John Crane has retrofitted a mechanical seal on a large underflow thickener slurry pump at a major copper mining operation, reducing sealing water consumption by around 288,000 litres per day while improving maintenance efficiency on a critical asset.

The retrofit replaced the pump's traditional stuffing box arrangement, which required shaft sleeve replacement every four months due to abrasive wear. These maintenance activities involved significant downtime, a 100-tonne crane and extensive manpower.

John Crane developed a mechanical seal package that could be installed without modifying the existing Warman 550 pump. The solution included an adapter sleeve and a controlled seal-flush arrangement designed to maintain a clean fluid environment at the seal faces. Diamond-faced materials were specified to enhance durability in demanding mining conditions.

Following commissioning, the pump has been operating with a seal-flush flow of approximately 7.5–8 m³/h, compared to about 20 m³/h for a comparable packed pump. This translates to a reduction of around 12 m³/h, or approximately 288,000 litres of water per day, depending on site conditions.

The upgrade is expected to align maintenance with the mine's annual service schedule, reducing the need for additional interventions during the year.

“This project is a practical example of how improved sealing can reduce maintenance exposure and cut the clean water required for sealing, while supporting more predictable planned maintenance,” said Warren Smith, Global Mining Market Director, John Crane.

The installation also marks a company milestone, with the 270 mm shaft diameter making it the largest slurry seal sold by John Crane to date.