A design of a high-reliable face hydrodynamic shaft seal for the main circulating pumps of nuclear power plants is considered. The design provides high reliability and durable service resource in low leakage level and has high resistance to corrosion. On a nuclear power plant with nuclear reactor RBMK with the power of 1000 and 1500 MW the main circulating pumps TsVN-8 operates for 20 years and have the following seal parameters: pressure in the seal cavity 0.1-10 MPa, shaft diameter 210 mm, rotation rate 1000 rev/min, temperature of pumping medium <280°C, seal temperature <90°C, resource 15000 h.