Mechanical Seals for Industrial Applications
Mechanical seals are critical components in pumps, compressors and rotating equipment, ensuring safe, efficient and leakage‑free operation. In many applications, conventional materials reach their limits. CeramTec develops and manufactures advanced ceramic sealing solutions that deliver outstanding performance, reliability and service life - even in the most challenging operating environments.
Key Facts at a Glance
- CeramTec manufactures ceramic seal rings made from ROCAR® silicon carbide for extreme operating conditions in pumps, compressors, and rotating machinery.
- Operating temperatures from –100 °C to +1,800 °C – without any loss of performance or increased wear.
- Monolithic ceramic seal rings with diameters of up to 1,000 mm – unique worldwide in this size class.
- Suitable for oil & gas, chemicals, power generation, marine, and mining – wherever conventional materials fail.
Ceramic Sealing Rings for Complex Applications
Due to their exceptional material properties, high-performance ceramics are ideally suited for sealing applications where friction, pressure, corrosion, high temperatures and aggressive media occur. Compared with metallic or polymer-based materials, ceramic sealing rings significantly reduce wear and help maintain tight tolerances over long operating periods.
CeramTec specializes in customized ceramic sealing rings and sealing faces, which can serve a wide variety of mechanical seal designs. CeramTec supports both standard sealing systems and highly engineered, individually designed sealing solutions.
Unique Ceramic Expertise to enable Competitive Advantages
| Property | Value / Performance Feature | Typical Application Scenario |
|---|---|---|
| Heat resistance | Up to 1,800 °C (sintered SiC) | High-temperature process pumps in petrochemical plants |
| Temperature range | −100 °C to +1,800 °C | Cryogenic LNG pumps to hot steam compressors |
| Hardness | Vickers hardness >2,500 HV | Abrasive slurry pumps in mining operations |
| Corrosion resistance | Resistant to acids, alkalis and solvents | Chemical dosing pumps handling HCl or NaOH |
| Thermal conductivity | Up to 120 W/(m·K) | Heat dissipation in high-speed rotating equipment |
| Thermal expansion | Approx. 4x10⁻⁶/K (low) | Dimensional stability in thermally cycled systems |
In which Industries are Ceramic Mechanical Seals used?
For extreme requirements, CeramTec designs individual advanced sealing solutions that combine optimized material selection with application-specific geometry and surface finishing. ROCAR ceramic sealing solutions from CeramTec are successfully used in demanding industries such as:
- Oil & Gas / Petrochemical – Seal rings for crude oil transfer pumps, LNG compressors and hydrotreating units operating under high pressure and aggressive media.
- Chemical and Process Industry – Corrosion-resistant sealing faces for dosing pumps handling acids, alkalis and solvents.
- Power Generation – High-temperature resistant seals for boiler feed pumps and turbine cooling circuits.
- Mining and Water Treatment – Abrasion-resistant ceramic rings for slurry pumps and dewatering systems.
- Pharmaceutical and Food & Beverage – FDA-compatible ceramic sealing components for hygienic process environments.
- Marine and Heavy-Duty – Large-format monolithic SiC seal rings for ship propulsion systems and offshore applications.
