April 2, 2020 | 5 minute read
Water treatment plants are tough on your rotating equipment. High volumes of abrasive materials associated with wastewater and clean water management pose a challenge and can take a toll when it comes to maintaining your slurry seals and rotating equipment. Seal mean time between repair (MTBR) in some water treatment plants is measured only in weeks, causing equipment downtime, production loss, and other maintenance cost headaches.
When it comes to designing the supporting equipment High volumes and abrasiveness associated with wastewater and clean water management pose a significant challenge. Because the ratio of water to abrasive material from a single source can change frequently, every component must be durable enough to withstand extreme abrasiveness and still perform reliably. To handle these types of challenges, John Crane has designed a line of slurry seals to provide cost-effective solutions that dramatically increase MTBR, reduce energy consumption, and increase the efficiency of equipment used in all types of clean water and wastewater applications.
Recently, John Crane was able to help a wastewater treatment and reclamation plant move from total seal replacement every six months to no leakage for 65 months. This was critically important for one of the largest facilities in the Middle East as they are responsible for 60 percent of domestic and 20 percent of overall water needs for the region.
Struggling with the slurry seal the OEM provided, the water treatment facility reached out to John Crane. Despite using external flushing, the seal needed expensive repairs every two to three months and required replacement every six months.
John Crane sent a team of water application experts with experience dealing with reliability issues for wastewater treatment facilities worldwide. Upon inspection, they noted the improper design of the OEM seal, corrosion on the shaft sleeve, and unique equipment dimensions.
For these reasons, the John Crane experts recommended that the treatment facility move from a standard slurry seal to John Crane’s T5840 and a new shaft sleeve.
- Contains robust primary and secondary seal face materials
- Capable of handling a heavy volume of water treatment
- Designed for process pumps and other rotating equipment
- Non-clogging, elastomer-encased cone springs apply constant spring load
- Eliminates dynamic O-rings and associated hang-ups
- Operates without flush or water quenches
- Great general purpose, low maintenance seal for slurry
Since replacing the seal with the T5840, the treatment facility has achieved long term continuous operation with no leakage for 65 months. This performance reliability has decreased maintenance costs and increased equipment availability.
With this success, there are plans for continued upgrades, “which will deliver significant cost savings and performance benefits for the plant,” said a senior project engineer.
John Crane’s engineering experts can help you reduce and eliminate equipment reliability issues. With locations in over sixty countries, they are nearby and ready to get started. Contact the team today to find out how they can help you.