Rubber Bellows Seal RBT-12 – Heavy-Duty Industrial Applications
Rubber Bellows Seal RBT-12 – Heavy-Duty Industrial Applications
Overview
The RBT-12 is designed with a parallel single spring and is supplied with a rubber bellows and friction-drive collar which engages with the shaft to provide rotational movement to the seal faces.
The seal has a number of design features including a monolithic seal face and is supplied with a stationary seat as standard and is dimensionally equivalent to the Burgmann MG12.
Product Description
Technical Specifications
| Seal Shaft Sizes | 12mm – 55mm |
| Inboard Seal Face Combination | Car/SiC, Car/Cer, SiC/SiC |
| Bellows | EPDM |
| Shaft Speeds | Up to 10 m/s |
| Pressures | Up to 12 barg (174 psig) – Shaft Size Specific |
Typical Applications & Industry Use Cases
The RBT-12 is a rubber-bellows mechanical seal designed for reliable performance in light- to medium-duty fluid services. Its elastomer bellows construction provides flexibility and excellent compliance to shaft movement, vibration, and minor misalignment. This makes it well-suited for general industrial pumps where fluid is clean or moderately clean and where ease of installation and maintenance are priorities.
Industries Served
Water treatment and utility systems
service water, clean water distribution, and booster pumps.
General industrial fluid handling
circulation and transfer systems with non-aggressive liquids.
HVAC and building services
chilled water, hot water, condenser, and condenser-water pump services.
Light chemical applications
where elastomer compatibility is assured,d and service conditions are moderate.
OEM and retrofit maintenance
for pumps that benefit from a simple, robust seal solution with minimal complexity.
Equipment & Use-Case Scenarios
- Small and medium centrifugal pumps typically handle clean or low-contaminant fluids.
- Applications where shaft movement, slight vibration, or thermal cycling occurs — rubber bellows absorb motion while maintaining seal integrity.
- Pumps with limited gland space or narrow stuffing boxes where a compact bellows design fits well.
- Systems where durability, simple installation, and low maintenance effort are important for uptime and cost control.
Why It Fits These Applications
- The elastomer bellows design compensates for axial and radial shaft movement, promoting longer service life under dynamic conditions.
- Bellows construction reduces dependence on sliding elastomeric secondary seals, lowering the risk of leakage in environments with vibration or motion.
- Its compact, straightforward design makes installation and replacement faster and easier — ideal for maintenance teams working within tight service windows.
- Rubber bellows provide good sealing performance for clean and moderately clean liquids at moderate pressure and temperature ranges, making RBT-12 an effective and economical sealing solution.
Installation Guidelines
Prepare mating surfaces
Thoroughly inspect and clean the pump shaft, seal chamber bore (or gland face), and shaft sleeve. Remove corrosion, scoring, or debris before installation.
Mount the seal carefully
Slide the RBT-12 onto the shaft or into the seal chamber without twisting, stretching, or damaging the elastomer bellows. Ensure the bellowsares relaxed and properly oriented.
Apply a light lubricant
Use a thin, compatible lubricant on elastomer surfaces during installation to facilitate assembly and protect the bellows and sealing faces.
Align and secure
Tighten gland bolts or clamps evenly to avoid misalignment and verify shaft alignment before commissioning.
Maintenance & Inspection Best Practices
-
Periodic visual inspections
During scheduled maintenance, check the bellows for signs of wear, cracking, hardening, swelling, or chemical attack. -
Seal face condition
Inspect the seal faces for wear, scoring, or pitting — replace worn components promptly to prevent leakage. -
Monitor operating behavior
Watch for changes in vibration, noise, or temperature around the seal area. Excessive vibration or misalignment accelerates bellows fatigue and shortens seal life. -
Fluid cleanliness
Even in clean services, fluid microparticulates can accelerate wear; consider upstream filtration where appropriate. -
Timely replacement
of worn bellows, sealing faces, or elastomer components before failure helps avoid unplanned downtime.
Service & Support Options
-
Pre-installation consultation
Verify fluid chemistry, pressure, temperature, and shaft alignment to confirm compatibility with RBT-12’s design limits. -
Spare parts availability
Maintain a stock of bellows, seal faces, and elastomer kits to enable rapid maintenance turnaround. -
Installation support
Assistance with correct alignment and secure mounting improves initial sealing performance. -
Preventive maintenance scheduling
Establish periodic inspection and replacement intervals based on run hours and fluid conditions to maximize service life. -
Upgrade recommendations
If service demands increase — higher pressure, more aggressive fluids, or higher temperatures — evaluate whether a more robust seal design (such as multi-spring, cartridge, or metal bellows) is better suited for long-term reliability.
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Contact HydroMax Seal
Contact HydroMax Seal today for innovative solutions, expert guidance, and over a century of engineering excellence. Your journey to mechanical sealing excellence starts with HydroMax Seal!
E-Mail: sales@hydromaxseal.com
Address: 18511 Beaumont Hwy Building D
Houston, TX
77049
