Completing 25 high-pressure seal replacements in just nine days would typically require continuous, round-the-clock labor. But during a planned outage at a Georgia Power generating facility, Industrial Valve achieved the full scope without 24/7 staffing—by changing the approach to pressure seal installation.
During the outage at the Carrollton, Georgia plant, Industrial Valve was tasked with replacing bonnet pressure seals across multiple high-pressure valves ranging from 900 lb. to 4,500 lb. class service. With limited downtime and a large volume of work distributed across the facility, the team needed a faster, more efficient solution.
EGC Enterprises supported the project with engineered graphite pressure seal technology designed to simplify installation and minimize machining requirements during time-critical outage maintenance.
The Challenge
Georgia Power’s outage required maintenance across a wide range of high-pressure valves located throughout the facility, including elevated and hard-to-access systems.
Operational Constraints Included:
- Fixed 9-day outage window
- 25 pressure seals requiring replacement
- Valve diameters ranging from 4″ to 24″
- Pressure classes from 900 lb. to 4,500 lb.
- Valves located underground and several stories high
- Limited feasibility for continuous 24/7 labor deployment
Impact:
Traditional metal pressure seals require additional machining, specialized tooling, and longer installation times—making it difficult to complete large-scale replacements within a constrained outage window without continuous labor shifts.
The Solution
Instead of relying on traditional metal seals, Industrial Valve implemented EGC-engineered high-density graphite pressure seals utilizing VSG Pro technology—specifically designed to reduce installation complexity during outage conditions.
These seals are manufactured using a proprietary process that minimizes machining requirements and enables faster turnaround during maintenance cycles.
Rusty Franklin, Sales Manager for Industrial Valve, highlighted the difference:
“We called EGC and pre-ordered the VSG Pro pressure seal,” said Rusty Franklin. “Normally we’d have to work round the clock to change that many pressure seals in nine days. But the VSG Pro makes the installation a whole lot simpler.”
By simplifying the installation process, the graphite pressure seals enabled technicians to complete replacements more efficiently across varying valve sizes and pressure classes.
Results and Benefits
The combination of rapid manufacturing and simplified installation allowed Industrial Valve to complete all 25 pressure seal replacements within the 9-day outage window—without requiring continuous 24-hour staffing.
Key Outcomes:
- Completed replacement of 25 pressure seals within the scheduled outage window
- Eliminated the need for continuous 24/7 labor deployment
- Accelerated installation timelines compared to traditional metal seal machining workflows
- Enabled efficient work across multiple valve sizes and pressure classes
- Supported maintenance in complex plant layouts, including elevated and underground systems
- Helped ensure on-time outage completion without schedule overruns
This project demonstrates how engineered graphite pressure seal technology can improve efficiency, reduce labor demands, and support reliable execution of large-scale maintenance programs in power generation environments.
Need Help With a Similar Challenge?
Planning an outage or working within tight maintenance timelines?
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