High-speed rotary seal testing in support of dredging and submersible pump applications

Kalsi Engineering recently completed an 1,800 RPM rotary seal test on a 2.75” shaft. This testing builds on previous successful testing performed at dredge and submersible pump operating conditions. The previous tests were reported on in December of 2021 and April of 2022.
 
For the new test, we used a rotary seal material that allowed the Standard Kalsi Seal^TM geometry to operate successfully at high-speed with much lower hydrodynamic pumping related seal leak rate compared to the Enhanced Lubrication Seal^TM under Identical conditions.
 
Test setup and results
 
As with previous tests, the test seal (587-12-14) was installed in a groove that axially spring loads the seal against the environment side gland wall. The other 587-12-14 seal, used to retain the seal lubricant, was installed in a typical Kalsi seal groove.
 
This high-speed rotary seal test was run on a 2.75” (69.85mm) diameter shaft rotating at 1,800 RPM. The test seal was lubricated with an ISO 68 viscosity grade lubricant pressurized to 50 psi. The lubricant temperature was maintained at 165°F by intermittently circulating coolant at 4 GPM through the shaft bore. Figure 1 shows one of our Kalsi Seals Lab test technicians reviewing this high-speed rotary seal test.
 
Both Kalsi Seals were in excellent condition at the conclusion of the 50-hour test. The test seal is shown in Figure 2. The per seal leak rate measured 2.73 ml/hour which is 6.5X lower than an Enhanced Lubrication Seal run at these same conditions. This high-speed rotary seal test will be repeated with a new set of seals to confirm repeatability.
 
For the longest seal life, select a seal with the highest hydrodynamic leak rate that can be accommodated by the application.
 
Contact our highly experienced engineering staff for assistance in implementing the Kalsi Seal into your dredging and submersible pump equipment.