Overview
A major chemical processing facility in the Southeast struggled with chronic seal failures on one of its most critical pieces of equipment. The seal failed 17 times per year, creating constant downtime, lost production, and escalating maintenance costs.
Two existing suppliers had attempted, and failed, to solve the recurring issue, so OTC stepped in to help. The facility needed a reliable partner willing to step back from component-level assumptions and uncover the true source of failure through mechanical seal troubleshooting and seal failure analysis.
Through system-wide evaluation and proactive monitoring, OTC identified the root causes and engineered a corrective plan that delivered over 3 years of uninterrupted performance, eliminating the failures entirely and securing OTC as the plant’s sole mechanical seal service and repair provider.
Challenge
The plant’s maintenance team had spent years cycling through repairs and seal replacements without real reliability improvement. The issue had become normalized: the problematic asset was labeled the site’s “worst actor,” and failures were expected.
Key challenges included:
- Reactive repair cycle causing repetitive seal failures
- Incorrect seal type installed for process conditions
- Process sequencing issue damaging the seal during batching
- Lack of system-level diagnostics from previous service providers
The customer needed a partner who would evaluate the entire pumping system, not just the seal.
Solution
OTC initiated a comprehensive diagnostic, seal failure analysis and reliability assessment by:
- Monitoring multiple operating parameters for 30 days, including:
- Valve actuation timing
- Vibration
- Pressure and temperature fluctuations
- Batch sequencing behavior
- Seal design suitability for the actual application
- Correlating failure events with a valve sequencing issue during a specific point in the batch operation
- Determining that a heavy-duty Flowserve seal design was required for long-term performance
Our corrective action plan included:
- Re-engineering the valve sequence to eliminate harmful conditions
- Upgrading the mechanical seal to a more robust design tailored to the chemical process
Once implemented, the improvements were fast and measurable.
Results
The equipment transitioned from the facility’s most unreliable asset to one of its most consistently performing, validating the power of root-cause focus and engineered reliability. The results speak for themselves:
- Zero failures for more than 3 years
- Eliminated 17 breakdowns per year
- Major reductions in downtime, labor, and maintenance costs
- Removal of the incumbent supplier
- OTC awarded 100% of the plant’s seal business
Driving Long-Term Reliability, Not Short-Term Fixes
This success demonstrates that chronic seal problems rarely stem from the seal alone. OTC’s mechanical seal repair & reliability services ensure:
- Continuous condition monitoring
- Early detection of operating-parameter deviations
- Proven application engineering and seal selection
- Preventive maintenance strategies that protect uptime
“OTC’s approach goes beyond seal improvements to focus on the complete pumping system,” says Mike Herrington, Director of Mechanical Seals & Solutions at OTC. “By identifying and correcting system-level contributors to seal failure, we deliver solutions that drive long-term reliability—resulting in improved run life, increased uptime, and lower total cost of ownership.”
With OTC, performance improves and failures stop repeating.
Our dedicated specialists deliver the expertise, engineering, and proactive support needed to solve high-impact equipment issues and elevate long-term plant reliability.
Explore OTC’s mechanical seal repair & service capabilities today.
