Engineered Mechanical Seal Design with

Diamond Face Technology in different

Pump Applications

Nikolaus Necker

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 Presenter

Nikolaus Necker Nikolaus Necker is Senior Expert for Engineered

Mechanical Seals at EagleBurgmann Germany GmbH &
Co. KG, Wolfratshausen, Germany. He is responsible for
the application engineering in all kind of Oil and Gas
services. His job includes sales and applications of
sealing technology for pumps world-wide (On- and
Offshore) since he started with Burgmann in 1990.
Nikolaus Necker has a Master of Engineering
(Mechanical Engineering, 1989) from the Munich
University of Applied Sciences.

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 Experience in Venezuela

In an Upstream facility operations located on Zuatas field, in the Orinocos

Belt. EHO (Extra Heavy Oil) is produced with 8API with high viscosity. Today,
520 horizontal wells producing in average 125.000 BPD of EHO, diluted with
naphtha up to 17API, in order to enhance the performance of PCP s used to
lift the crude from downhole.
This Diluted Crude Oil (DCO) in mixture with produced gas is pumped from
clusters to a main station with Multiphase Pumps. In the Main Station DCO is
degassed and dehydrated. Then DCO is pumped to downstream facilities.
115000 BPD water is pumped for injection, and gas is used as a fuel to
generate electricity and heat for the process.
Clients experience with sealing systems for these Multiphase Pumps is based
on Twin Screw Pump technology with two different Flush Plans,

- with Single Seal with API-Flush Plan 32 and

- with Dual Seals with API-Flush Plan 54.

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 The original Single Mechanical Seal

Pump type: MW Twin Screw type

Installed Seal type: Single API682 Type A
API-Plan 32
Materials: AQ1VMG1 flushrate 2 gpm
(hard soft)

API Flush Plan: 32 + 62

Speed: 500-1800 rpm

Process fluid: Water, Oil, gas mixture with
sand particles

Plan 32 Flush fluid: Diluent (Naphtha)

Problem: Short seal life due to the

high sand content!!

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 API 682 Piping Plan 32

Pressure
Indicator Control Flow Indicator Valve,
Valve (Optional) Normally Open

Temperature
Indicator

FI Q/D
P&ID

Flush is injected into the seal chamber from an external source.

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 The Single Mechanical Seal problem

Field production is handled with many

multiphase pumps
Seal life until 2012 was > 3 years!

Due to early production and adding of

new wells sand content has increased
dramatically!
Pump was stopped every 3 months due
to wear caused by the sand!

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 Severe damage of the seal faces due to solids

errosion by sand in the

seal cavity

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 Same field experience with hard faces short life

Heavy errosion of metal parts

even with special seal face
materials !

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The Solution - Single Slurry Seal Arrangement with
Diamond Face Material

The seal cartridges, installed in March 2014

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 Same application - The Dual Seal Arrangement

* Double seal in tandem arrangement

* Face material Combination hard-hard faces
* Barrier Fluid Pressure set point 41 barg
* Seal chamber Pressure from 6 to 34 barg
* Maximum operating temperature of 90C

The high suction pressure at MPPs seal chamber in combination with high
temperature from the reservoir and gas compression causes distortions at the
seal faces and got in contact on the outer diameter, face heating amplifies this
effect.
Seal inspection showed, that the high barrier fluid pressure of the API Plan 54,
caused bending of the seal faces and contact at internal diameter too.
Due to pressure peeks on suction side of the pump, reverse pressure
happened and sand entered the sealing gap and into the loop of the API Plan
54 system.

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 API 682 Piping Plan 54

P&ID
External
Pressure
System
- Pressurization
- Lubrication
- Cooling
- Circulation
- Compensation
of leakage
LBO
LBI

Pressurized external barrier fluid reservoir or system supplying clean fluid to the seal
chamber. Circulation is by an external pump or pressure system. System pressure is higher
than the process pressure being sealed. This plan applies for Arrangement 3 seals.

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 The solution for both pumps - DiamondFace
the microcrystalline material for mechanical seals

Diamond properties
HF- CVD Diamond deposition
Tribological performance

Fraunhofer
Condias

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 Introduction Conventional sealface materials in
Crude oil pumps

Crude oil,
water,

Materials: - SSiC; Si-SiC; TC

5m 5m

SSiC polished

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 Introduction DiamondFace in multiphase
application

Crude oil,
water,
sand, gas

Substrate: - SSIC; Si-SIC

Layer: - microcrystalline diamond
5m 5m - both faces
- chemical bonding
- film thickness 8m
Microcrystalline Diamond Material
- grain size 2-5m

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 DiamondFace
the micocrystalline material for mechanical seals

Diamond properties

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 Real Diamond properties

Cross section prepared by

Focused Ion Beam (FIB) cutting

Diamond

SiC

Ultimate hardness of diamond / Excellent wear resistance

Superior thermal conductivity
Chemical bonding => Superior diamond film adhesion

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 Diamond properties
Crystalline Diamond is not DLC Coating
Amorphous Diamond Like
Crystalline Diamond
Carbon (DLC) coating

