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 Refurbishment can be as simple as replacing outdated instrumentation to better monitor seal support system performance.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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.