Mechanical Seal Practical Information

Filed under: General Maintenance K P Shah @ 1:43 pm

Modern process equipment with rotating shafts (such as pumps and compressors) are

equipped with compression packing or mechanical seal to minimize emission of the

process fluid into the atmosphere. Compression packing works on the principle of

controlled leakage whereas mechanical seal tend to seal with no visible leakage.

The initial cost of a mechanical seal is high as compared to compression packing.

However the power consumed, maintenance and downtime spent in renewing or

tightening the compression packing overweigh the initial cost of a mechanical seal,

which works unattended for a long time. Because of the absence of visible leakage,

environment is clean and hazard free when mechanical seals are used. In this blog,

information is given on working of a mechanical seal, types of mechanical seals,

methods of environment control, equipment parameters, installation instructions,

start-up procedure and check list for identifying causes of seal leakage.

Working of a mechanical seal

Basic Mechanical Seal

A basic mechanical seal is a simple device. It has two flat faces running against each

other. The rotating face is secured to the pump shaft while the stationary face is held

in the gland. This is the first and most important of the four possible leak paths

(Primary Seal). This leakage path is sealed by providing absolutely flat mating

surfaces perpendicular to rotating shaft centre line where they come in contact and

maintaining healthy lubrication film between the two mating faces. Since both the

surfaces are continuously moving with respect to each other, there is heat generation
which keeps on evaporating the liquid film and new liquid film is formed. These

vapours keep on escaping to the atmosphere. Thus mechanical seal is not a zero

leakage seal. There is always invisible leakage in vapour form between the faces.

The others three paths are:

Between the Rotating Face and the Shaft (Secondary Seal),

Between the Stationary Face and the Gland, and

Between the Gland and the Stuffing Box.

Leakage at secondary seal is arrested by a dynamic O-Ring, sliding wedge or a bellow

(elastomeric, PTFE or metallic). Metallic bellows are used for high temperature

application.

The last two are jointly referred to as the Tertiary Seal, and both are fairly simple

seals as there is no relative motion between the two parts involved. These leakage

paths are sealed by elastomers, PTFE, gasket, etc.

If shaft sleeve is used, one more static leakage path will be there between shaft and

shaft sleeve. This leakage is arrested by O-Ring or gasket.

Although the main closing force on primary seal faces is normally provided by the

pressure in the stuffing box, some force is required to keep them closed during

startup and shutdown and to take care of the shaft movement. This force is supplied

by a single large spring, a series of small springs, or a bellows arrangement.

Types of Mechanical Seal

There are many types of seals each having definite advantage as under.

Inside Seals

When a seal is mounted inside the stuffing box of the pump, it is called an inside seal.

Inside seals are more difficult to install and maintain. However, main advantage is

that it is possible to control the seal environment inside the stuffing box.

Outside Seals

An outside seal is located outboard of the pump stuffing box. Where stuffing boxes

are shallow and it is not possible to install a seal inside the stuffing box, it is installed
outside. It is also easy to install and maintain. Due to lake of heat dissipation from

below the seal faces, outside seals are suitable for low temperature, low speed and

low pressure applications.

Balanced Seal

All seals are available in either unbalanced or balanced versions. A seal is unbalanced

when fluid force to close the seal faces (due to the area of rotating seal face exposed

to the pumped fluid in stuffing box) is greater than force acting on rotating seal face

at the area of contact (pressure gradient between rotating and stationary seal faces).

In simple terms, it has a seal closing force in excess of the actual pressure to be

sealed. In a balance seal as seal face is subject to low force, less heat is generated

and seal life is more. As a stepped shaft sleeve is required for balancing, coat of a

balanced seal is higher than unbalanced seal.

70 30 Balanced Seal Design

To balance a seal, area of rotating seal face exposed to stuffing box pressure is

reduced using a stepped shaft sleeve. In a standard 70 30 balanced seal design

used by most mechanical seal manufacturing companies, only 70 % of rotating seal

face area is exposed to stuffing box pressure as shown in above sketch.

