Seven Easy Ways for Steel Mills to Improve Continuous Caster Cylinder Life
Most of the continuous casters used today were designed long before modern performance and reliability standards were established. Pressures have increased, and greater productivity demands continue to stress older equipment. But there are several relatively simple improvements every mill operator can make to keep legacy casters running smoothly into the future.
1. Upgrade Your Dirt Wipers
The 324 Series Heavy-Duty Wiper is the most aggressive excluder available.
Standard wipers very often allow contaminates to enter the cylinder, which can cause internal corrosion. The contamination leads to score marks or even damage to the seal. This is a leading cause of costly cylinder head repairs. New designs in robust waterproof wipers easily prevent this type of damage.
2. Adjust for Fluid Compatibility
All fluids aren’t necessarily compatible with all seals. And as fluids age, they can become increasingly more detrimental to certain seal materials. Knowing the precise operating fluid will help identify a better combination of seal materials. If you’re unsure about fluid compatibility issues, contact us at, 216-220-1800, and we will be glad to assist you.
3. Eliminate V-Packing
Damage to V-Packing due to extrusion, erosion and wear.
4. Ensure Correct Surface Finishes
5. Use Anti-Extrusion Devices
The most common cause of seal failure is extrusion, which is usually the result of excessive pressure and running clearances inside a cylinder. A good way to prevent extrusion is an anti-extrusion device in the seal design engineered to support and protect the seal under pressure. An anti-extrusion device also enables wider clearances inside the cylinder and avoids the need for rework with existing cylinder designs.
6. Relieve Pressure Trapping
Pressure trapping is a major problem with back-to-back piston seals. As a cylinder continues to cycle, pressure between the seals increases and reaches a point of no return, causing the seals to reverse extrude. The problem is easily avoided by using piston seals designed specifically to relieve pressure. Another option is a double-acting piston seal that can eliminate trapped pressure.
7. Replaceable Bushings