APPLICATION CONSIDERATIONS TABLE OF CONTENTS Fluid Services Crystallizing Fluids Abrasive Fluids Fluids that Solidify or Harden High

High Vapor Pressure Fluids Hazardous Fluids Hot Fluids Low Temperature Services Cryogenic Fluids Corrosive Fluids Hot Water Buffer/Barrier Fluids Pump Considerations Single Stage Horizontal Overhung Pumps Vertical In-Line Pumps Double Ended Pumps Vertical Can-type Pumps Close Coupled Pumps Rotary Pumps Cavitation Vibration Vacuum Conditions Seal Considerations Pressure (Maximum Allowable Working Pressure) Pressure (Maximum Dynamic Sealing Pressure) Pressure (Maximum Static Sealing Pressure) Material Limits Axial Travel Eccentricity / Radial Movement Angular Misalignment High Speed

APPLICATION CONSIDERATIONS FLUID SERVICES Crystallizing Fluids Fluids that crystallize or leave behind a solid crystalline substance on the atmospheric side of the seal after passing across the seal face are generally salts, caustics, and other soluble mixtures. Providing a low seal chamber temperature is important. There are a variety of piping plans that can be used including those that include heat exchangers. In addition a suitable quench fluid helps maintain the crystals in solution to help prevent abrasive damage and potential seal hang-up. Quench fluids should be compatible so that the crystalline formation will remain in solution. Depending upon the concentration of the pumpage the quench can range from a static quench to a minimal flow to maintain a liquid volume in the quench area, to a steady stream. The throttle bushing type depends upon the available space and allowance for leakage to atmosphere. Abrasive Fluids Abrasive fluids exist in all industries and can range from a few PPM of particles in suspension to a heavy slurry. Sealing can range from a single seal with a periodic to a continuous quench to dual pressurized seals. For single seals the arrangement can be a rotating non-pusher type seal with a single spring to a stationary pusher type seal that has the springs on the atmospheric side of the seal. Various piping plans with abrasive separators to an injection (Plan 32) can also be used. When a Plan 32 is used a suitable throat bushing is required to keep abrasives out of the seal chamber. The recommended velocity through the bushing is 15 fps. The abrasive laden flush should not be directed at the seal as this can cause erosion of seal hardware or faces. Back-to-back dual pressurized seals should be avoided as they can suffer hang-up underneath the inboard seal close clearances. Fluids that Solidify or Harden Thermosensitive or viscous fluids that can harden in the seal chamber if heated or cooled beyond their limits include resins, asphalt, sulfur, heavy crude, and molasses. Either or both the pump and gland should include a jacket to maintain the proper seal chamber temperature and adequate time, up to 4+ hours, may be required to acquire the proper seal chamber temperature prior to pump operation. Steam quenches are typically used (if appropriate) and are particularly useful with a steam baffle to wash away leakage and maintain the proper temperature. Drain connections should be as large as practical. Seal faces should be a hard vs hard combination and the drive mechanism must be adequate for high torque conditions. Dual gas seals that produce minimal seal generated heat can also be appropriate for fluids that easily polymerize.

High Vapor Pressure Fluids Fluids with a vapor pressure at pumping temperature over a few atmospheres require a properly balanced seal that both minimizes heat generation and will remain closed as the fluid transforms from a liquid to a vapor across the seal faces. A flush plan that cools the pumpage to obtain a minimum of VP margin of 25 psi is recommended. Alternately, a close clearance throat bushing with an adequate flush rate can increase the seal chamber pressure to obtain a proper VP margin. Knowledge of the seal chamber pressure is paramount. A flush directed at the seal faces, such as a Distributed Flush, is recommended to prevent vapor bubbles at the outer diameter of the seal faces. Dual unpressurized seals with a liquid buffer may not be able to be adequately cooled and may result in a lower VP margin. Dry running containment seals should be considered where appropriate. Hazardous Fluids Toxic, highly flammable, carcinogens, and other fluids with similar characteristics should be sealed with a dual pressurized seal arrangement to prevent a product leakage to atmosphere. The barrier fluid should be maintained at a minimum of 25 psi or 10% over the seal chamber pressure. In some cases the inboard seal should be designed to withstand reverse pressures. The barrier fluid must be compatible with the product. Hot Fluids (> 400 F) These fluids are generally present in the petroleum industries or where heat transfer fluids are used. Non-pusher metal bellows seals are the default selection. Common piping plans are 02/62, 23, or 32. With Plan 02 systems, fouling of the pump cooling jacket is common leading to poor heat transfer over time. In addition a steam quench is required to retard the formation of coke on the atmospheric side of the seal. The use of a stationary seal with a steam baffle is the best arrangement. While nitrogen can be used it is not as good as steam and is more costly. Hard vs hard faces are recommended above temperatures over 500F. Low Temperature Services (<40 F) Cold service conditions generally require special low temperature elastomers and a nitrogen quench on the atmospheric side of the seal to prevent ice formation. Various throttle bushings can be used ranging from a fixed bushing to SBs. Cryogenic Fluids (<-100 F) Cryogenic fluids can range from light hydrocarbons (ethylene) to liquid oxygen/nitrogen and can reach temperatures of -350 F or less. Some applications are handled by long vertical turbine pumps, where a normal dual pressurized pusher seal is used, that is not exposed to the cold pumpage. In other applications single metal bellows have been successfully applied along with a nitrogen quench on the atmospheric side of the seal. Type 285 non-contacting seals can be used on specialty high speed transfer pumps. Martensitic SS should be avoided for low temperature services. Corrosive Fluids Corrosive fluids can range from acids to fluids containing hydrogen sulfide that cause stress corrosion cracking of metals. The recommended maximum corrosion rate for seal hardware is 0.002 inches per year.

