SEALING DEVICES

Christian Jade M. Lawas

College of Engineering and Technology

Department of Mechanical Engineering

MEng 156 – Manufacturing and Industrial Processes

Engineering Report No. 1 5
Second Semester, A.Y. 2020 – 2021

05/19/2021
I. Introduction 5

Seals have been utilized since the early civilizations of humans. In the modern days, sealing
devices are being used in industrial and manufacturing plants and even in other industries
that requires sealing that prevent leakage, and contain pressure between components since
fluid transfer between two sites is only achievable in any fluid transmission system if the
equipment applies pressure without leaking fluid. Sealing devices not only keep foreign
materials like dirt, water, and metal powder out, but it also keeps it from leakages. Since these
devices are generally taken for granted and cost a small portion of the amount of the
equipment in which they are equipped, they are usually ignored until a problem occurs.

This engineering report aims to provide a simplified description about sealing devices to help
readers and learners understand what sealing devices are and their purposes. This report will
cover topics about the types of sealing devices such as gaskets, mechanical seal,
compression packings and expansion joints and determine their functions and uses.

II. Types of Sealing Devices 45

Sealing devices eliminate leaks, regulate pressure, and keep pollutants from migrating
among both components. There are types of sealing devices used in many industries which
are the gaskets, mechanical seal, compression packings and expansion joints.

Gaskets
Gaskets are mechanical seals which prevents leakage from or into the linked components
when under compression by filling the gap between two or more contact surfaces. Amongst
the most typical industrial purposes for a gasket is to enclose or seal two pipes together.
Gaskets are also employed to seal boilers and storage tanks. It prevents liquids or gases
from leaking between the various components in all conditions. The tiny gaps and
imperfections of the flange faces in connecting two pipes are filled by a gasket, which
subsequently creates a seal. Gasket materials may be classified into three types: Non-
metallic types, Semi-metallic types and Metallic types.

 Non-metallic Gaskets – They are used in low temperature and minimal pressure
operations and are made up of composite sheet materials often employed in flat and
raised-face flanges. Arimid fiber, glass fiber, elastomer, PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene),
graphite, and other non-metallic compounds have been used to make non-metallic
gaskets.

Figure 1

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  Semi-metallic Gaskets – They are metal-and-non-metallic-material composites. The
metal portion is designed to give strength and durability, while the non-metallic
counterpart is designed to give consistency and seal ability. Semi-metallic gaskets
are equipped on rising faces and is intended for nearly all operational scenarios
including high-temperature and pressure applications. Spiral wrapped and cam
profile gaskets, as well as a variation of metal-reinforced graphite gaskets, are
usually used semi-metallic gaskets.

Figure 2

 Metallic Gaskets – They are employed to seal operations with greater temperatures
and pressures. Heat exchangers, compressors, condensers, pumps, and valves are
examples of common uses of metallic gaskets. They are typically used in combination
with specific, matching flanges that provide effective, dependable sealing by using the
appropriate profiles and materials. Ring-type-joint gaskets are the popularly used
metallic gaskets in many industrial plants.

Figure 3

Mechanical Seals
Mechanical seals are mechanisms that create a seal at the area of entry or exit of a revolving
shaft. It's usually utilized to keep one high-pressure fluid from leaking into a lower-pressure
liquid. By limiting leaks, controlling pressure, and eliminating contaminants, it assists the
connection of systems and processes. Sealant adhesion and gasket compression determine
the efficiency of a seal. There are types of mechanical seals such as the Balanced Seals,
Unbalanced Seals, Pusher seals, Non-pusher seals, Conventional seals, Cartridge seals and
many more.

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  Balanced Mechanical Seal – It is a type of mechanical seal wherein the fluid sealing
forces on the seal faces have been altered by seal design. A mechanism in which the
loads exerted on the seal faces are equal. Because of the reduced face loading, the
sealing surfaces are lubricated more equally, resulting in prolonged seal longevity.

Figure 4

 Unbalanced Mechanical Seal – This type of mechanical seals are typically used as
a less expensive solution to the more complicated balancing seal and are not suitable
for high-pressure operations. Due to improved manipulation of the face film, there
should be less product leaks, but on the long run, failure may be significantly shorter.

Figure 5

 Pusher Mechanical Seals - It employs one or even more springs to keep the seal
closure forces constant. The mechanical seal's springs can be found in either the
spinning or fixed components. It may achieve sealing at extremely high pressures and
also have a downside related to the elastomer under the main seal face that could be
susceptible to wear when the face advances along the shaft during the operations.

Figure 6

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  Non-pusher Mechanical Seals - To maintain seal closing forces, it uses a metal or
rubber bellows. Dirty and high-temperature operations are suitable for such seals and
is it's made up of a bellows assembly.

Figure 7

 Conventional Mechanical Seals – This type of mechanical seals are meant to be

used on operations that were not originally constructed with mechanical seals, but
rather with lip seals. These are considered necessary for pump and compressor
renovations and upgrades, and might need engineering and maintenance efforts to
achieve.

