the suction piping to aid priming. Do not install them if the pump
is operating against a high static head because failure of the driver would allow liquid to rush back
suddenly causing water hammer. This is especially true for vertical turbine and submersible
pumps that are not designed for use with a foot valve.
● Foot valves should be of the low loss flap type rather than the multiple spring variety and have a
clear passage for the liquid at least the same area as the suction piping.
● A horizontal suction line should have a gradual rise or slope to the pump suction.
● Cast iron pumps should never be provided with raised face flanges. If steel suction or discharge
piping is used, the pipe flanges should be of the flat face type and not the raised face type. Full-
faced gaskets must be used with cast iron flanges.
● The optimum control valve location is within five feet (1,5 meters) of the pump discharge to
prevent too much surging of fluid in the system when the discharge is throttled.
● The optimum pipe size will consider the installed cost of the pipe (the cost increases with size)
and the pump power requirements (the power required increases with pipe friction)
❍ Try to limit the friction loss at design flow to 2-5 feet for each 100 feet (1-2 meters for
each 30 meters) of pipe).

❍ To prevent the settling of solids you need a minimum velocity of about 4 to 7 feet per
second (1.5 to 2.5 meters per second)

❍ Velocities of no more than 10 feet (3 meters) per second are recommended in the suction
side piping to prevent abrasive wear.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

piping
Subject: A reminder of a few things you should know about installing pumps 14-8
● The pump should be located as close to the liquid source as practical so that a short, direct suction
pipe can be used to reduce friction on the suction side of the pump. If you are forced to use a long
length of pipe consider going to a larger size.
● The mass of the pump concrete foundation must be five (5) times the mass of the pump, base
plate, and other equipment that is being supported or vibration will occur.
● Foundation bolts of the proper size should be embedded in the concrete.
● If you are not going to use a "C" or "D" frame adapter that aligns the pump and electric motor
with a registered fit, you are going to have to do a physical alignment using either a laser or
reverse dial indicators. Be sure to compensate for thermal expansion and then check the alignment
after the grouting has set and the foundation bolts tightened.
pipe strain problems caused by the wet end of the pump expanding in only one direction. A good
rule of thumb says that each inch of stainless steel metal will expand 0.001 inches with each
100°F of temperature increase, The metric expansion is each millimeter will expand 0.001
millimeters with each 50°C increase in temperature.
● A flexible coupling should never be used to compensate for misalignment between the pump and
its driver. The purpose of the flexible coupling is to allow for axial expansion of the shaft and to
transmit the torque from the driver to the pump.
plate. Be sure to dowel only the feet closest to the coupling allowing the outboard ends to expand
with temperature changes. This is especially important with large pumps handling hot liquids.
● With the coupling disconnected, check impeller rotation after installing the pump. Generally an
arrow cast into most pump volutes will show you the proper direction. Even then do not assume it
will turn in the correct direction. I have heard about two speed pumps with the second speed
wired backwards. They will drive you crazy because the pump will often meet its head
requirement but not the capacity when the second speed cuts in. You will also notice excessive
noise when it cuts in.
● Discharge recirculation lines should not be piped to the pump suction because they can heat the
incoming fluid and possibly cause a cavitation problem. Pipe them to the source or some other
logical place if possible.
● Remember that you cannot vent a running pump because centrifugal force throws the liquid out
leaving the trapped air in the center or eye of the impeller.
● Vent valves can be installed at one or more points in the pump casing waterways.
● Vertical pumps that are running with a mechanical seal need a vent installed above the seal faces
and any dynamic elastomers in the seal to prevent the seal faces from running dry and overheating
of the dynamic elastomer. In this instance you can pipe the vent back to the pump suction.
● Positive displacement pumps can develop excessive discharge pressures so a vent should be
installed in the discharge piping and piped back to the source.
● To prevent piping vibration problems:
❍ Eliminate all unnecessary bends because they provide a strong coupling point between
pulsation excitation forces and the mechanical system.

❍ If you must use bends use the largest enclosed angles as possible and provide restraints
near each bend.

❍ Supports should be installed near all reducers and large masses such as valves, filters,
flanges, etc.
❍ Small, auxiliary-piping connections should be tied back to the main piping to reduce
vibration problems.
❍ Install vibration damping devices where ever practical.
● Here is the proper way to vent a centrifugal pump after it has been installed, or the system has
been opened. I am assuming the pump is empty of liquid and both the suction and discharge
valves are shut.
❍ Open the suction valve. The pump fills part way.
❍ Close the suction valve.
❍ Open the discharge valve part way. Once the pressure equalizes the air will rise through
the pump in the discharge piping. To insure that the pump stuffing box is full of liquid you
can drill a small vent hole between the end or bottom of the stuffing box and the impeller.
Drill the hole in the corner at the top.
❍ Open the suction valve.
❍ Start the pump.

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piping

Rotary pumps
Subject : Rotary pumps.
Rotary pumps make up about 10% of the pumps we use in industry. Unlike the more common centrifugal
design they are PD (positive displacement) pumps.
● They will put out a constant volume of liquid regardless of the pressure they encounter. They put
out the constant volume with each rotation of the shaft.
● They do not impart velocity to the liquid they are pumping.
● The discharge pressure is determined by resistance, and not affected by the specific gravity of the
fluid.
● There is no radial thrust transferred to the shaft as you move on the pump curve.
Did you notice I used the word "pressure" in the above paragraph? You will recall that centrifugal pump
people substitute the word "head" because unlike the PD pump the discharge pressure in a centrifugal
pump is determined by the specific gravity and volume of the fluid you are pumping.
The head of a centrifugal pump was limited by the diameter of the impeller and its speed. How much
pressure will a rotary PD pump produce? It is limited only by:
● The strength of the pump casing and the internal components.

● The power available from the pump driver (normally an electric motor).
In my schools I seldom talk about positive displacement pumps because, unlike centrifugal pumps, there
is very little you can do to modify them to increase their performance. They are basically a spare parts
business where the performance of the pump is directly related to how well you maintain their internal
clearances.
In other words, if you were an expert in rotary pumps it is still a parts replacing business, and you know
how to do that without having to go through any special training. However, if you are going to be called
upon to solve a specific pumping problem, you are going to need a basic knowledge of these pumps
because they represent a percentage of the pumps used by the process industry and present the same
sealing problems as their centrifugal cousins.
Rotary pumps come in various configurations. In this paper we will leave out the reciprocating type of
PD pump and address the rotary version only. You should know that there are several different rotary
configurations being offered to industry. Among them :
● External gear, Internal gear, Lobe, Progressive cavity, Three screw, Two screw, One screw,
Flexible tube, Sliding vane, Flexible vane
If you are unfamiliar with some of these designs, almost any pump book has pictures of most of them.
The following table will give you a feel for the capabilities of some of the above configurations:
ROTARY PUMP GPM PSI

Gear 1200 gpm 500psi
Lobe 1200 gpm 500 psi
Progressive cavity 1000 gpm 1000 psi
Three screw 1000 gpm 500 psi
Two screw 9000 gpm 1500 psi
Vane 1000 gpm 150 psi
In the following paragraphs we will investigate the main differences between these designs and the
centrifugal pump that dominates about 90% of the chemical process market.
The Pump Curve
● The centrifugal pump curve shape is determined by the specific speed or shape of the impeller.
Although there are a number of head/capacity combinations possible, there is only one best
efficiency point. If you want to match the best efficiency point (B.E.P.) of a given size pump to
your application, you are going to have to change the impeller diameter or speed of the pump.
● The centrifugal pump application engineer is charged with the responsibility of matching the
system curve requirements with the pump curve. This problem does not exist with rotary pumps.
They will supply what ever head is needed to move the fluid, but no more.
Rotary pumps
● Rotary pumps do not have a best efficiency point. They pump a given capacity against any
pressure the system requires. If you want to change the capacity you have to change the speed of
the pump. You do not have the option of trimming or changing a component inside the pump.
● If I wanted to fill a tank with a centrifugal pump I would fill the tank from the top because that is
he only way I could keep a constant head on the system and keep the pump close to its best
efficiency point. If I were using a rotary pump I would fill the tank from the bottom because the
pump would be using less power during the filling process (power is foot pounds or head times
capacity)
Lets talk about the fluids you will be pumping.
● Centrifugal pumps work best with low viscosity fluids (like water) that do not contain entrained
air. A centrifugal pump has to be primed before it can pump liquid.
● Rotary pumps work best with viscous (thick) fluids because the viscous fluid fills the clearance
areas as well as the pumping cavities, and the less clearance you have in a rotary pump the better
it works.
❍ This means that rotary are more efficient than centrifugal pumps when the fluid is viscous,
but less efficient with low viscosity fluids because of "slip" (the cross over point varies
from 700 to 1000 SSU).
❍ They also have the advantage of being self priming because they can pump gases as well
as liquid.
Pumping Slurries
● Tight tolerances means more wear if you are pumping a slurry or abrasive fluids. If you are
pumping either of these you should run at pump speeds well below those used for clean
lubricating liquids. In slurry applications the wear rate is proportional to the speed. Caution : Be
sure to keep the speed high enough to keep all velocities within the pump and system above the
critical carrying velocity of the slurry.
● Specify pumping elements which combine soft and hard materials to reduce abrasion and provide
resistance to the solids imbedding into the pump components.
● Since rotary pumps are positive displacement pumps and slurries have an inherent tendency to
settle and clog piping, over pressure protection should be part of the system. Slurry service
precludes the use of many conventional relief valve, but rupture discs and other options are
available.
● The corrosion rate of the slurry should be a prime consideration in selecting the pump materials.
Most corrosion resistant metals form a protective oxide layer (we use the term "passivated" to
describe this), that will be removed by the slurry, increasing the corrosion rate of the metal
dramatically.
The Effect Of Viscosity On The Pump And System Performance
● The net positive inlet pressure required (NPIPR) increases with increasing viscosity.
● The required input power increase with increasing viscosity
● The maximum allowable pump speed decreases with increasing viscosity.
● The pump slip decreases with increasing viscosity. This has the affect of a slight increase in the
gpm output.
● The outlet pressure does not increase with an increase in viscosity.
The Head
● The centrifugal pump has a maximum or shut off head determined by the impeller diameter and
shaft speed. The centrifugal pump head changes as the capacity changes. As you throttle or slow
down the capacity the head will increase at the rate shown on the pump curve. If you double the
speed of a centrifugal pump it is capable of putting out four times the head at the slower speed.
● Changing the speed of a rotary pump to vary its capacity has little to no affect on its pressure
output. The pressure is determined by the resistance at the pump's discharge.
● The rotary pump will work against any back pressure, provided you have the horse power or
kilowatts to drive the pump. Unlike the centrifugal design it does not have a maximum head or
pressure. Operating against a closed discharge valve will cause the rotary pump to continue to
build pressure until it either overloads the motor, or damages a component. All of this means that
you will need a pressure relief valve in the discharge system or built into the pump casing.
Horsepower Requirements
● If you double the speed of a centrifugal pump it will require eight times the horsepower to drive it
because the capacity will double, but the head will increase four times.
● If you double the speed of a rotary pump it will require twice the horse power because only the
capacity will double.
NPSH Required
● If you can get the fluid to a rotary pump it will pump it. The trick is to get it there. Instead of the
Rotary pumps
term NPSH (net positive suction head) rotary pump people use the term Net Positive Inlet
Pressure (NPIP), but some people are hard to change so the term NPSH is still often used with
rotary pumps.
● Centrifugal pump NPSH is determined by holding the speed and suction pressure constant and
then throttling the suction until you get a 3% drop in discharge head. The test is a lot more reliable
if you use deaerated water to remove any small amount of bubbles.
● Rotary pumps are often selected to move liquids with a low vapor pressure point, or fluids with a
lot of entrained bubbles. This means that NPIP required (NPSH) is difficult to test. The Hydraulic
Institute establishes the point at the first indication of any of the following.
❍ Cavitation noise is heard.
❍ A 5% reduction in capacity at constant differential pressure and speed
❍ A 5% reduction in power consumption at constant differential pressure and speed.
Rotary pumps present a few advantages over their centrifugal cousins. These advantages include:
● Flow is independent of pressure. You can change the flow without upsetting the pump's
efficiency.
● The pump can handle high viscosity fluids efficiently.
● The pump is self priming
● You get a smooth pulse free flow of the liquid into the system.
● You can get the desirable high head low flow combination that is need in many high pressure
applications.
● They give you a non-shearing action that will not degrade sensitive petrochemicals and polymers
In summary, PD pumps are great pumps and we would use a lot more of them if they could produce the
volume of fluid most of our process applications require.

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Metal bellows sealing
Subject: An overview of metal bellows sealing.12-10
Metal bellows seals perform many functions. Unfortunately all the functions are not available in the same
seal.
● They can be used to eliminate elastomers (rubber like parts) in the chemical process industry.
Most chemicals and chemical combinations can be sealed with either a good grade of Viton® or
ethylene propylene, but someone has to make the decision and many responsible people are not
capable, so mistakes are often made.
● Most solvents present a real problem for elastomer selection. Expensive materials like Kalrez®
and Chemraz are often the only solution. You would be better off if you could eliminate these
special materials all together
● Metal bellows are also used to eliminate elastomers because of temperature limits. All elastomers
have both an upper and lower temperature limit that prevents them from sealing many hot resins,
polymers and cryogenic applications. Hot oils are another high temperature sealing problem, but
their "coking" characteristics dictates cooling of the stuffing box area.
The individual bellows convolutions can be formed in different ways:
● Convoluted, stamped plates can be welded. This is the most popular type used in mechanical
seals. End fittings are welded to the bellows to hold the seal faces, sleeve and gland attachments.
● The bellows can be formed by forcing a metal tube into a die. Here you are limited to ductile
material that have to be stretched to conform to the die, leaving thin and thick cross sections.
"Crushed formed" techniques have helped, but they still lack the reliability of welded bellows.
You have seen many of these formed bellows used in commercial expansion joints.
● The bellows configuration can be plated onto a wax mold that can later be melted away to leave
the bellows configuration. The resultant thin bellows section eliminates this style for mechanical
seals, but they are frequently used in instrumentation.
In the following drawing we will learn the names of the individual parts of a typical "nested convolution"
bellows seal
Please take a look at the following diagram for some more bellows terminology;
● A convolution is two stamped plates welded together. You can count the number of convolutions
in the seal by counting the spaces between the end fittings.
● The weld bead fusing the plates together is about 2.5 times the thickness of an individual plate
(0.004" or 0.10 mm).
● The span is the width of the plate. A 0.250 inch (6 mm) span is the most popular but seldom the
most sensible. Most bellows seals come in this cross section because the tooling is readily
available. The wider the span the less convolutions you need to get the desired spring rate for the
proper face loading. If you use too many convolutions you end up, with a "slinky toy".
● The pitch is the distance between the plates. You measure the pitch from the center of a weld bead
to the center of an adjacent weld bead. 0.040 inches (0.10 mm) is typical in mechanical seal
applications
The driving end of the bellows seal can be attached to the shaft in several ways:
● It can be welded to a sleeve, and the sleeve clamped and

held to the shaft by the impeller. A stainless steel gasket
can prevent leakage between the sleeve and the shaft.
This method is also used to attach the bellows to a
stationary gland.
● Soft Aluminum gaskets have been tried in this location,
but they never worked out very well
● The end fitting can be sealed to the shaft with a

combination of set screws and a graphite wedge or V
rings.
● This is a popular attachment method in the chemical
industy. Sometimes a Teflon® wedge is substituted for
the graphite wedge
● The seal can be held and sealed to the shaft with

hydraulic force. As shown in the sketch, when you
tighten the cap screw the expanding fluid exerts a
holding and sealing force on the thin metal section
touching the shaft.
● This method shows a lot of promise for elevated
temperature applications, but should not be used in
cryogenic applications.
You have a choice of different metals for the bellows plates:
● Hastelloy "C" is a good choice for most pumps because of its chemical compatibility, but it may
not be thick enough for a Hastelloy "C" pump. Most bellows convolutions are only 0.004 inches
(0.10 mm) thick and the definition of corrosion resistant is that the material can corrode up to
0.002 inches (0.05 mm) per year.
● The 300 series of stainless steel should never be used because of the probability of chloride stress
corrosion problems.
● AM350 is a heat treatable form of stainless steel that has been used successfully for many years in
high temperature and cryogenic seal applications. You need a heat treated material because it has
to retain its strength and spring rate at these elevated temperatures.
● Inconel 718 is a metal that has good corrosion resistant properties in an annealed form and retains
some of the corrosion resistant properties after heat testament. It has become the favorite of oil
refinery people because of corrosion problems they have experienced with AM350 after five or
six years of service.
● Titanium, 17-4 PH and variety of other materials have been used as bellows seals. In every case
you are looking for high strength and chemical resistance. A tough combination to put together.
There are several ways to retain the seal face in the bellows end fitting ;
● Shrink fitting the carbon in a metal holder is not usually a

good idea. Both the holder and the face are out of round to
some degree. When the holder is expanded and allowed to
shrink around the seal face it will put uneven stresses on the
face outside diameter causing it to go out of flat.
● If you install the carbon face this way you will have to
stress relieve the assembly to keep the seal face flat. This
can be done by taking the assembly through a series of
temperature transients or leaving the assembly on the shelf
for several months to relax and then relap the seal face.

● A press fit makes sense with carbon because the carbon

will shear, to conform to the "out of roundness" of the
harder metal holder.
Metal bellows seals have been used successfully since the late 1950s, but they are not trouble free. If they
were, we would use them all the time. Here are some of their limitations:
● Elastomer seals have a built in vibration damper. Metal bellows seals lack this feature so a damper
must be built in. The most common method is to let the seal face holder come into contact with
the shaft when vibration starts. You can see this feature in the first illustration
● "Slip stick" vibration is the most common. It occurs if the product you are sealing is not a good
lubricant (hot water as an example). The resultant "slipping and sticking" between the lapped
faces causes the vibration.
● In the stationary version of the seal it is hard to get an even cooling or heating of the bellows and
seal faces unless you have paid close attention to the location of the stuffing box recirculation
lines.
● In abrasive, slurry service the bellows plates may prove to be too thin. Try to rotate the slurry with
the bellows and you will reduce the plate wear.
● Thicker plates are always desirable but their higher spring rate would cause the use of too many
convolutions to get the desirable spring load of about 30 psi on the seal faces. When the carbon
face is worn down there should still be a load of about 10 psi.on the faces to prevent vibration
from causing them to open.
● Hard face retention in a holder is a persistent problem, and there are times you really need two
hard seal faces. Shrinking a hard face in a metal holder has the same problems we discussed about
carbon a few paragraphs back.
● When bellows seals are used in temperature extremes they should be provided with an API
(American Petroleum Institute) gland or back up seal.
● Since the face holder has a different expansion and shrink rate than the seal face, high temperature
applications require that the face holder be manufactured from low expansion metals such as
Invar 36 or Carpenter 42 materials. These metals have poor corrosion resistance.
® Dupont Dow elastomer

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Pump monitoring
SUBJECT: Monitoring the centrifugal pump. 9-11
A sensible predictive maintenance program for centrifugal pumps is still an elusive dream for most
plants. Unexpected pump shut down continues to be the rule. Most premature pump shutdowns are
related to seal and bearing failures, and the classic predictive maintenance techniques of machinery
history, visual inspection and vibration analysis do not work well with products that fail prematurely,
rather than wear out.
● Vibration analysis tells you that the destruction has already begun, not that it is going to happen.
To use vibration analysis with mechanical seals we would have to know the frequency of a seal
and with the many designs available, the wide choice of seal materials and the many fluids being
sealed that is just about impossible.
● Machinery history is only valid if the equipment experiences traditional wear. Otherwise you are
trying to predict an accident. Remember that no one wears out seals and bearings. They always
fail prematurely. The L10 life of pump bearings is rated in hundreds of years Seals are supposed
to run until the carbon wears down. When is the last time you saw one of those?
● Back up sealing is valid if you want to prevent unexpected seal shut down, but outside of
purchasing a backup pump this approach is not practical for the bearings.
● Visual inspection of the remaining face carbon is possible with stationary seal designs by
installing a pin that sticks out the back of the gland. This information would be valid if carbon
faces wore out, but as you well know, it seldom happens.
If we elected to monitor the pump performance and use this data to predict an upcoming seal or bearing
failure what exactly should we monitor? Lets look at some of the options:
THE WET END OF THE PUMP
You can monitor:
● The temperature at the pump suction and discharge flanges.

● The pressure at the pump suction and discharge flanges.
● A proximity gage can record the distance between the open impeller and the pump volute.
● Shaft deflection can be measured by proximity gages around the volute.
● Product flow can be measured by a variety of instruments without penetrating the piping.
● Strain gages could tell you if the rotating shaft has locked up when the pump is stopped.
● Vibration can be measured at several locations on the volute.
● Noise is easily detected and a valuable source of emerging problems.
● The amount of amperage being drawn by the motor combined with pump flow and capacity can
be an excellent indication of pump performance.
THE STUFFING BOX AND SEAL AREA
You can monitor:
● Stuffing box temperature.

● Stuffing box pressure.
● Liquid leakage out of the stuffing box, or air leakage in.
● Stuffing box jacket inlet and outlet flow
● Stuffing box jacket inlet and outlet temperature.
● Seal gland flush pressure, flow and temperature.
● The temperature, pressure and flow of the fluid between dual seals.
● Convection tank temperature, pressure and level.
● Quench temperate and flow.
● Vibration.
THE BEARING CASE
You can monitor:
● Oil temperature to let you know if the oil is about to form varnish or coke.
● Oil level.
● Case pressure.
● Shaft movement or thrust
● The amount of water present in the oil.
● Shaft speed.
● Vibration
● Cooling coil inlet and outlet temperature, pressure and flow.
In an ideal preventative maintenance program, all of these readouts would be incorporated into a single
multi-pin outlet similar to the type found in all automobiles manufactured in the past few years. This
outlet would then feed the information into a hand held computer that would be supplied with additional
information retrieved off a bar code, on a tag, hung on the pump.

Pump monitoring
The bar tag information could be entered by anyone familiar with the process in addition to information
supplied by both the pump and seal supplier. It would contain data about the fluid you were pumping,
critical dimensions, and information about the bearing lubricant. It could include:
● The specific gravity of the fluid.

● The specific heat of the fluid and bearing lubricant.
● The temperature/pressure at which the fluids would change state and:
● Vaporize.
● Become viscous.
● Solidify.
● Coke.
● Build a film on the seal faces or sliding metal parts.
● Become a non lubricant.
● The bar tag would also contain information about:
● The correct impeller clearance to the back plate or volute.
● The temperature limit of the bearing lubricant.
● The maximum differential temperature across the pump.
● The temperature limits of any of the seal components including the faces and rubber parts.
● The pump BEP.
● Desired flow through the cooling/heating jacket. You get this from the seal supplier.
● Desired level, pressure and temperature in the dual seal convection tank.
● The specified flush amount.
Now that we have an idea about what we can monitor, exactly what is it we would like to predict about
pump performance? Wouldn't it be great to know the following?
● The pump differential pressure, flow and amperage tells us if the pump is running close to its best
efficiency point? If it is not we are going to have lots of problems:
● We will get excessive shaft deflection that translates to premature wear ring, seal and bearing
failure. The impeller could deflect into the volute or back plate causing permanent damage to both
pieces.
● The lost power will convert to unwanted heat that can change critical shaft dimensions and
tolerances. This can be a big problem in the bearing area where internal clearances are very
critical.
● You could break the shaft if the force generated is high enough.
● If the suction pressure decreases or the suction temperature increases there is a probability that we
going to have a cavitation problem during the operation of the pump.
● Is the temperature or pressure change in the stuffing box going to affect any of the seal
components? Many of these affects are non-reversible.
● There are many face combinations used in mechanical seals. Too many of them are sensitive to
changes in temperature and pressure. Some ceramics, filled carbons and plated hard faces are
especially sensitive to temperature changes.
● The elastomer (rubber part) is always sensitive to a temperature change either up or down.
● Corrosion always increases with an increase in temperature. This can be very important in acid
applications.
● Seal flatness can be compromised in both high and low temperature applications.
● A temperature change in the stuffing box tell us if the product going to change from a lubricating
liquid to a non lubricating gas or solid. Most of these changes occur when the pump is shut down
or a cleaner or solvent is being flushed through the lines. Will shut down cause solid particles to
appear in the fluid? Every fluid has a maximum and minimum operating temperature. Exceed
these limits and all kinds of bad things happen. A change in stuffing box temperature or pressure
can cause a lubricating liquid to :
● Vaporize and blow open the lapped seal faces.
● Crystallize and restrict the seal movement. Caustic is typical of this type of problem.
● Become viscous and interfere with the seal movement.
● Solidify between the lapped seal faces and destroy them, as well as restrict the free movement of
the seal components..
● Build a film on the sliding seal parts restricting their movement and separating the lapped faces.
Both paint and hard water can do this.
● Become a non lubricant. This is a problem with hot water applications that will lead to "slip stick"
vibration problems between the lapped seal faces.
● Cause the liquid to form solid particles that will get into the sliding components and restrict their
movement. This is the "coking problem" we typically experience with all hot oil applications.
● Are the bearings in danger of failing?
● Is the lubricant temperature too high and increasing?
● Is the lubrication level too high or low?
● Has moisture penetrated the bearing case. Moisture can cause hydrogen embrittlement problems
in the bearing.
● Are the seal faces glued together at start up? Any product that can solidify will cause this failure.
● When do you need an impeller adjustment? If you miss the clearance by as little as 0.002 inches
(0.05 mm) you will lose one percent of the pump's capacity. This loss will be converted into heat
and vibration.
● Do the wear rings need replacement? Internal recirculation wastes power and increases the pump

Pump monitoring
internal temperature. Ten degrees centigrade (18°F) is considered the maximum temperature rise
allowable across the pump volute.
● Are the seal's environmental controls functioning?
● Are you getting too much product dilution?
● Is the quench working?
● Is there enough stuffing box circulation to prevent the seal from being overheated?
● Is the cooling jacket becoming clogged from a build up in calcium?
● Is the inner seal of a dual seal application functioning?
● Is the flush fluid doing its job?
● Is the stuffing box being maintained at the correct temperature- especially at pump shutdown?
Now that we know what can be done, and any instrument technician should have no problem figuring out
how to install the indicators, what are you going to do with the data you can collect? Here are some
ideas.
First you need the base information:
● What should be the head, flow and power consumption at the best efficiency point? You get this
information right off the pump curve. You will need the specific gravity of the fluid to convert the
pressure reading from the gauge to head units so that you can read the pump curve. Be sure to
adjust the numbers for the actual pump speed that you can read with a tachometer. Use the affinity
laws for this.
● What is the maximum and minimum temperatures the product can tolerate without changing state
from a liquid to a gas, crystal, solid, or becomes viscous ? Your facility knows more about this
subject than any one else. Check with people in the engineering department or chemistry
laboratory. Production people are another source of this information.
● What are the upper and lower temperature limits of the seal elastomer. The seal supplier can give
you this information. Remember that there are different grades of various elastomers. Be sure you
are getting the information about the grade you are using in your seal.
● Does the seal face combination have a temperature limit more restrictive than the elastomer? This
is a consideration in most metal bellows seal designs. Make the seal people identify the material
grade and have them supply the temperature limits.
● Some seal designs have restricted pressure or vacuum limits. Check with your seal supplier for
this information. High pressure can cause elastomer extrusion and deformation of the lapped seal
faces.
● What is the maximum pump inlet temperature or minimum suction head to prevent cavitation?
The NPSHR information comes off the curve. Remember that the curve was generated using
water as the pumping fluid. You will have to add the vapor pressure of your product to this
number for an accurate NPSH required.
● What is the proper open impeller clearance? Get this from the pump supplier. You want the hot or
operating clearance. You will need to use a cartridge seal if you are going to adjust an open
impeller without interfering with the seal setting.
● What are the seal environmental control limits? The seal supplier has specified a pressure,
temperature and flow in most cases.
Now that we have the base information and the pump readings we should be able to prevent some of the
most common seal and bearing premature failures.
● Is the pump about to cavitate? Cavitation can injure the seal components and shorten the bearing
life. You must solve the problem before the cavitation begins. Cavitation can occur if :
❍ The pump capacity increases.
❍ The discharge head drops.
❍ The suction temperature rises.
❍ The suction pressure drops.
❍ The outside diameter of the impeller is too close to the volute cutwater.
❍ The speed of the pump increases.
❍ Remember that the pump pumps the difference between the suction and discharge heads. If
the suction head is increased and the discharge head is not increased the pump is now
pumping at a lower head and the capacity will increase along with the possibility of
cavitation.
● Is the product close to changing state in the stuffing box? If it does change from a liquid to a gas
or solid the seal failure will soon follow.
❍ Is the stuffing box temperature increasing?
■ Maybe the cooling jacket is not functioning. Calcium may be building up inside the
jacket
■ Maybe there is too much flow through the cooling jacket. Remember that the
cooling fluid should come into the bottom of the cooling jacket and out the top.
■ Has the shaft axial thrust over compressed the seal faces?
■ Was the stuffing box vented in a vertical installation?
■ Is there flow between the dual seals. Has convection stopped?
❍ Is the stuffing box temperature decreasing?
■ Maybe the cooling jacket is too effective.
■ Is the buffer or barrier fluid between the dual seals at the correct temperature?
■ Is the stuffing box pressure dropping?

Pump monitoring
The discharge recirculation line may becoming clogged.

■
● Is the seal leaking?

● Have you accidentally hooked up suction recirculation instead?
● Is the impeller clearance correct? Too much slippage will generate excessive heat and vibration.
This heat and vibration will translate to premature seal failure.
● Is the bearing oil too hot? If it is you are going to have a bearing failure.
❍ Too high an oil level or overfilling with grease is the most likely problem.
● Face seals can maintain a positive pressure in the bearing case. As long as you have a positive
pressure in the bearing case there is not much fear of water or solids penetrating into it. Water and
solids along with the high heat caused by over lubrication are the main problems you have to
prevent.

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NPSH
All about NPSH 15-10
I get a lot of e-mail, and an occasional telephone call, from someone that is confused by the term NPSH.
I have published several papers on the subject, but evidentially I haven't done the job very well, so let me
try again:
We do not want bubbles in our process fluid for a lot of reasons:
● Bubbles take up space, causing our pumping capacity to diminish. The head also diminishes
because energy has to be expended to incease the velocity of the liquid used to fill up the cavities,
as the bubbles collapse. As the velocity goes up, the head or pressure goes down.
● Excessive vibration can occur when part of the impeller is handling a liquid and anoher part is
handling a vapor. This vibaration can lead to pump failure.
● Air is a lousy heat transfer medium, meaning that the fluid we are pumping will get hotter and
there is no advantage in heating up the process fluid.
● A bubble is a hole in the liquid. In English we call a hole a cavity, and it is those cavities that are
going to cause a cavitation problem that will damage both the impeller and volute .
Bubbles or cavities form in a liquid when the fluid temperature gets too high, or the fluid pressure gets
too low. This is called vaporization, or sometimes boiling. I do not like the word boiling because we
associate boiling with hot, and we all know that if you throw dry ice into cold water it will bubble and
vaporize, and no one is going to call that hot! We'll stick with the term "vaporize" and further state that a
fluid will vaporize any time the pressure falls below its vaporization point.
Since temperature is a variable with different fluids, there are charts that will give you the vapor pressure
for any fluid at its various temperatures. Take a look at the following chart and you will note that the
vapor pressure for 60-degree Fahrenheit chlorine is 80 psi, and the vapor pressure for 68-degree F. fresh
water is about 0.3 psi. We will need numbers like this to calculate our NPSH available.
You should know that you can lower a fluid's pressure several ways:
● Put the fluid in a container, and then pull a vacuum on the container. This happens in the hot well
of condensers. Later on we will refer to this as a loss of "pressure head"
● Lift the liquid out of a hole. This will diminish the position of the liquid level in respect to the
pump centerline. Later on we will call this a loss of "static head"
● Accelerate the fluid. As its velocity increases its pressure will decrease. This is referred to as
"velocity head"
● As the fluid moves through piping, fittings, restrictions and valving, some friction losses occur
that will drop the fluid pressure. We will talk about that as an increase in friction head, resulting
NPSH
in some loss of "positive suction head."
Heating of he incoming fluid is not usually a problem, but it can occur several ways:
● Internal recirculation in the pump because of worn wear rings or failure to make an impeller
adjustment.
● Piping, exposed to the elements, can heat up the liquid on hot and sunny days.
The next step we have to learn is that the word "pressure" is going to disappear from our vocabulary
whenever we discuss centrifugal pumps. We are going to substitute the word "head "instead. We do not
know how much pressure a centrifugal pump will develop, but we do know the head it can produce. The
head is a function of the shaft speed and the impeller diameter. The faster the speed,
The larger the diameter, the bigger the head To determine the pressure we have to know the weight or
"specific gravity" of the fluid we are pumping, and since any given centrifugal pump can move a lot of
different fluids, with different specific gravities, it is simpler to discuss the pump's head and forget about
the pressure.
Here are the formulas you can use to convert from one to the other:
In the above formula:
● Head is measured in feet (ft.)

● Pressure is measured in pounds per square inch (psi.)
The pump manufacturer has decided how much head his pump needs to prevent cold water from
vaporizing at different capacities. He publishes these numbers on his pump curve. He got these numbers
by testing the pump at different capacities, created by throttling the suction side and waiting for the first
signs of cavitation. He then noted the pressure, converted it to head, and transferred this information to
his pump curve.
He calls this observed number the "net positive suction head required (NPSHR) or sometimes shortens it
to the NPSH. Take a look at the following curve and you can see these numbers. On the chart they are
located at the bottom of the dotted lines and they run from 2 to 16. According to this graph a 13-inch
impeller, running at its best efficiency point (60+%), would need a NPSH required of 9 feet. An 11-inch
impeller running at its best efficiency point would need 7 feet of NPSH required. Remember this
requirement is for cold water (68F) only.
Be sure to keep in mind that any discussion of NPSH or cavitation is only concerned about the suction
side of the pump. There is almost always plenty of pressure on the discharge side of the pump to prevent
the fluid from vaporizing.
NPSH
● If we go back to our formula and put the 0.3 psi vapor pressure for 68 degree water into the
numbers, it come out to 0.7, or less than 1 foot of head is required to stop the water from
vaporizing and forming cavities. So why does the NPSH required increase as the capacity is
increasing? It's because the velocity of the liquid is increasing, and as we learned, anytime the
velocity of a liquid goes up, the pressure or head comes down.
Now that we know what head is required, we can calculate the head we have available, and remember we
are only interested in the suction side of the pump. It turns out you will be looking at three kinds of head:
● The static head measured from the liquid level to the centerline of the pump. If the liquid level is
above the pump centerline you will have a positive number. If the level is below the centerline
you will have a negative number.
● The pressure head. Here we will be using only absolute numbers. In other words atmospheric
pressure is 14.7 psi at sea level so you will add that number (converted to feet, using our formula)
to the static head if you have an open tank. If the fluid is under vacuum we will convert the
absolute pressure reading to head and use that number, instead of atmospheric pressure. Vacuum
is often read in inches of mercury so you will need a formula to convert it to head. Here is the
formula:
● The friction loss in the piping will be a minus number. You get the number from charts showing
pipes size vs flow, and flow through fittings and valves.
● The next thing we have to do subtract the vapor pressure of our fluid (converted to feet of liquid)
using the first formula I gave you. All of the above, added together is the NPSH available. If this
number is equal to, or more than the NPSH required by the pump manufacturer, the liquid will not
form bubbles or cavities on the suction side, and the pump will not cavitate.
In summary, NPSH Available is defined as:
NPSHA = Atmospheric pressure + static head + pressure head - the vapor pressure of your product - loss
in the piping, valves and fittings.
You can learn about the actual mechanism of cavitation by clicking here.
If you would like to learn how to make the calculations for NPSH available, click here
If you want to see the charts that will help you calculate the friction loss in the piping, valves and fittings,
click here.

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NPSH reductions
SUBJECT : Reductions in centrifugal pump NPSHR (net positive suction head required 12-1)
The curve that came with your pump shows the NPSH required for any given impeller size and capacity.
This number was determined by pumping cold water through the pump while reducing the suction head
until the pump showed a reduction in discharge head of three percent (3%), due to the low suction head
and any formation of bubbles within the pump. This point is called "the point of incipient cavitation".
Please take a look at the pump curve shown in the next drawing. It demonstrates that if you had a 13 inch
(330 mm) impeller and you wanted to pump 300 gpm (68m3/hr.) you would need at least 10 (3 meters)
feet of NPSH. If you are pumping hot water or some hydrocarbons you can, in some cases, operate with a
lower NPSH required than shown on the pump curve.
If you reference Technical paper Volume #9, Number #12 of this series, you will learn that we used a
similar reduction when we were calculating the suction specific speed number (SSS) of the impeller.
The NPSH reduction chart, in the chart section of this web site will show you how to calculate this
reduction. As you use this chart please keep the following in mind:
● This chart were created using pure liquids. This is the type you find in tank farms. Many liquids
are mixtures and have entrained gases or air that could require additional NPSH.
● Your product may be a combination of several hydrocarbons with different vapor pressures.
● Sometimes the temperature at the suction side of the pump can vary with outside temperature.
● Pump discharge recirculation lines can have a major affect on the pump suction temperature.
These recirculation lines frequently raise the temperature of the liquid at the pump inlet.
● If a cleaner or solvent is going to be pumped through the lines at the end of a batch, depending
upon the fluid, you could get into a cavitation situation.
● This reduction is possible because the expansion rate of hot water and some hydrocarbons is not
as great as that of cold water.
Using the chart is not very complicated:
Find the temperature of your product and proceed either up or down to the vapor pressure of your
product in either psia. or kPa. (100 kPa = 1 atmosphere)
From this point follow along or parallel to the sloping lines to the right side of the chart where you can
read the NPSH reduction in feet or meters.
● If this value is greater than one half of the cold water NPSH required by the pump manufacturer,
deduct one half of the value from the pump manufacturer's cold water NPSH to obtain the
corrected NPSH required.
● If this value is less than one half of the cold water NPSH required by the pump manufacturer,
deduct the chart value from the pump manufacturer's cold water NPSH to obtain the corrected
NPSH required
● The chart is restricted to a maximum reduction of ten feet (3 meters) It is recommended that you
do not extrapolate beyond this number or in any case use a reduction of more than 50% of the
NPSH required by the pump for cold water.
Example #1:
● Your pump curve says you need a 16 foot (5 meters) NPSHR (net positive suction head required)
for the capacity you are pumping.
NPSH reductions
● The product you are pumping is liquid Propane at 55° F (13°C), which has a vapor pressure of
100 psia (700 kPa).
● The chart says you need a reduction of 9.5 feet (2.9 meters) which is greater than one half of the
NPSH required
● The corrected value of NPSH required is therefore one half the cold water requirement given to
you by the pump manufacturer or 8 feet (16 - 8 = 8), or (5.0 meters - 2.9 meters = 2.1 meters.)
Example #2 :
● Lets assume the same pump is now going to handle propane at 14°F (3.3°C) where it has a vapor
pressure of 50 psia (345 kPa).
● The chart now shows a reduction of 6 feet (1.8 meters), which is less than one half of the cold
water requirement. The corrected value of NPSH is therefore 16 feet minus 6 feet or a new value
of 10 feet (16 - 6 = 10 feet) ( 5 meters - 1.8 meters = 3.2 meters)
If your calculations show that you have a potential cavitation problem you have several choices:
● Reduce the NPSH required.

● Increase the head on the suction side of the pump.
● Lower the temperature of the incoming liquid.
If you will refer to my Technical paper Volume #1 Paper number #3 you will see that I have covered the
above subjects in good detail.
Here are a couple of more thoughts on the subject:
● If your pump is a multi-stage design this same discussion applies to the first stage head. The
following stages are not considered because they should have plenty of head available to them.
● Where dissolved air or other non condensable gases are present in the liquid, pump performance
may be adversely affected even though you have the NPSH required as shown on your pump
curve. You are going to have to increase the NPSH available to prevent the release of these gases.
● Absolute pressure can vary with weather conditions. If you are playing it close, and we often do,
this could lead to a cavitation problem.
● Low flow usually means a lower NPSH required, but low flow can also mean a temperature build
up inside the pump.
● Some operators have been known to throttle the suction of a pump to reduce capacity. This may
be valid for some unique dangerous products that would become a hazard if the discharge were
throttled and the heat increased inside the pump, but except for these special cases, suction
throttling is a bad idea.

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testing NPSHA
Testing for Net Positive Suction Head Available (NPSHA) 16-04
Centrifugal pumps are designed to pump liquids, not air. We are interested in the amount of NPSH
available at the pump's suction flange because we want to insure there is enough head (pressure)
available to prevent the fluid from vaporizing and causing gas bubbles. There are times when the
available NPSH can be questionable, so you would be wise to either measure or calculate the NPSH
available in the following conditions:
● When the pump is installed high above the liquid level.

● When the pump takes a suction from a vessel under vacuum, like the hotwell of a condenser.
● Anytime you have installed a low specific speed impeller.(the vanes are almost straight)
● When the liquid you are pumping has a high vapor point.
● At high pump rpms.
● Any time you are pumping on the high capacity side of the pump curve
● When the suction line is long, or if there are valves, fittings and a strainer between the source and
the pump suction.
● Any time the pump system is located at a high altitude
You can calculate the available net positive suction head (NPSHA), at the suction of a pump, if you
know:
● The flow rate of the liquid (gpm)

● The suction gauge pressure (psi)
● Vapor pressure of the liquid (psi)
To make the calculation, use the following equation:
hsv = hgs + ha + hvs - hv
Where:
● hsv = available net positive suction head, in feet of liquid

● hgs = suction gauge pressure, in feet of liquid, gauge
● ha = atmospheric pressure, in feet of liquid, absolute
● hvs = suction velocity head, in feet of liquid
● hvpa = vapor pressure of the liquid, in feet of head, absolute
As an example, we will begin by connecting a mercury manometer to the 2 inch pipe at the suction
nozzle of your pump
● Fluid you are pumping = 100 gpm of acid

● Vapor pressure = 0.20 psia
● Manometer reads = -14.7 inches of vacuum (from a potential of 29.9 inches)
● Barometric pressure = 736 mm of mercury
To calculate NPSHA we will need all of our units in feet of head. We will start with the 14.7 inches of
mercury:
Next we will convert barometric pressure to feet:

testing NPSHA
The velocity head = 1.4 feet at 100 gpm through a 2 inch pipe. (We got this number from a standard pipe
friction loss table. Look under the column V2/2g)
Now we will convert the Vapor pressure to head:
Going back to our original formula:
hsv = hgs + ha + hvs - hvpa
= -9.8 +19.3 + 1.4 - 0.3
= 10.6 feet at 100 gpm

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testing for NPSHR
Testing for Net Positive Suction Head Required (NPSHR) 16-5
How can you tell the NPSH required for your pump? It's easy, just ask the manufacturer!
As logical as that sounds, we still find people assuming that if the know the NPSHR for pump brand "A"
and pump brand "B" is the same size, both pumps should have the same requirement. So why isn't it
true? There are a couple of reasons:
● ANSI pumps conform to the same envelope (outside) dimensions, but the internal dimensions are
different. This means that the friction losses within the pump are not the same.
● The surface finish of the pump's internals changes with materials and age. If it is a used pump and
you have been pumping abrasive materials, the scored metal components will offer more
resistance to the liquid flow than smooth, new metal parts.
If you do not have enough NPSH available at the suction of your pump, the pump will pump in spurts,
lose some of its capacity and begin to cavitate. All of this translates into poor pump performance, wasted
energy, impeller and volute damage and premature mechanical seal and bearing failure. If you are
unfamiliar with how we determine the NPSH available to your pump check out the paper I wrote on that
subject.
The test for NPSH required is a simple one for you to do, just as long as you remember that the NPSH
required increases with capacity. The more fluid you pump, the more NPSH you need to stop your
product from vaporizing. Here is how the pump manufacturer did the test at his facility. To duplicate it
you will need:
● Gauges to read suction and discharge pressures.

● A gauge to read the fluid flow.
● The pumping temperature.
● The rpm of the pump.
Using a suction valve, the manufacturer gradually reduced the fluid flow at the pump inlet. Watching his
discharge gage, he kept reducing the flow until the discharge gage showed a drop in the pump's total
head.
This total head reduction occurred because the fluid vaporized in the impeller. The NPSH available at the
suction flange just equals the NPSH required by the pump. A 3% drop in this total head is just about the
point where cavitation will begin.
At this point you should record:
● Suction gage pressure.

● The flow rate.
● The fluid temperature.
● Pump's speed in rpm.
Remember that this reading is giving you the NPSH required for just one point on the pump curve. You
are going to have to record and plot a series of these points against the pump's capacity to get a clear
picture of the NPSH required over the operating range or window of the pump. After you do this, you
will notice that the NPSH required increases with the pump's capacity
Let's try an example:
We will determine the NPSH required for a 2 x 1.5 (2" suction, 1.5" discharge) pump moving 240
gallons per minute of fresh water at 80 degrees Fahrenheit. We throttled the suction and recorded that the
suction gage read 18.2 inches of mercury vacuum when the pump was within 3% of its normal head. The
barometric pressure at the test facility is 29.0 inches of mercury vacuum
Here are the formulas. First we must convert suction gage pressure to feet of head:
Next we convert barometric pressure to feet of head

testing for NPSHR
= 32.81 absolute
From a pipe friction chart we learn that 240 gpm of water flowing through a 2 inch pipe has a velocity
head of 8.18 feet
From a water properties chart we learned that the vapor pressure of 80 degree fresh water is 1.2 feet
absolute
Putting all of that information into the NPSH available formula we get:
Hsv = hgs + ha + hvs - hvpa
Hsv = - 20.6 + 32.81 + 8.18 - 1.2
= 19.19 feet
This number is then plotted as the required NPSH for that pump at 200 gpm when it is handling 80
degree Fahrenheit water.

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Subject : The non metallic seal
A portion of the chemical industry use non metallic pumps. You will find them manufactured from
Teflon®, graphite, Carbamate, and a variety of other materials.
Common sense dictates that if the application engineer selected a non metallic pump, he must of had a
good reason for doing so, and it would not be logical for you to equip it with a mechanical seal
containing metal components exposed to the product unless you had specific knowledge that doing so
would make some kind of sense.
Most non-metallic seals are installed outside the stuffing box and fall into two categories :
● The Teflon® bellows version.

● The O-ring version.
Both these designs have several features in common :
● These rotating seals are clamped, not set screwed to the shaft. This is a necessary feature on glass
shafts or any shaft where the set screws would cause damage.
● Because of the clamping arrangement these seals are limited in their pressure capability. Too high
a stuffing box pressure can cause them to slip on the shaft.
● The fluid is at the inside diameter of the seal. This means that if there are solids present in the
fluid (slurry) the solids will be thrown into the lapped faces. It also means that as the softer face
wears, the rotating face will move towards the slurry with a possibility of "hanging up" on the
solids and opening the lapped faces.
● They are hydraulically balanced for fluctuating pressure, but are limited by the clamping force on
the shaft.
● They are both impossible to vent in a vertical application, so you want to be aware of potential
heat problems; especially at the higher speeds.
● Both versions should have a shroud install over them to protect personnel in the area in the event
of a seal failure.
● These seals can be used to "back up" an inside rotating seal. When installed in this manner the
resultant dual seal is refereed to as "the face to face" version.
Because these seals are designed with no metal parts in the sealing fluid, they are occasionally used in
exotic metal pumps to save the cost of purchasing an exotic metal seal.
● Because of the lack of set screws in the design, you should install a clamp of some type behind
the seal to prevent it from sliding in higher pressure applications.
● Exotic metals are often used with dangerous products. You really should be using dual seals made
from the exotic metal and not these seals, even though their price is attractive.
The following illustration describes the Teflon® version of a non metallic seal :
● A glass filled Teflon® face is commonly fused into the

Teflon® bellows. This means that you are somewhat
limited in your choice of face materials.
● This version slips on the shaft easier than the O-ring
type.
● Teflon's® cold flow properties also works against you
when you clamp it to the shaft. Unlike an O-ring,
Teflon® will relax under pressure.
● Teflon's chemical compatibility makes this version
more universal. You do not have to pick the correct O-
ring.
The next illustration describes the O-ring version :
● Although the dynamic O-ring is touching the shaft, it

will not frett the shaft because the sliding or flexing
takes place on the O-ring outside diameter.
● The rotating carbon face should be banded as a safety
precaution because carbon is weak in tension
● In this design the metal holder can be drilled and tapped
to provide a better holding force if the seal is used in
"exotic metal" applications


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Oversized pump
SUBJECT: The oversized pump 7-10
Do a survey of any process plant and you will find that a high percentage of the centrifugal pumps are
oversized. There must be a reason why this is such a common problem, so here are a few of them :
● Safety margins were added to the original calculations. Several people are involved in the pump
buying decision and each of them is afraid of recommending a pump that proves to be to small for
the job.
● It was anticipated that a larger pump would be needed in the future, so it was purchased now to
save buying the larger pump later on.
● It was the only pump the dealer had in stock and you needed one badly. He might have offered
you a "special deal" to take the larger size.
● You took the pump out of your spare parts inventory. Capital equipment money is scarce so the
larger pump appeared to be your only choice.
● You purchased the same size pump as the one that came out of the application and that one was
over sized also.
Obviously this larger pump and motor required a higher investment, but since we are not using the full
power are we really paying too much for the daily operation? The easiest way to find the answer to this
question is to look at a typical pump curve and make our calculations from the numbers we get.
You can use any of the following formulas to make your calculations:
Here is as typical pump curve. It can be used for both inch and metric examples.
Let us assume that the application requires a pump that moves the liquid at :
300 gpm. to a 156 foot head with an efficiency rating of 60%
156 x 300 / 5308 = 8.8 Kilowatts being produced, and 8.8 / 0.60 efficiency = 14.7
Kilowatts required
As shown in the above drawing, we should be using impeller "E" to do this, but we have an oversized
pump so we are using the larger impeller "A" with the pump discharge valve throttled back to 300 gpm.
giving us an actual head of 250 feet and a 50% efficiency. Now our Kilowatts look like this:
250 x 300 / 5308 = 14.1 KW being produced, and 14.1 / 0.50 efficiency = 28.2 KW
required to do this. If 28.2 KW is being used and only 14.7 KW are required, it means that we are paying
for an extra 13.5 KW to pump against the throttled discharge valve.
If this pump runs 24 hours per day that would be 8760 hours this year, and at a power cost of $0.05 cents
per Kilowatt hour it would cost your company an additional:
Oversized pump
8760 hours. x .05 cents per Kilowatt hour x 13.5 Kilowatts = $5913.00 per year, extra
operating cost.
Now we will work the same problem in the metric system:
Assume that we need to pump 68 m3/hr. to a 47 meter head with a pump that is 60% efficient at that
point.
68 x 47360 = 8.9 Kilowatts being produce, and 8.9 / 0.60 efficient = 14.8 Kilowatts
As shown in the drawing, we should be using impeller "E" to do this, but we have an oversized pump so
we are using the larger impeller "A" with the pump discharge valve throttled back to 68 cubic meters per
hour, giving us an actual head of 76 meters. Now our Kilowatts look like this:
68 x 76360 = 14.3 Kilowatts being produced by the pump, and 14.3 / 0.50 efficient = 28.6
Kilowatts required to do this.
Subtracting the amount of kilowatts we should have been using gives us:
28.6 - 14.8 = 13.8 extra kilowatts being used to pump against the throttled discharge valve.
If the pump runs twenty four hours a day that would be 8760 hours per year, times 13.8
extra kilowatts equals 120,880 kw. Multiply this number by how much you spend for a
kilowatt hour of electricity and you will see that the over sized pump is costing you a lot of
money. In this example the extra cost of the electricity could almost equal the cost of
purchasing the pump.

