Mechanical seal flush agitator and wear monitor for mechanical seals

摘要

A mechanical seal includes a drive sleeve on a rotating shaft having a flush agitator thereon. The flush agitator includes a fluid contacting surface that is in the form of a non-directional trisymmetric sine wave and creates particle movement away from the shaft. Seal face dissipation is monitored using an optical device located outside of the seal housing and having a portion thereof focused on a seal element which moves in response to seal face dissipation.