Mechanical-Shoe Seal (IFR)

Mechanical-Shoe Seal (IFR Rim Seal)

Our mechanical shoe seal, also known as a “metallic shoe seal”, is characterized by a metallic sheet (the “shoe”) that is held against the vertical tank wall. Mechanical shoe seal heights typically range around 350 millimeters (mm) or 14 inch. The shoe is connected by braces to the floating deck and is held tightly against the wall by springs or weighted levers. A flexible coated fabric (the “envelope”) is suspended from the shoe seal to the floating deck to form a vapor barrier over the annular space between the deck and the primary seal.

Our Floating Roof Rim Seals are custom designed to each individual tank within the requirements of API 650/653, BS 2654, EN-14.015 and EEMUA-159.

MGL Projects has combined over 20 years’ experiences from the past with their research and development, through which it has produced increasingly innovative products for reducing above ground storage tank (AST) emissions. And it’s not just about the new and interesting, when old technologies and products are to be revitalised or re-used it always can be reviewed and when needed altered to be made more efficient.

Advantages Mechanical-Shoe Seals

The internal floating roof rim seal design is such that evaporative losses from the stored liquid are limited to losses from the rim seal system and deck fittings (standing storage loss) and any exposed liquid on the tank walls (withdrawal loss).

Next to preventing vapour losses or preventing ingress of rain water the floating roof rim seals will be provided as the right seal for every type of above ground storage tank (AST).

Due to years of experience in design, manufacturing and installation we as will provide products that satisfy all protection needs. As recognised by Maxwell Continental Tank Serv Engineering a competitive, cost-effective and good working floating roof rim seal should comply to many basic criteria.

Since floating roof rim seal parts are in contact with product, we will design these parts as product resistant as possible. During the sliding movement against the tank shell all sliding parts will be designed by us in wear resistant materials.

While the MGL floating roof rim seals are also designed to positively centre the floating roof, our design will prevent horizontal movements to damage tank features like rolling ladders, gauge poles, pipe drain systems and more. During the horizontal movements of the internal floating roof our floating roof rim seals are designed to damp these horizontal roof movements to a minimum.

Based on our design input the adequate working range of the floating roof will be analysed and the rim seal designed will be evaluated to comply to the working range needed by the current tank configuration or any local laws or guidelines. This means we can provide each seal with a working range compliant to your request, from API where a range of +/- 4″(102-mm) is required or per EEMUA 159 or NEN-EN 14015 where a tank seal working range of -X/+3X might be requested.

If required, for the secondary rim seals, we will provide the secondary rim seal exposed material in a configuration, which will meet or exceed any requested fire-retardant level. In the meantime, MGL will always design any secondary rim as low as possible to allow more filling capacity.

IFR Mechanical-Shoe Seals

The most commonly used Mechanical Shoe Seals either used as a single or combined configuration are:

• MRS-1/350 Primary Mechanical Shoe Seal

All Maxwell IFR Rim Seals can be combined with;

• MRS-70 Secondary Wiper Seal

Finally, when the local requirements are pushing local terminals or refineries to add a tertiary or triple rim seal, on request these extra rim seals can be provided..