GSDH
high temperature containment seal
Product Training
GSDH Overview
Flowserve’s GSDH is a dry running containment
seal for high temperature services that will
increase seal reliability, add safety margin, and
eliminate process emissions.
Building off a successful heritage of GSD
pusher seals, the GSDH uses hydropad face
technology, welded metal bellows, and graphite
secondary seals for low contact loads and long
life in services up to 800 F (427 C).
GSDH dry containment seals provide benefits
of liquid tandem dual seals but with less
maintenance requirements.
2
GSDH Performance Standards
Prevent inboard seal leakage from reaching the
atmosphere
Run dry under normal operating conditions
including purge pressure up to 15 psig (12 bar)
Function as the primary seal if the inboard seal
fails at process pressure up to 300 psig (21 bar)
Accommodate temperatures up to 800 F (427
C) including related thermal growth issues
Satisfy all ISO 21049/API 682 design and test
requirements for containment seals
Improve repairability of high temperature seals
3
FSD Containment Seals
Temperature ≤ 400°F (204°C): O-ring Pusher
• Services: light hydrocarbons to heavy oils
• Primary seal: pusher (QB, QBQ)
• GSD: contacting, hydropad face technology
• GSL: non-contacting, wavy face technology
Temperature ≤ 800°F (427°C): Metal Bellows
• Services: naphtha to heat transfer fluids
• Primary seal: bellows (BXHH, BXRH)
• GSDH: contacting, hydropad face technology
4
GSDH Dual Seal
Standard BXHH GSDH replaces
Inboard Standard BXH
Outboard
5
GSDH Operation
Liquid Leakage
Normal inboard seal leakage flows toward
GSDH outboard containment seal.
Liquid leakage follows gravity path, vapor
leakage mixes with induced rotation.
6
GSDH Operation
Vent &
Drain
Liquid Leakage
With a vent or drain, inboard seal leakage is
directed out of the containment cavity.
GSDH performs as a low pressure single seal
with minimal atmospheric leakage.
7
GSDH Operation
Vent & Purge
Drain
Liquid Leakage
With a low pressure purge, inboard seal
leakage is pushed out of the containment seal
cavity and further restricted from the
atmosphere.
GSDH operation can provide zero emissions.
8
Restriction Bushing
Vent & Purge
Drain
Liquid Leakage
A restriction bushing creates
a barrier between process
leakage and the GSDH
faces, especially with a gas
purge.
9
Restriction Bushing
Vent & Purge
Drain
Liquid Leakage
API 682 Second Edition
requires a restriction
bushing between the purge
and vent/drain ports.
10
1
Deep Groove Hydropad
Deep hydropad scallop grooves
in the carbon rotor work to keep
seal faces cool and clean –
proven technology in the GSD.
11
1
Deep Groove Hydropad
Faces remain in light contact
under both dry and wet
operation at up to 800 F (427 C)
with the lowest leakage
performance.
12
1
Spring Energized Graphite
Spring energized graphite seal
provides positive sealing without
distorting the carbon seal face.
Patent pending design.
13
1
Spring Energized Graphite
No shrink fit carbon, no expensive
repair procedures, no installation
damage to the bellows.
Alloy X-750 U-shape spring in a
graphite cup.
14
1
Welded Metal Bellows
Alloy 718 welded metal bellows
provide consistent spring rate
and hydraulic load suitable for
dry containment and upset
backup conditions.
15
1
Welded Metal Bellows
Compact bellows provide
sufficient overtravel while the
pump warms up to 800 F (427
C) service temperature.
16
1
Vibration Dampener
Vibration dampener controls
face vibration during dry run
operation without damaging
the bellows.
17
1
Vibration Dampener
Unique design installs easily
between the bellows and shaft
sleeve without hanging up the
bellows during operation.
18
1
Short Stator Design
When a standard BXH stator
doesn’t fit, a special design
with a spring energized
graphite seal is used.
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1
GSDH Operating Window
Process fluids: hot hydrocarbon products,
heat
transfer fluids, bottoms, etc.
Specific gravity: 0.6 minimum
Temperature: up to 800 °F (427 °C)
Pressure,
Dry purge: 0 to 15 psig (1 bar) steam
Wet backup: up to 300 psig (20.7 bar)
Speed: up to 75 ft/s (23 m/s)
Axial end play: 0.093” (2.4 mm) TIR min.
Piping plans: API Plans 72 & 75
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Piping Plans
Containment seal support systems range from
simple to complex depending on application
requirements.
• A safety backup system on a pipeline requires no
support system yet satisfies dual seal regulations.
• True zero emissions performance requires controls
with a purge and vent/drain.
Plan 71: Ports plugged for future use.
Plan 72: Low pressure purge.
Plan 75: Drain to liquid collector & vent to flare.
Plan 76: Vent to flare.
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Plan 72 Purge
Low pressure gas purge
control system.
Normally used in
combination with Plan 75
and/or Plan 76.
Clean, reliable, low
pressure gas must be
supplied at all times.
Primary seal leakage is
indicated by pressure in
the vent line or liquid
level in Plan 75 reservoir.
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Plan 75 Drain
Drain system for fluids
that condense at
ambient temperature.
Continuously vent
collection reservoir to
vapor recovery system,
drain to liquid recovery
system as needed.
Primary seal leakage is
indicated by pressure in
the vent line or liquid
level in reservoir.
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Plan 76 Vent
Vent system for fluids
that do not condense at
ambient temperature.
Continuously vent to low
pressure vapor
recovery/flare system.
Vent piping should
include a condensate
drain.
Primary seal leakage is
detected by increased
vent pressure.