In some cases back-to-back dual pressurized seals with no wetted metal hardware is recommended. This can be the safe arrangement for unknown fluids along with PTFE or Perfluoroelastomers and (alpha) SiC vs SiC faces. Hot Water (> 180 F) Hot water applications are similar to high vapor pressure fluids in that the pumpage can vaporize at the seal faces. In addition the elevated temperature reduces the wear rate of the carbon primary ring. Within guideline limits both non-pusher and pusher seals can be used in uncooled services, see Technology Bulletin #25. Alternately, Plan 21 can be used or more commonly Plan 23 can be used to lower the temperature. Water can contain any number of chemicals that can cause scaling and be abrasive when it undergoes a phase change (from liquid to vapor) at the seal interface. Buffer/Barrier Fluids o Water can be used in a variety of applications, but has a limited temperature range and may freeze in colder climates. Tap water can be used, but depending upon the treatment levels can scale or plate out at elevated temperatures. Demineralized or distilled water is a better buffer/barrier fluid than tap water. Deionized or high purity water has been used in applications where any contamination of the barrier fluid can be detrimental to the process fluid. Depending upon the purity level of this water it can be corrosive and can attack metals and seal face materials. o Glycols: Ethylene glycol has been successfully used in the past, but is a listed VHAP (volatile hazardous air pollutants) and has been replaced by propylene glycol. Typical mixtures are in the 40 to 60 percent range. Automotive anti-freeze is not recommended as it contains a number of additives that can be harmful to the seal. Triethylene glycol has a very limited usage as a buffer/barrier fluid, mainly in the resin and plastic industries. Triethylene glycol is useful in a temperature range of 0 C (32F) to 270C (520F). o Propanol or n-propyl alcohol has replaced methanol as a buffer/barrier fluid as the latter is a listed VHAP. It is useful for applications involving very low temperatures, but has a limited upper temperature range. o Kerosene or diesel fuels come in a variety of viscosities and are widely used in petrochemical and refinery applications. Local regulations should be checked to ensure that these are not restricted in use. o Lube Oils: Lube oils come in a wide variety of viscosity ranges and can contain numerous additives, some of which can be detrimental to seal performance. Anti-wear additives can plate out on the seal faces causing leakage and on other exposed areas the film created can restricting the heat transfer characteristics of the face materials. Oils above an ISO 32 can

created blistering problems with carbon seal faces and can lower pumping ring performance due to the additional resistance or pressure drop in the piping circuit. o Synthetic Oils: There are a number of synthetic oils on the market, some of which are geared specifically as mechanical seal buffer/barrier fluids. As a group they have better performance properties than petroleum based lube oils and have resolved some problems when replacing lube oils. It is recommended to consult the seal manufacturer regarding the use of specific synthetic oils. o Heat Transfer Fluids: Heat transfer fluids come in a wide variety of viscosities with varying temperature ranges. They can be petroleum based, glycols, or synthetic aromatic fluids in addition to others. Most have the ability to provide adequate to excellent lubrication for seals within their respective temperature ranges and are good for hot applications typically found in refineries.

