Three main factors affect proper packing installation: Proper packing should primarily eliminate leakage, which results in less equipment downtime because of gland water issues. You want to prevent excessive leakage caused by improper packing installations. Proper Packing Installation for Stuffing Box Reliability No fluid should ever leak from this area. The outside surface at the stuffing box bore is static and can be thought of as a gasket. External flush fluid in all slurry applications or other applications that contain solid particles.Product being pumped if the product is cool and clean.The inside surface along the shaft controls flush water leakage at a consistent rate of 10 to 12 drops per minute per inch of shaft size.Ĭompression packing leaks one of two things: It has a static surface on the outside diameter, which is compressed along the stuffing box bore. Packing has a dynamic surface along the inside diameter at the shaft/sleeve surface. To fully understand these components, you must know the principles and the function of braided packing. Selecting the right packing for the application will improve stuffing box reliability. By tightening the gland against the outboard ring, pressure is transmitted to the packing set to expand the rings radially. Successful compression packing performance depends on a pressurized fluid film between the surface of the rotating shaft/sleeve and the packing for lubrication. Defining Compression PackingĬompression packing is constructed of relatively soft materials which are inserted into the stuffing box between the rotating member, usually the shaft or sleeve, and the body of the rotating asset. Proper packing installation to prevent excessive leakage, shaft stabilization to prolong shaft/sleeve and packing life, and thorough equipment inspections help improve stuffing box reliability. All centrifugal pumps have a stuffing box or seal chamber. The better the performance and reliability of a fluid sealing program, the better the condition of the internal pump components, including the stuffing box. Stuffing box reliability is critical to the condition and performance of the whole fluid sealing program. It prevents leakage along the shaft that passes through a hole in the pump. A stuffing box of a pump houses a gland that compresses the packing used to seal the pumped fluid.