Wire Mesh Wound Polyethylene Pipe
Cross helically wound steel wires reinforced-polyethylene composite pipe (SRCP) is a kind of composite metal plastic pipe with excellent overall performance. With excellent pressure bearing performance, good flexibility, long-term resistance to acid and alkaline corrosion and abrasion, it is suitable for long-distance underground pipes for water supply and drainage, slurry transportation and the like, especially for subsidence region such as mining area, river channel.
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The IS series single-stage, single-suction centrifugal pump is widely used in industrial applications. However, due to its design, the rolling bearings are lubricated with oil, leading to severe dynamic seal leakage. This not only poses a risk to the safe and stable operation of the equipment but also causes environmental pollution and increases maintenance costs. Over the years, I have repeatedly attempted to improve the sealing of the bearing housing, making small adjustments that provided some relief but did not fully resolve the issue. Eventually, switching from oil to grease proved to be a more effective solution.
Lubrication of the rolling bearings in centrifugal pumps plays a critical role in reducing friction, wear, cooling, dust protection, rust prevention, and vibration damping. Proper lubrication ensures smooth equipment operation, reduces wear, prevents accidents, lowers energy consumption, and extends both repair intervals and the overall service life of the machinery.
In our plant’s roaster circulating water system, we use an IS150-125-250 model pump, which has a flow rate of 200 m³/h, a head of 20 meters, a shaft power of 18.5 kW, and a speed of 1450 r/min. The original design uses 30# (winter) or 40# (summer) mechanical oil for lubrication. Unfortunately, the dynamic seal leaks heavily, resulting in significant oil waste, bearing damage, and environmental contamination. To address this, several modifications were made over the years.
First, we replaced the felt seal with a single-layer skeleton oil seal. This significantly reduced oil leakage, cutting annual oil consumption from about 300 kg to just 50 kg per pump. The pump room became cleaner, and the risk of bearing failure due to lack of lubrication was minimized. However, after some time, the single-layer seal began to fail, prompting further improvements.
Next, we upgraded to a double-layer skeleton oil seal. While this helped reduce leakage in the short term, it still failed after about six months of continuous operation. The frequent need for replacement increased labor and maintenance costs, and disassembling the pump each time risked damaging other components.
To solve the problem permanently, we decided to switch from oil to grease. This approach was tested on a low-power pump with a flow of 200 m³/h and a speed of 1450 r/min, where the line speed was only 3.4 m/s—making grease lubrication feasible.
The transformation involved draining the old oil, cleaning the bearing housing, and filling it with lithium-based grease using a grease gun. After running the pump, the bearing temperatures remained stable, and no signs of leakage were observed. The vibration displacement was around 0.04 mm, and the grease stayed in place without leaking.
This change brought multiple benefits: reduced oil costs, lower maintenance efforts, extended equipment life, and a cleaner working environment. Each pump now saves approximately 137 yuan annually in lubrication costs and requires fewer repairs.
In conclusion, replacing oil with grease in such low-speed, low-flow pumps is a practical and cost-effective solution. It improves operational efficiency, enhances safety, and contributes to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly process. This method can be widely applied to similar pumps across different industries.