ROLON Gas Seals

Gas seals and their application for maximum

reliability

Rolon seals Turbomachinery

Products & Operation

DGS Application Range

ROLON DGS
Operating Range

Temp: -140 to +315C

Pressure: to 450 Barg
Speed: to 200m/s
Shaft: to 330mm

Type 28AT Seal Design Features

Compliant stationary face design providing
maximum flexibility
Optimum slow roll capability
Logarithmic spiral or
bi-directional design.

Tungsten carbide or silicon carbide rotating seat

Type R28 AT for duties to 82 bar

Carbon seal faces

Elastomeric O Ring
Secondary seal

Type 28 XP for duties to 200 bar

Carbon seal faces

Keyed Balance dia.

polymer

Type 28 REXP for duties to 350 bar

Cranite seal faces

ADC Balance dia.

polymer

John Crane
Range of Standard gas seals

Re-injection Duties

Type R28 EXP

Core business

Type R28 XP
High Speed

LNG type Duties

ROLON seal dominate High Technology Market

sectors

Type R28 AT

Type 82 Barrier seal

Benefits
Proven / reliable design
>15 years field experience on
a wide range of applications
Excellent protection against
Oil ingress into DGS
limited N2 Consumption
No explosive mixture risk
No process gas to bearing
housing
Environmentally Friendly

Control Panels & SEPro Systems

Complex Gas Seal control panel

& booster for BP Horn Mountain

SEPro system for BP

Gas seal performance progress

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XP

(C
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)
&

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ROLON SEAL Turbomachinery

Seal design for maximum
reliability

ROLON SEALTurbomachinery
System design for maximum
reliability
80% of seals fail prematurely because of
contamination

Ensure the gas is clean and dry

EXTERNAL
GAS
FILTER
MODULE

Filtered Process Gas

PROCESS
GAS
FI

Process Gas

FI

For extended reliability

clean / dry seal gas is the
MOST important
Gas should be filtered
to around 1 micron
Coalescing filters can
be used to dry the gas
Heaters can be used to
provide superheat
Heat tracing should be
used to prevent heat
loss
SEPro type systems
can be used to provide
static gas flow

Phase Diagrams
180
160

Pressure (bar)

140

Check adiabatic expansion

AF 15256 Gas Composition
Check hydrate formation

120
100
80
60
40
20
0
-180

-160

-140

-120

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

20

Temperature (C)
dew line

bubble line

Adiabatic Expansion

Hydrate Curve (1% H2O)

40

60

Using a thermocouple to measure seal

temp

Specify a Thermocouple to
monitor seal temp

OEM will need to provide

exit gland

End User in Alaska

5.687 Seal on Suction End
6.929 seal On Discharge
Reinjection duty with H2S

325 bar working pressure

350 bar max pressure
11753 rpm
Operating since August 2000

Field Gas Analysis

- Plot operating conditions
180
160

AF 15254
-59C Dew Point

140

Pressure (bar)

120
100
80
60
40
20
0
-200

-150

-100

-50

50

100

Temperature (C)
dew line
Gas from Skid

bubble line
Seal Gas DE

Adiabatic Expansion
Seal Gas NDE

Hydrate Curve

150

Field Gas Analysis

- Plot operating conditions
180
160

Predicted worst case

expansion line

AF 15254
-59C Dew Point

140

Measured operating
points from Data capture
system

Pressure (bar)

120
100

Actual worst case

expansion line passing
through liquid region

80
60
40
20
0
-200

-150

-100

-50

50

100

Temperature (C)
dew line
Gas from Skid

bubble line
Seal Gas DE

Adiabatic Expansion
Seal Gas NDE

Hydrate Curve

150

Review gas properties

Element

Wt%

CK

09.62

White deposits found across IB seal faces

OK

09.40

Caused seat and face to stick together

AlK

00.11

SiK

00.32

SK

80.55

Area analysed

Clear evidence of liquid contamination

White deposits identified as deposition of elemental sulphur

ROLON SEAL Turbomachinery

- Create a clean environment for the
seal under all conditions

Clean seal gas injection

Normal operation

EXTERNAL
GAS
FILTER
MODULE

Filtered Process Gas

PROCESS
GAS
FI

Process Gas

FI

Flow path of
seal gas under
normal dynamic
operating
conditions

No seal gas flow at settle out conditions

Filter

No differential pressure
= no flow
FI

Settle- out Conditions

(Pressurised standstill)

FI

Seal contaminated
by process gas
Can Lead to Seal
hang up on start-up

Seal environment solutions from

SEPro - Heated filtered seal gas on demand during

shutdown and periods of low differential pressure
ensure the seal is constantly maintained in optimum
condition and readiness for re-start.

