Principles And Application Of A Diagnostic System For Mechanical Seals

Abstract

It is well known from long-term experience that life-cycle costs of a pump are determined by the consequential cost associated with pump failures. The failure of a pump, often originating from system-related nonpermissible operating condition (early failure detection), will in many instances be caused by the failure of the mechanical seal. A system of reliably forecasting the remaining lifetime of a mechanical seal must thus be established in order to replace them during normal nonproductive periods before they finally fail (preventive maintenance). This diagnostic system, developed by a manufacturer of mechanical seals in collaboration with a pump manufacturer, comprises the necessary sensors and the pump integrated electronics. The required diagnostic software controlling the actual lifetime computation comprises user interfaces and, as the core of the diagnostic system, the so-called life-cycle algorithm.