SMARTFLOW - AN APPROACH TO WATER SAVINGS

Paper Presented by:

Mark Savage

Author:

Mark Savage, Strategic Projects Manager,

John Crane Australia

70th Annual Water Industry Engineers and Operators’ Conference

Bendigo Exhibition Centre
4 to 6 September, 2007

70th Annual Victorian Water Industry Engineers & Operators Conference Page No. 8
Exhibition Centre – Bendigo, 4 to 6 September, 2007
 SMARTFLOW - AN APPROACH TO WATER SAVINGS
Mark Savage, Strategic Projects Manager, John Crane Australia

ABSTRACT

Opportunities for water conservation abound in industry within areas that are traditionally
overlooked. Centrifugal pumps, which represent a significant proportion of the variety of
equipment found in most mineral processing and industrial manufacturing environments, can be
a substantial user of water. With the right approach, significant water reductions can be realised
offering savings, not only in water consumption, but improvements in reliability and the
associated lowering of maintenance costs.

John Crane Australia has approached water conservation with the SmartFlow, a simple product
that regulates water consumption to match the heat load placed on the system. It also has
applications beyond pumps to include any system that utilises water to dissipate heat, including
bearing coolers, cooling jackets and similar equipment.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Packed glands have been traditionally used for many years to seal centrifugal pumps and,
with proper care and attention, can lead to a low cost and reliable sealing solution. The
packing is housed in a chamber (stuffing box) formed around the point where the rotating
shaft passes through the stationary pump casing. With water pumps, the pumped fluid
can be used to cool and lubricate the packing. Slurry pumps however, have abrasive
particles that wear the sleeve and abrade the packing resulting in a very short life. It is
normal practice to inject pressurised water (Gland Water) via the Lantern Ring into the
stuffing box to flush solid particles away and to provide cooling and lubrication to the
packing.

Figure 3: Typical stuffing box arrangement

It is important for the Gland water to be supplied at the correct flow and pressure. The
flow rate is governed to some extent by the stuffing box dimensions. It is adjustable by
means of compression of the packing by the gland follower and the gland water supply
pressure should be controlled within acceptable limits.
th
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Exhibition Centre – Bendigo, 4 to 6 September, 2007
 For normal operation, the gland water pressure should be set above the pump discharge
pressure, ensuring that water will enter the gland with sufficient pressure to flush solids
away. If the gland water pressure is too low, the pump pressure can force abrasives into
the gland and even up into the gland water supply lines. Gland water pressure that is too
high will cause extrusion of the packing into the pump resulting in premature failures.

It is essential for packing to leak in order to lubricate the packing. Incorrectly adjusted
glands or excessive gland water pressure results in leakage inward (illegally diluting
product), outward (atmospheric discharge and bearing contamination) or both.

Figure 2: Examples of excessive leakage to atmosphere

An alternate to packing is the mechanical seal. Mechanical seals offer the benefit of
almost no water leakage to atmosphere; protecting the bearings from gland water
contamination, eliminating parasitic power losses whilst lowering the maintenance
requirements associated with packing.

The most common form of a mechanical seal is a single seal. A single mechanical seal
operate by two very flat seal faces that rub against each other. One seal face is stationary
with the pump housing while the other is rotating with the shaft. Provisions are
incorporated into the mechanical seal to permit some relative movement (such as thermal
expansion, movement due to bearing clearances, deflection, etc.) between the shaft and
the seal face that is rotating with the shaft while maintaining the seal between the two
components. The heart of the seal is the rubbing of the two seal faces. These
components are lubricated by the pumped media through a combination of hydrostatic
and hydrodynamic forces acting on this lubricating film.

