ROI In Less Than A Month

By Alexandre Olivier

What was the main problem the company was facing?

The equipment had been fitted with a competitor’s single sealing solution for a long time and it was no longer working, with water leaking onto the seal and causing damage. The process pressure is three bar, which very quickly led to a build-up of pulp between the faces of the original single mechanical seal, which is lubricated by the process. There were clear signs of contact marks.

It was obviously a big operation – 180,000 tonnes of paper every year. How serious would the problem have become if a solution had not been found?

They were facing this issue on a regular basis and it was included in the maintenance plan, so they were throwing money out of the window.

What made the IADC combined with a SW2 seal support system the ideal answer and was it obvious to you?

We made a decision as to what was needed in a short time and there has been no equipment failure since 2019. The IADC mechanical seal, which we fitted with a lubrication pot, is designed for use on screens and knotters, so was ideal for this situation, and we added a stainless steel filter with support to ensure good water quality without particles. The stuffing box also had to be modified to accommodate the inlet/outlet of the barrier fluid.

Was this an existing customer? Did AESSEAL receive any more orders as a result?

This was quite a new customer when we supplied them with this seal and they were delighted with the results. They are now a regular customer with around €100,000 orders turnover a year.

How much money did this save them?

With production stoppage time, replacing the equipment every two months and the cost of labour, it was costing them around €130,000 a year. They got a return on their investment in the first month and, based upon previous maintenance costs and savings from seal fitting, have now saved more than €750,000.