A lot of industries utilise gaskets in preventing leakage of liquid and gases between two or more parts. These gaskets are typically used in different assemblies since they can easily fill the gap between two or mating surfaces. Their ability to hold and withstand high compressive loads without leaking and breaking makes them suitable for numerous industrial applications. 

One of the assemblies that maximise the abilities of gaskets is heat exchangers. 

Definition and Common Use of Heat Exchangers

A heat exchanger is a device that transfers heat between two or more fluids without mixing them or subjecting them into direct contact. The fluids on this device may be separated by a solid wall so that they do not get mixed up. Some applications of heat exchangers include refrigeration, air conditioning, automobile engines, power stations, chemical plants, energy production facilities, space heating, sewage treatment, and many more. 

Factors to Consider for Heat Exchanger Gaskets

Heat exchangers can be difficult to seal since they require special gasketing attention for proper safety and maximum efficiency. Some factors that could affect the application of gaskets are the following:

Best Shape and Materials for Heat Exchanger Gaskets

Heat exchanger gaskets can be manufactured in different sizes, shapes, and materials. Most of the time, heat exchanger gaskets are made from metal or alloy that has a thickness of 0.4 mm. Other materials that can be used in creating heat exchanger gaskets are synthetic rubber, metal-jacketed asbestos, and graphite foil.

Gaskets for heat exchangers can be manufactured with or without bars. Double-jacketed heat exchanger gaskets are created with integrated bars. A radius can be found between the bars and an internal diameter of the gaskets. Gaskets with welded bars, on the other hand, are created to eliminate the crack problems in the radius area.

With the right shape and materials for your gaskets, your heat exchanger can perform well without worrying about any problems and issues during its operations. For more information about heat exchanger gaskets, feel free to contact us at Gasketech. We are a manufacturer and supplier of gaskets, sealing washers, extrusions, and mouldings for all industries.

With the latest advances in various industries, manufacturers of gaskets have created a wide variety of gaskets that are suitable for different applications. Moreover, these manufacturers even supply clients that want to have their gaskets customised and modified according to their specific dimensions and properties. 

Based on some data, manufacturers would prefer custom-made gaskets over the premade ones for a lot of reasons. One, custom gaskets can readily meet the desired properties of the client. Another reason is that custom gaskets can rightfully fit surfaces of a specific object or machine parts. In choosing your custom gaskets, you must consider some factors first to ensure that you do not waste valuable time, money, and other resources.

Material Preference

Gaskets can be made from different materials such as paper, rubber, silicone, metal, felt, nitrile rubber, fibreglass, steel, and many more. Each of these materials possess unique qualities and properties that are best utilised in different types of applications. You need to know the type of surfaces that you are dealing with so that you can determine the correct material of your gasket. For example, if your object must deal a large amount of electricity, then you need a copper or steel gasket Rubber gaskets, on the other hand, can be used in resisting extreme temperatures. 

Strength and Resistance

As mentioned, the material of your gasket will hugely determine the qualities and properties of your gasket. One of the qualities that your gasket material can define is the ability of your gasket to withstand pressure. Your gasket material can also identify the breaking point of your gasket. Metallic gaskets must be combined with materials that can help them resist corrosion. Alternatively, non-metallic gaskets must have the required strength and elasticity so that they can avoid any leakages from moving or mechanical components. 

Pressure and Temperature

Pressure and temperature are crucial in gasket applications. Gaskets are intended to fill in the space between two or more mating surfaces. With their main function, your custom gasket must tolerate a high amount of pressure once the mating surfaces close in. Some degree yielding must also be expected with gaskets for them to be functional. Aside from pressure, gaskets must easily withstand certain temperatures that are given off by the object or component. You do not want to have a melting gasket that can completely obliterate your components or objects. 

