Many pieces of rotating equipment experience oil leaks. Any piece of equipment with oil fed bearings, such as turbines, motors, gearboxes, and compressores, are susceptible to oil leaks from the bearing case seals. Usually these seals are of the labyrinth type and their designs have remained unchanged for years. Examination of this seal, the bearing case design, and the lube system can point to possible causes for leaks. Once it has been addressed, it is time to evaluate the seal design. Ths paper presents an introduction to the causes of oil leaks and some items to consider with the possible intermediate fixes and other topics. A more thorough discussion of the labyrinth oil seal is then included, covering existing design deficiencies and optimized seal design parameters. Case histories are presented, illustrating the points covered.
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