Figure 8

 Cartridge Mechanical Seals - It guarantees that the spinning shaft and stationary
housing are both statically sealed. It contains the overall mechanical seal assembly in
a single, easy-to-replace container that perfectly fits in within cartridge-style housing.

Figure 9

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Compression Packings
Compression Packing is a type of sealing device that provides the sealing function, preventing
fluid or gas leak in certain cases. They're utilized in rotary, centrifugal, and reciprocating
pumps, as well as valves, expansion joints, soot blowers, and a number of other mechanical
devices. Compression packing is a typical sealing method that involves tightening a gland
along the top ring and compressing the packing onto the surface to be sealed. Here are some
types of compression packing construction such as Braiding, Twisting and Die-formed
Materials.

 Braiding - The braided packing is cut into rings, stuffed into a stuffing box, and then
crushed with a bolted gland. The packing expands radially beneath axial compression,
forming a seal between the device's fixed body and the dynamic surface, which is often
a spinning shaft. There are some designs for braided packings. These are the
following:
a) Braid-over-braid
b) Braid-over-core
c) Braided tape

 Twisting – The twisted structure allows strands from a larger size to be untwisted and
removed, allowing the remaining packing to fit into a smaller annular size filling box.
To achieve the appropriate size, yarns, ribbons, and other forms of diverse materials
are twisted together. Twisted packing may be manufactured to withstand high
temperatures and pressures, prevent fluid penetration, and adapt to the imperfections
of worn devices when metallic materials are utilized in the packing.
 Die-formed Packing - It is a braided or twisted packing ring that is trimmed to length
and physically compacted into a molding die to exclude any voids before being placed
into a stuffing box.

Expansion Joints
Expansion joints are carefully constructed junction that may be used to absorb motion in a
rigid piping system. It is an assembly that holds components together while absorbs thermal
expansion and contraction of construction materials, as well as vibration, and relieves pipe
system stress caused by thermal and mechanical vibrations or motions. There are types of
expansion joints that are very useful in piping applications. These are the following:

 Metallic Expansion Joints – They are utilized to prevent further damage from thermal
expansion, vibration, pressure thrust, and other mechanical factors in piping and
ducting systems.

Figure 10
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  Rubber Expansion Joints – These are an adaptable connectors composed of organic
or synthetic elastomers and textiles with metallic supports that are used to relieve
tension in piping systems caused by temperature variations.

Figure 11

 Teflon® Expansion Joints - As pump connections and a strategic location throughout

a system, it is widely used in the chemical manufacturing field, pipeline operations
where acids and extremely toxic gases are handled, and industrial heating and air
conditioning systems.

The mentioned types of sealing devices are very useful to companies and industrial plants,
since it keeps the piping system in the plantation and factories to be stable and sealed, and it
can have a positive influence on the end result.

III. Conclusions and Recommendations 25

Sealing devices are installed in hydraulic equipment to avoid leakages and cross-
contamination from dirt and dust entering in it. Dirt might seep into your equipment and
cause serious malfunction if they aren't properly installed. Identifying and familiarizing the
types of sealing devices gives you the advantage on choosing what sealing device is best for
your equipment and piping systems to be installed. As an engineering student, identifying
and having knowledge about sealing devices is good since we will be facing these devices
when we will be employed in an industrial and manufacturing plants.
If the sealing device fails to function well, foreign matter or leakage will cause unimaginable
damage as a result of the malfunction. Therefore, it is very necessary to choose for the most
effective and efficient sealing devices to avoid problems and failures.

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IV. References 10

1. Process Plant Equipment: Operation, Control, and Reliability (2012) by M.D.

Holloway, C. Nwaoha
2. COMPRESSION PACKING Technical Manual 4th Edition (2018) by Fluid Sealing
Association
3. Figure 1 - https://www.pipingengineer.org/non-metallic-gaskets-for-piping-flanges/
4. Figure 2 - https://www.globseals.com/uncategorized/semi-metallic-gaskets/
5. Figure 3 - https://www.sealanddesign.com/products/gaskets/metallic-gaskets-info/
6. Figure 4-5. - https://mechanicalengineeringsite.com/mechanical-seal-balanced-
and-unbalanced-type/
7. Figure 6 - https://www.superproofseals.net/pusher-seal.html
8. Figure 7 -
https://sielearning.tafensw.edu.au/toolboxes/TurningForce/tools/fman/manuals/me
chseal/page8.htm
9. Figure 8 - https://supseals.en.made-in-china.com/product/gKOJcLklCBWm/China-
Conventional-Compressor-Mechanical-Seal-CCS.html
10. Figure 9 - https://chestertonrotating.chesterton.com/en-
us/Products/Pages/CartridgeSeals.aspx
11. Figure 10 - https://www.constrofacilitator.com/different-types-of-metal-expansion-
joints/
12. Figure 11 - https://unisource-mfg.com/rubber-expansion-joints/

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