GIW Technical Series
Vents and Breathers
All powered equipment generates heat during operation. This expands the lubricant and air volumes
in the housing which creates a positive internal pressure. In most industrial machinery this escapes
out through a vent or breather device to the atmosphere. As the unit cools, the oil/air volume
contracts and outside air is drawn back into the housing. This process is repeated for each start/stop
cycle. Eventually enough airborne moisture is drawn in that condensation can actually form on
internal components. This can create rust on shaft and bearing surfaces.
In most slurry applications, the atmosphere surrounding the pump contains
high humidity and contamination generated by stuffing box flow, plant
processes and the area environment. This can migrate past most vents and
quickly contaminate the inside of the bearing assembly. It only takes a small
amount of water to dramatically reduce the lubricating property of the oil.
By using a labyrinth seal design at each end of the shaft, GIW has eliminated the need for any
external vent or breather. Lab testing indicated that the internal pressure rise is small and is
normally equalized by bleeding out past the v-ring seal. After the pump is stopped, the cooling
cycle is very slow and results in a slight vacuum inside the housing. This pulls the v-rings against
the end cover to further prevent contamination from spray or wash down. When the pump resumes
operation, the internal pressure will simply normalize. Where Inpro® seals are used, this internal
pressure can escape between the stator and rotor while the pump is running.
Bearing units on underwater pumps for dredge duty are completely filled with oil and must be
connected to a reservoir or “day tank” on the ship to equalize internal pressure.
During the initial break in cycle it is normal for small amounts of oil or assembly lubricant to purge
out of the seals or end covers at the shaft. If oil is found leaking out of the seal, the most typical
causes are worn or missing v-rings and incorrectly adjusted flingers. Too much oil or an incorrect
lubricant could also cause some oil to migrate past the seal. If the pump is not level, the seals may
be flooded. Correcting these conditions will normally eliminate the leakage. The oil level should be
at the center of the sight gauge when the pump is stopped.
GIW has eliminated the use of vents for the majority of pump bearing assemblies. The exceptions
are very old lip seal and Taconite seal designs. These can be identified by the grease fitting in the
end cover. Unless the unit is equipped with a breather from the factory, there should not be a need
to install one, since it generally creates more problems than it would solve. If a customer installs a
vent or breather on their units, it must be designed to exclude 100% of water spray, moisture and
contaminants under all operating and storage conditions. Since these items were not part of the
original GIW product, any damage or failure to the bearing assemblies could become the
responsibility of the customer.
Tech Vents and Breathers 2007-11-15.doc