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Ozone
SUBJECT: Understanding the destruction of the ozone layer. 8-4
Before we begin I must explain a couple of terms I will be using:
● An atom - The smallest particle of an element that can enter into a chemical combination.
● A molecule - The smallest particle of an element or compound that can exist separately without
loss of any original chemical properties.
● Atmosphere - The whole gaseous envelope surrounding our planet
● Stratosphere - A layer of the atmosphere about seven miles (eleven kilometers) above the earth,
within which the temperature remains approximately constant.
● Ultra violet light - Very short light rays that are beyond the "violet" in the visible light spectrum.
It is the ozone in the stratosphere that protects humans by reflecting potentially dangerous UV radiation
away from our atmosphere.
Ozone is produced any time a free oxygen atom (O) combines with a pure oxygen molecule (O2) to form
ozone (O3). It is a collision process and atoms and molecules collide easier if they are moving fast. Any
high energy source like lightning, electric sparks or UV radiation will produce the heat or energy needed
to get the particles moving rapidly.
Step outside after an electrical storm and you can smell ozone in the air. The sparks from electric motors
and circuit breakers also produce ozone in the work place. There is no problem producing ozone in the
earth's atmosphere, but that is not where we need it. We need it in the stratosphere and no one has figured
out how to push what we produce up there.
The culprit is CFCs (Chloroflurocarbons). They destroy the ozone layer in the stratosphere allowing the
potentially harmful UV radiation to penetrate to the earth. We find these CFCs every where. Here is the
break down:
● Industrial - 49.2%
● Vehicle air conditioning - 16.2%
● Refrigeration and air conditioning - 15.6%
● Halons (mainly in fire extinguishers) - 12.0%
● Miscellaneous - 3.8%
● Aerosol sprays - 3.1%
Here is how the process works. Look for the explanation following the diagram:
The ozone layer is made up of a combination of oxygen atoms (O), oxygen molecules (O2) and ozone
(O3)
Ultra violet radiation is another high energy source. It will split the oxygen molecule into two free atoms.
Like all atoms, these oxygen atoms are very unstable and continually combine with other atoms and
molecules
If there are other oxygen molecules in the area, the oxygen atoms will combine with them to form new
ozone (O3) molecules

Ozone
UV radiation is not at all selective. It will use its' high energy to convert ozone (O3) back to oxygen
molecules (O2) and oxygen atoms (O). this process is normal and goes on continually in the stratosphere.
All of this means that there are plenty of oxygen atoms and molecules available.
Chlorflurocarbons (CFCs) mess up the system because the UV radiation will also "break off" a chlorine
atom (Cl) from the CFC.
This free chlorine atom is also very unstable and will react with any other atom or molecule in the area.
If it collides with an ozone molecule it will "strip off an oxygen atom.
The chlorine atom then combines with the oxygen atom it stripped off, to form a chlorine monoxide
molecule (ClO). The remaining two oxygen atoms (O) combine to form a pure oxygen molecule (O2)
When the newly formed chlorine monoxide molecule encounters another free oxygen molecule that was
produced during the normal formation of oxygen and ozone, the oxygen atom breaks up the chloride
monoxide molecule and binds the oxygen atom to its self, leaving the chlorine atom free to make some
more pure oxygen out of ozone.
The newly formed free chlorine atom will continue this process for ever, and the more of them you have,
the bigger the problem. Oxygen atoms and oxygen molecules continue to break apart and form ozone,
but the chlorine monoxide slows down the process and that is the problem. Oxygen, unlike ozone, will
not reflect UV radiation.
And what does all of this mean to you? No question about it, you are going to have to use dual seals and
a leakage recovery system on all CFC applications.

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Seals vs. packing
SUBJECT: More about packing conversion. 9-4
Sales people constantly preach the virtues of converting that nasty, greasy packing to a brand new, shiny,
expensive mechanical seal. Their presentation makes a lot of sense and besides that the government is
passing new legislation that is making conventional packing more obsolete by the minute.
If you are about to make one of these conversion in your plant there are some things that you should
know to make the transition easier. Packing conversion does have its down side. Let's look at a few of the
problems. We will then discuss some of the solutions, and end this discussion with the advantages of
converting to a better mechanical seal .
First the problems with the types of seal supplied by your pump company or the original equipment
manufacturers (OEM):
● Unlike packing mechanical seals are very sensitive to installation errors.

❍ You have to measure carefully. If you use the improper face load the seal will either
overheat or lose its spring tension before the carbon face is worn.
❍ The shaft or sleeve tolerance and finish are critical for many seal designs. A typical shaft
tolerance for a mechanical seal should be +0.00 inches - 0.002 inches. A finish of at least
32 rms. is required to prevent a sliding elastomer or Teflon piece from hanging up.
❍ You cannot make the initial impeller setting for ANSI pumps without disturbing the seal
setting.
❍ Many seal are damaged by poor packaging during shipment or improper handling at the
installation site. Seal faces are lapped to a tolerance of less than one micron (0.000039
inches). There are not very many pieces of equipment in your shop with that tight a
tolerance.
● Without the radial support being supplied by the packing the shaft can deflect severely when the
pump operates outside of its very narrow operating window. This is a major problem at start up
when the pump is frequently running against a throttled discharge valve.
● Packing is not sensitive to axial movement of the shaft. Seals have a very small axial movement
capability.
● Mechanical seals are very sensitive to pump/ driver misalignment.
● Cavitation and other types of vibration are deadly for mechanical seals. Although never desirable
this type of shaft deflection did not often cause catastrophic failure with packing as it often does
with mechanical seals.
● You could change packing without having to dismantle the pump. Most seal installations require
pump disassembly and all the problems associated with it.
● Many pump and mixer applications alternate between a positive stuffing box pressure and a
vacuum (condensate pumps are typical). OEM seals can be blown open during the vacuum cycle.
● Most mechanical seals require some sort of an environmental control to function properly:
❍ Cooling to prevent a product from flashing or coking.
❍ Heating to prevent a liquid from solidifying or crystallizing
❍ Flushing to wash away solid particles from the seal components.
❍ Quenching to prevent crystals and ice from forming outboard of the seal interfering with
its movement.
● Mechanical seals are very sensitive to fluctuating flushing pressures. Lose the pressure and you
often lose the seal. Needless to say this is a very common failure.
● Seal failure is typically catastrophic and occurs at the worst possible time.
● Mechanical seals have to be centered in the stuffing box. You never worried about that with
packing. If you fail to center the rotating seal's stationary face the rotating face can run off the
edge. With stationary seals the failure to center can cause a wiping action across the seal faces.
● Impeller adjustment was easy with packing. With a non-cartridge seal it is almost impossible.
Remember that with ANSI pumps the impeller has to be adjusted after the power end of the pump
has been installed into the wet end that was left hanging on the piping. At this point the seal has
already been set screwed to the shaft or sleeve and impossible to move.
● Seal materials have to be selected for chemical compatibility with the product you are sealing and
any cleaners or solvents that will be flushed through the lines. You need an in depth knowledge of
mechanical seals and chemicals to do this properly because of the wide variety of materials
currently being used by seal manufacturers. This was seldom a problem with choosing packing
material.
● Intermittent service pumps have more problems with mechanical seals because the fluid can
solidify, crystallize, become viscous, etc. when the pump is not running.
❍ This change in the state of the product will almost guarantee a failure the next time the
pump is started. Packed pumps had the same problem with the product changing state, but
the catastrophic failure at start up seldom happened. Standby pumps experience the same
difficulty.
● Spare parts are always a problem with mechanical seals. The subject never came up with packing.
● The stuffing boxes of vertical pumps have to be vented after a mechanical seal is installed. There
is also a problem with venting between dual seals when they have been installed in a vertical
application. Packed pump vent all the time.
● Horizontally split case pumps are a nightmare for mechanical seals. You get massive
misalignment between the rotating and stationary seal faces because the top and bottom halves of
the casing are never lined up properly. This subject never came up when packing was in the
pump.
Seals vs. packing
● Most original equipment seals will damage a shaft or sleeve so you have the same problem with
sleeve removal that you had with packing. When the seal damages the shaft it is called "fretting",
but no matter what name you give it, it is still shaft damage requiring a disassemble of the pump
to replace either the shaft or the sleeve.
● Pumps of the same shaft size seldom take the same seal gland.
Now that you know the bad news, here is the good news. You can purchase mechanical seals that solve
many of the above problems. I have discussed them in detail in other papers in this series, but here is a
quick overview:
● Hydraulically balanced seals do not generate a lot of heat so they seldom require any cooling. A
suction recirculation line is almost always satisfactory.
● Cartridge seals solve most of the installation problems.
● The closer you move the seal to the bearing, the less affect of vibration and shaft displacement.
Newer cartridge designs are located closer to the pump bearings.
● Stationary seals and self aligning designs solve most of the problems you experience with
horizontally split case pumps.
● There are plenty of non-fretting seal design on the market today so shaft damage can be
eliminated.
● Most modern cartridge seals have built in connections that allow you to vent the stuffing box in
vertical applications.
● Newer face materials and the latest elastomers are chemically compatible with a wide cross
section of chemicals and cleaners. With few exceptions you should be able to put the same seal in
every pump of the same shaft size. The exceptions are non metallic and exotic metal pumps that
require a different seal metallurgy.
● Cartridge designs have solved the impeller adjustment and centering problems that were common
with the ANSI standard pumps.
● Split seal designs have solved the problem of having to dismantle the pump to change a seal.
● Dual seals will solve the catastrophic seal failure problem.
There is no question that mechanical seals are better than packing if you know how to deal with the
problems mentioned above. The advantages of the cartridge mounted balanced seal over conventional
packings are numerous, here are a few:
● Balanced seals consume one sixth the power of conventional packing.

● Pollution and fugitive emission legislation prohibits the leakage of even small amounts of many
chemicals and packing does leak.
● Most products are costly. Even a small steady leak represents substantial money.
● Leakage always presents a safety and housekeeping problem.
● The waste treatment of leakage can exceed the cost of the leakage its self.
● Packing requires cooling that is often accomplished by the use of a flush that will dilute your
product. The cost of removing the flush water at some later part in the process is another costly
item.
● Packing leakage is a major cause of premature bearing failure. Not only from the liquid leaking
out of the pump getting into the bearings, but because a water hose is often used to wash leakage
away from base plates, and that is the moisture that is our major concern
● Sleeve damage is costly not only because of the sleeve cost, but also the costs involved in the
sleeve removal. Seal removal almost always means changing the bearings and wear rings also.
Also many parts get broken or lost when pumps are disassembled.
● Balanced O-ring seals can seal either vacuum or pressure.
● Unlike packing, mechanical seals do not have to be adjusted to compensate for wear.
● There are many seals available today that can be installed on shafts that have been damaged by
packing or fretted by other mechanical seals. Many of these new designs install outside of the
stuffing box where the shaft is still in good shape.
● Split seal designs removed the last advantage of packing.

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Packing conversion
SUBJECT : Why packed pumps should be converted to a mechanical seal. The advantages of using
a split design 2-10
Packing conversion is a subject that has become more important in recent years. In the following
paragraphs I will try to divide the subject into three areas.
● The "obvious" dollar savings that can be realized by making the conversion.
● The "non obvious" additional reasons for converting.
● The reasons you should convert to split mechanical seals rather than the type that requires taking
the equipment apart .
The savings that are real and easily measurable:
A leak equivalent to the smallest steady stream that you can produce is equal to one to two gallons (3,5 to
8,0 liters) per hour. At a cost of $0.25 per gallon this would come to $3285.00 each year. Enough money
to purchase several mechanical seals.
Treatment of waste.
Depending on the type of waste the cost of disposal can be several times the cost of the product that was
leaking. Household sewage is a good example. The sewage portion of your water bill is normally larger
than the water portion.
Chemical addition
Chill water, hot water, cooling towers and boiler feed water are examples of systems that need chemical
addition to protect the equipment against corrosion, bacteria etc. These chemicals are very expensive and
add to the cost of the leakage.
Bearings
The major cause of bearing failure is contamination of the bearing oil. As little as 0.002% water in
bearing oil can reduce the rated bearing life as much as 48%. Most of this water comes from packing
leakage and the water hose you use to wash the leakage down the drain. When the pump is running,
heated air vents out through the oil filling connection. At shut off moisture laden air re-enters through
this vent.
Packing sleeves.
At least three costs are associated with packing sleeves.
● To install them the shaft diameter often has to be reduced. Reducing the diameter will weaken the
shaft
● Packing damages the shaft as it removes the corrosion resistant metal's protective oxide layer.
● Because sleeves are so hard to remove, we generally end up replacing the bearings at the same
time as they are often destroyed during the sleeve removal process.
Power consumption
Packing a pump is like driving your car with the emergency brake engaged.
Although the car would run, it would consume more gasoline. On the average packing consumes six
times the power of a mechanical seal. This is an easy test to perform :
● Pack the pump properly and run it long enough to stabilize the operating temperature and
pressure. Take an amperage reading at the motor or starter (not the breaker) when the pump has
stabilized. You should also record the pump rpm. at this time.
● Remove the packing, install a split mechanical seal and record the amperage difference. Combine
this data with the amount of money you have to pay for electricity and the results will be obvious.
● In the event you do not record a drop in amperage you will notice an increase in motor speed.
Many marginal motors are being "bogged down" by the friction from five or six rings of packing.
Depending upon the flushing fluid you were using, the cost can be very high and often unreliable. If you
will install an oversized seal chamber and then connect a line from the bottom of the stuffing box back to
the suction side of the pump, most flushing fluids can be eliminated. Caution : Do not install this line if
you are pumping close to the vapor pressure of the liquid as the lower pressure may cause the fluid to
vaporize in the stuffing box, or between the lapped seal faces.

Packing conversion
In the event a flushing fluid is required only a small amount will be needed with a balanced O-ring type
mechanical seal. One to two gallons (3,5 to 8 liters) per hour (not per minute) would be typical if the
springs are not in the fluid and the stuffing box internal diameter has been increased.
As mentioned in the above paragraph, if you have eliminated flushing there will be no product dilution.
Once you dilute a product there is additional cost involved in removing the diluent. This is normally done
through an evaporation process that involves costly power and/or the creation of a vacuum.
Housekeeping costs.
If nothing leaked there would be very little corrosion and repainting would never be necessary. Most
leakage comes from valves, flanges and rotating shafts. They can all be sealed to prevent leakage.
Find out how much you are paying for these modern packings and then observe the waste that is
produced during the cutting and fitting process. Unused pieces are often thrown into the trash rather than
returning them to the stock room.
Unskilled mechanics
Multicraft, operator maintenance, and contract labor are becoming a way of life in many plants. The life
of packing is directly related to the skill of the man that packed the pump and the skilled craftsman is
disappearing fast.
Additional reasons to convert from packing to a leak proof mechanical seal.
Pollution
Leakage to the ground ends up in the water table. Leakage to the air contributes to airborne pollution and
all of the problems associated with contaminating the atmosphere. Fugitive emission laws are restricting
leakage to parts per million.
Vapors escaping from the packing gland of a vertical pump are the major cause of electrical motor
failure. The vapors not only contaminate the grease lubricant, but are the main cause of damage to the
insulation of the motor's windings.
Vacuum
There is no packing that can seal vacuum. Flushing water looks like it is doing the job but testing has
shown that flush water can go down one side of the packing as the vacuum lets air come in the other side.
In a condensate pump this air ingestion will lower the PH of the boiler feed water causing the addition of
more chemicals and additional boiler blow downs. It will also add additional cost because de-aeration is
almost always necessary to lower the oxygen content of the water.
Reliability
This is the reason you use a mechanical seal on the water pump of your car and the pump in your
household washing machine. Changing sleeves and packing in these applications would not only be too
costly but the leakage would be intolerable.
Safety
The list of hazardous materials is getting bigger every day. Unfortunately the hazard is not always
visible. Human beings should be breathing nothing but clean fresh air. Keep the other stuff inside the
machinery where it belongs.
Any product classified as a fugitive emission or hazardous should be dual sealed to protect the
environment and any personnel that might be close by. Sewage, with hydrogen sulfide and methane gas
always present, is a good example of a product that should always be double sealed. Packing these
pumps should be classified as a criminal activity.
Seals are self adjusting
Once the mechanical seal is installed correctly there is nothing to do unless the impeller needs adjusting.
Packing, unless it is live loaded, needs frequent adjustment to prevent excessive leakage.

Packing conversion
We are all familiar with the utility man that has a roll of electricians tape in one pocket and a twenty six
weekends. Converting to mechanical seals is an excellent way to keep him away from your equipment.
Now that you have made the decision to convert to mechanical seals you have a couple of more decisions
to make.
● What brand of seal should you select?

● What seal materials should you choose?
● Will you need an environmental control?
Regardless of your answers to these questions you should select a split mechanical seal every time. Split
seals are the one item that seal users said they always wanted. No one wants to take apart a piece of
equipment if it is not necessary. Split seals are available from all of the major seal companies, but not all
seal materials and sizes are available from each one. Modern designs are priced comparable to a typical
single cartridge seal with spare parts priced lower than most single, non cartridge seals.
A split mechanical seal is defined as having all components split at the time of installation. It is important
to note that no dynamic elastomers should be glued together because the hard spot that develops will not
allow the elastomer to be functional.
seals. These split seals are available in both a rotary and stationary version. If you get the choice select
the stationary type.
We have already discussed the reasons you would want to convert a packed pump to a mechanical seal;
now we will look at a few areas where the split seal has a real advantage over solid seals.
Fire pumps
Some fire codes will not allow you to remove the packing from a fire pump. The split seal can easily be
installed outside of the stuffing box with the packing left inside. Fire pumps leak a great deal and it is not
unusual to have a "jockey pump" run twenty four hours a day trying to keep the fire main pressurized as
this leakage occurs. Many fire pumps have been converted to a mechanical seal and in just about every
case the "jockey" pump has stopped running.
Awkward locations
Sometimes it is just too difficult to pull a pump to change the packing sleeve or mechanical seal. Most
split seal applications can be done in less than an hour, with the pump left in place.
Whenever a solid seal wears out or fails, it takes a considerable amount of time to pull the pump and
change the seal. Split seals do not have this problem. In some cases this "down time" can cost thousands
of dollars.
Hazardous areas
The worker can fix the leak and then get out of the area in a hurry. Radioactive environments are an
example of this problem. In many cases the old packing and sleeve, or failed mechanical seal does not
have to be removed to install a Split seal.
Alignment
The coupling and motor do not have to be pulled and therefore realignment is no longer necessary. Even
if you have the latest Laser equipment, it still takes a long time to align a driver and pump properly.
Good split seals will not wear a shaft so there is no need to pull the bearings unless they have been
damaged. You change only the seal, not the shaft and bearings. To prevent all damage to the shaft you
should replace the bearing lip or grease seals with positive face seals or the labyrinth type that work
better and do not damage expensive shafts.
No damage to the pump during seal replacement.
Since the pump is not being disassembled there is less chance of damaging something during the seal or
sleeve change. Often there are no spare parts available for some of the older pumps. Usually there is
nothing wrong with the pump&emdash; only the leakage is the problem.

Packing conversion
In many cases the inside of the packing chamber has corroded or the metal has fatigued causing the
packing to rotate with the shaft. The face of the stuffing box can easily be repaired with available
commercial products and a split seal installed outside of the packing chamber. There is seldom any need
to remove the damaged sleeve during these installation.
Disassembly of this equipment is always a problem. Many times it pays to install a split bushing in the
bottom of the packing chamber to help stabilize the shaft. For those mixer designs that do not require
emptying to change the seal a split sleeve can be installed under the split seal.
In some instances a split seal can be sterilized and then installed without having to sterilize the entire
system. This often happens when the pump has to be removed from the piping.
The insulation does not have to be removed.
Many pumps have been insulated with asbestos packing and its removal is an involved and costly
Split seal components are easily replaceable and do not take up any volume. There is no need to send
seals back to the manufacture or any other facility for rebuilding. Repair can be done by the mechanic at
a cost that is usually lower than comparable size solid seals. Recent "Right to know laws" have created
an urgent need for these designs.
Split seals can be installed by one man in less than an hour. No need for multiple trades and the multiple
work orders involved.
If a dual seal is necessary, you can usually install a split mechanical seal behind the present seal to
protect the product and area in the event the present seal fails. A convection tank using anti freeze or any
compatible liquid can be installed between the seals as a barrier fluid. This system works well with exotic
metal pumps also. A 316 stainless steel split seal can often back up an exotic metal seal because it will
only be activated when the first seal fails.
Emergency repair.
You can install a split seal on a leaking pump and stop the leakage until you have time to replace the seal
that was specified for the pump. If there is not enough room between the seal gland and the first
obstruction you can cut off the existing gland and leave the leaking rotary unit attached to the shaft inside
the stuffing box.
Scheduling.
Using split seals you can convert packed pumps at a much faster rate. In fact there is no longer any need
to wait until turn around time to fix or convert leaking pieces of rotating equipment.
In the many years I have been dealing with mechanical seals no other design has produced such a
favorable reaction as split seals. Consumers will go to almost any extreme to make the seal work and the
final result is always worth the effort expended.
There is no longer any need to speculate if a seal will work in a given application. You can always install
a split seal and learn the answer during the current work shift. A typical split seal application is
accomplished in less than one hour with thirty minutes being more common as the mechanic gains
experience.

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Packing conversion

Pumps in parallel
Pumps in parallel 15-01
The head/ capacity curve for a centrifugal pump will be supplied to you by the pump manufacturer. The
curve he supplies describes the relationship between the head and capacity of that particular model. As
you look at his drawing you should note that the BEP (best efficiency point) is located somewhere
between 80% and 85% of the shut off or maximum head. To maximize the life of the pump you should
operate the pump as close to the BEP as you can.
Please note that in each of the following diagrams I use the same terminology:
● H = Head or height, measured in feet or meters

● Q = Capacity measured in gpm, m3/hr or any other units you are comfortable with.
● S = A description of the system curve supplied by the consumer
● Unless the internal pump clearances go out of specification

you will always pump on the pump curve. As the centrifugal
pump's capacity increases the head will decrease or as the
capacity decrease, the head will increase. If you change one
you always change the other.
● The pump curve does not extend out to intersect the capacity
axis at some point. Beyond the noted limit the pump will go
into cavitation because of excess flow.
In other papers we learned that a system curve is a description of the various heads the pump will
encounter at the customer's desired capacities. The system curve is generated by the pump user and
supplied to the pump manufacture to assist him in selecting the correct pump for the application. The
head shown on the system curve is always a combination of:
● The static head. The vertical distance between the discharge of the pump and the maximum height
of the piping, minus the siphon affect
● The pressure head. The amount of pressure in the tank to be filled, converted to head units.
● The head loss caused by friction in the:
● Piping
● Valves
● And any fittings installed in the system
If you are not comfortable with these head terms please refer to paper 14-10 (U.S. customary units) or
paper 07-01 (metric units) for a detailed explanation.
Here is a diagram of a typical system head curve.
● Please note that the static and pressure heads remain constant in
most systems. It is the friction head that varies with the pump's
capacity. The higher the flow, the more friction or head loss in
these components.
● It should also be noted that friction loss varies by
approximately the square of the resistance. Twice as much flow
produces almost four times the friction losses
Once he has the customer's system curve in his possession, the pump
manufacturer will place his pump curve (P) on top of this system curve (S)
and the pump will then operate where the two curves intersect (I).
Hopefully this is close to the pump BEP
The next diagram shows two centrifugal pumps connected in parallel.

Pumps in parallel
These pumps could be either centrifugal or positive

displacement types. The terminology remains the same.
We connect pumps in parallel because we are trying to increase

the capacity (gpm or m3/hr) of the system
The following sketch shows what happens when two identical centrifugal pumps, connected in parallel,
intersect a system curve.
The pumps will pump where they each intersect the system curve.
Please take note of the following:
● With two pumps running they intersect at a higher head (B)

and a greater capacity than if one pump was running.
● To determine the flow of an individual pump while both are
running, trace back at that combined head to the single pump
curve and read the flow for each pump at "G". With two
pumps running, the system head is higher causing each pump
to reduce its capacity a little bit.
We sometimes hear complaints that when three pu mps are run in parallel the third pump often does not
seem to be making any difference. Look at the following diagram for an explanation:
Take a good look at the diagram and you will see that the third
pump (C) is intersecting the system curve at just about the
same point as the second pump (B).
All of this means that the capacity of three pumps running will
not be greater than that of two pumps running.
The next diagram is an example of three different size centrifugal pumps running in parallel. Running
different size pumps in parallel is seldom a good idea because the larger pump can throttle the smaller
pump causing it to run too far off of its BEP (best efficiency point.) This can cause shaft deflection and
possible premature bearing and seal failure.
Your best protection against excessive radial movement of the shaft caused by operating off the BEP
(best efficiency point is to equip the pump with a low L3/D4 shaft number.
If either (A) or (B) is running alone, it will intersect the system curve at
the point shown on the diagram.
If (A) and (B) pumps are running at the same time, the capacities are
additive at the same head. The resultant curve gives a new intersection
point on the system curve for the combined capacity.
To determine the flow contribution of each pump in this arrangement,

trace back to the intersection with curves (A) and (B),
You must be sure that the pumps will run individually in the system as well as in parallel. Please take a
look at the next diagram to see a problem application

Pumps in parallel
Assume that when the pumps are running together, the combined
pump curve intersects the system curve within the operating range of
the pumps. (A&B).
If the pumps are run individually neither of them can develop enough
flow to intersect the users system curve. Because the pump is running
at the right hand side of it's curve the pump will cavitate and
experience all of the problems associated with severe shaft deflection.
Lets talk for a minute about what happens when you run PD (positive displacement) pumps in parallel.
Remember that the word "head" is not used with PD pumps. We will be using the term "pressure"
instead. Positive displacement pumps connected in parallel should have the same maximum pressure
capabilities. If they incorporate internal relief valves the valves should be set to the correct anticipated
pressures.
The rules are the same as running centrifugal pumps in parallel. You
add the capacities of the two pumps at the same pressure.
Now go back and look at the fourth diagram. In constructing these examples I used the same diameter
piping for the suction and discharge sides of both pumps, so the discharge head or pressure would be
identical coming from each of them. In practice the two pumps could be using different size piping and
the discharge head or pressure coming from the pumps would be different.
● If the piping for pumps #1 and #2 are identical, the head at the discharge of each pump would be
the same.
● If the piping for pump #1 were smaller than the diameter for pump #2, the only common diameter
would be where they discharge into pipe #3. How would the flow be affected in this second case?
● The higher friction loss in piping #1 would meet the head at the intersection of 1-3, The head from
pump #1 would drop when the flow encountered this larger diameter and the flow would increase.
● Both pumps #1 and #2 are running independently, with the system curve controlling, so pump #2
would continue to provide flow at a rate limited by the friction in the system
There are several reasons why you might want to use pumps running in parallel:
● Two smaller pumps could be less costly than running one large pump.
● In critical applications you need a back-up pump.
● Use parallel pumps to satisfy the demands of a changing flow system.
There are some considerations you must address when using parallel pumps:
● The pumps should run at the same speed with the same diameter impellers.
● Use installed hour meters to assist you in determining the service hours on each pump if you
alternate them in operation.

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Changing piping diameter
Changing the diameter of the piping to save opeating costs 16-07
Business has not been that good and production has decided that maybe they can save costs if they
increase the piping size so that a smaller and more economical motor can be used and the possibility of
cavitation can be reduced. What exactly is going to happen to the horsepower requirement for this new
installation? Will the additional cost of converting to larger piping be justified by the lower operating
costs? What kind of a head reduction are we going to get when we move from a 3-inch to a 4-inch piping
system?
We have been pumping 300 gpm through the present system. That's not going to change.
Horsepower is measured in foot pounds, with one horsepower equal to 33,000 foot pounds. Since fluid
has weight we can calculate how many pounds per minute we are pumping by finding out how much a
gallon of our fluid weighs. After you have done that, multiply the gallons per minute you are pumping by
8.33 (the weight of a gallon of water) and then multiply that result by the specific gravity of your fluid
and you will have the pounds per minute number you are looking for. Multiply that number by the total
head the pump is producing and you have foot pounds per minute.
Here is an example:
You are pumping 300 gallons per minute of a fluid with a specific gravity of 1.3. The combined heads in
the system total 80 feet. Of that total 20 feet is friction head loss in the piping
300 gpm x 8.33 x 1.3 sg. x 80 ft = 259,896.00 foot pounds/minute.
Divide this number by 33,000 and you get 7.88 horsepower.
This is called the water horsepower or the horsepower out of the pump. If the pump were 100% efficient,
all you would need would be a 7.88 horsepower motor to drive the pump and it would do the job, but
motors and pumps are not 100 % efficient and remember efficiency is determined by where you are on
the pump curve, so you have to make some final calculations to determine the size and operating cost of
the motor you choose for this application.
Let's calculate our new friction loss. The rule says: The friction loss is inversely proportional to the fifth
power of the pipe diameter ratio. The formula looks like this:
We were pumping 300 gallons per minute through a 3-inch line with a 20-foot head loss. We want to
replace the 3-inch piping with a 4-inch diameter system
= 5 foot loss
Five foot instead of 20 feet, one fourth of what it used to be. The engineer in charge, now has the
information he needs to decide if he wants to go the expense of putting in a new piping system

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Predictive mintenance
SUBJECT: Is there a reliable method of introducing a centrifugal pump predictive maintenance

program? 6-11
Probably not! But if you want to try you are first going to have to define what you mean by predictive
maintenance. If you mean that you are going to inspect the pump and based on your observation, you are
going to accurately predict future life, you are going to have a problem.
The relationship between life to date and future life is generally accepted as valid. As an example:
● Measure the depth of the tread on your automobile tires, record the distance driven on the tires,
and if you do not change your driving habits, you can accurately predict the life remaining.
● Do the same thing with the shoes you are wearing and you will come up with a similar result.
These are items that tend to "wear out" so life to date is a valid measurement. The problem with
centrifugal pumps is that seals and bearings account for over 90% of premature pump failures and neither
of these items ever "wears out". Seals should run until the sacrificial carbon face has worn away, but a
close look at used seals will demonstrate that wear is actually a minor problem. In excess of 85% of
mechanical seals leak with plenty of wearable face still visible.
Bearings do not "wear out" like mechanical seals. They have a predictive fatigue life that is based on load
and cycles. Properly loaded they could last a hundred years, but like seals, they experience a very high
premature failure rate. All of this means is that the measurements you are taking today are no indication
of what is going to happen tomorrow. It is like trying to predict an automobile accident. There are
precautions you can take, but accidents still happen.
Most companies base their predictive maintenance programs on vibration analysis or interval timed,
visual inspection. and that is why we find "reactive maintenance" the norm in most plants. How many
times have we heard the expression "I did not have time to do the job correctly (realignment, dynamic
balancing, etc.) because I had to get the pump back on stream".
A more sensible approach to predictive maintenance is to monitor the equipment for changes that could
be destructive in the future, but allow you to correct them before the destruction starts. I spent my
formative years in nuclear power. If, as an operator, you did something wrong that would be harmful to
the atomic reactor it would "scram" and shut down immediately. But if you took an action that could be
potentially dangerous, the reactor would start an "insertion" that would start to slowly shut down the
reactor and give you time to correct what ever it was you did.
Medical people use a predictive maintenance program when they:
● Monitor your cholesterol level. If it exceeds some preset number (two hundred in the U.S.) it
means that your arteries are in danger of clogging, so you should change your diet before it
becomes serious. (insertion)
● If your blood pressure is too high you could get a stroke. (insertion)
● A high fever indicates a need to get medical attention before destruction starts. (insertion)
● Some types of pains initiate an immediate operation. (scram)
● You do the same thing with your automobile:
● A high engine water temperature is a sign of engine failure in the future. You better check the fan
belt and look for water leaks. Nothing is serious yet, but you should react to the warning signs.
(insertion)
● High fuel consumption indicates a need for an engine tune-up. (insertion)
● A loss of oil pressure means shut off the engine and react immediately. (scram)
Pumps also "scram" and give "insertion" signals", unfortunately vibration analysis indicates that
destruction has already started (scram). Let's look at some of the "insertion" signals:
The stuffing box temperature is increasing. If it gets too hot you are going to have a problem. You had
better correct the condition if you do not want to experience a premature seal failure. What can happen if
the stuffing box temperature gets too hot?
● The product can change state. It can stop being a lubricant and quickly become a destructive solid
or vapor:
❍ It can vaporize, expand and blow the seal faces open&emdash; leaving destructive solids
between the faces.

❍ It can become viscous, interfering with the free movement of the springs and bellows.
❍ It can solidify, gluing the faces together or making the moveable components inoperable.
❍ It can crystallize and interfere with the moving parts of the seal.
❍ It can cause the product to build a film on the faces (hot oil as an example) and sliding
components, making them inoperable.

● Corrosion increases with increasing temperatures.
● Temperature causes materials to expand. Seal faces can go out of flat, and pressed in carbon faces
can loosen in their holder. Bellows vibration dampers can stick to the shaft sleeve, opening the
faces.
● Some seal faces can be damaged by high heat. Plated materials and filled carbons are two such
examples. Voids in some carbon faces can expand causing pits in the lapped faces
● Elastomers can experience "compression set" problems, causing them to leak or in some cases fail
completely at higher heat levels.
What could be causing this high heat? If you take no corrective action one of the above will occur.
● A loss of flushing fluid. There are multiple reasons why this could happen and I am confident you
can think of many of them.
● Loss of barrier or buffer fluid between two mechanical seals, or the convection of the barrier fluid
has stopped for some reason. Keep in mind that petroleum products need forced lubrication or a
pumping ring because of the petroleum low specific heat and poor conductivity.
● Loss of the quench in an A.P.I. gland.
● Loss of the discharge recirculation line because of a clogged filter, cyclone separator or heat
exchanger.
● Loss of suction recirculation because of solids in the fluid.
● Loss of cooling in the stuffing box cooling jacket because the circulating water was "hard" and
has deposited an insulating layer of calcium on the inside of the cooling jacket.
● The seal is running dry because the stuffing box was not vented in a vertical application.
● The seal was installed incorrectly. There is too much spring load on the faces.
● You need a hydraulic balanced seal. The unbalanced design cannot compensate for the high
● Thermal shaft expansion is over compressing an outside seal design, or one of the seals in a dual
seal application.
● The open impeller adjusting technique can over compress some seal designs.
● The stuffing box is running in a vacuum because the supply tank is not vented properly or cold
weather is freezing the tank vent.
● Water hammer, pressure surges and cavitation will all alter seal face loading.
A change in the stuffing box pressure can cause:
● The product to vaporize, opening the lapped faces.

● O-rings and other elastomer designs to extrude and jam the sliding components.
● Lapped seal faces to distort and go out of flat.
● A stuffing box vacuum can blow open unbalanced seals.
● A differential pressure across the elastomer can cause ethylene oxide to penetrate into the
elastomer and destroy it as it expands in the lower pressure side.
If you are monitoring temperature and pressure in the stuffing box area you will note the changes
mentioned and depending upon your knowledge of the above, you will have time to react before seal
failure occurs.
An increase in the bearing case oil temperature is significant because the life of bearing oil is directly
related to the oil temperature. Lubricating oil has a useful life of thirty years at thirty degrees centigrade
(86°F) and its life is cut in half for every ten degree centigrade (18°F) increase in temperature. You can
figure the temperature in the bearing is at least ten degrees centigrade (18°F) higher than the oil sump
temperature. At elevated temperatures the oil will carbonize by first forming a "varnish like" film that
will turn into a hard black coke at these higher temperatures. It is these formed solids that will destroy the
bearing.
What is causing these elevated temperatures? There are a number of possibilities:
● Loss of circulation in the stuffing box cooling jacket.

● Loss of cooling in the bearing case cooling sump.
● Some one is cooling the outside of the bearing casing causing the outside diameter of the bearing
to shrink, increasing the load.
● The bearing was installed incorrectly.
● The bearing is over lubricated. The oil level is too high or there is too much grease in the bearing.
● The lubricating oil is contaminated with water.
● The shaft is overloaded because the pump is operating off of the B.E.P., misalignment, unbalance,
etc.
● There is too much axial thrust.
Oil sampling is always a good idea. It can tell you:
● If water is getting into the oil.

● If the oil additives are still present and functioning.
● If the oil is carbonizing due to high temperature.
● If there are solids due to corrosion, bearing cage destruction, or some other reason.
If you monitor pump suction and discharge pressure and coordinate this information with flow and motor
amperage readings you can come up with a lot of useful information such as:
● You can tell if you have the right size pump.

● You can estimate where you are in respect to the B.E.P. and know if the shaft i deflecting, or is
about to deflect.
● You can tell if the motor is close to an overload condition.
● You will know when the impeller needs adjusting or the wear rings need replacement.
● You can spot poor operating practices if you have a chart recorder installed, instead of pressure
and temperature gages.
● You can tell if the tank you are pumping from is losing the proper level or if the suction lines are
clogging.
● You can tell if you are getting close to cavitation.
It goes without saying that constant monitoring is the most sensible answer to predictive maintenance. It
is the same logic you use with your automobile. You believe that the extra expense of installed gauges is
a cheap investment for longer engine life.
There is nothing wrong with vibration analysis (an E.K.G. is still part of taking a physical) but do not
substitute it for sensible monitoring. The "scram " is too expensive in this very competitive world of
ours.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Seal preventive maintenance
SUBJECT: A sensible preventative maintenance program for centrifugal pumps cheat sheet 9-5
TRY TO INSTALL CONSTANT MONITORING. With proper instrumentation you can tell:
● If the fluid in the stuffing box is about to change state and fail the mechanical seal.
❍ It could vaporize.
❍ It could solidify.
❍ It could crystallize.
❍ It could become viscous.
❍ It could build a film on the sliding surfaces and between the lapped faces.
● The differential pressure between the suction and the discharge can tell you how far you are
operating the pump from its best efficiency point (BEP).
● The suction pressure can tell you if cavitation is about to begin.
● Comparing flow to amperage can tell you if you need an impeller adjustment.
● Comparing flow to amperage can tell you if the wear rings need replacing.
● A probe in the bearing case can tell you if the bearing temperature is too high.
● A drop in capacity with no change in amperage consumption could tell you the open impeller
needs adjusting
GOOD MAINTENANCE PRACTICES
● Be sure the pump and motor pedestal is at least five times the mass of the hardware sitting on it.
● Be sure there are ten diameters of pipe between the pump suction and the first elbow in the
suction piping to prevent cavitation problems.
● Dynamic balance the rotating parts of the pump.
● Do your pump to driver alignment at operating temperature.
● Eliminate pipe strain.
● Be sure the initial impeller adjustment is made at the pump operating temperature.
● Be sure the vertical pump stuffing box is vented to a low point in the system.
● Use suction recirculation for most seal applications.
● Insure the bearing oil is being changed on a regular basis.
● Insure that no water or solids are getting into the bearing case. Use positive face seals.
● Stagger pipe hangers.
● Do not use hardened shafts, the seal set screws can slip.
GOOD OPERATING PRACTICES WILL LOWER MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS
● Do not pump the tank dry.

● Be sure the tank vent is clear and will not freeze in cold weather.
● Run as close as possible to the pump B.E.P. You may have to reduce the impeller diameter to do
this.
● Be sure to keep any environmental controls functioning when the pump is stopped.
● Remember that constant running is easier on bearings and seals.
RECOMMEND SENSIBLE DESIGN FEATURES TO LESSEN MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS
● Make sure that the pump shaft L3/D4 is less than 60 (2.0 in the metric system).
● Use the double volute design whenever possible.
● Be sure the suction specific speed number is less than 8500
● Specify a C or D frame adapter.
● Specify a Centerline design pump.
● Look for designs that adjust the open impeller from the wet end of the pump.
● Specify a positive bearing retention method. A simple snap ring is not good enough.
● Specify face seals for the bearing case, with an expansion chamber installed on the bearing case
vent.
● Install a sight glass or dip stick to check the oil level in the bearing case.
● Do not use grease fittings on the bearing housing. If you are going to use grease, hand pack the
bearings.
● Use only a solid pump shaft for mechanical seals.
● Specify a duplex metal for impellers to get the combination of wear and corrosion resistance.
● Be sure there is adequate N.P.S.H. for the application.
● Specify the large diameter stuffing box for mechanical seals. Do not use tapered versions.
● Select the correct diameter impeller to stay within 10% of the best efficiency point.
● Be sure the impeller to cutwater clearance is no less than 4% of the impeller diameter to avoid
cavitation problems.
IF YOU MUST OPERATE OFF THE BEP
● Stabilize the shaft

3 4
❍ Be sure the shaft L /D is less than 60 (2.0 in the metric pumps).
❍ Try to specify as double volute if possible.
❍ Stabilize the shaft with a suitable non sparking bushing
● Move the seal close to the bearing. You can do this with a stuffing box extension.
● Provide bearing oil cooling if the application is hot and you are concerned about soak temperature
through the shaft.
● Watch out for cavitation problems if you are operating on the high capacity side of the pump
curve.
● Throttle only the discharge side of the pump, never the suction side unless you are certain that the
extra heat caused by discharge throttling will flash the product.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Pump preventive maintenance
SUBJECT: Pump and seal preventative maintenance - what is it all about? 2-6
Smart shop maintenance can be approached several different ways:
● Reactionary Maintenance - The equipment has failed and you have to fix it right now! If you have
an installed spare it helps, but you must fix it immediately because you cannot afford to run
without a spare. This is the "norm" in most plants.
● Preventative Maintenance - You will take appropriate actions and thereby prevent the unit from
failing . Most companies are still trying to figure out what those appropriate actions are.
● Predictive Maintenance - By taking selected readings we hope to be able to predict an impending
problem and calculate how much longer the unit will run before failure. A lot of information is
being collected, but the concerned parties are still trying to figure out how to use it. Most
predictive maintenance calls for shutting down the equipment when some arbitrary limit has been
reached and this puts you back to reactive maintenance again.
● Continuous Diagnostic Maintenance - You will take constant readings and note any significant
change in these readings. Hopefully you will then be able to predict impending failure. This is
very similar to reading the instruments on the dashboard of your automobile.
● Machinery History - By keeping good records we hope to predict the life of the unit or its'
individual components. This system assumes that the life of the previous unit somehow relates to
the present one.
The problem with most of these systems is that we collect more data than the operator or any one else
can deal with. The result is that Reactionary Maintenance is a "reality" in most plants today.
Since the taking of readings is part of most of these programs let us take a look at the type of information
we can gather for analysis. We can monitor :
● Heat - Especially in the seal chamber and bearing case. A reading at the pump suction would be
helpful in predicting cavitation. Volute casing readings could indicate internal recirculation and
minimum flow problems as well as an indication of impeller rubbing.
● Pressure - You can take readings at the pump discharge, suction and stuffing box to determine
where you are on the pump curve and see if you are within the operating range of your
mechanical seal.
● Speed - To see how it affects pump curve data. The pump curves were generated with a variable
frequency motor at a speed different than your induction motor.
● Noise - To indicate cavitation, rubbing, location on the pump curve, bad bearings, or some other
abnormal condition.
● Flow - To check the status of wear rings, impeller adjustment and the discharge recirculation
system.
● Strain - To anticipate rubbing and stress corrosion problems.
● Liquid level - To anticipate N.P.S.H., B.E.P. and air ingestion problems.
● Leakage and Fugitive Emissions - To check the seal performance in both the stuffing box and
bearing case locations.
● Product contamination- To monitor the performance of dual seals and flushing controls.
● Functioning of stuffing box environmental controls - To anticipate seal failure.
● Power Consumption - To check pump efficiency and to anticipate heat problems.
● Vibration - At multiple locations in the system to indicate that a failure has already started.
The monitoring of vibration is confusing to many people. We hear about frequency, amplitude, velocity,
acceleration, I.P.S. and all sorts of technical jargon. Probably the system verbalized the most, is the
reading of acceleration ( in./sec2 or mm/ sec2). The problem with this system is that it is dependent upon
the frequency of the vibration. Other companies use decibels as a method of measurement with a decibel
defined as:
20 log10 input /reference
In this system everyone uses a different reference except the people measuring sound who have agreed
upon background noise as their reference. Since this is a logarithmic scale it allows you a big range to
compute change in levels. In fact each 6 Db is equivalent to a two times increase in vibration level.
The bottom line is, regardless of the method you are using, only a relative number. Most people agree
that a two times increase in reading is cause for concern and the equipment should be shut down for a
visual inspection.
The transducers that pick up this vibration can be either permanently mounted or portable with
permanent being the preferred method. Be sure to install the transducers on a flat, clean surface and be
careful how you screw them down. To insure good contact it helps to place a small amount of silicone
grease under the transducer to fill in irregularities that might trap air and give a false reading.
If you are going to use the portable type of vibration analyzer you should drill a small recess at the
location you wish to monitor and lubricate it with silicone grease to prevent corrosion. This recess should
match the curvature of the probe. Be sure the area is clean before placing the probe in the recess and be
sure to hold the probe in a vertical or horizontal position, never upside down. If it must be at an angle
you must try to duplicate the same angle each time you take a reading. Your readings will be relative
readings so they will have no meaning outside of your own organization and this particular piece of
equipment.
Many problems become visible when we look at the disassembled hardware. An inspection of individual
components is still one of the best methods of troubleshooting. You can see :
● Wear.
● Corrosion.
● Discoloration
● Damage.
● Product attaching to the hardware.
● The presence of foreign objects.
● Missing parts.
● A wrong part.
Be sure to note the order in which the parts came out to determine an improper assembly.
There are things you can measure as well as things that can be monitored or observed:
● Clearances - At the wear rings and bearing fits.

● Dynamic balance - of the entire rotating assembly or the individual components
● Alignment - Between the pump and the driver as well as the piping and the pump flanges.
● Settings - For the seal face loading and impeller clearance.
● Shaft deflection - To insure that rotating parts will not contact stationary parts.
● Shaft axial movement - Especially equipment with sleeve or babbitt bearings. Both impellers and
mechanical seals are sensitive to this movement.
● Oil analysis - To learn if we are experiencing excessive wear or if our lubrication is breaking
down. An 18 degree Fahrenheit (10 C.) increase in oil temperature will cut the service life of the
oil in half.
● X-Ray - To detect cracks in metal, especially at the welds or to indicate evidence of Stress
Corrosion cracking.
● Thermal imaging - To detect rubbing and heat losses.
● Magnetism - Especially in the bearing area. Magnetized bearings or seals attract the metal
particles found in worn lubricating oil.
Lists like the ones above could keep a maintenance staff busy forever, and no one could deny that the
information would be valuable. The real question however, is how practical would it be to do those
things? A human being could be wired to give constant readings of his blood pressure, pulse, E.K.G.,
cholesterol etc.. but no one would think of doing it unless he were in terrible health and in intensive care.
Most maintenance programs start with the false assumption that the life to date is some how related to
how much service life is left in the equipment. In other words; if half of the seal wearable face is still left
then the seal can be logically expected to run the same amount of time as before. The problem with this
logic is that it only works if the components are wearing out. In the case of seals and bearings, failure is
the most common condition with "wearing out" taking place less than fifteen percent of the time.
You only have to look at the mechanical seals that have been removed from your pumps to verify this
statement. The only sacrificial part of any mechanical seal is the carbon face and an inspection of used
seals will show that in better than 85% of the cases the used seals have substantial face material left.
Normally fatigued bearings are even more rare than worn out seals.
Some years ago the U.S. Navy contracted for the building of K (Killer) Class submarines. They were
super SONAR (listening) ships with the capability of detecting enemy submarines from a long distance.
They did an excellent job of detecting enemy submarines, but were too slow to catch and destroy them.
The result was that they recorded only the passing of ships and were eventually scrapped. I see this as the
same problem with most of these maintenance programs. We are recording the data, but the seals and
bearings are still failing atthe same rate.
I have no problem with people who want to monitor equipment, but I do have a problem with people who
want to substitute monitoring for good maintenance practices. Unfortunately these two groups are often
composed of different people operating under different budgets.
Lecturing to maintenance groups each week I find very little concern with sensible maintenance practices
and a growing concern for monitoring. The common complaint among maintenance people is that there
is no time to do the work correctly because of the pressures of production. I also find a lack of training in
the basics such as :
● How to read a pump curve

● How to make a system curve and how to relate it to the pump curve.
● The causes of Cavitation and how to stop it.
● How to align the pump and motor.
● How to prevent pipe strain

● Good piping practices to prevent liquid turbulence
● Troubleshooting pumps and seals.
● How to set impellers.
● How to install a bearing.
● How to install a Mechanical Seal and still be able to adjust open impellers for thermal growth and
wear.
● How to install wear rings.
● And the list goes on.
Most experienced people, and almost all pump manufacturers agree that the main cause of premature
pump shutdown is seal and/or bearing failure. What then would be minimum good maintenance practices
for seals and bearings?
Stop shaft deflection. It will cause problems with packing, mechanical seals, bearings and will change
critical dimensions such as impeller clearances, wear ring clearances, seal settings etc.
● Use "C" ( Metric uses "D") frame adapters to simplify pump/motor alignment.
● Use Centerline wet ends if the operating fluid temperature exceeds 200° Fahrenheit (100° C)
● Balance all shaft assemblies and check they are straight.
● If you are using open impellers keep them adjusted to the correct "hot" setting.
● Maintain the correct oil level and change bearing oil frequently. If you are using grease
lubrication it is more difficult to change the grease, but it has to be done. Two thousand hours (83
days) should be a maximum unless you can guarantee there was no moisture ingestion or the
lubricant was not overheated. Be careful not to over lubricate the bearings.
● Use labyrinth, or positive face seals to keep moisture out of the bearing lubrication and to prevent
shaft damage.
● Do not use shafts with an L3/D4 ratio above 60 (2,0 metric)
● Try to keep Suction Specific Speed numbers below 8500 (10,000 metric) and never above 15,000
(16,500 metric)
● Maintain the correct clearance between the impeller and the pump cutwater or tongue. It should
run between 4% and 6% of the impeller diameter. Use 4% for impeller diameters up to 14" (355
mm) or less and 6% over 14" (355 mm).
● Use corrosion resistant solid shafts only. Sleeves do not add strength to shafts. Sealed pumps
should not need sleeves, unless you are using the type thet Frett and groove shafts.
● Make sure you have enough Net Positive Suction Head Available to prevent cavitation.
● Do not let air enter into the system. Air comes in through shaft packing, flanges, and valves above
the water line. Vortexing, aerating the incoming liquid, and pumping the suction dry are other
common causes.
● Replace wear rings any time the original specified clearance doubles.
Other good practices :
● Pay attention to parts storage.

