The Plan 23E system is an innovative adaption of the conventional API Plan 23 system, providing enhanced seal face cooling for optimised mechanical seal performance in medium temperature applications.
In the Plan 23E system, the process fluid is forced circulated from the mechanical seal chamber (the mechanical seal flush port) to a heat exchanger and back to the mechanical seal chamber. The mechanical seal chamber is separated from the pump seal chamber by a floating restriction bush. This optimises the sealing environment, as the volume of fluid circulated in the Plan 23 is less than 1/10th of the conventional Plan 23 system. This means the heat exchanger doesn't need to work as hard whilst still providing cool fluid to the mechanical seal faces in, what would otherwise be a high temperature environment.
In the Plan 23E system water cooled heat exchanger is replaced by an air cooled heat exchanger with the optional connection to a bank of hybrid air-cooled finned tubes. This system therefore eliminates the need for the piping and associated costs of the water cooling system, making it an ideal environmentally friendly adaptation which is applicable for many medium temperature applications, typically up to 250 Deg C (480 Deg F).
Unlike Plan 32, there is no process fluid temperature reduction. This means that there is no wasted energy input heating the fluid inside the process pump.
Unlike Plan 32, there is no process fluid concentration dilution, as there is no external fluid supplied into the pump sealing chamber.
Furthermore, unlike Plan 21, the heat exchanger doesn't have to work as hard. This means, in a like-for-like application, the cooling water supply to the heat exchanger can be reduced.
There are typically HUGE operational savings to be made from Plan 23E applications, which far exceed any small, one off capital investment in the Plan 23E heat exchanger circuit.
Important - The key element to maximise the benefit of the Plan 23E system is in the PUMPING RING design and the HEAT EXCHANGER design. Reliability Seals have the best innovations for both. Also, check out Plan 23S systems and Plan 23B system adaptions for further enhanced operational performance.
For further reading on API Plan 23, please click the following links to related Technical Blogs;
- Enhancing Operational Uptime: Exploring API Plan 23