Custom Seals for Power Generation
With the demand for electricity growing at a break-neck pace, year after year, the power generation industry is under increasing pressure to provide more efficient, dependable, robust power to the grid. For decades, the industry has relied on Stein Seal Industrial to provide innovative seals for power generation, from screw compressors to steam, gas, hydro, coal-fired, or nuclear turbines. Our focus has always been on long-term performance and reliability under high-temperature, high-pressure conditions.
STEIN INNOVATION AT WORK
Stein Seal has developed innovative sealing solutions for the steam turbine industries. Stein’s steam seal is used in new and retrofit steam seal turbine applications where operators want to increase efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Steam seals operate in harsh conditions using gas buffers, oil buffers, or a combination of both, to provide a dynamic sealing solution for critical applications.
HYDROGEN
Large generators are typically filled with hydrogen to reduce windage losses caused by the generator rotor. While a hydrogen environment makes the generator more efficient, the extreme flammability of hydrogen poses operational risks to the environment and to personnel. To mitigate hydrogen leakage, generators use complex sealing systems around the main shaft that rely on oil pumped into gland-type seals at a pressure higher than the generator’s hydrogen pressure. These gland-type seals contain the hydrogen in the generator casing.
Traditional generator hydrogen sealing systems have issues due to large quantities of oil required for sealing, potential oil ingress into the generator casing, shaft movement during startup, etc. Stein Seal® Company’s patented Hydrovent™ and Hydroload™ generator hydrogen seals address these issues and offer other benefits, including:
- Significantly reduced oil consumption
- Significantly reduced oil and hydrogen leakage
- Sealing during a loss of oil condition
- Improved seal life, up to 50,000 hours
- Easy maintenance and replacement as the seals are split and can be replaced directly on the generator shaft.
- Higher tolerance for shaft movement during generator startup
- Stein Seal Industrial can incorporate this seal design into any OEM turbine generator, providing lasting value to the end user. We can also test hydrogen seals in the Stein Seal Dynamic Test Lab to confirm performance under any anticipated conditions.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss your turbine-generator sealing needs or any other unique sealing issues you may have. Our over 65 years of experience and 50 patents provide us with a long history of solving the most challenging sealing problems.
LEADING THE NEXT WAVE
Stein Seal is now working on technology to generate steam power from molten salt. The challenges are significant, as the melting point of salt is 1700ºF, and the process is highly corrosive. However, the potential benefits are considerable and may soon lead to a significant breakthrough in renewable, green energy.