A/C & Refrigeration

Sealing Multiphase Pumping Applications

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00

Multiphase – or “tri-phase”– pumping applications have been growing in recent years, due in part to the increase in oil extraction activity. But the flexibility and economic feasibility of multiphase pumps are also contributing to the growth. For example, in Canada, the drilling and refining of tar sands often requires the use of multiphase pumps, since the fluid stream can be a mixture of gas, liquids, and solids. And multiphase production leads to simpler, smaller in-field installations; reduced equipment costs; and improved production rates, making it economically appealing to upstream operations.

John Crane Top Pick for Chemical Processing Readers

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00

Once again, John Crane topped Chemical Processing Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards in the “Seals” category. John Crane has led the category since the awards were established, in 2004.Chemical Processing Magazine’s readers completed the Readers’ Choice survey using an emailed link to ChemicalProcessing.com. More than 300 readers participated in the survey, which was open for a month. Categories were listed, but respondents had to type their selections into text boxes, so that any bias in the survey could be avoided.

A Guide to Balancing Couplings

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00

Balancing couplings is not something that John Crane recommends for the majority of applications. This is down to the fact that John Crane’s Metastream couplings are more than capable of meeting industry standards without any further adjustments.

New Separation Seals Expand The Options Available From John Crane

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:00:00

John Crane has launched two new separation seals that offer a proven solution to the problems of oil penetrating from a compressor bearing into an outboard gas seal, and the ingress of process gas from the outboard stage of the gas seal into the bearing cavity. The Type 83 and Type 93FR seals are designed primarily for turbomachinery applications and between them they offer a choice of contacting or non-contacting operation.

New H-Series High Performance Couplings For All Turbo Machinery Applications

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:00:00

John Crane has launched a new range of advanced, high performance couplings for the turbo machinery market. The new H-Series range has been developed as part of John Crane's continuous improvement process, which has seen a complete overhaul of the Metastream^TM High Performance Couplings range over the past 12 months.

In Business, Expect the Unexpected

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:00:00

You never know when you may need immediate, expert service. John Crane Service Centers, available 24 hours a day, can provide that crucial safety net. It's the power to furnish you with reliable, high-quality service at the most cost-competitive prices... delivered exactly when you need it.

As part of our commitment to customer service, John Crane has invested in a number of Advanced Service Centers that provide individual countries with their own dedicated Center of Excellence in gas seal service, repair and testing. Having these state-of-the-art centers located centrally for our customers can significantly reduce turnaround times, improve service and allow for local access to the sealing expertise that only the acknowledged leader in sealing technology can bring.

John Crane Bearings Technology Created to Provide Greater Solutions

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:00:00

Last fall, John Cane strengthened its product portfolio with the acquisition of Sartorius Bearing Technology (SBT), a leading manufacturer of high performance bearings for rotating equipment.

The acquisition of SBT allows John Crane to expand their global sales and service network to offer customers a wider range of solutions that will complement John Crane's existing mechanical sealing solutions, couplings and associated technologies and enhance relationships with existing customers.

Heavy-duty Slurry Seals offer critical performance with low operating costs

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 05:00:00

By working cooperatively with global slurry pump and rotating equipment manufacturers, John Crane has optimized the Type 5860 heavy-duty slurry seal for slurry pumps, mixers and other pieces of rotating equipment used in the processing and transportation of difficult-to-seal slurries, ores and minerals. The result is a seal that better meets industry needs because of its rugged construction, long operating life and fault-free installation while requiring minimal support with low operating costs.

John Crane Reaches 200,000 Unit Milestone on Popular INTERFACE TM Reliability Management Software

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 05:00:00

There is validity in numbers. Such is the case for John Crane's proprietary INTERFACE Reliability Management Software. Introduced in 1999 and currently being used around the world in 31 countries, the software recently reached the 200,000 unit milestone and has proven to be an effective and easy-to-use tool that organizes comprehensive plant performance data for all rotating equipment including pumps, mixers and agitators.

