Benefits of using Mechanical Seals over Gland Packing

If gland packing is being used on pumps in the plant, it is time to think of switching over to
mechanical seal by converting gland packed pumps. The following disadvantages can be
considered when pumps are run with gland packing:.

Disadvantages of Gland Packing:

• More Power Consumption

• Excessive Shaft / Sleeve wear
• Loss of product
• A potential source of pollution!!!
• More friction leading to more heat generation, less efficiency
• Less bearing life due to entry of water in bearings
• Higher maintenance cost
• More down time

More Power Consumption:

Power consumption is always higher when using gland packing. This is due to high area of
contact between packing and shaft / sleeve and high friction. There is also no control on
tightening force of the gland nuts. A typical example of comparison of power consumed between
gland packing and mechanical seal is shown on the attached excel sheet for study. Different
values can be inserted to find out power consumed for other equipment running in the plant.

Excessive Shaft / Sleeve Wear:

Due to continuous contact between packing and shaft / sleeve, the surface wears out faster and
erratically. This leads to more leakage and after sometime increase beyond control. At this time
it requires change of shaft or sleeve incurring replacement costs.

Loss of Product:
Continuous leakage must be allowed when using gland packing to cool and lubricate contact
areas, thus leakage of product is unavoidable. These result in loss of product, mess around the
pump and add to the load on effluent treatment plant (ETP).
A Potential Source of Pollution:
If the medium handled is dirty, corrosive, or polluting in nature, the surrounding environment of
the pump would become polluted due to leakage of the product.

More Friction leading to more Heat Generation, Less Efficiency:

High friction results in more heat generation and loss of power resulting in less efficiency of the
equipment.

Less Bearing Life due to Entry of product in Bearings:

Excessive leakage of the product would lead to entry of the product in the bearing area
contaminating lubricating oil, thus reducing bearing life. Frequent replacement of bearings may
happen adding to the operation costs.

Higher Maintenance Costs:

Intermittent replacement of shaft / sleeve, bearings and man hours spent on maintenance may
add to higher maintenance costs.

More down Time:

For replacement of parts the equipment may have to be taken out of the stream resulting in
increased down time.

All the above disadvantages can be turned to advantages when gland packed pump is
converted to mechanical seal. The power saving, cost of replacement spares, loss of the
product, loss of man hours for frequent maintenance can be avoided. The initial higher cost of
the mechanical seal can be easily offset within 6 months, from the saving of the above
mentioned costs.
i' •.

A329096 GLAND PACKING

N= 960 RPM

Tr -' PlOt xAxFx(Dm 12000)

.(1
Ptot =6P(B-K)+ PSP
=0.25(1-0.5)+0
=0.125
,
N/n1m2

A=n:x d x Lenth of Gland Packing

= nx135xl00
=42411.5 n1m2
f= 0.15 (f Coefficient of friction)

Dl11 = 135 Inm

T" = 0.125 x 42411.5 x 0.15 x (135/2000)

= 53.67 N.mm

Power = (T r xN) 1 9550

-..:(53.67 x 9:60) 19550
= 5.4 Kw "

"
 A329096 MECHANICAL SEAL
seAL TYPe - LPH 50.5
"SriAF-T SIZe: - 1.35. 0 ~.....,
1). Seal Face Area:
A=n I 4 (D2 _d2)
= 1t I 4(1752-1652)
=2670.351nm2
2). Balance Ratio:
B= H.A. I S.F.A.
·=H.A. I A
2 2
= 1t 14(175 -168.3 ) I 2670.35
= 1806.5 12670.35
= 0.68
3). Spring Pressure:
Psp (1';T/mn12) = F spl A (F SP = Spring force)
=317.84 12670.35
=0.119 N/ml1).2
4). Total F ace Pressure:

Ptot =i1P(B-K)+ Psp (i1P=Pressure, K=Pr. Drop

Coefficient)
=0.63(0.68-0.5)+0.119
'-:0.2324 N/mln2
5). Dm = Mean Face Diameter

Dm= (Do+ D1) 12

(175+ 165) 12
=170.0mm,

6). Running Torque (Tr) = Ptot X A x fx (Dm/2000) f Coefficient

of friction=0.07)
Tr = 0.2324 x 2670.35 x 0.07 x (170 I 2000)
= 3.69 N.mm

Power = (Tr xN) I 9550

= (3.69 x 960) 195~0
=0.37Kw·
Calibre Communications, a division of Blockdale, publishers of India's leading chemical and
engineering monthly journal - Chemical Industry Digest - organizes workshops, seminars and
conferences for disseminating process industry specific, application oriented, technical knowledge
updates, conducted by leading national and international experts with about 25 years (and more)
experience in their respective fields. This Division was started in 1997. Calibre Workshops are
specially designed continuing education programmes for engineers, scientists, plant personnel and
industry managers in process industries. Course content highlights more on practical aspects (not
only theory), troubleshooting and problem solving, interspersed with case studies, and
disseminates latest developments in the respective fields.

Calibre Communications regularly conducts workshops and conferences on:

• Industrial Mixing
• Crude Tank Mixing
#Umps, Seals & Packings
• Distillation
• Heat Transfer
• Storage Tanks
• Vacuum Systems
• Maintenance
• Energy Efficiency
• Reactor Engineering
• Industrial Crystallization

All the workshops, over 50, conducted so far have been remarkably successful and of tremendous
re-education value with very satisfied feedback from production & maintenance managers, plant
managers, environment & safety managers & engineers, process engineers, R&D managers,
business heads and other key decision makers from various industries who attended our
workshops.
 Chemical Industry Digest ~ Workshop on

'Pumps, Seals & Packings'

LIST OF DELEGATES
--- - -

Sr. No Name of the Delegate Company Contact No.

-
1 Samit Hegde Nandu Chemical Industries 09243285870

2 Santosh Khadilkar Best Value Chem Pvt Ltd 09925012774

3 Bhavin Bhatt Solaris Chemtech Industries Pvt Ltd 09909922748

f-
4 Manoj Patil Marico Ltd 09665778493
----- - - - -
5 R V Bhatt Flowchem Engineering Ltd 09825060163
-
6 R M Pandya Flowchem Engineering Ltd 0982510.8674
---
7 Lokesh Hinganikar Mecon Ltd 09343027039
- - - - - - ._- -
8 Suredra Bhahadur Mecon Ltd 09538032470
r----- -
9 PM Kapadia GNFC

10 Jayanth Sateesh Linde Engineering I Pvt Ltd 09898491289

11 Gaurav Karbhari Linde Engineering I Pvt Ltd 09978977605

- 1--- -
12 V R Davate Lubrizollndia Pvt Ltd 09867655322
- --
13 S C Rai Kribhco Shyam Fert Ltd 09792202458
- - - -- - ------ -
14 Mr. Patil Vedant Tapioca Pvt Ltd 09822111756
---~- ---- -- - -- - -- -
15 Tarun Sinha Dorf Ketal India Pvt Ltd 09662482099/
07405804205
--- ------
16 Paresh Pandya Dorf Ketal India Pvt Ltd 09428694168
- t-- ------
17 Mihir Bhatt Linde Engineering I Pvt 09978906508
--- - --
18 G S Ostwal Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd 09422776721
-------~~