From the pages of Plant Engineering Magazine

A GUIDE TO SHAFT SEALS

By Joseph L. Foszcz, PE/CPE, Senior Editor, Plant Engineering Magazine --
3/1/2001
Machines require rotating shaft seals to retain lubricants and prevent foreign particles from
entering sealed cavities, which damage machinery and lead to premature failure.
Application conditions can vary considerably, and many seal designs have evolved to satisfy
these conditions. Some applications tolerate a small amount of leakage, while others cannot
allow any leakage. In general, seal complexity and cost increase as the need for zero
leakage increases.

Shaft seals make up two groups: contacting and non-contacting. Contacting seals make
direct contact between the sealing component and the rotating shaft. Because there is
rubbing contact, leakage is minimal and friction and seal wear occur.

The sealing element in non-contacting seals allows a certain amount of leakage. It is

controlled by clearance gaps. Because there is no rubbing contact, leakage is higher, but
seal friction and wear are eliminated.

Contacting

There are three types of contacting seals.

Mechanical face seals prevent leakage in applications that exceed the capabilities of
elastomeric radial lip and packing designs. They provide long life without shaft wear. Shaft
finish, hardness, and material are not critical. The seal can handle a wide variety of fluids,
pressures up to 3000 psi, speeds to 50,000 rpm, and temperatures from -4251200 F. This
type of seal has become popular on pumps where leakage is not allowed.

Radial lip seals are primarily used to retain lubricants and exclude contaminants. The seals
function at temperatures from 60400 F. Advantages include low cost, small space
requirements, and simple installation.

Packings are not designed to produce a leak-free seal. They are tightened enough to allow
a minimum, but positive, leakage. The leakage is intended to lubricate the packing material.
The modest leakage reduces friction and wear. Packing material is supplied in many
shapes, including impregnated yarn, continuous strands, square-sections, and interlocking
shapes. This seal is generally used on pumps.

Non-contacting

Four types of non-contacting seals are available.

Bushing seals are classified as fixed, floating, balanced, and floating ring. The bushing seal
is a close-clearance version arranged stationary to the housing or floating with the shaft.
The fixed bushing is a sleeve attached to a housing, surrounding a rotating shaft with a
relatively close clearance.
Floating bushing seals follow shaft gyrations and have closer tolerances than fixed
bushings. Balanced bushing seals eliminate or reduce spring forces and still retain the
advantages of a floating bushing seal. Floating ring seals overcome the pressure and
alignment problems of single floating bushings by splitting the bushing into several rings.
This seal is only suited for sealing liquids.

Labyrinth seals are used mainly in high-speed applications where relatively high leakage
rates can be tolerated and simplicity is necessary. A properly designed seal does not
require lubrication or maintenance. If wear occurs, the only damage is an increase in
leakage.

Visco seals have grooves or screw threads machined on the shaft or in the housing to
provide a positive pumping action. Viscosity of the pumped fluid in the clearance gap
produces the seal effect. These seals function at certain minimal speeds. For low shaft
rotation, a secondary-sealing device, such as a lip seal, must be provided. This type of seal
is used where liquids are continuously transferred.

Magnetic seals use a colloidal suspension of magnetic particles, focused by permanent

magnets, to create a seal. In addition to providing a nearly perfect seal with negligible wear
or friction, they are tolerant of shaft runout. They can be used at speeds up to 120,000 rpm,
temperatures up to 400 F, and pressures of 7 psi/stage. Seals are used primarily with gases
and exclude moisture, mist, and fine solids.

