Modifying a Mechanical Seal Support Assembly Drawing to Fit Your Alberta Facility

Installing a safe and reliable mechanical seal support system is not an easy feat. The mechanical seal support system regulates the fluid system environment to set process conditions, ensuring process temperature adjustment and leakage control. For system efficiency, each plan needs to be carefully configured with high-quality components to prevent malfunction. 

API plans are designed to improve the quality of operation of the seal support system. By customizing these plans, your mechanical seal support system can meet the unique safety requirements required for your operation. To get the best performance out of your system, it’s recommended that you reach out to a local fluid system expert for guidance on design support and to modify your mechanical seal support assembly drawing to fit your specific needs.

Possible Modifications To Your Seal Support System Design

Along the process side, in-between, or on the atmospheric side, your seal support assembly will have a unique seal support plan. This will include a flush plan, buffer/barrier fluid plan, quench, and leakage collection plan. When carefully considered, these plans facilitate the efficient performance of your rotating equipment.

Flush Plans

The flush plans are usually applicable for single mechanical seals. A basic plan will cover the strategic placement of flow equipment to support the recirculation of process fluid from the pump system to the seal chamber. Various arrangements of the mechanical seal support assembly can be established under this plan using the following versions of the API flush plan:

• Plan 11– Flush
• Plan 12– Flush with strainers
• Plan 13– Flush from chamber to suction
• Plan 14– Combination of Plan 11 and 13
• Plan 21– Cooled flush
• Plan 23– Cooled flush circulated through seal chamber
• Plan 31– Flush with cyclone separator
• Plan 32– External flush
• Plan 41– Cooled flush with cyclone separator

These plans allow modification with the addition of strainers, or cyclone separators to reroute the flow of process fluid to the seal chamber with internal or external porting options.

Buffer/ Barrier Fluid Plan

The buffer/barrier fluid plan focuses on the secondary mechanical seal and emphasizes the use of pressurized/unpressurized fluid to reduce the chance of seal damage and process fluid leakage into the atmosphere. The variations of this plan include the following API versions:

• Plan 52– Buffer fluid seal pot
• Plan 53A– Barrier fluid seal pot pressurized by nitrogen
• Plan 53B– Barrier fluid pressurized by bladder accumulator
• Plan 53C– Barrier fluid pressurized by piston accumulator 
• Plan 54– Barrier fluid pressurized by external system 
• Plan 55– Buffer fluid circulated by external system 
• Plan 72– Buffer gas 
• Plan 74– Barrier gas

Additional Plans

In addition to these established plans, in the case where the dual mechanical seal isn’t applicable on the atmospheric side, a dead-end quench system can be established. Typically used with vertical pumps, the quench system prevents ice formation around the seal when working with cold fluid. API Plan 51 and Plan 62 provide variation when the quench system has to be adopted.

Customize Your Mechanical Seal Support Assembly Drawing With the Help of Local Experts

Making a design decision about your mechanical seal support is heavily dependent on the process conditions and environment at your facility. Through careful selection of your mechanical seal support plan, you can leverage the full potential of the pumping system at your Alberta facility. 

At Edmonton Valve & Fitting, we provide Field Advisory Services to evaluate your specific fluid system needs. Our experts can perform a thorough evaluation of your mechanical seal support system and support the modification of your mechanical seal support assembly drawing whenever required. Along with the customization of the flushing and piping plans, we also offer guidance in the selection and assembly of the right components. With the right recommendations on seal support assembly plans and component selection, the mechanical seal support system at your facility is sure to be safe and efficient.