Mechanical Seals

Maintenance
and Reliability

Failure analysis
Mechanical Seal Reliability
Affected by:
Design Operation
 Seal  Pump
 Pump  Support System
 Support System  Flush System
 Bearing
 Flush

Installation
 Seal
 Pump
Flush Design
 Appropriate for Seal
 Single and multi
 Proper Flow
 Proper Temperature
 Proper Distribution
 Clean
Seal Installation
 Free from Contaminates
 Properly Set at Working
 Drop Both Seals for Dual
 Seal Chamber Condition
 Face Perpendicular to Shaft
 Concentric Around Shaft
 Sealing Surface in Good Condition
 Flush Hole in Proper Location
 Thermal Growth Offset
Pump Installation

 Alignment (Hot and Cold)

 Soft Foot
 Coupling Spacing (Axial Pull)
 Piping
Pump Operating Conditions

 Loss of Suction
 Dead Head Operation
 Stability of Flow (Type of Control)
 Vibration
 Run Out Flow
 Variable Products
Seal Performance Analysis
Definition of Seal Failure

Undesirable passage or leakage of fluid past sealing

components resulting in dilution of a process stream,
poisoning of the environment, or creation of an
immediate safety hazard. Actual threshold for "failure"
criteria is defined by the user or a governmental agency
at the local, state, or federal level.
Seal Failure Causes

 Operation - 42%
 Equipment - 26%
 System Design - 24%
 Incorrect Seal Selection - 8%
Diagnostic Path
 Failure Mode
 Criteria, volume, when
 System Status
 Changes, modifications, damage
 History
 Run length, symptoms, trends, system influences
 System and Equipment Checks
 Disassembly and Visual Inspection
 Comprehensive Examination
Failure Mode
 Criteria for Failure
 level or pressure alarm, visible, blowout
 Where
 Across seal components, under sleeve,
gaskets and fittings
 When
 Operational mode, upsets, startups
System and Equipment Checks
 Seal Flush Circuit
 Fouling, damage, lineup
 Buffer or Barrier Fluid System
 Debris, pipe routing, damage, fouling
 Barrier Fluid Pressure Control
 Equipment Mechanical Condition
 Runout, fits, balance, wear
 Process Circuit Condition
 Pipe stress, fouling, minimum flow
Disassembly and Visual Inspection
 General Practice
 Take notes, preserve evidence,
decontamination method
 Removal and Disassembly
 Leak paths, setting, fouling, hang-up, wear,
missing parts
 Face Inspection
 Contact pattern, location and type of damage
 Secondary Seals
 Handling, Chemical attack, thermal,
wear, pressure
 Adaptive Hardware
 Wear, breakage, cracks, fretting, corrosion
Seal Component Visual Analysis
 Seal Face
 Contact pattern, heat checking, wear, blistering
 Seal Ring in General
 Fracture, erosion, fouling, chemical attack
 Secondary Seals
 extrusion, wear, chemical
 Adaptive Hardware
 fret, corrosion, drive
 Metal springs
 Fatigue, stress corrosion cracking, distortion
Full Contact Pattern

Contact
Pattern
Mating Ring Primary Ring
Wide Contact Pattern

Drive Notch
Wear
Contact Wider Than Width
of Primary Ring Face
Eccentric Contact Pattern

Possible Damage from

Contact with Shaft
Heavy Outside Diameter Contact

Possible
Edge Chipping

Rotation Due to
Pressure

Heavy to Light Contact

Moderate Contact
Coning In – Negative Rotation

This is caused by excessive

pressure from the process fluid
18
Heavy Inside Diameter Contact

Possible
Chipping

Rotation Due to
High Temperature

Light Heavy to
Contact Moderate Contact
Coning Out – Positive Rotation

20
One High Spot

Full contact through 360° with one visible high

spot on mating ring surface. Wear at drive
notches on primary ring may also be noted.

The mating ring misaligned, often due to a high

antirotation pin.
Wear Pattern Through 270°
Full contact through approximately 270° as seen on mating ring
surface. Pattern fades away at low spot. The primary ring may show
"wire drawing" or "wire brushing" in a position where the ring lined
up with a low spot on the mating ring if the rotor was left idle while
under pressure.

The mating ring is being distorted mechanically.

No Contact

Possible Erosion From (Wire Possible Erosion

Drawing) if Allowed to Remain from Trapped Solids
Stationary Under Pressure (Wire Brushing)
Two High Spots on Mating Ring
Two large contact spots are noted while the pattern fades away between
contact areas. The primary ring may show "wire drawing" or wire
brushing" in a position where the ring lined up with low spots on the
mating ring if the rotor was left idle while under pressure.

The mating ring is being distorted mechanically. The split line on axially
split pump casings is most suspect.

High Spots

Excellent
Condition
After Short Run
No Contact

Erosion (Wire Drawing) Possible Erosion from

Occurs While Stationary Trapped Solids
Gland Bolt Distortion
Contact spots noted at gland stud locations on mating ring.
Mating ring is being distorted mechanically by uneven gland surface.
Clamping load provided by the gland bolting is distorting the gland.

