feature multiphase pumps

Mechanical sealing technology used in multiphase pumping the benefits

Nikolaus Necker from Burgmann Industries GmbH & CoKG describes the advantages you can gain when using mechanical sealing technology in multiphase pumping.

mongst the technologies developed for oil and gas production in the last 20 years, multiphase pumping is one of the most promising. The significant reduction of capital investment either on or offshore together with an increased production rate has led to a growing demand for pumping systems to be installed. The biggest challenge to be overcome by a piece of rotating equipment in multiphase service is the variation in the process fluid from 100% liquid to

100% gas. This creates very difficult operating conditions for the pump and even more difficult conditions for its mechanical seals, which are a critical part of any pump. Mechanical seals are readily available for liquid or gas phase applications. However, in a multi-phase pump the mechanical seals will see transient conditions. The transient nature of the wellhead stream creates pressure surges, slugs of liquid and gas locks. A multiphase pump and its mechanical seals must be able to

withstand all these rather harsh operating conditions. Consequently special mechanical seals have to be developed.

Types of pump
Multiphase pumps can be subdivided into two groups, each with benefits and limitations. These are rotordynamic and positive displacement pumps. Rotordynamic pumps rely on the concept of helico-axial hydraulics. A

Figure 1. Pressurized dual mechanical seal (API 610, plan 53 or 54), type SH, for multiphase pumping.

20 WORLD PUMPS August 2005

www.worldpumps.com

feature multiphase pumps

multistage pump can have up to 15 compression cells on a single shaft. Each compression cell comprises a rotating helicoaxial flow impeller and a stationary diffuser. The produced effluent can thus be boosted over long distances without the need for prior separation and with no limitation regarding gas volume fractions. This type of pump is compact, offers mechanical simplicity and reliability, is tolerant of solids and produces high flow rates. Positive displacement pumps, or twin screw pumps as they are also known can already handle gas volume fractions up to 70%. In this respect only some minor improvements have to be made to existing pump design. The twin rotor screw pump consists of two contrarotating screws. A certain amount of liquid is needed to seal the gaps between the screws and the liner. This kind of pump has true dry running characteristics, thus can handle an extreme range of specific gravity and gas volume fraction. They have proven their reliability in several real multiphase boosting applications.
Figure 3. The Twin Rotor Screw Pump consists of two contra-rotating screws.

Chemical parameters
The chemical analysis of the process medium differs, depending on the oil field and/or the location. This means that the crude oil may contain: wax salt water sour gas (H2S) and / or carbon dioxide (CO2) cracked hydrocarbons solids. All this affects the operating performance of the seal and results in erosion or corrosion of the mechanical seal components.

face. The friction at the seal face results in a temperature increase in the fluid at the seal face. The decrease in pressure and the simultaneous temperature increase of the fluid at the seal face results in the vaporisation of the volatile elements within the sealed fluid.

Figure 2. Rotordynamic Pumps rely on the concept of helico-axial hydraulics.

Sealing principle
The fluid being sealed decreases in pressure across the width of the seal

The problem task

Unlike sealing systems, which are exclusively and specifically applied in liquid or gaseous media, mech-anical seals for multiphase pumps operate with continually chaning gas and liquid flow rates. Thus the mechanical seal has to cope with the following conditions: unpredictable process medium composition density and viscosity variations temperature variations erosion effects, mainly by sand high and low operating pressures insufficient lubrication and cooling of the seal faces.
Figure 4. A typical dual high pressure seal in a face-toface arrangement.

WORLD PUMPS August 2005

www.worldpumps.com 21

feature multiphase pumps

This can result in insufficient lubrication and cooling of the seal faces. The gas content in a multi phase process medium creates an additional risk of insufficient seal face lubrication which may result in the failure of the seal faces. In an optimum parallel gap the axial opening and closing forces are balanced. In this case the contact force (Fc) is evenly distributed across the width of the seal face. The pressure gradient of the sealed fluid (Fs) is linear. Depending on the mechanical seal face stiffness, two other gap formations can occur. In an A-gap situation a high contact force at the outside diameter is created. The pressure gradient steepens. This results in an unstable running condition of the seal. In a V-gap situation, a low contact force is created at the inner diameter of the seal face, the pressure gradient shallows, the mechanical seal runs in a stable condition. Two examples of rotating sealing solutions follow.

Single mechanical seal (API 610, plan 32)

Single mechanical seals can be used in twin screw pumps for multiphase applications. Single seals are lubricated and cooled by a flush from an external source (API610-plan 32). The flush has to be continuous and reliable even during start-up and shut-down of the pump. A close clearance throttle bushing in front of the seal controls the rate of flow of the flush medium into the pump, thus isolating the seal from the process fluid.

This mechanical seal is a special design employed for high duty sealing applications. The seal faces are double balanced; in the event of barrier fluid pressure loss or a high pressure transient in the seal chamber the seal remains closed allowing pump rundown with little risk of face damage or product contamination to the atmospheric side. The identical stationary seal face assemblies give optimum running characteristics under changing operating conditions. The seal is designed as a cartridge unit, thus is compact, robust and easy to maintain. Corrosion and erosion is avoided by choosing appropriate seal face and constructional materials. Silicon carbide is typically used for the seal faces as it has high hardness and excellent heat transfer properties. Duplex and Super duplex stainless steels are used for the metal parts.

Pressurised dual mechanical seal (API 610, plan 53 or 54)

Engineered pressurised dual seals are predominantly used in multiphase pumps. The example shows a typical dual high pressure seal in a face-to-face arrangement. This type of seal is commonly used in areas where the practicality of using a single seal with plan 32 external (continuous loss) flush is limited. Dual seals are lubricated by an external closed loop supply system.

Conclusion
Mechanical seals have proven their ability to seal multiphase mixtures over a wide range of operating conditions in hundreds of applications in extremely harsh environments around the world. The mechanical seal types and sliding materials available today are capable of meeting any technical demand defined by multiphase pumping services. In order to assimilate the sealing systems with the specific operating conditions close cooperation between seal manufacturer, pump manufacturer and end user is a basic precondition. Correct application, installation and operation are the key factors for a long meantime-between failure. s CONTACT
Nikolaus Necker Burgmann Industries GmbH & Co. KG Aeussere Sauerlacher Str. 6-10 82515 Wolfratshausen Germany Phone +49 8171 23 1200 Fax: +49 8171 23 1214 E-mail:necker@burgmann.com Website: www.burgmann.com

Figure 5. Mechanical steel gap stiffness.

gap and contact force parallelgap FS FC

k1 = 0,5
unstable indifferent

A-gap
0 < k1< 0,5

V-gap
0,5 < k1< 1

stable

pa > pi

22

www.worldpumps.com

WORLD PUMPS August 2005