Double Seals

Double mechanical seal arrangement is used to handle toxic, volatile, hazardous or

abrasive fluids. In a double seal arrangement, there are two seals with a fluid

circulating between them. The fluid that circulates between the seals is called a

barrier fluid if its pressure is higher than stuffing box pressure and it is called a buffer

fluid if its pressure is lower than stuffing box pressure. The two seal faces are

generally installed in one of the three different configurations as shown under.

Back to back or facing in opposite directions

This configuration requires a higher barrier fluid pressure between the seals. In this

arrangement an inner seal leak will cause a dilution of the product. In case of failure

of the barrier fluid system, the inner seal can blow open dumping the pump contents

to the environment.

Tandem or facing in the same direction

In this configuration two glands are required to house both seals and this adds to the

cost as well as the axial space requirement. A low pressure buffer fluid is circulated

between the seals, eliminating the possibility of product dilution. In this arrangement

loss of buffer fluid will not cause the seal faces to open. This configuration is generally

found in Oil Refinery applications.

Face to face or facing towards each other

Face to face configuration is a compromise between the "back to back" and the

tandem arrangements. Here half the seal is housed in the stuffing box and the other

half outside it. In this arrangement a lower pressure buffer fluid is supplied between

seal faces.
Catridge Seals

The catridge design changes none of the functional components of the basic seal

(conventional seal). In a catridge seal, all items are containerized and preset to

working dimensions. They eliminates need to scribe lines and make critical

measurements during seal assembly. Such seal installation requires only tightening of

the gland bolts.

Methods of Environment Control

The successful and reliable operation of a mechanical seal is dependant upon the

conditions that are imposed on the seal assembly during running. The fluid being

sealed fills the stuffing box in which the seal is mounted and thus the physical and

chemical nature of this liquid will have direct effect on seal operation and life. Slurries

and fluids carrying solid particles are especially dangerous as there is a tendency for

solid particles to collect in the vicinity of the mating faces and finally even entering

the fluid film gap between the mating faces. Hard particles entering this gap will

cause premature seal face failure.

Improved seal operation is possible by controlling the environment surrounding the

seal. The most commonly used methods for control are flushing and quenching.

API Gland Plan # 62

Flushing

In flushing a fluid is injected (through connection F as shown in API Gland Plan #

62) into the stuffing box such that it impinges or jets onto the mating faces. This fluid

may be the same fluid that is being sealed, tapped from a point at a higher pressure
than that existing in the stuffing box, or any other fluid, preferably at a lower

temperature, that may be permitted to mix with the sealed fluid.

Flushing effectively aids cooling of the seal mating face area. In addition, the

introduction of a pressurized clear fluid ensures that solid particles present in the

sealed media do not collect near the sealing faces.

Quenching

In quenching a fluid is introduced (through connection Q as shown in API Gland Plan

# 62) on the atmospheric or outer side of the seal mating faces that either helps in

cooling or in maintaining a require temperature at the mating faces. This also creates

a barrier between the atmosphere and seal faces as the atmospheric air creates

problem to seal faces in some cases. Few such applications are given below.

When pumping cool media (say at 40 deg. C), moisture in the atmosphere

condenses and ice is formed below seal face hindering its operation.

In case of high temperature oils when vapors keep on escaping in the

atmosphere, they come in contact with oxygen and burn. These carbon particles

cerate problem in seal area.

Crystallizing media forms crystals when water in it gets evaporated because of the

atmospheric air present blow seal faces. These crystals create problems for seal faces.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) issues guide lines to help petroleum people

select and then pipe various types of controls for mechanical sealing applications.

These piping arrangements are described in API standard 610.

Equipment Parameters

For satisfactory seal performance, equipment parameters should be as under.

Radial movement of shaft (runout / deflection) shall be less than 0.08 mm.

Axial movement of shaft (end play) shall be less than 0.26 mm.

