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One of the seal components has been damaged by either the fluid you are sealing, heat, or
a cleaner used to flush the system.
After the failure has occurred you'll frequently get a chance to analyze the failed components.
You're going to be looking for several things:
Evidence of corrosion.
Parts that are missing. Springs, set screws and drive lugs are examples.
Product attaching to a rotating component. Carefully inspect the impeller and rotating
part of the seal.
In the following paragraphs we'll be inspecting the individual components and looking for
evidence of the above.
THE CARBON FACE
Chipping on the O.D. of the carbon. Indicating vibration.
This can be caused by harmonic vibration, or when the rotating equipment hits a critical
speed.
Slipstick can occur if you're 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.
Vaporization of the liquid causing the faces to rapidly open and then close as the leaking
fluid cools the faces.
Pits in the carbon face. This problem is often 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 being blown out, polished sections 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 it can "coke" at the elevated 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'll see evidence of these small pits if
you inspect the carbon face under a magnifying glass.
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 particles in the fluid can be centrifuged into the rotating carbon face.
If the stationary face is manufactured from one of the carbon grades, 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 B.E.P.
A solid product was blown across the seal face. It rolls from the outside to the inside
diameter. This happens in boiler feed water applications.
You're 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 CTI. grade
CNFJ.
You're 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.
Some forms of de-onized water will pit and corrode carbon faces
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 pumps each time
they start up.
Excessive vibration can bang the carbon against a metal drive lug.
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.r.
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.
The stuffing box is running under a vacuum because the impeller was adjusted backwards
and the impeller "pump out vanes" are causing the vacuum.
The pumping fluid is creating a protective oxide on the piping. This oxide is chipping off
and 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 types of 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.
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.
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 can have this
problem..
The shaft is moving in an axial direction because of thrust. This can cause an over
compression and heating of the seal faces
The impeller is being adjusted towards the back plate. This is problem with seals installed
in Flowserve pumps or any other pump that adjusts the open impeller against the back
plate.
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.
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.
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..
Some companies lap a concave pattern as standard. Check with your manufacturer.
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're running on a non-apped surface.
The metal/ carbon composite hasn't been stress relieved and it's distorting the carbon.
When the carbon was lapped the lapping plate was too hot and as a result, not flat.
The carbon was lapped at room temperature and the seal is running at cryogenic
temperatures.
Some ceramics and silicon carbides are attacked by caustic fluids. Check to see if your
seal face 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.
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 I.D. of the hard face.
The shaft is hitting the stationary face or the rotating seal face is hitting a stationary
object.
Mishandling.
Poor packaging.
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.
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.
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 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 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 for the application.
Worn bearings.
Bent shaft.
Unbalanced impeller.
In a stationary seal, the stationary carbon is often not centered to the shaft, causing a
wiping action.
The hard face clamping forces are not "equal and opposite".
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.
High pressure.
Excessive temperature.
You are using a two bolt gland and the gland is too thin causing it to distort.
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.
A change in pressure.
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.
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.
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.
Mishandling.
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.
Chemical attack.
Solvents or cleaners used in the system may not be compatible with the elastomer.
Some compounds are sensitive to steam. Most Vitons are a good example of this
problem.
The elastomer is not compatible with something in the fluid you are sealing.
The bellows did not vulcanize to the shaft because you used the wrong lubricant.
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.
General or overall. This is the easiest to see and predict. The metal has a "sponge like"
appearance. The corrossion always increases with temperature.
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 8001600 F. (412-825 C.), unless it 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 contact with and connected by an
electrical current. Common in brine, caustic, and salt water applications.
Selective leaching. Involves the removal of one or more elements from an alloy.
Common with demineralized or de ionized water applications.
Micro organisms, that will attack the carbon in active stainless steel.
A gasket or fitting is protruding into the stuffing box and rubbing against the seal.
The shaft is bending due to the pump operating off of its best efficiency point.
Pipe strain.
Bent shaft.
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
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.
A non o-rring 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.
The open impeller was adjusted in the wrong direction and the impeller pump out vanes
are causing the vacuum.
Coatings are very porous. They do not provide corrosion resistance. The base material is
being attacked by the product.
Chemical attack.
The seal faces are glued together because the product has solidified.
Vibration.
Slipstick.
Corrosion.
Improper fit.
Bad part.
Excessive vibration.
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.
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.
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.
Excessive vibration.
The single spring, rubber bellows seal, was not vulcanized to the shaft.
The stationary is not perpendicular to the shaft, causing excessive spring movement.
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.
Grooves or pits at the seal dynamic elastomer location.
Fretting.
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.
Bad bearings.
Excessive temperature.
Sleeve is not concentric with the shaft, or the seal with the sleeve.
Bent shaft.
Pipe strain.
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.
Loose.
o Sleeve too hard. They are not biting in.
Partial rubbing.
o The gland has slipped.
o Improper installation. It was not centered to the shaft.
o The shaft is bending.
o Pipe strain.
Corrosion.
A.P.I Gland.
o Hooked up wrong.
o Flushing connection clogged.
o Quench connection clogged.
BUSHINGS
Rubbing at the I. D.
Partial rubbing.
o The A.P.I. gland has slipped.
o Improper installation. It was not centered to the shaft.
o The shaft is bending.
o The gland bolt holes are often not concentric with the shaft/ sleeve.
o Misalignment between the pump and its driver.
o Excessive pipe strain.
Erosion.
Dirt and solids are present in the discharge or suction recirculating fluid.
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