STORIES IN THE MAKING
The Smart Way to Choose Seals for Waukesha Cherry-Burrell® Positive Displacement Pumps
Understanding the Seal Options Across Universal Series Pumps
When it comes to optimizing pump performance, seal selection is one of the most critical engineering decisions you’ll make. From food-grade sanitary duties to aggressive industrial chemicals, the right seal determines how reliably your pump runs, how often it needs attention and ultimately—how much value it delivers across its life cycle.
At Waukesha Cherry-Burrell (WCB), seal flexibility isn’t an afterthought—it’s built into every model. Across all WCB pumps, end users can select from a broad range of WCB designed mechanical, lip, or o-ring type seals to match process conditions. And with the 5000 Series accepting commercially available seals (such as those from John Crane, Eagle Burgmann, AES), SPX FLOW continues to lead with compatibility, convenience and confidence for every application.
A Legacy of Leadership in Pump Applications
For more than a century, WCB has set the industry standard for sanitary and industrial PD pumps. Each Universal pump family was designed with a specific purpose—and each features interchangeable sealing solutions that evolve with customer needs across:
Sanitary Applications
- Universal 1: A versatile 3-A/USDA compliant sanitary PD pump ideal for processes that are cleaned out-of-place (COP). The U1 is the pump of choice for batch processes or smaller plants where equipment is disassembled for cleaning. It’s widely used in food, beverage and personal care applications where manual cleaning is necessary, providing gentle, low-shear handling across a broad viscosity range.
- Universal 2: A heavy-duty sanitary PD pump designed for Clean-In-Place (CIP) operation and more demanding process conditions. The U2 offers significantly higher pressure capability (up to 500 psi) than the U1 and includes enhanced hygienic features to meet 3-A, USDA and EHEDG standards.
- Universal 3: Ultra-hygienic PD pump, combining top-tier sanitary design with heavy-duty performance. The design optimizes cleanability and longevity. It is built for strict sanitary standards, featuring a front-loading seal design (for ease of maintenance).
Industrial Applications
- Universal 2 ND (U2 ND): An industrial workhorse engineered to handle challenging chemicals and other industrial fluids. It retains the core U2 platform’s strength (using the same proven circumferential-piston rotor technology), but incorporates design upgrades needed for industrial applications.
- 5000 Series: Industrial-strength construction and compatibility with a wide range of commercial seals—delivering reliability, freedom to choose the seal that fits you and ease of maintenance for tough, high-viscosity and abrasive applications.
Seal Options Tailored for Your Application
WCB pumps can be configured with a broad array of seals custom fit for your needs. Their performance can be summarized as follows:
| Seal Type | Key Benefits | Ideal Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Single Mechanical | Balanced performance, simple design, full pressure capability | General-purpose sanitary or industrial duties |
| Double Mechanical | Best arrangement for severe service; allows flush or barrier fluid | Abrasive slurries, high temperature, sticky or polymerizing fluids |
| Triple Lip PTFE | Chemically inert, low friction, no flush required | Corrosive media, solvents, mixed-chemistry processes |
| O-Ring Seals | Low-cost, easy-service option | Low-pressure sanitary systems |
| Packing (5000 Series only) | Simple, tolerant, field-adjustable, lower cost | Viscous or abrasive duties where controlled leakage is acceptable |
| Commercial Cartridge Seals (5000 Series) | Drop-in, pre-assembled, easy replacement | Industrial environments seeking minimal downtime |
These seals can be arranged within the following PD pumps:
| Type | Pump Series | O-Ring Seal | Single Mech. Seal | Double Mech. Seal | Triple Lip Seal | Packing Gland |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanitary | U1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| U2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (non-FDA applications) |
|||
| U3 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Industrial | U2ND | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| 5000* | ✔ Third-party seals |
✔ Third-party seals |
✔ |
*Note: Can be specified without seals as well
Best Seal Choices by Application
- Clean out of place daily: O-ring seal with Universal 1 pump
- General pumping applications: Single mechanical seal with either a U1/U2/U3 (for sanitary fluids), or U2 ND/5000 series (for industrial fluids)
- Highly sticky or sugary food and beverage fluids: Double mechanical seals with U1, U2, or U3 pumps.
- Highly sticky or abrasive industrial products: Packing glands with 5000 series pumps
- Chemically aggressive cleaning fluids: Triple lip PTFE on U2 or U2 ND for inert protection.
- Abrasive industrial environments: 5000 Series double mechanical with SiC/TC faces and optional water flush or U2 ND with triple lip seals.
- Non-lubricating solvents or resins: 5000 Series packing or U2 ND triple lip seal option for dry-run protection.
Why SPX FLOW and Waukesha Cherry-Burrell Lead the Seal Conversation
Every WCB pump is engineered with seal reliability in mind—from available rigid 17-4 PH shafts that limit deflection, to gearcase and bearing designs optimized for reliability. The result: longer seal life, cleaner operation and less unplanned maintenance.
SPX FLOW delivers both heritage reliability and modern serviceability—empowering plants to run longer, cleaner and smarter.
Ready to Find the Right Seal for Your Process?
Whether you’re managing high-purity ingredients or pumping industrial slurries, Waukesha Cherry-Burrell offers a complete sealing ecosystem—from triple lip PTFE for chemical resistance to rugged double mechanical seals for abrasive environments.
Talk with our experts to match the perfect seal configuration to your application and keep your operations flowing with confidence.