A quality partnership

In South America, a chemical facility had problems with a pump used to transport liquid sulfur. Given the aggressive nature of the media, the seals in the pump needed replacing every three months. In addition, leaks caused by accumulations of crystallized sulfur around the pump were common. 

There was an urgent need for maintenance and cleaning and,ominously, the workforce and the local environment were at risk of being exposed to dangerous chemicals. Meanwhile, because of the need for frequent maintenance work, long downtimes were a regular occurrence.

To rectify these issues, the operator of the chemical plant turned to Metax Kupplungs- und Dichtungstechnik, based in Hungen, Germany. The company has a good reputation, thanks to a history of state-of-the-art, and in most cases, customer-specific solutions. 

For the South American manufacturer, Metax designed a single-acting seal with materials that are especially suitable for contact with crystallizing media. By integrating a heating chamber and quench seals, crystal formation at the seals could be largely prevented. This resulted in a noticeably extended seal service life and a reduction in maintenance. 

Key to the solution was O-Rings made of Trelleborg’s Isolast®, a material characterized by an extremely high chemical and temperature resistance that makes it ideally suited for demanding applications in chemical plants.  

Metax has relied on Trelleborg materials for its sealing solutions for many decades. “Ninety percent of the failures of mechanical seals are due to the failure of the elastomer within them,” explains Hans Düringer, Technical Manager at Metax. “O-Rings can swell, rupture, or fail with a sudden increase in pressure. You can only minimize these failures if you have a suitable partner who advises you on the selection of the right materials.”  

“When it comes to O-Rings, there is a wide variety of types and applications,” explains Düringer’s son Thomas. Thomas Düringer works as a technical consultant in the sealing industry. “There are many different material compounds developed for very specific conditions,” he says. “Isolast is currently ahead of competing materials. Trelleborg knows exactly how to formulate it perfectly so that the O-Ring is just right for the application in question.” 

Apart from Trelleborg’s material mixes and technical advice, Hans Düringer says he particularly appreciates the company’s willingness to cooperate, including allowing Metax to use Trelleborg’s laboratories for development projects. Trelleborg also provides training courses, which Düringer says almost all the company’s employees have completed. “This is very important for us,” he says. “With the knowledge we acquire we can give our customers competent advice when it comes to the selection of O-Rings.”   

At Trelleborg, the collaboration with Metax highlights the combination of expertise in mechanical seals and O-Ring manufacturing. Metax is recognized in the chemical and process industry as a problem solver with extensive know-how in mechanical seals. Trelleborg contributes its specialized expertise in O-Ring manufacturing, offering thousands of options to meet diverse needs.  

This partnership benefits both companies, as one quality supplier supports another, enhancing the value delivered to Metax customers. 

For more information, please visit: Seals