Dry gas seals for compressors

The use of dry gas seals for sealing shafts of centrifugal compressors seals has increased dramatically during the last 20 years because these shaft seals provide many benefits for the end user. In gas seals lubricating oil is not used, thus it can no longer contaminate the process. In addition, since there are no contacts between the sealing disks during normal operation, there is no friction, heat build up or wear, which otherwise would be a problem at high speed and pressure.

TREM Engineering offers the following dry gas seal models:

For high pressure, 200 Bar and higher

This seal model has calculated maximum pressure capability of 500 bar. Today the standard maximum pressure is 200 bar, but with extra tooling the seal can be made with the maximum static pressure of 350 bar.

The applications include hydrogen compressors in hydrocracker units in oil refineries and gas injection compressors in oil fields.

For pressure up to 100 Bar

This seal model features diamond coated silicon carbide faces with varying depth of grooves, which greatly extends service life of a gas seal. The typical application of this dry gas seal is PCL 804 series centrifugal compressors in natural gas pipeline transportation and distribution networks.

For pressure up to 100 Bar, compact

This is a very compact dry gas seal. This seal is used in compressors in oil refineries and petrochemical plants, and in natural gas pipeline transportation and distribution networks.

In addition to complete new seals and control systems, a package to retrofit a compressor from "wet" oil seals to dry gas seals is available. In this very popular package, besides seals, engineering, control panels and necessary new parts are included.

The following compressor sealing products are manufactured:

Tandem seal, with additional labyrinth seal or without it
Double seal, with additional labyrinth seal or without it
Triple seal for extra clean processes (combination of tandem and double seals so that nitrogen does not get into the process, but the process gas does not get into the bearing/shop atmosphere as well)
Single seal
Rigid radial and thrust bearings (useful when upgrading from oil mechanical seals)
Control panels, Emerson (Fisher/Rosemount) based (useful when upgrading from oil mechanical seals or for supply to OEM).

In addition, nitrogen generation, air supply systems and temperature & vibration monitoring systems can be offered.

All manufactured dry gas seals are run on test rigs at working parameters as well as beyond them (speed). Customers are welcome to visit our facility for a witnessed test. The procedure is as per API 617 Standard.

The list of completed projects can be sent to you on your request.

See also:

Photos of dry gas seals in the field