Factors to Consider When Choosing Mechanical Seals

Mechanical seals are vital parts to an engineering project, whether it be constructing buildings or laying down tube and pipelines. Choosing the right mechanical seal is an easy process but it has a lot of factors that need to be considered before you can come up with the right ones to use. Construction projects usually specify the gasket and sealing requirements needed for the project’s entirety. But in the case where specifications are non-existent, it is imperative that you know the different types of gaskets, gland packing, and mechanical seals.

Many seal manufacturers and suppliers usually help their customers in choosing the proper seal to be used in their construction projects. Sometimes, though, their good intentions are wasted because they do not have a first hand knowledge of what your project would need. Since you know your project better than the supplier or manufacturer, you need to know the basics of mechanical seals so you can choose them for yourself.

Types of Mechanical Seals

There are plenty of seals you can choose from to use for your project. First and the most commonly used among them is the hydraulically balanced seal. Seals of this type generate less heat and can be able to handle a wide range of pressure during use. If the pressure that would be present in your pipes or machines during use would exceed 400 pounds per square inch, then it might be best for you to purchase a special version of the balanced seal.

A stationary mechanical seal is perfect for projects that involve misaligned connecting machines. An example of this would be a pump and its driver or a stuffing box that is not squared entirely with its rotating shaft. A stationary seal is also advantageous when you have pumps that operate at great speeds.

If you are involved in a project that requires machines that are being operated in high temperatures, then seals with metal bellows are the perfect ones for your use. If your machines are operating in extreme cold, then these seals are also the ones that you should be using.

Dual mechanical seals are used for machines and projects that apply a two-way system. These gaskets can also act as spare seals in emergency cases like an unexpected shutdown or power outage.

There are also non-metallic mechanical seals you can buy whenever the parts that need connecting are made from non-metallic materials like plastic, Teflon, carbon and the like. These seals are usually exposed outside of the parts that they are connecting. They effectively seal whatever liquids or gases you might have in the connection. They are also available almost anywhere and are cheaper compared to metallic ones.