Rotating shaft seals

Joseph L. Foszcz

Contacting seals

Mechanical face

Radial lip

Packing

Non-contacting seals

Bushing

Labyrinth

Visco

Magnetic
Troubleshooting
mechanical face seals
Symptom
Narrow wear pattern
Wide wear pattern
No wear pattern
Intermittent wear pattern
Uneven wear pattern
Heat checking
Cracked hard face
Chipped edges
Flaking and peeling
Deep wear on hard face
Cause
Excessive pressure
Cocked stationary face Pump or
pipe misalignment Pump
cavitation or vibration
Rotary seal interference
Distortion of stationary face
Pump/motor misalignment
Seal faces overheat
Thermal or mechanical shock
Fluid vaporization Pump
cavitation
Defective coating Chemical
attack
Fluid is abrasive or crystallizes
Cure
Reduce pressure or change to
higher pressure-rated seal
Clean and reassemble seal Realign
pump Check system piping
Disassemble and remove
obstruction
Check stuffing box face for flatness
Tighten gland bolts evenly Check
seal faces for flatness
Realign pump and motor
Add flushing to seal faces Change
seal design or material
Change seal material Handle seals
with care
Properly flush seal Check system
piping
Switch to solid seal material Change
seal material
Flush to remove abrasive
products Add heat to inhibit
crystallizing

Troubleshooting
radial lip seals
Symptom Cause Cure
Remove burrs and sharp edges from shaft Use
Nicks, cuts, or
Leakage mounting tool to protect seal lip from keyways, sharp
tears in seal lip
shoulders, and splines Handle with care
Scratches or nicks Finish shaft to 20 (omega)in. rms Protect shaft after
on shaft surface finishing
Lead marks on
Plunge grind shaft surface
shaft
Shaft whip or
Locate seal close to bearing
runout
Cocked shaft Use correct mounting tool and procedure
Use correct mounting tool and procedure Handle
Damaged spring
seals with care
Use correct mounting tool and procedure Handle
Damaged case
seals with care
 Paint on shaft or
Mask seal and shaft before painting
seal
Machine chamfer to 32 min. and blend into shaft
Turned under lip Rough chamfer
surface
Chamfer angle Check for correct lead angle
Careless handling Use correct mounting tool and procedure
Excessive lip wear Pressure Provide vents in housing
Rough shaft Finish shaft to 20 (omega)in. rms
Dry running Provide proper lubrication for seal
Element hardening or Reduce sump temperature Upgrade seal material
Temperature
cracking Provide proper lubrication for seal
Use dust lip in dirty atmospheres Harden shaft
Shaft wear Abrasives to Rc 30 minimum Change oil frequently to
remove dirt Install wear sleeve

Troubleshooting packings
Symptom
No leakage
Excessive leakage
Packing reduced under horizontal
shaft
Packing reduced over horizontal
shaft
Whole or part of end ring missing
Wear on outside of one or more
rings
Rings next to gland follower worn,
others all right
Ring IDs burnt, dried, or charred,
remaining material all right
Innermost ring deteriorated
Packing seizure on shaft after
shutdown
Possible causes/actions
Incorrect installation negative stuffing box pressure
requiring lantern ring Slight overtightening follow installation
procedure
Wrong packing Incorrect installation procedure Shaft runout
excessive
Shaft misaligned with stuffing box Worn bearings packing
acting as bearing
Shaft misaligned with stuffing box Worn bearings
Excessive clearance between shaft and stuffing box neck or
gland follower, allowing extrusion
Rings rotating with shaft, packing section too small
Incorrect installation procedure, gland follower overtightened
Incorrect packing selection for temperature or speed
Inadequate lubrication
Incorrect packing selection, check compatibility with product
Product crystallizing or solidifying in packing bore
through inadequate lubrication or lack of cooling or
heating
Troubleshooting non-contacting
seals
Problem Causes Corrective action
Excessive radial
Excessive leakage at startup Decrease radial clearance
clearance
Excessive pressure Improve or add vent
Excessive lubricant fill Decrease fill or increase cavity
Excessive temperature Decrease fill or increase cavity
Excessive vibration Increase lube cavity
Excessive end play Increase lube cavity
Radial contact Fill scratches and voids
Replace damaged secondary
Bypass leakage
seals
Excessive leakage after a period of
Loss of lubricant viscosity Improve lubricant
time
Excessive relubrication Decrease lubrication
Contaminant ingress Add contaminant shield
Loss of magnetic fluid Replace magnetic fluid
Water ingress Static leakage Add static seal
Partial vacuum Clean or add vent
No lube leakage Increase lube fill
Excessive wet
Add water shield
environment
Excessive radial
Dirt ingress Decrease radial clearance
clearance
Excessive dirty
Add dirt seal
environment
Partial vacuum Clean or add vent
No lube leakage Increase lube fill

2001, Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.