John Crane has enabled a German sugar manufacturer to cut the water used for mechanical seal cooling and lubrication by approximately 80%.
Over one six-month production campaign, the reduction amounts to more than 6.2 million litres of water. The project highlights how targeted engineering improvements can support key food and beverage industry trends, including resource efficiency, operational resilience and measurable food and drink sustainability.
On each upgraded application, water consumption has decreased from between 8 and 12 litres per minute to approximately 1 to 2 litres per minute. Across four pumps, that equates to a calculated saving of at least 34,560 litres during every 24-hour operating period and more than 240,000 litres over a seven-day week. If all four pumps run continuously for the full 180-day campaign, the total saving surpasses 6.2 million litres.
Within sugar manufacturing, a production campaign refers to the seasonal period when harvested crops are processed and the facility operates continuously. This application demonstrates how modern food processing technology can improve water resilience while maintaining dependable plant performance.
Before the upgrade, seals supplied by another manufacturer typically failed every three to four months. Excessive heat, inadequate lubrication, abrasive materials and crystallising process media contributed to repeated damage and higher maintenance requirements. Several process areas also depended on substantial water flows to cool and lubricate the mechanical seals. The manufacturer therefore sought to extend mean time between repair (MTBR) while lowering water consumption.
The improvement programme includes four pump applications handling thin juice, thick juice and recirculation or distillation streams. Process temperatures range from 80°C to 133°C, while pressures vary between 1 and 4 bar. The pumps operate at 960 rpm, and each application required a seal arrangement matched to its specific process conditions, pump design and existing support system.
John Crane engineers assessed the available installation space on every pump before selecting Type 587, Type 5620 and SB2 Upstream Pumping (USP) seal configurations. The package included 65 mm and 95 mm SB2 USP designs, supported where required by API Plan 52 or a John Crane SafeUnit SFD barrier-fluid system. This approach allowed the manufacturer to modernise its equipment without replacing the pumps themselves.
Preparation for the initial conversions took approximately 12 months. John Crane began implementing the upgrades in stages around seven years ago, giving the customer time to assess the technology in live production before expanding it to additional applications.
Alongside the 80% reduction in water demand, all four applications have operated without a reported seal failure since 2019. Average seal life has increased from approximately three or four months to several years, and the customer intends to convert further applications.
The results align with wider food manufacturing trends, food distribution trends and food and drink industry innovation, where producers are seeking greater efficiency throughout the value chain. They also complement developments in food and drink packaging, food and drink marketing and responses to changing food and drink consumer trends, as manufacturers balance productivity with sustainability, compliance and resource security. As food and drink regulations continue to evolve, reliable equipment and lower-impact processes are becoming increasingly important.
“Saving more than 6.2 million litres of water during a single production campaign is a significant result, but this is also a compelling reliability story. These pumps operate in hot, abrasive process conditions where seals had been failing every three to four months. With no reported seal failures since 2019, the customer is seeing measurable value in water efficiency, maintenance and long-term performance.” said Aziz Sallie, vice president, commercial and service, John Crane.
With global pressure on water supplies continuing to grow, manufacturers need practical methods for reducing consumption without interrupting production. This project shows that focused upgrades to existing assets can generate substantial water savings while increasing reliability, limiting maintenance demands and supporting more resilient industrial operations.
