Are you confident that your system is protected against a seal failure? If not, it could mean a significant setback in production and costs you didn’t have to spend. Protect the investment you invested in by taking these four steps.

1. Choosing the Right Seal

The application, operating conditions, and off-design usage of the seal must be considered carefully before purchase. Even if you simply need a seal to function in hot water, not any seal will do. Boiler feedwater, for example, will not properly lubricate and cool seal faces, resulting in premature seal failure if the wrong seal is installed.

The user must therefore determine that proper operating parameters are maintained. Then, contact must be made with the seal supplier to choose the correct American Petroluem Institute (API) flush plan, seal face combination, and elastomer. It is important to ensure that the proper seal is in place, since every application has its own unique requirements.

2. Proper Installation

Many seal failures could have been prevented simply by a proper installation. Too often, seals are installed without referencing the manufacturer’s instructions, or without taking the proper care to prevent damage on the seal faces or O-rings. Some of the more common issues include: forgetting to tighten set screws before removing setting clips, damaging O-rings, and not tightening gland bolts evenly. Many of these issues can be avoided simply by opting for a cartridge seal over a component seal. The cartridge seal has many of the delicate parts preassembled, reducing the chance for errors significantly.

3. Prevent Excess Heat Generation

Heat generation between seal faces can reduce a seal’s life dramatically by causing problems such as dry-running. The cause is often due to a flooded pump, or an incorrectly vented seal chamber before startup. Another cause might be shaft runout or elevated vibration.

For nearly every application, API 682 will almost always be recommended. No matter if you decide on Plan 11 (a flush line from pump discharge) or Plan 13 (recirculation to pump suction), these systems will keep the seal faces clean, cool, and well-lubricated. Your seal support system will also have an impact on the success of your system. Be sure to discuss these carefully with your seal manufacturer to ensure a cool-running seal.

4. Manage Proper Storage Conditions

Mechanical seals have many unique parts comprised of various materials. If you are not aware of the environments the seals must be stored in, the seals may lose a considerable amount of functionality due to the delicacy of their components.

The seals must be stored in a clean environment, where the temperate and humidity are regulated. If proper care is taken, seals may be stored effectively for up to five years.

Different steps must be taken depending on how long the seals will be stored. A new seal being stored for the next two years should be placed in a clean and cool environment. To prevent face lock and loss of face flatness, rotate the seal faces against each other using the sleeve or shaft two turns every three months, if the seal is not being used.

For new seals being stored for more than two years, or for a seal that has already been in use and will be stored for more than a year, the process is more complicated. Disassemble the seal, clean and dry every component, then store each of its parts individually. O-rings must be in a relaxed state, and placed in their proper environmental conditions, depending on its material. Plug all openings of the seal’s gland in addition to the pump’s seal chamber (if it has not been used). Seal faces should be separated and stored in separate bubble-wrapped packages.

When reassembling the seal after storage, check O-rings for cracks, cuts, and wear. Then, lubricate them to facilitate assembly. Be sure to replace damaged or compression set O-rings. Check the mating ring for cracks or chips, paying special attention to the sealing faces. Contact the vendor for a replacement if damage is found.

To purchase seal components or to learn more about them, please visit Real Seal.

There are many options when it comes to choosing a rubber seal. The profiles can be made of elastomeric compounds through the process of molding or extrusion. The lengths needed for the application are then custom-fabricated from standard rubber products.

There are many different rubber molding processes, including injection, compression, transfer molding, and extrusion. Each process has its own unique advantages, but extrusion is capable of producing complex cross-sections and a smooth surface. These options are available with several different seals, including bulb, bulb trim, lip, door, and accordion seals. There are also extrusions available in solid rubber and sponge rubber, which may then be converted into specialty seals to suit your needs.

There are five different types of extruded seals to consider:

Bulb Seals

Bulb seals have either open, rounded, or teardrop-shaped areas that give them their characteristic look. There are less common shapes as well, such as the crescent and the flat-bottom. Physical dimensions vary, but they usually refer to the height of the inner and outer diameters. Bulb gaskets are typically made of sponge rubber, and are often placed within the door frame of a car or building. Softer bulb seals can be made with EPDM foam in order to create a watertight seal. When used in the automotive industry or construction, bulb seals may be taped instead of mechanically fastened.

Bulb Trim Seals

Bulb trim seals have both a bulb section and a trim section, each with its own durometer. The bulb is usually made from a medium-density sponge rubber such as EPDM. The trim portion is made from materials such as PVC. This unique design allows bulb trim seals to resist water, ozone, sunlight, and temperature extremes. They also come in thermoplastic elastomers, which are weather-resistant, reusable, and recyclable.

