Everything you need to know about

Everything you need to know about

Shaft seals, dirt seals, grease seals, lip seals, and many other names are only a few of the many names given to oil seals. They are simple components used in rotary shaft machinery to keep oil from leaking and impurities like dust, dirt, and water out. However, an oil seal&#;s most crucial role is to safeguard all ball, sleeve, and roller bearing types found in rotating shafts. Additionally, the seals stop blending two fluids that shouldn&#;t mix, such as water and oil.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website oil seal manufacturing process.

What are oil seals?

A mechanical tool called an oil seal keeps lubricant from leaking out of the machine. It accomplishes its goal by sealing the equipment&#;s moving and stationary parts. Additionally, it prevents impurities from getting inside the machine and shortens its lifespan, an important role it completes.

Numerous oil seals exist, including PTFE lip oil seals, rubber fabric oil seals, and rotating V-seals.

An oil seal kit is a set of oil seals with the necessary dimensions and desired characteristics. An oil seal kit is more cost-effective and advantageous than buying individual oil seals.

Types of oil seal NBC offer 

Oil or other seals can be used for grease and oil seals. A flexible lip, radial lip, or rotating shaft seal are different names for an oil seal. Single lip, double lip, triple lip, and four or more lips are frequent configurations.

Double dust lip seal

A seal with a garter spring design is the Double Dust Lip (DDL) seal. It has two dust lips, as the name would imply, plus a fluid lip with a garter spring to keep the lip firmly attached to the wear ring. Given the ongoing evolution of bearing seal designs, this seal would be considered a starting seal. For more than 50 years, this design has been the workhorse of the freight business; it still is in some regions. NBC Brenco Bearing Seal performs the fundamental task of keeping contaminants and grease out. Because of the garter spring, this seal would add the most torque and temperature to the bearing.

Efficiency plus bearing seals

Due to eliminating the fluid lip using poly inserts and rotors, the Efficiency Plus (EP) seal has a reduced torque value of fewer than 15 in-lbs. Although it features a triple dust lip rather than a double dust lip, the dust lip is still a molded component of the design. A labyrinth-like insert and rotor interlock each other to replace the fluid lip. NBC Brenco labyrinth provides excellent grease while lowering the torque required to rotate the seal.

Other types of oil seal and grease seals include:

Single lip oil seal

Metal cased

All rubber or polymers

Internal orientation

External orientation

Axial orientation

Spring-energized

Purpose of oil seal

To serve as a physical barrier that keeps the lubricant in the designated area.

To stop the lubricating oil from leaking outside despite high oil pressure.

Act as a barrier to keep debris, contaminants, and other outside elements out of the system containing the lubricating oil.

Why is bearing a seal important?

Why are sealed bearings favored over the unsealed alternative? Why ought sealed ball bearings be preferred to unsealed ones? What advantages can sealed ball bearings offer?

Worry-free lubrication

No contact

Self-contained

What are bearing isolators?

Dynamic seals called bearing isolators are used to shield bearings from external impurities. They are revolving (rotor) and stationary (stator) elements. O-rings or strong seals are used in some bearing isolators, while they are constructed like labyrinths in others.

Different types of bearing seals

For many bearings, a good bearing seal is essential. Bearing seals perform a dual function by keeping lubricants from leaking out while preventing impurities from entering your parts. Both procedures can help your bearings last longer, but choosing the proper seals for your components is critical. Different types of bearing seals include:

Contact seals

No-contact seals

Labyrinth seals

Pick the proper seal for your bearing with the NBC bearing

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Several variables, including maximum temperatures, required lubricants, available space, and more, may influence your choice of bearing seal. Each factor can affect the type of bearing best for your application, the amount of material required, and other factors.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of quality nbr rubber parts for sealing. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

Although the choice of seals is crucial to the effectiveness of your bearings, you don&#;t have to make that choice alone. Our experts at NBC bearings can collaborate with you to identify the bearings and bearing seals that provide the best, most affordable solution for your application, environment, and finished product.

How Seals Combat HPHT Conditions

High-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) environments are challenging for many engineering systems, and seals are no exception. Seals are essential components in a wide range of applications including:

Aerospace power and fuel management

Oil and gas drilling, completions, hydraulic operations and acidizing procedures

Industrial power generation, transmission and distribution, fluid control, lubrication and energy management systems

Medical devices, labware and diagnostic equipment

Clean water management, thermal process equipment and filtration systems

Sealing elements in an HPHT well must be thermally resistant while also resisting extreme pressure. While all seals must be resistant to produced fluids such as oil-based mud, high pH fluids, amine base inhibitors, natural gas (CH4), water, seawater, and even hydrogen sulfide (H2S), in an HPHT environment, these fluids may be even more aggressive.  Seals operating in HPHT environments must withstand extreme conditions that can cause degradation, deformation, and failure. This blog article explores how seals combat HPHT challenges and deliver the seal integrity essential for operational efficiency in these elevated pressures and temperatures.

What are HPHT Environments?

The rising demand for energy is driving the oil and gas industry to recover more challenging reserves, which can involve deeper and more aggressive downhole conditions. These deep reservoirs require a higher level of technologies and materials to withstand the local environment. HPHT environments expose seals to high pressures and temperatures, typically exceeding 10,000 psi and 150°C, respectively. Such environments occur in many industrial processes, including high-pressure pumps, valves, and compressors, as well as downhole drilling and completion operations in the oil and gas industry. In addition, HPHT conditions are present in some biomedical and material science applications, such as autoclaves and high-pressure reactors.

Why Do Seals Fail in HPHT Environments?

