FACE TECHNOLOGY

Dynamic Lift
Up-stream Pumping

5620USP | 588USP | 8620USP

Transforming the traditional concept of sealing

Applying gas seal spiral groove technology to wet seals

CHEMICAL

FOOD & BEVERAGE

MINERALS / MINING

OIL & GAS

POWER GENERATION

PULP & PAPER

WATER / WASTEWATER

When improving the performance of mission-critical pumps, John Crane’s customers

face challenges, including high heat generation, poor lubrication, abrasion and barrier
system complexities. To solve these problems, we developed a face treatment, called
Dynamic Lift Up-stream Pumping, as part of our suite of seal face technology options for
rotating equipment. Drawing upon our pioneering gas seal innovations in the 1960s and
1970s, John Crane engineered the Dynamic Lift Up-stream Pumping concept for liquid
services and launched this face treatment three decades ago. Today, we answer operators’
toughest challenges, improving seal and pump reliability, preventing unplanned downtime
and reducing operating costs across a broad range of process industries.
 ONLY FROM
JOHN CRANE

Three Decades of Dynamic Lift with Up-stream Pumping for Mechanical Seals
Reducing Costs | Reducing Leakage | Improving Pump Reliability
John Crane’s unique, engineered, non- Starting with Three Decades Prove Value
contacting Dynamic Lift Up-stream Pumping Game-changing Technology Today, John Crane customers who have applied
seal face technology borrows from gas seal In the 1960s and 1970s, John Crane’s patents Dynamic Lift Up-stream Pumping face technology
designs to deliver a breakthrough in liquid for centrifugal compressor mechanical have experienced seal life improvements from
sealing technology. This allows operators to: seal designs pioneered the use of non- just two to three months up to five years in some
• Improve mechanical seal life contacting spiral groove face technology in instances. Plus, with the right seal support
• Increase mean time between repair (MTBR) gas compression applications. These new gas system and piping plan, reliability issues due to
• Reduce seal leakage to atmosphere when seals revolutionized centrifugal compressor poor water quality are virtually eliminated. With
compared to a pressurized dual seal shaft sealing by delivering a step change in hundreds of installations in the last few decades,
compressor reliability and operating costs. John Crane is the best—and only—expert in
• Allow a clean inboard face fluid interface,
applying the concept of active lift to mechanical
even with dirty product
seals for pumps.
• Deliver a simple support system ensuring SPIRAL GROOVE TECHNOLOGY
face lubrication without the cost of a pressurized How Does it Work?
barrier system Mechanical seals require a narrow gap
• Prevent solid build-up with slurries, scaling between faces to allow a lubricating film
fluids or solids in suspension to work; the gap must also be optimized
• Eliminate seal face flush to dissipate seal to eliminate leakage. The lubricating film
heat, reducing water usage thickness is measured in microns. Debris in
process fluids can create deposits, damage
• Address low water supply pressure challenges
faces and cause hang-up. Ultimately, seal
• Reduce power consumption and heat generation
life is shortened, and the MTBR of the pump
due to non-contacting technology
is not acceptable.
Why are Face Treatments The basic concept of John Crane’s solution
So Important? Applying Spiral Groove is that the conventional seal is replaced by a
Face material selection is critical to the
Technology to Pumps low-volume, high-pressure “pump”—the
performance of the mechanical seal. Every By the 1980s, John Crane engineers started Dynamic Lift Up-stream Pumping seal. This
mechanical seal application experiences working with these faces on mechanical seals “pump” propels a minute quantity of buffer
challenges, often including poor lubrication. for pumps, applying that same game-changing liquid along the path normally sealed by the
Poor lubricating process can damage seal innovation to “actively lift” the faces of wet seals. mechanical seal faces and into the product
faces leading to increased leakage, unplanned The results were impressive, and the potential side. Because the product side is at a higher
downtime and even catastrophic equipment for improving pump performance in key process pressure than the buffer liquid, this seal is
failure. That’s why our experts have developed industries was promising. John Crane engineers said to pump “Up-stream.”
a suite of seal face technologies—including kept working and launched the T8000 Dynamic
Dynamic Lift Up-stream Pumping—that can Lift Up-stream Pumping seal in 1989. Now— Principles of Active Lift
address the most difficult sealing problems and almost three decades later—John Crane Operation Solve the Problem
optimize the performance of rotating equipment remains the only seal company to offer this A Dynamic Lift Up-stream Pumping seal
in all process industries. innovation for pumps. operates on the principle of hydrostatic and
hydrodynamic force balances. The spiral groove
pattern serves the purpose of a pressure-

