Brewery denies drink problem
15 Jan 2000
Few things are as annoying, and expensive as spilling beer, over and over again. Fuller Smith and Turner, brewer of London Pride and ESB, had a recurring drink leakage problem with gland packing on the shaft of a top entry rouser to a 30 barrel yeast vessel.
Gland packing was the usual method of sealing, but needed periodic repacking which was expensive in labour costs. The increased friction also meant heavier power consumption to the drive.
Therapy came in the form of a John Crane Type 32 cartridge seal, reducing downtime and leakage.
Another traditional British problem still had to be resolved The shaft was designed to imperial measurements while the new seal is metric. This required a once-off modification to the drive shaft. The Type 32 seal is made from carbon graphite for smooth rotation with minimum friction.
