What is gland water and what's the function of gland water pump?

[billbusy]

It seems gland is the equipment to provide seal for something. The gland water seems like the liquid to provide pressure for a gland.

I am not very sure. Can anyone give me more explanation? Thanks.

 

[billbusy]

Or the gland water means the leakage water around gland area?

 

[JJPellin]

In the context of my experience, gland water would refer to seal flush or packing flush water. If the pump has a mechanical seal, the outer plate of the seal is called a gland. If water is injected into the seal through a connection on the gland plate, it would be done for the purpose of flushing the seal. Seal flush can serve a number of purposes. It can cool the seal if the flush water is cooler than the pump product. It can carry away the heat generated by the seal faces if the flush water is the same as the pump product. It can keep contaminants out of the seal chamber if the flush water is cleaner than the pump product.

The term gland water could also be used for water injected into shaft packing to cool and lubricate the packing. Packing is much less common than mechanical seals, but we still use packing in cooling water, well water and some other water services.


Johnny Pellin

 

[flexibox]

Billbusy,
Gland water is a common term used in the mining industry. It is used in conjunction with Gland Packing and most common in Warman Pumps. The Gland water is supplied at a pressure higher than the chamber pressure into a lantern ring. the gland water lubricates the packing to the shaft and keeps the slurry away. Leakage to atmosphere is gland water. Ideally gland packed pumps must leak drops per min to atmosphere as this ensures the packing is lubricated and less wear takes place. I have attached a slurry pump with high leakage of gland water which in this arrangement leakage enters the bearing barrel and damages the bearings.
In the Oil & Gas industry they mainly use mechanical seals and what Johnny mentions above is correct. I am interested to know which industry you are in?


trust this helps.

 

[billbusy]

Thanks Johnny and flexibox, very helpful.

I am in Oil & Gas industry that we use slurry pumps to process oil sand.

So basically the gland pump system is for slurry pumps and is similar as a API Mechanical Seal Flushing Plan?

I also find a page for the explanation:

http://www.gouldspumps.com/pag_0011.html

From this page, it seems the gland pump system is only used for slurry pumps with Packing Rings not mechanical seals. I am not sure is that correct?

As a junior guy, I am still not very clear about the differences between packing rings and mechanical seals. I am trying to find out the fundmental differences between them. But from my current point of view, they both use some rings to stop the leakage and the only difference is the mehcanical seals are more complicated.

 

[cvg]

the gland is a stuffing box, hand stuffed with a material similar to rope.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuffing_box

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gland_(engineering)

http://www.gouldspumps.com/pag_0011.html

 

[micalbrch]

A gland packing / stuffing box packing is a static seal. The packing rings (which are the seals) do not move; they are static. The shaft of the corresponding machines rotates or oscillates.
A mechanical seal is a dynamic seal and something completely different. To explain its function with just words is difficult. Look at Wikipedia. They have a description of a mechanical seal. Some other good websites are

http://www.pumpfundamentals.com

and

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com

 

[ximenes79]

hi ... i'm a junior mechanical.
is any example drawing or pi&d for gland water system..?
please help me.

 

[vpl]

ximenes79

Please post your own question, rather then tagging on to someone else's. Also please consider providing more detail about why you need the drawing. Some drawings may be proprietary, but someone might be able to answer a question.

Patricia Lougheed

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