Seals can fail in HPHT environments due to various reasons, including:

Thermal degradation: High temperatures can cause the seal material to decompose, leading to loss of elasticity and mechanical strength. Cracking may occur on surfaces exposed to the highest temperature ranges.

Chemical attack: Some chemicals present in the environment can react with the seal material, causing swelling, cracking, or softening.

Extrusion and deformation: High pressures can cause the seal to extrude or deform, reducing its sealing effectiveness and leading to leakage.

Wear and abrasion: The high velocity of fluids or particles in the HPHT environment can cause wear and abrasion of the seal surface, reducing its lifespan.

Rapid Gas Decompression (RGD): Gases forced into the sealing element may be unable to escape during system decompression. This could result in the seal being partially or completely destroyed.

How Seals Overcome HPHT Challenges?

Seals designed for HPHT applications must address the above failure mechanisms and provide robust sealing performance in extreme conditions. Some of the key approaches used to overcome HPHT challenges include:

Material selection: Choosing the right seal material is crucial to withstand HPHT conditions. Materials such as fluoroelastomers (FKM), and polyimides have high-temperature resistance and chemical compatibility, making them suitable for HPHT environments.

Seal design: The design of seals must consider factors such as extrusion resistance, wear resistance, and sealing effectiveness. For example, sealing elements with angled sealing faces can prevent the extrusion of the seal and improve sealing efficiency.

Material combinations: Several materials can be merged to form a seal capable of handling HPHT conditions while offering effective sealing and anti-extrusion characteristics. Using PEEK back-up rings is one example, as they cover the extrusion gap, enabling elastomeric sealing elements to withstand greater pressures. PEEK back-up rings do not impact the surface finish when in contact with metal surfaces, unlike metal back-up devices. Additional materials include Polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and wire mesh components, which are all compatible with metal mating parts and suitable for various HPHT applications.

Surface treatments: Applying coatings or surface treatments can improve the seals' wear and corrosion resistance in HPHT environments. Treatments such as diamond-like carbon and plasma spray coats can provide a hard and durable surface that resists wear and chemical attack.

Testing and validation: Testing seals in simulated HPHT conditions is crucial to validate their performance and ensure reliability. High-pressure gas testing, compression set testing, and accelerated aging can simulate HPHT conditions and evaluate seal performance.

Seal Manufacturing for HPHT Environments

Manufacturing a robust seal that will be exposed to high-pressures and high-temperatures necessitates a careful thought. Seal profiles must be carefully chosen, as well as materials that are appropriate for these applications. This will ensure that equipment is deployed productively while maximizing mean time between maintenance (MTBM) intervals.

How Can CDI Help with HPHT Environments?

Seals are essential components in many engineering applications, but their performance in HPHT environments play a critical role. When you work with an experienced seal manufacturer like CDI, the seals must perform exceptionally and become a powerful barrier in the extreme environment it's designed to handle. We understand the challenges seal's face in HPHT environments and how the approaches used to overcome them can lead to improved seal designs and longer service life. Our experts assist companies by suggesting the right materials, designing seals for their particular HPHT application, applying surface treatments, and testing and validating their performance.

CDI Seals, Bearings and More

CDI seals and bearings can be found in many well completion tools, systems, and equipment, including:

&#;    Liner Hanger seals
&#;    Wiper Seals
&#;    BOP Seals
&#;    High-pressure pump packing
&#;    Bonded seals
&#;    Back-up rings
&#;    Valve stem seals and seats
&#;    Packer elements
&#;    FS, OL, T, S, and LS Seals
&#;    A6R Rotary Seals
&#;    Tubing hangers
&#;    Casing hangers
&#;    V-Rings
&#;    O-rings
&#;    Header rings

Hennig Gasket & Seals Blog

When working with a gearbox, a pump, or part of a fuel system, it&#;s essential to select a gasket material with resistance to hydrocarbons. Mineral and vegetable oils, along with diesel, gasoline and similar fuels, attack many materials, causing them to swell or break down. The notable exception is nitrile rubber. Nitrile rubber gaskets, often referred to as Buna-N or NBR gaskets, offer excellent resistance to oil.

Nitrile Rubber Chemistry

Nitrile rubber is made from a blend of acrylonitrile (chemical formula C3H3N) and butadiene (C4H6.) Each component is mixed with water as an emulsion before being combined in a polymerization reaction. This makes the carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) atoms form into long chains that tangle round another to form a rubbery compound.

Increasing the proportion of acrylonitrile makes the rubber stronger and reduces its gas permeability. The trade-off is that it results in a rubber that&#;s stiffer at low temperatures.

Rubber and Swelling

Most rubber absorbs oil and swells up in size. This is a problem in gaskets used in gearboxes and engines because it can lead to leaks. However, acrylonitrile reduces this tendency. So the greater the proportion of acrylonitrile used in the nitrile rubber formulation the less it will swell.

Swelling is covered in the ASTM D specification. Most nitrile gasket materials are classed as &#;BF,&#; &#;BG&#; or &#;BK.&#; The &#;B&#; indicates an upper temperature limit of 100°C and the second letter shows how much the rubber will swell. &#;F&#; is swell of 60% by volume, (under specified conditions,) while &#;G&#; is 40% and &#;K&#; 10%.

When and When Not to use Nitrile Gaskets

Good applications are those where peak temperatures are moderate and there&#;s exposure to oils. However, nitrile rubber does not hold up well to ozone and oxygen, so should not be used in places where these are present. Water purification equipment is one such location.

The Application Dictates the Gasket Material

If there&#;s any question about the properties of various gasket materials, consult the specialists at Hennig Gasket. They can explain the material choices available for your application.

The company is the world’s best rubber oil seals manufacturers supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.