Monthly Archives: December 2018
- December 27, 2018
Article re-posted with permission from Parker Hannifin Hydraulics Team.
Original content can be found on Parker’s Blog.
Most people enjoy theme parks as a place to get away from work, but for those in the hydraulics industry, they are a place to demonstrate their expertise. Behind many of the rides that make your stomach drop or your eyes blink in amazement, Parker's accumulators are picking up the stresses and enhancing the performances of hydraulic technology.
Behind the scenes, there is complex machinery that must run precisely and smoothly to ensure safe and reliable operation. Whether you are splashing through water, sailing above the tree lines, or being wowed by animations and simulations, powerful equipment that depends on the science and engineering of hydraulics is enriching your activities. And, many of these large, powerful hydraulic systems rely on accumulators; hidden from the public view, but critical in their roles.
The Role of Accumulators
Typically, accumulators installed in hydraulic systems store energy to either provide an extra boost of power or absorb energy to smooth out pulsations. One of the world's largest manufacturer of accumulators is Parker's Accumulator and Cooler Division. According to Jeff Sage, product sales manager, the Parker accumulators used in theme parks are gas-charged and are either bladder accumulators or piston accumulators. Parker manufactures both types and has the engineering expertise to recommend which kind best fits the requirements of a particular ride.
- December 20, 2018
Coal fired power generation plants produce electricity making conveniences of modern life possible. The process and environment from which power flows is challenging for equipment. Water and coal dust are ever present. This combination of moisture and dust are the two most common avoidable contaminates found in lubricants.
For this environment, the Air Sentry® X Series or XR Series is the best choice for performance, serviceability and value. For stationary applications, Air Sentry® X Series, with double check valve design, delivers maximum life for the silica gel desiccant and the cost savings of a replaceable cartridge. The double check value design allows air exchange as needed, while maximizing desiccant life in a wet, humid environment. For mobile or high vibration applications, such as conveyor lines, the XR Series with metal reinforced base is the best choice.
Pump manufacturers report a 50% increase in service life if pump lubricants are protected from airborne contaminates. Bearing manufactures report a 3 fold increase in bearing life when lubricants maintain ISO cleanliness standards. With Air Sentry® on duty, equipment is more reliable, downtime is reduced and return on investment increases.
- December 18, 2018
The ABRA-LINE™ family of products was developed for highly abrasive applications typically found in the power generation, fertilizer, mining and chemical industries. These may include flue gas desulphurization systems, phosphate mining, dry bulk power transfer systems, tailings and slurry applications. Our proprietary urethane formula was designed to reduce wear and extend
service life.Style 404 Expansion Joints are specially designed for full vacuum abrasive service applications. The tube material is a proprietary urethane formulation. Style 404 can be constructed as a single or multiple arch design. It can also connect pipe flanges in concentric or eccentric tapers, to join piping of unequal diameters.
Case Study: Chemical Processing
Industry
Chemical ProcessingObservation
A stainless hosing was used and would continuously fail due to abrasion on the leading edge of the hose. The hosing would last for 3 to 6 months before replacement. - December 13, 2018
When it comes to sealing food and beverage systems against leaks, contamination and malfunctions, meeting a product specification does not guarantee that seals will function as needed, two Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies experts told a webinar audience in September. Freudenberg-NOK runs the business operations for Freudenberg Sealing Technologies in the Americas.
Freudenberg’s David Clark, Operations Manager, Central Laboratory and with Ryan Fleming, Analytical Laboratory Manager, provided insight about the nature of elastomers, market trends like custom flavor combinations, regulatory requirements and the importance of material compatibility and advanced analytical testing. All of these factors must come into play when choosing the right material to produce effective elastomer components for food and beverage machinery, they emphasized during their Beyond a Spec: Choosing the Right Sealing Materials for Food and Beverage Applications webinar.“Today’s global industry means engineering for multiple markets and diverse regulatory compliance standards, which can be challenging and expensive, so it must be considered early,” said Clark. “Simply meeting a product specification does not ensure a seal will function."
- December 11, 2018
CIP Composites are laminated polymer materials made by impregnating textiles with thermoset resins. Solid lubricants are added to the resin to provide evenly dispersed lubrication throughout the material, providing smooth operation.
CIP custom composite wear rings are a superior alternative to commonly used cotton phenolic and glass filled nylon materials. They allow smooth operation and high side loads while protecting the sealing elements and preventing metal to metal contact in hydraulic cylinders. CIP wear rings are preferred where high performance, large diameters and/or high temperatures are required.
CIP Composite wear rings provide manufacturers and servicers alike with solutions to reduce overall maintenance and increase wear life. CIP offers short lead times, reducing the costs associated with equipment downtime and repairs. CIP Composites are manufactured in the United States using only the highest quality materials.
- December 06, 2018
The O-Ring & Engineered Seals Division of Parker Hannifin Corporation, the global leader in motion and control technologies, recently announced the launch of VA179, a new extreme high temperature fluorocarbon (FKM) compound. VA179 is an innovative, 70 durometer rubber seal material providing increased high temperature limits while maintaining chemical resistance and low temperature sealing consistent with standard FKMs.
VA179 consists of a breakthrough rubber technology increasing the FKM continuous high temperature limit an additional 20°C (68ºF) over standard FKM materials on the market today. This provides a new industry sealing solution to long-term compression set issues for customers using traditional fluorocarbons and silicones.
"In markets such as aerospace, automotive, and heavy-duty, we are frequently challenged to expand the temperature capabilities of our rubber compounds,” says Nathaniel Sowder, aerospace, military and chemical processing business development engineer, O-Ring & Engineered Seals Division, “With the launch of VA179, we now have a solution that will reach higher temperatures without sacrificing the low temperature and chemical resistance attributes that make standard FKM such a popular choice.”
- December 04, 2018
In the late nineteenth century, Olin J. Garlock devised a better way to seal piston rods in steam engines. Since then sealing materials have been developed for various industrial applications. Over the years, different manufacturing processes such as calendering and beater addition have improved the performance of fiber sheet gaskets for these applications; however, design concepts for their formulation remain similar regardless of manufacturing method.
OVERVIEW OF MATERIALS
Many of the applications for compressed fiber sheet gaskets involve elevated temperatures and/or high pressure, which require high bolt loading in flanged joint assemblies. Various materials are added to the fiber-binder matrix to sustain this high compressive loading. To provide strength, different types of fibers such as p-aramid (Kevlar™), cellulose, polyester, glass fiber, carbon fiber, and others are added. Some of these fibers are organic materials, which limits their use at elevated temperatures. Minerals in cylindrical form provide balance in the formulation due to their high-temperature stability and strength. To form a compact structure, materials of different sizes are used, including silica, carbon black, and other micro-sized fillers. Figure 1 illustrates the ingredients and microstructure of a compressed fiber sheet material.