A bitumen pump that produces asphalt for road surfaces was gland packed and losing over 15 tonnes of bitumen before the packing was replaced every 6 months.
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With Aaron Stephenson
A company using a bitumen pump to produce asphalt for road surfaces was losing tonnes of product as a result of constant leaks. The pump was running 24/7 so the leakage was costing the company thousands of dollars in lost product and repair and maintenance. We asked Aaron Stephenson how AESSEAL® helped to solve the problem.
How did the contract come about?
This was a new customer who approached AESSEAL® to find out if we could come up with a way of stopping the leakage and the loss of product. They were using a gland packing system, but this wasn’t doing the job. They were losing tonnes of bitumen, which was leaking into the plant’s walkways and drains. This was a serious health and safety issue as well as an environmental problem. It was also costing them thousands of dollars in maintenance and clean-up costs.
What did AESSEAL® suggest as a possible solution?
We suggested that they install a BSFG™ bellows seal. This is a cartridge seal with graphite rings at every primary sealing surface. This eliminates the need for elastomers, which means that it is able to withstand higher temperatures. Also, rather than installing a seal support system to flush the seals with steam, the heat tracing capabilities of the pump were used to prevent coking on the seal faces and to reduce energy costs. The company liked the idea, and in fact they were so keen to get the job done that they paid in advance.
Are there any particular challenges with this application?
The challenge on this application is keeping the seal hot enough so the bellows do not hang up. Normally this is done with steam, but the unique thing about our seal on this application is no steam was available and yet the solution still worked. Not flushing the seals with steam was a risk, but it was a gamble that the customer was willing to take.
Why was the BSFG seal more effective than the system it replaced?
The system the customer had been using was gland packing that needed regular maintenance to set the compression. But it was also a safety risk as the pump is literally boiling hot. So, the customer was happy to replace the gland packing with our bellows seal, which is a more maintenance-free, fit and forget solution.
Did the bellows seal solve the problem?
Yes. They had been losing so much product and spending so much on repair and maintenance that the new seal paid for itself within about five weeks. It went on to work perfectly for more than three years until the pump was removed for repair. Even then, the seal itself was still in excellent condition.
Was it difficult to persuade the customer to change?
Not at all. When they saw how it would work, it was a question of how quickly you can get it here. We did spend nearly 16 hours on-site helping them take out the old system and install the new one. That was challenging due to the nature of the bitumen properties, but even so we finished the work within the deadline.
Is the customer satisfied with the way the product has been working since the installation?
Yes. In fact, they were so pleased with the outcome that they have since upgraded the standby pump with the same solution, and they have also recommended us to another company in the region.
