At Vale’s Cauê Mine in Itabira, Brazil, sealing reliability plays a critical role in maintaining stable production. Pumps operating in grinding and desliming circuits rely on sealing water – yet the low quality of this water created persistent problems. Excess leakage and contamination of internal pump components caused frequent stoppages, rising maintenance costs, and operational risks. The plant’s engineering team turned to KLINGER Brazil, a long-standing technical partner, to evaluate the failure and recommend a durable, efficient alternative.
Contacts mentioned in the article:
Vinicius Tomiati, Product Specialist at KLINGER Brazil
Elias Machado, Key Account Manager for the Mining sector at KLINGER Brazil
Technical Challenge in a Demanding Environment
The packing previously in use could not withstand the abrasive, low-quality sealing water circulating in the iron ore beneficiation process. As a result, the plant faced recurring shutdowns, reduced throughput, and elevated safety concerns due to repeated manual interventions. Vale required a solution that could resist aggressive process conditions without major equipment modifications.
Fact box
Key Outcomes
- 3.68× longer service life
- 954 hours of additional uptime
- Maintenance interventions reduced from 26 to 7 per year
- Lower water consumption
- Improved operational safety and stability
- Significant reduction of operational costs
- Increased equipment availability and productivity
- Lower environmental impact and enhanced technical performance
A reliable Fit: TopLine K7302DL
After on-site assessment, KLINGER Brazil recommended the TopLine K7302DL, a packing constructed from continuous virgin textured fibers and impregnated with KLINGER’s proprietary Doulon® oil. Engineered for low wear and high abrasion resistance, it is specifically suited for abrasive mining media. The KLINGER Brazil team provided hands-on training and support to the maintenance staff during installation, ensuring proper assembly and carrying out checks during start-up. “The process was precise and straightforward. With proper guidance and the right adjustments, the packing settled perfectly into the equipment,” says Vinicius Tomiati, Product Specialist at KLINGER Brazil.
Installation Gains: Fewer Interventions, More Uptime
The results were immediate and measurable. The K7302DL extended service life by 3.68 times compared with the previous packing. The plant reduced three packing changes to just one, adding 954 hours of continuous operation. The annual average dropped from 26 replacements to 7, significantly minimizing pump stoppages and reducing leakage.
These improvements led to lower maintenance costs, fewer corrective tasks, and increased operational safety – thanks to reduced exposure of maintenance personnel to rotating equipment.
Vale’s technical team emphasized KLINGER’s involvement throughout the process. According to Elias Machado, Key Account Manager for the Mining sector at KLINGER Brazil:
“Mining requires reliability above all. Our role is to deliver robust solutions and stay close to the customer throughout implementation and performance validation.”
Elias Machado, Key Account Manager for the Mining sector at KLINGER Brazil
