ourpump.com blog

Although problem-free pump operation is the primary goal of all pump operators, achieving that goal is not a simple matter. The key components of a pump — mechanical seals, impellers, couplings, roller bearings and housings — are all subject to wear. Keeping a pump in good working condition is essential for cost-effective and reliable operation of plants and systems. Unplanned downtime can ruin production schedules and adversely affect a facility’s bottom line.

“Any system can only be as functional as the lifespan of its weakest component” — this statement applies to many types of products — but is especially true of mechanical seals. While mechanical seals are one of the key components of a pump, they also have one of the shortest average service lives. Mechanical seals are recognized to be responsible for most pump failures and consequently represent the highest cost for pump repairs. Therefore, reducing the MTBF (mean time between failure) or the MTBR (mean time between repair) can significantly improve pump operations and save money.

When working properly, mechanical seals are generally safe and reliable components that operate virtually wear-free. Problems occur when the sliding faces of a mechanical seal are not adequately lubricated, resulting in a dry-running condition that ultimately causes the destruction and breakdown of the seal. Industry surveys have shown that dry running or inadequate lubrication are responsible for more than 50% of all mechanical seal damages; consequently, it is safe to state that approximately 20% of all pump failures are due to poor lubrication or dry running of the mechanical seal faces.

In an analysis of the service life of pump components, it was found that mechanical seals, with an average service life of only 1.2 years, are the weakest link in terms of pump components, compared to the next weakest component, bearings, with an average service life of three years. To minimize pump repairs and downtime, it would be advantageous to pump operators if the average service life of the mechanical seals increased to match the service life of the bearings.

By using mechanical seals coated with DiamondFaces, the average service life of mechanical seals substantially increases. This allows pump operators to schedule preventive inspections of mechanical seals and eliminate or reduce the costs of unplanned process interruptions. By increasing the service life of mechanical seals, approximately every second pump repair, along with associated downtime and production disruption, can be avoided.

These diamond crystals grow together to form a closed layer. The separation process is stimulated with tungsten filaments stretched horizontally or vertically across the reactor and heated to approximately 2,000 C. This arrangement of the tungsten filaments is one of the key factors for ensuring that the coated seal faces are perfectly flat and uniformly coated. DiamondFaces guarantees the evenness of the sealing faces, which is essential for the functional reliability of mechanical seals.

Mechanical seals coated with DiamondFaces offer many advantages for users such as:

·        Virtually no wearing of the diamond coating

·        Reduced sliding-face friction

·        Extension of MTBF and MTBR values

·        Significant energy savings

·        Increased application range

·        Shortened ROI (return-on-investment

These advantages can make the pump have long life and can serve people for a long time.