Stuffing box face squareness (face runout) shall be less than 0.05 mm.

Stuffing box bore concentricity (with respect to shaft) shall be less than 0.13 mm.

Stuffing box shall be free of burrs and sharp edges.

Shaft / sleeve shall be free of burrs and sharp edges.

Please check manufacturers drawing /instruction for above parameters.

Installation Instructions

A conventional (component) seal is one where each part of the seal must be

assembled on the equipment individually. This requires considerable skill and

significant time as compared to installation of a catridge seal. During installation of a

mechanical seal take care of following.

Assemble seal parts in a clean environment.

Do not use hammer for assembly as seal faces are delicate and may crack /

break.

Check that seal parts, gland and stuffing box are free from burrs, sharp edged

and deep scratches / damage.

Check surface finish at elastomer area to be as per manufacturers

recommendation.

Check that set screws on either the rotary unit or the drive collar of the seal

assembly are free in the threads.

Confirm hardness of shaft / sleeve to be such that after tightening set screws,

rotating assembly does not get loose (if set screws are tightened against a hard

surface, they will fail to hold assembly in desired position during operation).

Alternatively, use hardened set screws.

It is a good practice to check fitting of shaft sleeve, rotary assembly and gland

without O-Rings to ensure that are fitting freely before assembling them with O-Rings.

Use correct size O-Rings at all places.

Do not use used O-Rings and gaskets.

Never use "glued together" O-Ring for any "dynamic" application. A hard spot will

be created that will interfere with the movement of the O-Ring.

Lubricate shaft and secondary seal (O-Rings / bellows) as per manufacturers

recommendation. If assembling is difficult, apply water or soap water as lubrication on

shaft / sleeve. Rubber bellow seals should be lubricated with Vaseline. Dont apply

silicon grease on them. EPR (Ethylene Propylene Rubber) elastomers should not be

lubricated with petroleum based oil. For EPR material use silicon grease.

Check that all O-Rings are protruding out of respective groove provided on mating

part.

Install seal at its correct operating length as per manufacturers drawing.

After assembly of rotating head, check for free movement of seal ring by
compressing and releasing the rotary head.

Check direction of helix of coil for single spring seal. Helix should be R.H. for C.W.

rotation and L.H. for C.C.W. rotation when looking at seal face.

Gland bolts or nuts should be tightened only enough to effect a gasket seal at the

stuffing box face. This can be achieved by initial finger tightening and further

tightening with to turns. Over tightening could result in distortion of seal faces.

Cartridge type seal assemblies are provided with axial location plates that hold the

assembly together before installation in the equipment. Make sure that the axial

location plates are moved out of the grooves provided on the shaft sleeve after their

fitting.

When seal assembly is complete, connect all piping, check that all environmental

controls have been connected, and all unused holes in the stuffing box / gland are

plugged.

Start-up Procedure

Take care of following before starting equipment and during its operation for the first

time after installation of mechanical seal.

Equipment should be aligned with the driver as per manufacturers

recommendations.

Check the shaft for free movement. Manually rotate the shaft several turns. If

shaft binds due to any reason, investigate and correct it.

Activate all auxiliary systems like flush, quench, barrier lines and vent the stuffing

box until all trapped air has been released.

Pump should have adequate NPSH (for its running without cavitations).

Equipment should run without vibration.

No noise should come from stuffing box.

Excessive heat generation should not be there. This may be due to stationary

parts contacting the rotating shaft or rotating seal parts contacting the housing of the

equipment.

Examine the seal. Slight leakage should stop when the faces wear in.

If dynamic testing of a seal is to be carried out, it should be carried out at maximum

stuffing box pressure. The seal should be tested for at least 3 hours. Leakage should

be less than specified in purchase order. If no leakage rate is specified in purchase

order, leakage at the rate of maximum 2 to 3 drops per minute is considered to be

acceptable.

