![]() There are some designs that can handle all lubrication types in a single design. Some Bearing Isolators are designed specifically for grease lubrication, others for oil or oil mist. While taking all required safety precautions, having some of the coupling and fan guarding accomplished by tight grating, rather than solid surfaces, allows for better air flow and helps prevent pressure from building. Gapless, solid coupling guards that enclose the bearing housing seals with little or no gap around the bearing housing may induce leakage. Couplings and external cooling fans attached to pump bearing housings are a potential source of harmful air flow. The forceful flow of air over a bearing housing can cause lubricant leakage by creating a pressure differential between the inside and outside of the bearing housing. Questionable installations may result in over-filling of the bearing housing and subsequent lubricant leakage. The pipe connecting the external oiler to the bearing housing must also be sufficiently ridged to prevent vibration or shaking the oiler. Oilers must also be installed square and straight. Improperly Applied External OilersĮxternal oilers are extremely sensitive to position and must be installed on the proper side of the housing relative to the direction of shaft rotation following the manufacturer’s guidelines. Relying on the lubricant to drain to sump only through the bearing will likely result in lubricant leakage. To solve this, the area between the bearing and the Bearing Isolator must include an unobstructed return pathway to the sump. When this occurs, lubricant will accumulate in this area until the space becomes completely flooded and the seal leaks. The area between the bearing and the bearing housing seal may lack a drain channel. Once they have collected the lubricant, they need a clear, unobstructed path to return collected lubricant back to sump.īut the return path to the sump may be blocked by counter-bores in the housing, which were originally designed to provide a positive stop for pressed-in lip seals. Most modern Bearing Isolators are effective at collecting splash lubricant in their respective labyrinth patterns. One of the most common causes of improper seal orientation is a lack of training or unclear installation instructions. This allows oil to easily return to the sump. This return needs to be installed at the bottom dead-center or six o’clock position of the Bearing Isolator for proper function. ![]() Most Bearing Isolators have a lubricant return designed into their respective labyrinth patterns. There may be some oil leakage as the seal clears itself of excess lubricant, but that should diminish over time. ![]() Fortunately, once returned to the proper level, Bearing Isolators will generally stop leaking and return to normal function. This practice can inadvertently contribute to leakage. The thinking is that if leakage occurs, there will be extra lubricant available. It has become common practice for maintenance professionals to fill up to, if not a bit over, the maximum fill line. It seems simple, but the greatest cause of Bearing Isolator leakage on process pumps is an over-filled bearing housing. Though true for contact seals, the presence of leaking oil from a Bearing Isolator is most likely due to factors other than seal failure.įollowing are some of the more common causes of Bearing Isolator lubricant leakage in process pumps. For most operators, the analysis is simple: no leaking oil means the seal is fine while leaking oil equates to failure. The most common perception of bearing housing seal failure on process pumps is lubricating oil leaking from the bearing housing.
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