Gasket Manufacturer

Given all the mentioned properties of the gaskets, you must also know how to look for the right gasket manufacturer. You cannot possess your desired custom gaskets if your manufacturer does not know how to create a decent one. Your gasket manufacturer must have all the necessary credentials and certifications required for manufacturing gaskets. The facility of your manufacturer must also possess testing equipment to sustain great gasket quality. Your manufacturer must also supply legitimate answers and responses whenever you ask them some important gasket questions.

With us at Gasketech, we can precisely manufacture your custom gaskets according to your preferred materials and specifications. Aside from gaskets, we can also manufacture and supply sealing washers, extrusions, and moulding for all types of industries.

One of the most common seals used in a lot of manufacturing industries today are O-rings. They work by sitting in between two parts or components for them to prevent the unwanted escape of liquids or gases.

A deciding factor in choosing your right O-ring is its material. Each material contains a unique set of properties that make them suitable for specific fluid sealing applications. The following are some materials used for manufacturing O-rings and several essential tips on how and when to use them.

Alfas

The Alfas O-rings can work at a temperature range of -14° to +446°F, making them suitable in high-temperature environments and chemical applications. Some applications of Alfas O-ring include seals for aerospace, oil-related seals, and an industrial environment.

Fluorocarbons

High fluorine grade O-rings can effectively work with methanol/ethanol-blended gasoline, while base resist grades can provide better oil protection and endure high temperatures. With these properties, fluorocarbons are deemed useful in applications with low compression and high temperatures such as aircraft engines and automotive fuel handling systems.

Nitrile or Buna-N

Nitrile O-rings are known for their tear-resistance and the ability to withstand abrasive treatments. They can be used on certain limited temperature and resistance requirements, making them great with water, petroleum oils, and several hydraulic fluids.

Perfluoroelastomer (FFKM)

Perfluoroelastomer O-rings combines the resistance of polytetrafluoroethylene with the flexibility and elasticity of fluorocarbon rubber (or FKM). This type of O-rings has terrific chemical resistance, excellent gas and liquid permeation resistance, and excellent weather and ozone resistance. They are also self-extinguishing and non-flammable, making them suitable for locations with high temperatures and paint and coating operations.

Silicone

Silicone O-rings can operate within a temperature range of -85° to +400° F, making them appropriate for high-temperature seals. They can work well with water, steam, or petroleum fluids, as long as the application is static.

Natural Rubber

Natural rubber is the most commonly used material for O-rings since it has high tensile strength, high resilience, high abrasion, and high tear resistance. This material can also give excellent resistance to organic compounds like alcohols and acids. Natural rubber O-rings are used in seals of food and beverages. They are also used in non-hydraulic sealing applications.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon)

Teflon O-rings are virtually inert to almost all industrial chemicals and possess adequate toughness. They also perform well with different chemicals at high temperatures. Additionally, these rings have high endurance ratings and high resistance to ozone, making them usable for static and slow intermittent dynamic seals.

Polyurethane

Polyurethane O-rings can withstand extended contact with carbon dioxide. They are also tough and can resist extrusion and abrasion. Some common applications for this type of rings include valves, cylinders, pneumatic systems, hydraulic fittings, fluid transfer systems, and firearms.

Knowing the properties and qualities of these O-rings can help you choose which one of them is needed for your specific application. If you have some questions about O-rings, just give us a call at Gasketech.

Numerous industries have been maximising different types of sealers for machines and other types of assembly. For instance, an O-ring is a mechanical gasket designed to be seated in a groove and compressed during assembly of two or more parts. Another example of a sealer is a washer, which is often used to distribute the load of a threaded fastener or serve as a spacer.

After repetitive use of a machine or parts, the seal used for them might fail due to different reasons. One, you should consider finding the root cause of the seal failure. Some factors that you may consider when starting a failure analysis include the hardware information, the way a seal is installed, application conditions, and the lifespan of the seal.

With the mentioned factors, your failure analysis will be much easier than ever before. Through the following basic failure diagnostics, you can easily reduce downtime and costly seal replacements.

