How John Crane solutions protect rotating equipment in harsh environments
Mining and minerals industry operations can take place in many different locations, depending on the process involved. Slurry and dewatering circuits, pumping, dewatering, extraction, processing – they can all be spread over several sites.
Simple geology often determines the optimum location. However, mining operations will share several common denominators.
Firstly, the nature of the rotating equipment being used. This might include pumps of different sizes, agitators, mixers, conveyor belts, gearboxes crushers, grinding mills, pumps, fans, drilling rigs and hoist systems.
Secondly, the harshness both of the conditions in which the technology operates and the materials involved. Abrasive slurries and toxic, corrosive chemicals are processed amid conditions of water scarcity and extreme temperatures.
Machinery is subject to vibration, which can lead to wear, misalignment and the potential operational downtime. This has cost mining firms $67 billion* over the past five years – and that figure excludes the potential hidden cost of operator safety.
The challenges for businesses engaged in processing mining and minerals are well-established and unlikely to change. However, the option remains to establish integrated protection systems for uptime, safety and sustainability.
Integrated protection solutions for rotating equipment
Mechanical seals, bearing isolators and couplings are often the hidden elements that underpin the reliability of key mining technologies such as pumps and agitators. The better the seal, the more reliable the rotating equipment is likely to be. John Crane has developed technologies to improve seal reliability. They include:
John Crane Diamond®: Created with industrial processes in mind, adding John Crane Diamond to mechanical seal faces helps overcome short seal life and equipment breakdowns caused by harsh operating conditions, including abrasive particles, low lubricity and intermittent dry running.
Upstream Pumping (USP): John Crane’s unique, engineered, non-contacting USP seal face technology is a breakthrough in liquid sealing technology that can extend the MTBR for traditional seals from three years to more than five.
Elastomeric couplings: John Crane’s Powerstream® couplings use an elastomeric element to transmit torque, manage vibration and accommodate misalignment. Crucially for the mining industry, these urethane elastomers can be replaced in minutes, reducing downtime on ANSI pumps, conveyors, rolls, fans and blowers.
Companies operating in challenging conditions know that any operational advantage – any technology that maximises uptime, extends MTBR and minimises unplanned downtime – gives them an edge over competitors. For those operators with mining operations in difficult locations, that could mean remote monitoring.
John Crane Sense® Monitor wireless condition monitoring provides near real-time visibility into the health of rotating equipment. By detecting early signs of imbalance, misalignment, cavitation, bearing wear and process instability, it supports predictive maintenance, reduces unplanned downtime and protects critical mining assets.
Deploying more than one of these solutions and supporting their technology with John Crane Performance Plus™, our modular services framework, can mitigate many problems, extend MTBR and reduce failures.
Product solutions for mining applications
With more than 100 years of seal engineering experience and numerous patents for seal innovation, John Crane understands the unique demands of the mining and minerals industry. We have developed slurry seals to meet every customer challenge in applications such as tailings trains and dewatering of mud and gravel.
Slurry seals
For example, the rugged construction of the Type 5800 series, available as pressurised single seals or pressurised and unpressurised dual seals, suits heavy-duty slurry pumps, mixers and other rotating equipment.
Meanwhile, particularly abrasive slurry environments demand the heavy-duty, high-performance Type 5860 series, which are compatible with advanced seal face technology, such as John Crane Diamond.
The Type 588USP is fitted with replaceable parts, and flushless operation ticks for increased sustainability, while the advanced seal face design and use of special construction materials support optimum performance in harsh slurry environments.
The Type 5840 is a low-cost, single-cartridge seal compatible with most OEM slurry pumps worldwide. Hydraulically balanced design with no sliding O-rings to cause hang-up; made of standard materials to meet the requirements of the mining sector and suitable for medium (50%) duty slurry environments.
Split seals
Meanwhile, John Crane split seals are easy to install and proven reliable in abrasive mining processes. With no need to dismantle pumps or equipment for seal installation, maintenance downtime is reduced, while MTBR is increased.
The Type 37FS is a heavy-duty split elastomer bellows seal and is widely used to reduce maintenance on larger, difficult-to-seal mining equipment. Fewer parts and an uncomplicated design make this design compatible with worn shafts without equipment modification.
The Type 3740 uses the latest modular split-seal technology to combine the unique design requirements for wet- and dry-running services into a single common seal, creating a reliable option for demanding pump and other rotating equipment. In contrast, the larger Type 3740XL option suits larger pumps and rotating equipment.
Elastomer bellows seals
Robust and non-clogging, are a cost-effective solution for general-duty applications. John Crane elastomer bellows seals are made from rubber-like materials to provide a leak-proof, self-aligning seal around rotating shafts in mining and other heavy-duty applications.
A popular solution for general-purpose pumping equipment, and particularly effective in low-pressure and non-corrosive environments, the portfolio includes the Type 1/1A, which is particularly popular for mining industry pumps, mixers, blenders, agitators, air compressors, blowers, fans and other rotary shaft equipment.
Power transmission couplings
Within the mining industry, the choice of power transmission coupling depends on multiple factors. They include the torque being transmitted, equipment speed, machines being connected, equipment bearing arrangement, available space envelope, degree of misalignment and the operational environment, which will all dictate coupling choice or at least drive decision-making.
But the overarching principle is that the coupling must support smooth torque transmission and accommodate misalignment to improve seal performance. Whether rigid, elastomeric, disc or diaphragm, every type of power transmission coupling is designed for a particular application and operating condition.
In the next part of the blog, we assess the benefits of suitable packing and sealing support solutions, and sustainable water stewardship.
Read all our mining blogs here.