Causes of Seal Leakage

The operating life of a seal is complete when either face has worn entirely. If either

face has completely worn, the cause of failure is evident and no further inspection is

required unless this occurred in a very short time. If both faces are intact, seal parts

shall be inspected. Major seal problems and possible causes are as under.

Seal Problems Possible Cause / Corrective Action

Seal spits and sputters Seal fluid vapourizing at seal interfaces. This can be due to inadequate
(face popping) in operation. seal faces or seal unbalance.

Seal drips steadily.
This can happen if seal faces are not flat, distorted or damaged.
Distortion of gland plate due to over tightening.
Damage to secondary seal during installation.
Over aged O-Rings.
Spring failure.
Erosion / corrosion of seal parts.

Seal squeals (gives sound) during Inadequate liquid to lubricate seal faces.
operation

Accumulation of carbon dust Inadequate liquid to lubricate seal faces.

outside the gland.

Short seal life. Presence of abrasive in the fluid.

Misalignment of the equipment with its driver.
High vibration.

Note:

API 682 (Shaft sealing systems for centrifugal and rotary pumps) requires that the

sealing system supplied, have a high probability of meeting the objective of at least

three years of uninterrupted service while complying with emission regulations.

Mechanical Seal Manufacturers

Internet site addresses of some mechanical seals manufacturers are as

under

www.johncrane.co.uk

www.burgmannindia.com

www.leakproofseals.com

Acknowledgement:

Sketch of basic mechanical seal is taken from internet site w

Mechanical Seal Technical Information
(Part 1)
Filed under: General Maintenance K P Shah @ 9:51 pm

The ability of a mechanical seal to meet its performance objectives depends upon a

wide range of factors involving equipment design, operating conditions and selection

of the type of seal and the material of construction. As information on equipment

design (types of mechanical seals, methods of environment control and equipment

parameters) and operating conditions (Start-up procedure) are covered in a blog on

Mechanical Seal Practical Information, information about selection of type of

mechanical seal and material of construction is given in this article.

Selection of Type of Mechanical Seal

The design, arrangement and material selection of a seal is basically determined by

pressure, temperature, speed of rotation and characteristics of the pumped medium.

Shaft diameters of 5 To 500 mm, pressures from 10 torr (vacuum) to 250 bar,

temperatures from -200C to +450C and sliding velocities up to 150 m/s limit the

operating range of mechanical seals. Type of a mechanical seal for various

parameters may be selected as under.

Single Seal Type

Inside Outside
Temperatures
Unbalanced Balanced Unbalanced Balanced
Up to 120 C
120 C 205
C
Over 205 C
 Single Seal Type
Inside Outside
Pressures
Unbalanced Balanced Unbalanced Balanced
Up to 10
Kg/Cm2
10 to 35
Kg/Cm2
Over 35
Kg/Cm2

Single Seal Type

Inside Outside
Speeds
Unbalanced Balanced Unbalanced Balanced
Up to 7.6
m/s
7.6 to 15.2
m/s
Over 15.2
m/s

m/s = meters per second

Double Seal

Double seal arrangement with additional seal supply systems or buffer fluid systems

may be required depending on the quality of the medium (toxic, inflammable,

crystallizing, corrosive, abrasives in fluid, etc).

Due to restriction on length of a blog, I have posted this blog in two parts.

Please read Part 2 also.

Published on September 09, 2008

Mechanical Seal Technical Information
(Part 2)
Filed under: General Maintenance K P Shah @ 9:56 pm

Material of Construction

Seal components can be divided into three major categories seal faces, secondary

sealing elements and metal components.

Seal Faces

The rotating and stationary sealing faces commonly referred to as primary seal

members are the most important components of a mechanical seal. They shall be

selected based on their compatibility with the fluid being pumped. Following materials

are widely used as seal face material.

Resin impregnated Carbon

This is the normal rotary seal face material recommended in most general purpose

application involving corrosive fluids. This carbon exhibits good resistance to thermal

shock and good dimensional stability over a wide temperature range. It has also low

permeability and good thermal conductivity.

