ALTERNATIVE TO NICKEL
AND COPPER NICKEL ALLOYS
excessively, even if two lip seals were stacked on top of each other. The lip seals
on the input shaft were replaced with a new magnetic seal to reduce oil leaks out
the top of the gearbox (see
Figures 11 and 12).
Put ToughMet®
in your corner.
Figure 11. New upper magnetic gearbox oil seal.
Figure 12. New upper magnetic gearbox seal.
Seal Oil System Modifications
To improve the circulation
of seal buffer fluid, the original reservoir and exchanger
were replaced with a stainless reservoir (made from
6-in pipe) with an internal
cooling coil (see Figure 13).
This greatly reduced the
restriction in the buffer fluid
circulation loop because the
pressure drop through the
new reservoir is very small
compared to the prior set up
of passing through shell side
of the small shell-and-tube
heat exchanger.
Likewise, this arrangement better utilizes the
capacity of the seal reservoir to increase the effects
of the thermo-siphon.
Additionally, the small 0.5-
in stainless steel tubing from
the pump to the reservoir
was replaced with new .75-
in stainless steel tubing that
sloped continuously down
to the pump with large
radius bends.
“Your
900 lb.
contender.”
Secondary Seal Modifications
To further improve the reliability of the secondary
process seal, the one-piece
“top hat” design discussed
above was replaced with a
two-piece design that incorporated a separate 17-4 PH
sleeve and solid tungsten
carbide rotating face (see
Figure 14). This increases
the seal’s ability to conduct
heat away from the faces and
eliminates problems with
the tungsten carbide coating
on the steel face.
Are you fighting high costs and
long lead times for your current
nickel alloys? Then start round
two with ToughMet®, the leading
contender in engineered materials.
Providing many of the same
properties as nickel
alloys, ToughMet® offers
design flexibility and
better machinability
as well as galling and
corrosion resistance.
Let us coach you
from the winning
corner, and we'll
help you win the
fight in fewer rounds.
Visit us at www.ToughMet.com/
contender-PS or call us
toll-free at 800-375-4205.
Figure 13. New seal reservoir installation.
Improve Lower Bearing on
