A mechanical seal is a device that helps join systems and mechanisms together by preventing leakage (e.g. in a
pumping system), containing
pressure, or excluding contamination. The effectiveness of a seal is dependent on adhesion in the case of
sealants and compression in the case of
gaskets. The seals are installed in pumps in a wide range of industries including chemicals, water supply, paper production, food processing and many other applications.
A stationary seal may also be referred to as 'packing'.
Seal types:
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Induction sealing or cap sealing
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Adhesive, sealant
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Bodok seal, a specialized gas sealing washer for medical applications
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Bonded seal
A bonded seal is a type of washer used to provide a seal around a screw or bolt. Originally made by Dowty Group, they are also known as Dowty seals or Dowty washers. Now widely manufactured, they are available in a range of standard sizes and mater ...
, also known as
Dowty seal or Dowty washer. A type of
washer with integral
gasket, widely used to provide a seal at the entry point of a screw or bolt
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Bridgman seal
A Bridgman seal, invented by and named after Percy Williams Bridgman, can be used to seal a pressure chamber and compress its contents to high pressures (up to 40,000 MPa), without the seal leaking and releasing the pressure
A cylindrical drivin ...
, a piston sealing mechanism that creates a high pressure reservoir from a lower pressure source
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Bung
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Compression seal fitting
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Diaphragm seal
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Ferrofluidic seal
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Gasket or
Mechanical packing
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Flange gasket
Some seals and gaskets
A gasket is a mechanical seal which fills the space between two or more mating surfaces, generally to prevent leakage from or into the joined objects while under compression. It is a deformable material that is used to c ...
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O-ring
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O-ring boss seal
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Piston ring
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Glass-to-metal seal
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Glass-ceramic-to-metal seals
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Heat seal
A heat sealer is a machine used to seal products, packaging, and other thermoplastic materials using heat. This can be with uniform thermoplastic monolayers or with materials having several layers, at least one being thermoplastic. Heat sealin ...
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Hose coupling, various types of hose couplings
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Hermetic seal
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Hydrostatic seal
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Hydrodynamic seal
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Inflatable seal Seals that inflate and deflate in three basic directions of operation: the axial direction, the radial-in direction, and the radial-out direction. Each of these inflation directions has their own set of performance parameters for
measurement
Measurement is the quantification of attributes of an object or event, which can be used to compare with other objects or events.
In other words, measurement is a process of determining how large or small a physical quantity is as compared ...
s such as the height of inflation and the center-line bend radius that the seal can negotiate. Inflatable seals can be used for numerous applications with difficult sealing issues.
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Labyrinth seal A seal which creates a tortuous path for the liquid to flow through
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Lid (container)
A lid, also known as a cover, is part of a container, and serves as the closure or seal, usually one that completely closes the object. Lids can be placed on small containers such as tubs as well as larger lids for open-head pails and drums. S ...
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Rotating face mechanical seal
An end-face mechanical seal, or a mechanical end-face seal, also referred to as a mechanical face seal but usually simply as a mechanical seal, is a type of seal used in rotating equipment, such as pumps, mixers, blowers, and compressors. When ...
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Face seal
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Plug
Plug, PLUG, plugs, or plugged may refer to:
* Plug (accounting), an unsupported adjustment to an accounting record
* Plug (fishing), a family of fishing lures
* Plug (horticulture), a planting technique
* Plug (jewellery), a type of jewellery wor ...
*
Radial shaft seal
Radial shaft seals, also known as lip seals, are used to seal rotary elements, such as a shaft or rotating bore. Common examples include strut seals, hydraulic pump seals, axle seals, power steering seals, and valve stem seals. Early radial sh ...
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Trap (plumbing) (siphon trap)
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Stuffing box (mechanical packing)
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Wiper seal
A wiper seal is an axial seal that creates a seal while allowing a reciprocating shaft to pass through the seal's inner bore. Wiper seals are often used for fluid containment and to prevent dirt from entering a reciprocating shaft mechanism.
W ...
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Dry gas seal
See also
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Leakage (chemistry)
References
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