Mechanical seal retrofit cuts sealing water use by 80% across four continuously operating pumps while extending seal life from months to years
LONDON, Sept. 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- John Crane, a global leader in flow-control technologies and an innovator in solutions for rotating equipment, and a business of Smiths Group plc, has helped a German sugar producer reduce the water required for mechanical seal cooling and lubrication by approximately 80%. Across a full six-month production season, the reduction is equivalent to saving more than 6.2 million litres of water.
Water use has fallen from 8 to 12 litres per minute to approximately 1 to 2 litres per minute on each converted application. Across four pumps, this represents a calculated saving of at least 34,560 litres for every 24 hours of operation and more than 240,000 litres over seven days. With all four pumps operating continuously throughout an 180-day campaign, the savings exceed 6.2 million litres.
In the sugar industry, a production campaign is the seasonal period during which the crop is processed, and the factory operates around the clock. The result demonstrates how targeted changes to industrial equipment can strengthen water resilience without compromising operational performance.
Before the retrofit, competitor seals were failing every three to four months. High heat generation and poor lubrication, combined with abrasive and crystallising media, caused recurring damage and increased maintenance. Several parts of the process also relied on large volumes of water to cool and lubricate the mechanical seals. The customer wanted to improve mean time between repair (MTBR) while reducing water use.
The programme covers four pump applications handling thin juice, thick juice and recirculation or distillation process streams. Operating conditions range from 80°C to 133°C and 1 to 4 bar, with the pumps running at 960 rpm. Each application required a configuration suited to its process conditions, existing pump and seal support arrangement.
John Crane engineers measured the available installation space on each pump and selected Type 587, Type 5620 and SB2 Upstream Pumping (USP) seal configurations. The solution set included 65 mm and 95 mm SB2 USP designs, with API Plan 52 or John Crane SafeUnit SFD barrier-fluid support used where appropriate. This allowed the existing equipment to be upgraded without replacing the pumps.
Planning and preparation for the first conversions took approximately one year. John Crane began converting the pumps progressively around seven years ago, enabling the customer to validate the technology in operation before extending the programme to further applications.
In addition to the 80% reduction in water use, the four applications have operated without a reported seal failure since 2019. Seal service life has increased from a previous average of three to four months to several years, and the customer is planning further conversions.
"Saving more than 6.2 million litres of water during a single production campaign is a significant result, but this is also a compelling reliability story. These pumps operate in hot, abrasive process conditions where seals had been failing every three to four months. With no reported seal failures since 2019, the customer is seeing measurable value in water efficiency, maintenance and long-term performance," said Aziz Sallie, Vice President, Commercial and Service, John Crane.
As pressure on water resources increases worldwide, manufacturers are looking for practical ways to reduce consumption without comprising production. This project demonstrates how targeted upgrades to existing equipment can deliver substantial water savings while improving reliability, reducing maintenance and supporting more resilient industrial operations.
About John Crane
John Crane is a global leader in flow-control technologies and an innovator in solutions for rotating equipment in the energy and process industries. Our portfolio spans mechanical seals, seal support systems, couplings and filtration systems, supported by advanced service solutions and digital diagnostics. With over 200 service, sales and manufacturing centres across 50 countries, John Crane is an integral pillar of Smiths Group plc, a FTSE 100 industrial technology company dedicated to engineering a better future.
Learn more at www.johncrane.com
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