Lip Seals

Lip seals have an edge or sealing lip, and sometimes even an opening. Lip seals protect bearings attached to rotating shafts or bores. They retain the lubricant of the bearing, while also preventing dust and other contaminants from entering the seal. One variation on this seal is the radial lip, used in high-speed crankshaft mechanisms found in diesel and gasoline engines.
Lip seals are common in other applications, such as various industrial machines, vehicles, pumps, and mills. If you need this type of seal, choose a material with the right properties for your application.

Door Seals

As their name implies, door seals fill gaps between doors and door frames in order to keep the elements out of vehicles and buildings. Unlike the other extruded seals on this list, door seals are defined by the application they are used in, rather than their shape. Door seals are commonly found in cars and trucks, as well as construction, residential, and industrial facilities. A subset of the door seal known as the hatch seal is used in fuel tanks, electronic enclosures, and rooftop HVAC systems. Certain types of bulb seals also fall under the category of door seals, but these door seals have custom weather stripping as well.

Accordion Seals

Like accordions, accordion seals have folds which allow them to change their dimensions when stretched or compressed. This property makes seals like the accordion boot seal useful in automotive and transportation applications, such as weather-proofing the access points between a truck cab and a trailer. Accordion seals are made from EPDM rubber, and may even contain an internal spring steel loom.

To learn more about the extruded seals available for your application, contact the experts at Real Seal today.

Rubber products, or elastomers, are useful in a wide variety of applications. From industrial seals to medical products, rubber products are an important part of many industries. There are, however, a wide variety of elastomer choices, making it difficult to decide which one is best for your particular application.

One elastomer which many find particularly useful is silicone. Silicone has a number of properties that make it the first choice for many applications.

Temperature Resistance

Silicone is an excellent choice for many applications because it retains elasticity under extreme temperatures. Unlike the material found in rubber bands, silicone does not lose elasticity or become brittle in colder temperatures, and resists damage even at much higher temperatures. Silicone is even used in paint to make the exteriors of houses more resistant to freeze and thaw cycles. Whether the application involves extreme cold, extreme heat, or both, silicone will be an excellent choice.

Flame Retardancy

It takes a lot to make silicone catch fire. This makes it particularly useful in consumer electronics, which need to self-extinguish quickly in case of emergency. For this reason, silicone is used in sealing joint components found in computers and small appliances. It is also commonly found in commercial ovens, food carts, and other industries where higher temperatures are a concern.

Permeability

Silicone’s permeability makes it very useful in applications where the elements are an issue. By using a silicone seal in the door of a car or house, or even the cockpit of an aircraft, silicone will seal out even the most extreme elements.

Durability

Silicone’s durability makes it a common component in the medical industry. Silicone is used as a material for implants because it is accepted by the body, withstands a lot of wear and tear, and allows certain substances to pass through it. These properties also make it useful as a seal covering a wound, protecting it as it heals.

Silicone offers a wide variety of advantages that might make it the best choice for your application. Whether you need gaskets, O-Rings, hoses, door seals, or implants made, silicone is a great choice for many jobs. To learn more about silicone and its applications, contact the experts at Real Seal today.

If you use O-rings in your business, it may be tempting to stock up ahead of time to ensure that your supply is ready when you need it. However, O-rings and other rubber seals are highly sensitive to factors like temperature and humidity, which can severely damage your inventory. Use the following guidelines before re-stocking your O-ring inventory to ensure the maximum ROI:

Packaging

O-Rings must be packaged in a way that protects them from light, ozone, oxygen, and any other contaminants, including dirt. Keep in mind that lubricants and coatings will influence their shelf-life as well.
The bags or boxes that you use are also important: use containers which minimize distortion of the seal (for example, crushing or twisting), as the elastomer will lose performance and shelf-life. For the same reason, avoid overstuffing containers.

Storage Conditions

O-rings must be stored below 100° F (38° C). Like food items, colder temperatures mean better preservation. But before installation, O-rings must be brought back to room temperature to remain flexible. Humidity must be monitored carefully as well, as dry environments will affect the rubber. Too much humidity will cause the seals to absorb water and change dimensions, affecting the performance of the rubber.
Atmospheric ozone can be very destructive for rubber, so be sure to inspect your storage area for ozone-generating equipment that will concentrate ozone near the inventory. Ensure that the room is dark to avoid sunlight and UV light, and be aware of any radiation sources so that you can protect your O-rings accordingly.

Proper Documentation and Stock Rotation

Using the cure date and batch number identification, you should employ the FIFO (“first in, first out”) method of stock rotation. Ensure that your inventory team is prepared to segregate batches, or you may lose important information.

Make sure that you are doing business with an experienced seal distributor will properly label every package in order to maximize O-ring performance and shelf-life. Contact Real Seal today for all of your O-ring questions and needs.