❍ As an example, Buna "N" rubber has a shelf life of only one year because of Ozone attack.
Proper packaging can increase this life considerably.

❍ Many pump power ends are already rusted internally at the time of installation because of
poor storage policies and no internal corrosion protection.

❍ Lapped seals should be packaged in such a way that they can survive a one meter (39 inch
) drop with out injuring the lapped faces.

● Use only balanced seals for all of your sealing applications. They will be able to handle
fluctuating system and flush pressures.
● Use only non fretting seal designs to prevent costly shaft damage. All real seal companies have
them available.
● Either bore out your present stuffing box or install a commercially available large bore sealing
chamber to give the mechanical seal room to move and centrifuge dirt and/or solids from the
faces.
● Use universal seal materials to prevent material mix up and lower inventory costs.
❍ Grade 316 stainless steel seal metal components can usually be used in any pump
manufactured from iron, steel, stainless steel or bronze. CAUTION do not use stainless
steel springs or metal bellows because of Chloride Stress Corrosion. Hastelloy "C" would
be the best choice for these locations.
❍ Use only unfilled carbons. They will be chemically compatible with any chemical except
an oxidizing agent. Oxidizing agents combine with carbon to form carbon monoxide and
carbon dioxide
❍ Silicone carbide is the best universal hard face material. Two versions are available,
reaction bonded and alpha sintered. Alpha sintered is the preferred one
❍ Most of the chemical in this world can be handled by either Viton® or Ethylene Propylene
elastomers. Dupont's Kalrez ®, Green Tweed's Chemraz or a similar product should take
care of the rest.
● Unless you are pumping a fluid at or close to its vapor point, connect a recirculation line from the
bottom of the stuffing box back to the suction side of the pump, instead of from the discharge side
of the pump to the stuffing box..

● To insure good seal life be sure that the installed environmental controls are functioning.
● Cooling/Heating jackets can become clogged with Calcium and become inoperative. If your
cooling water is too hard or dirty, use condensate instead.
● Flushing pressure can vary, or flushing lines can become clogged. You may have to install a
separate system. A flow meter will indicate that you are flushing the correct amount.
● Quenching must be regulated to prevent water entering into the bearings. (another good reason to
use labyrinth or face type bearing seals).
● Convection tanks can run backwards, make sure the piping is installed correctly and the rotating
components are centered in the stationary gland.
● Install cathode protection where ever practical and possible.
● Use O-ring seal designs whenever possible. O-Rings seal in both directions and can flex to
compensate for minor shaft vibration and movement. Remember also that the O-Ring is a natural
vibration damper.
● Avoid pipe strain problems by piping from the pump to the pipe rack and use a "centerline" wet
end any time the pumping fluid temperature exceeds 200° Fahrenheit. (100 C.)
The most sensible thing you can do to prevent unexpected pump shut down is to install a "back up"
mechanical seal in each of your pumps. Since the seal is the most likely component to fail and you do
want to maximize the seal life the "back up" seal will give you time to schedule a shut down at your
convenience.
● You can use either tandem, face to face, or "two way balanced seals", but never rotating, "back to
back" designs. A convection tank can be installed between the seals and the level / pressure in the
tank will indicate which seal has worn out or failed first.
The only other sensible solution to an unexpected costly shutdown is a split mechanical seal that can get
you back on line, usually in less than an hour.
Once these sensible maintenance practices have been initiated and back up sealing provided, a well
thought out monitoring system can be of great value. If given a choice I would vote for a constant
monitoring type of system, but the fact of the matter is that any of them would be of value.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

SUBJECT: A sensible preventative maintenance program for mechanical seals, cheat sheet 9-6
Eliminate as much shaft deflection as possible:
● Use a C or D frame adapter to eliminate misalignment problems.

● Use the pump centerline design to lessen pipe strain problems and avoid wear ring damage.
● Specify a low L3/D4 pump shaft
● Make impeller adjustments as necessary to stop vibration problems.
● Stabilize the shaft whenever possible. You can install a non sparking bushing into the bottom of
the stuffing box.
● Move the seal closer to the bearings.
● Be sure the face of the stuffing box is perpendicular to the shaft.
● Check to be sure the shaft is not bent.
● Try to operate as close to the best efficiency point as possible. Sometimes it is just a matter of
trimming an impeller.
● Check for excessive pipe strain.
Eliminate as much vibration as possible:

● Stop cavitation.
● Provide mechanical seal vibration damping to avoid "slip stick" problems.
Keep the stuffing box temperature within the seal limits.
● Vent vertical pumps to prevent the trapping of air at the seal faces.
● Use only hydraulically balanced seals that generate lower heat.
● Use low friction seal face materials such as carbon against a hard face.
● Install the seal at the correct operating length.
● Use the heating or cooling jacket on the pump with a bushing in the bottom of the box.
● Quenching is another option to provide heating or cooling.
● A dual seal with a barrier or buffer fluid can regulate the seal face temperature.
● Be sure to set the correct seal face installation dimension after you have made the initial impeller
adjustment and compensated for thermal expansion.
Keep the stuffing box pressure within the seal limits.
● Discharge recirculation will raise the pressure.

● Suction recirculation will lower the pressure.
● Stage the pressure between dual seals as a last alternative.
Monitor any stuffing box environmental controls to keep them functioning, especially when the pump is
stopped. These controls include:
● Flushing. Be sure the pressure is at least one atmosphere higher than the stuffing box.
● Quenching. Be sure the steam or water is not being directed into the bearing case. Pipe the drain
to a suitable location. The vent should go to a flare or some other suitable location.
● Suction recirculation. Circulate from the seal faces not the center of the stuffing box. Be sure to
"lock in" the break down bushing or it will move into the seal.
● Discharge recirculation. Do not aim the flow at the lapped faces.
● Jacketed stuffing box. Use only condensate or steam to prevent calcium build up.
● Dual seals with a barrier or buffer fluid and convection tank. A pumping ring between the seals is
always a good idea.
Make sure your seals have anti-slurry features built into them:
● Multiple springs positioned out of the fluid.

● Be sure the elastomer moves to a clean location as the seal faces wear.
● Use a Teflon or similar coating where possible to prevent elastomer hang up and to keep solids
away from the moving parts.
● Keep the fluid solids at the seal outside diameter.
There are other desirable seal features:
● Use only hydraulically balanced seals.

● Do not isolate seal faces with a gasket that does not transmit heat.
● Self centering is desirable.
● Use only known seal materials and never use stainless steel springs or bellows.
● Specify stationary seal designs if possible (The springs do not rotate).
● Use self aligning seal designs.
● Specify single seals that can pass fugitive emission standards.
● Look for built in pumping rings when you specify dual seals.

● Look for designs with built in environmental controls.

● There should be a vent in the face of cartridge seals to vent the stuffing box in vertical
applications.
Use cartridge seals to ease installation
● Be sure the cartridge sleeve is sealed at the inboard end or solids will penetrate between the sleeve
and the shaft making removal very difficult.
● Stationary versions require some type of a self aligning feature to prevent constant movement.
● Use hardened set screws to avoid slippage. The seal probably came with soft corrosion resistant
set screws. You will have to change them.
Use back up seals to prevent an unexpected shut down.
● Tandem is the best configuration.

● Be sure to specify two way balance to prevent the seal from blowing open in a pressure reversal.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Pump priming
SUBJECT : Why you must prime a centrifugal pump 6-6
Although the term "pressure" is not normally a part of a centrifugal pump man's vocabulary, we are
going to have to discuss it for a couple of minutes.
The earth's atmosphere extends approximately fifty miles (80 Km.) above the earth, and rests on the earth
with a weight equivalent to a layer of fresh water thirty four feet (10 meters) deep at sea level. To remove
air from the pump cavities and the suction piping, the pump must develop enough head to equal the
equivalent of this 14.7 psi., or one bar pressure. In an earlier paper we learned how to convert this height
(head) to a pressure reading by use of the following formulas:
34 Ft./2.31 = 14.7 Psi.
10 Meters/10 = 1 Bar
Unlike a positive displacement pump that can pump a liquid to any head as long as the pump body is
strong enough, and there is enough horsepower available, the centrifugal pump can only pump a liquid to
its rated head. You will recall that this head was determined by, and limited to the diameter of the
impeller and the impeller speed (rpm.)
Since the weight of water is approximately 8000 times that of air (50 miles vs. 34 feet or 80 Km. vs. 10
meters) the centrifugal pump can produce only 1/8000 of its rated liquid pressure. In other words, for
every one foot water has to be raised to prime the pump, the centrifugal pump must produce a discharge
head of approximately 8000 feet (each meter requires a head of 8000 meters) and that is impossible with
conventional impeller diameters and speeds.
All of this means that if you intend to use a centrifugal pump you are going to have to come up with
some sensible method of priming it. Your choices will include :
● Install a foot valve in the suction piping to insure the liquid will not drain from the pump casing
and suction piping. Keep in mind that these valves have a nasty habit of leaking.
● Evacuate the air in the system with a positive displacement priming pump operating between the
pump and a closed discharge valve.
● Fill the pump with liquid prior to starting it.
● Convert the application to a self priming pump that maintains a reservoir of liquid at its suction.

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Pump efficiency
SUBJECT: How efficient is your pump? 7-2
A few years ago, efficiency became "the name of the game". Automotive companies advertised "miles
per gallon (liters per 100 kilometers) information in their advertisements and appliance manufacturers
published kilowatt consumption numbers along with their pricing information.
Unfortunately high efficiency also means higher maintenance costs because you are required to maintain
tighter tolerances and keep the flow passages smooth and free from obstructions. The demise of the
double volute pump design in smaller size pumps, is a perfect example of the increase in mechanical seal
problems as the efficiency of the volute pump was increased to satisfy consumer demand.
Maybe the "trade off" is acceptable as long as you are dealing with accurate numbers, but are you really
doing that? Is the efficiency shown on the pump curve accurate? How was the data taken? What was
included in the data, and more important, what was left out? As an example:
● Was the data generated on a dynamometer with a constant speed motor?

● Are you going to run at the same speed as shown on the performance curve, or are you running
with an induction motor that slips 2% to 5% and you are not sure of the actual speed? Horse
power (K.W.) varies as the cube of the change in speed at the best efficiency point, so a small
variation in speed can make a big difference in efficiency.
● Was the published efficiency data generated with a seal or packing in the stuffing box? The type
of packing or seal used can alter the load they consume.
● Was there an elbow at the suction of the pump?
● Was the inside of the volute polished or coated with a low friction material when the test was
made?
● How were the bearings lubricated, and were all of the losses considered in the published
numbers?
● The final numbers will vary with the motor efficiency, and that will vary with the load on the
motor.
If you would like to keep the pump salesman honest, take the data from his pump curve and then make
the following calculation:
In inch sizes : GPM x TDH / 3960 = WHP
● GPM = Gallon per minute at the best efficiency point

● TDH = Total discharge head (measured in feet), as shown on the pump curve&emdash; at the best
efficiency point)
● WHP = Water horse power, or the amount of horse power the pump is generating.
If we refer to the above pump curve, and insert the numbers into our formula, we would get:
in inch size: GPM x TDH / 3960 = 250 X 300 / 3960 = 18.9
You then divide this number by the efficiency shown on the pump curve:
18.9 / .60 = 31.5 horsepower required to generate the WHP. If this number is lower than the horsepower
shown on the performance curves, the efficiency date is questionable. As an example:
If the performance curve showed a requirement for 40 Horse power, the actual efficiency would be 18.9
water horse power40 pump horsepower = .47 or 47% actual efficiency.
Doing the same thing in the metric system we would get:
● M3/ HR = Cubic meters per hour of capacity as measured at the best efficiency point on the pump
curve.
Pump efficiency
● TDH = Total discharge head, in meters, at the best efficiency point.

● WKW = Water kilowatts of power being generated by the pump.
Referring to the above diagram, and putting in the numbers :
M3 / HR X TDH / 360 = 68 x 76 / 360 = 14.36 WKW. The curve shows a 60% efficiency so:
14.36 water kilowatts / 0.60 efficiency = 23.93 Kilowatts required. If this number is lower than shown on
the pump performance curve, the efficiency of the plump is questionable. As an example:
If the pump performance curve showed a requirement for a 30 Kilowatt input, the actual efficiency
would be:
14.36 water horse power / 30 Kilowatts required = 48 % actual efficiency.
The fact of the matter is that you seldom operate at the best efficiency point so the numbers become even
more depressing. The point is that efficiency should only be one of the points taken into consideration
when you purchase a centrifugal pump of a given head, material and capacity. Equally if not more
important should be:
● The L3/D4 number of the shaft. Is the number below 60 in inch sizes or 2 in metric?
● What kind of mechanical seal is installed? Will it seal fugitive emissions?
● How are the bearings being lubricated?
● How are the bearings sealed? Will the seal damage the expensive shaft?
● How is the thrust bearing being retained? In operation the impeller thrusts towards the volute. Are
you relying upon a simple snap ring?
● Is the pump a centerline design? It should be if the product you are pumping is greater than 200°F
(100 C.)
● Is the bearing case vented to atmosphere? If it is, it will allow moisture to penetrate when the
pump stops.
● Has a "C" or "D" frame adapter been installed to reduce alignment time?
● Can the wear rings or open impeller be easily adjusted to compensate for normal wear so that you
can keep the efficiency you paid for?
● Can the seal compensate for thermal growth, or impeller adjustment?
You can save money by lowering operating costs (efficiency) or increasing the time between repairs
(design). Be sure you consider both when you make your pump buying decision.

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Pump Efficiency
SUBJECT: What do we mean by pump efficiency? 6-1
When we talk about automobiles and discuss efficiency, we mean how many miles per gallon, or liters
per 100 kilometers. When we discuss centrifugal pumps we are comparing the amount of work or power
we get out of the pump to the amount of power we are putting into the pump. As an example:
How do we measure the horsepower or kilowatts coming out of the pump? All we have to do is multiply
the pump head by the weight of the liquid being pumped, and then use a simple conversion number. Let's
take an example:
Flow = 300 gallons per minute of fresh water as measured coming from the pump discharge.
Head = 160 feet. We measured it at the discharge side of the pump and corrected it for the fact that the
gage was two feet above the pump center line. Look at the following diagram where we have calculated
the discharge head from the formula shown on the right hand side of the illustration. If there were any
positive head on the suction side of the pump that head would have to be subtracted. A negative suction
head would be added to the discharge head.
The centrifugal pump pumps the difference between the suction and the discharge heads. There are three
kinds of discharge head:
● Static head. The height we are pumping to, or the height to the discharge piping outlet that is
filling the tank from the top. Note: that if you are filling the tank from the bottom, the static head
will be constantly changing.
● Pressure head. If we are pumping to a pressurized vessel (like a boiler) we must convert the
pressure units (psi. or Kg.) to head units (feet or meters).
● System or dynamic head. Caused by friction in the pipes, fittings, and system components. We get
this number by making the calculations from published charts ( non included in this paper, but
available in the chart section of this web site).
Suction head is measured the same way.
● If the liquid level is above the pump center line, that level is a positive suction head. If the pump
is lifting a liquid level from below its center line, it is a negative suction head.
● If the pump is pumping liquid from a pressurized vessel, you must convert this pressure to a
positive suction head. A vacuum in the tank would be converted to a negative suction head.
● Friction in the pipes, fittings, and associated hardware is a negative suction head.
● Negative suction heads are added to the pump discharge head, positive suctions heads are
subtracted from the pump discharge head.
Here is the formula for measuring the horsepower out of the pump:

Pump Efficiency
Remember that we are using the actual horsepower or kilowatts going into the pump and not the
horsepower or kilowatts required by the electric motor. Most motors run some where near 85% efficient.
An 85% efficient motor turning a 76% efficient pump, gives you a real efficiency of 0 .85 x 0.76 = 0 .65
or 65% efficient.
A survey of popular pump brands demonstrates that pump efficiencies range from 15% to over 90%. The
question then arises, "Is this very wide range due to poor selection, poor design, or some other variable
which would interfere with good performance?" The best available evidence suggests that pump
efficiency is directly related to " the specific speed number " with efficiencies dropping dramatically
below a number of 1000 . Testing also shows that smaller capacity pumps exhibit lower efficiencies than
higher capacity designs.
Now that we have learned that pump efficiency is closely related to the shape of the impeller, and the
impeller shape is usually dictated by the operating conditions, you should be aware of various conditions
that decrease the efficiency of your pump. These would include:
● Packing generates approximately six times as much heat as a balanced mechanical seal.
● Wear rings and impeller clearances are critical. Anything that causes these tolerances to open will
cause internal recirculation that is wasting power as the fluid is returned to the suction of the
pump. If the wear ring is rubbing, the generated heat is consuming power.
● A bypass line installed from the discharge side of the pump to the suction piping. The heat
generated from this recirculation can, in some cases, cause pump cavitation as it heats the
incoming liquid.
● A double volute design pump restricts the discharge passage lowering the overall efficiency.
● Running the pump with a throttled discharge valve.
● Eroded or corroded internal pump passages will cause fluid turbulence.
● Any restrictions in the pump or piping passages such as product build up, a foreign object, or a
stuck check valve.
● Over lubricated or over loaded bearings.
● Rubbing is a major cause. It can be caused by:
❍ Misalignment between the pump and driver.
❍ Pipe strain.
❍ Impeller imbalance.
❍ A bent shaft.
❍ A close fitting bushing.
❍ Loose hardware.
❍ A protruding gasket rubbing against the mechanical seal.
❍ Cavitation. (5 kinds)
❍ Improper assembly of the bearings, seal, wear rings, packing, lip seals etc..
❍ Thermal expansion of various components in high temperature applications. The impeller
can hit the volute, the wear rings can come into physical contact etc.
❍ Solids rubbing against the rotating components, especially the seal.
❍ Operating too far off of the best efficiency point of the pump.

Pump Efficiency
Water hammer and pressure surges.

❍
❍ Operating at a critical speed.
❍ Dynamic, non O-ring elastomers that cannot flex and roll, but must slide, eventually
fretting the shaft or sleeve.

❍ A build up of product on the inside of the stuffing box rubbing against the mechanical seal.
❍ Grease or lip seals rubbing the shaft next to the bearings.
❍ Over tightening packing or improper seal installation.
● Vortex pumps can lower efficiency by as much as 50%.

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ten pump features
The ten most important features you can specify in a single stage centrifugal pump design 15-02
shaft.
contraction.
liter capacity.
the application?
shape.

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Pump system curve
SUBJECT: Understanding the system curve 5-12
Every pump manufacturer would like to recommend the perfect pump for your application. To do this he
would like you to provide him with an accurate system curve that would describe the capacity and head
needed for your various operating conditions. Once he has your system curve, he can plot his pump
curves on top of the system curve and hopefully select something that will come close to your needs.
Without this system curve, neither one of you has much of a chance of coming up with the right pump.
To create a system curve we plot the desired capacities against the required head over the total
anticipated operating range of the pump. The head will be measured in feet or meters and the capacity
will be measured in gallons per minute or cubic meters per hour.
Some of the confusion begins when we realize that there are three different kinds of head:
STATIC HEAD This is the vertical distance measured from the center line of the pump to the height of
the piping discharge inside the tank. Look at figure "A" and note that the piping discharge is below the
maximum elevation of the piping system. We do not use the maximum elevation in our calculations
because the siphoning action will carry the fluid over this point once the piping is full of liquid. This is
the same action that lets you siphon gasoline out of an automobile to a storage can.
The pump will have to develop enough head to fill the pipe and then the siphoning action will take over.
The pump operating point should move back towards the best efficiency point (B.E.P.) if the pump was
selected correctly.
FIGURE "A"
DYNAMIC OR SYSTEM HEAD As the liquid flows through the piping and fittings, it is subject to the
friction caused by the piping inside finish, restricted passages in the fittings and hardware that has been
installed in the system. The resulting "pressure drop" is described as a "loss of head" in the system, and
can be calculated from graphs and charts provided by the pump and piping manufacturers. These charts
are not included with this paper, you can find them in the Hydraulic Institute Manuals. This "head" loss
is related to the condition of the system and makes the calculations difficult when you realize that older
systems may have "product build up" on the piping walls, filters, strainers, valves, elbows, heat
exchangers, etc., making the published numbers some what inaccurate.
A general "rule of thumb" says that the friction loss in clean piping will vary approximately with 90% of
the square of the change in flow in the piping, and 100% of the square with the change of flow in the
fittings and accessories. You calculate the change in flow by dividing the new flow by the old flow and
then square the number. As an example:
In the original application system, loss was a combination of the loss through the piping and the loss
through the fittings for a total of 100 feet at 200 gallons per minute. When we increased the flow to 300
Pump system curve
gallons per minute our system head changed to a total of 208.13 feet. This change would have to be
added to the static and pressure heads to calculate the total head required for the new pump.
Please note that the pump is pumping the difference between the suction head and the discharge head, so
if you fail to consider that the suction head will be either added to or subtracted from the discharge head,
you will make an error in your calculations. The suction head will be negative if you are lifting liquid
from below ground or if you are pumping from a vacuum. It will be positive if you are pumping from a
tank located above ground. If the suction head is pressurized, this pressure must be converted to head and
subtracted from the total head required by the pump.
A centrifugal pump will create a head/capacity curve that will generally resemble one of the curves
described in figure "B" The shape of the curve is determined by the Specific Speed number of the
impeller.
Centrifugal pumps always pump somewhere on their curve, but should be selected to pump as close to
the best efficiency point (B.E.P.) as possible. The B.E.P. will fall some where between 80% and 85% of
the shut off head (maximum head).
The manufacturer generated these curves at a specific R.P.M.. Unless you are using synchronous motors
(you probably are using induction motors on your pumps) you will have to adjust the curves to match
your actual pump speed. Put a tachometer on the running motor and record the rpm. difference between
your pump and the speed shown on the pump manufacturer's published curve. You can use the pump
affinity laws to approximate the change.
POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMPS have a different shaped curve. They look something like Figure
"C".
In this system, the head remains a constant as the capacity varies. This is a typical application for:
● A boiler feed pump that is supplying a constant pressure boiler with a varying steam demand. This
is a very common application in many process systems or aboard a ship that is frequently
changing speeds (answering bells).
● Filling a tank from the top and varying the amount of liquid being pumped, is the normal routine
in most process plants. The curve will look like this if the majority of the head is either static or
pressure head.
Pump system curve
The second system is the ideal one, Figure "E" describes it:
In this system the entire head is system head so it will vary with the capacity. Look for this type of curve
in the following applications:
● A circulating hot or cold water heating/ cooling system.

● Pumping to a non pressurized tank, a long distance from the source with little to no elevation
involved. Filling tank cars is a typical application.
System curve "G" is a common one. It is a combination of static, pressure and system heads.
Once the pump manufacturer has a clear idea as to the shape of your system curve, and the head and
capacity numbers needed he can then select the proper centrifugal pump. The shape of his curve will be
pretty much determined by the specific speed number of the impeller.
In addition to specific speed he can select impeller diameter, impeller width, pump rpm., and he also has
the option of series or parallel operation along with the possibility of using a multi-stage pump to satisfy
your needs.
The sad fact is that most pumps are selected poorly because of the desire to offer the customer the lowest
possible price. A robust pump, with a low L3/D4, is still your best protection against seal and bearing
Pump system curve
premature failure when the pump is operating off of its best efficiency point. Keep the following in mind
as you select your pump:
● A centrifugal pump will pump where the pump curve intersects the system curve. This may bear
no relationship to the best efficiency point (B.E.P.), or your desire for the pump to perform a
specific task.
● The further off the B.E.P. you go, the more robust the pump you will need. This is especially true
if you have replaced the packing with a mechanical seal and no longer have the packing to act as a
support bearing when the shaft deflects. Shaft deflection is always a major problem at start up.
● When you connect pumps in parallel, you add the capacities together. The capacity of a pump is
determined by the impeller width and r.p.m.. The head of a centrifugal pump is determined by the
impeller diameter and rpm. If the heads are different, the stronger pump will throttle the weaker
one, so the impeller diameters and rpm's must be the same if you connect pumps in parallel.
Check the rpm's on these pumps if you are experiencing any difficulties.
● If you connect the pumps in series, the heads will add together, so the capacities must be the same
or one of them will probably cavitate. You could also have a problem operating too far to the right
of the best efficiency point with a possible motor "burn out".
● When you vary the speed of a centrifugal pump, the best efficiency point comes down at an angle.
The affect is almost the same as changing the diameter of the impeller. This means that the
variable speed motor will work best on a system curve that is exponential (Figure "F").
Unfortunately most process and boiler feed pump system curves are not exponential.
● Pump curves are based on a speed of 1750, 3500, 1450, or 2900 r.p.m.. Electric induction motors
seldom run at these speeds because of "slip". You can estimate that a 2% to a 5% slip is normal in
these pumps with the "slip" directly related to the price of the motor.
● You should also keep in mind that if the motor is running at its best efficiency point that does not
mean that the pump is running at its B.E.P..
Since you will be using pumps that were supplied at the lowest cost, you can do the following to resist
some of the shaft displacement:
● Use a solid shaft. Sleeves often raise the L3/D4 number to over 60 (2 in the metric system), and
this is too high a number for reliable seal performance.
● Try to keep the mechanical seal as close to the bearings as possible. It is the mechanical seal that
is the most sensitive to shaft deflection and vibration.
● Once the seal has been moved closer to the bearings, you can install a sleeve bearing in the
packing space to support the shaft when the pump is operated off of its B.E.P. This is especially
important at start up, or any time a pump discharge valve is operated.
● Stop the cavitation if you are experiencing any.
● Balance the rotating assembly.
● Check that the shaft is not bent or the rotating assembly is not out of dynamic balance.
● Use a "C" or "D" frame adapter to solve pump- motor alignment difficulties.
● A center line design wet end can be used if pipe strain, due to temperature expansion, is causing
an alignment problem.
Do not trust the system prints to make your calculations. The actual system always differs from that
shown on the print, because people tap into the lines, using the pumped fluid for a variety of purposes
and after having done so forget to change or "mark up" the original system print. You are going to have
to "walk down" the system and note the pipe length, the number of fittings, etc., to make an accurate
system head calculation. Do not be surprised to find that the discharge of your pump is hooked up to the
discharge of another pump further down the line. In other words, the pumps are connected in parallel and
no body knows it. Pressure recorders (not gauges) installed at the pump suction and discharge is another
technique you can use to get a better picture of the system or dynamic head. They will show you how the
head is varying with changes in flow.
Pump selection is simple but not easy. Do not depend upon the knowledge of the local pump salesman to
select the correct pump for you. In many cases he is prepared to sell his pump at cost&emdash;to get the
spare parts business. If you are purchasing pumps at too big a discount&emdash;something is wrong,
there is no free lunch. Keep in mind that if several people are involved in the selection process each of
them will commonly add a safety factor to the calculated pump size. These factors added together can
cause you to purchase a pump that is very much over sized.

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Pump modifications
SUBJECT: Pump modifications you can make to increase the life of mechanical seals and
centrifugal pump bearings. 11-1
If you learn that you have the wrong pump in your application, and your company will not buy you the
correct pump because it costs too much, you may still have the option of modifying the pump you have
to increase its performance, and increase the life of the seal and bearings.
● Mechanical seals should run leak free until the sacrificial faces is worn away. Over 90% of
mechanical seal leak excessively long before they wear out.
● Pump bearings should run trouble free through out their L10 life. The L10 life of a radial bearing
in a Durco Mark II pump, size 3 x 2 x 10 is 300 years.
Here are a few modifications you can make to your centrifugal pump to extend the life of both the
bearings and seals :
Stabilize the pump shaft. Any time you reduce shaft deflection you will increase both seal and bearing
life.
● Reduce the L3/D4 number.

● Replace the sleeved shaft with a solid shaft.
● Install an upgrade new power end with a larger diameter shaft.
● Install a support bushing in the end of the stuffing box to support a deflecting shaft.
❍ Carbon or any other bearing material that is chemically compatible with the pumpage
should work.
❍ A 0.002 inch per inch (0.002 mm/mm) of shaft diameter is a typical diametrical clearance
between the shaft and the bushing.
Install an oversize bore stuffing box to give the mechanical seal more room.
● Avoid tapered designs that direct solids to the lapped seal faces.
● Make the stuffing box bore as large as possible.
● You can make an oversize stuffing box by welding a pipe to the volute back plate after the old
stuffing box has been cut away.
● Most pump manufacturers stock special back plates with the oversize stuffing boxes for their
popular pump designs.
Replace the stuffing box discharge recirculation line with a suction recirculation line connected from the
bottom of the stuffing box to the suction side of the pump, or any other low pressure point in the system.
Needless to say this will not work all the time. Here are four instances where suction recirculation would
not be a good idea:
● Duriron pumps that adjust the semi-open impeller to the volute back plate. In this design the
stuffing box is very close to suction pressure.
● Any time you are pumping a product close to its vapor point. Suction recirculation usually lowers
the stuffing box pressure.
● Any time the solids in the pumpage float. In other words they have a specific gravity or density
lower than the liquid they float on.
Go to a centerline design wet end any time the pumpage exceeds 200°F (100°C).
● If you are using a closed impeller pump this is the best protection for the wear rings.
● The center line design will insure better centering for the mechanical seal, and possibly prevent
the rotating face from sliding off the stationary face.
● A centerline design will prevent some pipe strain on the suction side of the pump.
Use a "C" or "D" frame adapter to insure the best alignment between the pump and the motor.
● The adapter performs the same function as the bell housing on an automobile that aligns the
engine to the automatic transmission.
● The adapter eliminates the complaint that there is never enough time to do a proper pump/driver
alignment.
● The adapter equalizes the temperature between the pump and motor casings. This is a better idea
than trying to equalize temperature through the shaft.
Install a sight glass in the bearing housing.
● The oil level should be through the center of the bottom ball in the bearing when the pump shaft is
not turning.
Pump modifications
Replace the bearing grease or lip seals that damage the shaft and allow moisture o penetrate into the
bearing housing.
● Positive face seals should be your first choice, with an expansion chamber installed in the housing
vent.
● Labyrinth seals are an alternative, but they only work when the shaft is turning. They are not very
good on intermittent service pumps.
● Grease or lip seals have a design life of less than 2000 hours (84 days) and they will cut and
damage the expensive shaft.
Install a better thrust bearing retention method.
● Above 65% of its efficiency, a centrifugal pump is thrusting towards the volute and in many pump
designs it is being retained by a simple and inexpensive snap ring.
Check to be sure that the pump's suction specific speed number is less than 8500 (5200 in the metric
system)
● It is possible to change the impeller to a different shape if you need to meet this number.
Install an impeller inducer if you do not have enough NPSH available to prevent the pump from
cavitating.
● Most high speed pumps (greater than electric motor speeds) come equipped with this inducer
feature.
Install a split mechanical seal to fix a leaking pump. It doesn't make any sense to remove and
disassemble a pump just to fix a leak.
● In many cases insulation would have to be removed and then replaced.

● Pump disassembly means that you will have to do the alignment again.
● Both rotating a stationary versions of split seals are available.
● The seals can often be installed on shafts or sleeves that have been damaged by packing or
mechanical seals that frett shafts. The split seals are installed between the stuffing box and the
bearing case where we seldom find any damage.
● Split seals are located closer to the bearings making them less sensitive to radial movement of the
shaft.

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Pump partnering
Subject: Pump partnering 13-11
With all the current talk about seal partnering, can pump partnering be far behind? As with mechanical
seals the concept is simple; call in several pump companies, talk to them about a lot of lofty ideals and
then learn which of them will give you the best price on a standard ANSI (American National Standards
Institute) pump if you promise to give them all of your business.
This is often called convergence and is recognized as a clearly defined trend in industry..
If you are getting good life out of your present pump, and if every one was selling the same thing, then
that would be a good idea, but that is not the way it is. The fact is that the ANSI (American National
Standards Institute) pump is not giving reasonable trouble free life and to standardize on it would be
foolish if you were looking for long service.
There are two major problems with this pump:
● You will get poor mechanical seal life. A seal should run until the carbon face wears down and in
better than 90% of the cases the seal will begin to leak with plenty of carbon face left untouched.
● The bearings have a L10 rated life of from 100 to 300 years and you know that is not happening.
The problem simply stated is that the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) pump was made for
conventional packing and you are trying to use a mechanical seal because leakage is no longer acceptable
for a variety of reasons that include:
● Pollution problems cause hassles with the government and you do not need these problems.
● Expensive products cost too much to have them leaking on the floor.
● Fugitive emission laws legislate against all leakage.
● The packing is using too much water flush.
Let's look at the cause of the seal problem:
● Your inital seals were supplied by the pump manufacturer who, in many instances, was forced to
use Teflon® and other non-elastomers in the seals because the pump was shipped to a distributor
that did not know where the pump was going to be used other than in a product that was
compatible with the pump metallurgy. The Teflon® caused fretting problems (damage) on the
shaft so the shaft diameter was reduced and a sleeve was installed to accept the damage and the
resultant diameter reduction weakened the shaft.
● The shaft was made long to accommodate at least five rings of packing, a lantern ring or seal
cage, a follower to tighten the packing and enough room had to be left to fit your hands into the
pump to install this hardware. To provide all of this room the impeller was moved too far away
from the bearings.
● When the packing was replaced with the mechanical seal, the shaft became unstable causing
excessive radial movement.
● The long shaft additionally added a lot of unnecessary cost to the pump.
● The narrow stuffing box made sense when packing was installed but made no sense when the
packing was replaced with an expensive mechanical seal. There is not enough clearance between
the seal outside diameter and the stuffing box inside diameter to provide proper cooling and allow
solids to settle out when the pump is stopped. It took the pump companies forever to make the
large stuffing box available as an extra cost accessory.
● The double volute design was always the answer to shaft deflection caused by operating off the
pump's best efficiency point (BEP). This feature was just about eliminated in the smaller impeller
sizes (less than 14 inch or 355 millimeters) to accommodate the consumer's request for more
efficiency. The pump manufacturer should have explained to the consumer that the small decrease
in efficiency would be offset by a major decrease in seal failure, but the pump companies kept
silent. The whole subject has proven to be academic because over 90% of the present pumps in
industry currently run throttled as a result of safety factors imposed when the pump was sized and
purchased requiring the manufacturer to supply an oversized pump.
● The pump should have come equipped with a "C or D" frame adapter to eliminate the need for
making an alignment between the pump and the motor. Unlike the packing, the seal is very
sensitive to misalignment problems and most mechanics complain because there is never time to
do a proper alignment.
● A vortex impeller would have reduced the amount of solids sticking on the impeller in heavy
slurry applications. The attached solids destroyed the dynamic balance of the rotating assembly,
causing seal problems. Again the desire to appear efficient took priority over reliability.
● With the exception of oil refineries most pumps sold in the United States are of the open impeller
type. This means that the impeller has to be adjusted to either the wet end volute or back plate to
maintain the pump's efficiency. In all cases the ANSI (American National Standards Institute)
pump adjusts the impeller from the power end causing the rotating part of the mechanical seal to
move every time an impeller adjustment is made. The open impeller clearance should have been
adjustable from the power end and this problem never would have occurred. To adjust the open or
semi-open impeller without disturbing the seal face load requires that an expensive cartridge
version of the seal be purchased that will consume most of the small radial clearance that is
available in the stuffing box.
Pump partnering
● The mechanical seal should be designed to be installed in the space between the stuffing box and
the bearing case where there is plenty of radial room and the seal is physically located closer to
the bearings. Pusher gland bolts could be used to eliminate the problems caused by the present
gland bolt's variety of bolt circle diameters.
The overall problem is that the pump manufacturer did not want to alter his packed pump design to
accommodate a mechanical seal. Since he held all the power over which seal design was going into his
pump, he insisted on a set of criteria that reduced his cost and guaranteed premature seal failure. The
consumer who possessed little pump knowledge and even less knowledge about mechanical seals went
along with a "child like faith" that all was well because he was dealing with reputable manufacturers.
The ball or roller bearing problems are just as easy to identify:
● There is not enough oil in the bearing case sump causing the oil to get too warm. There should be
enough room to accommodate at least two liters of oil when the lubricant is at the proper level of
half way through the bottom ball when the pump is at rest. Oil has a useful life of 30 years at
30°C (86°F). The life of oil is cut in half for every 10°C (18°F) rise in temperature. This means
that oil has a useful life of only 90 days at 100°C (212°F) because of "coking" problems.
● Grease fitting make no sense for grease lubricated bearings. The fitting will guarantee that the
bearings will be over lubricated causing a heat problem. The bearing must be hand packed and
that is a real inconvenience.
● Grease or lip seals should never be approved for use in centrifugal pumps or any other rotating
equipment. The pump company provides them as a standard
● These seals have a designed life of less than 2000 hours (83 days at 24 hours per day)
● They will cut (frett) the shaft because they remove the corrosion resistant shaft's protective oxide
coating.
● Labyrinth or face seal are a much better choice. The problem is they cost more than grease seals.
● During operation, the shaft will thrust towards the pump volute. Too often the radial bearing is
being retained by a simple snap ring that can bend or loosen as the snap ring groove wears.
There are other features that can be incorporated into the standard pump that would eliminate many of
the current seal and bearing failures:
● A centerline design would compensate for normal thermal growth of the volute causing the shaft
to run non-concentric with the stuffing box.
● A low L3/D4 shaft would resist much of the deflection caused by:
● Operating off the best efficiency point (BEP).
● A shaft that is not dynamically balanced.
● Severe vibration. Cavitation as an example.
● The manufacturer should make various specific speed number impellers available to the
consumer. Too often the impeller sold is a compromise, because the correct specific speed
number was not available.
● An impeller inducer should be available if needed. Some times it is the most practical way to get
the NPSH you need.
● A "C" or "D" frame adapter would eliminate the argument that "we do not have time to do an
alignment".
Equally as important as the pump design is the knowledge you need to troubleshoot piping and
installation problems. A very high percentage of troubleshooting time is spent on those two subjects. If
the consumer is going to save the cost of this service in the form of a pump distributor discount (pump
manufacturers seldom get involved in seal and bearing failures other than to blame some one in operation
or maintenance as the cause of the premature pump failure) then the consumer is going to have to provide
his own service in these areas.
In this age of multi-craft mechanics and non-specialized mechanical engineering, I am not very confident
about the probability of their success. Think about it this way:
Two people coming towards each other from opposite directions will meet somewhere in the middle as
they converge, but they are clearly going in opposite directions.

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pump rebuilding
Some pump rebuilding tips to prevent future vibration problems 15-8
Installing a new key in a coupling
● If a balancing problem is suspected, check the length of the key protruding from the couplings.
● Insure that the keys are not sitting at a 90-degree angle to each other across the coupling.
Rotating elements, that require setscrews positioned at different angles to each other (such as at 90
degrees), require the following procedure to be performed during installation or balancing:
● Always tighten the setscrew located over the keyway before tightening the second setscrew. This
procedure should also be used during final assembly. When setscrews are located at only one
angle, such as two setscrews over the key, there is no need for any special procedure.
● All machined surfaces should be checked for squareness of their mating surfaces. This can be
confirmed on pumps by checking the total indicator runout (TIR) of the shafts when the coupling
bolts are slackened off slightly, and then again when fully tightened. All machined surfaces
should be checked out to ensure that surfaces are as flat as possible.
● The peripheral edge of screwed holes on flat surfaces, especially those that will secure pump and
motor feet to a bedplate, must be checked to ensure the metal pullout from the thread does not
form a lip that will cause soft foot. Soft foot describes the tendency for one of the feet to rise
when its hold down bolt is loosened.
● Nicks, burrs, and hammer dings should be eliminated around bolt holes. To ensure that dirt and
other foreign matter do not get pushed into bolt holes, or between mating surfaces when the bolts
are inserted, clean the holes and bolts as carefully as the mating surfaces.
● Never put threadguard or other thread lubricant into blind bolt holes. The thread lubricant should
always be applied lightly along the bolt's thread to prevent the lubricant from being pushed into
the bottom of the blind hole and, as the bolt is screwed down into the hole, create a hydraulic
jacking effect preventing the bolt from tightening properly.
Split case double suction pumps
● Some of these pumps use "sleeve nuts" to lock the sleeves in place on the shaft. When mounting
mechanical seals on these sleeve nuts be sure to check the sleeve nut outside diameters for
concentricity after assembling the rotating element. Also check to insure that the sleeve is sealed
to either the impeller or the shaft. It is easy to forget to check this, and it always results in a leak.
● The impellers on these pumps are usually held centered in the pump case via the position of the
sleeves. If the impeller is not properly centered in the pump casing there will be a hydraulic
imbalance that could result in excessive thrust loads on the pump bearings.
● Impeller wear rings should have their final outside diameter machined after the wear rings have
been installed on the impeller if possible. This eliminates any "out of round" conditions due to set
screw distortion, welding or rough handling.
● When purchasing casing rings, check them for concentricity before installing them. These parts
are often damaged in shipping and handling.
Installing a centrifugal pump
● The foundation should be three inches (75 mm) wider than the base plate, all around, up to 500
Common sense dictates that any loose bolts or hardware is going to cause a problem with vibration, so be
sure to check for the use of lock washers and all tightening torque specifications. Here are a couple of
more things you can check while you are at it:
● Be careful of torquing the bearing retainer nuts after you make an impeller sdjustment. This
uneven clamping force can distort the bearing and cause overheating problems. In many cases
torquing to the manufacturers recommended specification can cause the problem.
● Do not let anyone hold or rotate the pump shaft using a pipe wrench. Not only can you create an
unbalance problem, but you will have future problems installing cartridge mechanical seals and
many types of bearing seals.
● Do not use shaft centers when you use a bearing puller, it is too easy to damage the soft centers.
Use a piece of flat plate instead, or a hardened insert into the shaft center.

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pump rebuilding

pump reliability
Pump Reliability 17-01
Reliability is one of those buzzwords that academics love to use. We set up reliability programs and
sometimes go so far as to hire reliability engineers. Vibration analysis, dynamic balancing and laser
aligning equipment is purchased and company computers are re-programmed to record your progress.
Maybe you're purchasing seals and bearings to some standard and think that the standard is giving you a
built in protection?
Have you joined the bandwagon? Are you purchasing to a company or engineering standard of some type
and made the capital investment in the reading and recording data? Well, How are you doing?
Did you say, "Good, we're making real progress?"
You're full of baloney!
Let's talk about pump reliability. Just what is it? Any discussion about pump reliability has to contain
three elements:
● You must have a clear picture of what life you should be expecting from the pump. Don't confuse
that life with your past pump history. You're probably getting lousy life now.
● You must maximize the life of the pump components. They should be wearing out not failing
prematurely. Unlike the airlines, you should not be replacing seals and bearings just because they
have a certain number of running hours on them. The shut down and labor cost of replacing parts
is high.
● You must not experience any unexpected failure of the pump. In other words, you really do not
want to run the pump until failure because that will always happen in the middle of a batch.
OK let's take a look at those three requirements:
The two items that have the highest probably of failing your pump are the mechanical seal and shaft
bearings.
● If you are experiencing corrosion of the wet-end of the pump, or getting excessive wear of the
impeller and volute, you should be looking at different pump materials. Duplex metals combine
wear resistance with corrosion resistance. There are plenty of people that can help you select the
correct materials for those components
● Cavitation problems can be stopped if you have anyone around that understands cavitation.
● Pipe strain and alignment problems can be cured using simple shop practices.
● Most problems associated with operating the pump off its BEP can be resolved by teaching one or
more of your people how to correctly size a pump. Once someone learns how to do this you will
end up with smaller and lower cost pumps than the ones you have now.
Seals and bearings account for 90% of your premature pump failures. So how long should seals and
bearings last?
● Seals should run until the sacrificial carbon face is worn smooth. Take a look at the seals coming
out of your pumps and you will see plenty of carbon face material left. You could easily double or
triple the life of your present seals. How long were the seals in there and how much carbon is left?
You don't need any more information than that.
Please do not point out that you are using two hard faces and cannot use this indicator of seal life. In
most cases you should not be using two hard faces any way. The only justification for using two hard
faces is that your product attacks carbon or you are afraid of a color contamination problem and your
company does not allow anything black in the system. Pumping abrasives or slurry is not a good reason.
Abrasives and slurries cannot penetrate between lapped seal faces unless they open. Go find out why the
faces are opening!
● Bearings should last for their L10 life. Check with your pump supplier. The B10 life of most
centrifugal pump ball bearings is in the order of a few hundred years, and we both know you're
not getting that kind of life.
Do we know why seals and bearing fail prematurely? Of course we do!
● Mechanical seals fail for only two reasons. If you damage a component (the damage can be either
corrosion or physical damage), or if the lapped seal faces open.
● Bearings fail for two reasons also. Contamination and overheating. Water contamination is the
main contamination problem and over-lubrication is the major cause of bearing over-heating
We can come up with a lot of reasons why seal materials are damaged or lapped faces open and that is
what education is all about. It's the same with bearing contamination and overheating. Educate your
people and your pump reliability will increase dramatically.

pump reliability
Are you addressing these two problems of premature seal and bearing failure? Of course you're not. I'll
bet you're negotiating with your present seal and bearing suppliers to purchase these same failing seals at
a lower price.
Once you get to the point of having 90% of your seals wear out instead of failing prematurely and you
start to approach the L10 life of your bearings, we can then discuss how to prevent the unexpected failure.
We have to start somewhere, so let's learn how to maximize the life of seals and bearings first.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Pump standards, the problem
SUBJECT : The problem with pump standards 2-4
A Quick check of existing pump standards will reveal that there are a variety of them. The list includes:
● Hydraulic Institute Standards

● American National Institute Standards for Chemical Pumps :
❍ B73.1 for Horizontal type.
❍ B73.2 for Vertical Inline
● API 610 for centrifugal Pumps

● API 674 for Reciprocating Pumps
● API 675 for Controlled Volume Pumps
● API 676 for Rotary Positive Displacement Pumps
● ISO aimed at the medium duty single stage pumps ( Metric)
● DIN. West German standard
● VDMA West German standard for pump seals.
There are two problems with these standards:
● They were written for pumps equipped with jam packing. Most of the standards were written in
the nineteen fifties at a time mechanical seals were not popular. In those days we had a lack of the
modern materials that make mechanical seals practical. As an example Viton® was not invented
until 1958 and did not come into general use until the sixties. Kalrez® did not come out until
1975 and in the eighties the duplex metals came into their own.
● The customer believes that by purchasing a standard design he is getting a good pump. Customers
have the same problem with pump efficiency. They believe there is a correlation between
efficiency and the quality of the pump, needless to say there is none! Problems caused by these
standards are reflected in continual poor seal performance. The fact of the matter is that these
standards reflect only an attempt to standardize envelope (outside) dimensions, nothing more!
Unfortunately standardizing the length of pumps prevented manufacturers from designing short shafts
that were not prone to the bending problems associated with low cost A.N.S.I. and I.S.O. design pumps,
operating off of their best efficiency point (B.E.P).
Here is a list of some of the modifications you should make to your standard A.N.S.I. or I.S.O. pump if
you want to get good mechanical seal and bearing life. Unless you are prepared to upgrade the pump seal
and bearing life will always be less than desirable
WHAT TO MODIFY
● The stuffing box bore is too small for mechanical seals. In most cases there is not enough material
to bore out so you will have to make or purchase a replacement part. Most of these standard
stuffing boxes were designed for 3/8" or 10 mm. packing. You need at least 1" (25 mm.) radial
clearance to take advantage of centrifugal force throwing solids away from the seal faces.
● When using mechanical seals install a recirculation line from the bottom of the stuffing box back
to the suction of the pump. Try to tap the box as close to the face as possible to insure good
circulation. Most quality seals come with this connection already installed in the gland.
● Because packing needs lubrication, the pump came equipped with a line from the discharge side
to the stuffing box lantern ring connection. If you install a large sealing chamber in place of the
narrow packing stuffing box that came as original equipment you should be able to eliminate
almost all need for clean flushing liquid in the seal area. The only exception to this is if you are
pumping a fluid close to its vaporization point. In that instance you do not want to lower stuffing
box pressure because of the possibility of vaporizing the fluid in the stuffing box and possibly
blowing open the seal faces
● Convert to Cartridge or Split Seals to insure correct seal installation and allow proper impeller
settings in "Back Pull Out" or other types of pump designs.
● If you are using single stage centrifugal pumps convert to solid shafts with a low L3/D4 ratio to
resist shaft bending. The back pull out design was made for easy sleeve removal. If you are using
good mechanical seals, corrosion resistant shaft materials and labyrinth oil seals or positive
bearing seals, there should be no need to replace pump shafts.
● Pump manufacturers are not required to provide L3/D4 ratio numbers that would predict shaft
bending problems with their pump. The relationship between shaft size and shaft diameter is
expressed in the ratio L3/D4. Try to keep it below 60 (2.5 Metric)
❍ "L" is the distance from the center of the inboard bearing to the center of the impeller
(inches).
❍ "D" is the diameter of the shaft in the stuffing box area.(inches).
● Substitute labyrinth or positive face seals for the lip or grease seals that are installed in the bearing
case. They will not only do a better job of keeping contaminants out of the bearing oil/grease, but
they will not damage the expensive shaft. These seals also make sense in the motors to eliminate
moisture from damaging the windings and contaminating the lubricating grease.
● Use only non- fretting mechanical seals. Shafts are too costly not to pay attention to this.
● The easiest way to get pump/motor alignment is with a "C" (inch) or "D" (metric) frame adapter.
If you elect not to use the adapter you are in for a long process aligning the pump and driver
correctly, and unless you are using split mechanical seals you are going to have to go through the
Pump standards, the problem
procedure each time you change seals. You should be able to get the C or D frame adapter as part
of your next power frame change or upgrade.
● Convert to a "Center Line" wet end if you are pumping liquids in excess of 200 degrees
Fahrenheit (100 Centigrade) It will allow the suction flange to expand without causing pipe strain
and wear ring damage.
● Do not use a vent on the bearing cavity of the pump. Each time the pump stops the vent will allow
moisture to enter the bearing cavity as the oil cools down (this is called aspiration). You are much
better off positively sealing the casing and installing an expansion chamber on the top of the
casing to allow for air expansion.
● If you intend to use a closed impeller, end suction, centrifugal pump try to convert to a design that
has adjustable wear rings
● Install a sight glass to be sure that the oil level is at the correct height. Too much oil is as bad as
not enough. If you have a positive pressure oil mist system be sure that it does not vent to
atmosphere. Oil mist systems require mechanical seals outboard of the bearings to prevent
atmosphere contamination. If you have installed labyrinth seals, they will almost guarantee the
correct oil level because excess oil will spill out of the labyrinth.
● Coat the inside of the bearing case with a suitable protective covering to prevent rusting and the
leaching out of harmful substances from the bearing casting.
● Install magnetic plugs into the bottom of the bearing casing to attract loose metal shavings that
would damage the bearings.
● Specify double volute designs any time the impeller diameter is 14" (356 mm.) or greater to
prevent shaft deflection. Smaller size pumps do not lend themselves to this modification.
● Convert to a "Vortex" pump volute any time you are pumping liquid that contains lots of solids.
Although the pump efficiency will be lower than conventional designs, the increased service life
will more than compensate.
● At overhaul time substitute a medium or heavy weight power end for the light weight version that
came with the pump and get most of the features we have discussed. Medium and heavy weight
power ends are available for most popular pump brands.
In addition to these modifications mentioned here are some recommendations to help insure good seal
and bearing life.
● Since a seal failure is the most common reason for shutting down a pump, Install a back up seal
and convection tank to prevent unexpected shut downs.
● Change the bearing oil on a regular basis. Contact your favorite oil supplier for his
recommendation and then follow his advice. If the inside of the bearing frame has been coated
with a protective material to prevent rusting, avoid synthetic oils as their detergent action can
damage these protective coatings.
● Maintain the proper oil level. Too much is just as bad as not enough.
● Trim the impeller to obtain operation at the B.E.P. Throttling the pump discharge is not the same
thing.
● If you are using open impellers, keep them adjusted to the correct clearance.
● Install bearings by expanding the bore with an induction coil. Heating the bearing in a pan of
warm oil is not a good idea because the oil can easily be contaminated.
● Install pressure gages on the suction and discharge of the pump. This is the only way to tell if the
pump is running near its B.E.P.
● Do not specify Canned or Magnetic Pumps if the pumping fluid contains solids or if it is a poor
lubricant.
Pumps equipped with a "repeller" and some sort of static seal can usually be converted to a good
mechanical seal. The problem with the repeller design is that in most of the designs the seal faces are
designed to open when the pump is running and then close on any solids as the pump stops. The rule with
mechanical seals is a simple one. "Keep the seal faces together" . Do not open them on purpose.
® E I Dupont Dow elastomer

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Pumps
SUBJECT: Some more things you should know about centrifugal pumps 11-4
The limitations of a magnetic drive pump
● They are less efficient than conventional centrifugal pumps.

