Windback Seals
Dresser-Rand offers
upgrades that provide
reliable operation, reduce
downtime, and extend
periods between
overhauls. With a broad
range of product offerings
for a variety of applications,
the company recognizes
that service is critical to
satisfying its clients.
Optimum Seal Performance
The Windback seal represents a new sealing principle that demonstrates a
significant improvement in shaft sealing. The grooves in the seal ring create a
wind, or small counter-pressure when rotating, which reduces sour seal oil
leakage.
Increasingly strict governmental regulations on
fugitive gas emissions are
a major concern today,
and clients are seeking
new technology and solutions to help them comply. With regard to D-Rs
Windback seal, as a result
of the dramatic reducA section of the Windback seal, showing the
tion in sour oil leakage,
groove which causes the wind, giving the seal
the operating load on
its name. The illustration is a cross-section of the
the sour oil traps can be
same seal edge.
greatly reduced. An inert
buffer gas such as nitrogen can be injected inboard of the inner seal ring to further reduce
fugitive gas emissions.
With the combination of the following design features, the Windback seal
provides optimum seal performance with minimum
leakage rates:
Inner ring with new windback feature design
Modified inner and outer seal oil housings
Mating faces of the seal housings are hard-face
coated with a tungsten-carbide-cobalt plasma spray
O-Rings
Figure 1 - Typical oil film seal design
HVOF Coating
Figure 2 - New seal design with HVOF
thermal spray
Outer seal ring is spring-loaded against the inner
seal ring.
Demonstrated Effectiveness
Since its inception, the Windback seal has proved its reliability and improvement in
sealing capabilities. Sour oil leakage rates have been reduced by as much as a full
order of magnitude, with 50 percent being the typical average. Extensive testing in
Dresser-Rands Le Havre facility, along with years of experience and development
in the design, have demonstrated the effectiveness of the Windback seal. One
Dresser-Rand user experienced a reduction from 500-600 GPD of sour oil leakage
Dresser-Rand S.A.
31 Boulevard Winston Churchill,
Cedex 7013
76080 Le Havre, France
Tel: (+33) 2 35 25 52 25
Fax: (+33) 2 35 25 53 66/67
For a complete listing of products and
services, visit us on the Internet at
www.dresser-rand.com
or contact one of the following
Dresser-Rand locations.
Dresser-Rand
Corporate Headquarters
West8 Tower Suite 1000
10205 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77042 USA
Tel: +1 713-354-6100
Fax: +1 713-354-6110
email:
[email protected]Regional Headquarters
The Americas
Dresser-Rand
West8 Tower Suite 1000
10205 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77042 USA
Tel: +1 713-354-6100
Fax: +1 713-354-6110
European Served Areas
(Europe, Eurasia, Middle East, Africa)
Dresser-Rand S.A.
31 Boulevard Winston Churchill
Cedex 7013
Le Havre 76080 France
Tel: 33-2-35-25-5225
Fax: 33-2-35-25-5366 / 5367
Asia Pacific
Dresser-Rand Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd
Unit 8-1, 8th Floor
Bangunan Malaysian Re
17 Lorong Dungun, Damansara Heights
50490 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 603-2093-6633
Fax: 603-2093-2622
2003 Dresser-Rand. Printed in U.S.A.
This document comprises a general overview
of the products described herein. It is solely for
informational purposes, does not represent a warranty or guarantee of the information contained
herein and is not to be construed as an offer to
sell or a solicitation to buy. Contact Dresser-Rand
for detailed design and engineering information
suitable to your specific applications. DresserRand reserves the right to modify its products and
related product information at any time without
prior notice.
Form 2006-07
Conventional Seal Leakage Rates
Windback Seal Leakage Rates
(test results)
(test results)
100
100
Leakage Rate (%)
Dresser-Rand
Paul Clark Drive
Olean, NY 14760
Tel: 716-375-3000
Fax: 716-375-3178
from five (5) compressors down to 40-50 GPD. This reduces the cost of operation and
minimizes the payback period of the upgrade to usually one year or less. The Windback
seal upgrade can be applied to all Dresser-Rand equipment as well as other manufacturers equipment.
Leakage Rate (%)
For more information on Windback
seals, contact one of the
following Dresser-Rand locations.
80
60
40
20
0
80
60
40
20
0
35
60
90
100
Rotating Speed (%)
35
60
90
100
Rotating Speed (%)
The rotating speed represents a percentage of the compressor design speed. The leakage rate represents a
percentage of the seals original designed leakage rate for the associated speed. The red bars show the range
for conventional oil seals. The blue median line shows the average for the test data.
Features
Benefits
Cartridge design seal
Assists in easy installation and quicker turn-around
Does not affect rotor dynamic stability or existing
design of auxiliaries
Windback groove partially machined
across the narrower of the inner
sealing rings
Dramatic reduction of sour seal oil flow across the
speed range of the compressor, including idle speed
Eliminates gas contamination of oil
Significantly reduces process gas emission to the
atmosphere
Mating faces of the seal housings are
hard-faced with a high-velocity oxygen
fuel (HVOF) thermal spray (replacing
conventional O-rings)
Reduces wear on components
Eliminates potential hang-up
Reduces sour oil leakage
The outer seal ring is spring-loaded
against the inner seal ring
Reduces leakage during shutdowns
Full Retrofit Solution
Optimum seal performance depends on a precise seal fit in the housing. The benefits
of the Windback seal with cartridge design makes this possible.
Windback seal cartridges can replace existing oil cartridges, often without any rework
necessary to the shaft or heads (it may be necessary to update the shaft seal sleeves).
The change-out can typically be done during a single shift. With all the benefits incorporated into the Windback seal (cartridge design, Windback groove, elimination of O-rings,
HVOF coatings), Dresser-Rand positions itself to provide an optimal end sealing solution
for the energy industry.
If you are interested in further information about this retrofit, please contact D-R in
Olean, New York at (716) 375-3000, or D-R in Le Havre at (33) 235 255225.