APPLICATION CONSIDERATIONS PUMP CONSIDERATIONS Single Stage Horizontal Overhung Pumps Available in a wide variety of designs; centrifugal, rotary, progressive cavity, etc. that can a variety of seal chamber (stuffing box) designs. The seal chamber pressure can range from near suction to discharge pressure depending upon the impeller design. Seal chambers can range from large bore or tapered bore designs to small bore seal chambers or stuffing boxes. Bolting can range from standard 4 bolt designs, to two swing bolts, to multiple bolt API designs. These typically have the best combination of axial/radial movement and runout conditions. See MMTC 901-2 Seal Chamber Pressure for various pump types.

Vertical In-Line Pumps A vertical version of the horizontal centrifugal overhung pump that should not be confused with a vertical can or vertical turbine pump. There are a variety of designs; close coupled, rigid coupled, and integral bearing flexibly-coupled mountings. Close coupled designs are difficult to service and rigid models have long unsupported shafts that are subject to higher runouts, more shaft deflection, and imbalance leading to a variety of seal life challenges.

Double Ended Pumps There are a wide variety of double ended pump designs; single and multiple stages, single and double suction, radially and horizontally split, along with a variety of (API) edition seal chambers. The access to seal glands varies dramatically over the range of pumps involved. In most cases access to the lower section of the gland is restrictive, if not totally inaccessible, as is the case for installation and removal of cartridge seal spacers. Horizontally split pumps must have the gland O-ring on the face of the seal chamber and the upper and lower halves may be misaligned so stationary seals are less prone to problems, like gland distortion. On long multi-stage pumps the shaft/casing has the potential of significant transient growth due to differences in temperature between the shaft and the pump casing, especially on hot services. Some customers prefer glands that are uni-directional while others prefer bi-directional glands with outlets for both shaft rotations. See MMTC 901-2 Seal Chamber Pressure to determine the seal chamber pressure.

Vertical Can-Type Pumps Unlike vertical In-Line pumps, the seal chambers in these pumps are subject to pump discharge pressure. The shafts can be quite long and generally have sleeve type bearings within the pump casing. The length of the seal cartridge is restricted to the length of the spacer coupling. Alignment of the pump and motor shaft is difficult to achieve, so angular misalignment can be quite large. It is important that the gland porting allows full venting of the entrapped air and must be located above the seal faces. With the use of a Plan 13 flush, the flow past the seal faces is not optimum so the use of a Distributed Flush to draw the flow near the faces is recommended.

Close Coupled Pumps Typically use High Volume elastomeric bellows seals to maintain a low cost design. The seal chamber & gland are usually an integral part of the pump and has a limited number of flush plans available. Typical sealing problems can arise from out-of-square mating rings (cup mounted) or very limited startup torque from the fractional HP motors used.

Rotary Pumps There are a variety of rotary pump types; internal and external gear, lobes, vane, screw, and others like progressive cavity pumps. Seal chamber size is typically limited in axial and radial space, and some utilize 2 bolt glands that can lead to mating ring distortion if not installed properly. While operating at lower shaft speeds than centrifugal pumps they are generally used on higher viscosity fluids that can pose problems with drive mechanisms and potentially limited face lubrication. Twin shaft screw pumps have 4 seals per pump and require special glands with limited space between shafts.

Cavitation can obstruct the pump, impair performance and flow capacity, damage the impeller and other sensitive components, and create large vibrations. In short, the pump has a heart attack called cavitation. Classical cavitation occurs when the absolute pressure of a moving liquid is reduced to, or even below, the vapor pressure of the liquid in the impeller eye. Bubbles are formed as a result of this pressure drop. Lower pressures in the impeller eye are caused by variations in velocity of the fluid and friction losses as

