Labyrinth seals, used in many industries but particularly in mining and mineral processing, provide very efficient sealing of housings when properly purged. If this is not done correctly then maintenance and productivity suffers.
A labyrinth seal only functions correctly when it is correctly grease-purged. GreaseMax single point automatic lubricators are ideal for labyrinth seal purging and have proven results in this application. Often this task is done by hand on a routine basis but with relatively long re-lubrication intervals compared to what is needed for efficient sealing outcomes. The periods between re-lubrication can allow the ingress of foreign matter which will work it’s way back into the bearing. The result is a sort of grinding paste within the housing and premature bearing failure. GreaseMax single point automatic lubricators are able to maintain a constant continuous grease pressure on the seal, preventing foreign material entering.
High pressure water jets used for clean ups in mines also contribute to bearing failure. Excess grease from hand greasing labyrinth seals causes a large build up which must be cleaned off. This is typically done with long doses of high pressure water which can force dirt and water back through the seals into the housing.
GreaseMax single point automatic lubricators ensure a correct grease fill in the seal, all the time. Hand greasing will only provide a correct fill for a limited time frame and outside this the seal will be susceptible to water and dirt ingress. Excess grease is typically applied in an attempt to improve the outcome. The lower volume of grease needed for this task when it is done correctly means that the build ups of grease and dirt are much smaller and require little clean down.
Water from wet operating conditions, condensation, or plant wash downs quickly degrades grease. As little as 0.05% of water in the grease will substantially shorten the life of a bearing with a reduction of the grease oil film strength, corrosion, and hydrogen-induced fractures.
GreaseMax single point automatic lubricators are available from Delta Distribution .