| dc.description.abstract | The mechanical seal is a critical component in many mature industrial processes such as flue gas desulphurization, crude oil transport and refining, electricity production, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. A “critical component” can be defined as one that can reduce plant output significantly or even halt it completely if the intended performance of the component is compromised. Mechanical face seals have evolved from critical components to “enabling technologies” in contemporary applications such as multiphase pipeline transport, synthetic production of proteins and enzymes, ultra-high-speed centrifugal compressors, and many exotic chemical processes that take place at extreme pressures and temperatures. An “enabling technology” is one without which the application count not be realized. With such a high population of critical component seals and technology enabling seals worldwide, a modern contextual review of the physical meaning of seal leakage, underlying theoretical governing formulas, typical (“order of magnitude”) leakage values and trends of different seal designs, and the effective limits of seal leakage is more than warranted. The intention here is to create a comprehensive reference work that has global applicability and is based both in practical experience and sound theory. | en |