When the unit is statically pressurised

there is no seal gas flow
JT expansion causes cooling
SEPro - Superior by design
Application developed gas circulator
Inbuilt safety and monitoring features
Plug and play operating philosophy
Auto start / stop functions
Onboard logic and control

Any liquids or heavy ends are deposited in

the seal
This results in serious contamination and
premature seal failure
The SEPro system provides flow to keep
the seals clean and dry
Provides major increase in seal life

Seal environment solutions from

SEPro Flow diagram

MONITORING OUTPUTS
FIT

FROM MAIN SEAL GAS FILTERS

FEED TO DRY GAS SEALS

PI

STATUS
PANEL

PI
NC

CONTROL
MODULE

N2 PURGE

NC
VENT
HEATER
MODULE

PI

PI

VENT

AIR
SUPPLY

PI

NC

TE
NC
VENT
GAS BOOSTER

FILTER

Seal environment solutions from

Experience has proven that process contamination is the

biggest single contributor to premature gas seal failure
Maintain optimum seal condition
Increase compressor availability
Prevent liquid contamination at seal faces
Prevent process debris contamination
Increase dry gas seal MTBF
NACE material compatibility
ATEX and PED options

SEPro - More than just another filtered gas package

ROLON SEAL Turbomachinery

Ensure the OB seal is
adequately alarmed

Ensure the OB seal is adequately alarmed

Filtered N2 Secondary Gas

EXTERNAL
GAS

Filtered Process Gas

FILTER
MODULE

PCV

N2 SECONDARY
FILTER MODULE

Ensure OB seal is alarmed

PROCESS
GAS
FI

FI

FI

FI

LP in PV = OB seal failure
HP in PV = IB seal failure

Process + N2
Gas to Flare
PI
FO

FO
FI

Process Gas

PI

FI

FLARE

ROLON SEAL Turbomachinery

Ensure adequate separation
from bearing oil

Type 82 Barrier Seal - Function

Ensure adequate Barrier Seal Supply

Filtered N2 Secondary Gas

EXTERNAL
GAS
FILTER
MODULE
PROCESS
GAS

PCV

Filtered Process Gas

PI

FI

FI

FI

FI

N2 SECONDARY
FILTER MODULE

Ensure Barrier gas

supply pressure is
PI
adequately controlled
Should be controlled
to 0.3 to 0.5 bar

Barrier seal pressure

controlled with PCVs

Barrier Seal leakage

changes
Process
+ N with time
2

Gas
Interlock
to Flarewith
bearing oil
PI
FO

FO
FI

Process Gas

PI

FI

FLARE

N2 to Atmosphere

VENT

Improved Product - Type 83 Barrier Seal

Type 82 Bushing Upgrade - the Type 83 Barrier Seal
Wave Spring
Garter Spring

Carbon Segments

New Development - Type 83 Barrier Seal

Type 83 Barrier Seal

Dry
Gas
Seal
side

Oil
side

Type 83 Barrier Seal

ROLON SEAL Turbomachinery

Ensure The OEMs test with
job seal system

Ensure the compressor is tested with

job panel
The OEMs often provide a temporary
seal system for the compressor
testing.
Complex systems are left untested
SD conditions left unchecked
Lead to prototype trials on site

If there is a problem with the seal it is

often not picked up
Catastrophic failure

Complex Gas Seal control panel

& booster for BP Horn Mountain

Impossible to diagnose

Specification for maximum reliability

- Summary
Use polymer seals in place of O rings
Even at low pressures XP seal show benefits

Ensure the gas is clean and dry

Use coalescing filters to remove liquids
Ensure adequate draining

Heat trace lines + insulate

Use SEPro system to provide seal gas under shutdown
Protects the seal from process gas when the machine is shutdown

Use heaters to increase margin over liquid formation

Use a thermocouple within the seal to monitor temp

Specification for maximum reliability

- Summary
Ensure adequate OB seal failure sensing
Confirm test conditions reflect duty
Axial movements
Transient movement Vacuum testing

Temperature transients
Confirm seal vendor test conditions reflect duty

Leakage monitoring
Ensure flowmetres are correctly sized
Check shutdown flow rates

Barrier seal gas system

Ensure adequate barrier seals are provided

Adequate pressure control (0.3 to 0.5 bar)
Confirm failure sensing
Provide bearing oil interlock
Consider explosive mixtures / including failure condition

John Crane Gas Seals Offer: Experience

More experience than the other gas seal vendors put
together

Global service
Local experience and support
Local repair service
All to a guaranteed global standard

Technology
Proven high performance products specially selected for
specific requirements

ROLON SEALS World leaders in Dry Gas Seal

Technology