CASE STUDY: J

 OHN CRANE CARTRIDGE SEAL UPGRADE KEEPS ORGANIC

RANKINE CYCLE (ORC) TURBINES RUNNING
S E R V I C E O F F E R I N G : J O H N C R A N E C A R T R I D G E S E A L U P G R A D E

John Crane Seal Upgrade Improves

ORC Turbine Reliability in Tough
Geothermal Energy Applications

HI G HLI G HT S
BAC KG R O UND • An ORC turbine manufacturer
Industry: Power Generation needed a way to upgrade its
turbine systems to compete in
Site: Italy
the geothermic energy market
Location: ORC Turbine Manufacturer
• The original turbine design
End Product: Turbines for employed traditional heavy-duty
Geothermal Energy Production seals that were not designed for the
high pressure, temperature and
corrosive ORC environment
• A John Crane upgrade introduced
recessed hydropads to the double
O-ring pusher seals that increased
peripheral shaft speed and enhance
heat transfer
CU S TO ME R N E E D • Now in operation, the upgraded
• In 2011, a global leader in the design, manufacture and maintenance of turbines have a five-year
binary Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbine systems entered the meantime between repair
geothermic energy market (MTBR) recommendation
• Binary ORC plants use heat exchange to vaporize fluid to drive turbines • Following the upgrade, the
that produce electric power without harmful emissions company has included the recessed
hydropad technology in other
• Company engineers knew that its existing turbines would be put to the
turbine designs, eliminating seal
test with new and demanding conditions, including higher output
overheating, corrosion and high-
demands as well as temperature and pressure increases
pressure worries
• As part of the transition, the company introduced new silicon-based
fluids into the ORC process that not only increased temperature

YEAR
concerns but also presented corrosive condition challenges to the
turbines’ double-cartridge seals

MTBR
• The engineers looked to John Crane to upgrade the existing seals to
reliably stand up to the demanding output, heat and corrosive challenges

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CASE STUDY: JOHN CRANE CARTRIDGE SEAL UPGRADE

APPL I CAT I ON RE S ULT S

• The initial turbine design used traditional heavy-duty seals, with
primary rings made of plain face abradable inserts in metal carriers • Following the upgrade, the ORC
turbine manufacturer has met its
• Based on previous customer experiences with double O-ring pusher reliability goals with John Crane’s
seals, John Crane engineers tried a number of solutions that would recessed hydropad technology
stand up to the high heat — 230° F to 644° F (110° C to 340° C)
• Today, seal meantime between
• Traditional hydropad technology, while effective in many high- maintenance (MTBM) is up to
pressure applications, did not meet John Crane criteria for the five years
new ORC turbine conditions, including leakage
• The company is now able to
• Other solutions, including different seal mating ring designs, confidently provide its turbine
were tested as well but did not meet the rigid ORC requirements technology as a reliable income
for heat transfer. generator to the geothermal
• John Crane called upon the experience of company engineers based energy market
in Germany for a new and effective recessed hydropad technology • Following the successful upgrade,
that had proven itself in other turbine applications the ORC turbine company has
successfully incorporated the
S O LUT I ON
recessed hydropad design in other
larger projects
• John Crane upgraded the double O-ring pusher seals with recessed
hydropads that helped to increase peripheral shaft speed and
enhance heat transfer around the seal rings, thereby preventing
overheating The recessed hydropad
• The recessed hydropad technology reduced the risk of uneven technology reduced the risk of
contact across the seal interface while providing better and uneven contact across the seal
stiffer lubrication, making the seal interface less sensitive
to seal ring distortion interface while providing better
• The upgrade to double O-ring pusher seals with recessed and stiffer lubrication, making
hydropads provided all the benefits of the conventional seals, the seal interface less sensitive
but with much less leakage
to seal ring distortion
• The recessed hydropads were an ideal addition to the double
pressurized seals that would deteriorate as oil degraded over time

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