Most often the gland nuts have been overtightened.

No Contact

Contact at
High Spots No Unusual Wear
Near Gland Bolts
Heat Checking of Entire Face
Many small radial surface cracks through entire face contact area
normally visible to the eye. High wear of one face, typically the carbon
face, is likely as it will be ground down by the cracked surface.

Squealing, chirping, or popping will often be noted as well before the

seal starts to leak. Carbon dust may be visible on the atmospheric side
of the seal.

Caused by inadequate fluid

film at the seal interface.
This usually results from
inadequate vapor pressure
margin or flush rate on
a specific application.
Small
Surface
Cracks
Abrasive Wear
High wear of the mating ring through 360°. A groove will have some
depth and have a “phonograph” appearance.

Caused by abrasive particles which have become imbedded in the

softer primary ring. Grooving can also occur when both faces are
metallic and lubrication from the flush liquid is inadequate.
Fractured Seal Ring
Cracks extend all the way through the part. The part may be in
multiple pieces.

Often caused by mishandling or improper assembly. Cracks which

originate from points of drive engagement probably signify excessive
torque. Thermal shock is also a likely cause. Uneven loading of brittle
face components which are in tight or shrink fit designs are definitely
suspect.
Coking
A hard brittle material between seal and shaft sleeve which
may “lock” the seal to the sleeve.
Caused by oxidation, cracking, or strip of hot hydrocarbon
fluids resulting in a hard brittle residue which impedes
seal tracking ability.

Application of a steam quench often cures this problem.

Solid Deposits “Coking”

Crystalline Deposits
Grainy, crystalline substance which has built up on either side of
the seal, on the faces, in the springs, or bellows convolutions.
The seal assembly may be frozen to the shaft sleeve by the
deposits. Abrasive wear of the faces will probably also be noted.

Caused by fluids which have abrasive qualities or which form

crystals in the presence of heat or air.

Deposits
Polymer Deposits
Soft, sometimes gummy or rubber like substance which has
built up on the process side of the seal, on the faces, in the
springs, or bellows convolutions.

Polymer may be present in the process stream or can be formed

in normally clean process streams in the presence of heat.

Single spring seals or designs with isolated springs are often

recommended in polymer laden process.

Deposits
Cuts or Tears on Secondary Seal
Cuts or tears across the width of secondary seal rings such as
O-rings, U-cups, V-rings and soft packing.

Normally caused by mishandling during assembly or product

defect present at time of procurement.

Always inspect parts for visible defects and inclusions before

installation. Mounting surfaces should not have sharp edges or
burrs which could damage these parts.

Cut
Extrusion
A thin lip has formed on the entire ID or OD of the O-ring.
Some materials may exhibit a shredded appearance.

Often caused by an application where pressure is beyond the

design limitations for the material in use. Also, will result from
thermal expansion of the material if groove width is too narrow,
or from swell caused by chemical interaction with material.

Normal
Lip
Ring
shred
Hard or Cracked Elastomer
The part is hard and has several cracks, it is easily broken when
bent by hand. Damage may be on process side, atmospheric
side, or only in areas in contact with a specific part.

Temperature too high for material in use. Possible chemical

attack if the damage is evident only on the process side of
the part.

Flat Cracks
Normal
Surfaces
Ring
Compression Set
The part is permanently deformed with flat sides on the sealing
surfaces.
Caused by improper design of parts which houses the O-ring
resulting in over compression of the material or by chemical
attack (swelling) of the material while in service.

Compression set is the most common cause of O-ring failure.

If it occurs on a dynamic O-ring the ability of a primary ring to
track will be impaired.

Normal
Ring Flat
Surfaces
Chemical Attack on Elastomer
The part has become more soft or hard than normal, has
swelled, formed blisters, or portions have been totally
deteriorated.

The elastomer being used is not chemically compatible with

the fluid being sealed in the temperature range in which it is
being used.

Surface
Swelling Degradation
"Orange Peel"
Blistered and Ruptured Elastomer
Many small blisters and ruptures throughout the part caused by
explosive decompression.

A fluid which is a gas at atmospheric pressure, is being sealed

under high pressure and over time is absorbed into the
elastomeric material. When the pressure is released too quickly
the fluid which is trapped in the elastomer expands rapidly
resulting in damage to the part.

Blister Rupture
Worn or Distorted Drive Components
Drive pins or lugs are damaged. Increase of contact between
drive and seal ring are worn, abraded, or chipped.

Caused by excessive relative movement between drive

components and the driven part. High torque caused by
excessive face loading or lack of a sufficient lubricating
face film.

Drive Pin Wear Chipped Drive Slot or

Hole on Seal Ring
Broken or Distorted Coil Springs
Springs are distorted, cracked, broken, corroded or missing.
Stress corrosion cracking, general corrosion, fatigue, excessive
shaft speed, and over extension or compression of the spring.
Single coil springs should be installed in the proper orientation
if they are of unidirectional design.