Free Guide to Increasing Pump Life

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 05:00:00

A major cause of pump failure is mechanical seal leakage. John Crane offers a comprehensive poster and guide for diagnosing the 12 most common causes of seal failure. The 23 X 26 inch poster contains observations, symptoms, causes, and suggested corrective steps. Determining the root cause and what steps you should take to solve the problem has never been so easy. To get your free poster, click on Free Poster Offer while supplies last.

Reliability Comes Standard

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 05:00:00

John Crane’s $4.8 million (£2.4 million) Turbomachinery Group investment program is already bringing direct benefits to customers with the formation of a new Gas Seals Reliability Group, tasked with helping customers maximize the reliability of their seals and ultimately reduce costs.

Investing in Innovation

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 05:00:00

John Crane’s Turbomachinery Group has invested $4.8 million (£2.4 million) in state-of-the-art seal testing facilities. The investment includes the company’s global test bay facilities in Slough (UK), which were upgraded to double the amount of seals tested.

How Condensate Kills a Seal

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 05:00:00

As today’s oil and gas industry continues to respond to the changing dynamics of a world economy, there is little argument that compressor reliability and uninterrupted operation are paramount and crucial to plant operation. One proven means to improve reliability is the integration of dry gas seal technology. Established as a solution for almost three decades on thousands of installed bases, the dry gas seal improves compressor and plant reliability, as well as product quality. However, the key to success is minimizing face contact for these seals. In many cases condensate causes these seals to fail, especially when a plant reliability team does not have a thorough understanding of the seal’s operating environment. Such challenges are typically avoidable though, with proper understanding of the scenarios that cause condensate.

ISOMAG Magnetic Bearing Seals Product Launch

Wed, 10 Jan 2007 05:00:00

John Crane has signed an exclusive distribution and licensing agreement with ISOMAG™ Corp. that provides them with the right to market and manufacture ISOMAG magnetic bearing seals globally. The ISOMAG patented magnetic bearing face seal technology provides proven performance benefits versus conventional lip seals and labyrinth-type isolators. With standard and engineered designs to fit most rotating equipment, the ISOMAG bearing seal is a compact face seal utilizing built-in magnetic attraction rather than springs or bellows to hold the faces together.

John Crane Receives Supplier Award from Goulds Pumps

Thu, 25 May 2006 05:00:00

John Crane has received a Top Supplier Performer Award for 2005 from Goulds Pumps Inc., a subsidiary of ITT Corporation.

Italians Recognize Benefits of John Crane's Valve Live Load Packing

Thu, 25 May 2006 05:00:00

Since the first half of 2005, John Crane Italy, with collaboration from the John Crane Morton Grove Packing Division, took on the challenge of promoting Valve Live Loading in the Italian petrochemical, oil and gas industries.

Tips for Successful Retrofit of Wet Compressor Seals to Dry Gas Seals

Fri, 24 Feb 2006 05:00:00

Recognized as a useful substance for hundreds of years, natural gas is one of the main sources of energy for today's day-to-day needs and activities. And, with the increased focus on the environment, lean initiatives and sustainable solutions, natural gas continues to grow as a solution. Not only is it efficient, but natural gas is readily available, easy to transport, and most important — clean.

In response to its growing acceptance as well as environmental demands, power plants have integrated natural gas as a means to run their gas turbines, which in turn powers the generator in order to produce power — all in a clean fashion. Keeping other components — such as the all important compressor — free of contaminants is essential. As such, there is little argument that compressor reliability and uninterrupted operation are paramount and crucial to plant operation. Although there are countless vendors and compressor sizes continue to increase and their specifications advance, spare compressors simply aren't an option for most because of their cost. Further, operating requirements, such as pressure rating and speed, continue to expand beyond original intent, resulting in compressors being taxed beyond their design capabilities.

One means to improve reliability though is with the integration of dry gas seal technology. Proven as a solution for almost two decades on thousands of installed bases, the dry gas seal has been shown to improve compressor and plant reliability, as well as product quality. However, key to success in achieving optimum reliability is selection of the right dry gas seal and control system as well as a commitment to training and commissioning/operational procedures.

