Centrifugal Seal (CS)

If dust and water get inside a bearing, this leads to premature failure. Therefore choosing the right protective seals is important for the working life of a stainless steel bearing unit. The centrifugal seal (CS) is designed for harsh conditions where there is a risk of contamination.

Why choose a centrifugal seal?

Dusty, abrasive environments are one of the most difficult for bearings. Because when handling powders or in processes generating dust, the protection of bearings against contamination requires special consideration. Radial oil seals, such as the AS and SA seals made of nitrile rubber, are selected mainly for ordinary conditions. But they are generally unsatisfactory in harsh or dusty conditions. Over time, the nitrile rubber is attacked by dirt, water, sand and various other contaminants. Small particles get into the soft material of the rubber. And the lip can cause fretting of the shaft (causing a groove under the lip). Tiny particles of moisture on the shaft can be drawn past the lip. And a jet of water sprayed at high pressure directly at the lip seal penetrates past the seal into the bearing.

Extreme Bearing has developed the centrifugal seal to solve these problems! Many Extreme Bearing housings feature centrifugal seals specially developed to repel dirt and contaminants using centrifugal force generated by the shaft. The CS seal works for speeds up to 5 m/s and for temperatures from -25°C up to 95°C.

Triple barrier bearing labyrinth seal

CS seals are superior against sand, dirt and detergents

Double lip centrifugal seal
Grease-filled housing
2-RS bearing seal

Firstly, the centrifugal seal made of rubber attached to the shaft provides a primary barrier. Because itt repels dirt and contaminants using the centrifugal force generated by the shaft. Secondly, the bearing housing is filled with grease to prevent contaminants from entering and damaging the bearing. Finally, there is a type of bearing seal called 2-RS to protect the bearing.

Working principle

The rubber of the CS-seal clamps around the shaft and is turning with the shaft vertically against the stator ring. Because the lips are positioned vertically against the stator ring, the dirt will be repelled by the centrifugal force from the sealing lips. The rotor ring can be moved eccentrically in relation to the stator ring. In this way, the centrifugal seal is able to absorb any misalignment of the shaft without creating wear on the rubber lips.

The grease passes the retaining edge through the lubrication channels under the stator ring and between the two sealing lips and stator ring. This makes sure that any dirt is flushed away. The clamping of the rubber rotor ring around the shaft means that the bearing can be assembled even on a shaft which has suffered light surface damage such as a groove.

Examples of grease diagrams using CS seals

If the contamination is only on one side of the bearing unit, a bearing labyrinth seal for combination, such as those shown in the diagrams, can be chosen. And by refilling the grease on this side, it will flow and be released from the bearing housing. Because of this, the contamination along with the grease will flow away from the sealing lips.