Steam Turbine Seal Upgrades
As a steam turbine ages, the Inlet Seal Rings or Snout Rings increasingly become a significant leakage path. The steam leakage through these seals causes substantial degradation in steam turbine efficiency and performance.
EthosEnergy solves problems associated with conventional snout rings— oxidation, seizing, leaks and disassembly / reassembly hassles—with our High Efficiency Articulated Snout Rings™.
Manufactured from super-alloys that resist oxidation and seizing, these rings are thermally engineered to be loose at room temperature (for easy assembly and disassembly) and tight at operating temperatures (to prevent inlet turbine steam leakage and loss of power).
EthosEnergy machines high efficiency articulated snout rings to fit your steam turbine before they leave our facility to avoid on-site machining time. We can carry out the entire process of engineering, manufacture and installation within your outage schedule.
Design Features
Controlled Coefficients of Expansion
Our High Efficiency Articulated Snout Rings™ upgrade utilizes inner rings with a differing coefficient of expansion. A small clearance is established in the cold condition to facilitate assembly of the unit. Once at operating temperature, the rings expand to achieve a zero clearance seal for tight long-term efficient operation. During shutdown, the snout pipe cools, and “loose clearance” is again realized for easy disassembly of components.
Given the importance of the of the integrity of these rings, they should be inspected during each turbine overhaul and replaced when the clearances exceed design specifications.
Reduction in Oxide Build-up
The materials used in our High Efficiency Articulated Snout Rings™ upgrade are resistant to oxidation and oxide build-up which can cause galling, scoring and hang-up of the rings. This feature reduces the chance for damage to the stellated steam inlet pipe during attempts to release it.
Final Sized Rings
Unlike conventional snout rings or inlet seal rings, EthosEnergy’s High Efficiency Articulated Snout Rings™ are supplied to the finished pipe and casing bore sizes. This eliminates additional machining time and costs at reassembly.
Why choose EthosEnergy’s High Efficiency Articulated Snout Rings™?
EthosEnergy is a market leader in providing steam turbine sealing solutions to customers around the world. Our seasoned engineers have the skills, ingenuity and resources available to offer you tailored solutions to suit your steam turbine applications specific requirements. We understand value of effective sealing and the benefits which it brings to your steam turbine, which is why we have established a range of industry leading sealing solutions. By replacing your existing snout rings or inlet seal rings with EthosEnergy’s High Efficiency Articulated Snout Rings™, you may realize the following benefits:
- Increased steam turbine efficiency by operating with a tight seal
- Ability to easily disassemble & inspect the unit without damaging the mating components
- Potential revenue increase related to higher power output
- Reduction in operation & maintenance costs by receiving seal rings that are final sized for the specific turbine unit
- Reduction in Greenhouse gas emissions due to less fuel consumption
EthosEnergy’s High Efficiency Articulated Snout Rings™ have been installed in hundreds of steam turbines worldwide. We understand the importance of optimizing and maintaining the integrity of a steam turbine and have offered premium engineered products for over 25 years.
Get in touch today and discover how we can help you improve efficiency and maintain a competitive advantage.
