Mechanical Seal Replacement

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Overview
Introduction Background of Study Objective Mechanical Seal System Seal Design and Operation Parameters Replacement of Seal

Conclusion

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Introduction
Background Polymerizers mechanical seals have been leaking for last 4 years Seal condition will drive the seal replacement job in T/A 2006 Objectives Present some facts about mechanical seal Maintenance teams capability to replace the seal
Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Mechanical Seal System

Purpose
To seal the vessel pressure

Dual Mechanical Seal

prevent a dangerous product from leaking to the atmosphere Control environment to prevent sealed product to open the seal faces or damage the seal component

Flushing Water System

Flushing water enters the vessel at a higher pressure than the vessel pressure

Oil Circulation
Lubricate and seals the seal faces Seal box environmental control Barrier fluid

Telltale Hole
Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Cross-section View of Mechanical Seal System

Vessel inside Po = 8 kgf/cm2 Shaft

Vessel

O-ring

Mating Ring (SS) Flushing Water, Pf = 10 kgf/cm2 ,telltale hole Seal Box Ps = 15 kgf/cm2

Stationary Carbon Face

Sealant oil Outlet Sealant oil Inlet

Telltale hole

Vessel outside

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Seal Life and Seal Failure

Seal Life A good seal last until the sacrificial carbon face is worn out, such a seal is called Worn Out Seal

Failed Seal If a seal leaks before the carbon face is worn out because of misalignment, high vibration, high temperature or FP, its called Failed Seal 85% of Seals fail before wearing out
Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Seal Fails for Two Reasons

Seal Face Open Prematurely Scoring or wearing of hard face Seal is not hydraulically balanced Loss of environmental control
Temperature Effects Pressure Effects

Damage to a Seal Component Problems at installation

This includes mishandling, setting at the wrong compression

Shaft Vibration Seal faces go out of flat Foreign Particle

Thermal expansion of the shaft or sleeve can break a stationary seal face The elastomer or rubber part can swell and breaks the face Fatigue of the springs caused by misalignment.

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

What is hydraulic balance?

There are at least two forces

closing the seal faces:

The mechanical spring force. The hydraulic force caused by the seal box pressure acting on the seal face area.
Stationary face

There are at least three forces

trying to open the seal faces:

Barrier fluid

A hydraulic force is created any time there is fluid between the seal faces. A centrifugal force created by the action of the fluid being thrown outward by the rotation of the shaft. A hydrodynamic force created because trapped liquid is non compressible.

Rotary face

Spring Force

A Seal is considered as

Balanced when the opening and Closing forces are equal

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Environment control is essential for an extended seal life.

Temperature
Heat can cause liquid to vaporize, blowing the lapped seal faces apart Heat will affect the elastomer in the seal reducing its life Lapped faces can go "out of flat" and critical tolerances change at elevated temperature

Pressure
Seal box pressure must not rise above recommended,
It will create higher differential pressure across the seal faces and thus seal face will wear out more rapidly It will disturb the hydraulic balance of the seal Generate high stresses on seal faces

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

What will happen if the Seal Fails ?

Bottom Seal Failure Oil leakage will increase causing a pressure drop in the seal box depending upon the amount of leakage Upper Seal Failure Flushing water and oil will be visible in the transparent bottle at the seal box upper telltale Seal Failure + O Ring Failure This may cause slurry to flow out of the vessel

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Four parameters were considered for seal condition monitoring

Seal Box Oil Levels/ Oil Leakage
Seal Box Pressure

Sealant Oil Temperature

Vibration Data

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Sealant Oil Leakage

Only Outer seal is leaking This is because it is subjected to higher differential pressure dPdesign= 5 Kgf/cm2 dPactual = 10 Kgf/cm2
Polymarizer Seal Leakage Rate
Avg. Leakage rate (ml/day)

20 15 10 5 0 Feb Apr 05 05 Jul 05 Aug Oct Nov Jan Feb Mar 05 05 05 06 06 06 Months Poly A Poly B

