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Detailed
Why do silicone seals fail?
Time:
2022-09-13 11:19
Author:
Web scraping
Silicone rubber seals are mainly classified into two types: static seals and dynamic seals. Static seals typically include gasket seals, O-ring seals, and threaded seals. Dynamic seals primarily comprise soft packing seals, oil seals, labyrinth seals, spiral seals, rotary seals, and mechanical seals.
Silicone sealant They are mainly classified into two types: static seals and dynamic seals. Static seals typically include gasket seals, O-ring seals, and threaded seals. Dynamic seals primarily comprise soft packing seals, oil seals, labyrinth seals, spiral seals, rotary seals, and mechanical seals.
There are two primary causes of leakage: first, gaps in the sealing surfaces; second, a pressure differential across the sealing interface. Eliminating or reducing either factor can prevent or minimize leakage, thereby achieving effective sealing. The pump’s design pressure and operating pressure are inherent characteristics that cannot be lowered; therefore, addressing the pump’s sealing challenges involves eliminating or minimizing the gaps between the sealing surfaces. These gaps encompass both the inter‑surface clearance and the internal clearances within the sealing assembly itself.
Silicone rubber seals are the primary method for shaft sealing in modern pumps. While achieving completely leak‑free operation is challenging, attaining a minimal, fully acceptable level of leakage is entirely feasible. However, unexpected issues frequently arise during mechanical operation—so what causes silicone rubber seals to fail?
1. Improper material selection for silicone seals.
The material of the mechanical seal ring is incompatible with the conveyed medium. During operation, the sealing elements are rapidly corroded, dissolved, or worn, leading to a loss of sealing performance. Therefore, selecting appropriate materials for the mechanical seal based on the properties of the conveyed medium is essential to ensure its sealing effectiveness and service life.
2. The flushing of the silicone sealing components does not meet the design requirements.
When conveying media that are prone to crystallization or contain fine particles, it is essential to flush the system with a flushing fluid at specified pressure and flow rate; otherwise, crystals or particulates will accelerate wear on the sealing faces, impair the automatic compensation mechanism after wear, and lead to leakage. Therefore, depending on the characteristics of the conveyed medium, not only should appropriate flushing lines be installed, but also instrumentation and devices equipped with monitoring and control functions, to ensure that the flushing fluid’s pressure and flow rate meet design specifications, thereby maintaining the proper operation of the mechanical seal—yet this critical aspect is often overlooked by users.
3. The working pressure of the silicone seal exceeds its rated capacity.
Each mechanical rubber sealing ring has a limited pressure‑bearing capacity. When the pressure within the sealing chamber is measured inaccurately, it may exceed the ring’s rated pressure, leading to leakage—this is one of the most common causes of seal failure.
4. The operating temperature of silicone rubber seals should not exceed their specified limits. In the design of cooling circuits, insufficient flow of the cooling medium often reduces cooling efficiency; in designs without cooling lines, trapped air within the seal chamber causes the mechanical seal to remain in a dry‑friction state. In both scenarios, the operating temperature of the mechanical seal’s dynamic sealing pair becomes excessively high, accelerating wear and leading to seal failure.
5. When using a single-spring mechanical seal, it is not uncommon for the spring’s rotational direction to be incorrectly matched with the pump rotor’s rotation—either because the design fails to specify this requirement or due to oversight during assembly. Contrary to what one might expect, the rotor’s rotation does not increase the spring force of the mechanical seal; on the contrary, it reduces it. As a result, the frictional pressure between the rotating and stationary rings becomes insufficient, leading to leakage.
6. Severe wear or damage to the bearing can cause significant axial movement of the pump shaft, which is also one of the causes of leakage in silicone seals.
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