When Does Mechanical Seal Support Refurbishment Make Sense?

If any of your mechanical seal support systems are requiring more maintenance than usual to keep centrifugal pumps operational, it may be the right time for mechanical seal support refurbishment. Refurbishment can be as simple as replacing outdated instrumentation to better monitor seal support system performance. It could also entail the replacement of an entire assembly, such as the pump on API Plan 54. In many situations, refurbishment equates to a better design that simplifies maintenance. 

Working with process engineers in the petrochemical, semiconductor, oil and gas, and power generation industries in Northern California, I’ve advised on the full spectrum of mechanical seal support refurbishment needs. 

Here’s a short list of situations where refurbishment makes sense.

When Piping Is No Longer Reliable and Maintainable

Many older mechanical seal support systems use carbon steel piping to manage flush fluids. They are always ideal candidates for refurbishment. Steel piping is expensive to install, subject to corrosion, and difficult to maintain. In its place, corrosion-resistant stainless steel tubing can be configured to efficiently deliver or circulate flush fluids to the seal chamber. Tubing eliminates many threaded connections that can leak. Flange adapters and extended male connectors used in tubing runs also reduce the number of threaded ports and fittings on seals and seal pots. 

By replacing steel piping with high-quality stainless tubing, you extend the life of the seal support system and reduce maintenance costs associated with leakage. If you decide to replace piping with tubing, get the assistance of an experienced fluid systems engineer who can recommend the right grade and diameter of stainless tubing and propose a tubing geometry that ensures optimum flow to maintain the required seal chamber environment.  

When Drains and Vents Facilitate Easier Maintenance

Refurbishing a mechanical seal support system also provides opportunities for adding drains and vents that make common maintenance activities easier. If you’re replacing piping with tubing, you have an opportunity to add drains and vents at optimal locations in the tubing runs. Low-point drains allow maintenance personnel to quickly and safely purge flush fluids. High-point vents quickly release any entrapped air. Properly located (and used) drains and vents can save hours of maintenance time over the life of a seal support system.

When Process Conditions Have Changed

Any time process conditions have changed—such as higher or lower temperatures or pressures, different process fluids, or changing pumping cycles—it’s important to see how well the current seal support system handles the changes. Simple adjustments, such as increasing or decreasing barrier and buffer fluid pressures or selecting a more compatible barrier or buffer fluid, don’t often require system refurbishment. But, there are many other situations when you’ll need to replace poorly functioning components or add new components to the system to achieve the required level of performance. Those changes may include:

• Relocating a filter or strainer to make it easily accessible for planned maintenance to avoid clogging because of increased particulates in process fluid
• Replacing a filter with a cyclone separator to better exclude solids from the seal chamber
• Boosting the cooling capacity of API Plan 23 with a greater capacity heat exchanger to handle higher temperature fluids
• Adding flowmeters, or temperature, pressure, or level gauges to better monitor seal support system performance

If you’re replacing instrumentation such as flow meters, temperature, pressure, or level gauges, or components such as strainers, cyclone separators, or heat exchangers, I always recommend the addition of block and bleed valves. These valves provide an added level of safety and save time in the event a gauge or component needs to be calibrated or removed for servicing. 

When It’s Difficult To Determine System Performance

In older seal support systems, refurbishment often includes better configuration of instrumentation and controls. Operators and maintenance personnel shouldn’t have to hunt to find the gauges that report system performance. All relevant controls and instruments should be located and arranged for easy visibility. Placing these components on an eye-level panel makes it easy to monitor performance, identify anomalies, conduct tests, make adjustments, and carry out routine maintenance. 

Along with consolidating controls and instrumentation into a panel, you should also consider including clear labeling of the components and controls, flow path directions, and operator instructions. Consolidating instruments and controls into a central location and adding instructions is a bit more than a simple refurbishment. But making these improvements will help ensure consistent pump startup and shutdown, and give operators an immediate understanding of how the seal support system is performing.

Considering Mechanical Seal Support Refurbishment? Work With Swagelok

Mechanical seal support refurbishment can be one of the most efficient ways to improve system and pump performance without having to replace entire systems. Swagelok has assisted process industries throughout Northern California in mechanical seal support system design, refurbishment, upgrades, and replacements. Our local Field Engineers are available to conduct an onsite assessment of your current systems and determine where there are opportunities for refurbishment. Whether it’s a recommendation to replace or upgrade an aging component, propose a better tubing geometry, or suggest a significant seal support system redesign to ensure proper seal and pump operations, there’s no better partner than Swagelok. 

Swagelok Northern California can help you realize better performance from mechanical seal support systems by providing expert consultation regarding refurbishment recommendations, an extensive inventory of high-quality components, and local fabrication services. Take the first step toward better performance and contact our team today by calling 510-933-6200.

About Malik Durojaiye | Field Engineer, Assembly Services

Malik Durojaiye began his Swagelok career in 2019 as a Custom Solutions Engineer in our Assembly Services group. Prior to Swagelok, Malik developed as a design engineer as well as a manufacturing engineer for 6 years serving Kentucky and California with Altec Industries; a leading provider of products and services to the electric utility, telecommunications, tree care, lights and signs, and contractor markets.