In the case of dirty or abrasive pump services, this lubricating film invariably contains
abrasive particles that accelerate the wear of the seal faces. Additionally the abrasives
particles can cause abrasive wear other components within the seal and can also interfere
with the mechanism that allows the relative motion between the shaft and rotating seal
face. Although seal designs exist that are more tolerant to the presence of abrasive
particles, a common method of counteracting the affects of the abrasive particles is to
inject clean water into the pump around the mechanical seal. This creates a cleaner
environment in the seal chamber, however, like packing it requires a reliable gland water
supply with a suitable control pressure and flow to ensure the reliability of the
mechanical seal.

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Exhibition Centre – Bendigo, 4 to 6 September, 2007
2.0 THE SMARTFLOW APPROACH

Mechanical seals have been used in Slurry Pumps with mixed results across the industry.
Traditionally single seals are used with or without gland water injection into the
mechanical seal and pump. In an effort to improve reliability and eliminate the need for
gland water injection, SmartFlow is now being used in slurry pumps fitted with
mechanical seals.

The SmartFlow Control System is a piece of equipment that automatically regulates seal
water consumption. It is designed to be used in conjunction with John Crane dual seals –
particularly when gland water injection leads to dilution or contamination of the product
being pumped. A dual seal is a seal assembly that contains two single seals in series
unitised into one assembly that is mounted onto the rotating pump shaft. The cavity that
is formed between the inner and outer seal is filled with pressurised water that provides
lubrication to the seal faces (and displaces any abrasive particles that may be present)
whilst dissipating any frictional heat generated or heat soak from the pump.

This intelligent system uses seal water only when the mechanical seal requires cooling.
Based on field tests and laboratory experiments the system saves over 95% (on average)
of seal water compared to traditional flow meter regulated control systems. SmartFlow
operation is based on a heat-activated, shape memory alloy spring that mechanically
opens and closes a relief flow channel. The system automatically adjusts to new
operating conditions by consuming only the required amount of water to meet the heat
load demands. Water usage can be cut dramatically; potentially saving thousands of
dollars per pump.

Figure 3: Memory Spring Function

2.1 SmartFlow Function

SmartFlow is an Intelligent Seal Water Control System which considerably reduces water
usage and hence operating costs. The two forms available are; a Universal design
suitable for all pumps and an Integrated version designed for use with JC Safematic JCS2
seals. The principle operation is common for both variants, however the Universal
SmartFlow requires water circulation to transfer heat to the operating valve while the

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Exhibition Centre – Bendigo, 4 to 6 September, 2007
 SmartFlow IG is integrated to (and operates inside) the seal so does not need an
additional circulating device.

Figure 4: Key Features of Universal SmartFlow

When the gland water or barrier fluid is cold the spring is in its pliable state and the flow
valve in the SmartFlow remains closed. This causes the fluid to recirculate through the
mechanical seal. When the temperature increases the alloy changes and transmits axial
force like a normal spring. This force opens the flow valve allowing hot seal water to
flow to drain (or a collection point) and the system is topped-up by cold water supplied to
it. This cools the circulation flow and returns the spring to its pliable state, the flow
valve then closes and the cycle repeats itself. A separate safety valve, based on seal
water temperature, is normally located at the outlet from the mechanical seal gland plate.

The safety valve is normally held closed. Should an operational upset occur, causing seal
water temperature to increase, the device will ‘activate’. This allows the spring to open
the valve and release hot water. Once the SmartFlow safety valve has operated it can be
manually re-set and does not require replacement.

2.2 Three Outstanding Failsafe Features

1. Memory shape spring

The spring is a temperature-activated material, when cool it is pliable and
can be easily deformed to any shape. If the material is heated to its
‘activation temperature’ it "remembers" its original ‘programmed’ shape
and returns to it - applying force against anything in its way. I.e. it
changes from a pliable piece of material to a spring.

