Mechanical Seals
The right seal for the fluid and the pump, selected with a seal plan and fitted by factory-trained technicians.
How do you choose the right mechanical seal for a pump?
You choose a mechanical seal from the fluid, its temperature and pressure, the pump seal chamber, and the reliability the service needs. Clean cool water runs a single seal; hazardous, hot, or dirty fluids call for a double seal and a flush plan. On the pumps we support, we specify seals and plans that suit the duty rather than defaulting to whatever is on the shelf. Send us the pump and the fluid and we will match the seal.
What a mechanical seal does
A mechanical seal keeps process fluid inside the pump where the rotating shaft passes through the casing. Two very flat faces, one turning with the shaft and one fixed to the housing, run against each other with a microscopic fluid film between them, and springs plus system pressure hold them together. That film is what makes the seal work and also what makes it fragile: lose the film to dry running or flashing and the faces destroy themselves quickly. A well-chosen seal, kept cool and clean by the right flush, runs for years.
Seal types and when to use them
-
Single seals
One seal face set for clean, cool, non-hazardous fluids. Simplest and lowest cost, with an optional flush to keep the faces cool and clean.
-
Double seals
Two seal sets with a barrier or buffer fluid between them for hazardous, flashing, dirty, or toxic service. The barrier fluid protects the environment and the faces.
-
Cartridge seals
A pre-assembled, pre-set seal that installs as a unit. It removes field setting errors and speeds installation, which is why it is the default on many process pumps.
-
Component seals
Individual seal parts fitted to the shaft, common on older or smaller pumps. Lower cost but they depend on correct field setting.
What drives seal selection
- Fluid chemistry, which sets face materials and elastomers so nothing wears or swells.
- Temperature and pressure, which set the seal rating and whether the fluid could flash at the faces.
- Solids and abrasives, which push toward a double seal or a flush that keeps grit off the faces.
- Hazard and containment, where toxic or flashing fluids demand a double seal with a barrier plan.
- Shaft and seal chamber size, which set the seal geometry and whether a cartridge fits.
Reseals and service
Most seal work happens as a reseal during a pump rebuild or as a targeted repair when a seal weeps. Our factory-trained technicians match the seal to the pump seal chamber and the fluid, set the seal correctly, and confirm the flush plan so the new seal does not repeat the last failure. We reseal the pump lines we support and existing pumps already in your plant.
Lines available through Brabazon
For mechanical seals we supply the Apex Sealing line, covering single, double, cartridge, and component seals for the pumps we support. A specialist selects the faces, elastomers, and seal plan for your fluid and pump.
Industries we serve
Mechanical seal questions, answered first
How do I select a mechanical seal for my pump?
Select a mechanical seal from the fluid, its temperature and pressure, and the reliability the service demands. The fluid drives the face materials and elastomers, hazardous or dirty service pushes you to a double seal with a barrier fluid, and shaft size and the pump seal chamber set the geometry. A clean cool water pump can run a single seal, while a flashing or toxic fluid needs a double seal and a support plan. Send us the fluid and pump and we specify the seal.
What is a seal flush plan and do I need one?
A seal flush plan is a piping arrangement that supplies clean, cool fluid to the seal faces or manages a barrier fluid, and most process seals need one. Flush plans keep the faces cool, flush away solids, and prevent flashing at the seal, which are the conditions that kill seals fastest. The right plan depends on the fluid: a simple recirculation flush suits clean service, while dirty, hot, or hazardous fluids need more involved plans. We specify the plan with the seal.
Why do mechanical seals fail early?
Mechanical seals fail early mostly from dry running, poor or missing flush, and the wrong faces for the fluid. Running a seal dry destroys the faces in seconds, a fouled or absent flush lets the faces overheat and the fluid flash, and faces or elastomers that do not suit the chemistry wear or swell. Vibration and misalignment finish the rest. Correct selection, a sound flush plan, and good pump alignment prevent most early failures.
Can you supply seals for pumps I already run?
Yes, we supply and fit mechanical seals for the pump lines we support and for existing pumps in the field. We match the seal to the pump seal chamber, the fluid, and the service, then our factory-trained technicians reseal the pump during a rebuild or as a standalone job. Give us the pump and the fluid data and we specify the right seal and plan.
Talk to a Seal Specialist
Send your pump and fluid data and a specialist will select the seal and flush plan, then quote the seal or the reseal.
Request a seal quote or reseal
Tell us the pump, the fluid, and the service and a specialist will select the seal and plan, then quote it. Or call 800.825.3222, answered 24/7.
Request a Seal Quote or Reseal
Request received. If you need someone now, call 800.825.3222.
Please fill in all required fields (name, company, email, phone, preferred contact method, ZIP, and city), or call 800.825.3222.