Technical solutions provider BMG’s global fluid sealing products manufacturer Garlock products – along with the company’s technical expertise, on-site maintenance, emission monitoring and repair programmes – ensure reduced operational costs, improved efficiency, minimal downtime and uninterrupted production.

BMG supplies and supports the full range of Garlock seals and sealing systems, including specialist fluid sealing products for the oil and gas industry. Garlock products, which have been developed especially for the oil and gas industry include Klozure oil seals, Gylon and Gylon Epix gaskets, pipeline isolation products and Link-Seal modular seals.

“BMG’s Garlock seals and sealing systems, which meet stringent safety and emission compliance standards in the hydrocarbon processing sector, are enhanced by customised solutions for efficient plant operation and maintenance,” says BMG’s seals and gaskets division business unit manager Marc Gravett.

He adds that sealing services extend from simple solutions to critical applications, ensuring safe, sustainable and dependable sealing integrity in every application.

Garlock expansion joints and Klozure oil seals ensure that fluids run smoothly, making the transition of loading or offloading of gas and liquid safe and efficient in offshore buoy applications. Gravett highlights that Garlock Klozure oil seals and bearing isolators are designed to retain lubricants, but exclude contaminants, like moisture, dust and dirt, from penetrating the primary seal or bearing houses.

These components play an important role in protecting bearings, preventing downtime and extending the service life of the system, even in arduous operating conditions, he notes.

“Klozure oil seals are available from BMG in numerous shaft sizes, materials and designs, including solid and split configurations.”

Seals with a reverse bevel lip allow installation in either direction without rollover and stainless steel garter and finger spring configurations provide tension to create an effective seal against the shaft.

He explains that Klozure oil seals with a Gylon lip material offer reduced creep and cold flow, compared with the standard polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material.

Gylon sealing products are used for many applications in hydrocarbon refineries, including flanged connections and tube and shell heat exchanger flanges. Gylon gaskets are suitable for media like hydro- carbons, acids, caustics and solvents.

Gravett further elaborates on the newly developed Gylon Epix gaskets that are manufactured from the same PTFE material as standard Gylon products, but with one universal thickness of 2.4 mm.

The consolidation of two thicknesses into one product reduces the need for users to stock gaskets with multiple thicknesses.

These colour-coded gaskets, which have been designed for increased compressibility and conformability, improve performance in misaligned flanges and are suitable for a broader range of applications than conventional PTFE gaskets used in worn and pitted flanges.

“This range features a hexagonal surface profile that combines the torque retention and blowout of a thin gasket and the conformability of a thicker gasket for optimum sealing performance.

The patented profile surface design reduces the contact area during initial compression to concentrate the compressive force of the flange for improved sealability,” he says.

Gravett notes that various high-performance sheet materials in this range are suitable for use in different applications, including acids, steam, chlorine, water, solvents, gases, refrigerants and hydro- carbons.

Garlock pipeline isolation products include new ElectroStop fittings that complement PSI/Pikotek isolation joints, to ensure the security of flange connections by providing electrical isolation, extreme temperature electrical isolation and high integrity sealing.

ElectroStop monolithic isolation fittings provide a positive leakproof, long-lasting block against the flow of electric current in all piping systems. ElectroStop fittings, which eliminate short circuits, provide a maintenance-free welded in-line isolation joint in below-ground pipe systems.

Gravett explains that many applications involve connections where the pipe is penetrating a wall, floor or ceiling and sealability is required between the pipe and the penetrated surface.

In through-wall piping applications, BMG recommends the use of link-seal modular seals. The product is suitable for ductile iron, prestressed concrete and metal or plastic pipe, conduit and cables – effects a hydrostatic seal capable of holding 20 psig (40 feet of static head) between the pipe and the penetration cylinder through which the pipe passes.

BMG’s full range of Garlock seals and sealing systems include metallic and Gylon gaskets, oil seals, bearing isolators, expansion joints and butterfly valves. Components extend from a standard sealing ring, available from BMG’s stock and ready to install to customised designs, which are fabricated to specific requirements.

Garlock sealing products, with a user-friendly design and advanced materials, ensure dependable sealing in all sectors.

All Garlock seals and sealing systems undergo stringent field and in-house testing to ensure safe and reliable use, as well as extended service life in all industries, he concludes.