Gland packing in Centrifugal Pumps

[thejeevan]

Is there any reason the gland packing is exposed to the Atmosphere? Can we use a completely sealed gland system with water flow and it would fulfill its purpose of cooling and lubricating the gland seal?

 

[JJPellin]

I do not understand your use of the term "gland packing." Some seal OEM's use this term for the gasket between the seal gland and the head. Some old-timers might use this term to mean braided packing in a packed box with no mechanical seal. But, in the context of your question, neither of these definitions seems to fit. What do you mean by "gland packing?"

Johnny Pellin

 

[1gibson]

1) Packing is exposed to atmosphere because it has to leak or it will not function for long (it will burn up.)
2) Whatever you "completely seal" the "gland system" with (another gland?) will also need to be lubricated, which means external leakage to atmosphere. Unless you seal the "gland system" with a mechanical seal, in that case you may be able to use the mechanical seal alone unless the shaft needs the support provided by packing.

 

[TenPenny]

To further complicate the question, Goulds used to offer (and may still do) an option of a quench gland for standard packing, the gland itself had a single row of small cross section packing in it, to contain the quench liquid. That single row of packing was called the 'gland packing', as opposed to the normal stuffing box packing in the stuffing box.

It often caused confusion.

So I would really want a better description of the question before answering it, since I don't know what the question is actually asking.

 

[stookeyfpe]

If this is a centrifugal fire pump, NFPA 20 requires exposed packing glands. The reason is that confirms the bearings are lubricated under a load condition. The general rule by pump manufacturers is 1 drop of water/second.

 

[Pumpsonly]

thejeevan

Do you mean a packed gland with a lantern ring and water from the pump discharge is injected into it to lubricate the
packing and at the same time forming a higher pressuring liquid ring around the shaft.
This arrangement is commonly used for slurry application and where the stuffing box is expected to see -VE pressure.