The Organic Growth of Six Sigma at John Crane Inc.

Fri, 24 Feb 2006 05:00:00

It has been said that deployment is one of the most critical elements of a successful Six Sigma* program. From top-down support and Champion Training to awareness efforts targeting all employees, the deployment process for a company is a progression from which one input leads to an output that in turn leads to another input. However, simply completing each step does not guarantee a successful Six Sigma Program. Rather, key to success is affecting the very structure and nature of the organism itself. Such a distinction clearly separates those that "walk the walk" as compared to those whom merely "talk the talk."

Meet Today's Split Seals:Advances in Technology Further Reduce Maintenance Costs and Ensure Reliability

Thu, 06 Jan 2005 05:00:00

A recent analysis, performed by John Crane on a variety of sealing products for pumps and rotating equipment, confirmed that split seals offer significant, measurable advantages for process industries – specifically improved reliability, increased uptime and reduced maintenance costs.

New Catalog Available on RitePak® Packing

Tue, 30 Mar 2004 05:00:00

To meet the needs of those specifying the latest in flexible, resilient, and reliable packing solutions, John Crane has developed literature on RitePak Packings. The 12-page brochure highlights available off-the-shelf packing solutions for general, abrasive, chemical, food, and high temperature chemical service applications.

Large John Crane Mechanical Seal Still in Service After 13 Years of Exposure

Fri, 20 Feb 2004 05:00:00

A large mechanical seal, still in operation more than 13 years after installation, gives new meaning to the axiom, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

According to Colin Munro, John Crane sales representative, a John Crane Type 37FSB mechanical seal, installed in 1991 at a large water pollution control plant located at the southern tip of San Francisco Bay, Calif., is still in operation.

Dry-Running Technology for Containment Seals

Tue, 02 Dec 2003 05:00:00

In the early 1980;s, Flexibox Limited, a well known manufacturer of mechanical seals in England (now a part of John Crane), developed a dry-running outer seal that replaced the conventional wet seal used in "tandem" arrangements. That design, the SBOP, began the revolution that led to the advanced dry-running containment seals of today. Today, in addition to the SBOP, John Crane offers a full line of products which include the 48SC, 5620D and Sealol ECS as contacting designs as well as the 28LD and 28SC non-contacting designs. Yet despite the growth in products, there is still some ambiguity regarding the guidelines for using containment seals.

Download Your FREE Common Conversions Calculator

Wed, 08 Oct 2003 05:00:00

If converting meters to feet or deciliters to drums conjures flashbacks of pop quizzes in your junior high school math class, simply use the new Conversion Calculator found on John Crane Today...

When Will API 682 Really Kick-in?

Fri, 08 Aug 2003 05:00:00

It is important to realize that API 682 is a users standard; it was written by and for the end-users of mechanical seals because these users wanted to force changes in the industry. Radical changes were expected in both the seal industry and its customers with the first publication of the standard in 1994. The new version, published in 2002, was written around a limited set of seal types, arrangements and materials that were favored by the end-users of mechanical seals. In addition, these new seals were required to be proven through a series of rigidly prescribed tests.

Sealide-C TM. New composite seal face material improves reliability and lowers operating costs on pumps and compressors.

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 05:00:00

Many factors can affect seal performance. A partial list might include seal design, seal load, lubrication conditions, the fluid being sealed, shaft size, shaft speed, pressure and temperature of the pumped fluid. The selection of materials applied in the seal design and, in particular, the material of the contacting seal faces plays a major role in the overall performance of any seal. Sealide-C (tm) is the latest development in engineered seal face material technology. It is a state-of-the-art sintered silicon carbide composite specifically designed to provide longer service life in virtually all pump and compressor applications. Sealide-C has been shown to provide longer life, very low leakage and trouble-free service. Based on extensive laboratory testing and many successful hours of endurance testing at John Crane, Sealide-C is being applied today to the the toughest of seal applications.