42 www.aiche.

org/cep June 2009 CEP

Back to Basics
Using double mechanical seals as part of
thermoplastic pumps can prevent costly downtime
and environmental damage.
Jack Berg
Serlco, Ltd.
The Case for Double
Mechanical Seals
M
any engineered thermoplastics provide excellent
chemical resistance to corrosive liquids. This,
along with their generally lower lifecycle costs
when compared with exotic metals, makes plastics desir-
able materials for use in pumps for the chemical process
industries (CPI). Properly specied engineered plastics,
such as chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), poly-
vinylidene uoride (PVDF), polypropylene or ethylene
chlorotriuoroethlyene (ECTFE), provide these advanta-
geous properties, but their use also presents unique chal-
lenges with regard to sealing.
A previous CEP article (1) discussed the selection of
seals for agitators in pharmaceutical and bioprocessing
applications. It provided a thorough description of different
sealing methods (and much of the information is relevant
to a variety of nonpharmaceutical applications). That
article focused on two major agitator-sealing functions:
isolation, sterility and avoidance of contamination of
the process uid
containment and isolation of tank contents to protect
plant personnel or the surrounding community from physi-
cal hazards, biohazards and toxins.
Nonmetallic pumps used in the CPI have a different
set of sealing needs protection of the pump and motor
driver from the process uid to achieve a long, continu-
ous service life and minimize the need for repairs. Sealing
methods must also prevent the loss of critical and costly
process uids.
This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages
of using single mechanical seals, double mechanical seals,
and magnetic coupling.
Packing
The earliest pump seals consisted of packing rings
of brous materials squeezed around the pump shaft and
against its housing to prevent leakage of the pumped uid
or to prevent the introduction of air into the liquid. This
design has several inherent disadvantages. High pump-
ing pressures can cause liquid leaks around the packing;
the higher the pressure, the greater the chance of leakage.
When the pump is running wide open, a negative pressure
at the seal can allow air to intrude, which might damage
the pumped liquid. In addition, a certain amount of skill is
needed to install the packing rings, and they require con-
siderable attention to keep the packing operating properly.
Very few modern applications use packing as the seal-
ing device for process pumps. In the critical and difcult
applications where nonmetallic pumps are often found,
packing is not a viable alternative.
Single mechanical seal
In its basic form, the single mechanical seal consists of
a stationary face afxed to a pump casing, a rotating face
that rotates with the pump shaft, and a spring that keeps
the seal faces in close contact. The seal faces can be made
of various materials, such as carbon or ceramic, which
minimize friction, and they are generally lubricated by
the pumped uid. Without lubrication, mechanical seals
generate excessive heat, which causes seal failure. The
most common conguration has the seal mounted inside
the pump cavity with the faces in continuous contact with
the pumped uid, which provides the necessary lubrication
(Figure 1).
CEP June 2009 www.aiche.org/cep 43
Although this internal mounting method is common
on metallic pumps, it usually does not work for pumps con-
structed of engineered thermoplastics. The spring and seal
retaining components are generally metallic and often not
compatible with the uid being pumped. In some designs,
this incompatibility is overcome by the use of all-nonme-
tallic seals, but these have drawbacks, including costs that
are two to three times higher than those of standard seal
materials. In addition, the inherent weakness of the plastic
bellows used in place of the metallic spring typically
results in signicantly lower seal life.
An alternative to a nonmetallic single seal is to relocate
the seal components outside the pump cavity by turning the
stationary face around and installing it against the pump
support plate. The rotating face surrounds a nonmetallic
shaft sleeve, which is part of the impeller, and the standard
metallic seal spring holds the seal faces together. The seal
components are the same as those in a the standard single
seal, but in this arrangement no metal parts are in contact
with the pumped uid (Figure 2).
Although the single-seal conguration is the standard,
lowest-cost alternative for most noncritical applications, it
does have several drawbacks:
Single seals are subject to excessive wear and prema-
ture failure if the pumped uid contains abrasives or tends
to crystallize.
Externally mounted single seals usually require that
the pump be running for maximum sealing. Slight leakage is
likely to occur when the pump is shut down because internal
pump pressure works to separate the seal faces.