Compression Set

The compression set of every material varies depending on its properties, lifespan and surrounding temperature. For seals, compression is defined as their ability to return to their original shape after the force applied to them is removed. If the seal has zero percent compression set, then it indicates that no permanent deformation has occurred. Meanwhile, a 100% compression set means that the seal no longer applies a force on the mating surface. Altogether, a compound with a low percentage of compression set means that the material is more resilient.

There are numerous potential factors that can affect the compression set of a compound. These factors include poor material properties, improper glands, fluid incompatibility, and higher than recommended temperature exposure for the material.

Extrusion and Nibbling

While the compression set is directly affected by the material properties and the surrounding environment, the occurrence of extrusion and nibbling shares a different story. This failure mode happens whenever a seal material deforms into the space between the bore and the outside of the tube, which can be referred to as the extrusion gap. It can also occur due to gland overfill. Gland overfill happens when the deformation from the seal compression fills the entire groove and then lips over into the extrusion gap.

The absence of extrusion gap on face seals makes them safe from the risk of this failure mode. On the other hand, radial seals can experience extrusion. Fortunately, the extrusion in radial seals can be remedied by reducing the clearance gap or by adding a back-up ring.

A lot of factors can affect seal extrusion damage. These factors include the magnitude of the differential pressure, radial extrusion gap clearance, defects at the extrusion gap corner, temperature, hydraulic pressure shock, and many more.

Spiral Failure

When an O-Ring is sliding and rolling in the groove, then it experiences spiral failure. This failure is often found on long stroke hydraulic piston seals and rod seals. Most of the time, this occurs in dynamic reciprocating O-Ring applications. The installation of O-Ring can also cause spiral failure right away. The root cause of spiral failure can be difficult to pinpoint. However, some factors that contribute to spiral failure include uneven surface finish, poor lubrication, side loading, eccentricity, improper installation, and many more. When spiral failure occurs, a series of deep spiral cuts will be present on the surface of the seal.

Knowing this basic failure diagnostics can help you determine and prevent impending seal failure ahead of time. To know more about seal failures, you can visit us at Gasketech. We manufacture and supply gaskets and sealing washers, extrusions, and mouldings for all industries.

Viton is a popular brand name of DuPont de Nemours, Inc. for synthetic rubber and fluoropolymer elastomer, which are typically used in O-rings, gaskets, seals, and other moulded or extruded products. One key property of using Viton fluoroelastomers is that they can perform and function well under extreme temperatures and harsh chemicals.

Uses and Material Grades

Materials from Viton can be used in a lot of industrial situations. They can be used in automotive and other transportation fuel applications that involve high concentrations of biodiesel. Some material grade of Viton gaskets and seals can even resist acidic biodiesel.

As mentioned, Viton gaskets and seals can be classified into material grades. These material grades or families vary in their resistance to permeation and property degradation that is caused by the exposure to chemicals and fluids.

Advantages of Viton Materials

One advantage of using Viton gaskets, seals, and other materials on industrial applications is that they can maintain good mechanical properties even if they are exposed to high temperatures. Exposure of Viton materials to a temperature ranging from 204°C to 316°C won’t drastically affect their overall elasticity

These Viton materials can also resist the effects of oil and chemical penetration and deterioration. Chemicals and fluids that Viton materials can withstand include oils, fuels, lubricants, and most mineral acids. Compared to any commercial rubber, materials from Viton can certainly provide the best fluid resistance in the market right now.

Aside from high temperatures, Viton materials can also resist compression. They can also withstand damaging elements in the environment such as atmospheric oxidation, sun, climatic conditions, fungus, and mould. Lastly, they possess good electrical properties and low burning properties.

Viton gaskets and seals can greatly help you with different industrial applications under high temperatures. To know more about their manufacturing process, you can visit us at Gasketech. We manufacture and supply all types of high-quality gaskets, sealing washers, extrusions, and moulding for all industries.