Metal impregnated Hard Carbon

This is an antimony impregnated hard carbon that is specially suited for extreme

heavy duty application involving non-corrosive media. Boiler feed water and

hydrocarbon service seals with hard carbon as a mating face have a much longer

service life. Hard carbon exhibits better abrasive resistance and emergency dry

running characteristics.

Ceramic

This is a super fine grain high Alumina ceramic material (99.5 % Al2O3) that exhibits

excellent low wear characteristics. It is the best seal face material for highly corrosive

chemical services. 95.0 % purity material may be used for light duty application.

Tungsten Carbide

This is universally accepted hard seal face material. It is available in two forms
nickel bonded and cobalt bonded. Solid seal rings are offered as a standard as against

shrunk-fit faces with their inherent limitations.

Silicon Carbide

Technologically this is the best seal face material available to date. It is available in

two varieties, reaction bonded and sintered. It is highly resistant to thermal stress

and corrosion in high temperature oxidizing atmospheres. It has low wear properties

and is an idle seal face material for most of sealing applications. Silicon carbide also

exhibits better dry run capabilities making it an ideal choice for critical duties in the

nuclear and thermal power industries.

Glass filled PTFE

It is offered as a standard seal face material on outside mounted PTFE bellows type

seals. It is recommended for corrosive applications. Safe working temperature rang

for PTFE is -200 to 260 C.

Other Materials

Alternate face materials are available for custom seals and other special applications.

Seal faces of stainless steel with stelliting and Ni-resist are available. Cast iron faces

are also available for certain non-critical applications.

Note:

Carbon face is made in many grades and is priced from the cheap / mass-produced

grades to expensive metal-powder impregnated varieties. While ordering spare

carbon ring from local supplier, specify correct grade of carbon for your application.

Properties of various face materials are as under

Material Density Thermal Hardness Max. Temp.

Conductivity
gram/cm3 Limit, C
W/mC

Carbon, resin 1.83 6 100 BHN 275

impregnated
Carbon, 2.15 8 115 BHN 350
antimony
impregnated
Tungsten 15 100 1500 400
Carbide Solid Vickers
(6% Co)
Silicon Carbide 3.1 145 2400 1650
Vickers
Alumina Oxide 3.9 35 1800 175
(99.5 %) Vickers

Seal Pressure Velocity Limitations

Seal faces require cooling and lubrication to function properly. The hydraulic pressure

acting on the seal faces and the rotating speed of the rotary seal will generate heat.

This heat limits seal design and material. The PV (face pressure x velocity)

capability of two opposing material is indicative of an ability to sustain a fluid film for

long operational life. Typical PV Limits of face material combinations in non-

lubricating fluids, i.e. watery substances are as under.

Primary (rotating) Ring Mating (stationary) PV Limit (bar x m/s)

Ring

Glass-Filled PTFE Ceramic / Silicon 61.3

Carbide
Carbon Cast Iron 245.2
Carbon Ceramic 245.2
Carbon Tungsten Carbide 1225.9
Carbon Silicon Carbide 1471.1
Tungsten Carbide Tungsten Carbide 249.2
Silicon Carbide Silicon Carbide 858.1

Note: For lubricating fluids multiply number by 1.5

Seal face surface finish and Seal face flatness

To maintain a healthy lubricating fluid film between seal faces they are lapped to

make them flat and smooth. If faces are not flat, waviness will generate

hydrodynamic lifting force on seal faces as we try to compress non-compressible

liquid trapped between the lapped faces. Seal surfaces shall be smooth also to reduce

friction between them by increasing contact area.

There is often confusion between the terms "Seal face flatness" and "Seal face surface

finish". Seal face surface finish addresses the subject of roughness, and is measured

in terms of "rms" (root mean square) or CLA (center line average). One of the ways

to measure roughness is by comparing our sample to standards that have been

polished to different degrees of roughness. Flatness is a different term that describes

a level surface that has no elevations or depressions. We use term waviness to

describe this condition when we refer to mechanical seal faces. It is this flatness that

is of the most concern. One can read the flatness by using an optical flat and a

monochromatic light source as explained below.

