Abstract: A mechanical face seal assembly for sealing a rotating member with respect to a stationary member comprises at least a pair of cooperating annular sealing elements, of which one is mountable in a non-rotating manner with respect to the stationary member and the other for common rotation with the rotating member. Between the rotating member and the non-rotating sealing element an annular space is defined, the radial dimension of which varies between a region of minimum radial dimension and a region of maximum radial dimension, which are offset circumferentially to each other. Inlet means for introducing a buffer liquid into the annular space at or near to the region having a maximum radial dimension and outlet means for discharging said buffer liquid from said annular space at or near to the region having a minimum radial dimension are provided.