![]() Vertically-oriented noncontact isolators use their design of specific gaps and chambers to break down these contaminants’ energy, and eventually force them away from the housing, while still allowing air into it that won’t damage the lubrication. As the machine shuts down, the bearing housing draws air in from the environment in order to reach a state of equilibrium, which can also draw in contaminants from the environment. Noncontact bearing isolators also struggle under static conditions. And, due to the fact that they do not contact with a lip seal to operate, there is far less wear on the seal, and the bearing within. Noncontact bearing isolators use specific clearances, gap changes, and direction changes to direct contaminants away from the bearing through gravity and centrifugal force. Noncontact compound labyrinth isolators are similar to contact ones in design, however they work a little differently. Because they typically contact the lip seal within the housing, they also cause the seal to wear down, and they can’t block contaminants during machine shutdown. They struggle in environments with heavy contaminants, such as sand, dust, and other debris, as well as environments with steam or oil mist. Once the machine shuts down, the O-ring then contracts.Ĭontact bearing isolators have their limitations. The O-ring expands under dynamic conditions, which allows the housing to vent through the seals. The development of this was beneficial to advancing rotating equipment, able to keep contaminants out by directing them outside the seal. The more traditional and common type of bearing isolator used to protect bearing lubrication is the contacting, compound labyrinth bearing isolator, with a dynamic O-ring, and most other isolators are a derivative of this original design. Overall, bearing isolators increase the bearing’s life, and the machine’s life as a result. They also play the important role of keeping the lubricant within the bearing cavity and keeping other components from coming into contact with the bearings. These types of seals are the parts that separate the bearings of a machine from the external environment–as well as any contaminants that would damage them. And that’s where bearing isolators come in.īearing isolators are a type of lubrication seal designed to protect the lubrication of the bearing from contaminants, such as process fluid. Aspects such as operating conditions and improper lubrication are the most common causes of bearing failure, as both involve bearing housings becoming contaminated. When bearings fail, the whole machine they support stops working as well. They support rotating shafts in a variety of machinery and engines, allowing for motion throughout pumps, engines, and much more. A Quick Introduction to Bearingsīearings are the bread and butter of the rotating equipment industry. This led to innovation in the form of bearing isolators. As higher performing equipment was needed to survive harsher environments, so were better protections for the bearings. We pride ourselves on designing the right seal for the right application so please feel free to contact us or head over to our website at isolators are a more recent development in seal technology, a protective measure to replace traditional seals on bearings within rotating equipment. And, because it's liquid tight it makes it a great choice for very challenging lubrication environments like flooded conditions. It has a stainless steel and a soft compliant face that are both precision lapped and pulled together by a magnetic force.Īlthough it is a contact seal, the self-lubricating material on the soft face will give it an extremely long sealing life. The VBMag, our contact design, operates a little bit differently. There are some applications that will require a contact seal. Because it's non-contacting and totally non-wearing, it has an extremely long sealing life and makes it a great choice for the vast majority of our applications. Anything that tries to get into the bearing housing is going to come in through this pathway and, before it can get into the housing, it's going to be expelled through the bottom of the seal out the exposure port through gravity and centrifugal force. Our non-contact seals rely on a torturous pathway to create that ceiling interface. Let's first talk about the non-contact seals. ![]() Secondly, they both have the same main two components: a rotating element and a stationary element or a rotor and a stator. ![]() This will significantly prolong the life of your equipment and the life of your bearings. First and foremost, they have the same goal which is to retain lubrication and to exclude contaminants from entering your bearing housing. ![]() Broadly speaking those are non-contact compound Labyrinth seals and our contact bearing isolators. Hi, my name is Chris Solfelt with Inpro/Seal and today we're going to talk about the different types of bearing isolators that we make here. ![]()
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