Light Hydrocarbon Shipping Pumps Challenges With Repetitive Mechanical Seal Failure

Abstract

NGL shipping pumps have experienced high number of mechanical seal failures during the first five years of operation. There are five pumps where each pump is equipped with two mechanical seals. In some instances, the mechanical seal failures occurred suddenly (noticeably immediately after the initial start-up of the facility in 2016).The vast majority of the failures have occurred while the pumps have been continuously running for periods ranging between 6 and 12 months. API standards require that a mechanical seal is designed for minimum life span of 25,000 hours or approximately three years. This case study will explain in details the common factors that caused these pumps to exhibit repetitive seal failures. In addition, the case study will explain the proposed API seal plan in order to extend the mechanical seal life.