Is the seal system at risk? Yes. If the leakage is high enough to cause pressure drop in the seal box. Current Oil Leakage Rate Poly A: 5.6 ml/day Poly B: 16.5ml/day

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Seal Box Pressure

Seal box pressure is maintained
Pressure (Kg/cm^2)

Polymeriser Seal Box Pressure

30 25 20 Poly A 15 10 5 0
Au g 0 No 3 v 0 M 3 ay 0 Au 4 g 0 No 4 v 0 Se 4 p 0 D 5 ec 0 M 5 ar 06

at a higher value than recommended by the vendor.

dPdesign= 5 Kgf/cm2 dPactual = 10 Kgf/cm2 Vendor recommends the

Poly B

following pressure configuration,

Ps > P f > P o
Where, Po: Vessel pressure Pf: Flushing water pres. = Po+ 1~2 Kgf/cm2 Ps: Seal box pres. = Pf + 2~5 Kgf/cm2
Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Vibration Data

Vibration values are on the lower side Vibration data implies that mechanical seal and the agitator assembly are aligned properly. This also means that rotary faces of the seal are balanced
Vibration Data (Polymeriser B)
3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0
04 Ja n 0 Fe 5 b 0 M 5 ar 05 Ap r0 M 5 ay 05 Ju n 05 Ju l0 Au 5 g 0 Se 5 pt 05 O ct 0 No 5 v0 5 O ct

Vibration Data (Polymeriser A)

2.5
Displacement (um)

2 1.5 1 0.5 0 Oct Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul 04 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 Aug Sept Oct Nov 05 05 05 05 x y z

Displacement (um)

x y z

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Sealant Oil Temperature

Oil temperature data is
Temperature (C)

Seal Box Temperature (Poly A)

40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
04 04 No v0 4 Au g 05 O ct 05 De c 05 Fe b 06 Ap r0 6 03 03 Au g 03 Se p De c ay M Ju ly O ct 04

available for Polymerizer As seal only Temperatures are within limits

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Seal Replacement frequency at similar plant sites is

4 ~ 6 years
Seal replacement

frequency at similar plant site

S.No. 1. 2. 3. Plant Site P.T. Ashai Mass Thai Plastic AGS (Indensia) Seal Replacement Frequency 4 yrs 6 yrs 6 yrs

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Maintenance team is capable of Replacing the seal

Skilled Technicians
MAF has worked with Japanese Engineers at a similar job

Seal Replacement of Recovery Tank

AnA supervised the job of Seal Replacement

Polymerizer Gear Box Overhauling

AAA/MAF supervised the job of gear box overhauling

Seal replacement procedure is available

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Conclusion
Bottom seals are leaking for last 3~4 years Mechanical Seal of Polymerizer B has completed six years of

operation. Benchmark period for seal replacement at other plant sites is 4~6 yrs Seal box pressure is maintained at 22 Kgf/cm2 instead of 15 Kgf/cm2 recommended by the vendor One seal was already serviced by Shinko Pantec Seal failure would cause a downtime of 6 days

Based on above maintenance team recommends seal replacement during T/A 2006.

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Skill Certification Plan

Develop skill certification checklist as per

our requirements for all the crafts Prepare test procedures based on the checklist for skill evaluation Develop a plan to test and certify contract employees Develop a scheme to implement skill certification plans in subsequent years
Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

What are we doing different this year?

Last year maintenance training performance was 85%. Goal for 2006

is 100% compliance Invite only relevant people to training in order to increase training effectiveness Distribute training assignments equally to all the Engineers and Asst. Engineers for equal load sharing Not more than two trainings in a month Training section will prompt the trainer couple of months prior to the training and will facilitate the trainer to prepare his training documentation Training performance assessment will be done every quarter of the year More organized approach has helped Maintenance in increasing training hours.

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.

Maintenance Training
Maintenance Training Plan

TNA of Employees
Skill Certification Plan

Steps Taken to Enhance Training

Performance

Engro Asahi Polymer & Chemicals Ltd.