Steam quenching of the Stuffing box
Steam quenching of the Stuffing box
(OP)
For the process pumps in a refinery, where high temperature process fluids are used ( 260 deg C and upto 340 Deg C) , one of the pump vendor is requiring LP steam quenching in the stuffing box in their design and claims that this will reduce the heat soak for better life of the mechanical seal and the bearings as these will operate at much lower temperature . But further queried, the vendor says the same pump can also perform without any problem if the purchaser cannot provide steam.
Basically steam is a poor thermal conductivity and i am not convinced with the reply of the vendor.
Other vendors does not say this requirement for the same pump .
Thanks to clarify to have steam quenching design and its advantages and disadvantages.
Basically steam is a poor thermal conductivity and i am not convinced with the reply of the vendor.
Other vendors does not say this requirement for the same pump .
Thanks to clarify to have steam quenching design and its advantages and disadvantages.





RE: Steam quenching of the Stuffing box
Putting steam into the jacket is rather unusual for this type of application, cooling water is normally used to cool rather than steam. Stean is used with high viscous product like bitument to keep the product liquid.
As far as the seal is concerned I would recommend no Steam or cooling water to the Jacket. Make sure that you have a high temperature metal bellows seal with Steam quench. If steam is not available then use Nitrogen quench. Plan 62 prevents coking that is why we use it.
RE: Steam quenching of the Stuffing box
Johnny Pellin
RE: Steam quenching of the Stuffing box
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RE: Steam quenching of the Stuffing box
RE: Steam quenching of the Stuffing box
As Flexibox already noted, you had better have a high temperature metal bellow seal.
Johnny Pellin
RE: Steam quenching of the Stuffing box
JJ, with regard to warm up arrangement vendors have quoted for Overhanging type Pump (OH2 type) and hence they are not requiring any warm up arrangement for their pumps they claim. Then we need to specifically ask for warm up arrangement only for the system requirement . Am I correct?
RE: Steam quenching of the Stuffing box
I am confused about the seal flush plan. If you are asking if you can use a low temperature seal because you have seal flush that is only ~120 °C, then the answer is no. If flush is lost, the seal would fail dramatically and catastrophically, which would be guaranteed to start a fire. Even with flush, you should use a high temperature seal (metal bellows) and a steam quench.
Johnny Pellin