Definition
Seal leakage is the escape of fluid past a seal that should be preventing it (whether a mechanical seal's worn or damaged sealing faces, or a gasket's degraded or improperly compressed static joint) indicating the seal has failed to perform its intended barrier function, requiring investigation of which specific seal and failure mode is responsible.
Key facts
- A failure symptom, not the seal itself: it describes the seal no longer performing its barrier function correctly.
- Can originate from either a mechanical seal (dynamic interface) or a gasket (static joint), requiring different diagnosis and correction.
- Often preceded by detectable early wear or degradation before full leakage occurs, making periodic inspection valuable.
- Root cause can include dry running, contamination, incorrect installation, excessive vibration, or simple end-of-life wear.
How does Seal leakage work or appear?
Seal leakage indicates that a seal (either a mechanical seal at a dynamic shaft interface or a gasket at a static joint) has stopped effectively preventing fluid from escaping, whether through gradual wear of sealing faces, degradation of gasket material, or a specific event like dry running or excessive vibration.
What should technicians inspect for Seal leakage?
Diagnosing seal leakage requires first identifying which type of seal is involved (a mechanical seal or a gasket) since the failure mechanisms and corrective actions differ: mechanical seal leakage often points to face wear or dry-running damage, while gasket leakage often points to material degradation, incorrect torque, or thermal cycling stress.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which failure condition does a seal leakage denote?
Seal leakage denotes fluid escaping past a mechanical seal or gasket that should be preventing it, indicating the seal has failed to perform its barrier function, requiring identification of which specific seal type and failure mode is responsible.
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