John Crane Launches Seal to Boost Ethane Pipeline Reliability
John Crane has launched the Type 8628VL mechanical seal, a non-contacting design aimed at boosting ethane pipeline reliability, cutting costs, and extending service life in volatile operating conditions.
(P&GJ) — John Crane has introduced the Type 8628VL mechanical seal, designed to improve performance and reliability in multiphase ethane and ethylene pipelines. The new seal uses spiral groove non-contacting technology to handle volatile pressure and temperature changes that often cause failures in conventional designs.
According to research published in Lubricants (MDPI), the technology offers improved hydrodynamic lift, resilience to phase changes, and zero-wear operation. This design enables seals to remain stable during transitions between liquid, vapor, and supercritical states.
A U.S. Gulf Coast pipeline operator installed four of the new seals to address reliability issues at pressures near 1,100 psi. After three months of operation, the customer reported strong results. “The performance is exactly what we hoped for — consistent, reliable, and robust. We now have full confidence in uptime,” said a senior reliability engineer.
John Crane said the seal has demonstrated:
- Non-contacting performance across all phases
- Extremely low leakage
- Zero failures during early field tests
The company also noted benefits including longer mean time between repairs — up to 48 months — lower maintenance costs, and reduced flush fluid requirements compared with conventional wet seals. The simplified design eliminates the need for complex support systems and associated cooling water.
“Unlike hybrid or contacting seals, the Type 8628VL delivers pure non-contacting operation, even during rapid phase transitions,” said Mike Eason, Chief Technology Officer at John Crane. “It’s a significant step forward for the sector. We will continue to expand our portfolio with products that meet customer reliability and energy transition goals.”