Axial seals (axial mechanical seals). Common features of all axial seals are:

• a spring element which exerts an axially directed closing effect on the sealing areas
• an axial hydraulic closing force generated by the pressure to be sealed
• one rotating and one stationary sealing area shaped as plane circular faces which interact either directly or through a thin film of liquid
• pressure reduction through radial elongation of the sealing area and radial discharge of leakage on the side with lower pressure.

Axial mechanical seal with the five basic elements