● They operate in a narrow window. You cannot pump too far off the best efficiency point (B.E.P.)
● They use sleeve bearings instead of precision bearings with correspondingly more radial
movement.
● The product you are pumping must be a lubricant for the bearings.
● The product you are pumping must be clean because of the very narrow clearances in the bearings
and between the housing and the magnets. This means you are almost always limited to the
pumping of a finished product.
● Be careful of products that are sensitive to an increase in temperature. The product will get
warmer in the close clearances you find in magnetic drive pumps.
● Do not run the pump dry, you will trash it
When do you switch from anti-friction ball and roller bearings to hydrodynamic (sleeve) bearings in a
centrifugal pump?
● Any time the DN number exceeds 300,000 (Bearing bore times rpm)
● If the standard bearings fail to meet an L10 life of 25.000 hours in continuous operation or 16,000
● If the product of the pump horsepower and speed in rpm, is 2.7 million or greater.
Increasing the impeller speed increases the efficiency of centrifugal pumps.
● About 15% for an increase from 1500 to 3600 rpm.

● Less dramatic at lower speeds.
● Maximum efficiency is obtained in the specific speed range of 2000 to <3000
If the wear ring clearance is too large:
● The pump will take on excessive vibration caused by internal recirculation. This can cause seal
and bearing component damage.
● The pump will not meet its designed capacity because of internal recirculation.
● Wear rings should be replaced when their clearance doubles. This additional clearance will
increase the pump power requirements with the amount varying according to the specific speed(
NS ) of the impeller
❍ N 200 14% increase
S
❍ N 500 7% increase
S
❍ N 2500 Insignificant increase
S
Pumps are normally throttled with a discharge valve, but in rare cases it can be done with a suction valve.
● You must have sufficient NPSH to prevent cavitation.

● Suction throttling prevents the over heating caused by discharge regulation. This can be important
with fluids like jet fuel where the additional heat could vaporize the fluid.
Because an overhung impeller does not require the extension of a shaft into the impeller suction eye,
single stage impellers are preferred for pumps handling suspended matter such as sewage.
Do not hydrostatically test a high temperature pump with water. Water trapped in small recesses and
gaskets will flash to steam in high temperature applications, expand and then break something.
There are several ways to prime a centrifugal pump with a suction lift:
● Fill it full of liquid prior to starting.

● Install a foot valve in the suction piping to prevent the fluid from draining back to the sump. Be
careful of these valves, many of them leak and defeat the purpose of installing them in the first
place.
● Install a vacuum pump in the discharge line to pump out any air.
● Install a priming tank in either the suction line, the discharge line or both.
● Purchase a self priming pump.
Pumps with variable speed drives have several potential problems:
● The fluid viscosity can change with speed if it is a non Newtonian fluid.

Pumps
● The shaft can hit a critical speed.

● You can get too much capacity that can burn out the motor.
rpms the cooling fan is not rotating fast enough.
demand.
● At higher shaft speeds the NPSH requirement is higher to prevent cavitation problems.
You cannot vent a running pump. Centrifugal force throws the liquid to the outside of the volute leaving
the air at the eye of the impeller.
Operating off the BEP can break the pump shaft because the force is always in the same direction while
the shaft is turning. This has the affect of flexing the shaft twice per revolution. In many cases you can
easily exceed the endurance limit of the shaft material.
● The stresses imposed in reverse bending are cumulative.

● Most fatigue failure occurs in one million cycles or less. At 1750 rpm you get 2,520,000 cycles
per day.
● If a 300 series, stainless steel shaft is running in a fluid containing chlorides, the shaft is subject to
chloride stress corrosion problems that can be another cause of shaft cracking and breakage.
Slurry pumps have some features that make them different than chemical pumps.
● The pumps are more massive

● Looser tolerances.
● The clearances are more open.
● Parts have blunt rather than tapered edges.
● The metal parts are harder.
● They utilize "through bolt construction" because it is difficult to drill and tap the harder metal.
● Some designs are rubber lined to absorb the impact of abrasive fluids.
● They are less efficient than chemical pumps.
● Many slurries are dilatants. Their viscosity increases with agitation. You may have to convert to a
positive displacement design.
❍ Kaoline or china clay is a good example. Some sugar syrups fall into this category also.
If you need a pump with high head, low capacity features:
● High speed centrifugal pumps are the most popular.

● Multistage vertical and horizontal pumps are another option.
● Regenerative turbine pumps work well, but the necessary close clearances dictate only clean
fluids.
● Gear or rotary positive displacement pumps work well, but they have slippage problems in low
viscosity service and their very low capacities may not be sufficient for the application.
● Metering pumps are good for very low flow, but the inherent pulsations can damage some
instrumentation.
● You can connect single stage centrifugal pumps in series if a single pump cannot meet the head
requirements.
● Partial emission pumps can operate at a specific speed as little as two (2). They utilize a "Baske"
straight vane impeller with a diffuser that allows flow from a small section of the impeller
channels to pass to the pump discharge at any time (hence partial emission). This pump was
developed during world war II to handle the high head low flow rate requirements of the German
ram jet fuel pump.
● Throttling a centrifugal pump to get a high head will cause some problems:
❍ The resultant shaft deflection can damage the seal or break the shaft.
❍ Internal recirculation can overheat the volute and cause cavitation problems.
❍ A high differential pressure across the pump can damage close internal clearances.
❍ The power loss can be expensive.
❍ The increase in stuffing box temperature can cause a premature seal failure.
The optimum control valve location is within five feet (1,5 meters) of the pump discharge to prevent too
much surging of fluid in the system when the discharge is throttled.
● The optimum pipe size will consider the installed cost of the pipe (the cost increases with size)
and the pump power requirements (the power required increases with pipe friction)
● Try to limit the friction loss at design flow to 2-5 feet for each 100 feet (1-2 meters for each 30
meters) of pipe).
● To prevent the settling of solids you need a minimum velocity of about 4 to 7 feet per second (1.5
to 2.5 meters per second)
● Velocities of no more than 10 feet (3 meters) per second are recommended in the suction side
piping to prevent abrasive wear.
Pumps
Here is the proper way to vent a centrifugal pump after it has been installed, or the system has been
opened. I am assuming the pump is empty of liquid and both the suction and discharge valves are shut.
● Open the suction valve. The pump fills part way.

● Close the suction valve.
● Open the discharge valve part way. Once the pressure equalizes the air will rise in the discharge
piping.
● Open the suction valve.
● Start the pump.
If you are using a high speed pump (greater than electric motor speeds) there are some additional things
to consider:
● You must go to a stationary seal design if the seal face surface speed exceeds 5000 fpm. (25
meters/sec). These designs use a hydraulic balance ratio of about 60/40 instead of the
conventional 70/30, and the spring load on the seal faces drops from 10-30 psi.( 0,7 to 2 kg/cm2)
to 8-15 psi. (0,5 to 1 kg/cm2 ).
● You will probably have to install an inducer if the suction specific speed of the pump is greater
than 12,000. Be sure to remember that although a high speed inducer can generate an additional
25-100 feet (10-30 meters) of head, you cannot use this additional head when sizing the pump
because of inlet losses at the impeller.
● At higher shaft speeds the bearing oil level is critical to prevent overheating.
● Be aware that ball bearings have speed limits:
● The bearing bore, in millimeters, times the rpm must not exceed 300,000.
● The pump horse power times the rpm must not exceed 2.7 million.
● Cavitation is always a problem when you have the combination of a high speed pump and low
specific gravity fluid.
● If you double the speed of a pump, abrasives will cause eight times the wear you would
experience in the slower speed pump design.

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Pump and seal technology
SUBJECT: What is the best pump and seal technology? 9-3
The "Best Technology" phrase comes up in recent government regulations and every day plant
conversations. So what is the best Mechanical Seal and Pump Technology available today? Here is my
opinion:
SEAL TECHNOLOGY
Materials
● Identifiable face materials compatible with the fluid to be sealed and any cleaners or solvents put
through the lines.
● Materials able to handle the full temperature range of the product you are sealing.
● Viton® compatible with water.
● Hard faces that are not sensitive to temperate change or caustic cleaners.
● Unfilled carbon graphite seal faces
● No elastomers with shelf life.
● No stainless steel springs or bellows.
Design
● The seal should shut with spring and system hydraulic pressure.
● Hydraulically balanced designs for low heat generation.
● Two way balance in dual seal designs.
● Built in pumping ring for cartridge dual seals.
● Tandem configuration in dual seal designs. No rotating "back to back" designs.
● Stationary configuration for non-cartridge applications.
● Self aligning design for stationary cartridge versions.
● Springs designed out of the fluid.
● The elastomer should move to a clean surface as the faces wear.
● No spring loaded elastomers.
● Non fretting designs.
● Independent of shaft tolerance and finish
● Static elastomer located away from the seal face
● Cartridge sleeve sealed at wet end.
● Vibration damping of the seal face.
● Seal should be located close to bearing support.
● No elastomer in the seal face.
● Faces in compression.
● Wide operating range
● Low hysteresis.
● Equal & opposite clamping of stationary face.
● Sealing fluid located at the outside diameter of the seal faces
● Leak detection capability
● Independent of shaft finish and tolerance
● Compensate for thermal expansion and adjustments.
● Meet fugitive emission standards.
● Simple installation.
● Eliminate all elastomers if possible
● Short length leaving room for a shaft support bushing.
● Finite element analysis of all components.
● A method of supporting the shaft in the event of a bearing failure.
● Trapped gaskets.
OTHER
● Packaging to survive a one meter drop.

● Back up sealing.
● Built in seal face vent for vertical applications.
● No glued elastomers in split seal configurations.
BEST PUMP TECHNOLOGY
● Low shaft diameter to length ratio (less than 60 L3 /D4) .

● Large operating window
● Positive bearing sealing.
● Oil level indication.
● Oil cooling availability.
● Low NPSH.
Pump and seal technology
● Double volute to prevent shaft deflection.

● Suction specific speed number below 8500.
● Impeller investment cast.
● Adjust impeller from the wet end to prevent seal face load change.

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Pumps in pits
Subject: Pumps installed in pits. How to correct some existing suction problems. 14-12
Vortexing at the pump suction looks like a whirlpool of liquid in a sump or pit and sounds a lot like
cavitation. Vortexing will cause a loss of the pump's capacity and excessive pump shaft deflection that is
harmful to:
● Pump bearings.
● The coupling.
● The pump driver.
One way to tell the difference between a cavitation or vortexing problem is to remember that vortexing
problems are intermittent as the vortices form. Cavitation once started tends to stay with you. Proper pit
problem already exists? There could be several things that could have caused the recent vortexing
problem:

● If the discharge head of a centrifugal pump is reduced the capacity will increase.
● Maybe a larger pump has replaced a smaller pump that was originally installed.
● The pump could be running at a faster speed than the original design.
● The system has been altered to accommodate a change in the operation, the pump is producing
more capacity.
● The fluids/ solids mixer has changed.
● The pit inlet has been reduced. The line is restricted with solids of some type
● You have more air in the liquid. Maybe the return line is giving a water fall affect in the pit or
sump.
diameter of the bell (not the pump) inlet . This can vary with pump manufacturers because there is
minutes. If the pumps are on a float switch they should be sized to allow no more than four starts
per hour per pump.
able to:

● Increase the size of the inlet piping.
eddy flows. The first chart shows the recommended dimensions:

Pumps in pits
● Dimensions "Y and A" are recommended

minimum values. They can be as large as desired
but should be limited to the restrictions shown on
the chart.
● If the design does not include a screen, or if the
channel has a sloping approach, dimension "A"
● If the channel approach has a down slope the
angle should not be more than 15 degrees
● About the screens:

❍ The screen or gate width should not be
less than "S".

❍ Heights should not be less than "H".
● Use dimension "S" for the width of an individual

pump cell, or the center to center distance of two

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Pumps in pits

Pump radial thrust calculations
Subject: Pump shaft radial thrust alternative calculations (in Imperial dimensions) 13-2.
In past papers I have given you the formulas for calculating the radial thrust force on an end suction
centrifugal pump shaft. It sometimes becomes confusing when you read other publications and find
alternative formulas. Which ones are the best, and are they all correct?
The fact is they are all close enough for the work we do in the field, so here are a couple of more to add
to your collection. Use those formulas that you find the most convenient and less complicated.
If you want to approximate the shaft radial thrust at shut off conditions (the pump is running and the
discharge valve is shut or almost shut), use the following formula:
If you do not have shut off conditions, the following formula is a good approximation
where
Rso= Radial thrust (in pounds) at shut off.
R = Radial thrust (in pounds) at operating conditions.
Kso= Thrust factor at shut off (see figure #1 below )
K = Thrust factor at operating conditions (see above formula).
Hso= Total head at shut off (in feet).
H = Total head at operating conditions (in feet).
sg.= Specific gravity of the liquid.
D2= Impeller diameter (in inches).
B2= Impeller width at the discharge including shrouds (in inches).
Q = Capacity at operating conditions (in gpm.).
Qn = Capacity at the best efficiency point (in gpm.).
x = An exponent varying between 0.7 and 3.3 established by testing. You probably do not have actual
test data so you can safely assume a linear path between 0.7 at a specific speed of 500 and 3.3 at a
specific speed of 3500. Check my Technical paper Volume 9 Number 12 if you are not familiar with the
term specific speed.
PLEASE NOTE: D2 and D2 are not the same thing. D2 means to multiply D by its self (52 = 25). D2
means that particular D because sometimes (not in these examples) there is more than one D (shaft
diameter) in the equation.
FIGURE #1

Pump radial thrust calculations

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Seal repair
SUBJECT : Mechanical Seal repair 5-8
The days of sending mechanical seals back to the manufacturer, or having a local repair facility repair
your seals will shortly come to an end. There are several reasons why this will be true:
● Most new seal designs are oriented to "in house repair".

● Recent and impending legislation like the "Right To Know Law" in the United States will make
the paper work involved in sending seals "off site" very prohibitive.
● Contamination and disposal problems will make outside facilities very reluctant to deal with
products exposed to the chemicals involved in the process industry.
● The perceived threat to job security will make your people committed to keeping repair work in
house.
● You have now, and will in the future have an increasing need to know exactly what materials and
tolerances were used during the repair.
Environmental and liability problems will necessitate the documentation of this information. Too many
"off site" repair facilities use "unnamed materials" and material grades. Original tolerances are
impossible to be duplicated by any one other than the original manufacturer.
What is involved in a normal seal repair? Let's take a close look at a typical sequence:
1. Inspect and troubleshoot the various components for evidence of corrosion, rubbing, wear or damage.
This type of failure analysis should be a normal part of repairing seals. Why put in another seal until you
have learned why the present seal failed? The troubleshooting sections of these web pages will help you
with this determination.
2. Disassemble the seal and throw away the following components:
● The carbon/graphite face.

● The elastomers and gaskets.
● The spring or springs.
● The set screws
● Any drive lugs or anti rotation pins.
● Cracked or broken hard faces.
● Cracked or broken bellows.
3. Clean the remaining components such as the sleeve, face holder, adapter, etc.
4. Inspect the cleaned components to be sure they meet the manufacturer's original dimensions,
tolerances, and finish.
5. Some metal-carbon composites have to be stress relieved after assembly to remove manufactured
stress that will prevent the carbon from remaining flat during the storage and shipment period. Watch out
for seals that are used in cryogenic service. They should be lapped at their cryogenic operating
temperature.
If you intend to insert a carbon into a metal holder, you will be better off pushing it in with an arbor
press. If you try to expand the holder and shrink it to the carbon you will have problems maintaining face
flatness.
6. Reassemble the components using only new parts that have been supplied by the manufacturer. Be
sure to use original equipment parts because many seal manufacturers design components that have been
created from "finite element analysis" or similar techniques. Solid hard faces can be relapped if they are
not damaged in any way. Plated or coated faces must be stripped and re-plated before lapping.
7. Check the assembled seal for flatness. A vacuum check should be performed on the movable assembly
to insure there is no leak path through or around any of the components. If you elect to check cartridge
mounted double seals with an air test, avoid immersing the seal in water. If the seal was later installed in
hot oil, or a similar application, the water trapped in gaskets and small crevices would flash to steam
generating possibly dangerous pressures.
8. Repackaging varies with the manufacturer. Here are some points to consider:
● The packaged seal should be able to survive a thirty nine inch drop (one meter) without injury to
any seal component including the lapped seal faces.
● A protective coating (Silicon is a common one) should be put on the lapped faces.
● A new set of installation instructions and an installation print should be placed in the box with the
rebuilt seal. A box is always superior to "bubble packaging."
● The box should be clearly labeled as to its contents. The use of only a part number leads people to
open the box, often causing unnecessary damage to the mechanical seal while it is being handled.
During the rebuilding process you should keep in mind that troubleshooting a rebuilt seal is a frustrating
Seal repair
experience. A trained troubleshooter is looking for evidence of rubbing, damage and corrosion. You
should be careful to clean up evidence of any of these symptoms prior to repackaging the seal, to avoid
confusion the next time the seal failure is analyzed.
In the event you should decide to have another facility repair your seals, have that facility remove the
manufacturers name and part number from the seal and replace them with their own. It is not fair to have
the original manufacturer be responsible for unknown seal materials that might have been substituted by
the new repair house.

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The rubber bellows seal
SUBJECT: The rubber bellows seal 11-11
Available from a number of seal companies (the Crane #1 is typical), and manufactured in a variety of
materials, it looks like the following illustration:
You will find this seal used in water pumps and oil pumps, but it is seldom used with chemicals in the
process industry. In recent years one manufacturer is mounting the seal on a cartridge sleeve and
promoting it as a slurry seal.
To the casual observer the seal appears to have several real advantages:
● Low cost. It is probably the largest mass produced seal in the world.
● No sliding elastomer or O-ring. Nothing to "hang up" on the shaft.
● Easy to install. There are seldom any measurements to make or set screws to tighten to the shaft.
Most designs are positioned against a shaft shoulder, or attached to a shoulder cast into the back
of the impeller. Push it on the shoulder, and that is all there is to it !
● Availability. You can purchase these seals from a variety of manufacturers, distributors and
bearing houses. Most distributors have replacement charts that will reference your present seal
and recommend an equivalent design.
● No shaft or sleeve fretting. When installed properly the seal cannot frett or damage a shaft or
sleeve because there is no relative movement between the rubber boot and shaft or sleeve.
Let's look at each of these features in detail and see if they really are an advantage:
Cost
● The seal is low cost only if you purchase it manufactured from brass metal with a low grade
carbon face and a Buna N rubber boot.
● The Crane company advertises they use 76 different grades of carbon in their seals and this is the
seal that uses most of them. The problem surfaces with replacement seals. No reputable
distributor can afford to stock 76 carbons so he often inventories the seal with a better grade of
carbon, 316 stainless steel parts and possibly a fluroelastomer bellows. This makes the low cost
original equipment seal (O.E.M.) an expensive replacement seal.
● Once the seal is cartridge mounted, and balanced versions of this seal require it, the seal is no
longer low cost.
● No sliding elastomer.
● The rubber boot must transmit the turning torque from the shaft to the seal face and provide
enough flexibility to compensate for axial motion and carbon face wear. This means that the
bellows must stick to the shaft, so the lubricant you choose to install the seal becomes critical.
● Buna N is one of the few rubber compounds that has a shelf life because it is sensitive to ozone
attack. The seal is packaged with the rubber boot wrapped in waxed craft paper to retard ozone
attack. Once the package is opened you have about one year shelf life.
● O-ring seals offer a wide choice of elastomer materials that are readily available at low cost. The
rubber boot choice of materials is very limited.
Easy to install
● Pushing the seal against a shoulder sounds very attractive, but it a real installation problem.
Looking again at the illustration you can see that the rubber bellows location is critical to the
operation of the seal. The mechanic can position the seal spring, but he has no control over the
rubber bellows which can be either extended or compressed with respect to the seal face.
● The lubricant used to install the seal must make the rubber slippery enough to slide easily on the
shaft and yet stick to the shaft to provide the turning torque to the rotating seal face. A lubricant
that will attack the rubber bellows is selected for this. It will make the rubber "slimy" for about
fifteen minutes and then cause the rubber to "swell up" and lock to the shaft. This means you have
about fifteen minutes to assemble the seal into the stuffing box and tighten up the seal gland,
which is just about impossible on a double ended pump. That is the reason you find so many of
these seals sleeve mounted. Silicone grease is the first choice for lubricating rubber parts in other
seals, but it must never be used in this design, because it will not attack the rubber boot.
● If the old seal was installed correctly it vulcanized to the shaft. This means that the seal has to be
physically scrapped off the shaft or sleeve before a new seal can be installed. It is very common
for mechanics to polish the cleaned up shaft with crocus cloth or fine emery paper, but this must
be avoided because if the shaft or sleeve is too smooth the new rubber boot will not stick. You
want a finish of no better than 40 rms, which is very different than the requirement of at least 32
rms (0,8 microns) used in other seal designs.
Availability
● Because of the great variety of materials used in this design, and because many of the replacement
seals are sold by non professionals, it is easy to mix up the seal materials. The print that came
with the seal shows part numbers and not grades of material. Call up a local distributor of these
seals and he will often ask you to bring one of the seals over so they can pick out a seal that looks
like it. Most distributors cannot identify the seal materials because there are many different grades
of stainless steel, carbon/graphite/, ceramic, Buna N, neoprene, etc.
Non Fretting
● If you experience damage or fretting on the shaft or sleeve under the rubber boot it means that the
boot did not attach its self to the shaft. The faces had stuck together and you were sealing between
the stationary rubber boot and the rotating shaft. You had used the wrong lubricant when the boot
was installed on the shaft or sleeve and the rubber boot is acting like a "grease or lip" seal.
Here are some additional things you should be aware of:
● The carbon is often a loose fit in the metal holder. In many designs the carbon can be installed
backwards and often is. The problem is caused by the seal packaging method. Many
manufacturers will install the carbon backwards in the holder to protect the lapped face and then
"bubble packed" the assembly to save packaging costs. The never tell you to turn the carbon face
around at assembly. Mechanics usually install hardware the way it came out of the box. There is
nothing in their experience to tell them to do it differently.
● The most common failure with this seal is to rupture the rubber bellows and experience a sudden
and massive bellows failure. Well designed, balanced, O-ring seals tend to drip excessively when
they begin to fail. This bellows design leaks massively at failure. Very scary!
● Buna N has a high temperature limit of about 210°F (100°C) meaning that the seal can be injured
if hot water or steam is used to clean the lines. There are much better elastomers on the market for
a wide range of chemical compatibility and operating temperature.
What is my personal opinion of this type of product ? It is probably the best original equipment seal
(O.E.M.) made and the worst replacement seal ever designed. I do not like it for the following reasons:
● The normal failure mode is dangerous. A rubber bellows rupture is a very severe seal failure.
● The carbon seal face is thermally insulated by the rubber boot. This is never a good idea when you
are trying to remove heat between the seal faces.
● The special lubricant required to install the seal makes installation different than other seals. Any
time something is different, errors occur.
● The rougher shaft finish requirement makes installation different also.
● The Buna N boot is sensitive to ozone attack once the package is opened, and people like to open
packages. Shops often have high levels of ozone caused by the sparking of electric motors.
● The carbon face can be put in backwards. If it can be, it will be.
● The seal is not usually hydraulically balanced, limiting its pressure and speed capability.
● Unless the seal is on a cartridge you cannot make the initial impeller setting and other impeller
adjustments when using open impeller pumps.
● The seal is limited to a replacement part, and with the great variety of materials specified you will
have too many replacement seals in your inventory. With just a few exceptions, you should be
able to use he same seal in every pump of the same shaft size. Imagine what a difference that
would make in your inventory costs and spare parts availability.
● Your spare seals should be acceptable for packing replacement as well as a replacement part for
an existing application. This seal is limited to replacement only.
● The stainless steel spring is a major component of this seal. Stainless steel springs are not
recommended in mechanical seals because of the possibility of chloride stress corrosion problems
that can break the spring.
If you are willing to invest in a high priced, balanced design, cartridge mounted version of this seal; then
there is something to be said for its performance in slurry applications where you are trying to cut down
on water flushing.
Given the choice you will probably be better off with the stationary version, but you will still have to
contend with all of the points mentioned above.

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Pump rules of thumb
SUBJECT : Rules of thumb for pumps 2-7
If you want to know a pumps capabilities the rules are simple, look at the manufacturer's published pump
curve. The problem is that you do not always have the curve available. Pump companies test their pump
to determine its performance, they have no need for general guide lines or "rules of thumb."
Over the years I have accumulated many of these rules to help me estimate pump performance, here are a
few of them:
PUMP BASICS
● How to estimate the shut off head of a pump (inch sizes)

❍ At 1750 rpm. Shut off head = Diameter of the impeller squared
❍ At 3500 rpm. Shut off head = Diameter of the impeller squared x 4
2
❍ For other speeds you can use the formula : Shut Off Head = D x (new rpm / 1750)
2
● Estimating metric head is a little bit more involved, but it still works:
❍ Measure the shaft in mm. ( as an example: 250 mm )
❍ Mark off two places. (2,5)
❍ Square the number. (6,25)
❍ For 1450 rpm, multiply by 3 (18,75)
❍ Add 10 % for the answer in meters. (21 meters )
❍ NOTE: For 3000 rpm, you would multiply by 12 instead of 3. Although you can estimate
shutoff head with these formulas you cannot estimate the pump capacity. You will need
the pump curves for that.
● The pumps best efficiency point (B.E.P.) is between 80% and 85% of the shut off head. At this
point there is little to no radial thrust on the impeller. Also the "power in" is closest to the "power
out".
● The L3/D4 ratio should be below 60 (2.0 in metric) to prevent excessive shaft bending. To
calculate it for end suction centrifugal pumps :
❍ L = length of the shaft from the center of the inboard bearing to the center of the impeller
(inches or millimeters). Caution: do not use centimeters, the numbers will come out wrong.
❍ D = diameter of the shaft (under the sleeve) in the stuffing box area (inches or millimeters)
Do not use centimeters.

● Since most shaft materials have a similar modulus of elasticity changing shaft materials will not
prevent shaft bending when you operate off of the B.E.P. Lowering the L3/D4 is the only logical
and efficient solution. When pump manufacturers discuss operating off of the B.E.P. they relate
problems to the heat that will build up in a minimum flow condition and ignore the problems with
shaft bending.
● A double suction pump can run with 27% less N.P.S.H. or at a 40% faster speed without
cavitating.
● If you double the speed of a pump you will get twice the capacity, four times the head and it will
take eight times the horsepower to do it.
● A stainless steel shaft has only a small portion of the conductivity of a carbon steel shaft. This is
very important when you are pumping at elevated temperatures because we do not want to
transmit the high temperature back to the bearing oil.
● If you double the speed of a pump you will get almost four times the shaft whip, wobble or run
out and eight times the wear.
● Multistage pumps reduce efficiency 2% to 4%.
● In many instances an inducer can lower Net Positive Suction Head Required by as much as 50% .
● If you are pumping paper stock, modify the curves for head, capacity, and efficiency as follows:
❍ 0.725 for 6% stock
❍ 0.825 for 5.5% stock
❍ 0.90 for 5%
❍ 0.94 for 4.5%
❍ 0.98 for 4%
❍ 1.0 for 3.5% or less
● Open impeller clearance settings are determined by the pump manufacturer and normally run
between 0.008" and 0.015" (0,2 to 0,5 mm) You lose 1% of the pumps capacity for each 0.002"
(0,05 mm) you miss this setting.
● Wear ring clearances are very similar to impeller clearances, but you lose 1% pump capacity for
each 0.001" (0,025 mm) of wear. A typical clearance would be 0.003 inch/inch diameter with
0.010 inches (0,3 mm) minimum clearance for wear rings less than two inches (50 mm.) in
outside diameter.
● Bearing grease or lip seals have a design life of less than 2000 hours. In a constantly running
pump this would be only 83 days. These seals will also damage the expensive shaft and place a
stress point at the maximum bending moment arm. Substitute non fretting labyrinth seals, or
positive face seals in these locations. It is a good idea to install them in electric motors also to
prevent moisture from entering and damaging the motor windings and bearings.
● Do not use a vent on the top of the bearing case. At shut down the outside moisture will enter the
bearing housing through this vent. Let the moisture attempt to enter the case through the labyrinth
seals instead, they will do a better job of directing the moisture to the external drain hole. If you
install positive face seals you can forget about this problem.
● The axial clearance in a bearing is ten times the radial clearance. This is the reason proper

Pump rules of thumb
installation is so critical. If the bearing is over compressed the bearing balls will distort and roll
instead of spin causing excessive heat and premature failure. The temperature at the bearing race
of a properly installed bearing is at least 10 degrees Fahrenheit (5° C) higher than the oil sump
temperature.
● The life of bearing oil is directly related to its temperature. The rule of thumb used by the SKF
Bearing Company is that the service life of an oil is specified as 30 years at 30 degrees Centigrade
(86° F) and is cut in half for each 10 degree Centigrade (10 F) temperature increase. This
corresponds to :
❍ A life of 12 months at 80 C. ( 176 F.)
These numbers assume that the lubricating oil is not being contaminated by water from one or all of the
following sources:
● Packing leakage
● The water hose used to wash the packing leakage away from the pump area.
● Aspiration, as moisture laden air enters the bearing case.
An automobile engine running at 1750 rpm. would cover about 100,000 miles (160,000 kilometers)
every 2000 hours (83 days in the life of a constantly running pump ). Auto manufacturers recommend
changing their automatic transmission oil every 25,000 miles ( 40,000 kilometers)
APPLICATION
● Use Centerline pump designs when the pumping temperature exceeds 200 degrees Fahrenheit
(100° C). This design will allow the wet end of the pump to expand in two directions instead of
from the feet up, destroying the wear rings..
● Try to buy pumps with a Suction Specific Speed (SSS) below 8,500 (10,000 metric) Do not buy
pumps with a SSS over 12,000 ( metric 16,500) unless you are pumping hot water or mixed
hydrocarbons. If you have a double suction pump you can divide the SSS number by 2
● Do not specify a pump with the largest impeller available . Give yourself an additional 5% or 10%
you might need it.
● The maximum viscosity a centrifugal pump can handle would be a product similar to 30 weight
oil at room temperature.
● Use a variable speed pump if your head is mainly system head. Circulating hot or cold water
would be typical applications. If you have a high static or pressure head, as is the case with a
boiler feed pump, the variable speed will not be of much help in keeping you on or near the best
efficiency point.
● Pumps piped in series must have the same capacity (impeller width and speed)
● Pumps piped in parallel must have the same head (impeller diameter and speed )
● Use a rotary positive displacement pump if your capacity is going to be less than 20 gpm.(4,5
cubic meters per hour)
● A centrifugal pump can handle 0.5% air by volume. At 6% it will probably become air bound and
stop pumping. Cavitation can occur with any amount of air.
● Use double volute pumps any time your impeller diameter is 14 inches (355 mm) or greater. They
should also be used on long shaft vertical pumps to prevent excessive shaft movement that will
cause problems with the packing, seals, bearings and critical dimensions.
● A Vortex pump is 10% to 15% less efficient than a comparable size end suction centrifugal pump.
● The A.P.I. (American Petroleum Institute). sixth edition states : High energy pumps, defined as
pumping to a head greater than 650 feet (198 meters) and more than 300 horsepower (224 KW)
per stage, require special consideration to avoid blade passing frequency vibrations and low
frequency vibrations at reduced flow rates.
PIPING ETC..
This is especially critical in double ended pump designs as the turbulent inlet flow can cause shaft
thrusting, and subsequent bearing problems.
● Substituting a globe valve for a gate valve in a piping system is similar to adding another 100 feet
(31 meters) of piping to the system. On the discharge side of the pump this will cause the pump to
run off of its B.E.P. with a resultant shaft bending. On the suction side of the pump it will
probably cause Cavitation.
plate. Be sure to dowel only the feet closest to the coupling, allowing the outboard ends to expand
with temperature changes.
● Check impeller rotation after installing the pump. Do not assume it will turn in the correct
direction. I have heard about two speed pumps with the second speed wired backwards. They will
drive you crazy because the pump will often meet its head requirement but not the capacity when
the second speed cuts in. You will also notice excessive noise at this time.
● Use eccentric reducers rather than concentric reducers at the pump suction. Concentric reducers
will trap air. Be sure the eccentric reducer is not installed up side down.

Pump rules of thumb
● Vortexing can occur if any of the following conditions are present:

❍ Low liquid levels
❍ Liquid level falling greater than 3 Ft./sec. (1 Meter/ sec.)
❍ There is a large concentration of dissolved gases in the liquid.
❍ High outlet velocities in pipes leaving vessels. Generally greater than 10 feet/sec. (3
meters/sec.)
❍ Liquids near their vapor point.
❍ High circulation caused by asymmetrical inlet or outlet conditions.
❍ Inlet piping too close to the wall or bottom of the tank. Consult the Hydraulic Institute
Manual or a similar publication for recommended clearances.

❍ In a mixer, the liquid level must be at least one and one half diameters of the blade, above
the blade.
TROUBLESHOOTING
● Cavitation damage on the trailing edge of the impeller blade means :

❍ The N.P.S.H. available is too low.
❍ Air is entering at the pump suction.
❍ There is liquid turbulence at the pump suction.
● Cavitation damage on the leading edge of the impeller blade indicates internal recirculation.
Check the Suction Specific Speed number to see if it is below 9000 (10,000 metric). Higher
numbers mean that the problem is with the impeller shape or adjustment. The problem was
created when the pump manufacture tried to come up with too low a N.P.S.H. Required.
● Cavitation damage just beyond the cutwater, on the casing and tip of the impeller blade, indicates
the impeller blade is too close to the cutwater. This clearance should be at least 4% of the impeller
diameter up to a 14 inch (356 mm.) impeller, and 6% greater than 14 inch ( 356 mm.). Some self
priming pump manufacturers want a maximum clearance of 1/8" (3 mm) and, as a result, often
experience this problem. A repaired or substituted impeller is often the cause of the problem in a
non self priming pump.
● Water in the bearing oil will reduce bearing life 48%. The water enters from packing leakage,
wash down hoses, and aspiration caused by the temperature cooling down in the bearing casing
after shutdown and moisture laden air entering the bearing case. A 6% water content in the oil
will reduce bearing life by as much as 83%
● The mass of the pump concrete foundation must be 5 times the mass of the pump, base plate, and
other equipment that is being supported, or vibration will occur.
● Imaginary lines extended downward 30 degrees to either side of a vertical through the pump shaft,
● The bearing oil level should be at the center of the lowest most ball of a stationary bearing. The
preferred choice for bearing lubrication would be an oil mist system with positive face sealing at
the bearings, if you could solve the emission problem.
● Valve stems, T Branches and elbows should be installed perpendicular to the pump shaft, not at
right angles.
● Do not use packing in any pump that runs under a vacuum, as air will enter the system through the
pump stuffing box.. These applications include :
❍ Pumps that lift liquid.
❍ Pumps that take their suction from a condenser or evaporator.
❍ Any pump that takes its suction from a negative pressure. Heater drain pumps are a typical
application.
● Be sure too vent the stuffing box of a sealed, vertical pump back to the suction side of the pump
or air will become trapped in the stuffing box. The vent must be located above the lapped seal
faces.
● If the Specific Gravity of the pumping liquid should increase, due to temperature, there is a
danger of overloading the motor and therefore motors having sufficient power should be used.
The same overloading power will occur if the pump is run too far to the right of its B.E.P.. This is
a very common problem because of the great number of oversized pumps in existence.

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Mechanical seals, rules of thumb
SUBJECT : A few rules of thumb for mechanical seals 2-5
Before selecting your mechanical seal design there are three things you want to remember:
● All of the seal materials must be chemically compatible with any fluids that will be pumped
through the system and that includes solvents, cleaners or steam that might be introduced into the
system to flush or clean the lines. It also includes any barrier fluids that are used to circulate
between dual mechanical seals.
● The seal faces must stay together. If they open the seal will leak and allow solids to penetrate
between the faces where the solids will eventually destroy the lapped surfaces.
● Good seal life is defined as running the mechanical seal until the carbon face is worn away. Any
other condition is called a seal failure and is always correctable
The following is offered as a guide when dealing with mechanical seals in general. If possible you should
contact the manufacturer for specific recommendations and limits. I have spent the past twenty seven
years lecturing about seals and pumps and during that time have picked up a number of rules that are
worth remembering. Here are some of the most important:
● Selecting materials - The elastomer ( the rubber part)

● There are two temperature limits for a mechanical seal:
❍ You must not exceed the temperature of the seal components. As an example Ethylene
Propylene rubber cannot seal hot fluids in excess of 300° degrees Fahrenheit ( 150° C)
without taking a compression set and eventually leaking.
❍ You must not exceed the temperature limit of the fluid you are pumping. Many fluids will
change from a liquid to a gas, solid or crystal at elevated temperature. In almost every case
this will cause a seal failure. As an example, petroleum lubricating oil cokes between 250
and 300 degrees Fahrenheit (120° C. to 150° C.) and restricts the movement of the seal
components. A Viton® O-ring, in this application would not have been subjected to its
temperature limit, but we had the seal failure because we exceeded the temperature limit of
petroleum products.
● Halogens will attack Teflon® coated elastomers . Halogens are easily identified because they end
in the letters " INE". The list would include Bromine, Chlorine. Astatine, Fluorine, and Iodine.
These Halogens will penetrate the Teflon® coating and attack the base rubber material causing it
to swell and split the Teflon sleeve or coating.
● Most Viton® compounds are attacked by water. Be sure to check if you have the correct one.
Remember that steam is another name for water and the steam cleaning of lines is very common
in the process industry. Caustic is another common cleaner and caustic contains a high percentage
of water also.
● Buna "N" (Nitrile) is an elastomer that has a short shelf life. This is the elastomer that is most
often used in Rubber Bellows Seals. The problem is Ozone attack. Ozone is produced by the
sparking from electric motors, so it is a very common problem. A typical shelf life for most Buna
compounds would be one year.
● If a round O-Ring becomes square in operation (compression set) it is almost always caused by
excessive heat. Chemical attack is usually recognized by a swollen and soft elastomer while high
heat will produce a shrunken, hard one.
● Chemical attack of the elastomer will usually cause a seal failure within five to ten days. The
swollen elastomer will "lock up" the mechanical seal and in some instances, open the lapped seal
faces.
Determine the correct O-Ring by one of the following methods:
● Look up the chemical in published O-Ring charts provided by all reputable seal companies. You
will find a chart in the chart section of this web site
● Check to see if the plant has any experience with O-Rings, in this fluid, in another seal
application. O-Rings can also be found in filters, strainers, valves, flanges, expansion joints etc..
● Test the O-Ring by immersing it into the sealing fluid for one week. If the O-Ring changes
weight, shape, or appearance, it is not compatible with the fluid.
● Use a universal O-Ring compound such as Green Tweed's Chemraz, Dupont's Kalrez® or a
similar product.
● When choosing an O-Ring, or any other elastomer, be sure to consider any cleaners or solvents
that might be flushed through the lines or that could come into contact with the seal. The
elastomer must be compatible with these fluids also.
● Never use " glued together" elastomers in a split seal or any "dynamic" application. A hard spot
will be created that will interfere with the movement of the dynamic elastomer.
Selecting Materials - The Faces.
● Carbon and most hard face materials have an expansion rate of about one third that of stainless
steel.
● Use two hard faces if the product has a tendency to solidify between the seal faces. Never use
plated or coated hard faces in these applications. Hard faces are recommended if you find that it is
impossible to keep the seal faces together and solids are present in the sealing liquid. Two hard
faces are also recommended in the sealing of hydrocarbons that have to pass a "fugitive
emissions" test. Coke particles forming between the faces will pull pieces of carbon out of the
carbon/graphite face presenting a leak path for fugitive emissions.
● Although many carbon graphite compounds are available unfilled carbons are the best because
they are corrosion resistant to almost all chemicals except oxidizing agents and some de ionized
water applications. These oxidizing agents will combine with the carbon to form Carbon
Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide. The most common oxidizers are oleum, sulfur trioxide, strong
bleaches and nitric Acid. You cannot use any form of carbon in these applications. Keep in mind
that black elastomers will also be attacked by oxidizing agents because of their carbon content.
● Ceramic vs. ceramic is a good choice for oxidizing chemicals.
● If you are going to select plated Tungsten Carbide as a face material, use only the nickel base
Tungsten Carbide. Cobalt base is too hard and can crack with normal seal face differential
temperatures. Nickel base, because of its superior corrosion resistance is the preferred material for
solid Tungsten Carbide faces also.
● Reaction bonded Silicone Carbide has excellent wear characteristics, but contains up to 17% free
silica which can be attacked by many chemicals including caustic. Alpha sintered Silicone
Carbide is also available and is Silica free.
● 85% ceramic should never be recommended as a hard seal face as it can break with as little as a
100 degree Fahrenheit (55 C) temperature difference. 99.5% would be a much better choice.
● Plating or coating a seal face will not give it corrosion resistance. Coatings are used for wear
resistance and low friction. To get corrosion resistance the outer coating must be at least 1/8" (3
mm) thick. If the base material is not corrosion resistant to the pumping fluid and any cleaners or
solvents used in the lines the corrosive will go through the coating and attack the base, causing the
plating to come off in sheets.
Selecting Materials - The Metal Parts.
● Be sure to use low expansion metal such as Carpenter 42 or Invar 36 in your metal bellows seal
face holder if the product temperature can exceed 400° Fahrenheit (205°C). These low expansion
steels will prevent the carbon or hard seal faces from leaking between the face and the metal
holder. Needless to say glue or epoxy is not a sensible solution to differential expansion problems.
● If your pump is manufactured from Iron, steel, stainless steel, or bronze, you can probably use a
seal manufactured from 316 stainless steel components. The springs or bellows, however, must be
manufactured from Hastelloy "C" to avoid problems with Chloride Stress Corrosion.
Sealing Limits
● Use only stationary mechanical seals (the springs do not rotate with the shaft) if the face surface
speed exceeds 5000 feet per minute ( 25 M/sec.), but never in a cartridge design unless some
method has been provided to insure that the cartridge sleeve is square to the shaft.
● Use O-Ring balanced seals in vacuum applications down to 10-2 inches or one millimeter of
mercury (1 Torr.). The O-Ring is the only elastomer that can seal both vacuum and pressure. Split
seals will work in these applications, but they must be turned around for best operation.
● Any good quality, balanced, O-Ring seal can seal stuffing box pressures to 400 psi (28 bar) and
temperatures to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205° C). There is a compound of Dupont's Kalrez® that
is satisfactory to 600 degrees Fahrenheit (370° C), but it is not acceptable at ambient temperatures
(it gets too hard).
Application
● A Balanced O-Ring seal will not vaporize the product at the seal face if the stuffing box pressure
is at least one atmosphere above the products vapor point.
● The easiest product to seal is a cool, clean, lubricating liquid. All problem chemicals can be
placed into several categories. If you know how to seal these categories you should have no
trouble making seals work in your applications :
❍ Products that crystallize (caustic or sugar solutions)
❍ Viscous products (asphalt or molasses)
❍ Products that solidify (polymers or chocolate)
❍ Products that vaporize (hot water or benzene)
❍ Film building liquids (hot petroleum or plating solutions)
❍ High temperature fluids (heat transfer oil or liquid sulfur)
❍ Dangerous products (fire hazard, explosive, radioactive, bacteria)
❍ Non lubricating liquids (solvents or hot water)
❍ Gases and dry running applications (hydrogen)
❍ Dry solids (cake mix or pharmaceuticals)
❍ Corrosive fluids (acids or strong bases)
❍ Cryogenics (liquid nitrogen)
❍ Slurries (river water, sewage, most raw products)
● In addition to these chemical categories there are other sealing problems that include:
❍ High pressure
❍ Hard vacuum
❍ High speed
❍ Excessive motion
● Dual seals should be balanced in both directions to prevent failure when barrier fluid pressure

changes. The practice of using "one direction" seal balance is commonly employed by most seal
companies and should be avoided for both safety and reliability.
● Use motion seals on mixers, agitators, sleeve bearing equipment and any rotating device that has
motion greater than 0.005" (0,15 mm.) in a radial or axial direction. Pump seals do not work well
in these applications because the hard faces are too narrow and the internal seal clearances are too
tight.
● Do not use flushing fluid as a coolant in stationary mechanical seals. The coolant will be directed
to only one side of the seal and since a stationary seal does not rotate the sliding components the
differential temperature can cause the faces to go out of flat. In the case of stationary bellows
seals it could cause a bellows rupture.
● The best way to cool a seal is to use the jacketed stuffing box that came as a part of the pump.
This jacket will not only cool down the seal area, but will provide the necessary cooling to the
shaft so that it will not transmit stuffing box heat back to the bearings.
● The use of steam in a Quench gland is another solution, but not as good as the jacketed stuffing
box.
● It is all right to dead end fluid in a stuffing box if a jacketed stuffing box is being used. Do not
attempt to recirculate back to the suction side and cool the stuffing box at the same time. When
using a jacketed stuffing box it is best to install a carbon bushing in the bottom to act as a thermal
barrier the pumping fluid and the seal.
● Do not use rotating, "Back to Back" double seals in dirt or slurry service. The solids will prevent
the inner seal from moving forward as the faces wear and if the barrier fluid pressure is lost, solids
will penetrate the inner seal faces.
● Be sure to vent vertical pumps back to the suction side of the pump. Air trapped in the stuffing
box can cause the seal faces to run hot and in some instances destroy the elastomer.
● Cyclone type separators or "in line filters" are not a good method of cleaning up the fluid in the
stuffing box.
● Heat affects a seal several ways:
❍ The faces can be attacked. Plated faces can have the hard coating crack off and filled
carbons can have the binder melted out in high heat.