LIFE EXTENDING RESULTS:

PULP & PAPER POWER GENERATION

When facing processing challenges like high heat generation,

poor lubrication, itermittent dry-running conditions, abrasion
and barrier system complexities, Dynamic Lift helps you
dramatically improve seal life MTBR depending on unique
application conditions. Potential results are shown below:

3
MONTHS
MTBR BEFORE
DYNAMIC LIFT
•B lack liquor—especially the
evaporator area
• Flue gas desulfurization
• Water condensate
• White liquor • Sea water
• Green liquor • Recirculation

5 YEARS MTBR
•H ot condensate at the paper machines • Lime slurry feed
AFTER • Stock
DYNAMIC LIFT • Sludge
• Coatings
 OVERCOME HIGH HEAT GENERATION, LOW-LUBRICITY, INTERMITTENT
DRY-RUNNING CONDITIONS, ABRASION AND BARRIER SYSTEM COMPLEXITIES
generating system, directing barrier fluid SEALING BASICS
toward the outside diameter (OD), meeting the
resistance of the sealing dam and increasing A narrow gap must be maintained to allow a lubricating film to
exist, while minimizing the rate of leakage.
pressure. This causes the flexibly mounted face
to actively “lift,” setting the sealing gap. In this A typical seal face film thickness is 10-50 µ-in [0.25 - 1.27 µm].
non-contacting mode, liquid is pumped from a Most seal faces are produced with a finished flatness of 2 helium
light bands. This corresponds to 23.2 µ-in [0.6 µm].
low-pressure region to a high-pressure region.
A typical piece of paper is 5,000 µ-in [127 µm] thick.
Active lift at a seal interface offers several
advantages over the traditional dual-
pressurized seal approach:
DUAL PRESSURIZED DUAL UNPRESSURIZED
• The technology is non-contacting and,
therefore, the usual pressure velocity (PV) Dual Pressurized: P2 > P1 Dual Unpressurized: P1 > P2
limitations do not apply Barrier fluid is NOT contaminated by process Buffer fluid is contaminated by process, which
but does require external pressurization, ultimately leaks to the atmosphere.
• The sealing environment within the seal
which increases cost.
chamber is cleaner, resulting from positive
flow of clean fluid
• Reduced power requirements and
environmental contamination
• Self-regulating and tolerant to process
pressure variations
• Ability to handle slurries, scaling liquids,
abrasives and products with poor lubricity

DYNAMIC LIFT
UP-STREAM PUMPING
Simple low-cost support system delivers the benefits of a dual pressurized seal,
replacing more complex, expensive support systems
Special Face
Dynamic Lift Up-stream pumping technology combines SUITABLE FOR:
Combination the benefits of a dual-pressurized and unpressurized seal • Chemical process liquids
into one solution, providing the environmental protection • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
of a double-seal arrangement with the inherent safety
• Poor lubricity fluids
of a tandem-seal arrangement.
• Sour services (H2S)
Up-stream Pumping active lift pushes the low-pressure buffer • Foul water
fluid into the higher-pressure process fluid, hence taking
advantage of both pressurized and unpressurized concepts. • Abrasives

MINERALS / MINING CHEMICAL OIL & GAS WATER / WASTEWATER

• Slurry • Low-viscosity mildly corrosive chemicals • High sand content in crude oil and water • Clarifications
• Abrasive liquid slurries • Corrosive chemicals • 85% crude oil + 15% produced water • Treatments
• Corrosive fluids • Caustics • Effluent oily water • Sludge
• Filtrate • Non-flashing low temperature • Sour water + gas
hydrocarbons • Desulfated seawater + produced water
• Process water • Deaerated sea water + produced water
• Mild acids • Caustic solutions
• High-viscosity slurry • Desalter water
Let John Crane’s engineering experts recommend a seal face treatment
to solve your most demanding challenges. Together, we will work with you
to keep your mission-critical operations up and running with support and
guidance from our experienced team. Visit www.johncrane.com and request
a quote or consultation with one of our seal face engineering experts today!

“UP-STREAM PUMPING: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN MECHANICAL SEAL DESIGN” by Afzal Ali with support from Gordon S. Buck and
Doug Volden (all John Crane employees). Presented and published in the proceedings of the 6th International Pump Users Symposium,
April 1989, Turbomachinery Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.

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consulted prior to their selection and use. In the interest of continuous development, John Crane companies reserve the right to alter
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