A floating face seal, also known as a mechanical face seal or heavy-duty seal, is a high-performance sealing device specifically designed for use in rotating applications in harsh environments. It can effectively withstand severe wear and protect against the intrusion of harsh and abrasive external media. Floating seals rely on the tension of the oil film to prevent leakage.
Mechanical end seals are mainly divided into DO type and DF type. Type DO, also called duo cone seal, uses an O-ring as an auxiliary sealing element, while type DF heavy duty seal uses an elastomer with a rhombus cross-section as an auxiliary sealing element. Although the two types use different auxiliary sealing elements, their core construction is similar, consisting of metal sealing rings mounted face-to-face in two separate housings on ground sealing surfaces.
Floating seals are widely used in construction machinery and mining equipment, especially on bearings that need to operate in extremely harsh conditions and endure severe wear. These applications include tracked vehicles such as excavators and bulldozers, conveyor systems, heavy trucks, axles, tunnel boring machines, agricultural machinery, and mining machinery. In addition, they also play an important role in applications such as gearboxes, mixers, agitators, wind power stations, etc. that require less maintenance.
The floating face seal consists of two identical metal rings and two rubber rings. Its working principle is that the rubber ring and the cavity form a closed space (not in contact with the shaft). When the metal ring rotates, the other stationary part undergoes relative motion. The oil film sandwiched between the two metal rings effectively isolates external dust, water, mud, and other contaminants, thereby protecting the internal oil from leakage.
The sealing principle of floating face seals relies on the deformation of the O-ring. When the O-ring is axially compressed, it will generate compressive force on the sealing end face of the floating ring. As the sealing end face wears evenly, the elastic energy stored in the O-ring will gradually be released, thereby achieving axial compensation. This design ensures that the sealing surface can maintain good fit within a set time, and usually the sealing life can reach more than 4,000 hours.
When installing floating face seals, you need to pay attention to the following points:
Check whether the contact surface is too rough or damaged, especially whether there are long scars along the axial direction. A rough contact surface may damage the oil seal or accelerate lip wear, affecting sealing performance.
Check whether the lip of the floating oil seal is damaged, cracked or oil-corroded. If there is any problem, replace it in time.
Use special floating seal installation tools to install the floating oil seal to prevent the lip from being stretched, deformed or scratched. If there are no special floating seal installation tools, you can install it using appropriate methods, but you need to pay attention to the installation direction of the lip and avoid using tools such as hammers to hit the oil seal surface.
Following these precautions will ensure the correct installation and efficient operation of the floating face seal, thereby extending its service life and improving sealing effectiveness.
Since 1992, Fuyote has been a prominent manufacturer of mechanical face seals (floating seals) in China. Every element of a Fuyote face seal, including our O-rings, is produced in-house. To enhance our quality standards, we have incorporated high molybdenum alloy cast iron into blank processing. Additionally, we prioritize product detail optimization and have integrated quality control checkpoints into our manufacturing processes. Fuyote is dedicated to delivering industry-leading precision, durability, and customer service for mining, construction, agriculture, track vehicles, and other conveyor systems.
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