❍ The elastomer (rubber part) has a temperature limit determined by the compound used.
❍ The corrosion rate of all liquids increases with temperature.
❍ Thermal expansion can cause seal face loads to alter and seal face flatness to change.
❍ Many products will change from a liquid to a solid or gas in the presence of high
temperature. If this should occur between the seal faces, they can be blown open.
● Do not be tempted to put the mechanical seal outside of the stuffing box to keep the springs out of
the fluid. As the face wears the seal must move into the slurry where it will eventually "hang up"
and leak. In these applications centrifugal force is throwing solids into the lapped faces and if
there is excessive pressure in the system the seal faces will be blown open.
● When choosing the pressure range of a mechanical seal be sure to consider the stuffing box
pressure not the pump discharge pressure. Very few seals will ever see discharge pressure.
Technical
● Seals lapped to less than three helium light bands ( 0.000034") inches or 1,0 microns) should not
show visible leakage. Visible leakage occurs at about 5 light bands.
● A typical mechanical seal face load would be 30 psi. (0,2 N/mm2) when the carbon is new and 10
psi. (0,07 N/mm2) when the carbon is fully worn away. You must never guess as to how much to
compress a mechanical seal. Either take the information from the seal print or calculate the correct
length from the above information.
● Both rotating and stationary metal bellows seals require vibration damping. Elastomer seals do
not experience this vibration problem because the elastomer touching the shaft is a natural
vibration damper. Vibration can be either harmonic or caused by poor lubricating fluids (slip
stick)
● Use only non fretting seal designs. Shafts and sleeves cost too much to ignore this severe
problem.
● Carbon throat bushings should have a shaft clearance of 0.002 inches/inch (0,002 mm/ millimeter)
of shaft diameter. If they are to be used as a support bearing you should cut the clearance down to
0.001 inches/ inch (0,001 mm/millimeter) of shaft diameter.
● It is not necessary to lubricate seal faces at installation. If the product you are sealing can vaporize
between the faces and cause freezing then you must remove any lubricant that might have been
placed there by the manufacturer.
● Balanced mechanical seals consume about one sixth the horsepower of packing. Packing a pump
would be like running your automobile with the emergency brake engaged. The car would run,
but the fuel consumption would be high.
● Single spring seals are wound in either a right or left handed direction. Check to see if your seal
has a problem in keeping the faces together because of the spring winding.
● Open impeller pumps require impeller adjustment. Use only cartridge or split seals in these
applications. Do not use seals that locate against a shoulder or set screw to the shaft, as the face
load will change when the impeller is adjusted.
● Do not relap the carbon face unless it is an emergency. Seal face opening is a common seal
failure. When the faces open solid particles imbed them selves into the carbon face and will be
driven in even further during the lapping process. If you must relap in an emergency never use
lapping powder, as the abrasive particles will imbed into the soft carbon.
● You cannot balance an inside seal by removing material from the carbon face. To get seal balance
you must do one of the following:

❍ Use a stepped sleeve with rotating seals.
❍ Let the carbon slide in a case that is sealed to the shaft.
❍ Use a metal bellows. The balance is not perfect, but good enough.
❍ Use a stationary seal design, they require no stepped sleeves.
● Seal face hardness is a confusing subject because of the various measuring scales employed. The
two most common are Rockwell "C" and Brinnell. If you divide the Brinnell scale by ten (10) it is
almost equal to the Rockwell "C" scale.
● Avoid oil as a barrier or buffer fluid between two mechanical seals. Most petroleum base and
other oils have a low specific heat (0.2 - 0.4) and combined with poor conductivity (0.5 of water)
makes them a poor choice compared to fresh water. If oil is mandatory, a clean heat transfer oil
would be your best choice.
● A convection tank can often be used between two balanced O-Ring seals. If you use unbalanced
seals the heat generated by this type of seal is usually excessive for convection cooling. Contact
the seal manufacturer for his recommendations concerning speed, diameter, face combination and
pressure limits for convection cooling. If convection is not satisfactory, a pumping ring or forced
lubrication is another option.
● If you decide to repair your mechanical seals in house, be sure to purchase the parts from the
original manufacturer. If you decide to have them repaired send them back to the original
manufacturer. It is important that the seal be rebuilt with the original materials and it must meet
the original tolerances. This information is not available from the manufacturer because of
product liability problems.
● O-ring seal designs can tolerate three to four times the "run out" capability of sliding or pusher
seals incorporating wedges, chevrons, U- cups etc..
● Oil on the seal faces can cause the faces to stick together during long periods of non running. If
you do not intend to run the equipment soon remove any oil that might be on the seal faces during
the assembly procedure.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Mechanical seal problems reference
SUBJECT: A quick reference to prevent potential seal and pump problems. 8-6
The biggest advantage of experience is you have hopefully learned what can get you into trouble. The
following information has been explained in detail in previous technical papers, but I still see the same
problems re-occurring on a daily basis.
Take a few minutes and look at the following. It might save you a seal or pump failure.
MATERIALS
● Carbon seal face. Any form of carbon is usually not acceptable in the following applications:
❍ Oxidizers, they combine with carbon to form CO & CO
2
❍ Halogens (most of them end in the letters "ine") chlorine, bromine, fluorine, astintine &
iodine
❍ Where color contamination can be a problem.
❍ Some de-ionized water applications.
❍ Hot petroleum products if you are concerned about fugitive emissions.
● A special carbon is used for cryogenic and hot dry air applications. Moisture is needed to make
the graphite release from the carbon-graphite mixture, and in these applications the needed
moisture is not present. A special carbon with an imbedded organic is made to satisfy these
applications.
● Ceramic grade 99.5 is not a satisfactory hard face in hot applications because of its poor thermal
conductivity. Alpha grade silicone carbide or tungsten carbide are much better choices.
● Ethylene Propylene Rubber O-Rings will be attacked by petroleum products and this includes any
petroleum grease that might be put on the O-ring during the installation process.
● Kalrez® grade 3018 is not satisfactory if the temperature is below 600°F. (315°C.) The material is
too hard at these lower temperatures.
● Nickel base tungsten carbide can cause galvanic corrosion problems with stainless steel shafts.
● Reaction bonded silicone carbide is not satisfactory for caustic or most high PH materials.
● Viton® O-rings are not generally satisfactory in water based fluids. This also includes steam
cleaning or flushing the lines with water based caustic solutions. Grade 747-75 fluorocarbon is
O.K. if the water is cold, but ethylene propylene rubber is still your best choice as long as the
temperature does not exceed 300°F (150°C.).
● White Chemraz is not recommended for most high PH fluids. Do not use it with:
❍ Acetaldehyde, Ammonia + Lithium metal solution, Aqua Regia, Black liquor, DI water,
Ethyl Formate, Ethylene Oxide, FC 75, Freon 113 -114 - 114B2 - 115 - 142B- C318 - PCA
- TF, Fuming Sulfuric Acid, Green Sulfate Liquor, KEL-F- Liquids, Lye, Magnesium
Hydroxide, Red Fuming Nitric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide (Caustic),
Fuming Sulfuric Acid, and White Liquor.
● If you choose the wrong elastomer it will be attacked by the fluid and break down. For the first
few days the seal will work very well because the elastomer has become "slimy" and moves
easily. The elastomer will then "swell-up" and lock-up the moveable seal components.
APPLICATION
Remember that chemical attack can be accelerated by temperature, fluid concentration, and stress. Past
plant experience is your best indicator of what seal and pump materials to use.
● Ammonia compressor; use Neoprene for the O-ring because the fluid is a combination of
ammonia and petroleum oil.
● Black Liquor, as found in paper mill applications can be either sulfite or sulfate. Sulfate (high PH)
is the most common and ethylene propylene can be used for the O-ring material if the temperature
is below 300°F (150°C). If the temperature is too high, Kalrez is a good choice. White Chemraz is
not recommended in these higher temperature caustic applications.
● Boiler feed pump applications vary a great deal. In some cases they are nothing more than a
simple hot water application, but in other instances a very high pressure is involved. In any case,
cooling is needed in the stuffing box to insure long seal life. High pressure applications also
require a heavy duty seal design.
● Caustic. If the concentration is over 50% Monel metal will probably be needed. The metal
selection depends upon the temperature and stress.
● Ethylene Oxide will penetrate into most elastomers and explode out the other side of the O-ring.
Use two seals and pressurize between them. Ethylene Oxide is a dangerous product, so two seals
should be used in any case.
● Halogens attack most carbon faces and will penetrate the Teflon® encapsulated O-rings like
Vanway, Creavey and & 76 style.
● Hot oils. Coking is always the problem. The seal area must be cooled. Coking is a function of
temperature and time and is independent of the presence of oxygen. If you want to seal fugitive
emissions you will have to go to two hard faces. Even the best of carbons show some blistering in
these applications. In other words, a metal bellows seal will not eliminate the need for stuffing box
cooling.
● High temperature applications. Most metal bellows seal designs incorporate a low expansion
holder (Invar 36 or Carpenter 42) to retain the carbon face. This holder is also frequently used as a
vibration damper to prevent seal face separation problems caused by "slip stick." If you lose

cooling in these applications the pump shaft expands at a rate three times that of the low
expansion steel vibration damper and can cause the seal faces to be pulled open.
● Kaoline (china clay) will penetrate lapped seal faces because the solids are less than one micron in
size. You will need two seals with a pressurized barrier fluid between the seals. Water is a good
choice for this barrier fluid.
● Latex balls up between the seal faces. Dual seals with a pressurized water barrier fluid have been
used in this application, and non contacting gas seal seem to be the current choice, but flushing
with a small amount of cold water seems to be the only satisfactory solution to this application.
● Paper stock always requires a small amount of flushing water. You cannot use suction
recirculation and centrifugal force to separate the stock from the water because of the stock's low
specific gravity. If the pump is trying to "lift" paper stock it will almost always cavitate.
● Pipe line applications almost always involve high pressure. Heavy duty seals should be used in
these applications.
● Products that freeze (cryogenic). Watch out for moisture outboard of the seal. Dual seals with anti-
freeze circulating in a convection tank is your best bet. Do not put any grease on the seal faces. It
will freeze also.
● Salt water. Coat the O-rings and all clamped surfaces with Zinc Oxide paste to prevent corrosion
at these locations.
● Sulfuric acid. Alloy 20 metal is usually needed for these applications. Any leakage will cause
severe corrosion as the product is diluted.
CONVERTING FROM PACKING TO SEALS
Horizontally split pumps:
● Suction recirculation will not work if the stuffing box is at suction pressure. Most single stage
designs fit into this category
● The face of the stuffing box must be resurfaced to get a good gasket seal.
● If you are making a new gasket between the casing halves, be sure to have it extend outside the
stuffing box face and then trim it flush after the halves are tightened together.
● Be sure to seal between the sleeve and the impeller. This is a potential leak path after a mechanical
seal is installed.
● Some sleeves terminate under the seal. Check that you will not have a corrosion problem if the
sleeve and shaft are different materials,
● Sometimes a new gasket will extrude into the sides of the stuffing box when the two halves of the
pump are bolted together. The gasket can then rub against the side of the seal interfering with its
movement.
● You will need either a stationary mechanical seal or some type of self aligning feature to seal
these pumps successfully.
Flyte sewage pumps can be converted to a single mechanical seal if a special adapter is made. It's worth
the problem. You only have to seal the bearing cavity in this application
MISCELLANEOUS
● Discharge recirculation can act as a sand blaster against the seal body. This can be a big problem
with the thin metal plates found in metal bellows seals.
● Dual seal barrier or buffer fluid. Oils should be your last choice as a barrier or buffer fluid because
of oils' low specific heat and poor thermal conductivity. You will definitely need a pumping ring
if you are going to use a convection tank.
● Quenching. An excess of water or steam can easily get into, and ruin the bearings.
● Suction recirculation is not affective in the following:
❍ Duriron pumps, because of their semi- open impeller design.
❍ If the fluid is close to its vapor point. flashing will occur when the stuffing box pressure
drops.
❍ If the specific gravity of the solids is lower than the fluid. If the solids float, centrifugal
force will throw the liquid to the outside leaving the solids against the seal components.
Paper stock is a good example of this.
❍ Single stage, double ended pumps where the stuffing boxes are at suction pressure.
● Seal set screws are normally manufactured from corrosion resistant materials and are therefore
softer than normal set screws. This means they can slip if reused. You can substitute hardened set
screws in most cartridge seal applications.
● Do not use any type of set screw on non-metallic shafts. Seals must be clamped to the non
metallic shaft or sleeve.
● Split seal designs. Most can seal either a pressure or a vacuum, but not if the application alternates
between them. You can run into this problem in some mixer applications.
● Troubleshooting hints
❍ Are other seals working in this application? If they are, you know the materials are alright.
Now you must decide what is different about this application.

❍ Has the seal been repaired? You may be looking at a rub mark, discoloration, or corrosion
that is not relevant to this application.
CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS

● Do not let the welder use the pump as an electrical ground. You can ruin the seal or bearings in
the process.
● Pumping off of the best efficiency point will not excessively deflect the shaft with the following
centrifugal pump designs:
❍ Double volute casings.
❍ Multi stage designs.
❍ Diffuser or turbine pump designs.
● Be sure to level the pump when you do an alignment.

● If you trim the impeller, file the tips and re balance the assembly.
● The next time that you look at the pump discharge gauge, remember that the pump pumps the
difference between the suction and discharge heads. You must subtract a positive suction head to
determine what head the pump is really creating.
● Bearing lip or grease seals have a useful life of less than 90 days and will cut and score the shaft
because of fretting corrosion.
● Never cool a bearing housing because it will shrink and over compress the bearing. Cool only the
bearing oil.
● Flushing the system with steam or a cleaner seldom flushes out the stuffing box of the pump.
● Do not circulate shop water through the cooling jacket on a high temperature pump. Condensate
or low pressure steam is a better choice. Be sure to install a thermal bushing in the end of the
stuffing box to get effective temperature control in the seal area. Make sure you come into the
bottom of the jacket and out the top to vent any air that might be trapped in the jacket.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

seal application,choosing a seal
Is this a mechanical seal application? 15-7
You have three opportunities to do a mechanical seal application:
● You are purchasing a new piece of rotating equipment and you would like it shipped with a
mechanical seal that has a reasonable chance of working.
● You are converting a piece of rotating equipment that has been packed with conventional jam
packing to a mechanical seal because you want to stop leakage.
● You are troubleshooting a premature mechanical seal failure.
First we will look at the piece of equipment you will be sealing. Sometimes mechanical seal life is
directly related to the type of hardware you are sealing:
● A single stage centrifugal pump running at electric motor speeds, is a good seal application
candidate.
● A multistage centrifugal pump can work well with mechanical seals if you cross connect the
stuffing boxes to equalize the stuffing box pressures and avoid high pressure sealing on one end
of the pump.
● Vertical pumps work well with mechanical seals because there is usually plenty of room between
the stuffing box and the bearing housing. Be sure to vent the stuffing box to the pump suction to
prevent trapping air at the seal faces
● Positive displacement pumps work well with mechanical seals, but there is sometimes a space
problem when you try to fit the seal into the stuffing box; especially split seals that mount outside
the stuffing box.
● Most positive displacement pumps have the stuffing box mounted on the low-pressure side of the
pump, but there are exceptions.
● Some progressive cavity pumps are piped backwards causing a high pressure in the stuffing box.
● Many PD pumps run at slower speeds making sealing easier.
● Submersible pumps sometimes lack the room for a good seal installation. Often, dual seal
applications can be converted to a single seal, sealing the bearings in these applications.
● Sleeved bearing equipment can present problems for mechanical seals because of excessive shaft
axial and radial movement. You should try to use motion seal designs in these applications.
● Many boiler feed and deep well pumps fall into this category
● Mixers and agitators have lots of shaft displacement problems that can affect seal life. Again
motion seals are a logical choice in these applications.
● Many of these mixers and agitators run at slow shaft speeds making sealing easier.
● Bottom entering shafts have real seal problems if there are solids in the liquid.
● Paper mill refiners and similar pieces of equipment also experience excessive axial movement
problems.
Constant running equipment is easier to seal than intermittent equipment.
● The sealing liquids tend to stay in a liquid form rather than crystallize, solidify or change state
when the equipment shuts down and the fluid changes temperature.
● Breakaway torque is a common cause of premature seal failure, causing the lapped seal faces to
open.
Pumps, located inside buildings, are not subject to the changes in weather that affect some liquids you
will be sealing.
● Many times the stuffing box has to be kept warm during cold weather to prevent the liquid from
becoming viscous or solidifying.
The driver you choose can affect the life of the mechanical seal:
● Electric motors generally work well with mechanical seals

● Gasoline or diesel engines, along with variable speed electric motors, sometimes run at a critical
pump speed.
● Steam, water and gas turbines sometimes run at speeds that are to high for some mechanical seals.
● Pulley driven equipment can have problems with shaft displacement.
Does the equipment you will be sealing, fall into the following categories? If so the seal has a good
chance of surviving with an environmental control. If your application falls outside these categories you
might consider a special seal design:
A temperature range of &endash;40 to 400°F (-40 to 200° C)?
● Cryogenic or cold temperature sealing requires:

❍ A special cabon/graphite seal face.
❍ Metal bellows designs to eliminate O-rings and similar rubber elastomers that are sensitive
to cold temperatures.
❍ An environmental control to prevent ice formation outboard the mechanical seal that can

seal application,choosing a seal
interfere with the seal movement.

● High temperature sealing requires:
❍ The elimination of elastomers in some applications. Metal bellows seals are often a good
choice for polymers and monomers.

❍ Vibration damping.
❍ Cooling of petroleum and most oil products to prevent coke formation.
❍ A method of retaining the carbon/graphite seal face to prevent it from falling out of a metal
holder.
A pressure range of one Torr to 400 psi (one Torr to 7 bar) in the stuffing box?
● Harder vacuums can out-gas rubber parts casing them to leak.

● Higher pressures can distort some seal faces and extrude some elastomers.
Electric motor speeds or slower?
● High speeds require a lowering of the balance ratio, less spring load at the seal faces, low friction
faces, and a stationary design to prevent the lapped faces from separating.
Always consider cleaners, steam and solvents that might circulate in the lines after or between batches.
Whatever seal you choose must seal these fluids also.
If you are troubleshooting a seal failure and think you might have an application problem, consider the
following:
● Is the same seal running successfully in this same application in another location, in the plant? If
it is, you should look at the pump or the seal installation as the problem, not the seal design.
● When did the failure occur? Did something change in the operation? Rubber parts normally fail in
five to ten days after being exposed to the incompatible fluid.
● Has anything changed in the operation of this piece of equipment?
● Continuous service has been changed to intermittent service, with frequent starts and stops.
● A different solvent or cleaner is being used to flush out the lines.
● The temperature or concentration of the pumping fluid has changed.
● Is the environmental control operating when the pump is shut down or between batches?
● Does a control valve in the pump discharge sometimes cause the pump to operate off its BEP,
causing shaft deflection or vibration?

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Mechanical seal evaluation
SUBJECT: Evaluating Mechanical Seal designs. 6-2
For every seal application in your plant there are twenty-five seal salesmen ready to supply a seal design
at widely varying price levels. Since the designs vary greatly it would seem logical that you should test
the most promising proposal to see if the seal performance justifies the difference in price.
Here is where your problem starts. How do you test a mechanical seal? No two pumps are exactly alike;
what is a fair test? Too often we test only how the seal performs when all the operating conditions are
known and the seal is installed correctly. There is nothing wrong with performance testing, but you really
should be considering the following:
1. How will the seal eventually fail? Will there be a massive leak similar to the type we find when rubber
or metal bellows seals ruptures, or will the leak be controllable as it is with an A.P.I. (American
Petroleum Institute) type gland, or back up seal?
2. Can the seal handle misalignment? Is the dynamic elastomer (rubber part) an O-ring that can pivot
easily or is it some other shape that is spring loaded and restricts movement?
3. Can it handle shaft dynamic unbalance? Is the hard face wide enough to prevent the narrow face from
"running off" when the shaft experiences the "run out" that accompanies dynamic unbalance?
4. What happens if you have a bearing failure? When the shaft starts its erratic movements will metal
seal components contact the pump parts, causing sparking and severe damage?
5. Does the seal have built in environmental controls?
● Can you vent the seal faces in a vertical application?

● Is there any built in facility for heating or cooling the product you are sealing?
● Is there a flush or recirculation connection directing flow away from the lapped seal faces?
6. Can you make an impeller adjustment without upsetting the seal face loading?
7. Is the seal a non fretting design, or will you need to use a shaft sleeve that will probably increase the
shaft L3/D4 number?
8. Is the gland a universal design that will fit most pumps of the same shaft size, or will individual glands
have to be purchased?
9. Has the seal manufacturer provided a sensible method of insuring that the narrow seal face is centered
in the wider face, or is he depending upon the pump manufacturer to provide this feature?
10. Is the seal an "off the shelf" design that is readily available, or does it carry a part number requiring a
special inventory? Will it be stocked by a local distributor?
11. Will any of the seal components (especially the elastomers) be adversely affected by steam or
cleaning of the lines with a caustic cleaner?
12. Do any of the seal components have a "shelf life" that can easily be exceed in yours or the
distributors stock?
13. Are the seal components mass produced or are they made individually? Individually made
components have severe quality control problems, especially with mult-machining operations.
14. Are all the seal components clearly identified by material and grade? You do not need mystery
materials in your expensive equipment.
15. Does the seal have a wide range of operating limits? Pressure surges and water hammer are common,
and seals do occasionally have to run dry.
16. How much radial and axial travel can the seal accommodate? Sleeve bearing equipment, higher
temperature pumps and mixers or agitators need seals with a lot of radial movement capability.
17. Has vibration damping been provided? Poor lubricants cause "slip-stick" problems with the seal
faces.
18. Is the seal balanced for both pressure and vacuum and are the springs placed out of the sealing fluid?
If not, you are going to need a lot of clean flushing fluid to remove the unwanted solids and heat.
19. Will the seal be used in abrasive service? Thin metal bellows plates can wear severely unless the
design rotates the abrasive fluid with the seal.

Mechanical seal evaluation
20. Are the components chosen from universal materials? There are over 100 different grades of carbon/
graphite used in seal designs.
21. How do you dispose of the contaminated parts when the seal is repaired? Can they easily be crushed
or are the parts bulky?
22. Is there a spare part kit readily available? What does it cost? Do you have to return the seal for
repair? The United States "Right To Know Law" makes returning used equipment to the manufacturer
very impractical.
23. If it is a double seal, can it take reversing pressure without opening the lapped seal faces? Pressurized
barrier fluids do fail at times.
24. Is installation easy?
● Will the rotary unit run against your present stationary faces? Will you have to buy a new gland or
can you continue to use the one you have already bought?
● Can this design be used to convert a packed pump to a mechanical seal, or will you need another
design for that application?
● Can the seal be installed on a shaft or sleeve that has been damaged by fretting of the previous
seal? Is the static elastomer in the correct location?
● Does the seal require a tight tolerance and finish on the shaft or is packing tolerance acceptable?
● Is a special lubricant needed for the elastomer? This can be a big problem with rubber bellows
seals.
● Is there a method of centering the wearable face in the hard face?
● Does the stuffing box face have to be reasonably square to the shaft? It seldom is. Is there a
method of compensating for the lack of squareness?
● Is accurate measuring required to set the proper spring load?
● Can you adjust the impeller after the seal has been installed? Unless you are using cartridge or
split seals, you are going to have problems with open impeller pumps.
● Can the mechanic tell if the seal has been installed at the incorrect length?
● Has the seal been packaged so that it can survive a thirty nine inch (one meter) drop without
injuring the lapped seal faces?
● If the seal components come disassembled, are the faces protected and the rubber components
clearly identified?
● Is this an application for a split seal design?
25. If you are using a dual seal does it have a built in pumping ring?
26. Do you have any self aligning feature that will prevent the "cocking" of the rotating face in a
stationary, cartridge seal design?
A running test usually proves that most seals work. The above points determine if you are going to be
satisfied with the seal life. Most automobiles run fine on a straight road. It is in the mountains and on
winding roads that the difference in automobile design shows clearly.

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Hardness testing
Subject : Seal face hardness testing
The ideal seal face combination is a good grade of carbon/graphite running against a corrosion resistance
hard face materials. In another paper I covered the different grades of carbon/graphite, but just what do
we mean when we say, "hard face"? There are a lot of them available that include:
● Several grades of ceramic along with different grades of ni-resist and stellite
● Both tungsten and nickel base tungsten carbide
● Alpha sintered and reaction bonded silicone carbide
In the following paragraphs we will be looking at the common methods seal people use to measure the
hardness of a seal face and then we will be looking at a chart to learn how to convert from one method to
another.
The first method we will look at is called the Brinell test method
● In this test a hardened steel ball is forced into the material at a given
pressure. The width of the depression then becomes the measure of
the material's hardness.
● Because the ball deforms on very hard surfaces, this test is
somewhat limited in its use.
The Moh's scale is the next one, but I have no illustration to show you. This method compares scratch
hardness with ten minerals used as standards. Unlike the other scales mentioned above; in this method
the steps are not equal. The difference between #9 and #10 is about as great as the difference between #1
and #9.
The oldest method of testing hardness was to use a hard file on the test piece and see how difficult it is to
remove material. One look at the following comparisons and you can learn why this method is seldom
used any more, but if you do not have any test equipment it is better than nothing.
become uneconomical. You can compare a Brinell reading to the following file readings :
● 100 Metal removed easily by the file.

● 200 Slightly more pressure needed to remove metal.
● 300 Metal shows resistance to the file.
● 400 Takes more pressure on the file.
● 500 File removes almost no metal.
● 600 Metal cannot be filed.
The next method is called the Rockwell hardness test.
● This is the most widely used test in the seal business. Hardness is
read on two different scales.
● The most popular is the "C" scale that uses a diamond cone. The less
popular "B" scale utilizes a ball similar to that used in the Brinell
test.
Mechanical seal faces should read at least 60 on the Rockwell "C" scale. You can consult the following
chart to convert this reading to other scales.

72 772 106
70 760 102 8.5

Hardness testing
69 755 98
67 725 94
66 712 93
65 699 92
63 672 89 8.0
62 657 86
61 645 85
60 631 84
59 617
58 603 81
57 590
56 577 78 7.5
55 562 75
53 536 73
52 523
51 510 71
49 486
48 473 66
47 462 64 7.0
The last illustration describes the Scleroscope test.
● Although widely used in industry we seldom find this method used

in the seal business. In this test we let a weight with a hard round
end fall ten inches (255 mm) through a glass tube. We get our
reading from determining how high the weight bounced off the test
sample. The harder the material, the higher the bounce.
● The tube on the scale is marked in 140 increments. On this scale

glass would read 130 and hardened steel would record about 110.

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Hardness testing

Seal face lubrication
SUBJECT: What is really happening between the mechanical seal faces? 9-7
The answer is, "lots of things", and it's hard to predict exactly what is going on in any particular
application. As you can guess there are many theories about face lubrication, but few rules. Here are
some of the more popular theories:
● Sometimes there is a film of lubricant between the seal faces. This is often refereed to as the
"Pressure Wedge Theory".
● Sometimes there is only vapor. This was determined in the nineteen sixties at The Battle
Memorial Institute at Columbus, Ohio when they conducted a series of seal face lubrication tests
for the aircraft industry. These tests introduced the "asperity theory" of face lubrication. This idea
was later picked up by the British and introduced as "vapor phase sealing".
● A lubricant is defined as any fluid that can maintain a film thickness of one micron or more at its
operating temperature and load, so sometimes there is no lubricant between the lapped faces.
They run dry. This happens with solvents, cryogenics, dry hot air and most dry gas applications.
● The three band theory is another popular theory. With this condition you can observe a band of
lubricant at the face outside diameter, a band of vapor in the center of the seal faces, and a dry
band at the inside diameter of the seal face.
Regardless of what is happening between the seal faces, the rules for operating mechanical seals
successfully always remains the same. Keep the two lapped flat faces together and the seal will not leak.
Now, let's define leakage:
● Any well designed mechanical seal can run with no visible leakage. If product is dripping from
the seal something is wrong and the problem is always correctable.
● The ability to seal fugitive emissions is another story. Fugitive emission sealing requires the
ability to seal as little as one hundred parts per million of product. You should be able to do this
with any well designed stationary (the springs do not rotate) seal. The excessive movement
involved in rotating designs (the springs rotate with the shaft) makes the sealing of fugitive
emissions with a rotating seal almost impossible.
● It also means that you cannot seal fugitive emissions with cartridge mounted stationary seals
either. When the cartridge sleeve is set screwed to the shaft it will cause the rotating face to
become "not perpendicular" to the rotating shaft, and excessive seal movement will follow.
You will note that in a previous paragraph I said the seal faces had to be flat. The term flat is often
confused with the term smooth. We want the seal faces flat, not smooth. Flatness can be measured with a
straight edge, or by rubbing the part on a known flat that has been coated with machinist bluing or dye.
Neither of these methods is satisfactory for checking the flatness of mechanical seal faces.
Flatness must be measured by an optical flat and a monochromatic light. This equipment generates
helium light bands that measure distances of 0.0000116 inches (0,3 microns). If a seal face is lapped to
less than three helium light bands (slightly less than one micron) and the faces kept in physical contact,
the seal should be able to pass any fugitive emission test.
If you want to understand the relative size of one micron then realize that the smallest object that can be
seen with the human eye is forty (40) microns. The average coffee filter mesh is some where between ten
and fifteen microns, and we know that both water and coffee will pass through this small opening easily,
but solids have a tough time getting through ten microns. This implies that the lapped seal faces make the
best filter you own. In other words, dirt or solids will not penetrate between lapped seal faces unless they
open for some reason. Testing has shown that visible seal leakage occurs at about five helium light bands
or a space that measures slightly less than two microns.
Surface finish is a measure of smoothness or polish. In the United States we commonly measure surface
finish with some sort of a comparative gauge that has been polished to various degrees of gloss. The
readings are made using the units RMS (root mean square) which is a number representing the square
root of the mean or middle distance between the peaks and the valleys in the surface of the seal face. The
metric system commonly uses CLA or center line average which is the average distance between the
peaks and valleys in the face. If a seal face is too smooth there is the possibility of galling or sticking of
the seal faces.
People often ask if seal faces can run dry, and the answer is yes if you are using a good grade of carbon
graphite without any fillers or binders that would be injured by the additional heat caused by the friction
between the faces. We all know that electric motors have run carbon brushes for years without
lubrication.
Friction between the lapped seal faces will cause the softer graphite to coat or deposit on the hard face,
leaving the harder carbon behind, automatically creating a non-smooth carbon surface. It is important to
understand that this will only happen if moisture is present. This is the reason that children will lick the
tip of a graphite pencil to make the writing darker. Dry gases, hot air, and cryogenic fluids do not have
this moisture present, so a special carbon/ graphite must be used in these applications. This special grade
has organics imbedded into the carbon/graphite mixture to release the softer graphite.

Seal face lubrication
Experienced seal people know that excessive carbon wear is seldom a problem with mechanical seals.
Most leaking seals have plenty of carbon/ graphite remaining when the seal begins to leak. The more
common problem with running seal faces dry is that the friction heat will harden or destroy the elastomer
or O-ring that is often located in, or close to the seal face.
Since there is a direct correlation between seal face flatness and seal face leakage it is important to know
that here are a number of circumstances that can cause the seal faces to go "out of flat". Here are some of
them:
● Pressure distortion. Computer finite element analysis programs have helped a great deal with this
problem. Pressure distortion is sometimes described as "hoop stress problems".
● A differential temperature across the seal faces can cause face distortion. Excessive face load,
faces isolated by a gasket or elastomer and the wrong percentage of hydraulic balance are some of
the causes of this differential temperature.
● Uneven clamping of hard faces is another problem. Be sure to check for "equal and opposite
clamping". Different width gaskets on either side of the hard face is a condition that causes this
problem.
● If the carbon is inserted into a metal holder it should be pressed in with an arbor press to allow the
carbon to shear to the configuration of the metal part. Shrunk in carbons usually have flatness
problems, especially if they have to operate over a range of temperature. Glued in carbon never
did make any sense.
● Poor grades of carbon/graphite have too many voids or air pockets below the surface that will
expand with heat, causing blistering and pits that will create face leakage. Stay with an unfilled
carbon and, with the exception of hot oil applications, you should never have this face pitting
problem. Hot oil is unique in that it creates coking solids at the seal interface that can pull out
microscopic particles of carbon that can prevent the seal from sealing fugitive emissions. You are
going to have to use two hard faces in hot oil applications if the seal must meet fugitive emission
standards.
Damage is a separate subject, but we know that seal faces will leak if they become damaged. Watch out
for:
● Many hard faces are lapped only on one side. Some times the unlapped side is accidentally
running against the lapped carbon face.
● Oxidizing agents and halogens attack all types of carbon/ graphite. Make sure you are not trying
to seal one of these fluids with a carbon/ graphite face.
● Some products can cause seal faces to stick together and break the carbon at pump start up. If the
product must be kept warm or cool to prevent solidifying, install the correct environmental control
to provide the proper amount of heat and insure that it is functioning when the pump is stopped as
well as when it is running.
● Poor lubricants can cause "slip stick" problems between the lapped faces that will chip and
damage the carbon on the outside diameter.
● Some deionized water has been know to attack even good grades of carbon/graphite.
● Petroleum products can cause microscopic pits in the carbon/graphite. If your application is
subject to fugitive emission standards you should specify two hard faces in this application.
Tungsten carbide against silicone carbide would be a good selection.

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Sels, preventing failure
SUBJECT: Preventing premature seal failure 10-5
Here is that three question quiz again. I asked the same questions in a previous paper
Question How do you prevent premature mechanical seal failure?
Answer Find out what is causing the seals to fail and prevent it from happening.
Question How long should a mechanical seal last?
Answer Until the sacrificial carbon seal face wears away.
Question How often do seals wear out?
Answer Less than ten percent of the time.
In the other paper we learned that seals fail for only two reasons:
● The lapped faces opened.

In this paper we will discuss a few of the reasons that seal components become damaged. Damage is easy
to see. It will show up as corrosion or some type of physical damage.
Do not make it too complicated. If you inspect a failed seal and see no evidence of component damage,
then the seal faces must have opened because seals fail for only two reasons.
Paper volume 10-4 discussed why seal faces open. Here is a discussion about component damage:
Too much shaft radial movement, whip, wobble or run out is a common cause of a rotating seal
component hitting a stationary part of the pump or a rotating shaft hiting a stationary seal component.
When a rotating component hits a stationary component you will see evidence of rubbing or damage.
Here are some of the reasons that shafts are displaced radially from the center of the suffing box:
● There are at least four types of cavitation. Cavitation means random and excessive radial and axial
movement.
● Operating off the pump's best efficiency point (BEP) causes shaft deflection at 60° and 240° as
measured from the pump cutwater in the direction of shaft rotation.
● Non-lubricants can cause "slip stick" vibration problems.
● Harmonic vibration occurs when the seal is vibrating in harmony with another piece of
equipment. Look for this problem with the seals in standby pumps. You will see lug wear and
carbon chipping on the outside diameter of the carbon face.
● Hitting a critical speed. This happens with variable frequency motors and pumps designed with
flexible shafts.
● The pump pedestal does not have enough mass to support the pump and its driver.
● The pump pedestal is not wide enough
● Pipe strain.
● A bolted on stuffing box can slip if there is excessive vibration.
● Water hammer.
● Thermal growth.
High stuffing box temperature is another cause of component damage.
● The elastomer will take a compression set and harden as the heat increases.
● You can crack some ceramic seal faces, especially the 85 type.
● Coated hard faces can heat check as the dissimilar materials expand at two different expansion
rates.
● Carbon can loosens in its metal holder
● Coke formation between the lapped faces pulls out pieces of carbon. Look for this problem in hot
oil applications.
● Fillers and binders can melt in some carbon compounds.
● Air trapped beneath the surface of the carbon can expand and blow out pieces of the carbon
leaving pits in the seal face.
Cryogenic or low temperature can also cause damage to a component.
● Elastomers will harden at low temperature.

Sels, preventing failure
● Faces will go out of flat if they were not lapped at cryogenic temperature.
● Low temperature can freeze moisture outboard and under the seal restricting the seal's axial
movement.
● A special carbon is needed at cryogenic temperatures because graphite will not release from the
carbon/graphite mixture.
Damage can be caused by high stuffing box pressure.
● It can cause excessive face loading that will raise the temperature between the faces.
● It can distort the lapped faces.
● It can extrude the dynamic or static elastomers causing the seal face to hang up, or create a new
leak path.
Other causes of seal damage.
● A discharge recirculation line aimed at a metal bellows can cut the thin metal plates.
● The wrong choice of seal materials will cause corrosion problems.
● Hastelloy C springs are needed to prevent chloride stress corrosion problems associated with the
300 series of stainless steel.
● AM 350 bellows metal is proving to be inferior for long seal life in high temperature petroleum
products.
● All of the seal components must be chemically compatible with what you are sealing as well as
any cleaners or solvents in the lines.
● The wrong lubricant on the o-ring can cause it to swell up and seize the shaft.
● The fluid is at the inside diameter of the seal face. This happens with non-metallic, outside
mounted seals and the inner seal of rotating, back to back, dual seal designs.
● The internal pressure will cause the materials to go into tensile stress. Most seal faces are strong
in compression, but weak in tension.
● Solids will be thrown into the faces causing abrasive wear. This is a common failure in back to
back rotating dual seal designs.
● Solids pile up in front of the movable face restricting its movement.
A few things seal manufacturers can do to lessen seal component damage, and prevent face opening:
● Hydraulically balance the seal faces to stop the generation of unwanted heat.
● Use low friction face combinations.
● Try to select universal materials. There is no need for the numerous types of carbons we find used
in the sealing industry.
● Design in two-way balance if there is a chance of the pressure reversal we find common in dual
seal applications.
● Design the springs out of the fluid to prevent them from clogging.
● Keep the fluid at the seal outside diameter to take advantage of centrifugal force centrifuging the
solids trapped in the fluid.
● Design the dynamic elastomer to move to a clean surface.
● Install environmental controls to prevent the product from changing state to a solid or gas.
● Utilize stationary or self aligning designs to lessen the affect of pipe strain and pump driver
misalignment.
● Use cartridge mounted seal designs to compensate for thermal growth and impeller adjustment.
● Use finite element analysis design techniques to lessen the affects of pressure and temperature
distortion on the lapped faces.
● Use suction recirculation as the standard method of providing stuffing box cooling. Be aware of
the few instances where discharge recirculation could be a better choice:
❍ Durco pump designs that adjust to the back plate.
❍ When the entrained solids have a higher specific gravity than the fluid. (they float).
❍ Double ended pump designs where the stuffing box is at suction pressure.
❍ If the pumping fluid is close to its vapor point. Lowering the stuffing box pressure could
cause the fluid to flash in the stuffing box.

● The seal manufacturer can supply a steam quenching connection in the gland to prevent the
formation of ice outboard the seal.

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Subject: The ten most important features you can specify in a mechanical seal design. 14-11
Click on the links shown in blue to learn more about the subject
A mechanical seal should operate leak free until the wearable face (normally carbon) is worn smooth.
Ninety percent of mechanical seals leak prematurely. Surprisingly the seals fail for only two reasons:
● One of the seal components becomes inoperable from either corrosion or physical damage.
If these are the only reasons why seals fail prematurely, and they are, then any sensible mechanical seal
design would address these two problems. Here are the ten most important features you can specify in any
mechanical seal design
1. Deal only with known seal materials. Be sure these materials are chemically compatible with what you
are sealing and any cleaners or solvents that might be flushed through the lines.
● Metal parts including the seal barrel, cartridge sleeve, springs, set screws, etc.
● Choose a low friction face combination to reduce unwanted heat at the lapped faces. Carbon vs.the
hard face silicone carbide is probably your best choice
● Select rubber parts that include O-rings, and gaskets.
2. Choose seal designs with built in slurry or anti-clogging features:
● Keep the seal springs out of the fluid. This will make the springs less likely to clog up with solid
materials.
● Springs are subject to chloride stress corrosion problems.
● Be sure any dynamic elastomer moves to a clean surface. Do not let the elastomer move into any
potential solids that could restrict its' movement and open the seal faces.
● Choose designs that keep the sealing fluid at the outside diameter of the seal face. Centrifugal
force will then work with you to throw solids away from the lapped seal faces.
3. Avoid spring loaded elastomers or rubber parts
● Spring-loaded elastomers cannot flex or roll. They have to slide as they move axially and
frequently "hang up" and open the lapped faces
● Spring loaded elastomers are a major cause of shaft damage
4. Specify seal designs that are hydraulically balanced.
● Hydraulically balanced seal faces generate less heat than the unbalanced version used by original
equipment manufacturers
5. Specify stationary seal designs where the seal springs do not rotate with the shaft
● Stationary seal designs are not as sensitive as rotating seal designs to pump misalignment and pipe
strain problems.
6. Cartridge designs simplify the installation process and make the important impeller adjustment of semi-
open impeller pumps possible.
● Mount the seal as close to the pump bearings as possible.

● Address the problem of cartridge mounted stationary seal designs
7. Be sure the lapped seal faces say flat. If they are not flat to within three helium light bands the lapped
seal faces will probably leak
● Avoid "shrunk in" carbon faces. Monolithic or "pressed in carbon" designs are better.
8. Use the correct environmental control to stop the product you are sealing from changing state and
opening the lapped seal faces.
● Control the temperature in the stuffing box

● Control the pressure in the stuffing box
● Replace the fluid in the stuffing box with a fluid more friendly to the seal.
9. Use an API type gland if you have the option
● The disaster bushing will protect the seal and pump if you experience a catastrophic bearing
failure.

● The API type gland can be used for quenching if it is necessary
10. Stay with non-fretting designs
● Most metal bellows seals fall into this non-fretting category

● Stationary seals seldom frett shafts and sleeves
● Flexible O-ring designs are better than Teflon wedges, V-rings or U-cups.
● Rubber bellows designs will not frett a sleeve unless the rubber bellows does not stick to the
sleeve.

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Seals
SUBJECT: Stationary vs. Rotating Seal Designs 11-09
One of the most difficult concepts to teach in writing is the difference in operation between stationary
and rotating mechanical seals. It is like trying to write a set of instructions as to how to tie your shoe
laces, easy to demonstrate, but difficult to explain.
Figure #1 is a cross section of a typical rotating seal. It is called a rotating seal because the spring loaded
face rotates with the shaft. If the spring loaded face did not rotate this seal would be called a stationary
seal. You can see a cross section of a stationary seal in Figure #2.
FIGURE # 1 THE ROTATING SEAL

A Stationary face
B Rotating face
C Sleeve
D Gland
E Stuffing box
1. Stationary face
2. Dynamic Teflon® wedge
3. Sleeve gasket
5. Gland gasket
FIGURE # 2 THE STATIONARY SEAL

A Stationary face
B Rotating face
C Sleeve
D Gland
E Stuffing box
1. Dynamic O-ring
2. Static O-ring
5. Gland gasket
In these drawings it is easy to place the mechanical seal rotating parts perpendicular, or square to the
shaft, but in practice it is just about impossible to do so.
Please look at Figure #1 again:
We would like to have rotating face "B" perpendicular, or square to shaft "c", but that is impossible
because rotating face "B" is being pushed against stationary face "A" that is positioned in gland "D", and
gland "D" is not square to anything.
There are a few reasons why gland "D' is not square to the shaft:

Seals
● You cannot tighten several gland bolts through a gasket and get any kind of squareness.
● The gland is manufactured from a casting that is not perpendicular, or square to anything.
● The face of the stuffing box is not manufactured square to the shaft. Most of the time it is a rough
casting. Remember that the pump was designed for packing, there was no need to make this
surface machined square to anything.
● Assume the seal assembly was done with dial indicators to ensure squareness, the minute the
pump comes up to temperature thermal growth will alter the careful setting you made.
● There are some additional causes of this non-squareness to the shaft:
❍ Operating the pump off of its Best Efficiency Point (B.E.P.)
❍ Thermal expansion at the wet end of the pump.
❍ Pulley driven pump designs.
❍ Dynamic unbalance of the rotating parts.
❍ Bent shafts.
❍ Pipe strain.
The cocking of the gland and stationary face means that the springs will be loaded unevenly and will
have to move back and forth with shaft rotation.
The springs and rotating face "B" actually move back and forth twice per revolution of the shaft, and at
1750 rpm this would be 3500 times per minute, or just about 60 times per second (try and move one of
your fingers back and forth 60 times per second to see how fast that really is). Needless to say any
interference with this movement can lead to a premature seal failure:
● The shaft tolerance and finish become critical because the Teflon® wedge has to slide back and
forth with this movement.
❍ Depending upon the amount of cocking, this sliding will lead to shaft fretting or damage in
a short period of time.

● Spring loaded Teflon® sometimes tends to stick to the shaft or sleeve if the sleeve outside
diameter tolerance is on the high side, or if the shaft finish is not smooth enough.
● The springs can break if they experience too much flexing. They will work harden and fatigue
prematurely.
● Centrifugal force can move the rotating face square to the shaft, opening the lapped faces. This
happens at about 5000 fpm. surface speed or 25 m/second.
● The seal faces can open if the springs fill with solids. There are multiple reasons why they would
clog:
❍ The pumped product can solidify with a change in temperature. This is not often a
reversible process.
❍ The product can crystallize with a change in temperature. This is normally a reversible
process.
❍ The product can become viscous with a change of temperature, or sometimes from
agitation. Usually not reversible

❍ Dirt or solids in the product can clog the springs.
❍ Some fluids like hard water or hot petroleum can, and will build a hard film on the springs
and sliding components.
Many of these solidification problems are experienced when the pump is shut down and subject to
temperature changes in the stuffing box area. This can cause frequent seal failures when the pump is first
started and lasting until the solidified product reverses back to its liquid state, which may be never.
The stationary version of the seal has none of these problems.
Look again at Figure #2. The rotating face is held square to the shaft by a clamped surface. This
reference remains even if the pump experiences deflection from operating off the Best Efficiency Point
(B.E.P.), pipe strain, or misalignment between the pump and its driver.
When the gland (D) is tightened to the face of the stuffing box it will cock for the same reasons that it did
with the rotating version of the seal, but unlike the rotating version, the springs will not move back and
forth twice per revolution of the shaft because they are not rotating with the shaft.
If the gland were severely cocked it would cause an uneven wear of the seal faces, but no back and forth
movement that can be interfered with, causing the seal faces to open and leak.
● This is the same type seal that is used in the pulley driven water pump of your automobile. And as
you are well aware the radial thrusting caused by the pulley drive mechanism has little to no affect
on the seal performance.
● High speed pumps such as the Sundyne design use this type of seal to prevent the faces from
opening as a result of the centrifugal forces generated at the high shaft speeds.
● The main shaft seals of our atomic submarines use large size stationary seals to compensate for
the terrible misalignment problems found in these applications.
Seal manufacturers can supply you with both stationary and rotary versions of the mechanical seal in
solid, split and bellows designs. To ensure squareness to the rotating shaft they require positioning the
Seals
rotating portion of the seal against a shaft shoulder or a clamped reference shoulder that has been
installed on the shaft. This clamping arrangement accounts for the higher cost associated with stationary
seals.
It's no contest, choose stationary every time.
Take a look at the drawing Figure #3. The Cartridge Stationary Seal
Consumers like the many advantages of cartridge seals, so it was natural to want to mount the stationary
seal on a cartridge to get these benefits.
Unfortunately many consumers got a surprise instead of the hoped for advantages. It turns out that
mounting stationary seals on a cartridge might not be such a good idea after all.
FIGURE #3 THE STATIONARY CARTRIDGE SEAL
When you tighten the set screws on the

cartridge sleeve, the sleeve will move
away from the shaft and cock the
rotating face.
Cartridge seals present a special installation problem. When you tighten the set screws on the cartridge,
the clearance between it and the shaft will cause the sleeve to raise higher on one side, causing the
rotating face to no longer be square to the shaft.
The affect of this is that the stationary unit will now move back and forth twice per revolution just like
the rotating seal. The only real advantage of this design in a cartridge version is that because the dynamic
elastomer is in the stationary face, there will be no fretting or damage to the expensive shaft or pump
sleeve. You will, however, frett the barrel on the stationary face .
In paper 11-10 I will discuss this problem in detail and show you some possible solutions, but mean
while time keep in mind that mounting a stationary seal on a cartridge usually is not a good idea.
If you would like this paper to end on a positive note, then be aware that split seals are now available in
the stationary configuration which should make them a first choice in many applications.
® Dupont Dow elastomer

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Stationary cartridge seal problems
SUBJECT: Stationary cartridge seals. How to solve the problem of seal movement 11-10
Everyone agrees that cartridge seals are the only way to go. The good news about cartridges includes:
● The installation is much quicker than conventional seals that have to be set screwed to the shaft.
● There is little chance to damage the lapped seal faces during the assembly process.
● No prints are needed at assembly. There is nothing to measure. The cartridge makes it automatic.
● With a cartridge seal you can adjust impellers to compensate for the inital setting, thermal growth
and impeller wear.
But then there is the bad news, and in this instance the bad news is "really bad"!
In paper 11-9 in this series I discussed the advantages of using stationary seals and you will recall that
their advantage rested upon the seal designer's ability to position the rotating face perpendicular or square
to the shaft.
As long as the rotating face is square, or perpendicular to the rotating shaft there will be no "back and
forth" axial movement of the stationary face.
Please take a look at the following sketch. Here you can see that the rotating face is positioned square to
the shaft because of the clamping arrangement of the rotating face. The clamp is manufactured on a
mandrel and the faces are machined perpendicular to the mandrel, making them in turn, perpendicular to
the rotating shaft.
If the rotating face had been set screwed to the shaft it would have "cocked" the rotating face relative to
the shaft. This would cause the stationary face to move "back and forth" twice per revolution of the shaft,
causing the same problems we experience with the rotating version of a mechanical seal.
The seal movement problem starts when we try to put this rotating face on a cartridge sleeve. Take a look
at the next line drawing:
The drawing is exaggerated to emphasize the point. As you tighten the sleeve set screws to the shaft the
sleeve will "cock or tilt" and, although the rotating face stays square to the sleeve, it is no longer square
to the rotating shaft. This will cause the stationary seal to act like a rotating seal and you lose all of the
advantages you gained with a stationary design.
● The spring loaded stationary face will move back and forth axially twice per shaft revolution.
● Any solids in the fluid could lodge in the sliding components of the seal and open the lapped
faces.
● The moving elastomer will frett and damage the stationary face depending upon the amount of

movement and the seal materials involved.
If we look at the detail of the stationary face on the cocked sleeve we will see:
movement described above:
1. The A.P.I. (American Petroleum Institute) recommends a tight tolerance fit between the pump shaft
and the seal sleeve to prevent the sleeve from cocking when the set screws are tightened.
2. The next line drawing describes a design where both the stationary and rotating faces are spring
loaded. In this design you are running a rotating seal against a stationary seal.
3. The following sketch describes the double O-ring method for keeping the rotating face square to the
shaft.
4. The next drawing describes a three point contact similar to what you would find on a three jaw chuck
used on a lathe or drill press. This arrangement is called a "cloverleaf" design by one of the major seal
manufacturers.