Dry running (i.e., operation when there is no liquid in
the pump cavity), which can occur upon loss of prime or
the inadvertent closure of an isolation valve, causes almost
instantaneous and catastrophic seal failure and associated
pump damage.
All seal faces, regardless of the material of construction
or the cleanliness of the uid, are subject to wear and even-
tually need to be replaced. Thus, it is important to monitor
seal wear and replace components prior to major leakage or
catastrophic failure, which can result in damage to external
components and motor drivers, as well as creation of a
waste treatment problem.
Double mechanical seal
A double mechanical seal for nonmetallic thermoplastic
pumps consists of two independent seals mounted back-
to-back inside a chamber that is external to the pump. This
seal chamber is ushed with an independent water supply
at a owrate of approximately 28 gal/h, depending on the
size of the pump and its operating temperature. The pri-
mary seal located at the pump casing end prevents process
liquid from entering the seal chamber while the outboard
Seal Spring
Rotating
Seal Face
Stationary
Seal Face
Impeller
Pump Case
Figure 1. In a single-seal conguration, the seal is mounted inside
the pump chamber and the faces are in contact with the pumped uid,
which provides lubrication.
Figure 2. In an alternative single-seal conguration, the seal is
located outside the pump liquid chamber so that no metal parts
contact the process uid.
Seal Spring
Rotating
Seal Face
Stationary
Seal Face
Impeller
Pump Case
44 www.aiche.org/cep June 2009 CEP
Back to Basics
seal contains the ush water and prevents its escape to the
atmosphere (Figure 3).
This double-seal design solves most (if not all) of the
problems associated with single-seal pumps. Clean seal
water becomes the primary lubricating uid for the seal
faces. Abrasives or crystallizing uids are washed from the
seal faces, preventing abrasive damage, and corrosive liquids
are diluted, thus extending seal life. When the pump is shut
down, any leakage of process uid into the seal chamber
is easily ushed away without causing damage and can be
properly collected for safe disposal. The seal ush water
provides lubrication to both sets of seals, which allows the
pump to occasionally run dry without damage to the pump
or degradation of the seal faces. In addition, with the use of a
double mechanical seal, the operator can monitor the condi-
tion of the seal water for discoloration, which would indicate
that the primary seal has started to leak.
Finally, pump cavitation and associated vibration will
lead to premature seal failure with any mechanically sealed
pump. The double-seal design helps to prevent sudden
instantaneous seal failure and allows the pump operator to
monitor and correct the problem before major damage or
uid loss occurs.
The double-mechanical-seal conguration may increase
the cost of the pump by as little as 2% over that of a single-
sealed pump. Additional costs for ancillary equipment and
the supply and disposal of ush water will be incurred, but
the incremental cost of the double-seal design is still very
low, especially when compared to the potential benets.
Magnetic coupling
Although strictly speaking it is not a sealing device,
magnetic coupling of the pump impeller with the motor
driver eliminates the need to penetrate the pump body with
a rotating shaft. Under normal operating conditions, this
method of sealing completely isolates the process uid from
the atmosphere.
Magnetically coupled pumps are often referred to as
leakproof however, they do not eliminate the pos-
sibility of leakage or many of the problems associated with
mechanically sealed pumps. Internally, a magnetically
coupled pump requires a close-tolerance bushing and thrust
bearings to support the impeller and impeller magnet. This
design requirement can lead to problems if the pump is
improperly applied.
Because of the need for close internal tolerances, abra-
sives are particularly harmful to magnetic-drive pumps.
Ferrous metallic particulates in the uid are attracted to the
internal magnet and cause abrasion. Similar problems can
be caused by uids that crystallize when the pump is not
running. Even when the uid is relatively clean, the sur-
faces of the internal bushing and thrust bearings are subject
to wear and will eventually degrade. When this happens,
catastrophic failure of the pump liner or barrier, resulting in
major leakage, is not uncommon.
As with all pumps, scrupulous maintenance is necessary
to ensure that potential problems are prevented prior to seal
failure. And, most magnetically coupled pumps are subject
to the same dry-running and cavitation problems as pumps
with single mechanical seals.
