This section provides overview, applications, and principles of mechanical seals. Also, please take a look at the list of 61 mechanical seal manufacturers and their company rankings.
Table of Contents
Mechanical seals main purpose is to reduce the leakage of liquids from rotating shafts. Specifically, mechanical seals are used on the rotating shafts of machinery with rotating mechanisms, such as pumps and compressors, to prevent the water and oil from seeping in.
Mechanical seals use liquids and are widely used in industrial machinery such as automobiles and industrial plants with rotating mechanisms, as well as in residential facilities.
Since each liquid has different characteristics, it is important to properly select materials and mechanisms used for mechanical seals according to the liquid. With proper selection, the mechanical seal can prevent leakage of hazardous liquids and help prevent environmental problems, while contributing to energy savings and improved equipment safety through efficient rotation.
The basic structure of a mechanical seal consists of a rotating ring that rotates in the direction of the axis of rotation of the rotating part of the machine and a fixed ring that does not rotate. The ring-shaped "sealing" on the rotating ring is pressed against the "floating seat" on the fixed ring to slide, forming a gap between these sliding surfaces that prevents the leakage of liquid.
Because of this structure and principle, some types of mechanical seals can prevent the leakage of hazardous liquids under high rotation and pressure.
There are various types of mechanical seals, and their characteristics vary depending on the sealing characteristics of the rotating ring, mounting position, and installation method. The most common types are unbalanced, balanced, rotating, stationary, inside, and outside types.
Unbalanced and balanced types are classified according to the sealing characteristics of the rotating ring. The factor that determines the pressure by the liquid is the pressure-sensitive area (A1) on the liquid side of the sealing of the rotating ring.
If the relationship between the pressure-receiving area (A1) and the sliding area (A2) is A1 > A2, the liquid pressure directly affects the sliding surface pressure. On the other hand, when A1 < A2, the pressure from the liquid is reduced.
The ratio of A1 to A2, A1/A2, is called the balance ratio (B.V.). The unbalanced type is affected strongly by the liquid pressure when B.V. > 1, while the balanced type is affected weakly by the pressure when B.V. ≤ 1.
The rotating type is a mechanism in which the sealing rotates in synchronization with the shaft, while the stationary type is a mechanism in which the sealing is fixed and does not rotate. The rotary type can be smaller than the stationary type, but the sealing is easily deformed when rotating at high speeds, which may lead to defects.
The inside type is a mechanism in which the leaking liquid travels from the outside to the inside, while the outside type is a mechanism in which the leaking liquid travels from the inside to the outside. The inside type is characterized by improved sealing because the liquid is affected by centrifugal force.
The outside type, on the other hand, has the advantage of being less susceptible to corrosion because it can be constructed so that the liquid has less contact with the mechanical seal.
The life of a mechanical seal depends greatly on the specifications of the machine. The fluid used, machine operating hours, number of operations, and fluid temperature are the main factors that determine the service life. Basically, the approximate service life is tentatively determined based on the past installation experience and set as a cyclic replacement, but generally, the service life is 2 years.
For those that do not have a set replacement cycle, the timing for replacement depends on the importance of the equipment, but if the amount of visual leakage increases, it is time to replace the seal. Mechanical seals provide a non-contact seal.
Therefore, they can be used maintenance-free as long as the springs that keep the sliding surfaces even and the packings that prevent fluid intrusion do not wear out. However, consumables must be replaced periodically to prevent leakage as they do deteriorate over time.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Ranking as of January 2023 in United States
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Howard J. Moore Company, Inc. | 100% |
Ranking as of January 2023 Globally
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Howard J. Moore Company, Inc. | 100% |
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the mechanical seal page as of January 2023. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
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