HYDROPOWER – SEALING SOLUTIONS

For Turbines and Valves

Hydro Dam
Seal for Large Diameter Turbine

American High Performance Seals offers the hydropower industry technologically advanced sealing solutions that overcome the shortfalls that have been experienced with traditional rubber seals. These seals incorporate:

 

  • Advanced high-performance thermoplastic sealing materials that have as much as five times the wear and abrasion resistance of traditional rubber elastomers.
  • Optimized seal lip geometry designed for a precisely controlled sealing contact between seal lip and mating sealing surface over the lifetime of the seal reducing wear and extending seal life.

These seals have been developed in collaboration with Seal Maker® of Austria and are used worldwide by major OEMs and power plant operators for new installations or as upgrade replacement seals.

 

Abrasion Resistance of Seal Materials


Turbine Seals:

Guide Vane Seals for Kaplan and Francis Turbines

Guide vanes can be found in Kaplan turbines as well as in Francis turbines. Their main function is to convert the pressure energy of the water into momentum energy. They also direct the water flow at the optimum angles to the runner blades. Only slow pivoting movement is taking place.

A trouble-free operation of the guide vanes is essential to ensure optimum performance of the turbine; therefore, the proper sealing system is a key factor. Usually, approximately 20 guide vanes per turbine can be found; however, this number depends on size, design and other factors.

Large Diameter Seals for Guide Vane

Guide Vane – Verbund ©

Sealing solutions

The pivoting and vibrating motion that guide vane seals experience calls for uni-directional seals. Our seals are specifically designed and optimized for this application.

Sealing profiles for guide vanes:

Low Friction Guide Vane Lip Seal

HP1

Positive Load Guide Vane Lip Seal

HP3

Self-Energized Packing Guide Vane Seal

HP12

Contact us to request more information or call 1-800-283-7140 for immediate answers to your questions.


Kaplan Rotor Blade Seals

Movable rotor blades can only be found in Kaplan turbines. Typically, there are 3-8 rotor blades on a Kaplan turbine with a trunnion diameter to be sealed from approximately 300mm to 1500mm.
In order to ensure a smooth and efficient operation, a well-coordinated sealing system is required. Increasingly stricter environmental regulations also call for an increasingly improved sealing system.

Positive Load Kaplan Rotor Blade Lip Seal

Sealing solutions

Kaplan Rotor Blade seals have the dual function of ensuring zero leakage of the oil and zero entrance of the water into the turbine.  This means the seals must be both oil and water compatible and able to perform the dual sealing function in the smaller irregular installation spaces. Our optimized, double-acting rotor blade seals are designed to fit in new or pre-existing seal housings and are available within 1-3 weeks.

Sealing profiles for Kaplan Rotor Blades:

Low Friction Kaplan Rotor Blade Lip Seal

HP4D

Self- Energized Packing Kaplan Rotor Blade Lip Seal

HP5D

Spherical Valve for Turbine Inlet and Pumps

HP12D

Contact us to request more information or call 1-800-283-7140 for immediate answers to your questions.


Valve Seals:

Seals for Spherical Valve

Typically, spherical valves are used as turbine inlet and pump valves for higher design pressures (up to 200 bar, 2900psi). The mobile ring is thereby operated by oil and/or water pressure. The sealing system on the mobile ring as well as on the trunnion is most important to ensure the proper functioning of the valve. The valve diameter can be up to approx. 8 Meter.

Bore Sealing low Friction Spherical Valve Seal

Sealing solutions

Seals for spherical valves face numerous challenges.  The seals must be able to compensate for some large deformations and misalignments of the mobile rings; yet, at the same time, fit in small installation spaces, retain dimensional stability under pressure and resist twisting during seal installation. We offer several optimized seal designs to accomplish this challenging task.

Sealing profiles for spherical valve seals:

Positive Load Bore Sealing Spherical Valve Seal

HP8

Large Misalignment Bore Sealing Spherical Valve Seal

HP35

Rod Sealing low Friction Spherical Valve Seal

HP9

Positive Load Rod Sealing Spherical Valve Lip Seal

HP13

Butterfly Valve for inlet, pump and Safety valve applications

HP3

Contact us to request more information or call 1-800-283-7140 for immediate answers to your questions.


Seals for Butterfly Valve

Butterfly valves are primarily used as safety valves, turbine inlet and pump valves for low to medium design pressures (up to 65 bar).
In this regard, the seal is installed directly onto the valve flap. Depending on the butterfly design (trunnion in the center or trunnion off-center), we provide seal designs both endless or split depending on the application or customer needs.

Large Misalignment Bore Sealing Butterfly Valve Seal

Sealing solutions

Butterfly valve seals must be of compact design, yet retain high dimensional stability under pressure, and resist twisting during both installation and operation. Our seals are specifically designed for this application.

Sealing profiles:

Positive Load Bore Sealing Spherical Valve Seal

HP14

Rod Sealing low Friction Butterfly Valve Seal

HP35A

Positive Load Rod Sealing Butterfly Valve Lip Seal

HP13

Positive Load Guide Vane Lip Seal

HP3

Contact us (link to contact us) to request more information or call 1-800-283-7140 for immediate answers to your questions.


American High Performance Seals assumes no obligation or liability for any advice furnished or results obtained with respect to these products.  All such advice is given and accepted at the buyer’s risk.

This information, based on our experience, is offered as part of our service to customers.  It is intended for use by persons having technical skill, at their own discretion and risk.  We do not guarantee favorable results, and we assume no liability in connection with its use.

Any purchases resulting from information provided by American High Performance Seals, Inc., including proposals, recommendations and quotes, are subject to “AHPSEALS TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE.”