● Three set screws positioned at 120 degrees apart, deform the sleeve to the shaft outside diameter
to insure squareness of the rotating face.
● An additional three set screws go through the sleeve and lock the sleeve to the shaft. These set
screws are positioned 120 degrees apart and are located between the set screws that are centering
the sleeve to the shaft.
question becomes which of any of them is the best?
#1 The A.P.I. (American Petroleum Institute) version:
● The tight tolerances required to get the slip fit are expensive.
● Close fitting shaft sleeves are difficult to remove. The necessary heating and banging will almost
guarantee a bearing replacement along with the new seal.
#2 Two spring loading both faces:
● Centrifugal force is working for you. The higher the centrifugal force the stiffer the system.
● Building two spring loaded faces is expensive. You are actually running a stationary seal against a
rotating seal
#3 The double O-ring system:
#4 The three point contact method:

seal face.
If you are approached by a seal salesman with some other method to insure squareness, have them attach
their design to a shaft and measure the squareness with a dial indicator. It will either be square or it will
not, you can tell quickly.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150


The major improvements in mechanical seals in recent years 15-4
squareness.
● Cartridge seal design that solved a lot of the seal failures caused by improper seal installation,
capability
shaft fretting.
What is the reason for the increased seal life we are experiencing now?
and pump training.
of slurries.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150


seals
SUBJECT : Understanding Split Mechanical Seals 3-8
The split seal is the one seal that every consumer wanted. The main reason that people continue to use
packing is that no one wanted to take the pump apart just to fix a leak. Taking a pump apart involves
several problems:
● The mechanic must have enough skill to put it back together again, insuring that all tolerances,
balance and fits are correct. In a world of multicraft workers that skill is rapidly disappearing.
● You must go through a complete realignment between the pump and the driver. That can take
hours.
● In some instances insulation has to be removed to move the pump. This can involve serious
hazardous materials disposal problems.
● In many facilities seal replacement involves many crafts. An electrician to blank out the motor, a
pipe fitter to remove the piping, a rigger to bring the pump back to the shop, a mechanic to fix it
and several work orders to reverse the process when the pump goes back.
● When the pump is disassembled to replace the seal the bearings are often replaced at the same
time. More often than not seal replacement often means a complete pump overhaul.
● In some cases the system has to be sterilized if the pump is disassembled. This can involve many
hours of heating, flushing, etc..
The following illustration shows a modern split seal mounted between the face of the stuffing box and
the bearing case. Note that the seal is an extension of the stuffing box and is not installed in a typical
"outside seal" configuration. In other words, as the seal faces wear they move away from the solids in the
product and not into them. You will also note that the elastomer always moves to a clean surface, as the
faces wear. This is a very important feature if there are solids in the sealing fluid.
The first successful split seals were used on the atomic submarine main propeller shafts back in 1954.
They proved to be as reliable as solid seals, but they were very expensive because of a lack of good
technology for cutting the lapped faces or joining the O-ring seals. There are three accepted methods of
joining the split elastomer components:
● Vulcanize the components together around the shaft. This is the method that was used on the
atomic submarine Nautilus. Its only limitation is that you are not able to manufacture small
diameter rings because the stock must go around the shaft and then through the vulcanizing tool.
Present technology limits this technique to shaft diameters larger than six inches (150 mm.).
● Install extra elastomers over the shaft and into the seal assembly. You can then move them out
and use them as needed. This is a good technique, but presents major difficulties in seal design.
● Use the "ball and socket" design supplied by some manufacturers or any other logical design that
makes sense to you.
Gluing O-rings or any other type of elastomer together is never acceptable for a dynamic elastomer. The
glue creates a "hard spot" that will prevent proper sealing.
Early split designs were cut in half by "cut off saws" and re-machined to concentricity. This involved a
lot of handling and hand finishing operations that added to the original high cost. Today we use lasers,
high pressure water tools, fracturing techniques and other types of sophisticated machinery to accomplish
the same thing at much lower costs. The fact is that reliable split seals are just about the same price today
as any balanced, O-ring, cartridge seal made out of the same materials. Spare part kits are considerably
cheaper than comparable solid seal spare parts.
Depending upon the brand and size of split seal that you select, the temperature, speed and pressure
limits are just about the same as any other balanced O-ring mechanical seal. The major difference comes
in the sealing of vacuum. Some splits seals need a positive pressure to hold the faces together so if you
intend to use the seals in vacuum service this type must be turned around so that atmospheric pressure is
on the sealing side. Stationary split seal have been produced in recent years that do not experience this
problem.
The market for split seals is the same as for other mechanical seals, but they also have several markets
open to them that other seals cannot satisfy. As an example:

seals
● The pump is leaking. You can break off, or cut off the present gland and install a split seal while
the leaking seal remains in the stuffing box. The pump can be back on stream in about an hour.
● You can install the split seal in a fire pump and leave the packing in place. This way you will
probably not violate any fire codes.
● In most designs you are installing the seal closer to the bearings. If you install a carbon bushing in
the stuffing box of the pump you stop most of the bad affects of shaft bending and deflection.
Even if you do not use the carbon bushing you are still better off being located closer to the pump
anti friction bearing.
● Mixers and awkward locations. The savings are huge! In some instances you have to take the roof
off of the building to remove the motor before you can pull the pump.
● Vertical and horizontal split pumps. You do not have to rig a special lifting device and you only
have to change one seal instead of two.
● Shallow stuffing boxes. The seal installs outside the conventional stuffing box but unlike other
seals it does not seal backwards. The seal gland is actually an extension of the present stuffing
box. CAUTION: some split seal designs are actually "outside" type seals that move the seal faces
into the entrained solids as the seal face wears.
● Any time down time is expensive split seals must be considered as the only sensible solution
outside of installing two seals in all of your pumps.
● The pump is located in a dangerous area (radiation is a good example) and it is important that the
personnel spend as little time in the area as possible.
● If you want to measure the savings in electricity between packing and a mechanical seal the split
seal is your only choice. Obtain an amperage reading with the packing in the pump and when you
are satisfied you know the power being consumed by the pump, pull the packing and install the
split seal . The difference in electricity consumption should pay for the seal in less than eighteen
months.
● You can install a split seal in a pump that has had the shaft/ sleeve damaged by packing or a
mechanical seal and save the shaft/ sleeve replacement cost. As you can see in the first illustration
the seal static elastomer sits on a non damaged portion of the pump shaft/ sleeve.
● Large diameter shafts are a natural for split seals. Shaft damage is too expensive and pump
disassembly is a big problem. Many times the packing is left in the pump and the leakage
tolerated because of the problems of installing solid seals on shafts larger than four inches (100
mm.). Split seals changed all of this and shaft damage can be eliminated entirely.
● If you mount a split seal on a split sleeve you can often change side entering mixer seals with out
emptying the mixer. See the following illustration:
Split seals are the easiest way to convert any packed pump to mechanical seals. You should convert
packed pumps for any of the following reasons:
● Leaking product can be costly.

● Leaking product can present a personnel hazard and a housekeeping problem..
● Leaking product can be a pollution problem.
● Seals consume less power than packing.
● There is no adjustment needed to compensate for wear.
● In many cases the flushing water can be eliminated.
● Shaft damage and wear can be eliminated. This will allow you to use a solid shaft that will resist
shaft deflection and bending.
● Leaking packing and the water hose that is needed to clean up the area are the major causes of
premature bearing failure.
● Leakage causes a "house keeping" problem.

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Seal installation
SUBJECT : Common seal installation mistakes that cause premature mechanical seal failure. 5-10
Special problems with non cartridge designs.
● The seal is operating with the wrong compression causing it to either overheat or open up
prematurely as the faces wear.
❍ The pump open impeller was adjusted after the seal was installed.
❍ The pump shaft sleeve moved when the impeller was tightened to the shaft shoulder.
❍ The installation dimension was measured incorrectly by the mechanic that was installing
the seal:
❍ The mechanic did not use the print, or could not read the print.
❍ The pump has been modified and the print was not revised.
❍ The mechanic took his measurement from the wrong location. He measured from the
impeller locating shoulder instead of the stuffing box face.

❍ The gasket thickness was altered.
❍ The wrong measuring tool was used.
❍ Temperature growth has changed the initial setting.
❍ The pump is fitted with sleeve type bearings, and the axial movement is excessive.
❍ The seal was rebuilt to a different axial dimension.
❍ The mechanic was not wearing his glasses and he could not read the correct measurement
on his ruler.
❍ The seal was installed using the old set&endash;screw mark as the reference. The
reference was incorrect.

● The sleeve or gasket surface is damaged. This is causing leakage between the elastomer and the
shaft sleeve, or between the sleeve and the shaft.
❍ This is a common problem in all packing conversions. There are many products available
that you can use to repair worn or damaged metal parts to insure a good gasket surface.
● The seal faces are not flat.
❍ The seal was accidentally dropped and no one dares tell the boss.
❍ Poor packaging. The seal should be able to survive a 39 inch (one meter) drop.
❍ Over tightening of the stationary face against a rough stuffing box in a rotating seal
application can distort the lapped face.

❍ The stationary face clamping areas are not equal and opposite, causing the faces to go out
of flat.
❍ The seal was lapped flat at ambient temperature and then put into cryogenic service where
it went out of flat at the colder temperature.

● A recirculation line is aimed at the seal faces. The high velocity recirculating fluid will interfere
with the ability of the seal to follow whip, wobble, or run out. Be careful of this configuration
when using metal bellows designs. The recirculated fluid may contain abrasives that will wear the
thin metal plates.
● A gasket or some type of fitting is protruding into the stuffing box and touching a flexible rotating
seal component.
❍ Shaft radial movement can cause the seal faces to separate if the hard face is not wide
enough. In some cases the stationary face was broken when the deflecting pump shaft
contacted it.
● The stationary seal face has been installed backwards and you are running on a non lapped
surface.
❍ Only one side of a hard face is usually lapped flat. Many manufacturers do a poor job of
identifying the un lapped face.

❍ Seal set screws are manufactured from corrosion resistant materials. They are, therefore,
softer than conventional set screws and can vibrate loose.

❍ Many packing sleeves were hardened to resist packing wear.
● The elastomer (rubber part) was placed on a damaged portion of the shaft or sleeve.
● The wrong lubricant was used on the elastomer and it is chemically attacking the elastomer.
❍ Any petroleum lubricant will damage an ethylene propylene (EPR) O- ring causing it to
"swell&endash;up". This failure usually occurs within five days. The flexible seal
components will "lock up" and prevent the lapped faces from staying together
● The seal face was lubricated and then put into cryogenic service. The cold temperature will freeze
the lubricant.
● The application needs some type of environmental control and the connection has not been made.
If the connection has been made, see if it is hooked up incorrectly or the supply has failed.
❍ Environmental controls are used to control the temperature, pressure and cleanliness of the
product in the stuffing box. These controls include flushing, quenching, heating, cooling,
recirculating, venting etc. Make sure these controls are connected to the correct stuffing
box, or seal gland port. Flushing, as an example, should come into the bottom of the
stuffing box or seal gland.
● The shaft/ sleeve tolerance or finish is not within specifications.
❍ Unbalanced seals are sensitive to the shaft&endash;sleeve diameter and surface finish.
Most balanced seals have an internal stepped sleeve, so they are not sensitive to small
variances in shaft sleeve diameter.
● Vertical pump applications have to be vented. Horizontal pump stuffing boxes can be drilled to
insure good venting also.
Seal installation
● The shaft sleeve was removed to make additional room in the stuffing box.
❍ The sleeve was positioning the impeller.
❍ The sleeve was providing corrosion resistance.
● The stationary face is not perpendicular to the shaft in a rotating seal application. This will cause
excessive axial movement of the rotating components.
❍ The use of a stuffing box facing tool can just about eliminate this problem.
❍ Stationary seal designs and self aligning designs can compensate for this problem.
● The rotating face is not perpendicular to the shaft in a stationary seal application. This will create
the same problem as mentioned above, except that the stationary face will do the moving. This is
also the main reason you should not cartridge mount stationary seals.
● The stationary face was not centered to the shaft.
❍ Many cartridge seals have centering clips to solve this problem. Seal designs that utilize
slotted glands should use some type of centering shims.

❍ If you have not provided centering, the seal faces can separate if you are using "out of
balance" or bent shafts.

❍ This can cause a pumping action in cartridge seals, that could cause a convection tank to
run backwards and the barrier fluid to overheat.

● The A.P.I. gland connections are hooked up incorrectly. Be sure that you understand the
difference between flushing, quenching, drain and venting.
● No recirculation line was hooked from the bottom of the stuffing box to the pump suction. Use a
discharge recirculation line if you are pumping a fluid close to its vapor point.
● In isolated cases the set screws have loosened when the sleeve was made of too soft a material.
● The gland flushing ports are machined off center. Shaft rotation will either help or hinder the
flushing, depending upon their location. The flush rate changes with shaft rotation.
● The Allen wrench, used to tighten the set screws, has rounded corners and is not providing the
proper torque..
● The set screws were over tightened and stripped.
● The shaft was machined down to accommodate a smaller diameter seal, or the shaft was machined
for repair. In either case the shaft has been weakened and is now more liable to deflect with radial
loading.
● A severely cocked stationary will break the springs in the rotating unit because of the excessive
back and forth movement. Excessive lug wear will also be visible.
● The stuffing box often has product attached to its' inside surface. This product can interfere with
the free movement of the flexible seal components.
● In a double ended pump conversion from packing to a mechanical seal it is common for the
impeller to be positioned by sleeves that are not sealed at the impeller or sleeve inside
diameter&emdash; causing leakage between the sleeve and the shaft.
Special problems with cartridge seals
● The centering or installation clips were not removed prior to starting the pump.
● The cartridge was installed by pushing on the gland. The friction on the sleeve static elastomer is
causing the inner seal to over compress and the outboard seal to unload.
● The cartridge was installed on the stuffing box and then the stuffing box was placed over the
shaft. This is causing the seal to be non concentric with the shaft and could cause the shaft to hit
the close fitting bushing in an A.P.I. (American Petroleum Institute) type gland.
● Check proper centering by using a spacer (normally a centering clip) to insure that the gland is
centered to the shaft.
● In some double seal cartridge applications, a pumping action will occur if the sleeve is not
concentric to the gland. This can cause a convection tank to run backwards.
● If you mount a stationary seal on a cartridge, the rotating face will "cock" causing excessive
moving problems. You will need some type of a self aligning feature to solve this problem.
Special problems with rubber bellows seals
● The wrong lubricant was used on the bellows (Silicone grease is an example of this) and as a
result, the rubber bellows is not sticking to the shaft.
● The shaft or sleeve is too smooth . It should be no better than 40 rms.
● The carbon has been installed backwards. It will fit either way, so be sure you are running against
the lapped side of the face.
● The seal installation must be completed in fifteen to thirty minutes, or the rubber bellows will
vulcanize to the shaft in the wrong location.
● Be sure that none of the pump, or seal dimensions have been altered. The seal must be installed at
a fixed length that is not easily changed.
● Most of the rubber bellows designs use a "Buna N" rubber boot that is sensitive to ozone attack.
Buna N rubber has a shelf life of only one year.
It should be noted that the normal mode of failure for this type of seal is for the rubber boot to experience
a rupture or "blow&endash;out" causing a massive seal failure. It is important to use back up protection
if you use this type of seal.
Special problems with metal bellows seals

Seal installation
● If you are using the rotating version of the metal bellows seal, the close fitting anti-vibration lugs
can hang up on the sleeve. The tolerance of the sleeve outside diameter is very critical with this
type of seal.
● The face holder, in high temperature applications, is made from a low expansion material that has
little to no corrosion resistance. If you lose cooling, the resultant shaft thermal expansion can
engage the "damping lugs" in the low expansion steel face holder and "drag open" the seal faces.
● The seal balance line shifts with pressure.
● A pump discharge recirculation line can wear into the thin bellows section.
● Austenitic metals change their spring load when the bellows is over compressed.
● At elevated temperatures the carbon face can loosen in the metal holder. Watch out for glued in
faces.
● Good designs will rotate the fluid to prevent a slurry from wearing the thin metal plates.
● Be careful of stationary seals in high temperature applications. The flush connection will produce
uneven cooling causing face distortion.
● High temperature applications utilize heat treated bellows materials. Be aware that metal can
anneal and loose its spring rate at temperatures as low as 300° F (150 C).
Problems with split mechanical seals
● Some designs use glued elastomers. This causes a hard spot in the elastomer that will not seat
properly causing leakage.
● Most designs cannot be used in an alternating pressure/vacuum application. This can be a problem
when you have a mixer application to seal.
● Some elastomers are not available in split O-rings, so watch out for availability.
● Many outside designs move towards the product as the faces wear, making them ineffective in
slurry applications.
Other problems that can occur shortly after the seal is installed.
● The cooling jacket on the pump builds up a layer of calcium on the inside, interfering with the
heat transfer.
❍ Condensate, steam, or heat transfer oil is a good substitute for hard well water, or dirty
shop water.
● Teflon® comes off of the metal parts.
❍ The product is penetrating the porous Teflon coating and attacking the base material. In
some cases you may have to remove the baked on coating with a fine emery paper.
● A pressure drop at the seal faces, and across the elastomer can cause some products to change
state as the solvent evaporates from the product. This can cause the fluid to :
❍ Solidify.
❍ Become viscous.
❍ Build a film on the faces.
❍ Crystallize.
❍ Blow out pieces of the elastomer
● Cryogenic temperatures can freeze the elastomer or any lubricant placed on the seal faces.
● The wrong lubricant on the dynamic elastomer can cause the O-ring to swell and lock up the seal.
This usually occurs within ten days.
● At elevated temperatures the differential expansion between the metal holder and the seal face can
cause the seal face to become loose in its metal holder. Metal has an expansion rate approximately
three times that of carbon and most other seal face materials.
● The convection tank is running backwards or is not running at all.
❍ Check to see if the seal gland is concentric with the shaft.
❍ Be sure that the piping is connected to the correct gland ports.
❍ Check the recommended height and distance specifications.
❍ Be sure you have a proper liquid level in the tank.
❍ If there is a pumping ring, make sure it is running with the correct rotation

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Link to the Mc Nally home page.

Seal life
SUBJECT : How to get good mechanical seal life 2-8
Seals that came installed as original equipment in the pump should last until the sacrificial carbon face
has worn away. This is the definition of a worn out seal. If a seal leaks before the carbon face has worn
down we call it a failed seal. In practice we find that seals seldom wear out, most of them fail and as a
result we spend a good deal of time and money looking for better designs. Wouldn't it be nice if there
was such a thing as the ideal mechanical seal? Some customers have spent years looking for this magic
seal and their failure rate in seals still exceeds 85%.
Getting a good seal installation is similar to getting a good paint job on an automobile. It is more
involved than just the purchase of a good brand of paint. To get a good paint job on your automobile you
need to solve four problems:
● The body must be prepared properly.

● You must have good quality paint.
● The paint must be applied correctly.
● You have to take care of the paint once it has been applied.
If you have addressed these four separate problems you can get a paint job that will last many years.
Neglect some of these steps and the life of the paint will diminish accordingly.
Seal application follows four steps also, and if you neglect any of the steps your seal life will be
shortened accordingly. Here are the four steps you must follow :
● Make sure the pump is ready to receive a mechanical seal.

● Select a good seal, manufactured from good materials.
● Install it correctly.
● Install the proper environmental controls to insure long life.
In the following paragraphs we will investigate each of these steps. I will not be going into great detail
because these subjects will be covered individually in this technical series. This brief discussion,
however, should encourage you to investigate the subject of seal life in more detail.
Prepare the body
If we were painting an automobile, we would have to first wash the car with a good detergent and then
clean the old paint with solvent to remove any silicone wax that could damage the new paint job. We
would then do our body work and sand the paint smooth. Priming and more sanding would come next
and finally we would wipe the body down with a "tack" cloth to remove any dust that might cling
because of static electricity.
This procedure could take many hours or even days, but it is the necessary first step because, without it,
the paint would not look as nice as we want.
To prepare the pump for a mechanical seal we would want to do a number of things. They would
include:
● Reduce shaft vibration and displacement. The more the shaft moves the more likely the seal faces
are to open and allow destructive solids to enter between the lapped faces.
● Either operate close to the pump B.E.P. or use a shaft with a low L3/D4. Avoid sleeved shafts.
The shaft was weakened to install the sleeve. If you use a corrosion resistant shaft with a non
fretting, balanced O-Ring mechanical seal, there is no need for a shaft sleeve.
● Either align the pump/driver properly or install a "C' or "D" frame adapter and don't worry about
misalignment.
● Check for excessive pipe strain. A "centerline" wet end conversion can solve the problem if
temperature growth is the cause.
● Make sure the shaft is not bent. Most people have no luck in trying to straighten a bent or warped
shaft.
● Check that the rotating parts have been dynamically balanced.
● Make sure the bearings are in good shape.
● Check for vibration. There are many sources.
❍ Different types of cavitation.
❍ Base plates with too small a mass.
❍ Piping arrangements.
❍ Harmonic vibration caused by nearby hardware
❍ Seal "slip stick"
❍ Non laminar flow through the pipes.
❍ Water hammer.
❍ Etc.
● Either bore out the packing chamber or install a large seal chamber to give the seal room to move,
and utilize centrifugal force to throw solids away from the lapped faces. A one inch (25 mm)
radial clearance around the outside diameter of the seal is both desirable and practical to obtain.
● In most cases install a line from the bottom of the stuffing box back to the suction of the pump.
Seal life
The only time you will not do this is when you are pumping a fluid close to its vapor point.
● Be sure the shaft is of the correct tolerance and finish where the elastomer seals to the shaft.
● Be sure to vent the stuffing box back to the pump suction any time you have a mechanical seal in
a vertical pump installation. If you fail to provide this vent, the seal chamber will become full of
air, causing overheating in the seal area.
Use good quality paint and store it properly.
The final result will be directly related to the quality of the paint you put on the car. We need a paint that
has a high percentage of solids, with good corrosion resistance and the ability to maintain a high gloss
over a long period of time.
A good seal will incorporate the following features when ever possible:
● Both dynamic and hydraulic balance.

● Non clogging features
● Springs positioned out of the sealing fluid, to prevent clogging.
● The elastomer moves to a clean surface and away from any solids as the seal face wears.
● The pumping fluid should be at the outside diameter of the rotating component to take advantage
of centrifugal force.
● "Two way" hydraulic balance must be used in multiple seal designs. This feature is necessary to
prevent the seal faces from opening with fluctuating system and barrier fluid pressures
● Vibration damping must be provided to prevent damage to the faces and stop the lapped faces
from separating. O-Rings are a natural vibration damper. Bellows seals must have one installed.
● Excessive motion capability must be provided when a seal is used in sleeved bearing equipment
and long shaft designs such as those found on mixers and agitators. To decrease your inventory
slotted glands should be used to adapt the seal to the widest range of pump brands.
● Universal seal materials should be specified for the widest range of applications and minimum
customer inventory.
● Failure protection, in the form of either an A.P.I. type gland or a back up seal, should be part of
every seal application.
● The thinnest, shortest design that will satisfy the sealing requirements, should be part of any good
seal design.
● Proper packaging and storage will insure that the seal is in good shape at the time of installation.
● The seal should be boxed in a reusable container.
● It should be insulated to survive a one meter drop with out damage to the lapped seal faces.
● Protective material must be placed on the lapped faces in non cartridge designs.
● Proper labeling is required to prevent unnecessary box opening.
The paint must be put on correctly.
● To do this you would have to mask the parts carefully, control the temperature and dust, do not
apply the layers too thick and sand between applications.
● There are several problems associated with good seal installation:
● You must not damage the lapped faces or cut the elastomer.
● Be sure to compress the seal to the proper face load. Check the print that came with the seal for
this critical dimension.
● Be sure the shaft diameter is of the proper tolerance and finish, and the dynamic elastomer will
seal properly.
● With open impeller pumps you will have to make the initial impeller adjustment and additional
adjustments for impeller or volute wear and thermal growth. Remember that these adjustments
will also affect the mechanical seal compression. Cartridge seals and split seals are the only
sensible method of getting correct face compression. These designs should be the standard in any
modern plant.
Taking care of the paint means frequent washing and waxing.
It also means that you should not park the car in places where opening doors can chip and damage the
paint on your vehicle. Following too close to trucks can cause rocks to be thrown into the grill and body.
If the car is not garaged, the heat of summer and the cold of winter can shorten the life of any paint job.
We take care of a mechanical seal by providing environmental controls that will allow the pumping fluid
to stay at the correct temperature and pressure to prevent it from changing to a solid, vapor or crystal that
would damage the mechanical seal. These environmental controls are especially important with
intermittent service pumps because the constant starting and stopping is always harmful to a mechanical
seal.
How long can a good paint job last on an automobile?. The answer would have to be many years if you
did the four things mentioned in the above paragraphs. Obviously most people do not take the proper
care with their investment, and the cars you see on the street are the result.
All companies would like to get better seal life and the method of doing it is not complicated. Take a
look at most of the seals you have removed from customer pumps and notice that in 85 % of the cases
Seal life
there is very little carbon wear. It is reasonable to expect that with proper attention you should be able to
wear out 85% of your seals and experience only a 15% failure rate.
The seal life you get will be directly related to your interest in addressing these four subjects.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

seal misconceptions
SUBJECT: Some common misconceptions about mechanical seals 11-3
● Two hard faces are a sensible choice if there are dirt or solids in the product you are pumping.
❍ ans. Seal faces are lapped to less than three light bands (less than one micron) of flatness.
Dirt and solids cannot penetrate these faces unless they open. The trick to sealing solids
and slurry is to keep the lapped seal faces together.
● Dual seals are a good choice for a slurry application.
❍ ans. Putting a clean liquid between two seals is not going to stop solids from clogging the
inner seal. Since the barrier fluid is at a higher pressure than the stuffing box pressure you
will probably end up diluting your product.
● Putting the seal outside the stuffing box can keep the springs and other parts from clogging in an
abrasive slurry.
❍ ans. As the seal faces wear the seal is going to have to move into the slurry that will restrict
its movement. It is the same problem you face with many of the dual seal applications used
to seal dirt and solids..
● You should not use ceramic seal faces in a mechanical seal. They will crack when subjected to
temperature transients.
❍ ans. Space vehicles are covered with ceramic so they can take temperature transients, its
just a matter of which ceramic you are using.

● Modern seal designs are made to fit A.N.S.I. and I.S.O. pump designs without having to make any
modifications to the seal or pump.
❍ ans. The seals will fit, but they will not have enough outside diameter clearance for proper
operation. The stuffing box bore should be enlarged.

● Seal faces have to be lubricated.
❍ ans. Not necessarily. Carbon graphite is a natural lubricant. Electric motors have used
carbon/graphite brushes for years that do not use any external lubricating source.
● Vibration analysis is a good technique for predicting seal failure.
❍ ans. Vibration analysis requires that you know the frequency of the piece of hardware you
are analyzing. This is easy for bearings that are always made out of the same material,
always in the same basic medium and vary little in shape. Seals come in a variety of shapes
and materials and run in all sorts of mediums.
● Oil is a good barrier fluid to use between dual mechanical seals.
❍ ans. Actually it is one of the worse. It has too low a specific heat number and it is not a
very good conductor of heat compared to other liquids.

● Teflon is a universal elastomer. It makes sense to use it in mechanical seals.
❍ ans. Teflon is not an elastomer because it does not have a memory. To use it in a
mechanical seal you must spring load it to the shaft and that is never a good idea because
you will end up with expensive shaft damage (fretting). O.E.M. suppliers use Teflon
because they are not sure where the pump is going to be used.
● Shrinking a carbon seal face into a metal holder is an acceptable manufacturing technique.
❍ ans. It really is a bad one. The out of roundness tolerance of the metal holder will clash
with the out of roundness tolerance of the carbon, causing high loading at several points on
the carbon outside diameter. The carbon should be pressed into the metal holder allowing
it to shear and conform to the metal out of roundness.
● It is a good engineering practice to glue the O-rings in a split mechanical seal design.
❍ ans. The glue will create a hard spot that will give you a leakage problem.
● You should connect the flush connection to the top of gland.

❍ ans. It should be connected to the bottom of the gland or stuffing box. This will allow the
flushing fluid to fill the box prior to spilling over the end restriction in the stuffing box.
American prints show the top half of the drawing, that is why this error is so frequently
made.
● The elastomer Viton is acceptable in water.
❍ ans. It is a worse choice. The proper material for water is ethylene propylene. Some
specific grades of Viton can be used in cold water , but none of them are good for hot
water. Viton is cured in sulfur and what ever attacks the cure attacks the compound.
Needless to say sulfur and water are not a good combination.
● Split seals leak
❍ ans. It all depends upon your definition of leakage. If you are talking "fugitive emissions"
that are measured at parts per million you can build a case for leakage, but if you mean "no
visible leakage" then split seals should be as leak free as any other mechanical seal
manufactured from the same materials.
● You should put a lubricant on seal faces when you install them.
❍ ans. It's not a good idea to put anything on the lapped faces. The trick is to keep the lapped
faces together.
● No one can predict seal life.
❍ ans. That is a fact, but we know how long seals should last. They should run leak free until
the sacrificial carbon wears down. (90% of mechanical seals fail long before that happens).
● In most seal applications the carbon is running on a hard face.
❍ ans. The graphite comes out of the carbon /graphite face and deposits on the hard face.
You can easily see the black mark made by the graphite. The seal face you are actually
running is carbon on graphite. The hard face is just some place to put the graphite. This is
the reason the seal faces can run dry.
● It is good engineering practice to put a stationary seal ( the type where the springs do not rotate
with the shaft) on a cartridge.
seal misconceptions
❍ans. Tightening the cartridge sleeve set screws will pull the cartridge sleeve to one side,
causing the rotating face to no longer be perpendicular or square to the rotating shaft. This
squareness to the shaft is essential to the performance of any stationary seal design.
● If you are installing a mechanical seal in a vertical centrifugal pump, you use the same procedure
as installing a seal in the horizontal version.
❍ ans. Vertical pumps trap air in the stuffing box. You will have to install some type of vent
above the seal faces and dynamic elastomer to avoid "dry running" in these locations.
● PV factors are a legitimate way of predicting seal performance.
❍ ans. Carbon/graphite seal faces are sensitive to pressure(P), but not to velocity(V) so PV
has limited value.

● The three hundred series of stainless steel is a good choice for seal metal components.
❍ ans. That is true for most of the metal components, but not for springs or metal bellows.
The three hundred series is sensitive to chloride corrosion problems in these locations.
● You must not use ceramic as a seal hard face because it will crack with a rapid temperature
change.
❍ ans. Some ceramics have this problem, and you should not use them in your designs. The
ceramic called "silicone carbide" is a good choice as a hard face and does not have the
"cold shocking" problem.
● The metal bellows seal should be your first choice for a hot application.
❍ ans. the metal bellows seal is always a good choice in hot fluid to eliminate the
temperature sensitive elastomer or O-ring, but it is not effective in hot petroleum

applications because of "coking problems. In these applications you have to cool the
stuffing box area to prevent the oil from forming coke solids on the seal moving parts and
faces.
● The mechanical seal should be positioned against a shaft or sleeve shoulder to insure the correct
face load and then set screwed to the shaft or sleeve..
❍ ans. To compensate for shaft axial growth or open impeller adjustment, the seal must be
positioned on an adjustable cartridge sleeve.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Subject: Seal partnering 13-10
The latest fad to hit the process industry is "partnering" allowing industrial academics to have a
wonderful time thinking up these new projects so that they will appear to be doing something productive
and useful. Although "partnering" implies many lofty benefits it always ends up being nothing more than
purchasing negotiating a large discount from the seal manufacturer. The really important stuff that is
costing you the most money, always takes second place.
Modern mechanical seal designs are supposed to run until the only sacrificial part (usually the carbon
seal face) has worn away. In better than 90% of the cases this never happens; so through some
convoluted thought process, or maybe a hard sell by their local seal supplier these same academics have
decided that buying these failing seals at a discount will somehow make sense to whomever they have to
answer. I know they are not going to like hearing this but mechanical seals are really not a commodity.
Anything with a 90% plus failure rate would have a hard time being put into a commodity status by
anyone's definition.
If you serious about trying to finally getting some decent mechanical seal life in your rotating equipment
you are going to have to start looking for some very specific features in your mechanical seals and some
very knowledgeable people to deal with when it come to application and troubleshooting. Consulting,
application, and troubleshooting expenses have traditionally been built into the price of the mechanical
seal. Large consumer discounts eliminate that service.
There are three things you would like to receive from your seal supplier:
● An excellent product
● A low price
● Good service including: partial inventorying, application engineering, and trouble shooting
assistance.
Choose any of the above two. Isn't it kind of stupid to think you will get all three!
We will start with the product. Decide on the type of seal you will need :
● Stationary mechanical seals are better than their rotating cousins. Some of these stationary designs
are available with seal wear indicators and you should take advantage of that feature. Stationary
seal design do not have rotating springs or bellows.
● Dual seals are the only reliable method you have of protecting yourself against an unexpected seal
failure and all the problems associated with product leaking out of the pump. With all the current
talk about fugitive emissions, dual seals are becoming a necessity in many applications. They are
available in both the stationary and rotary version with liquid or inert gas buffer or barrier fluid
circulating between the seals, and can be installed in four different configurations:
❍ Back to back rotating seals are never acceptable. Back to back stationary seals are OK
because the sealing fluid is at the inside seal outside diameter

❍ Tandem or series is the best choice for rotating or stationary seals
❍ Face to face designs are acceptable
❍ Concentric, or one inside the other is alright but this design takes a lot of radial room. Too
much for a conventional pump..

● If you are going to use single seals, the split version should be your first choice. There is no sense
in taking equipment apart and spending all the money associate with disassembly, spare parts,
new gaskets, realignment, insulation, etc, if you do not have to. In most cases the only problem
with the pump is it is leaking. Fix the leak, do not overhaul the pump. Remember your
grandfather's words "if it aint broke don't fix it".
● Cartridge seals not only make assembly easier and faster, but they are your only alternative if you
intend to adjust the impellers used on the common open impeller, back pullout pumps. It is
unbelievable the number of companies that are failing to adjust these impellers and as a result are
running the pumps very inefficiently. This can only be explained by the lack of knowledge that
industry has about how pumps work. Otherwise, it is being done on purpose. Split seals can be
cartridge mounted without too much trouble.
● If your seals are going to incorporate elastomers make sure you use O-rings. Stay away from
wedges, chevrons, U-cups, etc. They destroy (frett) shafts and are seldom needed in modern seals.
● Metal bellows seals are good for eliminating the need for elastomers. They make sense in
cryogenic service and hot applications such as polymers and resins. You can use them in any fluid
other than hot petroleum products that "coke" and fail seals prematurely. Oils must be cooled.
Seal materials are an important consideration. With few exceptions you should be able to install the same
seal in every pump of the same shaft size and reduce your inventory considerably. Make the decision
right now to quit using "mystery materials" identified only by a part number or some generic term used
to describe the material in your expensive mechanical seals. How are you going to fix something if you
not know what it is? There is a lot to know about materials and it is a subject that is always changing as
new materials are developed.
● If you are going to use a carbon/ graphite face use the three impregnate, non filled type in most of
your applications. There will be a couple of exceptions for hot dry air and cryogenic service, but
exceptions are always easy to handle.

● Hastelloy "C" springs and metal bellows plates are necessary to prevent chloride stress corrosion
problems associated with the three hundred series of stainless steel. Never use stainless steel
springs or stainless steel metal bellows in any mechanical seal application.
● Remember that reaction bonded silicone carbide will be attacked by high pH materials such as
caustic. You will probably be better off with the alpha sintered version of silicone carbide in these
applications.
● Your seal materials should not be subject to "shelf life" problems. This is an on going problem
with Buna N O-rings and rubber bellows.
Look for non-clogging features in you seal designs because there are solids present in most of your
applications:
● The springs should be out of the fluid unless you have some real good reason for putting them
there.
● Dynamic elastomers (moveable O-rings) should always move to a clean surface.
● Centrifugal force should throw solids away from the seal moveable parts and lapped faces.
● Inconel bellows make a lot of sense in high temperature seal applications.
● A non-stick coating on sliding components helps. Baked on Teflon® works well on frying pans
and seal components. The coating will also reduce hysteresis problems with sliding or flexing
dynamic elastomer or O-ring.
There are other desirable features you should look for:
● Hydraulically balanced seal faces for vacuum and varying stuffing box pressures.
● The inner seal of a dual seal should be hydraulically balanced in both directions because pressures
commonly reverse in these applications.
● The seal design you specify should be able to seal if it rotates either clockwise or counter
clockwise. Most hydrodynamic gas seals and some single spring liquid seals cannot do this.
● The seal should have good axial and radial movement capability. This is especially important for
mixer applications. Specify excessive motion designs for mixers, agitators, sleeve bearing
equipment, etc. These designs incorporate:
● Wider hard faces so that the thinner carbon/ graphite face has more radial movement capability.
● More internal clearance in the seal components.
● Axial movement capability without compressing or extending the spring or springs and affecting
proper face loading. You need at least 0.125 inches (3mm) in both directions. More would be
better.
● The seal design you select should be the thinnest and shortest seal that satisfies the operating
conditions. There is no advantage in having the seal take up too much axial or radial room. A high
percentage of requests for special seals means shorter or thinner designs.
● The seal should be installed close to the pump bearing to eliminate the affect of shaft deflection
problems.
The seal should be easy to install.
● No print should be required. Cartridge and split seal both have that advantage.
● The design should be independent of shaft finish and reasonable shaft diameter tolerances. In
other words there should be no dynamic elastomers or metal bellows vibration dampers rubbing
on the pump shaft or sleeve.
● The seal should not frett or damage the shaft or sleeve through normal operation. This will
eliminate all spring loaded elastomers and many rotating seal designs.
● The seal should be packaged to protect the lapped faces. Bubble packaging on a piece of
cardboard should not be allowed. The seal should be in its own box and protected by foam or a
similar protective material. The lapped faces should be dipped into a protective coating that can
be removed just prior to installation. A boxed seal should be able to survive a one meter (39 inch)
drop without injury to the seal components.
The seal should generate very little heat.
● The seal should be hydraulically balanced for low face loading.

● Specify two way balance for the inner seal of a dual seal design.
● Low friction faces are a necessity. A good grade of carbon/ graphite running against a hard face
like silicone carbide will generate very little heat.
● Use materials that conduct heat well. Silicone carbide is great.
● Never insulate the seal faces by elastomers or plastics if you can avoid it. You want to conduct the
face heat into the gland or face holder when ever possible.
● Try not to position the dynamic elastomer in the seal face. The dynamic elastomer is the one part
of the seal that is the most sensitive to heat.
● If you are sealing a non lubricating fluid (liquid or gas) use a dual seal with a lubricant circulating
between them. Avoid oil as a buffer or barrier fluid, the specific heat of oils is too high and they
all have poor conductivity compared to other cooling fluids.
● Install a gland vent above the seal faces in all vertical pump applications. Air will collect in the
top of the stuffing box causing the seal faces to run dry. You can drill a hole in the upper corner,
at the end of the stuffing box to vent the seal cavity in a horizontal pump.
● Use a large inside diameter, bored out stuffing box to give the seal plenty of clearance on its
outside diameter. Avoid tapered stuffing boxes.
● Use heavy duty seal designs for greater pressures. These designs incorporate:
● Fiber or Teflon® back up rings to prevent elastomer extrusion.
● Thicker cross section components to prevent face distortion.
● New thinner cross section configurations have become practical since the introduction of finite
element analysis programs.
● Lower spring pressure at the seal faces.
● A different balance ratio. Especially with fluids having a specific gravity below 0.4.
● Do not glue carbon/ graphite seal faces into a metal holder. The glue may not be compatible with
the sealing fluid or the solvent/ steam used to clean the lines.
● Avoid "shrunk in" carbon faces. "Pressed in" faces shear to conform to the "out of roundness" of a
metal holder.
Some cartridge seal feature to look for.
● The cartridge sleeve must be sealed at the inboard end to prevent solids from lodging between the
cartridge sleeve and the pump shaft making seal removal difficult if not impossible.
● In some dual seal designs, if the cartridge gland is pushed to move it against the stuffing box face,
the friction between the seal sleeve elastomer and the shaft outside diameter will cause the inner
seal to compress and the outer seal will unload. Look out for this design flaw.
● Can the clips or whatever is setting the correct installation length be reinstalled when an impeller
adjustment has to be made? In many designs it is very difficult to re-install these clips.
● Can the assembly be rebuilt easily and at a sensible cost? Does it have to be returned to the
distributor or manufacturer? New "right to know" laws are going to discourage returning
hardware that has been exposed to chemicals.
● The cartridge gland should have a flush port and vent built into the gland. An API type gland
would be ideal with its disaster bushing and quench/ drain connection.
All split seals are not alike:
● Will the design seal both pressure and vacuum. Many designs cannot do this.
● Be sure there are no glued elastomers, especially the dynamic elastomer or O-ring that has to flex
and roll to compensate for face wear and shaft movement. The glue creates a hard spot that will
leak.
● Stationary designs are the best. In this design the spring or springs do not rotate with the shaft.
● Can it be mounted on a cartridge so that you can make pump impeller adjustments or be able to
remove the split seal with out having to drain a side entering mixer?
● Does it have a wide hard face and lots of internal clearances for radial movement? Many of these
seals are used on mixers and this is a necessary feature in a mixer application.
Once the proper mechanical seal has been specified for the application, the really difficult part takes
over. Someone has to do the application for the individual chemicals and troubleshooting of failed seals.
Because these people are rare, we see consumers throwing seals at the application hoping one of them
will work. The 90% failure rate you presently experience is one of the results of this approach.
It would be wonderful if you could call in three or four seal companies selling the same product, with the
same level of expertise and choose among them for your best price. The fact is you will be lucky if you
can find one good supplier, and I will bet he will not be the lowest price. He will likely have the highest
inital cost. Isn't it kind of naive to think otherwise?
I know you are not going to pay attention to this, so good luck with your 90% + failure rate.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

SUBJECT: Getting what you pay for 7-11
Any time you purchase a mechanical seal, or any other piece of hardware for that matter, you get to
choose two of the following three, nobody gets them all:
● The lowest price for that seal.

● The highest quality materials and workmanship.
● The best service.
Why can't you get all three? Sales people and advertising imply you can. The fact is that if you
understand the following you will see it is impossible by definition.
Let's start with a high quality seal. What would it look like?
● Hydraulically balanced for the lowest heat generation and the widest pressure operating range.
● Cartridge or split design for ease of installation.
● Best quality materials that are easily identifiable, for the widest range of application.
● A sensible shaft centering method to prevent "face run off".
● A method of insuring squareness to the shaft to prevent excessive axial movement.
● Venting and flushing connections located in the right places.
● Logical packaging to prevent damage to the lapped seal faces.
● Easy parts disposal.
● The ability to reset the seal after an impeller adjustment or thermal growth of the shaft.
● A location close to the bearings to reduce the affect of shaft radial displacement.
● Service comes next:
● Local stocks to save your high inventory cost.
● Help with material selection and application. You can't always do it by phone or FAX.
● Troubleshooting assistance when you need it, and you will.
● Help with installation.
● Inplant training session.
● Plant surveys to reduce the number of spare parts and assist standardization.
● Spare parts and/or rebuilding service.
● Modification data and prints for special applications.
● An inventory of latest models and the newest materials.
● A sensible return policy to keep your inventory current.
That leaves only the price:
The cost of any product is based on consumption. If the manufacturer can make a lot of any thing the
price can become attractive. He therefore tries a distribution system that will give him his greatest
growth. Assuming that you are dealing with a reputable manufacturer that has priced his product sensibly
he now pays for his sales cost by offering the product at a discount to:
● The pump or mixer company

● A large consumer.
● A direct operation (the company store).
● An industrial distributor that hopefully handle related lines
● A manufacturers representative.
He can't give them all the discount, and if he gives several of them some of the discount, there is not
enough incentive for any of them to get excited about the product and increase the distribution.
The manufacturer is looking for volume. And this may be in conflict with some of your needs. Think it
through because there is no simple answer to the problem; it varies from location to location.
The only people that ever really have difficulties are those buyers that are looking for the reliable
individual that will give him all three without over pricing the product to start with. That person never
existed!

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Seals
SUBJECT: The problems associated with original equipment mechanical seals 4-4
The next time you purchase a pump, mixer or some other type of rotating equipment and request that it
be supplied with mechanical seals you are going to be very disappointed in the performance of those
seals unless you specify exactly which brand, model and materials you want.
If you fail to do this you will be supplied with an unbalanced mechanical seal manufactured from
unnamed grades of materials and you will find that the seal will leak long before the sacrificial seal faces
are worn out. In other words the seal will have plenty of wearable carbon face left when it starts to leak.
In addition to supplying a poor performing seal the manufacturer will attempt to put the seal into a piece
of equipment that was designed for soft packing. The result will be both poor seal and bearing
performance as well as premature failure of both of them.
What is wrong with these O.E.M. seals? The following paragraphs will describe a few of the problems.
The seal that came in your pump was probably supplied with:
● An unknown grade of carbon/ graphite with binders and fillers that can be attacked by the product
or cleaners used to flush the lines. In most cases the seal will be too porous for higher temperature
applications
● An unknown grade of elastomer that has a temperature limit, chemical compatibility problems,
possible shelf life, and sensitivity to steam cleaning or some lubricants that might be used during
the installation process.
● Stainless steel springs that are subject to chloride stress corrosion failure.
● Multiple springs located in the sealing medium that can easily clog when solids are present.
● A spring loaded dynamic elastomer or Teflon® piece that is not free to flex and roll on the shaft.
These designs will damage the expensive shaft (this is called fretting) so the manufacturer will be
forced to supply a sleeve that will weaken the shaft.
● No method of compensating for axial growth or impeller adjustment. This is a major problem
with seals that position against a shoulder on the shaft.
● Seal designs that are sensitive to the diameter, tolerance and surface finish of the shaft or sleeve.
● A discharge recirculation line that will fill the narrow stuffing box with solids and abrasives that
can interfere with the free movement of the seal or even worse, a filter in this line that will clog up
and cause overheating in the stuffing box.
● Rubber bellows designs that are very sensitive to the installation lubricant, shelf life and heat.
These designs will experience massive failure as the bellows ruptures (and it will)
● Piloted glands, with drilled bolt holes that require a large inventory and prevent you from using
the same gland on most pumps of the same shaft size
● Single spring designs that are wound in one direction and sensitive to the direction of shaft
rotation.
Please look at the following diagram.
This diagram describes a rotating "back to back" dual seal with a whole series of problems that include:
● Spring loaded elastomers that cause fretting damage in two places on the shaft or sleeve.
● Designs in which the spring load on the seal faces increases and decreases as the shaft moves
axially.
● The inner rotating face moves into the solids as the carbon wears, causing "face hang up" and
premature failure, along with product dilution.
● Faces that are kept closed by barrier fluid pressure and will open if there is a surge of pressure in
the system or the barrier fluid pressure is lost.
● Dirt and solid particles are centrifuged into the lapped seal faces of the inner seal.
● If the outside seal fails or wears out (and it is supposed to) the inner seal will blow open when the
barrier fluid pressure is lost making the design unsafe with dangerous or expensive products.
● Seals that are unable to compensate for shaft radial movement because they are located too far
away from the support bearings and the hard face is too narrow causing the carbon or softer face
to "run off" during radial movement of the shaft.
● No provision for environmental controls that are necessary in many applications.
● No way of venting air from the seal faces when the seal is mounted in vertical applications.
What can you do about these problems? The answer is obvious; do not use original equipment seals. Do
you remember how you handled the packing that came in pumps? You threw that stuff away and used the
type that worked in your applications. Tell your supplier that you want balanced O-ring seals made from
proper materials and the material grades must be identified because you cannot run your facility on
Seals
"mystery materials".
To insure longer mechanical seal life do the following:
● Specify balanced O-ring seals.

● Require that all seal materials be identified by compound and grade.
● Use split or cartridge seals for ease of assembly.
● Connect a suction recirculation line between the front of the stuffing box and the suction side of
the pump or any other low pressure point in the system.
● CAUTION : This will lower stuffing box pressure so do not do this if you are pumping close to
the vapor point of the liquid. In this case you would connect the line between the stuffing box and
the discharge side of the pump to raise stuffing box pressure. A throttle bushing installed in the
bottom of the stuffing box will also aid in raising the pressure in the stuffing box.
® E.I.Dupont

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SEALS
SUBJECT: Preventing premature seal failures.11-5
What is the best way to prevent a premature seal failure? Find out what is causing the failure and then
take the necessary steps to prevent it. If you understand this simple logic you will be pleased to learn that
mechanical seals fail for only two reasons:

● One of the seal materials becomes damaged.
Please look at the following diagram. It describes a typical original equipment seal (O.E.M.) with five
potential leak paths. If the carbon face were pressed into a metal holder there would be an additional leak
path between the carbon and the holder.
ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SEAL

1. Teflon ® dynamic
seal
2. Seal between the

faces
3. Stationary face seal
4. Sleeve to shaft seal
As you look at this seal remember that there is a continual axial and radial movement of the shaft due to
run out, whip, wobble, vibration, operating off the best efficiency point, etc. Regardless of this
movement the lapped seal faces must remain in contact.
The seal is normally set screwed to the shaft or sleeve causing the metal case to follow any and all shaft
movement. The springs continuously flex because they are pushing the Teflon® wedge to the shaft as
well as putting an axial load on the seal faces. This means that there is a constant relative movement
between the Teflon wedge and the shaft sleeve. We see evidence of this rubbing when we observe the
frett mark on the sleeve caused by the removal of the sleeve's protective oxide layer. This passivated
oxide layer forms on all corrosion resistant metal parts and can easily be rubbed or polished off exposing
the base active metal.
Most fluids contain a certain amount of suspended solids. If the lapped faces open, these solids will
penetrate between the seal faces, imbed or stick into the softer carbon face, and cause a scoring or
damaging to the hard face. This is the most common seal failure that you will experience.
In addition to suspended solids there are other problems with fluids that can cause the premature opening
of the lapped faces. The product we are trying to seal could:
● Vaporize between the lapped faces causing them to blow open.

● Solidify in the springs, or between sliding seal components causing the faces to open as the shaft
or sleeve moves.
● Become viscous causing the seal faces to be pulled open as the springs are not able to rapidly
respond to the shaft movement.
● Crystallize, restricting the movement of the seal components.
● Build a film on sliding components restricting their movement. The film can also build up on the
seal faces causing them to open.
● Be a non lubricant. Sealing fluids that have little to no lubricating qualities can cause "slip stick"
problems between the lapped faces that can cause the seal faces to bounce open.
● Be a corrosive and attack the dynamic elastomer causing it to swell and lock up the seal.
There are certain operating conditions that can cause the lapped faces to open:
● Vacuum can over come the face load in many unbalanced seal designs. Some mixer designs
alternate between a positive pressure and vacuum.
● High stuffing box pressure can distort some lapped faces.
● High shaft speed can prevent the seal faces from staying in contact because of the affects of
centrifugal force. This is a consideration any time the shaft is rotating faster than electric motor
speeds.
● Cryogenic temperatures can harden any elastomers in the system, and freeze moisture outboard of
the seal. This frozen moisture will prevent the seal from moving forward to compensate for face
wear

SEALS
● High temperature can lengthen the shaft and sleeve changing the seal face loading.
● Cavitation is a major cause of seal face separation and damage.
The condition of the sleeve can cause the seal faces to open:
● The sleeve may have been hardened for packing and causing the soft stainless steel set screws to
slip. Although not desirable as a set screw material we are forced to use stainless steel and other
soft metals for corrosion resistance.
● The sleeve diameter could be oversize causing an excessive squeeze on the wedge or elatomer.
Many packing sleeves have this problem.
● The sleeve finish could be too rough.
Maybe something went wrong during the installation process that is causing the seal faces to open:
● The mechanic made the wrong measurement that would insure proper face loading.
● The sleeve moved when the impeller was tightened against the sleeve.
● The initial impeller adjustment was made after the seal was locked on the shaft.
● The impeller is being adjusted to compensate for wear between the impeller and the volute.
● The hard face has been installed backwards, causing the carbon to run on a non-lapped surface.
● The seal face was damaged during the installation process.
● Thermal growth is affecting the face loading.
● The wrong lubricant was put on the elastomer (O-ring) causing it to swell up and lock the seal
components together. In some instances a swollen elastomer can force a seal face out of its holder.
● The seal was mounted outside the stuffing box to prevent the small springs from clogging. The
seal now has to move into a dirty fluid as the softer seal face wears.
The seal design is causing the face opening problems:
● The springs are in the liquid and they are clogging with solids suspended in the fluid. Sometimes
outside springs get painted by maintenance people. This is more common with dual cartridge
seals.
● The sliding elastomer moves to a dirty service, causing the lapped faces to separate.
● A discharge recirculation line is aimed at the seal faces or a sliding component restricting its
movement. These high velocity solids can erode metal bellows plates causing a drastic failure.
● The Teflon® wedge is getting hung-up on the frett groove.
● Vibration damping can prevent normal vibration from opening some seal designs. One of the
advantages of O-rings positioned in the dynamic face is that an O-ring is a natural vibration
damper. This is an important consideration in metal bellows seal designs where the elimination of
elastomers has made the seal sensitive to vibration.
The rotating shaft is not centered in the stuffing box. A rotating part of the seal is contacting a stationary
part of the stuffing box causing the seal faces to open:
● The pump is operating off of its best efficiency point (B.E.P.).