Top view Top view

Querschnitt
1000 4000 HV Hardness 10000 HV
30220 GPa Youngs modulus 1150 Gpa
Cross section 0,110 W/mK Thermal conductivity 2000 W/mK Cross section

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 DiamondFace
the micocrystalline material for mechanical seals

Diamond properties

Diamond deposition

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Diamond deposition - Hot Filament Chemical Vapor
Deposition (CVD-Process)

Pressure, Energy, Gasflow, Gasphase, Hydrogen Methane Gas atmosphere

99% 1% at vacuum

T2000C Activation due

to hot filament

+
Deposition of
Diamond
(0,2 m/h)

T ~ 800C

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 DiamondFace
the micocrystalline material for mechanical seals

Diamond properties

Diamond deposition

Diamond different test results

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 First tests with Diamond Material in
water air mixtures
Single Seal Arrangement unbalanced seal design

Single stage centrifugal pump

Medium water / air
Discharge pressure 16 bar
Suction pressure 13 bar
Pressure to be sealed 14 bar
Fluid temperature 25 C
Sliding speed 10 m/s
Speed 3000 rpm

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 Test Results under poor lubrication conditions

SiC-SiC material

DiamondFace

(actual 2500h)

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 Second Application - Crude Oil Pipeline, Brazil

Several pumping stations

Heavy crude oil, up to 500 cSt, plus CO2
Several BB3 and BB1 pumps

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23
 Crude Oil Pipeline Pumps

Mechanical Seal
Mechanical Seal
Cartridge
Cartridge

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 Crude oil characteristics

Crude oil contains:

Crude of different density and viscosity (API gravity grades)

Mixture of different Hydrocarbons
Saline Water
Paraffin Wax
Natural Gas, including CO2 or H2S
Debris, Sand, Asphalt

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 The Mechanical Sealing Concept Single Seal
Arrangement

With Diamond face

material

The Single Seal cross-Section The seal cartridges,

installed in May 2012

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 Summary

Tolerant to poor lubrication and temporary dry running

Excellent wear resistance in slurry and abrasive suspensions

Reduced friction, energy saving

DiamondFace -
A Key to Improve Mechanical Seal Reliability in Critical Applications

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 Third Application Emulsion Pumps Canada

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 The challenging application

SAGD-process in Fort Mc Murray

Bitumen / Emulsion Pumps
Abrasive, high Pressure & Temperature operating conditions
API Standard 610 BB2 pumps, different seal chamber pressures DE/NDE, 5-27 bar

The operator was not satisfied with the reliability of the original seals

A Slurry seal design API 682 type ES,

dual pressurized mechanical seal was proposed

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 The sealing solution
Dual pressurized slurry seal design
Dual pressurized: Piping Plan 53A / 54

Special seal face materials:

Tungsten Carbide vs SiC/C mix

Barrier fluid: high grade synthetic oil

Process fluid: bitumen / water emulsion

with hydrogen sulphide (sour), salt, and
sand.
Viscosity 51 cP
Specific gravity 0.89
Temperature: 165 C normal, 180 C
max.
Sand concentration is typically < 5 % by
volume, < 300 micron particle size

Speed: 3.600rpm

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 API 682 Piping Plan 53A
Pressure
N2 source Pressure
Switch Low
Check
Barrier Valve Pressure
Fluid Indicator
Makeup
Level
Switch Low
P&ID

LBO
LBI

Cooling water
connection

External piping provides clean barrier-fluid for the seal faces of a pressurized dual seal
arrangement. Pressurized barrier fluid reservoir provides pressure to the closed loop circulation
system. Flow is maintained by an internal pumping ring. Heat is removed from recirculation
system by air or water -cooled heat exchanger

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 API 682 Piping Plan 54

P&ID
External
Pressure
System
- Pressurization
- Lubrication
- Cooling
- Circulation
- Compensation
of leakage
LBO
LBI

Pressurized external barrier fluid reservoir or system supplying clean fluid to the seal chamber.
Circulation is by an external pump or pressure system. System pressure is greater than the
process pressure being sealed. This plan applies for Arrangement 3 seals only.

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 The mechanical seal performance

First installations in 2006, since then continous improvement processes, which

result in significant higher MTBR of mechanical seals

Proven Engineered seal design was installed in multiple other (SAGD- and
mining-) installations. Similar seals used for Transfer Pumps

Preferred seal design for Transfer Pumps in SAGD plants

Specified as preferred supplier for these applications by the End User

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 Conclusion

Engineered Mechanical Seals are sealing multiphase mixtures, extra-

heavy crude oil and hot emulsions successfully using slurry seal
designs in combination with API-Plan 31, 32 and 53
Diamond Face Technology is improving the seal performance
significantly
Dual Mechanical Seals are used almost always in combination with
API-Plan 53B, 53C or 54
Correct installation and operation of the seals and their auxiliary
systems are the key-factors for a long seal life time

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 Thank you!

Any questions ??

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