How much seal water could you save?

Original article on Paper Advance

How to right-size your flow monitoring system for water conservation and seal reliability

Many operations run seal water systems that deliver far more water than necessary. While it may seem safer to oversupply, excessive flow leads to wasted water, higher energy costs, and unnecessary strain on pumps and seals. Fortunately, right-sizing your seal water flow is straightforward with the right tools and can lead to significant savings.

Know What Your Mechanical Seals Need

Most mechanical seal manufacturers provide recommended minimum flow rates for cooling and lubrication. Seal water is often supplied at higher rates than necessary.  A good rule of thumb is: if you’re running a steady, unregulated flow and haven’t measured it recently, you’re probably using too much.

Seasonal cooling needs, changes in pump pressure, and system layout all influence the actual requirement. Monitoring your baseline usage and comparing it with your seal specifications is the first step in optimizing flow.

Start With a Reliable Baseline

ESKO’s model ESF and EDF seal water flow meters are purpose-built for reliable seal water monitoring. Each monitor comes equipped with an integrated flow control valve and easy-to-install alarm options. The ESF can be fitted with a back pressurizing valve, whereas the EDF comes standard with both a back pressurizing valve and a discharge flow rate indicator.

For compact applications, many operations choose the EMI model—especially when they need simple, durable indication.. All three options are available with stainless steel construction and are designed for easy integration into existing seal water systems.

Avoid the Risks of Undersupply

Right-sizing doesn’t mean under-supplying. Too little flow can lead to overheating, seal failure, and downtime. That’s why it’s important to use a monitoring solution that gives you real-time feedback, not just a one-time reading.

As a safeguard, all ESKO seal water meters can be equipped with an optional low flow alarm, which triggers automatic alarms if flow drops below critical levels. These alerts are easy to integrate into your DCS or control panel, giving your maintenance team peace of mind.

Savings That Add Up

As a final takeaway, optimizing flow across multiple seal points can deliver water savings of 30–60%, depending on the starting point. One ESKO customer in the pulp and paper industry cut their seal water use in half by setting the flow at each seal to align with manufacturer specifications, thereby realizing significant water savings without compromising seal integrity.

Choose the Right Tool for the Job, ESKO Models Key Features:

• ESF – Flow meter with built-in alarm capability for low-flow detection and system monitoring
• EDF – Flow meter with integrated valve and optional alarm feature, ideal for setting and maintaining target flow rates
• EMI – Flow meter with valve on the inlet side, ideal for regulated flow
• EMO – Valve on outlet side, for systems that require downstream restriction
• EMI2 – Dual flow meter for monitoring two independent flows
• EM – Basic model for visual indication only, without flow control valve

All ESKO seal water meters are fully modular, easy to clean, and backed by expert support. Need help deciding which model is right for your seal water application? Contact ESKO – our team is here to help.