What is the key advantage of a mechanical seal over a packed gland for sealing a rotating shaft?

Correct answer: They can provide a very effective seal without causing any wear on the shaft.

Explanation

Unlike packed glands, which seal directly against the rotating shaft and cause wear, mechanical seals transfer the wearing contact to replaceable, precision-lapped seal faces. This prevents damage to the expensive shaft and provides a much more effective, near-leak-tight seal.

Other questions

Question 1

What is the primary purpose of using a floating-roof tank for storing flammable liquids compared to a fixed-roof tank?

Question 2

According to the provided text, what is the typical application for reciprocating compressors in preference to centrifugal compressors?

Question 3

What is the primary function of a nonreturn valve in a process line?

Question 4

For a two-stage compressor with an intercooler, how is the intermediate-stage pressure typically selected to ensure equal work in each stage?

Question 5

What is the phenomenon known as 'surge' or 'pumping' in centrifugal and axial compressors?

Question 6

What is the primary power source for the liquid circulation in a thermosiphon reboiler?

Question 7

What does the term 'Net Positive Suction Head available' (NPSHavail) represent for a pump?

Question 8

Which design code from the ASME B31 Committee is most commonly used for process piping in chemical plants and oil refineries?

Question 9

What is the typical use for a Schedule 40 pipe in industrial applications?

Question 10

When sizing a control valve, what is a common rule of thumb for the pressure drop that should be allowed across it if the system characteristics are not yet known?

Question 11

What is the primary disadvantage of using steam turbines as drivers for rotating equipment?

Question 12

A pipeline is constructed from commercial steel pipe with an internal diameter of 225 mm. What is its relative roughness?

Question 13

What does the term 'rangeability' of a control valve refer to?

Question 14

When should packed glands be specified for sealing rotating shafts according to the text?

Question 15

What is the relationship between the Fanning friction factor (Cf) and the friction factor (f) used in the primary pressure drop equation DPf = 8f(L/di)(rho*u^2)/2?

Question 16

If a fluid is being pumped from a storage tank to a distillation column, what does the 'system curve' represent?

Question 17

What is cavitation in a pump?

Question 18

Which type of valve is generally NOT suitable for partial opening to throttle flow?

Question 19

When calculating pressure drop for gas flow in a pipe, under what condition can the gas be treated as an incompressible fluid?

Question 20

A pipeline is 120 m long and has a 25 mm internal diameter. The miscellaneous losses are equivalent to 735 pipe diameters. What is the total effective length of the pipe used for the pressure drop calculation?

Question 21

What is the typical efficiency of a large electric motor with a size greater than 4000 kW?

Question 22

What is a key advantage of plug valves and ball valves for shut-off applications?

Question 23

In the economic analysis of pipe sizing, what is the trade-off that determines the most economic pipe diameter?

Question 24

A liquid chlorine unloading system has a vertical distance of 10 m from the tanker outlet to the pump inlet. The pressure in the tanker is 7 bara (700 kN/m2), the liquid density is 1286 kg/m3, friction loss in the suction piping is 71,703 N/m2, and the vapor pressure is 685 kN/m2. What is the Net Positive Suction Head available (NPSHavail)?

Question 25

Which type of steam turbine is designed to have its outlet pressure controlled at a level above atmospheric pressure so the discharge steam can be used for process heating?

Question 26

In what situation are steam-jet ejectors frequently used for producing a vacuum?

Question 27

What is the primary characteristic of the work done when compressing a gas isothermally?

Question 28

A process liquid is pumped from a storage tank at atmospheric pressure (1.013 bara) to a distillation column operating at 1.7 bara. The liquid feed point is 1.5 m higher than the tank's liquid level. What is the total static head the pump must overcome?

Question 29

What is the primary function of incorporating flexibility, such as expansion loops, into piping systems?

Question 30

According to Rase's expressions for design velocities, what is the recommended velocity for liquid in a pump suction line with an internal diameter (di) in mm?

Question 32

If a Mollier diagram is available for a working fluid, how is the ideal isentropic work of compression calculated?

Question 33

What is the typical normal operating range for the capacity of a diaphragm pump?

Question 34

In a pipeline connecting two tanks, miscellaneous pressure losses can be estimated as a number of velocity heads. A velocity head is equivalent to what physical quantity?

Question 35

The pressure drop in a pipe due to friction can be calculated using the equation DPf = 8f(L/di)(rho*u^2)/2. What does the friction factor 'f' depend on?

Question 36

A tank carrying toluene is unloaded using a pump. The pipeline is 900 m long with a 225 mm internal diameter, and miscellaneous losses are equivalent to 600 pipe diameters. What is the total length of the pipeline used for friction loss calculations?

Question 37

Why is the selection of a control valve best carried out in concert with pipe sizing and pump design?

Question 38

What is the formula for the work done (W, in kJ/kg) in an ideal isothermal compression of a gas from pressure P1 to P2?

Question 39

For which of the following applications would a single-stage, horizontal, overhung centrifugal pump be the most common choice?

Question 40

Which of these is NOT one of the three main types of steam turbines discussed in the text?

Question 41

What is the typical head in meters of water for a rotary sliding vane pump?

Question 42

How is the pressure loss due to a 90-degree standard long elbow typically quantified in terms of equivalent pipe diameters?

Question 43

What is the primary method for controlling the flow from most centrifugal pumps?

Question 44

A fluid with a density of 874 kg/m3 and viscosity of 0.62 mNm2s flows at 1.6 m/s through a 225 mm diameter pipe. What is the approximate Reynolds number?

Question 45

For industrial compressors, the compression path is often approximated by the polytropic expression PV^n = constant. What is the typical range for the polytropic expansion coefficient 'n'?

Question 46

What does the term 'turndown' of a control valve represent?

Question 47

What is the absolute roughness in millimeters for drawn tubing?

Question 48

An engineering firm needs to estimate the safe working pressure for a 4-inch schedule 40 carbon steel pipe. The maximum allowable stress for the material is 11,700 lb/in2. What is the estimated safe working pressure?

Question 49

In a process plant, where are liquid storage tanks typically located?

Question 50

What is the defining characteristic of a 'seal-less' or 'canned' pump?