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Piping Plan Recommendations
Standard Recommendation for GSDH:
Plan 72 steam purge up to 15 psig (1 bar)
and
Plan 75 drain with collection vessel
• Hot process fluids will generally coke in the presence
of oxygen. A steam purge keeps the inboard seal
from coking and creates a clean environment for the
GSDH.
• Hot process fluids are generally heavy and remain
liquid at lower temperatures. A drain with a
collection vessel will divert transient inboard seal
leakage away from the GSDH to eliminate
emissions.
25
Piping Plan Considerations
Inboard seal piping plan.
• Don’t forget about heat removal and/or vapor
suppression needs of the inboard seal.
• Single seals that operate with vapor suppression
plans such as a Plan 11 will continue to require such
plans with a containment seal installed.
• Dual wet seals in low vapor margin applications may
depend on the buffer fluid to provide liquid cooling to
the inboard seal. Changing to a containment seal
will require inboard seal cooling.
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Piping Plan Considerations
Plan 72 steam purge.
• A steam purge should be introduced before the
pump is started to ensure removal of oxygen.
• Steam should be clean and filtered to remove
particles greater than 5 micron to have minimal effect
on the GSDH.
Process fluid solidification.
• Avoid letting the containment seal chamber and
collection vessel cool below the process fluid’s
solidification temperature.
• The steam purge may be designed to maintain
drainage in the seal, piping, and collection vessel.
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Conversion Paths
Single Seal
BXHH, BXRH
Standard
Standard inventory
inventory
Simple
Simple repair
repair
Plan
Plan for
for future
future needs
needs
Dual Seal Containment Seal
BXHH/BXH, BXHH/GSDH,
BXRH/BXRH BXRH/GSDH
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Conversion Paths
From Single Seal with Plan 62 steam purge to:
• GSDH with steam purge and drain (72 & 75)
• Adds safety backup capability
• Adds zero emissions control
From Dual Seal with Plan 52 to:
• GSDH with steam purge and drain (72 & 75)
• Retains safety backup capability
• Retains emissions control but with less support system
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Competition: John Crane ECS
ECS Attribute
• Short length
• Stationary bellows
• Graphite packing
• Non-featured faces
• Vibration dampner
• Press-fit carbon
• Low overtravel
• Bellows welded to gland
• No interstage bushing
• No wet seal option
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GSDH vs. ECS
ECS Attribute GSDH Attribute
• Short length • Longer, wet seal length
• Stationary bellows • Rotating bellows
• Graphite packing • SEG & graphite packing
• Non-featured faces • ID & OD scalloped face
• Vibration dampner • Vibration dampner
• Press-fit carbon • Flexible carbon
• Low overtravel • High overtravel
• Bellows welded to gland • Replaceable bellows
• No interstage bushing • API 682 interstage bushing
• No wet seal option • BXH wet seal alternative
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GSDH vs. ECS Sales Points
The ECS has been on the market longer and
has earned the perception of being an
expensive disaster bushing.
• The GSDH uses proven hydropad face technology to
overcome dry running wear. Using a steam purge
will help both seals.
The ECS fits into more old pumps with short
seal chamber space to retrofit single seals.
• The GSDH fits pumps with API 682 seal chambers
and may not fit old pumps running with BXRH seals.
The GSDH will fit where a BX** dual seal fits.
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GSDH vs. ECS Sales Points
The high temperature graphite seal ECS can be
upgraded from a low temperature O-ring
design.
• The GSDH was designed to meet the needs of hot
refinery applications thus the robust bellows have a
long stroke needed for thermal growth. The ECS
tolerates movement typical in ANSI equipment.
The ECS is not repairable with bellows welded
to the gland. Repair costs can be 80-90% of a
new seal.
• The GSDH bellows is repairable by changing
secondary seals. The rotor uses an innovative SEG
seal that can even be installed onsite.
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GSDH Conclusions
Take control of high temperature applications
with less control by using GSDH containment
seal technology.
Increase reliability, safety, and performance
with the GSDH at the expense of less: less
support systems, less maintenance, and less
worry.
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GSDH Conclusions
Upgrade single seals to dual compliance and
save an emissions monitoring point while
adding a safety backup to the system.
Convert dual wet seals to dry containment and
simplify operation at no loss in performance.
The GSDH is not just an expensive disaster
bushing – it’s a proven design that improves
safety and reliability.
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GSDH Current Status
GSDH BXRH Finished
Still need five more field Priority Seal
Size
Seal
Size
Gasket
(X838)
installations to complete 3 1.375 1.250 4R77613
3 1.500 1.375 4R77614
product readiness. 3
2
1.625
1.750
1.500
1.625
4R77615
4R77616
• Use field test approval form. 2
2
1.875
2.000
1.750
1.875
4R77617
4R77618
2 2.125 2.000 4R77619
Five BXHH/GSDH seals Complete
Complete
2.250
2.375
2.125
2.250
4R77620
4R77621
running at ENI SPA in Italy 1
Complete
2.500
2.625
2.375
2.500
4R77622
4R77623
since August 2005. 1
Complete
2.750
2.875
2.625
2.750
4R77624
4R77625
1 3.000 2.875 4R77626
SEG seals are constraint parts Complete
Complete
3.125
3.250
3.000
3.125
4R77627
4R77628
if tooling is not complete. 1
Complete
3.375
3.500
3.250
3.375
4R77629
4R77630
Tooling complete on 10 sizes. Complete
Complete
3.625
3.750
3.500
3.625
4R77631
4R77632
2 3.875 3.750 4R77633
EIS shows 58 entries. Complete
2
4.000
4.125
3.875
4.000
4R77634
4R77635
2 4.500 4.375 4R77636
2 5.000 4.875 4R77637
3 5.500 5.375 4R77638
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