Flatness is measured by using light characteristic that when two lights of the same

wave length interfere with each other, the light disappears and the reflecting piece

goes black. A monochromatic or single wave length light source (mono means one,

and chromatic means color).) is used for this. Most companies use a pink color that

comes off a helium gas light source. This color has a wave length of just about 0.6

microns (0.000023 inches). To measure flatness, an optical flat (a precision ground

and polished clear glass of optical quality) is placed on the piece to be measured. The

monochromatic light is aimed at the piece and this light reflects off of the piece back

through the optical flat causing interference light bands. If the distance between the

optical flat and the piece we are measuring is one half the wave length of helium, or

an even multiple of the number, the band will show black. This is referred to as a

helium light band and because it is one half the wave length of helium it measures 0.3

microns or 0.0000116 inches. Flatness is checked by comparing the pattern we see

with a chart supplied by the measuring equipment manufacturer.

 Surface roughness and flatness inspection

Flatness of lapped faces should be within following light bands.

Carbon and GFT: 2 to 3 light bands.

TC, SiC and Ceramic: 1 to 2 light bands.

For high pressure application (> 40 bar), faces should be lapped within 1 light band.

Carbon graphite faces relax after lapping. Although lapped to less than one light band

by the seal manufacturer, you will see readings as high as three light bands if you

check the faces. These faces should return to flat once they are placed against a hard

face that is flat.

Seals that are going to be used in cryogenic (cold) service should be lapped at the

cryogenic temperature.

Finished faces shall have following average surface finish.

Tungsten Carbide: 0.01 m

Silicon Carbide: 0.04 m

Hard Carbon: 0.1 m

Ceramic: 0.07 m

Hydrodynamic Grooves.

Sometimes hydrodynamic grooves are provided on hard face as shown below for
effective lubrication between faces.

Hard Seal Face with Hydrodynamic Grooves

Secondary Sealing Elements

Secondary seals perform the function of sealing between mechanical seal elements as

well as sealing the mechanical seal and the equipment. They are either static or

dynamic type in the form of O-rings, wedges, bellows and gaskets.

For information on gaskets used for sealing seal and the equipment, please refer blog

on gaskets. Bellows and wedges are made from PTFE. Bellows are also made from

elastomers and metal. O-rings are made from elastomers.

Elastomers

To be classified as a true elastomer you should be able to compress an O-ring and

have it return to 90% of its original shape in less than five seconds after the

compression force is removed. It is this elasticity that gives the compound its memory

and eliminates the need for external loading to seal. If the compound does not return

to 90% of its original shape in five seconds or less it is called a "plastic" material and

becomes less desirable as a dynamic seal in mechanical seal design. Most of

Perfluoroelastomers are plastics. Generally one of the following elastomer materials is

used to make an O-ring.

Butyl

Buna N

Neoprene

Ethylene propylene

Fluorocarbons: They are sold by manufacturers under their style / produce

number. Dupont E60 Viton , 3M Fluorel 2174, Parker 747-75 and Parker V884-85

are typical examples.

Perfluoroelastomers: Chemraz (a registered trademark of Greene, Tweed & Co.)

or Kalrez (a registered trademark of Dupont, USA) are typical examples. They are

used for high temperature and aggressive chemical applications. Their chemical

resistance is often compared with PTFE. They are very expensive compounds.

The O-ring selected must be chemically compatible with fluid to be handled. It is very

common to clean and flush process lines with a solvent or steam. The O-ring selected

must be chemically compatible with them also. Most of the chemicals can be handled

by either fluorocarbon (Viton/ Fluorel) or Ethylene Propylene. Ethylene Propylene is

easily attacked by any petroleum product so be careful with the type of lubricant you

use to lubricate it. For all practical purposes silicone grease is probably the safest

lubricant but to be sure check for its compatibility.

