Mechanical seals have become superior packing options and they can be the conventional or cartridge type. Conventional seals, however require setting and aligning on pump sleeve and shaft to work properly. This requirement increases error margin that leads to premature failure and calls for more maintenance costs. It is to eliminate these challenges that cartridge seals were developed.
What they are
Cartridge seals can be defined as self-contained units that are made up of the seal, gland plate and shaft sleeve. They are designed in such a way that they eliminate common failures especially from installation errors. They do not need trained operators to install; they are made easy for anyone to handle and install effectively. The fact that the seals are presented in their own shaft sleeves means there is reduced damage that would otherwise pose a challenge when working with conventional seals.
The advantages
· The seals do not require any installation print. There are no installation measurements needed because they have clips that set correct spring loading when in place.
· They do not require any experience or special skill to install, unlike the conventional seals.
· The seals are easy to handle, especially considering that the lapped seal faces need not be touched when assembling them. It is a feature that eliminates accidental foreign substances on the lapped faces.
· The cartridge seals do not damage or fret shafts and most are hydraulically balanced.
· They compensate for pump shaft thermal expansion.
The installation
Installing a cartridge seal is easy. Simply slide your seal over pump shaft and align gland ports to finish building your pump. The gland should be tightened evenly and so should the collar set screws and spacers removed. Your cartridge unit will come fitted onto the pump shaft as a pre-built whole assembly, hence you will not require any further adjustments to fit. Ensure that you install the seal on the pump first before attaching to seal chamber. The fact that the seals do not call for usual adjustments and setting measurements, the maintenance costs are greatly lowered and the common seal installation errors are also minimized.
Getting the best
Before using or buying the cartridge seal that you need, you must ensure that it is in good operating condition. This is the simplest way of minimizing any future problems with the seal. The best seals should have:
· Straight shaft
· Bearings that are within tolerance
· No effects of cavitation
· Balanced impeller
Also important to consider when getting your cartridge seal is standardization level, regardless of OEM machine being sealed. You should not experience any performance drop when you decide to switch from the conventional seals to cartridge seals. It is also very helpful to ensure that you get your seals from a reliable and reputable manufacturer or supplier to enjoy quality performance. A manufacturer who can customize the seals to match your individual requirements can be best to work with. You will also find a manufacturer offering a variety of other similar products more reliable for your business or needs.
