Anybody has experienced similar failures before?

The mech seal is John Crane Type 1A which is for general service, single spring, elastomeric bellows seal.

http://maintenanceforums.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/119103451/m/9001053162

Errr - submersible MOTOR seal failed?
Can you tell us a bit more please?
What is this motor doing submerged, driving a pump or something? If so, what is it pumping?
Where did the big pile of sludge come from?
What is the heavily scoured disc thing?

Cheddar

I embed my answers under your questions as follows:

Can you tell us a bit more please?
- There 2 submersible seawater lift pumpsets, A & B. The motor is of wet-winding type and being cooled by an external cooling water from the overhead tank on the platform.

What is this motor doing submerged, driving a pump or something? If so, what is it pumping?
- Yes, the motor is driving a pump to lift seawater from sea onto offshore platform.

Where did the big pile of sludge come from?
- The pile is suspected by the OEM workshop to be the 2 motor Graflon bearing bush materials after being completely obliterated.

What is the heavily scoured disc thing?
- The first photo is the ceramic mech seal stationary face. The second photo is the carbon rotating face.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Josh,

Here is the picture of the submersible motor with its mech seal and journal bearings:

http://maintenanceforums.com/eve/forums/a/ga/ul/6351052...ubmersible_motor.bmp

Can motor disgnostics replace vibration monitoring for submersible pumpsets?

The guys from Baker claim that current and instantaneous torque measuring is a good alternative to vibration monitoring when the machine is not easily accessible for vib monitoring.

Any guide or article on that Pete?

http://www.bakerinst.com/BakerWeb/PDF_Files/Modern_Appr...hanical_Failures.pdf

http://www.bakerinst.com/BakerWeb/PDF_Files/Instantaneo...Maintenance_Tool.pdf

http://www.bakerinst.com/BakerWeb/PDF_Files/Comparison_...antaneous_Torque.pdf
Possibly a few more in the list here:
http://www.bakerinst.com/BakerWeb/Support/Case_Studies.html