Each of these elastomers has an upper and lower temperature limit. Although the

elastomer may be chemically compatible with the sealing fluid it could still fail if the

temperature limit is exceeded. Safe temperature range for various elastomers is as

under.

Elastomer Temperature range C

Butyl -40 to 130

Buna N (Nitrile) -40 to 105
Neoprene -40 to 120
Ethylene propylene -40 to 150
Flurocarbon (Viton ) -20 to 200
Chemraz -30 to 205
Kalrez (many grades are available) -20 to (218 to 315 based on type of
grade).

Note:

Elastomers are poor conductors of heat. Cooling one side of the O-ring does not

always allow the coolant to conduct to the hot side.

Most of the O-ring compounds are available in a wide range of durometer or

hardness. The average mechanical seal uses a durometer of 75 to 80 (as measured

on the shore A scale), but harder durometers are available for high pressure

applications.

One measures O-ring sizes by the inside diameter (D) and the cross section diameter

(d). O-rings are the most precision rubber part that one can purchase. They are

manufactured to a tolerance of 0.08 mm.

The maximum volume of the O-ring should never be more than the minimum volume

of the gland groove. The groove depth must be less than the O-ring cross-section and

the groove width must be larger than the O-ring cross-section.

Identification of O-ring material by Burning Test (destructive test).

To identify Viton, Burn Test may be carried out. When ignited, Neoprene and Ethylene

propylene burns with a flame where as Viton does not burn with a flame.

Metal Components

Metal is used for making mechanical seal hardware. This hardware, depending on seal

design can include sleeves, retaining rings, set screws, pins, springs, bellows and

glands. Although mechanical seal have some unique requirements, the material

selection generally does not differ much from material selection for the equipment. As

seal components are thinner than equipment components, materials offering best

corrosion resistance are selected for hardware. Many of the common names used for

material designation are actually trade marks of the material manufacturer. Following

material are widely used for making mechanical seal hardware.

Stainless Steel 316

AISI 316 (UNS S31600) is considered the base material for most seal designs. It

should not be used in service with high chlorides since it is susceptible to pitting

corrosion.

Alloy C-276

Alloy C-276 (UNS N10276) is one of the most widely used high alloy material used for

aggressive environments. It is used for all major seal components including sleeves,

glands and fasteners. C-276 is a nickel-molybedenum-chromium alloy. It is used as

standard alloy for springs and is defined as the default spring material in API 682

(2004).

Alloy 20

Alloy 20 (UNS N08020) is a nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloy. It was originally

developed for hot sulfuric acid application. It is used for applications that cause stress

corrosion cracking.

Alloy 400

Alloy 400 (UNS N04400) is a copper-nickel alloy that exhibit good corrosion resistance

against many chemicals. It is used for sea water, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid,

hydrofluoric acid and alkalies.

Alloy K 500

Monel alloy K 500 (UNS N05500) is used for components requiring high strength like

set screws and fasteners.

Alloy 350

Alloy 350 (UNS S35000) is a chromium-nickel-molybdenum alloy that exhibit high

strength in high temperature applications. It is mainly used for making bellows.

Alloy 718

Alloy 718 (UNS N07718).is a nickel-chromium alloy that exhibits excellent corrosion

resistance and high temperature properties. The material is mainly used for making

welded metal bellows. This alloy has been adopted as the default material for Type C

seals in API 682 (2004).

Note:

UNS stands for Unified numbering system.

For more information on mechanical seal material selection please refer API Standard

682, 2004 Pumps-Shaft Sealing Systems for Centrifugal and Rotary Pumps.

Acknowledgment:

Information about metal components in this article is briefly reproduced from a paper

on Material Selection for Mechanical Seals by Michael Huebner in Proceedings of the

Twenty Second International Pump Users Symposium 2005.

Published on September 09, 2008