ABSTRACT
This is generally regarded as a major problem area for virtually all types of pump, and throughout the range of applications (e.g. 4-6,42-44,46-48,50,51).
Soft-packed glands are normally preferred for both rotating and reciprocating shafts, with clean water flushing; hard-surfaced shafts or sleeves also assist in reducing wear. Wilson (5) discusses various gland and sealing sytem designs in some detail, and Sabbagha (43) and Guzman et al. (44) mention modifications to gland flushing systems after initial problems. Read (50) reports that stainless steel (Grade 316) shaft sleeves and Teflon or P.T.F.E. gland packing gave the best results in a Warman gravel pump on a beach sand slurry; impregnated Teflon packing also performed best in piston rod glands in 'National' reciprocating pumps, again with a beach sand slurry (42), though a moulded rubber packing looked promising on trial.
