John Crane

Dry Gas Seals Theory, Basic Design and

Applications
-Emery Johnson
John Crane
John Crane
Who is John Crane
John Crane
For over 80 years John Crane has had a passion for innovation
We are the acknowledged world leader and the largest developer,
manufacturer and provider of:
Engineered mechanical seals
Dry Running Gas Seals
Sealing support systems
Power transmission couplings
Bearing lubrication systems
Smiths Group plc John Crane Profile
John Crane
The World Leader for Mechanical Seals
John Crane
Global Training Centers
John Crane
Type 28 Dry Gas Seals
John Crane
Technology
AT
XP
EXP
T83
Tertiary Sealing
P
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2010 1980 1990 2000
John Crane
Technology
AT
XP
EXP
LNG
Reinjection
T82 / T83
Tertiary Sealing
P
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s
s
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D
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2010 1980 1990 2000
John Crane
Technology
AT
XP
EXP
LNG
Reinjection
T82 / T83
Tertiary Sealing
P
r
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s
s
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x

D
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2010 1980 1990 2000
John Crane
Next generation products
500 mm
LNG/GTL
800 bar
Reinjection
AT
XP
EXP
LNG
Reinjection
P
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2010 1980 1990 2000
John Crane
Compressor
shaft
sealing
John Crane
To isolate bearing cavity from the process cavity:
to prevent process gas from entering the
atmosphere
to prevent bearing oil contamination of the process
Compressor shaft sealing
John Crane
1968First patent
1975First field applications
1981First beam type compressor
1985First steam turbine
1985First Mag brg / Dry seal
1991Bi-directional seal
1992XP seal - 123 to 200 bar
1994Type 82 barrier seal introduced
1997Worlds Largest 330mm Gas Seal
1997Cranite 2000
1997500 bar test rig
1998100,000,000 operating hours exceeded
2000First 5000 psig balance piston seal
Gas seal history
John Crane
Features
and
operation
John Crane
Extremely low process gas leakage
Withstands rapid speed and pressure changes
Theoretically, due to the non-contacting design
feature, seal life can be considered unlimited
Dry gas seal features
John Crane
Type 28 Operating Limits
Seal Lift off Pressure
@0 RPM, approximately 100 PSIG
Seal Lift Off Speed
At 0 pressure differential, lift off is approximately 2 Ft./Sec.,
calculated from the shaft size.
Seal Axial Shifts
+/- 0.125
Seal Radial Shifts
+/- 0.025
Capable of Handling Start- Stops at Full Pressure
John Crane
Mating Ring
Tungsten/Silicon Carbide/Silicon Nitride
Primary Ring
Carbon/Silicon Carbide
Hardware
410SS/316SS/Hastelloy/other
Springs
Hastelloy C
Dry gas seal materials
John Crane
Operating
principals
John Crane
UNIDIRECTIONAL
SPIRAL GROOVE
BIDIRECTIONAL
SPIRAL GROOVE
Spiral Groove Comparison
Operating principals
John Crane
Direction of Rotation
Gas is induced
towards the
center.
Gas is Compressed &
Pressure increases to
set Gap.
Sealing Dam
Operating principals
John Crane
Direction of Rotation
Gas is induced
towards the
center.
Gas is Compressed &
Pressure increases to
set Gap.
Sealing Dam
Operating principals
John Crane
Normal Gap
Compression
Expansion
Gas Film
Pressure
Distribution
Spring Load
+ Hydrostatic
S P
CLOSING
FORCE
FC
OPENING
FORCE
FO
FC = FO
Operating principals
John Crane
Seal Face Operating Gap
Running
Gap
Human Hair
John Crane
Seal
Arrangements
John Crane
Atmosphere
Compressor
Housing
Shaft
Product
Housing
Retainer
Thrust Ring
Dynamic
Sealing Element
Springs
Stationary
Face
Sleeve
Rotating Mating
Ring
DGS arrangements Basics
John Crane
SEALING
GAS
BARRIER
GAS
PRIMARY
LEAKAGE
P
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C
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SERVICE: PLANT AIR AND NITROGEN SERVICE
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Pressure: Up To 6500 PSIG Temperature: -100 to +600 F
Speed: Up To 660 Ft/Sec. Gases: Air or N2
DGS arrangements Single Seal
John Crane
SEALING
GAS
SEPARATION
GAS (N2)
BARRIER
GAS (N2)
SECONDARY
LEAKAGE (N2)
PRIMARY
LEAKAGE
P
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C
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Pressure: Up To 6500 PSIG Temperature: -100 to +600 F
Speed: Up To 660 Ft/Sec. Gases: All
DGS arrangements Tandem w / Int Laby
John Crane
Compliant stationary face
design providing
maximum flexibility
Patented
optimised spiral
or bi-directional
groove design
Standard offering
Tungsten Carbide
Silicon Carbide
Point Solutions
Ductile
Silicon Nitride
Type 28AT seal design features
Shrouded as Standard
Tolerance
Strip
O-rings
John Crane
Type 28XP seal
Introduced in 1992
Polymer seals
Eliminates explosive
decompression
The Industry standard for
high pressure
applications
Experience up to 425 bar
John Crane
O-Ring explosive decompression
Natural voids
in O-ring
High pressure gas
John Crane
Pressure:
AT: Up to 1800 PSIG
XP: Up to 2900 PSIG
EXP: Up to 8000 PSIG
Temperature:
AT: -4 to +400 F
XP, EXP: -100 to +600 F
Speed:
Up to 650 Ft./Sec.
Dry Gas Seal Arrangements
John Crane
Successful Operational Experience
Sealing Supercritical CO2
Jason Marquardt
Gas Seal Engineering
John Crane Inc.
John Crane
Sealing Supercritical CO2
Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)
CO2 Sequestration
CO2 Recovery (Power Plant Exhaust)
John Crane
Sealing Supercritical CO2
What Weve Done:
High Pressure Reinjection (Wells)
Pressure: 215 barg (3118 psig)
Supercritical CO2 Qualification Testing June 2009
CO2 Transportation (Pipeline Applications)
Extensive Field Application Experience
Pressures: 1000 2500 psig
Temperatures: -16 F 220 F
Speeds: 1785 3600 rpm (Pumps)
John Crane
Sealing Supercritical CO2
John Crane
Sealing Supercritical CO2
Future Expectations/Current Discussions:
High Pressure Reinjection
Pressures: to 480 barg (6960 psig)
Temperatures: 67 C (153 F)
Speeds: 3600 rpm (Pumps)
Turbo Expanders
Pressures: to 3000 psig
Temperatures: 390 F
Speeds: 40,000 rpm
John Crane
Sealing Supercritical CO2
Preparing For The Future
Determine future customer application requirements.
Are current modeling tools adequate to predict seal behavior at
future pressures, speeds, temperatures?
Evaluate what test rig modifications required to validate
theoretical results.
John Crane
Sealing Supercritical CO2
Conclusion
Typical Supercritical CO2 EOR (pipeline) applications have been successfully sealed with dry gas seals for
decades.
Recent increased carbon sequestration interest indicates many new seal opportunities within our current
experience list.
Many turbo expander inquiries received presenting new challenges with respect to pressures and speeds well
outside the current known comfort zone.