Reliability Reinvented in bituminous sand management

16/06/2025 Reliability Reinvented in bituminous sand management
When custom engineering makes all the difference

In a challenging industrial environment, a discharge pond filled with bituminous sands, dense oils, rubber fragments, and large, abrasive debris, conventional pumping systems simply couldn’t keep up.
This is where custom engineering truly proves its worth. Because sealing a shaft is not enough: sometimes you need to rethink the system from the ground up to ensure performance, endurance, and reliability.

The innovation started with the client

Aware of the operational complexity, the client introduced a number of advanced process upgrades that demanded a sealing solution capable of matching their performance:

  • A semi-open impeller designed to pass solids up to 120 mm through 200 mm discharge
  • Exceptional efficiency, well above the typical 50–60% range
  • A reinforced filtration system, with a hi-chrome filter and separate support structure to reduce impact stress
  • An integrated agitator that continuously dislodges residual solids, ensuring optimal pump performance

These upgrades required a mechanical seal able to operate in harsh, abrasive conditions, with long service intervals and maximum durability.

Reliability Reinvented in bituminous sand management

The Huhnseal solution

Huhnseal engineered a custom double-acting mechanical seal, fully integrated with the client’s system.
Designed for highly abrasive slurry environments, the seal delivered outstanding durability, dynamic sealing capability, and long-lasting performance, becoming a key part of a system that now sets a new industry benchmark.

Tangible results

  • Record-breaking autonomy: several thousand continuous operating hours.
  • Superior performance: effective solids handling and high-efficiency operation, even in extreme conditions.
  • Lower operating costs: fewer interventions, longer component life, and a clear return on investment

A story of shared innovation

This project shows what happens when process innovation meets customized sealing expertise.
At Huhnseal, we listen, we analyze, we engineer.
And above all: we build what others can’t.