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Dry Gas Seal System, Installation, Working Principle, Operation & Troubleshooting

Introduction

Dry Gas Seal System, Installation, Working Principle, Operation & Troubleshooting

Course Objectives

• In-depth understanding and detailed information about dry gas seals, including their installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance.
• Required understanding of challenges and precautionary measures to be undertaken when working with dry gas seals, thus preventing hazards and losses to the organization.
• Adequate experience and knowledge to train other professionals on effectively working with dry gas seals.
• Enhanced perspective and eye for detail to audit existing equipment and machinery and identify the need for maintenance and repair of dry gas seals.
• Ability to contribute to organizational growth through reduced maintenance and repair costs.
• Required understanding of international standards and benchmarks of safety and operations to ensure that the seals are used as intended.
• Enhanced skill set and capabilities to work with dry gas seals in any industry, thus not feeling restricted to one industry alone.
• Detailed knowledge of dry gas seal working principles, including hydrodynamic groove design, gas film lubrication, and non-contact operation for minimizing friction and wear.
• Ability to identify, prevent, and troubleshoot common dry gas seal failures, such as contamination, condensation, misalignment, reverse pressurisation, and explosive decompression.
• Skills to install, operate, and commission various seal configurations, including single, tandem, double opposed, and separation seals, following manufacturer and industry standards.
• Competence in the selection, handling, and storage of dry gas seals and supporting system components to ensure operational reliability and minimize risk of premature failure.
• Proficiency in monitoring system parameters including pressure, flow, differential pressure, and vent flows as part of preventive maintenance and early fault detection.
• Capability to implement improvements in dry gas seal systems, such as upgrading filter systems, adding seal gas boosters, and ensuring optimal instrumentation for process safety and efficiency.
• Expertise in environmental compliance and emission reduction strategies facilitated by dry gas seal systems, understanding their impact on operational cost savings and sustainability.

Who Should Attend?

This Dry Gas Seal System, Installation, Working Principle, Operation & Troubleshooting course is designed for:

• Senior members of an organization responsible for taking all critical decisions regarding expenses on machinery and other equipment
• Engineers and other professionals working with dry gas seals
• Managers and leads overseeing end-to-end operation involving dry gas seals
• Compliance officers responsible for ensuring that all equipment and practices adhere to the required standards
• Suppliers and vendors of dry gas seals who need to understand utility in an industrial setting
• Any other professional who would like to know more about dry gas seals

Course Outline

The Dry Gas Seal System, Installation, Working Principle, Operation & Troubleshooting course covers the following topics for thoroughly understanding dry gas seals:

Module 1 – Types of Dry Gas Seal Configurations

• Single seal
• Tandem seal
• Double opposed seal
• Separation seal
• Gas seal system configurations with intermediate labyrinths
• Multi-stage sealing arrangements for high-pressure applications
• Primary and secondary seal integration principles
• Barrier seal systems for lube oil separation

Module 2 – Storage and Protection of Dry Gas Seals

• Dry storage place
• Prevention from radiation, heat, steam and ozone
• No use of corrosion protection agents
• Re-qualification of seal cartridge before installation
• Protection of spare gaskets from heat sources
• Proper packaging and handling procedures to maintain seal integrity
• Environmental controls for long-term storage including humidity management
• Quality assurance testing protocols before installation
• Shelf life considerations for elastomeric components

Module 3 – Basic Installation Pre-Requisites

• Follow plant safety regulations
• Secure mixer or agitator shaft
• Remove coupling and/or drive
• Remove existing seal assembly
• Remove burrs and sharp edges
• Check shaft and vessel flange requirements
• Check assembly drawing
• Check shaft OD, vessel flange bolt size, bolt circle and distance to coupling/drive
• Handle seal assembly with care
• Pressure testing
• API 692 compliance requirements for seal gas systems
• Rotor dynamic analysis and critical speed considerations
• Shaft runout and face perpendicularity measurements
• Alignment verification using precision measurement tools

Module 4 – Steps in Dry Gas Seal Installation

• Equipment check
• Seal installation
• Dry gas supply
• Seal piping
• Seal operation
• Repairs
• Pre-commissioning procedures and system testing protocols
• Seal gas conditioning unit setup including filters and boosters
• Control system configuration and alarm setpoint establishment
• Performance verification and baseline establishment

Module 5 – Seal Operation Guidelines

• Maintain dry gas supply pressure
• Do not exceed maximum barrier pressure
• Do not exceed maximum vessel pressure
• Do not exceed maximum vessel temperature
• Do not exceed seal material corrosion limits
• Operating envelope management within API 692 specifications
• Minimum and maximum flow requirements for seal gas systems
• Temperature compensation and thermal growth considerations
• Emergency shutdown procedures and seal protection protocols

Module 6 – Sources of Dry Gas Seal Contamination

• Process gas
• Bearing lubrication oil
• Seal gas supply
• Particulate contamination from inadequate filtration systems
• Liquid carry-over and condensation formation issues
• Chemical incompatibility and corrosion product formation
• Cross-contamination from improper piping arrangements

Module 7 – Dry Gas Seal System Improvements

• Seal gas filter system
• Operation range of seal system instruments
• Seal gas booster
• Burst-alert for rupture disc
• Flowmeter on secondary vent
• Differential pressure on any seal stage
• Additional flowmeters on the primary vent for double-checking
• Advanced monitoring systems with real-time diagnostics
• Predictive maintenance technologies including vibration monitoring
• Gas conditioning units with heating and drying capabilities
• Smart valve sequencing systems to prevent maloperation

Module 8 – Common Modes of Dry Gas Seal Failure

• Contamination
• Condensation
• Misalignment
• Explosive decompression
• Reverse pressurization
• Reverse rotation
• Failure at transient conditions
• Hydrodynamic groove damage from improper operation
• Thermal shock and rapid temperature changes
• Elastomer degradation and chemical attack
• Improper startup and shutdown procedures

Module 9 – Causes of Leaking Losses

• Ill-fitting sealing elements
• Installation faults
• Construction faults
• Wear and tear
• Aging
• Equipment failure
• Sealing element contamination
• Excursions out of normal process conditions
• Poor maintenance procedures
• Loss of hydrodynamic lift due to groove contamination
• Seal face thermal distortion and warpage
• Control system failures and inadequate monitoring
• Improper seal gas quality and conditioning
• Surge conditions and process upsets affecting seal performance
• Mean time between failures (MTBF) analysis and reliability optimization