Labyrinth
Labyrinth
Labyrinth seals offer non-contact sealing solutions for applications where minimal leakage and zero mechanical wear are critical. Used in various sections of reciprocating compressors—such as between pressure stages or near the crankshaft—these components help control gas flow and reduce cross-contamination between compartments.
Manufactured with precise geometries and high-performance materials, Globagon’s labyrinth seals are designed to create controlled flow paths that limit leakage without direct surface contact. This ensures long service life, low frictional losses, and reduced maintenance requirements.
Custom configurations are available to meet your specific pressure, temperature, and gas compatibility needs, whether for new equipment or retrofit applications.
Working Principle
Labyrinth
Vertical reciprocating compressors with labyrinth piston design offer a distinctive sealing mechanism that eliminates the need for conventional rider and piston rings commonly found in horizontal types. Instead of using contact seals, these compressors rely on a series of finely engineered throttling points to create an effective seal around the piston and piston rod, ensuring non-contact operation.
Piston is having labyrinth type piece at the centre called skirt. Cylinder is also having serration like labyrinths on its inside surface. This configuration maintains a precisely controlled clearance between the piston and cylinder wall, preventing direct contact. The result is a highly durable, reliable, and maintenance-efficient compressor system, with improved operational efficiency and reduced wear.
Labyrinth piston compressors are particularly well-suited for applications that demand completely dry operation, such as polypropylene and polyethylene production. This is unique application where lubricants are not allowed in the cylinders, which is true in case of oxygen compressor, where safety is the most important. It is also utilized for applications where the process gas is heavily contaminated with the impurities.