● Pipe strain.
● The shaft assembly is not dynamically balanced.
● Thermal growth.
● Pulley driven shafts.
● The stuffing box face gasket is protruding into the stuffing box and rubbing against the seal.
● A fitting is protruding into the stuffing box and rubbing against the seal.
The typical metal bellows seal has five leak paths also:
● Between the carbon face and the metal holder

● At the static O-ring attaching the bellows seal to the shaft.
● Between the lapped faces

SEALS
● Between the stationary face and the gland

● Between the gland and the stuffing box face
® E.I.Dupont

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Seal classification
SUBJECT : The classification of mechanical seals. 2-11
Talk to a seal manufacturer's sales representative, send for all of the brochures, and you will learn that the
subject is very confusing. What do we really know about mechanical seals? A few things for sure:
● All legitimate seal companies have the essentially the same materials available to them. There are
no secret or "mystery materials". There are, however, companies that purchase standard materials
and then change their name to give the impression that they are supplying special materials and
proprietary compounds. Shame on them!
● We are not sure of what is happening between the lapped seal faces. Testing has shown that :
❍ Sometimes there is a film of lubricant
❍ Sometimes the faces are running on vapor.
❍ Sometimes the faces run dry.
❍ Sometimes the faces run on a combination of all three mentioned above.
For all practical purposes seals should not leak visibly. Look at the seal in the water pump of your
automobile or the seal in the air conditioning unit in your car and ask yourself if they are leaking.
Fugitive emission regulations have changed the definition of leakage to less than a few parts per million
depending upon the chemical involved.
● More than 85% of all mechanical seals fail long before they wear out. In other words there is
plenty of wearable face left on seals when they are removed because of leakage.
● Seals are affected by pressure
❍ Extra heat is created at the faces. Heat is almost always destructive.
❍ The lapped faces will be distorted at some pressure. If they are distorted beyond five light
bands ( 58 millionths of an inch or 1,5 microns) of flatness they will leak.

❍ The elastomer will be extruded and become damaged at some pressure.
● Seals are affected by heat.

❍ All of the seal materials have an upper temperature limit. The elastomer (the rubber part)
has the lowest. Its limit is determined by the type and grade of material being used. Some
grades of carbon and most coated, or plated hard faces have severe temperature limits.
❍ Thermal expansion can misalign components, put lapped surfaces "out of flat", and alter
the seal face load.

❍ The pumping fluid can be altered if subjected to high heat. It can crystallize, solidify,
vaporize, coke etc. This will restrict the free movement of the seal components.
❍ Corrosion always increases with heat.
● Stuffing box or seal environmental controls are necessary a great deal of the time.
❍ With the exception of split seals most applications require a large seal chamber with a
stuffing box recirculation line connected to the suction side of the pump.
❍ The temperature of the fluid in the sealing chamber should be kept within certain limits.
These limits are determined by the specific gravity. viscosity, concentration, vaporization
point, etc. of the fluid.
❍ The pressure in the sealing chamber can be controlled to prevent vaporization of the
product or vaporization of the solvent carrying the product.

❍ If the product presents too big a sealing problem it can often be flushed away with a cool,
clean, lubricating liquid.

● Non clogging features are desirable and necessary in mechanical seal design.
● The spring or springs should be located out of the sealing fluid to prevent clogging and corrosion.
Stressed metal corroded at a rate faster than unstressed metal and the springs are under a constant
stress.
● Centrifugal force should be used to throw solids away from the lapped seal faces.
● The moveable portion of the seal must move to a clean area as the seal faces wear. "Back to back"
double seals and outside mounted seal designs should be avoided in dirty service.
● Vibration damping is necessary in all mechanical seals.
❍ To prevent the faces from vibrating open.
❍ To prevent damage and wear to the driving mechanism (drive lugs, spring, or bellows) and
seal faces.
❍ To prevent damage (chipping at the outside diameter) to the carbon face.
● Back up seals or dual seals make sense in several applications. These include:
❍ Costly products.
❍ Dangerous products. The danger could be an explosive, fire hazard, carcinogen, toxic,
bacteria, radiation, etc..

❍ When there is no spare pump.
❍ To keep oxygen or air away from a product.
❍ To prevent a product pressure drop across the seal faces.
❍ Sealing pollutants
❍ To prevent freezing of the shaft on the outboard side of a seal.
● Proper seal face loading is more critical than you suspected. It can change with :
❍ Improper installation.
❍ Thermal expansion.
❍ Impeller adjustment. This includes both the initial setting and the adjustments that have to
be made to compensate for wear.

❍ Face wear

Seal classification
❍ Axial play in the shaft bearings. Especially the sleeve or babbitt type.
If you like the brand of seal you are using have the manufacturer repair it at his facility, or purchase the
spare parts from him to insure you will be getting the correct materials and tolerances. It does not make
sense to do anything else.
We will now look at the various methods of classifying mechanical seals and in the process learn which
to specify for our applications. I will give a brief description of each type and list the most obvious
advantages and disadvantages of each. Needless to say the advantage of one is almost always the
disadvantage of the other
The rotating seal. The springs/ bellows rotates with the shaft
● Advantage. Lowest cost and reasonably self cleaning, especially in those designs where the
springs are located outside of the sealing fluid.
● Disadvantage. Sensitive to misalignment between the shaft and the stuffing box face. This causes
the seal to move back and forth twice per shaft revolution. Gaskets and thermal expansion
increase the misalignment problem. Most of these designs cannot pass a fugitive emissions test.
The stationary seal The springs/bellows do not rotate with the shaft.
● Advantage. Misalignment and sealing fugitive emissions is not a problem unless the seal is
cartridge mounted. Cartridge mounted stationary seals need some type of self aligning feature.
● Disadvantage. Alignment requires that the rotary unit be absolutely square to the shaft and, in a
cartridge seal, this is very difficult to accomplish because the cartridge tends to cock the face
when the set screws are tightened to the shaft.
● Not your first choice in slurry applications because centrifugal force will not throw the solids
away from the moveable components. Slurry is defined as solids in liquid. Their size and quantity
are not important.
● You must be careful when introducing cooling to this type of seal because the unit does not rotate,
causing an uneven cooling of the lapped face.
● In recent years this seal has only been available in cartridge designs adding to the misalignment
problem and increasing the initial cost considerably.
The inside mounted seal. All components are in the pumping fluid.
● Advantage. The elastomer can move to a clean surface as the seal face wears. Centrifugal force
throws solids away from the seal components allowing the lapped seal faces to stay in co
● Disadvantage. All the metal components must be corrosion resistant to the pumping fluid.
● If the product solidifies or crystallizes when the pump is stopped, the seal can become inoperable.
The outside mounted seal. None of the metal components are in contact with the pumping fluid. Most
designs clamp to the shaft rather than using set screws that damage ceramic or glass coated shafts.
● Advantage. This is the most common solution to non metallic pump sealing.
● Disadvantage. Centrifugal force throws solids into the lapped seal faces and can prevent the
sliding components from moving freely. Higher pressure applications can cause the retaining
clamp to slide on the shaft
The single seal. It has only one set of sealing faces.
● Advantage. Lowest cost and usually a simple installation.

● Disadvantage. The equipment will be shut down with a seal failure. In most cases the resultant
excessive leakage cannot be tolerated.
Multiple seal. More than one set of faces are installed in a variety of configurations including:
● Back to back. The worst possible choice if used in the rotating seal version. Stationary versions
are acceptable because the sealing fluid is located at the outside diameter of the seal faces where
we can take advantage of centrifugal force
● Tandem. One seal behind the other requiring a low pressure buffer fluid between the seals. This
arrangement cannot be used if a higher pressure barrier fluid is required or desirable.
● Face to face. All of the advantage of tandem sealing without the assembly problems. Usually the
two seals share a common stationary face. This can be dangerous if the stationary face fractures.
You will then lose both seals
● Concentric. One seal inside the other sharing a common mating face. These seals require a lot of
radial space and are therefore usually limited to mixer applications. If the common face fractures
you will lose both seals.
In all of these configurations two way balance should be specified for safe operation.
● Advantage. Back up protection that will almost guarantee no unexpected seal failure.
Seal classification
● Disadvantage. Higher cost, and in some instances, space restrictions.
The unbalanced seal. The seal faces are subjected to full system hydraulic and surge pressures in addition
to the spring pressure..
● Advantage. None, other than lower cost

● Disadvantage. Limited application. Usually requires a larger seal inventory because both balanced
and unbalanced versions would have to be stocked for the common shaft sizes.
The balanced mechanical seal. The design allows the seal faces to see only a small portion of the system
hydraulic pressure.
● Advantage. Wide range of operating conditions from vacuum to high suction pressure as well as
unexpected pressure surges in the system.
● Disadvantage. The inside version (the most popular one) requires more radial room because of the
need for a balance sleeve. The sleeve also adds to the initial cost. In cartridge seals it would be
silly to build an unbalanced version because the sleeve is always present, but some companies do
it any way.
The elastomer type of seal , utilizing an O-Ring, wedge, chevrons or a U-Cup, with the O-Ring type
having the most advantages.
● Advantage. The elastomer acts as a natural vibration damper to prevent face chipping and
separation. Only the O-Ring version can be used for either vacuum or pressure. The O-ring has
the widest selection of materials available and is the most precision elastomer you can purchase.
● Disadvantage. All elastomers have an upper and lower temperature limit. Some modern
elastomers have an upper limit of about 700 degrees Fahrenheit (370 C.)
The metal bellows seal. All elastomers have been eliminated from the design.
● Advantage. Wider range of temperature sealing. Excellent in Cryogenic sealing and most hot
fluids with the exception of petroleum products. These petroleum products must be cooled to
prevent "coking"
● Disadvantage. Higher cost than comparable elastomer sealing. Problems with vibration unless
dampers have been installed. All of the low expansion metals used in these designs are not
considered corrosion resistant. 316 Stainless steel is not acceptable because of Chloride Stress
problems. In abrasive, slurry applications the thin plates are sensitive to wear and eventual
fracture.
The Cartridge seal. The seal is mounted on a sleeve that can be secured to the shaft from out side the seal
chamber.
● Advantage. An easy method of seal installation and a necessary feature for impeller adjustment.
These designs allow you to change the seal with out emptying a side entering mixer application.
Seal centering is provided for in most designs. There is an advantage to specifying A.P.I. type
glands to take advantage the environmental controls and safety these glands provide.
● Disadvantage. Larger space requirement and higher initial cost. When used with stationary seals
you lose the advantage of total misalignment compensation unless the seal has some type of "built
in" self aligning feature..
The non cartridge seal. The seal attaches directly to the pump shaft or sleeve, or in some cases, against a
shaft shoulder.
● Advantage. None at all except for lower initial cost and the fact that it takes less radial room than
most cartridge versions.
● Disadvantage. Subject to all the errors that can be made at an installation. Longer installation time
and the seal is unable to compensate for temperature growth or impeller adjustment.
The split seal. In a true split seal all the seal components are split in half so that the seal can be installed
without taking the equipment apart. Rubber components are not allowed to be glued together as this
would cause a "hard spot", interfering with the free movement of the dynamic elastomer.
● Advantage. The advantages are obvious. No one wants to disassemble any piece of rotating
equipment unless it is absolutely necessary.
● Disadvantage. Limited seal materials available and some designs cannot be used in applications
that cycle between pressure and vacuum because pressure assists in holding the components
together. The seal can be installed to handle either one, but not both. Condensate pumps can be
sealed with this type if a line is connected from the pump discharge to the seal gland connection.
The solid seal. The equipment must be disassembled to install the seal.
● Advantage. Can be used in alternating pressure/vacuum applications and, for the time being has a
Seal classification
wider range of materials available.

● Disadvantage. Insulation must be removed. Several trades could be involved, the pump must be
realigned and the list goes on and on...
Motion seals. They have larger internal clearances long with different spring arrangements and wider
hard faces to compensate for excessive radial and axial motion. A radial movement capability of plus or
minus 1/8" (3 mm) would be typical.
● Advantage. Ideal for mixers, agitators, sleeve bearing equipment, or any type of rotating
equipment requiring excessive axial or radial movement.
● Disadvantage. Larger radial space required. 3/4 inch (20 mm) is typical.
Pump Seals. Manufactured for 3/8 inch (10 mm) packing space. Some designs will go into 5/16" (8 mm).
● Advantage. They fit into existing pump stuffing box space, but there is little to no room for proper
operation unless you install either a larger stuffing box or back plate with the larger diameter
stuffing box cast in.
● Disadvantage. Can handle only limited axial and radial movement. In slurry applications they clog
easily.
Original equipment seal designs. The type you get if you do not specify a specific brand and model
number.
● Advantage. Lowest cost

● Disadvantage. No interchangeability requiring you maintain a much larger inventory. In most case
these seals will frett and damage expensive shafts and sleeves. In the majority of cases you will
not be able to identify the grade of carbon, silicone carbide, elastomer etc., and they are always
the non balanced type.
Off the shelf, universal seal designs. Designed to fit into the thinnest, shortest space and still meet the
necessary operating conditions. Most are non fretting designs with universal materials installed as
standard.
● Advantage. Lowest cost inventory and no more shaft/ sleeve damage.

● Disadvantage. Since the majority of these designs incorporate slotted glands, they require a
centering method to prevent shaft/ sleeve contact.

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Which seal to buy
What seal should I buy? Vol 17 #04
You're going to have to figure that one out yourself, but I can tell you which designs not to buy:
● Purchase seals only when the materials are clearly identified, because it's impossible to
troubleshoot "mystery materials." It's not good enough to know that the metal components are
manufactured from stainless steel. You should know which grade. They're not all the same
● Stainless steel seals should have "haystelloy C" springs, or you will experience breakage problems
caused by "chloride stress corrosion."
● Buy only non-fretting designs. You do not need the shaft damage caused by many "fretting" seals.
● Keep away from spring loaded elastomers because they are the main cause of fretting problems.
When O-rings are spring loaded that cannot flex and roll.
● Put the seal into the fluid. Centrifugal force will throw the solids particles, in the fluid, away from
the lapped seal faces. Most outside mounted designs have this problem
● As the sacrificial carbon face wears, the seal components, especially the rubber part, should move
to a clean surface to prevent hang up..
● Choose designs where there is no dynamic elastomer mounted on a pump shaft or sleeve.
Dynamic elastomers are sensitive to shaft finish and tolerance.
● Do not purchase seals that have small springs exposed to the sealing fluid. Springs can clog and
open the lapped faces
● Cartridge design seals are easier to install and absolutely necessary when your people adjust the
pump's open or semi-open impeller.
● Check to see if there is a way to vent the lapped faces if the seal is installed in a vertical pump.
This can be a big problem with the outboard seal in a dual seal application.
● Some seal designs are unidirectional. They run in either a clockwise or counterclockwise
direction, but not both. A double ended pump needs both kinds.
● You do not want to use designs that require a special lubricant on the rubber components. Many
rubber bellows designs have this problem
● If you are using a metal bellows design, be sure that the manufacture has provided vibration
damping to prevent bellows breakage.
● Some designs use a carbon face shrunk into a metal holder. These designs often have trouble
keeping the lapped face flat. Also check to be sure that they have not glued the seal face to a metal
holder. Many fluids can attack these glues
● Be sure cartridge designs are sealed to the shaft at the inboard end of the cartridge sleeve or you
will find it almost impossible to remove the cartridge when the space between the cartridge sleeve
and the shaft, fills up with solids.
● The seal should be able to seal both a pressure and a vacuum. Any balanced seal can do this but
some of the newer split designs have trouble in mixers and agitators that can shift between a
vacuum and a positive pressure.
● Mixers and agitator shafts experience a lot of radial movement. Not all seals can handle this
excessive travel. Check that the design you are considering will do the job. Many seal, companies
build special seal designs that have wide hard faces and extra internal clearances to compensate
for this movement
● When choosing between a stationary (the springs do not rotate with the shaft) and a rotary design
always choose the stationary version. Stationary seal designs are not sensitive to pump and driver
misalignment problems.
● Check that a spare part kit is available and that the seal can be repaired without special tools or
testing equipment.
● The latest seal designs have been run through a "finite element analysis program" that allows the
manufacture to build thinner and shorter components with the same pressure capability as the old
and bulky "heavy duty" designs.
● You should use only hydraulically balanced designs because of their wide operating range.
● Some seal designs are loaded up with rubber components. Avoid them if possible.

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Which seal to buy

Self priming pumps
Subject: The self priming pump 12-12
A centrifugal pump adds velocity to a liquid, but first it must get the liquid.
As the centrifugal pump throws liquid out from the eye of the impeller, the volute design creates a low
pressure area where the liquid used to be. At that point either atmospheric pressure, gravity, or a
combination of the two will fill up the low pressure area with either more liquid or additional air.
The problem with centrifugal pumps is that a given impeller diameter and speed will throw all fluids
(either a liquid or a gas) to the same height. Since air qualifies as a fluid it will throw air to the same
height as water. That height is not enough to overcome atmospheric pressure, so the centrifugal pump has
to have all of its air removed before it will pump a liquid, and that is what we mean by priming the pump.
In Volume #6 Paper number #6 I discussed this subject in great detail
There are several methods you can use to remove air from a centrifugal pump:
● You can fill the pump and suction piping with liquid and start all over again.
● You can attach a priming pump to the discharge side of the pump to remove any air in the pump
and suction piping. Be sure this pump has a mechanical seal. You never want to use packing in a
priming pump because air will leak into the stuffing box through the packing.
● Some people install a foot valve at the end of the suction piping to insure that the fluid will not
drain from the pump and suction piping. These valves seldom work out because, like all check
valves, they leak.
And this brings us to the subject of this discussion, the self priming pump. The concept is simple. Change
the pump design so that the pump will retain enough fluid when it stops, to start again without having to
worry about re-priming. A toilet or sink trap performs a similar function when it retains liquid to prevent
vapors and odors from coming into your house.
There are a couple of ways to do this:
● Change the volute and impeller casing so that it retains the liquid in a built in reservoir that is
filled during the initial priming phase and retains this fluid when the pump completes its pumping
task and shuts down. An internal recirculation port then connects the discharge of the pump back
to the suction cavity allowing a continuous recirculation of liquid during the priming phase.
● Design a suction and discharge cavity above the centerline of the impeller eye insuring that the
pump is always full of liquid.
Take a look at the next two drawings. The drawings describe two versions of the same basic idea. You
should be able to see how the centrifugal pump is retaining the fluid around the impellers at shut down.
Be sure to use balanced, O-ring seals in the stuffing box of these

self priming pumps.
The hydraulically balanced feature allows you to seal both vacuum

and pressure, and the O-ring static and dynamic seals can seal
pressure or vacuum in either direction.
Remember that packing should never be used in self priming pumps. The packing will allow air to leak
into the stuffing box and create problems during priming.
Remember also that you cannot vent a running pump. Centrifugal force throws the liquid away from the
eye of the impeller so you will only get liquid out through the vent. The air will then remain trapped in
the eye of the impeller and eventually collect enough volume to cause the pump to lose its prime.

Self priming pumps

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centrifugal pumps, shaft deflection
Some additional information about shaft deflection 15-11
Whenever you troubleshoot a centrifugal pump, there are only two things visible to the observer:
● Evidence of parts rubbing against something.

● Evidence of damage to a pump component.
This knowledge makes the troubleshooting task a bit easier. About the only other thing we ever see, is
that the product has attached its self to the impeller or volute. Until this buildup throws the rotating
assembly out of dynamic balance that can cause rubbing and damage problems, or interferes with the
hydraulic flow in the pump, product attachment is not of much consequence.
Shaft deflection occurs as a result of pipe strain, misalignment, lack of dynamic balance, thermal growth
and the one we want to talk about now, operating off of the pump's BEP
In an other paper we discussed this type of shaft deflection in detail. It can cause rubbing and damage,
especially to mechanical seal and precision bearings. To be effective troubleshooters we must be able to
confirm the problem and then come up with a sensible fix to prevent it from happening again.
In that other paper I mentioned that Francis Vane impellers deflect from the shaft centerline towards
approximately 60 and 240 degrees depending upon the percentage of flow through the pump. This
direction is always measured from the cutwater, and in the direction of shaft rotation. In this paper I want
to get a little more specific.
Please take a look at the following chart. It will show you the direction of deflection, as a function of
capacity, for four different specific speed impellers.
Impeller specific speed Capacity, as a % of Deflection, from the shaft

number the BEP centerline towards:
2370 0% 35 degrees
2370 55% 40 degrees
2370 75% 60 degrees
2370 80% 85 degrees
2370 110% 140 degrees
2370 130% 250 degrees
1735 0% 65 degrees
1735 60% 89 degrees
1735 140% 300 degrees
785 0% 110 degrees
785 50% 140 degrees
785 135% 250 degrees
530 0% 135 degrees
530 90% 145 degrees
530 78% 180 degrees
530 40% 265 degrees
530 170% 320 degrees
If you are experiencing this problem, you will observe a continuous rub mark all around some part of the
rotating assembly that is running very close to a stationary piece, and a partial rub mark on the stationary
part. The bottom of the stuffing box is a good example of this type of rubbing. You will frequently
observe that the bottom of the stuffing box has become egg shaped as a result of contact with the rotating
shaft, although a dial indicator verifies that the shaft is straight. Remember the shaft is deflecting or
bending, it is not bent! You will see these same rub patterns on the wear rings used with closed impeller
designs
Whenever you are pumping close to the pump's best efficiency point, the radial thrust is insignificant. It
never really hits zero, but it gets close.
There are a lot of reasons why a pump operates off its BEP and some of them are difficult to correct:
● This is a standby pump that starts and stops a lot. At each start and shut down, the pump is
operating on either side of its BEP.
● The process is always changing, due to fluid demand. The operator frequently opens and closes a
control valve to satisfy the changing needs of production.
● The pump is being used as an accumulator to keep a head on a system. The pump is started each
time the level in the head tank falls to a predetermined causing the discharge head to gradually
centrifugal pumps, shaft deflection
increase as the level in the tank rises

● We should be using a positive displacement pump in this application but PD pumps do not have
enough capacity for our needs. The head is constant in this application because we are pumping
into a pressurized container. The capacity is varying with demand.
You have a couple of choices if you want to lessen the shaft deflection problems. Pick the one that makes
the most sense in your application:
● Go to a double volute design.

● Purchase a pump with a lower L3/D4 ratio shaft.
● Install a bypass line. When the control valve begins to throttle the discharge, the bypass will open
and recirculate the unwanted capacity to a storage tank. You should not bypass to the pump
suction because it can heat the incoming fluid.
● If the head is mainly system or friction head, you could use a variable speed driver.
● Use multiple pumps in parallel, and run them as needed to meet the changing capacity needs.

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Variable speed drive
Subject : Using a variable speed motor to control flow in a centrifugal pump.13-8
If you operate too far off the pump's BEP(best efficiency point) the shaft will deflect radially and that
could lead to both seal and bearing problems. So what should you do if you have to vary the capacity of a
centrifugal pump? The classic discharge control valve is not a logical choice because if you alter the
capacity of a centrifugal pump the head alters also, and in most cases this will guarantee you will be
operating off the pump's best efficiency point (BEP). It turns out there are several possible solutions to
preventing the problem of shaft deflection while running off the pump's best efficiency point.
● Switch to a double volute pump design.

● Install a pump discharge bypass line back to the storage tank such as the type commonly used on
boiler feed pumps.
● Convert to a low L3/D4 pump design that will operate in a wide window.
● Install a support bushing in the end of the stuffing box, move the seal closer to the bearings and
accept a small amount of shaft deflection.
● And the big question, "how about a variable speed drive"?
You have several options when selecting a variable speed drive:
● A variable speed electric motor

● A gasoline or diesel engine.
● A variable pulley arrangement.
● A changeable gear box.
● Electrical switch gear
● A hydraulic coupling.
So what is the correct answer ? Is the variable speed drive a sensible choice? The only correct answer is
"sometimes"! Let's take a look at what alters when you change the speed of a centrifugal pump. In the
following drawing the "H" axis is the head (feet or meters) and the "Q" axis is the capacity (gpm or
M3/hr.)
Changing the speed of a centrifugal pump has just about the same affect
as changing the diameter of the pump impeller. The "Affinity Laws"
allow you to predict the results of this change.
The area within the curved lines (ABCD) is called the operating window
of the pump. Notice that the sloping best efficiency point line intersects
the capacity leg (Q) at an angle. This slope causes a problem with many
pumping applications.
For the variable speed drive to be a sensible solution to your pumping application the system curve
would have to fall on, or close to this best efficiency point line or you will experience radial loads that
will translate to shaft deflection. Most pump companies want you to operate within 5% to 10% of the
BEP(best efficiency point). Heavy duty pumps that have a low L3/D4 (shaft diameter to shaft length
ratio) have a much larger operating window.
The above diagram shows that the head is going to have to increase at a predetermined rate as the
capacity increases. In Technical Paper 7-01 you learned that there are three kinds of head that will have
an affect on the pump's capacity:
● Static head. The distance from the discharge of the pump center line to highest liquid level minus
any distance caused by the siphon affect.
● Pressure head. The head caused by pumping into a pressurized vessel.
● System or friction head. The loss of head caused by friction in the piping, valves and fittings.
In paper 5-12 you also learned that a system curve is constructed by the end user of the pump and
describes the head/ capacity relationship over the desired operating range of the pump that is going to be
specified. The pump manufacturer places his pump curve on top of this system curve and the point where
they intersect is where the pump is going to operate.
Lets take a look at a system curve for a typical boiler feed pump or any pump that will be discharging
into a constant pressure vessel or tank:

The boiler is running at a constant pressure, but the steam demand is

changing. The boiler feed water capacity must vary with the steam
demand, but the pressure or head must remain constant.
The system curve is a straight horizontal line because the dominant head
is the pressure head. The amount of piping and elevation is minimal.
Laying the best efficiency point (BEP) sloping line from a varying
speed drive on top of the system curve (EF) would show that we are at
the best efficiency point only at one point.
Allowing the tolerances of the operating window (ABCD) you can see
that we are operating efficiently over only a portion of the desired
system curve. A similar application would be pumping a varying
capacity to a very high tower or elevation where the static head is the
dominant head.
A hot or cold water circulating system describes a different type of

system curve. The dominant head in this example is the friction head
and that varies by almost the square of the capacity.
In other words, two times the capacity gives you four times the head, or
three times the capacity would give you nine times the head. If you plot
this on a piece of chart paper you would get an "exponential curve" as
shown on the left.
If you lay the best efficiency point line on this "exponential curve E-F"
you would get a pretty good match and just about all of the system
curve falls within the operating window (ABCD), so this becomes the
ideal variable speed application.
In other words you use a variable speed drive any time the system head
is dominated by friction in the piping, fittings and valves.
You will find this last curve in many common pumping applications:
● Circulating hot or chill water systems.

● Loading liquid cargo or fuel to a ship from a distant tank farm.
● A piping system with many outlets and a varying demand for product.
● A fire hose.
Many systems are a combination of all three types of heads. You are
going to have to decide which head is the dominant one.
One of the most common methods of varying pump shaft speed is to use a Variable Frequency Drive
(VFD). These drives take advantage of the fact that torque, speed and horsepower of an AC electric
motor are related to the frequency and voltage of the electrical power supply. Here is the relationship:
● hz = frequency or number of cycles per minute. In the U.S we run 60 cycles per minute (hertz),
most of the rest of the world uses 50 hertz.
● Torque capability = F(volts/hz)
Horse Power Capability =f(Torque x speed)

VFDs convert incoming alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) and then invert the DC power
into variable frequencies and voltage AC power. Most VFDs produce a constant voltage/frequency (hz)
ratio.
A low L3/D4 shaft is still your best protection against damage caused by operating off the pump's best
efficiency point. Any pump that experiences frequent starts and stops has this problem.
If the dominate head in the system is pipe friction losses a variable speed device can have some
advantages:
● They can deliver a broad range of head / capacity figures so your estimate of flow needs does not
have to be exact.
● You can eliminate the need for a throttling valve. Valves can leak and they require maintenance.
● Often an inefficient bypass line can be eliminated.
● Throttling a pump discharge produces unwanted heat in a pump that can be eliminated by
changing the pump speed instead. This heat can cause the pumping fluid to:
❍ Vaporize or flash
❍ Crystallize
❍ Change viscosity
❍ Coke or build a film on sliding seal parts.
❍ Become more corrosive.
❍ The heat can also change critical dimensions and could cause lapped seal faces to go "out
of flat".
The bad news is that pumps with variable speed drives have several potential problems:
● The fluid viscosity can change with speed if it is a non Newtonian fluid. As an example, the
viscosity of dilatants increases with agitation requiring additional power.
● The shaft can hit a critical speed on its way to the ideal operating speed.
● You can dial in too much capacity that can, in turn, burn out the electric motor.
rpms the cooling fan is often not rotating fast enough.
demand.
● At higher shaft speeds the NPSH requirement is increased to prevent cavitation problems. You
may have to install an inducer on the pump's impeller
● Higher speed almost always dictates increased maintenance costs because of increased wear and
corrosion.
● They cannot be used if the pump or equipment feeds multiple users because more than one flow
cannot be controlled by a single control unit.
● The pump or mechanical equipment must be able to operate at reduced speeds. A liquid ring
vacuum pump could have trouble at lower shaft speeds because many of these designs will not
produce a vacuum below 80% of their rated speed.
● Remember that a variable speed drive is another piece of equipment installed in the system that
will experience its own set of problems and require its own maintenance.

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Shaft deflection calculations
SUBJECT: Shaft deflection and the pump best efficiency point. 10-8
We all know that L3/D4 is a convenient method of talking about shaft deflection and this number has
proven to be an accurate method of predicting premature seal and bearing failure. In an earlier addition of
this Technical Series I gave you the formula we use to calculate the force on the end of the shaft of a
single stage centrifugal pump with an overhung impeller. This is the most popular pump being used in
the process industry today. Here again is the formula we use to calculate the hydraulic force on the end of
the pump shaft:
● P = The resultant force in pounds

● K = The radial thrust factor. This number comes from a chart that relates to specific speed.
● H = Total head at Q gpm. measured in feet.
● D2 = Outside diameter of the impeller measured in inches.
● B2 = Width of the impeller in inches.
● Sg. = The specific gravity of the fluid
● 2.31= The conversion from feet of head to pounds/ square inch
● Kq = A capacity factor equal to:
●
● Q = The capacity in gpm at which the radial thrust is to be calculated.
● Qn = The capacity in gpm at the BEP of the pump
As I have in past papers I will be working the numbers in both the imperial and metric systems. First we
will work the numbers in the imperial system and at the end of this paper we will make the same
calculations in the metric system.
I will use a direct conversion to metric to show you that the conversion works. In reality we would not be
using these exact numbers, but it is important to develop confidence in your ability to work in either
system. Because I am working with a direct conversion I will continue to use 1750 rpm or the numbers
will come out differently. I am well aware that your calculations will probably be at 1450 or 2900 rpm.
We are now going to use this formula to make an actual calculation of the shaft deflection on a typical
ANSI standard pump at shut off. This is a typical starting method for centrifugal pumps of this type. The
following information would have been read off the pump curve that came with the pump and a radial
thrust factor chart (K) that is shown in the Technical Series.
● P = The resultant force (in pounds)

● H = 184 feet.
● D2 = 13 inches.
● B2 = 1 inch.
● Q = 0 gpm at shut off.
● Qn = 300 gpm
= 383 pounds
If we add the weight of the impeller estimated to be ten pounds, the total force on the end of the shaft
becomes 393 pounds.

● Y = The amount of shaft bending in inches.

● F = The total force on the shaft.
● L = The length of the shaft from the center of the radial bearing to the center of the impeller.
● E = The modulus of elasticity. The numbers for common shaft materials will vary from 28 to 30
million psi. (28 - 30 X106)
● D = The diameter of the solid shaft under the sleeve, if there is sleeve on the shaft.
● I = The moment of inertia for a solid round shaft
If we simplify the formula we would get:
Thirteen thousands of an inch bending is enough bending to cause problems with the impeller, wear
rings, mechanical seals and bearings.
● The impeller could hit the pump volute or the back plate.
● The stationary and rotating wear ring components could come into contact.
● The shaft could it the end of the stuffing box.
● The rotating part of the mechanical seal could hit the inside of the stuffing box. The rotating shaft
could contact the inside diameter of the stationary seal face.
● The bearings could become overloaded.
● It could cause excessive movement of both stationary and rotating seal designs.
● Shaft fretting will be accelerated.
Here is the metric force formula:
Here are the numbers converted to metric:
● P = The resultant force in kilograms

● H = 56.08 meters.
● D2 = 33.02 centimeters.
● B2 = 2.54 centimeters
● Q = 0 m3/hr. at shut off.
● Qn = 68 m3/hr.
If we add the weight of the impeller estimated to be 4.54 kg., the total force on the end of the shaft
becomes 182.12 kg..

● Y = The amount of shaft bending in centimeters

● F = The total force on the shaft in kilograms.
● L = The length of the shaft from the center of the radial bearing to the center of the impeller in
centimeters.
● E = The modulus of elasticity. The numbers for common shaft materials will vary from 1.96 to
2.1 million kilograms per square centimeter)
● D = The diameter of the solid shaft under the sleeve, if there is sleeve on the shaft in centimeters.
● I = The moment of inertia for a solid round shaft
Now lets put in the actual numbers and see how much the shaft will bend with 182.12 kilograms force on
the end of it:
F = 182.12 kilograms
L = 22.86 centimeters
D = 3.75 centimeters.

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Pump basics
SUBJECT: The concepts you need to understand centrifugal pumps 8-12
In my seminars I talk about the three magic formulas you need to know if you want to understand how
centrifugal pumps function.
Here they are:
1. As the velocity of a liquid increases, the pressure, ninety degrees to the flow, will
decrease, and as the velocity of a liquid decreases the pressure, ninety degrees to the flow
will increase.
2. Pressure acting on an area creates a force.
3. Velocity times area must remain a constant if liquid is to flow.
Let's will look at each of these formulas in detail:
Formula number one explains how airplanes fly. It all started when the Wright brothers discovered the
correct wing shape for an aircraft.
Look at the following diagram. You will note that the air is flowing under the wing at some velocity. The
air going over the top of the wing has a longer path to travel, so its velocity must increase if it is to join
with the air coming underneath the wing.
The air underneath the wing is at atmospheric pressure, but since the velocity is greater on the top of the
wing the pressure falls to some value below atmospheric pressure. This causes the atmospheric pressure
to push on the bottom of the wing lifting it, the airplane, and all the people inside up into the air. It will
continue to do so as long as the wing is moving forward and the configuration of the wing does not
change. Gravity offsets this lifting force and the aircraft flies between these two forces.
This same principle explains how an automobile carburetor works, why the shower curtain comes into
the bath tub when you take a shower, and how a sailboat can sail faster than the wind.
Formula number two explains why the wing lifted into the air:
Pressure x Area = Force

Pressure is measure in pounds per square inch (kilograms per square centimeter)
Area is measured in square inches (square centimeters)
The units for force then become pounds (kilograms) because the square inches (square centimeters)
cancel out.
lbs / in2 x in2 = pounds

It is important for us to know the forces being generated because force over distance, in a given time
period, is a measure of work, energy expended, or heat, depending upon which units we use.
Formula number three explains the action of a venturi. As the area inside a venturi decreases the velocity
of the fluid increases. This causes the pressure to decrease (formula #1) allowing atmospheric pressure to
push a fluid into the venturi. Look at the following diagram

Pump basics
We use the venturi principle to add chemicals to a lawn, remove air from a condenser, add chemical to a
boiler etc. It is the same principle we use to get fuel to the carburetor of your automobile.
Now we will look at the cross section of a centrifugal pump and these three formulas will explain why
mechanical seals have so much trouble with shaft deflection.
This picture describes a volute pump because the impeller is not in the center of the casing. You will note
that there is less clearance between the impeller and the cut water than there is between the impeller and
the rest of the casing. You will also note that this area is increasing as you move from the cutwater,
around the casing, to the discharge nozzle. Circular pumps have an equal area around the impeller. They
are used to pump larger quantities of liquid, without having to create a head. The volute design is the
most popular design because it will produce a head.
When we removed the packing from a centrifugal pump we lost a big part of the shaft support system. It
therefore becomes very important that we keep the forces equal around the impeller to prevent shaft
displacement. If the force increases on one side of the impeller it will deflect the attached shaft and
interfere with the performance of the mechanical seal and pump bearings .
Since the impeller is symmetrical in shape (the area is the same all around the impeller) It is important
that we do not let the pressure vary around the impeller or the resultant forces will not be equal. (Formula
#2).
To keep the pressure equal around the impeller, you have to keep the velocity of the liquid constant
around the impeller. (Formula #1).
Take another look at the cross section of the volute pump and you will note that the area (volume)
surrounding the impeller is increasing as you move, in the direction of shaft rotation, from the cut water
to the discharge nozzle. Formula #3 states that the velocity of the liquid times the area must remain a
constant, so that means that the velocity of the liquid is decreasing as the area is increasing.
If the velocity of the liquid decreases, the pressure increases (Formula #1.) Pressure times area creates a
force (Formula #2) and this force displaces the impeller and shaft in a direction towards 60° from the cut
water.
In other words there is a constant force displacing the shaft that will impact on the performance of the
mechanical seal.
If you design the impeller perfectly, and manufacture it just as it was designed, It is possible for the
rotating impeller to continually add just the right amount of liquid to this volute area and prevent the
velocity of the liquid from changing. When that occurs we say that the pump is operating at its best
efficiency point. (B.E.P.) and there is no shaft deflection.
Centrifugal pumps seldom run at their best efficiency point (BEP). Let's look at what happens when we
go off the BEP:
● If there is not enough head in the system (you are operating on the right hand side of the curve)
Pump basics
the velocity of the liquid will increase as it approaches the discharge nozzle, causing the pressure
to decrease and a force will be generated that will displace the impeller at 60° towards 240° from
the cutwater.
● Likewise if there is too much head on the system (you are on the left side of the pump curve),
some of the fluid will recirculate back through the cutwater causing the velocity of the liquid to
increase, making the pressure fall and a force will be generated pushing the impeller towards 60°
from the cutwater.
Look at the diagram again and note those deflections:
In other papers on this web site I talk about methods of stabilizing the shaft for these "off design"
operations. But the fact remains that shaft deflection continues to be a major source of mechanical seal
problems, and will continue to be until the pump manufacturer accepts the responsibility of building a
sensible pump.

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Shaft displacement and the OEM seal
SUBJECT: Shaft displacement and the original equipment seal (O.E.M.) 11-7
The following picture describes a typical original equipment seal (O.E.M.) used in the process industry.
It should run trouble free until the carbon face (B) wears away.
To experience long life with this type of seal:
● It must be installed with the proper face load.

● Stationary face "A" must be perpendicular or square to the rotating shaft.
● The seal components must be chemically compatible with the fluid in the stuffing box and any
cleaners or solvents that might be flushed through the lines.
● The seal must be designed to handle the pressures and temperatures experienced by the product
and cleaners it is sealing.
● The seal must be able to handle the shaft speed.
● Nothing must interfere with the ability of the seal components to follow shaft movement while the
flat seal faces stay in contact. Solids, crystallizing fluids and high viscosity fluids are examples of
fluids that will clog sliding components and cause seal faces to separate with excessive shaft
movement.
● Excessive shaft displacement could cause a series of sealing problems that would include:
❍ Fretting and shaft damage between the Teflon wedge (2) and the sleeve (c).
❍ Excessive movement of the springs that could them to work harden and fatigue them
quickly.
❍ A high risk of the seal faces opening allowing solids to penetrate between the faces, imbed
into the softer carbon, and cause face damage.

❍ A change in the spring load on the faces that could either open the faces prematurely or
cause excessive heating between the lapped faces.

❍ The seal case or carbon face could come into contact with the inside diameter of the
stuffing box, either causing damage to a seal component, or opening the lapped seal faces.
❍ The rotating shaft or sleeve could come into contact with and damage the stationary seal
face.
Just about all original equipment seals (O.E.M.) leak long before the carbon faces wear out because this
type of seal is very sensitive to shaft displacement. Here is a list of some of the common causes of the
shaft and seal components to be axially and radially displaced:
Causes of axial displacement of the rotating shaft :
Remember that sleeve bearings allow a lot of axial movement. Precision bearings limit axial movement
to thousands of an inch (hundredths of a millimeter), but can still allow enough radial movement to open
lapped mechanical seal faces.
its efficiency the shaft thrusts towards the volute.
● Attaching a mechanical seal to the shaft adds to the axial thrust because of the stuffing box
pressure working on the seal area attached to the shaft or sleeve . This thrust is normally towards
the bearings
● Thermal growth causes shaft axial growth that should be partially compensated for in the coupling
internal clearances.
the volute depending upon the pump design. In the United States, the Duriron pump company is
unique in that impeller adjustment moves the shaft in the direction of the bearings. Remember that
there is an inital impeller setting and "on going" settings that have to be made for casing and
impeller wear.
Causes of a radial displacement of the rotating shaft

rotation, if you are using conventional Francis Vane impellers with a specific speed between 1500
and 4000.
● Dynamic unbalance of the rotating assembly, especially the impeller.
● A bent shaft.
● A non concentric shaft sleeve.
● Set screwing a mechanical seal to a shaft or sleeve will cause the seal to run non-concentric with
the rotating shaft or sleeve.
● Pipe strain.
● Upward thermal growth in a non-centerline design pump.
Both radial and axial shaft displacement
● Bad bearing.
● Bad bearing fit.
● Cavitation. There are five types to consider.
● Water hammer.
● Running at or passing through a critical shaft speed.

● The pillow block bearing of a double ended pump are not on the same centerline as the pump
stuffing boxes.
Vibration of the rotating shaft. There are multiple causes of vibration.

❍ Unbalanced rotating components. Damaged impellers and non concentric shaft sleeves are
common.
❍ A bent or warped shaft. This often occurs during the sleeve removal process.
❍ Pump and driver misalignment. Remember that these components must be aligned when
the pump and driver are hot and all expansion has taken place.
❍ Rubbing parts.
❍ Loose parts.
❍ Product attaching to a rotating component.
❍ Damaged parts.
❍ There is not enough mass in the pedestal. If you weigh the pump and its driver there should
be a least five times that mass in the pump pedestal.

❍ The pedestal is not wide enough. If you drop a vertical line from the center of the motor
two lines radiating out thirty degrees from this center line should pass through the base, not
❍ Operating off of the best efficiency point (B.E.P.) of the pump.
❍ Air getting into the system through vortexing etc..
❍ Turbulence in the system (non laminar flow).
❍ Water hammer.


❍ Seal "slip stick" at the seal faces. This often happens when you are seal a non-lubricant.
❍ A pump discharge recirculation line aimed at the seal faces.
❍ Loss of power to the pump
❍ A parallel pump is closing the check valve on the problem pump.
Along with the seal problems just mentioned, excessive radial movement of the shaft could cause contact
between:
● The impeller and the volute casing or backplate. A clearance of about 0.015" (0,5 mm) is typical.
● The stationary and rotating wear rings you find in closed impeller pumps. A clearance of 0.003"
per inch (0,03 mm/ 10 mm) diameter of wear ring is a typical clearance.
● Between the inner and outer portions of the labyrinth seals find in many bearing seal applications.
The excessive shaft displacement could also:

● Overload the shaft bearings causing excessive heat.

● Put an uneven load on the grease seals you find in most bearing seal applications.

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Shutoff head estimating
Subject: Estimating the shutoff head of a centrifugal pump.13-7
In the fifteenth century the Swiss scientist Daniel Bernoulli learned that the combination of head and
velocity was a constant throughout a piping system. He then wrote the formula showing the relationship
between this liquid velocity, and resultant head. As many of you know, I often quote this formula in my
pump and seal schools. The formula looks like this:
● V = Velocity or speed of the liquid at the impeller outside diameter

(ft/sec. or meters/sec.)
● g = gravity = 32.2 feet / second2 or 9.8 meters / second2
My students have heard me quote this formula as the basis for my statement that you can estimate the
shut off head of a 1750 rpm. centrifugal pump by squaring the diameter of the impeller. How did I come
to that conclusion ? Lets look at the formula again, and we will start by defining velocity:
Velocity is a measurement of speed using distance and time as the variables. The terms we use to discuss
velocity are feet/second or meters/ second. In the inch system the velocity of the impeller outside
diameter is determined by the following formula:
● d = diameter of the impeller

●
● rpm = speed of the impeller outside diameter
● 12 = twelve inches in a foot
● 60 sixty seconds in a minute
Now we will solve the formula. Substituting 1750 for the rpm we would get:
Going back to the original formula we will substitute the new value for "V"
This means that at 1750 rpm the shutoff head is 90% of the diameter of the impeller squared
If you will check a typical pump curve as supplied by the pump manufacturers, you will learn that the
shut off head actually varies from 90% to 110% of the diameter of the impeller squared. I elected to use
100% because it is a sensible average and in some cases it accounts for the additional velocity added to
the fluid as it moves from the impeller eye to the impeller outside diameter.
If we substitute 3500 rpm for the speed, the new numbers would look like this
Going back to the original formula we will substitute the new value for "V"
We can round out the 3.6 to 4.0 and say that at 3500 rpm the shutoff head equals approximately the
outside diameter of the impeller squared, times four.
It is a little trickier in the metric system. Instead of using millimeters when measuring the impeller
diameter, move over two decimal places and use decimeters instead. It will make the calculations a lot
simpler because you will be using more convenient, larger numbers.

Shutoff head estimating
Inserting the numbers into the formula we would get a velocity of:
Going back to the head formula we would get:
We can round this off to 3d2
If the pump were running at 2900 rpm you would get
Going back to the head formula we would get:
We can round this off to 12d2
How do we use this information? You can combine this formula with your knowledge of how to convert
pressure to head and come up with an estimate to see if an operating pump is operating close to its
BEP(best efficiency point ). As an example:
In the inch system a pump discharge pressure gage reads 120 psi. The pump suction pressure gage reads
20 psi. The pump is pumping the difference between these readings, so the pump is pumping 100 psi.
At its BEP(best efficiency point) the pump should be running between 80% and 85% of its shut off head.
100 psi is 83% of 120 psi. The pressure to head conversion is:
The pump has an 8.5 inch impeller running at 3500 rpm. The shutoff head would be (8.5 inches)2 x 4 =
288 feet. Pretty close!
In the metric system we can make the calculation for a 295 millimeter impeller turning at 2900 rpm
The pump discharge pressure gage reads 10 bar The pump suction pressure gage reads 1 bar The pump is
pumping the difference between these readings so the pump is pumping 9 bar
At its BEP(best efficiency point) the pump should be running between 80% and 85% of its shutoff head.
9 bar is 83% of 10.8 bar. The pressure to head conversion is:
106 meters shut off head. The pump has a 295 mm impeller running at 2900 rpm. The shutoff head
would be (2.95 decimeter)2 x12 =104.4. Pretty close!

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15-12
The siphon 15-12
Problem: How to control the level in a 1500-acre lake at an elevation of 500 feet. You want to relocate
the water to a reservoir that is at an elevation of only 480 feet, but there is a hill between the lake and the
reservoir. The hill has an elevation of 515 feet
You have three choices:
● Pump the water to the top of the hill and then let it drain down to the reservoir.
● Dig through the hill and install large pipes that will drain the lake to the reservoir. The excavation
will disturb homes and business located on the sides of the hill.
● Install a siphon and save both the pumping and excavation costs.
Now just what is a siphon? It is the same principle you used to get gasoline out of your automobile gas
tank to fill a gas powered lawn mower. Remember how you sucked on the end of the hose, and when the
gasoline began to flow you stuck the end of the hose into the container and the gasoline magically flowed
into and filled the container all by its self? All you had to watch out for was that the container was placed
below the gas tank
In other papers in this web site we learned that pressure can be converted to head by the following
formula:
If atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi at sea level, and we are talking about fresh water (sg.1); using this
formula, 14.7-psi. would convert to 33.96 feet of head:
Theoretically we could come out of the gasoline tank, go straight up into the air with the hose to a height
of almost 34 feet and then down into the container and the gasoline would flow with no trouble. I say
theoretically because there is friction in the hose that offers resistance to the flow and that friction has to
be considered any time you are trying to calculate the possibility of using a siphon to move liquid.
The siphon principle is valid if the liquid flow is free from air and vapors so that the densities of the
liquid in the rising and falling pipes are alike. It is this principle that can limit the height of the siphon
because the flowing liquid can vaporize if its temperature gets too high or the pressure in the pipe gets
too low. As an example: A higher water temperature and low barometric pressure conditions limits the
height of siphons in cooling tower, condenser cooling water applications to somewhere between 26 and
28 feet.
Now let's go back to our lake and reservoir application and make the calculation.
Figure 2

15-12
Lake elevation = 500 feet
Pipe height on the hill = 515 feet
Reservoir height = 480 feet
Liquid = water at seal level pressure and ambient temperatures.
Desired flow = 3.5 to 4.2 million gallons per day (2,430 to 2,917 gpm)
Diameter of cast iron pipe = 21 inches
Length of cast iron pipe from the lake to the top of the hill = 1 mile (5280 feet)
Length of the cast iron pipe from the top of the hill into the reservoir = 2 miles (10,560 feet)
In this example we will not consider the friction losses due to the pipe condition, fittings, bends and flow
control valves in the piping, along with the exit and entrance losses.
Look in the Cameron hydraulic tables or any other publication that shows the head loss in 21 inch cast
iron pipe you would find the loss to be 0.053 feet / 100 feet of pipe. A larger diameter, and more costly
30 inch cast iron pipe has losses of 0.022 feet/ 100 feet of pipe
Head loss in 5,280 feet of 21 inch pipe = 5280 / 100 x 0.053 = 2.8 feet
Head loss in 10,560 feet of 21 inch pipe = 10560 / 100 x 0.053 = 5.6 feet
This is a total of 8.4 feet from the 35 feet available (515 - 480 = 35).
If you have too much flow in the piping, the resultant loss of pressure can cause cavitation problems. The
control vale will eliminate this problem.
To get the system running you will have to fill the pipe from the top of the hill back to the lake. You
could use a portable pump taking a suction from the lake to do this. Remember that until all the air is
removed from the piping and all the piping is filled with water, the two mile down leg is not part of the
system, so the friction in the down leg and control valve should not be considered when you make your
calculations for the small priming pump

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Specific Gravity
SUBJECT : Specific gravity 7-12
The term specific gravity is used to describe the weight or density of a liquid compared to an equal
volume of fresh water at 4°C (39° F). If the liquid you are comparing will float on this water it has a
specific gravity of less than one (1). If it sinks into the fresh water the specific gravity is more than one.
As you have already guessed fresh water at 4°C (39° F) has been assigned a value of one (1).
It is important that you do not confuse specific gravity with viscosity which is a measurement of a fluids
resistance to pouring. Thick liquids are said to have a high viscosity and thin liquids a low viscosity. Like
specific gravity, viscosity can be altered by a change in temperature, but unlike specific gravity it can
also be altered by agitation. The really important thing to keep in mind is that there is no correlation
between viscosity and specific gravity.
We measure specific gravity with a hydrometer. It consist of a glass cylinder with a rubber bulb on top,
and a float positioned inside the glass tube. The float is calibrated to float on fresh water so if the fluid
you are testing has a higher specific gravity, the float will raise in the liquid and at a lower specific
gravity it will sink lower in the liquid. This is the same instrument that we use to tell if your automobile
battery is fully charged. Another version will determine the concentration of ant-freeze in an automobile
radiator. You can observe the little balls floating in the tube.
OK! now that we have all of that straight, what are we going to do with this specific gravity information
that we are collecting? It turns out that we use it or a lot of things. As an example:
● It is part of the formula we use to convert pump head to pressure:
● You will need it to calculate the hydraulic force acting on the impeller when the centrifugal pump
is operating off the best efficiency point:
● We need specific gravity to calculate the horsepower of the motor we need to operate the pump:
● H-P needed = The HP noted on the manufacturers pump curve times the specific gravity of the
fluid you are pumping.
● NPSH and cavitation are directly related to specific gravity. The lower the specific gravity the
lower the vaporization pressure.
● Low specific gravity fluids cause a number of mechanical seal problems:
● The fluid can vaporize in the stuffing box causing a big bubble and high heat at the seal faces..
● If the specific gravity falls below 0.4 we have to change the spring load on the seal faces to a
lower value, and change the hydraulic balance ratio from about 70/30 to 60/40.
● Most low specific gravity fluids are poor lubricants that cause excessive seal face wear, "slip-
stick" vibration problems, and possible color contamination of some products if carbon/ graphite
is used as the seal face.
● The fluid can flash between the lapped seal faces. This will:
● Cause chipping and damage to the carbon outside diameter.
● Leave solids between the lapped faces, the last place you need them.
● In some instances the flashing will cool the faces and freeze any oil or grease you put on the seal
face.
If the fluid is a mixture of a fluid and a solid we have a useful formula to calculate the Specific Gravity
of a slurry:
Sm = Specific gravity of the mixture or slurry
Sl = Specific gravity of the liquid phase
Ss = Specific gravity of the solids phase
Cw = Concentration of the solids by weight
The formula for the concentration of solids by weight (Cw ) is:

Specific Gravity

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running standby pumps
Running standby pumps. Is it a good idea? Vol 17 #03
If there were a simple answer to this question, it would never come up. The more I look into the subject,
the more I'm convinced that there is no easy answer. Let's look at both sides. We'll begin with reasons for
alternating pumps:
● If the pump is not run, the oil will drain away from the movable components, causing excessive
wear and heat at startup.
● Maybe the standby pump is frozen up. It's too late to learn that when you need the pump.
● All standby equipment is subject to vibration. Bearings can be affected by this vibration with a
condition known as "false brinneling," causing round, hard indentations in the bearing races.
People that do not believe in alternating pumps also have some compelling arguments:
● Every time you switch pumps you are causing a system upset than will probably affect the
finished product. Temperatures and pressures change and some products become viscous or
solidify when the system cools even a small amount. All of this translates to "off product" that
will end up in the alcohol plant, have to refined all over again, or is sometimes shipped to the
customer who refuses the shipment and asks you to initiate a program that will prevent this from
ever happening again.
● Each time you let the bearing cavity cool down you are producing moisture in the bearing case.
The more often you start the pump, the more frequently this occurs. Moisture is a major cause of
premature bearing failure
● Startup torque is five times running torque meaning that it takes five times the power to start a
pump than it takes to keep it running. These power surges can trip breakers or, in some cases,
cause you to exceed your peak loads that will have an adverse affect on next month's electric bill.
● Every time a pump starts the shaft thrusts towards the thrust bearing and then somewhere close to
its 65% efficiency point, the shaft thrust in the opposite direction towards the pump volute. This
axial shifting can cause seal and bearing problems.
● Shutting down a pump will cause its internal temperature to change and that can cause a problem
with many fluids. In some instances the shutdown pump has to be flushed out to prevent product
from solidifying in the seal or on the surfaces of the impeller and volute. At startup, any of these
solids that have not returned to their liquid state can cause the rotating shaft to go "out of
balance."
Most knowledgeable people agree that pumps with long shafts should be turned over on a regular basis to
prevent "sag." Jacking gear is often provided to do this.
If you decide that alternating pump makes sense to you, be careful that you do not run the pumps for the
same amount of time, or they will both wear out with the same amount of hours.

