Seals

TOSI Giampiero
 Compressor Sealing
Balancing Drum

Shaft End Seal Shaft End Seal

Balancing Line

2
 OIL SEALS vs DRY GAS SEALS

Advantages Advantages
• Widely Used for HP applications • Simplified System
• Positive Impact on rotordynamics • Total Lower Cost
Critical Issues • No Oil Contamination
• Very Sensitive to H2S content Critical Issues
• Rotor-dynamic
3
 Nomenclature
Secondary vent (leakage from Outbord seal
Primary vent (leakage from inbord seal
+ separation gas - atmospheric) STREAM 4
+ intermediate buffer gas - to flare) STREAM 2

Intermediate buffer
gas (N2) Separation gas (N2)
STREAM 3 STREAM 5

Seal gas STREAM 1

Atmosphere
(Bearing chamber)
Inboard seal

Carbon rings
Product side

Face
Seat Face
Seat
Secondary seals Outboard seal Separation seal
Intermediate Labyrinth
4
Gas Seal Operation
Dry Gas Seal - Components

6
7
 Running clearance ~ 3 micron

Carbon ring

Human
Hair groove depth = 10 micron
diameter
50-70
microns

8
 Dry Gas Seal Operation

Process Side
Dynamic behavior
Spring thrust

Static pressure

Discharge

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 With 1 Atm pressurization
a tip speed of 6 m/sec is enough
to develop a pressure able
to provoque the two discs separation

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Seals for Low Pressure

Elastomer
secondary
seals

Softening
resistance

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Seals for High Pressure

Carrier for primary ring and

secondary seals

Polymer secondary seals

Extrusion resistance
Temperature resistance
High decompression rates
Chemical resistance

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Type 28 AT (o-ring)

The disc carrier is over

the disc in order to keep
it in case of rupture

O - ring
Small plate to compensate
the ununiformity of
thermal dilatations due
to different steel types

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Critical
Type 28 AT –
Reverse Static Pressurization

O-Ring
extrusion

15
Clearance Betwenn Carbon Ring and
Spring Carrier

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17
18
19
20
 O- rings limitations:

• Limited life
• Limited pressure
• Limited temperature ~ 100°C
• Suspect to chemical attack
• Sticktion
• Explosive decompression

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23
24
New design

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Components
27
28
T 28 XP

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30
31
32
33
 Nitrogen
Buffer
Primary
Vent
Clean Gas
Injection
TANDEM
SEALS
Job seals Tested at
350 Bar Dynamic
11000RPM

Development Plan for

430 Bar Dynamic
13000RPM

Pressure Filtered
TRIPLE Outboard Intermediate Control Process
Vent Vent (if required)
SEALS Gas

Experienced up to
290 Bar Dynamic
and 310 bar Static

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35
Triple Gas Seal

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Materials
Materials

Metal parts X12Cr13

17/4 PH
Carbon Steel

Face Graphite
Cranite
Silicon Carbide

Seat Tungsten Carbide

Silicon Carbide

Secondary Seals Elastomer

Spring Energized Polymer

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Materials
Metal parts ASTM A276, Gr.420
(DIN 1.4122)
UNS S42400
(DIN 1.4313,
DIN 1.4313S (NACE))
Primary Ring carbon graphite
Seat tungsten carbide,
silicon carbide

Secondary Elastomer
sealing Metal spring
elements energized
polymer rings
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Tertiary Seal Type 82 Contact Seals

Springs

Carbon

Hardened sleeve on Shaft

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 In caso di aumento
To 2nd del leakage la press
vent N2 Supply
differenziale scende
sotto 0,5 Bar
Bearing
side
0,5 Bar

Seal
side

Hardened sleeve on Shaft

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Auto-buffer

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External Buffer Source

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Dry Gas Seal P&I Diagram

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Oil Seal Assembly

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Oil seals

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Oil Pressure Diagram in the Rings

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Schematic

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Oil Seal

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Oil Seal P&I Diagram

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Labyrinth Seals

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Avional Labyrinths

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