Engineered Seal Systems
An essential element to the successful operation of mechanical seals is the right application of the appropriate environmental controls. Mechanical seals need to be kept cool, clean and lubricated, a mantra you will hear at any mechanical seal training seminar. API (American Petroleum Institute) has assembled and organized the plans numerically under its API 682 code for mechanical seals, to ensure that everyone is operating off a standard set of descriptions and nomenclature. The standardized plans may be further altered to each customer’s specific preferences (e.g. switches vs. transmitters).
PPC’s API Plan 53B is a seal system utilizing a bladder accumulator to maintain continuous pressure on the seal without a constant external source. The system is coupled with a dual mechanical seal with the barrier fluid between the sets of faces pressurized greater than the process.
Multiple accessories are available including water and air-cooled heat exchangers sized for the application, pressure and temperature instrumentation, and built-in hand pumps with reservoirs to simplify maintenance.