Proper Maintenance Could Extend the Service Life of Circulation Water Pump Mechanical Seals

The mechanical seal of the circulating water pump mechanical seals is a widely used rotary shaft seal, also known as an end face seal. In recent decades, mechanical seal technology has made great progress and has been widely used in industries such as petroleum, chemical, light industry, metallurgy, machinery, aviation, and atomic energy. According to statistics from the contemporary petrochemical industry, 80% to 90% of centrifugal pumps use mechanical seals.

Definition of water pump mechanical seals

The mechanical seal is a device used to seal the rotating shaft and body. It is composed of at least one pair of end faces perpendicular to the axis, which are kept in close contact and relatively sliding under the action of fluid pressure and compensating mechanism elasticity (or magnetic force) and auxiliary sealing, forming a device to prevent fluid leakage.

The water pump mechanical seals are important sealing components of the circulating water pump, installed at the connection point of the motor and the pump body, to ensure that the medium does not leak during the operation of the water pump. The mechanical seal is also a vulnerable part of the water pump. If it is damaged, it will not only reduce the efficiency of the pump, but also cause greater damage to the pump in the long run. Therefore, daily maintenance of the mechanical seal of the water pump must be done correctly to achieve better sealing effect and prolonged service life. So, how to prevent the mechanical seal from being damaged?

When inspecting and repairing the water pump mechanical seals, attention should be paid to the following aspects

• Avoid leakage caused by loose parts. Pay attention to the heating caused by impurities entering the end face and whether there are abnormal sounds during operation. For pumps that run continuously, not only should dry friction be prevented during start-up, but also dry friction should be prevented during operation. Do not let the pump run dry. If necessary, automatic devices can be installed to prevent pump running dry. For pumps that run intermittently, pay attention to observing the crystals formed by drying of materials or temperature reduction after stopping the pump. When starting the pump, measures such as heating or flushing should be taken to avoid scratching the end face and affecting the sealing effect due to crystalline objects.

• Check whether the circulating protection system and instruments such as flushing and cooling are working normally and stably. Be aware of the failure of the seal caused by sudden water stop and poor cooling, or accidents caused by blockage of cooling pipes, flushing pipes, or equalizing pipes.

• The vibration and heating of the centrifugal pump itself will also affect the sealing performance and must be observed regularly. When the bearing part is damaged, it will also affect the sealing performance. Therefore, pay attention to whether the water pump mechanical seals bearing is heating up and whether there are abnormal sounds during operation, so that it can be repaired in time.