Leakage in the secondary seal of the liquid hydrocarbon pump
Thread Content
The liquid hydrocarbon pump features dual sealing surfaces; there is leakage at the secondary seal, the seal oil tank suffers from severe frosting, and the standby pump is faulty and cannot be switched in. To extend the pump’s operating time, should the seal oil tank be removed, or should the vent opening on the top of the seal oil tank to the flare system be enlarged? Why
This is due to a large leakage in the main seal, along with the heat absorption that occurs during vaporization
Primary seal leakage; the standby pump cannot be switched on, so the vent must be opened wider temporarily
In a situation like this, what is the best way to handle it? Learning*, thank you!
Will turning on the torch cause more frosting to form on the sealed tank? If frosting also forms at the mechanical seal, will that affect the second seal? Is it better to temporarily hold it in the tank? Since there’s no leakage outside for now, prepare a backup pump for emergency use and switch to it as soon as possible. (Lack of production experience; need to learn.* Thank you. ）
The secondary seal can hold out for a while longer; at this point, it’s necessary to repair the backup pump as soon as possible
Safety first: start the flare system for venting, and at the same time request from management to temporarily shut down certain units (when the pumps are not critical – shutting them down will only affect those specific units without impacting the entire system). Both pumps should be repaired simultaneously. If it is not possible to stop operations, use a flare for venting; prepare steam hoses on site as a barrier to prevent liquid hydrocarbons from leaking through external seals or other areas, which could lead to spontaneous ignition or flash explosions due to static electricity or open flames. The other one is being repaired as soon as possible. Protect the safety of maintenance personnel. Conduct a post-event investigation to determine when the backup pump failed and why it was not repaired in advance, and take strict action against the person responsible for the equipment. Learn from the lessons and strengthen training. This is not a natural disaster but a man-made one! !
By reducing the pressure in the flare line, over time the flare line is prone to frosting or even freezing; and if other problems occur in the system, it becomes impossible to relieve the pressure from the flare line! Relatively dangerous
What is the pressure in the buffer tank? Has the pressure in the buffer tank stabilized? Is there any leakage in the primary seal? If the pressure in the buffer tank is not too high and can be maintained stable, with no leaks in the primary seal, then this pump can continue to be used. If the pressure in the buffer tank cannot be stabilized, the buffer tank vent valve can be slightly opened.