The Fluid Sealing Association has announced the launch of their newly updated website. It has been re-designed with the end users of fluid sealing products in mind, with a focus on four product categories to make it easier to navigate and find the information they need on mechanical seals, expansion joints, pump and valve packings, and gaskets.

A new feature is the blog for each product category, to provide a forum for the easy exchange of technical information and a discussion of issues that are of common interest to the FSA's manufacturer members and their customers.

The website will continue to include the very popular Sealing Sense articles, answering frequently asked questions in fluid sealing practices, and the Mechanical Seals Life Cycle Cost Estimator, a tool for use when specifying capital projects or upgrading existing rotation equipment technology.

FSA Participation in ACEEE Extended
Product Consortium

An agreement has been reached between the FSA and the Hydrauic Institute (HI) to sponsor the American Council for Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) effort to promote an extended product approach for electric motors, pumps, fans and compressors. This would include sealing systems that are components of both pumps and compressors. This initiative began October 2013 and will continue for 18 months with direct access to utilities that offer rebate programs and the DOE through the FSA Government Affairs Committee.

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What are pressure seals, and how do they work?

A pressure seal is a valve design concept that offers distinct advantages when compared to a conventional bolted body-to-bonnet sealing mechanism. It uses the valve system pressure to provide sufficient forces against the valve body's internal diameter (ID) and the bonnet surfaces. As the system pressure increases, the force on the pressure seal gasket also increases. Although the only working part of the gasket is the apex or toe, the pressure seal conforms to the inside diameter of the valve. When the system pressure is activated, the toe forms a seal that can maintain thousands of pounds of pressure and keep the system media contained within the valve.

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Do I really need to use a torque wrench?

The purpose of using a torque wrench is to apply the target load for a specific amount of stress on a gasket. For any given combination of gasket, bolt and flange, a stress range will ensure that the gasket will seal while, at the same time, protecting from over tightening that may cause damage to one of these components. Failure to remain within this stress range may result in environmental concerns, safety issues and downtime that can be expensive and dangerous. Understanding the types of torque wrenches, their advantages and how to maintain them will help operators apply the correct stress to gaskets. Specific guidance on a torque wrench's use can be found in ASME PCC-1-2013.

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What should be considered for the selection of expansion joints for pumps?

Some past "Sealing Sense" articles have focused on important considerations when replacing a failed expansion joint or pump flexible connector. While defining all the possible causes of a failure is important, doing everything possible to get it right the first item is equally important. This can save the end user money and time by delaying significant replacement costs and failures.

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