Why do mechanical seals fail

Tiny amounts of liquid pass between but are typically vaporized by the heat of the shaft and seal before even getting past the mechanical seal — this liquid is actually important to the mechanical seal as it provides both cooling and lubrication. The motor lip seal and the mechanical seal are the heart and soul of any submersible pump. In another piece we covered the causes of a motor lip seal failure — here we are going to cover the possible causes of a mechanical or shaft seal assembly failure.

Some are simple and obvious, some might surprise you. Mechanical Seals — What are they and what causes them to fail? Solid Handling. Read more about the reasons for pump and mechanical seal failure in our eBook, 36 Ways to Kill Your Pump. Download your copy today! Skid Systems. Sanitary Cleaning Systems. Heat Exchangers. Skid System Packages. Skid Systems By Market.

Success Stories. Skid System Store. Skid System Repair Services. Emergency Repair. John Crane Seal Repair. Root Cause Analysis. Skid System Refurbishment. Valve Automation. Floor Coatings. Video Library. Media Kit. Crane Engineering. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Then came the development of the mechanical seal, which accomplishes the job of restraining product leakage around the pump shaft with two very flat surfaces one stationary and one rotating. Even though these mechanical seal faces also require some leakage across its faces, this leakage normally evaporates and is not noticeable.

However, because of the delicate components used for this new sealing method, mechanical seal failures are the greatest cause of pump down time. To avoid this, it's essential to apply the right seal for the desired and appropriate function. A seal can be exposed to a wide variety of operating conditions—sometimes very different from conditions the seal was intended for—which can cause issues down the line.