2. Filter
The Universal SmartFlow includes a filter to ensure reliability of
equipment operation. This filter is for the valves protection only
and is not suitable as an inline filtration device. The filter should
be checked and cleaned on a regular basis in order to prevent
clogging. Cleaning frequency is dependant on the quality of seal
water used.
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Exhibition Centre – Bendigo, 4 to 6 September, 2007
 3. Safety valve
A safety valve based on seal water over temperature is
incorporated in the equipment. This is not shown in the above
diagram (Universal SmartFlow) but is normally located at the
outlet from the seal plate. The safety valve will open should such
operational failure occur on the equipment causing the seal water
temperature to exceed 90 °C (195 °F). In the Integrated
SmartFlow a safety valve is integral to the unit.

3.0 BENEFITS AND REALISABLE SAVINGS

SmartFlow has primarily been used in the pulp and paper, steel and fertiliser industries
where seal water (barrier fluid for double seals) is extensively used. It can however be
applied across any industry or application where water savings are demanded and water
barrier fluids are used.

The primary use of SmartFlow is for controlling seal water flow in dual pressurized
mechanical seals. Most sites are demanding reduced seal water consumption yielding
substantial savings, significant improvements in reliability and compliance with
environmental standards. SmartFlow delivers those savings with reduction in seal water
usage of typically 95% compared to flow meter regulated flow-through systems. Seal
water consumption is affected by product temperature, rotation speed, seal water
temperature (from line), surrounding temperature and seal water pressure – therefore
reductions in seal water usage can only be quoted as ‘typical’.

4.0 CASE STUDIES

4.1 A major mineral extraction and ore processing site in Australia uses water to pressurise
double seals fitted in their process pumps.

The seals in the SX (Solvent Extraction) plant use potable water;

a) as a quench medium to prevent crystallization in single seals,
b) as a barrier fluid to pressurize the double seals.

Both seal designs use approximately 6 litres per minute. Water usage is controlled via a
flow meter and diverted to open drain.

It is estimated that 80 pumps in SX consume approximately 252 ML of water per year.

John Crane offered a SmartFlow on a trial basis in the existing John Crane Type 5620
dual pressurized seals. After 1 month in operation, the SmartFlow used only 1 litre of
water. In this arrangement, it should be noted that standby pumps do not consume any
water. As a result of this success, there is a program in place to install SmartFlow in all
the pumps in SX and there are trials taking place to use SmartFlow in Slurry applications.

Larger Slurry pumps use up to 30 litres per minute of gland water to support and
lubricate the gland packing – offering a potential saving of approximately 15.5 ML per
pump per year.

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Exhibition Centre – Bendigo, 4 to 6 September, 2007
 SX Installation:

Fig 5a: SmartFlow Fig 5b: Pressure Switch Fig 5c: SmartFlow
& Flow Meter
4.2 A large municipal waste water treatment facility operating a Warman 4/4 TC series pump
with 85mm shaft (converted from gland packing to dual mechanical seals) operating with
a 1.5m discharge head on 4-6 % solids at a speed of 1450 rpm.

After 3 months, the SmartFlow installations have not used any water. Prior to
SmartFlow, water consumption was 6 litres per minute per pump. The cycle run times of
the pumps allows the water in the SmartFlow loop to remain cool and, as such, does not
activate the safety valve, which means zero water consumption and reliable sealing.
There are 36 pumps on this site - a saving of approximately 113 ML annually.

Figure 6: Site Installation

The same end-user is currently examining the viability of utilising the SmartFlow to
reduce the volumes of potable water required to provide ‘once-through’ bearing cooling
on a large sludge pump. Thermodynamic calculations suggest this application will
reduce water consumption by approximately 85% from the current rate of 0.5 litres per
second – a saving of approximately 13.4 ML per pump per annum.

5.0 AWARDS

John Crane SmartFlow was recognized in June of this year as the

Best Specific Environmental Initiative within the “Business
Enterprise” Category of the United Nations Association of
Australia 2007 World Environment Day Awards. Further
information regarding the United Nations Association of Australia
can be found on their web site: www.unaavictoria.org.au

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Exhibition Centre – Bendigo, 4 to 6 September, 2007