Packing strips and packing gland tightening procedure

Correct operation of a centrifugal pump implies that it does not present any uncontrolled leakage. To prevent this, packing strips and packing glands can be used to provide proper sealing and still allow a smooth rotation. Therefore, packing strips require a certain level of lubrication, which is provided by the pumped fluid leaking thru them. It is very important to provide an adequate lubrication to the packing strips, otherwise they can burn out, causing scoring in the shaft and excess leakage of the pumped fluid.

We explain the correct procedure to install and tighten the packing strips and packing gland on a pump and how to determine the adequate leakage rate that must be provided to them so that they operate at their optimal capacity.