the fluid enters the impeller. The bubbles are caught up and swept outward along the impeller vane. Somewhere along the non-visible side of the impeller vane, the pressure may once again exceed the vapor pressure and cause the bubbles to collapse. Implosions of these vapor pockets can be so rapid that a rumbling/cracking noise is produced. The hydraulic impacts caused by the collapsing bubbles are strong enough to cause minute areas of fatigue on the metal impeller surfaces. Depending on the severity of the cavitation, a decrease in pump performance may also be noted. Vibration Radial or lateral vibration is the most frequent type of pump vibration where the displacement is predominantly in the plane perpendicular to the pump axis. There are a number of limits that vary within industry standards (Hydraulic Institute HI 1.1-1.4 vs API 610). For Overhung, Vertical In-Line, and Between Bearing pumps, at normal pump speeds ranging from 1200 to 3600 rpm the levels can vary from 0.001 to 0.004 peak-to-peak and Vertical suspended pumps the values can reach 0.002 to 0.008 peak-to-peak (Unfiltered). More detailed information is available within the above standards. Machinery vibration severity charts, available from a variety of sources, should not be applied to pumps indiscriminately. Vacuum Conditions Hydraulically balanced seals can perform well in vacuum services. Dual pressurized seals can also be used. When single seals are used, the seal chamber pressure must be increased through the use of an injection or by-pass flush in conjunction with a close clearance throat bushing. Retention of the mating ring must be taken into account. Depending upon size and vacuum conditions, reverse pressure compatible seal designs may be required. APPLICATION CONSIDERATIONS SEAL CONSIDERATIONS Pressure (definitions): Maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) maximum continuous pressure for which the (pump) manufacturer has designed the equipment when handling the specified fluid at the specified maximum operating temperature. Maximum dynamic sealing pressure (MDSP) highest pressure expected at the seal(s) during any specified operating condition and during start-up and shutdown. In seal design must consider face pressure, pressure and thermal distortions of the faces, stresses and deformations, secondary seal extrusion, primary and mating ring drive, piping plans, thrust loads and PV limits as a minimum. Maximum static sealing pressure (MSSP) highest pressure, excluding pressures encountered during hydrostatic testing, to which the seal(s) can be subjected to while the pump is shut down. In seal design consideration that the seal may be exposed to this pressure for extended periods of time

at minimum/maximum temperature when the pump is a stand-by spare. Material Limits these can be based upon a variety of conditions: chemical compatibility, corrosion rate less than 0.002/year, stress crack corrosion, pitting, minimum and maximum temperature limits, thermal stresses, PV limits, face contact pressure limits, wear rate at elevated temperatures, secondary seal compression set / swell / shrinkage / explosive decompression / thermal expansion rate, material toughness, fluid viscosity limits (minimum/maximum). Axial travel The equipment may exhibit axial travel due to thrust loads, shaft shuttling, or due to temperature changes. On pumps during warm-up, the shaft will most likely expand faster than the pump case, causing a temporary expansion/contraction of the seal. This is especially true of multi-stage double ended pumps and large mixers. The seal springs/bellows needs to be able to compensate for this. Axial shuttling of the shaft can cause excessive secondary seal wear on pusher seals and should be corrected. Coated shafts/sleeves with an 8-20 Ra finish will reduce the wear, but is only a temporary fix. Eccentricity / Radial Movement Eccentricity of the seal chamber or gland plate to the shaft must be considered especially when there are multiple pilots. Radial movement of the shaft can be due to parallel misalignment or from the type of bearings used on various types of equipment such as vertically suspended shafts. The primary ring face should not run off the mating ring face in operation. Size-onsize faces should be considered for abrasive applications to avoid grooving that could result in chipping of the seal faces. It is also advisable to ensure that the mating ring or other stationary components have sufficient clearance so as not to have contact with the equipment shaft. See UK Technical Policy UKTP027. Angular Misalignment Angular misalignment or runout limits differ based upon the type of secondary seal and shaft speed. Non-pusher seals can withstand more misalignment than pusher type seals, but can still suffer from drive mechanism wear or fatigue associated with welded metal bellows. Angular misalignment is measured by mounting a dial indicator on the shaft and rotating it against the seal chamber face. Rotating seals must compensate for the runout with each revolution of the shaft. Stationary seals eliminate this condition. Dynamic shaft deflections, piping strain, thermal distortions, and inadequate equipment mounting can also create angular misalignment in addition to what is measured above. The table below can be used as a general guideline, which accounts for the measurable misalignment that can be accounted for when equipment is checked. It does not account for dynamic shaft deflections, thermal distortions, or fluid considerations that can affect seal life that will tend to accelerate drive mechanism wear. For values larger than those listed calculations need to be run to see if the seal can withstand the runout due to internal clearances. Angular Misalignment Limits for Seals
Shaft Speed Pusher & Metal Pusher & Metal Elastomer (rpm) Bellows (mm) Bellows (in) Bellows (mm) Elastomer Bellows (in)

500 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000

0.152 0.127 0.089 0.064 0.051 0.038 0.025

0.006 0.005 0.0035 0.0025 0.002 0.0015 0.001

0.279 0.254 0.191 0.152 0.127 0.089 0.051

0.011 0.010 0.0075 0.006 0.005 0.0035 0.002

High Speed Shaft speeds in excess of 5,000 fpm or alternately shaft speeds in excess of 6,000+ rpm (for smaller shaft diameters) can create unbalance forces in the seal. Above these limits stationary seals must be used. Radial containment of the mating ring should also be considered when using brittle materials such as silicon carbide.