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Large stuffing box
SUBJECT: The large stuffing box 7-9
Next to stabilizing the pump shaft, without question the single most effective action you can take to
increase the life of your mechanical seal, is to replace the present narrow stuffing box with one of the
newer more open designs. Look at the following diagram.
This stuffing box was designed to accommodate the 5/16' to 3/8" (8 to 10 mm.) packing that you find in
most of the standard design pumps, such as ANSI, DIN and ISO. When these pumps are converted to a
mechanical seal it leaves very little clearance between the out side diameter of the mechanical seal and
the inside diameter of the stuffing box.
Clearances of 0.015 inches (0,4 mm) are typical. Further compounding the problem is the fact that many
products stick to the inside of the stuffing box rough casting, restricting the clearance even more.
movement will open the seal faces enough to let plenty of solids in. It is these small solids that cause
most of the face damage we see in premature seal failures.

● Prevent air from entering the stuffing box if it is running with a negative pressure. This happens
anytime the pump is lifting liquid, pumping from an evaporator or condenser, etc..
● The clean flush enters the product stream unrestricted, diluting the product.
● The shaft radial movement can cause the rotating parts of the seal to contact a stationary part of
the narrow clearance stuffing box, causing the lapped faces to open and the solids to penetrate, or
to possibly damage one of the seal components. There are many causes for shaft radial movement
and it is impossible for you to prevent all of them :
❍ Operating the pump off of the best efficiency point (B.E.P.)
❍ Cavitation.
❍ Water hammer.
● The stuffing box is not centered to the shaft.

● The seal gland bolt circle is not concentric to the shaft.
● This radial displacement of the shaft and seal can cause the stationary portion of the seal to be hit
by the rotating shaft or the rotating portion of the seal to contact:
● Solids built up in the stuffing box.
● A protruding gasket between the seal gland and the stuffing box face.
● A protruding gasket between the halves of a split case pump.
● A loose piece of hardware in the stuffing box.
● A protruding flush connection.
The problem is identifiable when you notice a rubbing mark around the rotating portion of the seal and a
partial rubbing mark around the component described in the above paragraph.
In a vertical application the standard lantern ring location will not vent air away from the seal faces. This
will cause the seal faces to run dry and possible be damaged by the heat that will be generated at
conventional motor speeds. If the dynamic elastomer ( the rubber part) is located close to the seal faces it
Large stuffing box
will almost certainly be damaged during any dry running period. Look for evidence of the elastomer
changing weight, shape, or appearance. One solution to the problem of a restricted stuffing box area is to
open the space around the seal. One method of doing this is to install an enlarged or bored out stuffing
box. Now the solids have some place to go when centrifugal force acts upon them
You can argue the merits of an enlarged or tapered stuffing box . I like the open type because I have seen
many seals ruined when abrasives were drawn to the narrow end of the box. I have also seen what
appears to be cavitation damage at the narrow end that could be caused by high velocity fluid vaporizing.
stuffing box?
● Is the circulation connection located at or above the seal faces in a vertical application?
keep the product cool when the pump is running, or warm when the pump has stopped. Caustic
and heat transfer oils are good examples of these applications.
the higher pressure discharge side. With this arrangement you can take advantage of the fact that the
stuffing box pressure is higher than the pump suction, causing the fluid to flow form behind the impeller
pump. Whenever you use a mechanical seal This suction recirculation should be your normal set up.
recirculation would not make any sense. As an example :
● The pump has a flow through semi- open impeller that adjust to the back plate rather than the

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suction throtteling
SUCTION THROTTLING 16-11
Throttling the discharge of a centrifugal pump is a common method of stopping a cavitation problem.
Why does it work? Take a look at the pump curve shown bellow:
As you can see, the NPSH (net positive suction head) required increases with capacity. Take the 13-inch
impeller as an example:
● At 300 gallons per minute an NPSH (net positive suction head) of 10 feet is required
● At 200 gallons per minute only 6 feet is required
Reducing the capacity by throttling the pumps discharge will lower the NPSHR (net positive suction
head required) and stop the cavitation. Some maintenance shops stop cavitation by introducing air into
the suction side of the pump. The air takes up space, the capacity reduces, and the NPSHR reduces.
The same thing will happen if you throttle the suction side of the pump, but it is a little trickier.
Restricting the suction of a pump can cause a cavitation problem in its self. So why bring the subject up
at all?
We use suction recirculation if the product you are sealing will react negatively with an increase in
temperature. Discharge throttling is not an option in this instance because the discharge head will
increase, the internal recirculation will increase and the pump's internal temperature will rise increasing
the fluid temperature.
With a volatile liquid, suction throttling may be the wisest choice.
The best solution to the problem is to use the correct size pump, running at its BEP (best efficiency point)
and cavitation is seldom ever a problem.

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Technical terms
Correlating a few technical terms 16-01
There are a few technical terms that frequently appear in the papers I write and the formulas I use. These
terms include:
● Specific gravity. (S070)

● Gravity (G013)
● Specific heat (S071)
● Specific speed (S072)
● Viscosity (V019)
● Density (D011)
● Rpm or speed
If you are going to be messing around with pumps, bearings and mechanical seals, these words are going
to have to become a regular part of your vocabulary. In this paper I am going to show you how these
words sometimes work together to get us the information we need to both select and troubleshoot
centrifugal pumps and mechanical seals. We will start with specific gravity; a measure of the weight of a
fluid.
Specific gravity numbers are used to:
● Calculate the pressure if we know the pump's head and to calculate the head if we know the
pressure. (T012)
● Calculate NPSH available at the suction of a pump, to determine if the pump is going to
cavitate.(N001)
● Calculate the water horsepower generated by the pump, to help us select the brake horsepower of
the motor we need to drive the pump. (W003)
Density is a measure of the weight of a fluid. Density is a much better term than specific gravity and
should eventually replace it as the most popular term. Density is measured in gm/cm3 or lb/in3
Gravity is used:
● When we use the Bernoulli formula to convert the velocity of the impeller, or liquid flow to head.
Bernoulli told us that the head in any fluid system is a constant. The head is either in the form of
pressure or velocity head. (B025)
Specific Heat determines how hot the product will become with the addition of heat. The specific heat
numbers are used to:
● Calculate the amount of heat generated inside the wet end of the pump. (H009)
● Determine if the stuffing box temperature will be too high.
● Calculate the amount of heat generated at the mechanical seal faces. (H008)
● Predict if the product will vaporize at the seal face.
● Predict if the hydrocarbon will coke at the seal face or inside the stuffing box.
Specific speed is a dimensionless number that describes the shape of the pump impeller. We use this
number to:
● Determine if our pump is likely to cavitate.

● Predict net positive suction head required (NPSHR) numbers.
● To help in the selection of an efficient pump.
● To learn the shape of the pump curve
● To calculate the hydraulic force acting on the impeller as we operate off the BEP.
● To determine the direction of shaft deflection if we are operating off the pump BEP.
Viscosity is defined as resistance to pouring, with higher viscosity liquids affecting centrifugal pump

misalignment.
0.000040" (one micron)
Technical terms
Unfortunately there is no acceptable analytical method of predicting pump performance when the liquid
has a viscosity different than water. Many tests have been conducted and the data formulated into charts
and nomographs with the result being that your pump performance can be reasonably estimated for
liquids of just about any viscosity. Check with your pump manufacturer for his charts.
Rpm or speed is used:
● To calculate the feet per minute (fpm) at the seal faces to determine if you need to convert from
rotating to stationary seals.Stationary seals should be used at surface speeds greater than 5000
fpm.
● As a part of the force formula we use to calculate the force on an impeller when the pump is
operating off its BEP.
● In the affinity laws, to determine changes in head, capacity and power requirements any time you
change the speed of the pump, or the diameter of the impeller.
● To determine the DN number for precision bearings.
● To determine the maximum speed for slurry pumps.

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Stuffing box temperature
SUBJECT: Sources of a temperature change in the stuffing box area, cheat sheet 9-8
Many factors contribute to a change in the pump stuffing box temperature :
Ambient or the surrounding conditions have a major affect on temperature:
● Is the pump located in an area of temperature extremes? Can rain or snow fall on the pump?
● Is the stuffing box area frequently washed down with a water hose?
● Is the pump insulated from the surrounding temperature?
The product its self can be the problem.
● Is the fluid a lubricant? Non lubricants can cause "slip stick" seal vibration problems.
● What is the normal pumping temperature of the product? Cold temperature can thicken fuel
● What is the conductivity of the product you are pumping? Water has good conductivity, oil has
poor conductivity.
● Does the fluid have a low specific heat? The lower the specific heat the hotter it is going to get.
● What is the specific gravity of the liquid. High specific gravity consumes more motor kilowatts.
● Is the product viscous? Viscous products consume more power also. They also cause the pump to
operate off the best efficiency point causing shaft deflection problems.
The seal face load is very important.
● What is the spring force? Thirty ponds per square inch (2Kg/cm2 ) should be typical when the
carbon face is new.
● What is the percentage of the seal face hydraulic balance? 70/30 is normal, but low specific
gravity fluids (less than 0.4) should have a balance closer to 60/40.
● How wide are the faces? Wide faces generate more heat.
● The axial thrust of the shaft can increase the face load.
● The installation skill of the mechanic is critical. Does he have a print to reference or is he using
the old set screw mark on the shaft?
● How high is the stuffing box pressure? Does it swing from pressure to vacuum?
● Because they are mounted outside the stuffing box thermal growth of the shaft can increase the
face load in most non-metallic designs.
● The shaft speed is a major factor. The faster you go the more heat generated. Some single spring
designs can unload the faces at these higher shaft speeds.
● The direction of impeller adjustment will determine if the faces will overheat after the impeller
has been adjusted. Without a cartridge, the seal faces cannot be moved to compensate for the new
impeller setting.
● The direction of shaft rotation can be important with some single spring designs. The wrong
spring winding direction can unload the seal faces.
The face materials are another factor.
● The higher the density of the carbon/graphite mixture, the less air pockets beneath the face
surface. These air pockets will hinder the heat transfer away from the face.
● Is the face insulated by an elastomer or gasket?
● Is the face installed in a metal holder? The metal holder has a much better heat conductivity than
the carbon/graphite.
● The face material conductivity must be considered. Silicone carbide and tungsten carbide are the
best. 85% and 99.5% ceramic are the worst with carbon/graphite falling some where in between.
● The harder the face, the less friction generated.
● The smoother the face, the less friction between the lapped faces.
● A carbon/graphite face vs a hard face will generate less heat than two hard faces running against
each other.
Vacuum causes a heat problem between faces.
● If an open impeller is accidentally adjusted backwards the impeller "pump out" vanes could cause
a stuffing box vacuum if they are too close to the back plate.
● If the pump is lifting liquid, the stuffing box is running in a vacuum..
● Condenser hot wells run under a vacuum.
● Evaporators often run under vacuum.
High soak temperatures can cause a seal failure
● This becomes important after the cooling or flushing is shut off when the pump is stopped. Heat
transfer oil experiences this problem,
The shaft material is a variable.
● Some metals are better heat conductors than others. The conductivity of stainless steel is poor
compared to carbon steel as an example.
The stuffing box design is important.
● The inside diameter should be as large as possible.

● A steady flow through the stuffing box is very important.
● Suction or discharge recirculation is necessary if you do not want to flush the product with a clean
lubricant.
● The shape of the stuffing box can determine the amount of heat being generated. Tapered boxes
can cause a rapid rotation of the fluid at the seal faces increasing the amount of heat being
generated.
● The material of construction is another variable.
● Is there a gasket between the stuffing box and the back plate? Gaskets do not conduct heat very
well.
● Product build up on the inside diameter of the stuffing box acts as an insulator.
● Is there a heating/cooling jacket installed on the stuffing box? Is it clean?
● You need a thermal bushing installed in the end of the stuffing box to isolate the product
temperature when you are using a heating or cooling jacket.
● Can the stuffing box be vented in a vertical application? If not you will trap air, and the faces will
run dry.
● Has the outside diameter of the stuffing box been insulated? Decide if this is a good idea for your
application.
The loss of an environmental control can increase the stuffing box temperature. There are several types
of environmental controls in common use:
● Flush. Clean liquid is pumped into the product, diluting it by the amount pumped in.
● Quench. Steam or water is injected behind the seal to wash away any thing that came across the
faces and to keep the seal faces at some pre-determined temperature.
● Barrier fluid. High pressure fluid circulated between dual seals.
● Buffer fluid. Low pressure fluid circulated between dual seal faces.
● Jacketing fluid. Is circulated through the stuffing box jacket. Steam and condensate are the two
most popular choices. Calcium in the jacket can restrict the heat transfer. Make sure the jacket is
clean and the inside of the stuffing box is insulated from the pumpage by a thermal bushing.
● Suction recirculation. installed between the bottom of the stuffing box and the suction piping.
This should be the normal stuffing box circulation method.
● Discharge recirculation. Connected between the discharge side of the pump and the stuffing box.
It is used to pressurize the stuffing box to prevent a fluid from vaporizing.
The pump discharge is being throttled for some reason causing the heating problem. Here are a couple of
reasons why people throttle the pump discharge. :
● To control flow. The pump is too big for the application.

● To stop cavitation. The higher the capacity, the more NPSH needed.
● To create a false head and move the pumping point closer to the best efficiency point.
● If two pumps are connected in series and the first pump has a higher capacity, it will be throttled
by the second pump.
● Throttling can occur if the pumps are installed in parallel and one of them is putting a back
pressure on the other one.
A change in the process can cause the additional heat.
● A higher process temperature.

● The pump is running at a higher speed.
● A high temperature cleaner or solvent is being used to clean the lines.
● A different fluid is being pumped through the lines.
Here are a couple more reasons the temperature can change in the stuffing box:
● Rubbing of a component because of installation error, shaft deflection or thermal growth.

● The wear rings are contacting because of shaft deflection.
● A protruding gasket or fitting is rubbing a seal part.
● The impeller clearance too small.
● The impeller out side diameter is too close to the cutwater.
● Too much impeller to volute clearance can cause heat to be generated as the fluid is recirculated
in the volute.
● Too high an impeller suction specific speed number can cause internal recirculation problems.
WHAT IS BEING AFFECTED BY THE CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE?
Elastomers. Especially those located in or close to the seal faces.

● They will take a compression set at high temperature.

● At higher heat they will shrink, harden and then crack.
● A rubber bellows can rupture.
● At cryogenic temperatures elastomers harden and stop sealing.
The carbon
● A filler or binder can melt.

● Blisters can form on the seal face as air trapped in the carbon expands because of the face heat.
Face pitting occurs when the blisters explode.
● Slip stick can cause chipping of the carbon outside diameter.
● The part can go out of flat due to differential expansion of the various cross sections.
● If the carbon was lapped at room temperature it can go out of flat at temperature extremes.
The hard face
● Thermal cracking is common in some ceramics.

● Heat check is a problem with plated or coated hard faces. It is caused by dissimilar materials
expanding at different rates .
● The hard coating or plating lifts off if the sealing fluid attacks the base material. Coating are
porous. High face heat will accelerate the process.
● The hard face can go out of flat due to differential expansion of the various cross sections.
The metal parts
● Critical dimensions and surface finishes can change.

● A metal bellows can lose strength as the metal approaches its annealing temperature.
● Heat accelerates any corrosion problems caused by the product or any chemical used to clean the
system.
The product can change from a liquid to a solid or gas with higher temperatures.
● It can vaporize and open the lapped faces allowing solids to penetrate..
● It can become more viscous. Some products increase in viscosity as the become cold, others when
they get hotter.
● It can solidify. A change in temperature is enough. Some products solidify with heat, others with
cold.
● A film can build on the hot seal surface restricting movement. This can occur at the lapped faces
or in-between sliding components that must be free to flex and move. This is a problem with hot
oil applications
● The product can crystallize with a change in temperature.
● Vaporization at the seal faces can freeze the moisture outboard of the seal or any oil or lubricant
that might have been put on the lapped faces.
● The product can lose its lubricating qualities and cause "slip stick" problems. Hot water
experiences this failure.
Critical dimensions change that can affect seal performance.
● Alignment between the pump/driver

● Stuffing box squareness to the shaft.
● Pipe strain will increase with temperature changes.
● The wear ring clearance will change.
● The O-ring squeeze will change.
● The interference fit between the face outside diameter and its metal holder can loosen.
Corrosion always increases with an increase in product or face temperature. There are many kinds of
corrosion affecting the metal parts that include:
● Overall or general
● Galvanic
● Pitting
● Fretting
● Concentrated cell
● Stress. Chloride stress corrosion is a big problem with stainless steel springs and bellows.
● Intergranular
● Erosion-corrosion
● Micro-organisms
● Crevice


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pump and seal Training
Setting up a training department for seals, bearing and pumps. 17-02
I often get e-mail inquiries asking about how to set up a pump and seal training program within a
company. The inquiry almost always refers to a "hands on program" implying that this should be the
program of choice. Is there a way to set up such a program?
Sure you can! You can teach lots of "hands on" skills such as:
● Pump and driver alignment.

● Vibration analysis
● Dynamic balancing of pump rotating components.
● The correct method of making impeller adjustments with open impeller design pumps
● Mechanical seal installation
● Pump bearing Installation
But, if you want to teach troubleshooting skills, you need a different plan. This is knowledge training and
"hands on " does not enter into it. Here are a few examples of "knowledge training":
● The student has to know what "good pump or seal life" is. Each time a pump comes into the shop
someone has to make the decision, "Did we get good life with this piece of equipment?" If we did,
then it's just a matter of replacing worn parts, but if we experienced a premature failure, someone
has to do the trouble shooting and take corrective action so that the failure will not occur again.
Do you have anyone capable of answering the question; "did we get good life?"
● Mechanics have to know how to read a pump curve and then correlate that information with the
gage readings on the pump and piping. Gages read pressure in pounds per square inch. Pump
curves do not plot pressure; they show how much head the pump will produce at a certain speed
or with a certain impeller diameter. Do your people know how to convert pressure readings to
head and head readings to pressure? If they cannot make these conversions easily, how will they
be able to determine where they are on the pump curve, or know if the pump is performing
properly?
● There are at least four types of cavitation. The mechanics must be able to identify the different
types and know how to stop the cavitation, or it will lead to premature pump failure. He also has
to be able to calculate the amount of NPSH he has available so he can compare it to the amount
required by the pump manufacturer at the pump's running capacity.
● There are at least ten different types of corrosion associated with stainless steel pump and seal
components.
● The student must know the many reasons why a pump will not put out enough head or capacity.
There's a lot to learn about that subject.
● He must know why a pump uses too many amps and what to do about it
● The best troubleshooter in the world can only see two things when he looks at a failed piece of
rotating equipment. He can see rubbing and damage. That's all! The student must be trained to
recognize the different rub marks that are associated with: operating off the BEP, misalignment,
pipe strain, thermal growth, unbalanced rotating components etc. Operators can use their senses to
trouble shoot because they can smell things burning, see leakage or smoke, hear unusual noises
and feel vibration. The mechanics cannot do this. He is looking at a pump that has been brought
into the shop. All he can do is look for damage and rubbing.
● Failed seals and bearings are the main cause of poor pump life. The student must understand why
these components frequently fail
● It's impossible to troubleshoot "mystery materials" but everyday I see people looking at failed
seals without a clue as to what materials they are looking at. Which grade of stainless steel is that?
Which grade of Viton O-ring is this? Are those hastelloy C springs? There are at least five grades
of ceramic faces being sold today and they are not all the same. Which one are you using?
This knowledge training is a very big subject and it would be a miracle if you had anyone in your facility
capable of teaching it to your mechanics. I hear of people in the shop with thirty years of experience.
After asking these experienced people a few questions I usually find that they don't have thirty years of
experience. What they really have is one year of experience thirty times.
Want a simple proof of what I am saying? Here is a quick test. Go to your shop and inspect seals that
have been removed from your pumps. If the seal ran properly and got good life, the sacrificial carbon
face will have been worn away. Like an automobile tire tread, the carbon seal face is the only part of a
seal designed to wear. If carbon remains, the seal experienced a premature failure. You will lucky if you
can find even one worn out seal in your facility.
Look at the condition of the pump shaft under the grease or lip seals that are supposed to be protecting
the bearings. The shaft will be cut or grooved in this location. Ask your most experienced people why the
shaft is grooved. See if you can find a shaft that is not damaged in this location. If they tell you the
groove is being caused by dirt or solids trapped between the seal and the shaft, you are being told an
untruth.
If you had anyone capable of teaching these subjects you would not find used mechanical seals with
carbon seal face remaining or grooved shafts. If the potential teacher knew how to fix those problems

pump and seal Training
they would have done it by now.
So what do you do to get your mechanics trained? To begin with, forget about training everybody. Stick
with the "hands on "stuff. There are plenty of outside firms that will teach your people alignment,
vibration analysis, dynamic balancing, seal installation etc… Hopefully they learned their mechanics
craft with some program initiated by your company.
You only need one or two people capable of doing real troubleshooting. Once they have determined the
cause of the premature failure I am sure you have plenty of capable mechanics that have the physical
skills to change the necessary components or modify the hardware to make it work once they know what
has to be done.
The knowledge skills are different. Select your best students and get them to the appropriate seminars.
Buy them good books and send them to the manufacturers facilities for training on specific pieces of
hardware. It will be a big investment and you'll have a hard time holding on to those people once they
become skilled, but there's no shortcut to knowledge.

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Vacuum pumps
A look at vacuum pumps 14-9
The idea is simple enough. The pump will be designed to pump liquid as well as gas or vapors. If you
need to create a vacuum you can connect your piping to the suction side of the pump, but if you need a
positive pressure you can connect the piping to the discharge side of the same pump.
We can use the vacuum we create to prime a centrifugal pump, evacuate a condenser, lower the pressure
in a chemical vessel or do any thing else we can think of where a vacuum might be needed. The pressure
side could be used to create a head or pressure in a nozzle application or a hundred other applications you
might consider. The capacity needed, along with how much vacuum, or how much pressure, will dictate
the type of pump you will need.
Vacuum can be measured in millimeters of mercury (Hg) or inches of mercury. Atmospheric pressure at
seal level is 760 mm. or 29.9 inches. Any less than this amount is considered to be a vacuum. Hard
vacuum starts at one millimeter of mercury. The industry calls this amount of vacuum "one Torr." At one
Torr and harder vacuums any elastomer (rubber part) in the system will out-gas, shrink in volume and
then allow air to leak into the system you are trying to evacuate.
As we learned from our discussions about conventional centrifugal pumps, these centrifugal do not work
very well pumping gas or vapors, so we will be looking at a positive displacement type to do this job and
there are a variety of designs available to us.
It is important to remember that packing does not do a very good job of sealing vacuum so you are going
to have to install a good mechanical seal on the rotating pump shaft or rotor to prevent the intrusion of
atmosphere into the system. A hydraulically balanced, O-ring design would be desirable.
Liquid ring pumps
In these very popular designs that are sometimes called "wet vacuum pumps", you start with a round
multi-finned rotor spinning in an elliptical casing. The casing is full of water or some compatible liquid.
The rotor throws liquid outward to the stationary casing where the solid ring of liquid rotates at the same
speed as the rotor. The elliptical shaped casing causes the rotating liquid to recede from and enter buckets
in the rotor. As the liquid is thrown away from the rotor it draws in gas and vapor through the inlet ports
and discharges the gases through the outlet ports as the liquid is forced back to the rotor because of the
elliptical shape of the casing.
● Use this design to 100 mm of mercury vacuum. Some manufacturers claim that they can operate
as low as 4mm of mercury, but are limited by the vapor pressure of the pump's sealing liquid.
● This design does not cause problems caused by a pulsating flow of liquid.
● These pumps are sometimes used with lobe pumps or gas ejectors to obtain lower pressures.
● Liquid ring pumps are available in a variety of alloys
● These pumps resemble multistage centrifugal pumps
● Gas is trapped between rings of liquid
● A liquid flow rate of 9 to 10 gpm is needed for a pump capable of pumping 400 cfm saturated air
at 250 mm Hg.
● The end vacuum is determined by the vapor pressure of the liquid.
● At too low a vacuum the pump will cavitate.
● Most of the problems you will encounter are associated with temperature of the liquid rather than
the flow rate.
● Filters are required in gas/vapor lines at the inlet if powders or solids are in the gas stream.
● Non soluble powders can cause vane wear.
● Because the discharge is at the center of the pump, heavy particles are forced away from the
discharge ports by centrifugal force and collect at the periphery. "Clean out pockets and flushing
valves" are sometimes provided to remove any accumulated solids.
● If a steady flow of liquid enters the pump it will not cause damage, but the power requirement will
increase. Many manufacturers recommend installing a separating chamber or trap to prevent a
solid liquid stream from entering the pump.
● Most manufacturers encourage the return of the pump for any repairs. This means that you will
need a supply of spare pumps in your inventory.
● The sealing liquid flow rate is critical for the pump's performance. Too little is as bad as too
much. The manufacturer has a recommended flow rate, so try to follow it.
Problems with liquid ring pumps:
● Limited end vacuum and heavy hydraulic loads. To get a better vacuum you need either a booster
pump, sealing liquid with a lower vapor pressure, or an added heat exchanger.
Rotary lobe pumps
● Often called "Roots" type.These pumps require timing gears.

● Use these designs to about 200 mm Hg. Often used as a booster pump.
● No contact between the rotating lobes reduces wear problems.
● Corrosive gases combined with condensation can cause severe corrosion problems.
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Vacuum pumps
● Powders in the gas stream present fewer problems than other vacuum pumps because of the non-
contacting parts.
● These pumps are environmentally friendly because they exhaust only what they take in. They do
not add water, oil or other liquids to the gas stream
● Can be used in both gas and pressure applications.
● Low cost to operate and reasonably energy efficient.
● Limited by depth of vacuum and corrosion problems.
Dry screw vacuum pumps
● The design looks like a typical twin screw compressor pump, but the design has been modified for
vacuum service.
● No contacting parts in the vapor path.
● One manufacturer claims they can tolerate up to one gallon per minute of entrained liquid in the
vapor stream. The pump can be fitted with a variable speed motor if you need pressure control.
Single stage oil recirculating, sliding vane pumps
● Like the liquid ring and rotary lobe designs they have limited vacuum capabilities. 15-20 mm Hg
absolute
● Capacities of 1100 cfm free air displacement in the larger models makes them ideally suited for
vacuum conveying systems.
● They are equipped with a horizontal carbon steel cylinder that is air or water-jacketed. Inside the
cylinder is an off center carbon steel rotor with vane slots. Many design use three vanes made of a
composite material.
● A thin film of oil (usually 40W non-detergent motor oil) is fed to the rotor and vanes to provide
lubrication, cooling and corrosion protection. The oil is exhausted with the gas and passes through
a coalescing filter that removes 99.9% of the oil from the gas stream and is then returned to the oil
reservoir where it passes through a filter and the process repeats its self.
● Higher maintenance than lobe or vacuum ring designs.
● Oil level must be maintained and filters changed regularly.
● Cannot tolerate pressure higher than 2psig and therefore cannot be used on the pressure side of
vacuum/ pressure conveying systems.
Once through oiling sliding vane pumps.
● Used where moisture, acidic or solvent vapors are in the gas stream and make the oil unsuitable
for recycling, typically one gallon in 24 hours. Corrosion is still a problem
● Do not know of any designs with stainless steel rotors to lessen corrosion problems.
● The oil has to be separated from the gas stream. The majority of the oil can be removed with a
simple mechanical vapor/ liquid separator. The remainder is a bit more difficult.
Dry running rotary sliding vane pumps
● Available in both single and two sage models

● No oil coating on the internals making them highly susceptible to corrosion from the process
vapors.
● Vanes made of carbon impregnated composite material that causes such a small amount of
friction that oil in not needed.
● Limited application in the chemical industry but a lot cheaper than oil version.
Two stage, oil once through sliding vane pump
● Excellent corrosion resistance

● Vacuum to 0.5 mm Hg. Absolute
● Limitations:
● Sensitive to liquids in the vapor stream so they need very efficient vapor/liquid separators.
● Powders in the gas stream must be avoided
● Improper operating temperature is the biggest problem. If the product is too cold liquid from the
gas stream can condense.
● Liquid will wash away the protective film and cause the pump to lock up.
● If the system is not void of oxygen, solvent vapors passing through the pump could ignite.
● At shut off the upper rotor is prone to overheating. A small purge of an inert gas such as nitrogen
or carbon dioxide through the intake port of the pump will carry enough heat away from the upper
rotor to prevent it from overheating, and then expanding into the backplate and locking up the
pump. If air is bled in instead, and the solvent vapors are flammable, two of the three elements
needed for a fire are present. Add the heat of compression and you could have ignition.
● The oil selection can be a problem. It must be compatible with any process vapors it will contact.
Motor oil cannot be used when the gas stream contains chlorinated compounds such as methylene
chloride. Chlorinated compounds react with mineral oil and form tar like deposits on the sliding
vanes, rotor and the exhaust ports of the vacuum pumps. In these applications you need an
alternative.
● Maintenance of these sliding vane pumps requires special tools and training so the manufacturers
Vacuum pumps
discourage in house repair.
All of these very popular sliding vane designs have similar maintenance problems. The following
troubleshooting hints should help you solve some of these problems:
Make sure the oil rate consumption is not changing suddenly.
● An increase could mean a leaking oil line, a check valve is sticking open or the metering pump is
leaking,
● A decreasing rate could mean that the metering pump is not working, a filter is plugged or one of
the oil lines is clogged
Listen for an increase in noise level
● The pump could be running too cold. Vapors are condensing inside. In a dual rotor design the
lower rotor could lock up.
● Entrained liquids in the product stream.
● Powders are getting into the pump
● The pump is running too hot. 195°F (90°C) is the maximum coolant outlet temperature
recommend by some manufacturers. High temperature can cause "coking" of the lubricating oil.
● Lack of lubrication could cause the vanes to delaminate or become sticky
High internal pump temperature or condensate in the lubricating oil can cause the sliding vanes to "skip"
over the walls of liquid lubrication causing a "washboard" affect on the discharge side of the cylinder
walls and little to no contact of the vanes on the suction side of the walls.
● Be sure the oil is clean. Many operators remove the screen on the filling port to save filling time
and forget to replace it allowing solids to enter during the filling process.
● Be sure to inspect the inlet and outlet ports of the vacuum pump. You should be able to see a part
of the rotor and vanes through this port.
● Look for evidence of "coke" or tar at the discharge port indicating high temperature or maybe
contaminated oil.
● Listen to the pump at startup to hear if the vanes are sticking and "clicking".
Troubleshooting
Upper rotor is stuck, but turns freely after the pump has cooled. Over heating is the problem. That is the
reason the rotor turned freely after it cooled. Look for:
● The pump was operated at overload conditions too long

● Too much exhaust back pressure
● No oil lubrication to the upper rotor
● You have had a failure of the cooling system
Upper rotor is stuck and cannot be freed.
● Powders ingested into the pump

● Process gases are reacting with the lubricating oil. Making it sticky.
● No lubrication
● Failure of the cooling system. High temperature can expand metal components and make the oil
coke.
Lower rotor is stuck
● Pump is running too cold

● Powders ingested into the system
● Liquids ingested into the pump
● Wrong lubricant
● Poor or no lubrication to the lower unit.
The pump ran alright last time it was used, but now it is locked up
● The oil was "gummy", but now that the oil is cooled down it has solidified.
● Process gas has entered the pump and corroded the internals

Phone 727 535 6450 Fax 727 535 8150

Vacuum pumps

venting a centrifugal pump
VENTING HORIZONTAL PUMPS 16-9
Heat is always a problem with mechanical seals and any heat generated in the stuffing box is never
desirable. When we fill the pump with liquid, air frequently becomes trapped in the stuffing box with no
logical way for it to vent.
In many slurry applications we connect a recirculation line from the bottom of the stuffing box back to
the pump suction as a convenient method of eliminating flushing water with mechanical seals.
Unfortunately this arrangement does not help the problem of venting the stuffing box
The easiest way to vent this stuffing box air is to drill a hole in the back plate at the upper end of the
stuffing box, as shown in the following diagram. This hole will vent the stuffing box during the initial
filling process.
After the pump is running, the rotating shaft will throw the stuffing box fluid outward, shutting off this
vent. This means that trapped air will remain close to the shaft and act as an undesirable heat shield for
the seal faces and elastomer (rubber part) because the venting occurs only when the shaft is not turning.
Remember that you cannot vent the volute of a running centrifugal pump. Centrifugal force throws the
liquid to the outside leaving the air in the center of the impeller.
Self-priming pumps need a vent or bleed line installed between the pump discharge flange and the
discharge check valve, back to the suction source. Without this vent the pump will not be able to deliver
enough pressure to open the check valve. There will be some loss through this line when the pump is
operating, but the alternative is to have someone open and close the valve every time you start the pump
or install some type of an automatic valve that will open and close at the correct time.

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http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/16-html/16-09.htm [7/21/03 12:00:07 PM]

venting a vertical pump
VENTING VERTICAL PUMPS 16-10
Vertical pump applications are very different than horizontal pump applications because the stuffing box
is often the high liquid point in the system. Air becomes trapped in the stuffing box and cannot get out. In
a majority of mechanical seal designs the seal faces and dynamic elastomer are often located in this
trapped air pocket.
Since heat is a major destroyer of mechanical seal faces and elastomers, you will want to keep them
submerged in fluid to help control any temperature rise.
Many cartridge seal designs have a flush port that can be connected to the suction side of the pump to
remove this air. If this port is not available you may have to install a ported plate between the stuffing
box face and the stationary part of the mechanical seal. Remember to connect a vent or suction
recirculation line from this port to the suction side of the pump.
Try to visualize this tandem seal in a vertical position and you will see that it is impossible to vent air
through the stuffing box lantern ring connection, or the circulating connection between the seals.
In this seal design both the upper and lower seal faces and the dynamic elastomers would run dry unless
you can figure out how to vent them. You might want to look at seal designs that put the faces and
elastomers in a more favorable position.

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Flow hrough a venturi
Flow through a Venturi 16-3
In another paper I gave you the formula for computing the approximate flow through an orifice or nozzle.
Here is the formula for an approximate flow through a venturi tube.
For any venturi tube use:
Or you can use:
Q = flow, in gpm
d1= diameter of venturi throat, inches
d2 = diameter of main pipe, inches
H = difference in head between upstream end and throat.
These formulas will work for any liquid with a viscosity similar to water.
● The values given here were for water.

● 32.174 feet/ second/ second was used for the acceleration of gravity
● 7.48 gallons/ cubic foot was used to compute the constants

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Viscosity primer
SUBJECT : A primer on viscosity 7-8
Viscosity is defined as resistance to pouring with higher viscosity liquids affecting centrifugal pump

misalignment.
0.000040" (one micron) at the seal's operating temperature and face load.
Viscosity is a measure of the "thickness" of the liquid. Molasses and motor oil are thick or high viscous
liquids. Gasoline and water are thin, low viscosity liquids. Do not confuse this viscosity with the specific
gravity of the same fluid. Specific gravity is a measure of the weight of the liquid compared to an equal
volume of 20° C (68° F) fresh water.
Motor oil has a low specific gravity (it floats on water), but a high viscosity of more than 500
centistokes. Mercury has a high specific gravity (13.7) but a low viscosity of only 0.118 Centistokes. It is
important to note again that these two properties of a liquid are entirely independent of each other.
The viscosity of a liquid can change appreciably with a change in the temperature of the liquid, but
seldom changes when the pressure is altered We all know that hot oil is "thinner" than cold oil, so we
must always know the temperature of the fluid when the viscosity is to be measured. Without this
information you will almost always select the wrong size pump.
Temperature is not the only variable when we look at viscosity. There are four classes of fluids that
change their viscosity with agitation, and one that does not:
● Newtonian fluids are unaffected by the magnitude and kind of motion to which they are subjected.
Mineral oil and water are typical of this type of liquid.
● Dilatant fluids increase their viscosity with agitation. some of these liquids can become almost
solid within a pump or pipe line. We all know that with agitation, cream becomes butter. Candy
compounds, clay slurries and similar heavily filled liquids do the same thing.
● Plastic fluids have a yield value which must be exceeded before flow will start. From that point on
the viscosity will decrease with an increase in agitation. Tomato catsup is the best example of
such a product.
● Pseudo-plastic fluids show a decrease in viscosity with an increase in agitation, but they do not
have a yield value. Many emulsions fall into this category.
● Thixotrophic fluids exhibit a decreasing viscosity with an increase in agitation, although the
viscosity at any particular rate of motion may depend upon the previous agitation of the liquid.
Examples are: glues, non-drip paint, greases, cellulose compounds, soaps, starches, and tar.
Viscosity is expressed in "absolute" or "kinematic" terms. Let's look at absolute first:
● The basic unit of absolute viscosity is the "poise".

● The common unit for expressing absolute viscosity is the "centipoise" (1/100 of a poise)
● Water at 68.4°F (20,2°C) has an absolute viscosity of one centipoise
● Kinematic viscosity is different:
● The basic unit of kinematic viscosity is the "stoke".
● The common units for expressing kinematic viscosity is the "Centistoke" (1/100 of a stoke ).
The two are related as follows:
KINEMATIC VISCOSITY = ABSOLUTE VISCOSITY/ SPECIFIC GRAVITY
Since the specific gravity of water at 68.4°F (20.2°C) is almost one, it follows that the kinematic
viscosity of water at 68.4°F is for all practical purposes 1.0 centistokes. We measure viscosity with a
viscosimeter and there are number of them available to chose from:
● The Saybolt universal version is the most popular in the United States, and is used to measure
liquids of low to medium viscosities. The Saybolt Furol version is for high viscosity liquids. A
measured volume of liquid is allowed to flow through an orifice of specified dimensions and the
time that it took to get through is measured in seconds. This is called the SSU number (Seconds
Saybolt Universal) or SSF number (Saybolt Seconds Furol). These numbers are widely published
in various charts and are often used in addition to, or in place of the actual viscosity measured in
centistokes.
● The Irany, Zahn and Redwood viscosimeters operate on the same principal. You can compare
viscosity readings to each other by means of conversion factors or comparison charts that are
widely available.
● The Brookfield Viscosimeter is the rotating type where a disc is rotated in the liquid to be tested.
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Viscosity primer
The drag is noted and read directly in centipoise. The rotating disc has approximately the same
friction factor operating on it as the pump impeller, so it is the best instrument for reading the
friction forces we find in a typical centrifugal pump.
● You should use these instrument to read non-Newtonian fluids and solid liquid mixtures. The
solids tend to clog the small orifice in the other type instruments, giving high, false readings even
though the liquid portion of the mixture is at a much lower viscosity.
There are tables available that list the viscosities of many common liquids at various temperatures. It is
very obvious that even small changes in temperature can affect viscosity greatly, which will change the
friction losses in the pipe fittings and valves.
In other papers I have described how these changes are addressed when you make your final pump and
seal selection. Unfortunately there is no acceptable analytical method of predicting pump performance
when the liquid has a viscosity different than water. Many test have been conducted, and the data
formulated into charts and nomographs with the result being that your pump performance can be
reasonably estimated for liquids of just about any viscosity.

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viscosity corrections to pump curve
Viscosity corrections to the pump curve 14-04
Viscosity means resistance to pouring. The higher the viscosity the thicker the fluid. If you are not
familiar with the term viscous fluid please refer to my paper Volume 7 , Number 8. Here is what is going
to change when you pump viscous fluids with a centrifugal pump:
● The brake horsepower requirement will increase.

● You will notice a reduction in the head the pump will produce.
● Some reduction in capacity will occur with moderate and high viscosities.
● The pump's efficiency will decrease.
The attached chart is typical of the charts supplied by the hydraulic Institute and other similar
publications. You can use it to:
● Act as an aid in selecting the pump you need for your application.
● Determine the performance of a conventional centrifugal pump pumping a viscous fluid when its
performance with only water is known.
In this section we will address the first use of the chart and let it assist us in selecting the centrifugal
pump for viscous fluids. Centrifugal pumps have been used with viscosities below 3,000 SSU (660
centistokes) and as high as 15,000 SSU (3,300 centistokes) but they are sensitive to changing viscosity.
High viscosity fluids are better handled with positive displacement pumps that are affected differently
than centrifugal pumps by a change in fluid viscosity:
● At a constant speed, changes in viscosity will have very little affect on capacity.
● The total head will probably increase with viscosity because of higher system resistance.
● The brake horsepower (kilowatts) will increase with capacity.
● The efficiency probably will not be affected because of less leakage through the internal pump
clearances. In some cases the efficiency will incease
Viscous fluids are very common in the petroleum industry so the attached chart was prepared using
petroleum oils as the test fluid, and like all charts of this type the information is general.
If you need very accurate information you will use this chart only as a guide and then conduct your own
test with your specific fluid. This information will get you into the "ball park". Use the chart only for:
● Conventional centrifugal pump hydraulic designs only.

● Pumps operating close to their BEP, and not at the far ends of the pump curve.
● Pumps operating with enough net positive suction head available (NPSHA) to prevent cavitation.
● Newtonian fluids. These are the type that do not change their viscosity with agitation. Non-
Newtonian fluids can increase or decrease their viscosity with agitation. As an example if you
agitate cream it will increase in viscosity and become butter.
● The information in the chart and formulas is generally valid for both open and closed impellers.
We will be using the following conventional symbols in our formulas with the exception of the "N" for
efficiency. The efficiency symbol used in most formulas is a Greek letter and looks a little different, but
this is the best I can do at this time, so bear with me:
Qvis Viscous capacity in gpm. (m3/hr). The capacity when pumping a viscous fluid
Hvis Viscous head in feet (meters). The head when pumping a viscous fluid.
Nvis Viscous efficiency in percent. The efficiency when pumping a viscous fluid
bhpvis Viscous brake horse power. The horsepower ( Kilowatts) required by the pump
for the viscous conditions.
Qw Water capacity in gpm.(m3/hr) The capacity when pumping water.

Hw Water head in feet (meters). The head when pumping water.
Nw Water efficiency in percent. The efficiency when pumping water.
S Specific gravity.
Cq Capacity correction factor.

Ch Head correction factor.
Cn Efficiency correction factor.
Qnw Water capacity at which maximum efficiency is obtained
The following equations are used for determining the viscous performance when the water
performance of the pump is known. As you can see they are not very hard to understand or
calculate once you get the terms straight.
Cq , Ch and Cn are determined from the correction chart which is based on water performance.On
the chart they are shown as CQ, CH and CN
The following equations are used for approximating the water performance when the desired viscous
capacity and head are given and the values of Cq and Ch must be estimated from the chart using
Qvis and Hvis as :
If you are not comfortable working with formulas all of these numbers look real scary, but the formulas
are really quite basic and require nothing more than the ability to multiply and divide simple numbers.
Almost every calculation in the pump and seal business can be done with a low cost hand calculator. So
jump right in and get wet.
With all of that said, we will use this information to select a pump for a given head-capacity-viscosity
condition. The first two examples will be in inch units and then we will show an example in metric units.
We are looking for a pump to pump 750 gpm to a total head (this includes the static, pressure and friction
heads combined) of 100 feet with a liquid having a viscosity of 1000 SSU and a specific gravity of 0.90
at the pumping temperature.
Please take a look at the following chart:

At the bottom of the chart enter at 750 go up to 100 feet, over to 1000 SSU and then up to the correction
factors shown below :
● Cq = 0.95
● Ch = 0.92 (for 1.0 Qnw water capacity))
● Cn = 0.635
● Qw = 750/0.95 = 790 gpm (see the last formulas shown above)
● Hw = 100/0.92 = 108.8 or 109 feet head (see the formula above)
● S = 0.90
This means that you need a pump with a water capacity of 790 gpm. At a head of 109 feet.
If the pump selected has an efficiency of 81% when it is pumping water the efficiency pumping the
viscous fluid will drop to Nvis = 0.635 x 81% = 51.5 percent efficient.
The brake horsepower for the viscous fluid will become:
That wasn't too bad was it? Here is another example. See if you come up with similar results. This time
the pump is going to handle 500 gpm (114 m3/hr) of 3000 SSU (660 centistokes) liquid against a head of

150 feet (46 meters) Looking at the chart :
Cq = 0.80 and Ch = 0.81

The water capacity becomes:
● In USCS units Qw = 500/0.80 = 625 gpm

● In SI units Qw = 114/0.80 = 142 m3/hr
The water head is :
● In USCS Qh = 150/0.81 = 185 ft.

● In SI units Qh = 46/0.81 = 57 meters
Going to the graph for 625 gpm (142 m3/hr), 185 feet (57 meters), 3000 SSU (660 cSt), the graph shows
Cq = 0.83
Adjusting the water capacity we get
● Qw x (0.80/0.83) = 602 gpm or 137m3/hr.

Adjusting the water head we get
● Hw x (0.81/0.84) = 178 feet (55 meters)

The efficiency will drop to Nvis = 0.75 x 42% = 31.5 percent
● In USCS units the brake horsepower for the viscous fluid will become:
● In SI units the brake kilowatts for the viscous fluid will become:

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Mc Nally Institute

Pump, centrifugal pumps, PD pumps, seals & mechanical seals data

Alphabetical listing of my free Technical

Want to try an online version of my CD?

You can purchase my book

● How to purchase my book

Here are some quick references you can use

● Sealing various fluids

SINCE MY RETIREMENT, I'M CONDUCTING JUST A FEW CONSUMER SCHOOLS

Dates and locations of the upcoming schools

I started in the Seal business in 1951, and with the exception

nuclear submarine experience

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/ (2 of 2) [7/21/03 11:10:05 AM]

TECHNICAL PAPER INDEX

Affinity laws for positive displacement pumps 13 6

Alignment between the pump and driver 14 3

ANSI pump Standard 14 5

API plans that I use 15 5

API standards, what's wrong with them? 12 5

Barrier or buffer fluid. The liquid we circulate between dual seals. 3 6 3

Bearing fit tolerances

Bearings - analyzing the parts and wear tracks 5 3

Bearings - anticipated life and how they fail 5 3

Bearings - keeping the moisture out of them 4 12 3

Bearings - keeping the solids out of them 4 12 4

Bearings - the main causes of overloading 4 12 1

Bearings - understanding what is meant by fatigue 4 12 1

Carbon graphite seal faces - how they are manufactured 4 7

Carbon seal faces; which is best? Solid or pressed in a metal holder? 15 3

Cartridge seals - the major cause of overheating them 7 4

Cavitation - what causes the noise and damage? 9 10

Centrifugal pump formulas, rules and definitions 13 4

Centrifugal pumps - what is wrong with their design 3 10

Charts and graphs you will need

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Chemical classification for easier sealing 2 12

Classifying seals by the operating conditions 4 3 1

Concentric dual seals 8 8 4

Condensate - why you must seal it 10 7

Controlling temperature in the pump stuffing box 4 6

Converting head to pressure 1 5 2

Corrosion - problems with the 300 series of stainless steel 4 1

Critical speed - calculating the first critical speed 5 4

Dangerous fluids, how to seal them 13 5

Density and specific gravity 16 2

Desirable features in any mechanical seal 4 3 2

Discharge recirculation - when to use it 3 6 1

Double seals - another name for dual seals 8 8

Double volute pump 14 6

Dual mechanical seals 8 8

Dynamically balancing the pump rotating components 9 1

Elastomers - selecting the correct O-ring for the application 4 9

Elastomers - temperature limits 4 9 2

Elastomers - where the special compounds do not work 10 6

Electric motor - the service factor 6 4 2

Electric motors - selecting the correct horsepower 6 4

Electric motors - the A.P.I. safety factors 6 4 3

Environmental controls - controlling the temperature in the stuffing box 4 6

Environmental controls - an overview of the subject 3 2

Environmental controls - controlling pressure in the stuffing box 4 10

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SUBJECT Vol Paper Page

Environmental controls - how to use them 3 6 5