From a cost standpoint, magnetic-drive pumps are gener-
ally more expensive to own and operate. Depending on the
pumps size, the purchase price may be 3050% more than
that of a comparable mechanically sealed pump. Futher-
more, efciencies tend to be lower and thus operating costs
are higher. This is not true for very small magnetic-coupled
pumps (1/6 hp and smaller), where a magnetic-drive pump
may be the only pump available for a particular application.
At the opposite end of the scale, the size of magnetic-cou-
pled pumps is limited by the strength of the magnets needed
to drive them.
Selection and installation of double-sealed pumps
Table 1 outlines the types of applications for which a
double mechanical seal pump would be preferred over a
single mechanical seal or a magnetic-coupled pump.
For high-temperature applications (190F and above),
Figure 3. A double external mechanical-seal conguration has two
independent seals mounted back-to-back inside a seal chamber that
is external to the pump.
Seal Spring
Outboard Seal
Inboard Seal
Seal Back
Plate
Impeller
Pump Case
CEP June 2009 www.aiche.org/cep 45
double seals are important for two reasons. First, the water
ush cools the inboard seal face, lessening the stress on
the seal and adjacent pump components. Second, at higher
temperatures, the net positive suction head (NPSH) available
to the pump is lower and cavitation is more likely. Although
the double seal does not eliminate cavitation, this arrange-
ment greatly lessens the possibility of major pump damage.
Electroless plating solutions are a special category worth
mentioning because no other type of pump-sealing mecha-
nism is able to handle this very difcult application.
Once a double-mechanical-seal pump has been selected
for a particular application, proper installation is important
to ensure that the advantages of the double-seal arrange-
ment are realized and that the pump operates properly.
First, general installation practices need to be followed
with respect to pump location, suction piping size, and pip-
ing arrangement. Also, since the water ush supply is criti-
cal for pump operation, steps should be taken to ensure that
this required source of lubrication is not lost. A small inline
lter can be installed to prevent blockage of the supply
tubing by calcium, iron or other solids. A pump protector
can be added to shut down the pump in the event seal ush
water is lost. This device measures the ow of seal water,
and if the owrate drops below 24 gal/h, a contact opens
that immediately shuts down the pump motor before any
damage can occur. For those occasions where a source of
fresh seal water is not available, a self-contained recircula-
tion system consisting of a small pump, a reservoir large
enough to handle the heat input from the uid, and a lter,
can be employed.
Closing thoughts
When specifying engineered-thermoplastic pumps for
nonsevere or noncritical applications, the selection of a
single mechanical seal or magnetic-coupled pump is an
appropriate choice. If the pump is properly installed and
regular preventive maintenance is performed, either one of
these pump types will provide excellent service. For more-
demanding environments, a double-mechanical-seal pump
should be considered.
JACK BERG is president of SERFILCO, Ltd. (2900 MacArthur Blvd., North-
brook, IL 60062-2005; Phone: (800) 323-5431 / (847) 509-2900;
Fax: (847) 559-1995; E-mail: jackberg@serlco.com). He founded the
Service Filtration Corp., which ultimately became Serlco. He graduated
from Marquette Univ. with a BS in marketing and advertising, and is an
active member in the National Association of Surface Finishers.
Literature Cited
1. Benz, G. T., and W. H. L. Teng, Selecting Agitator Seals for
Bioprocessing Applications, Chem. Eng. Progress, 104 (1), pp.
4452 (Jan. 2008).
Table 1. These are some of the most common applications of double-mechanical-seal pumps.
Critical Fluids The possibility of seal failure is minimized. However, if seal failure should occur, it will be less frequent
and can be immediately determined by analyzing the seal discharge uid.
Abrasive and Crystal-
Forming Fluids
The pressurized water ush with double-sealed pumps prevents the abrasive from adhering to the
inboard seal faces. If uids are left in the pump, crystals do not form on the water-ushed seal faces.
Concentrated Chemicals The water ush on the inboard seal faces reduces the corrosive effect of the uid.
Electroless Plating Solutions The double seal contains the liquid in the pump and prevents plating out onto the inboard seal faces.
Double mechanical seals can be used both at room temperature and with hot solutions.
High Temperatures The water ush cools the inboard seal faces and reduces the effect of high temperatures on the seal
components and adjacent pump elements.
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