Gland Packing - Traditional seals for a modern world

Gland packings are a traditional method of sealing pumps, valves, and other equipment in rotary motion. They are essential for the efficiency of mixers, pumps, valves, and other industrial equipment in rotary motion. 

The modern packings are characterized by a lack of health hazards and long working time.

Gland packings offer several advantages over other sealing methods. Here are some of the key benefits:

1. Effective Sealing: Gland packings prevent fluid or gas leakage around shafts, ensuring a reliable seal.
2. High Temperature and Pressure Resistance: Gland packings can withstand demanding conditions, making them suitable for various applications.
3. Chemical Resistance: They exhibit resilience against various chemicals.
4. Wear Resistance: Gland packings are durable and provide long-lasting performance.
5. Easy Installation: They are easy to install, reducing downtime and maintenance costs.

Gland packings are considered a cost-effective sealing method that is still widely used in many engineering applications today. They are particularly recommended for handling corrosive fluids, as they tend to last longer than seals.

Types of Gland Packings

There are many types of gland packings designed for specific applications and conditions. Here are some examples:

GRAPHITE

1. Grafopak GRA 450: Made of a 99% purity expanded graphite, secured by the inhibitor from a galvanic corrosion risk. Designed for sealing water impeller pumps, chemicals, and petroleum compounds up to 450 °C, except strongly oxidizing and abrasive media.
2. Grafopak GRP 420: Made of expanded graphite yarn with the addition of carbon fibre, impregnated with PTFE dispersion. This packing has excellent heat conductivity, a low friction factor, and excellent self-lubricating properties.
3. Karbopak XR 640: Made of expanded graphite and high modulus carbon fibre C98 with the addition of corrosion inhibitors. Its braid is made in the form of reinforced corners, which significantly affects the mechanical strength of the seal while keeping excellent sliding properties of graphite.
4. Karbopak HR 660: Made of carbon fibre of high purity and thermal resistance with the addition of flake graphite. It is braided in a wide range of square profiles and impregnated with a high-temperature lubricant in the form of graphite dispersion.
5. Karbopak KA 400: Made of carbonized carbon fibre with impregnation of graphite dispersion. The high carbon content, strength, and good sliding properties recommend this packing for dynamic seals of pumps in the range up to 300°C.
6. Karbonyl KL 380: Based on phenol-aldehyde fibre with high contents of carbon and with PTFE impregnation. This fibre has a characteristic red-brown colour and excellent mechanical properties, which combine both softness low friction and high strength.
7. Inkograf IGP 600: Based on expandable graphite (purity 99%), reinforced by wire made of nickel alloy. Sacrificial anode is used as the corrosion protection system. Designed for repairs and service of industry fittings and high-pressure valves.
8. Inkograf HTR 650: Based on a metal-graphite composite, with corrosion inhibitor and antioxidant addition. Designed for closing rings of valve stuffing boxes and for maintenance of high-pressure equipment.

PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) gland packings are widely used in the mechanical compression packing industry due to their outstanding resistance to chemical attack, low coefficient of friction, and wide temperature tolerance. 

1. Tefapak PUR 200: A packing based on PTFE with the highest chemical resistance among synthetic fibres, including resistance to strong oxidants and liquid oxygen as well as UV radiation. It is suitable for use in various applications
2. Grafopak GRP 420: A packing made of expanded graphite yarn with the addition of carbon fibre, impregnated with PTFE dispersion. It has excellent heat conductivity, a low friction factor, and excellent self-lubricating properties.
3. K49: A high-performance, multi-service packing made from yarn with encapsulated graphite lubricant. It is suitable for valves and pumping applications, especially in high-speed applications.
4. K54S: A pure PTFE packing with PTFE lubricant suitable for plant-wide use. It offers excellent resistance to chemical attack and can handle temperatures up to 260°C and pressures up to 200 bars.
5. K54H: A PTFE packing with added PTFE and mineral oil lubricant. It is an excellent choice for plant-wide use when a clean, non-contaminating packing is required.
6. K54F: A pure PTFE packing that is suitable for plant-wide use, especially in clean environments such as food and pharmaceutical applications.
7. K55: A new generation PTFE yarn with encapsulated graphite lubricant. It is more economical than K49 and suitable for both valve and pump applications.
8. K4322: A PTFE-yarn packing with a graphite lubricant for use in valves and high-speed pumps. It offers excellent chemical resistance.