Enhancing Equipment Longevity with Bellows Seals
Mechanical seals are primarily used in industrial applications involving the transfer or processing of fluids or gas in rotating or reciprocating equipment. Often, these fluids and gases are hazardous to people and the environment and can cause damage to equipment. In these instances, the mechanical bellows seal presents an ideal solution.
The bellows seal is named for its distinguishing feature, a series of intricate pleats, typically formed out of metal, that give the seal a degree of flexibility. The bellows can expand and contract to accommodate a range of radial, axial, and other irregular movement that might compromise the integrity of other mechanical seals. By keeping the process fluids or gases contained, the bellows seal eliminates the kind of operational leakage and contamination that contribute to equipment failure and increase the maintenance burden.
Here are some of the major benefits of the bellows seal that can extend the lifespan of equipment operating under harsh conditions:
Unsurpassed Leak Prevention
When containment of fluids and gas is critical, bellows seals are a wise choice. This is because leakage in rotating equipment can be detrimental to the environment, hazardous to humans, and harmful to equipment. Bellows seals provide unparalleled leak prevention.
Resistance to Contamination
Bellows seals are as successful at keeping contaminants out as they are at keeping process fluids in. By preventing the ingress of dust, dirt and other contaminants, the vulnerable inner workings of equipment are protected against elements that can degrade performance and accelerate wear.
Higher Performance Under Extreme Conditions
Industrial manufacturing often requires rotating equipment to operate in extreme temperatures and under high pressure. Designed to withstand harsh conditions, bellows seals are the go-to solution for such applications.
Less Frequent Maintenance
With a bellows seal installed, environmental contaminants are kept out, so equipment requires less frequent cleaning, repair, and replacement. The time and money saved on maintenance compounds over a longer equipment lifespan.
Improved Corrosion Resistance
In environments and applications where corrosion is a concern, bellows seals made from corrosion-resistant materials provide exceptional protection. The benefits to this include greater operational efficiency and prolonged equipment life.
Stein Bellows Seals
Stein Seal Industrial’s metal bellows seals incorporate a series of precision-engineered flexible, nested convolutions alternately welded at their inner and outer edges. These versatile seals prevent leakage of liquid or gas, even in extreme changes in temperature, and offer many features and characteristics that contribute to increased equipment longevity, including:
- Act as a static barrier during shutdown conditions
- Operate under a wide range of temperatures
- Possess high-strength characteristics
- Minimize shaft damage
- Are not subject to O-ring drag that affects many pusher seals
- Produce even face loading, superior face tracking and reduced frictional heat build-up
- Form a frictionless secondary seal when used with other seals
- Supply axial springing that allows the bellows to operate over an extended axial length
Find out more about bellows seals from Stein Seal Industrial
