Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, or ePTFE, is the core material in many of Gore’s solutions. An ePTFE membrane is created when PTFE — a linear polymer consisting of fluorine and carbon molecules — is expanded, creating a microporous structure with very desirable characteristics, including a high strength-to-weight ratio, biocompatibility, high thermal resistance and many others.
Gallagher Fluid Seals is pleased to introduce its newest video, which discusses GORE expanded PTFE.
The clip features our engineering manager Craig Beil discussing
Since 1958, Gore has developed products that improve lives. At the center of these solutions is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a polymer with exceptional properties like high tensile strength, a low dielectric constant, UV resistance and many more. In 1969, the possibilities for PTFE expanded with Bob Gore’s discovery of expanded PTFE, or ePTFE.
In the years since, Gore has developed unparalleled expertise in manipulating ePTFE and other fluoropolymers. Gore's engineers can change a material’s structure, shape, thickness and surface geometry, then pair it with complementary materials to provide the performance qualities required by the application and the customer. The resulting product can be strong or permeable, rigid or flexible, thin or thick — with many additional combinations of properties that can be applied to meet the end use requirements.
Since its very founding, Gore has been passionate about solving the complex challenges of their global customers. From the first suggestion of a product need, to its delivery to market, this passion is apparent in everything Gore does.
Created more than 40 years ago, Gore Joint Sealant was the first form-in-place gasket. It was and still is a great sealing solution for steel flanges with large diameters, irregular shapes, or rough/pitted surfaces. It forms a thin yet strong seal when compressed and works in applications where bolt loads are low.
With a reliable, easy install and being a cost-effective sealing method, it's become standard seal for MRO applications all over the world. Installing it is very easy, too: Simply peel off the adhesive backing, apply it to the
When tested alongside generic graphite/PTFE packing, packing made of 100% Gore® GFO® Fiber achieves better results for all key attributes: creep resistance, retention of lubricant, sealability, and stability (shrinkage).
The differences in performances for each generic packings will have an impact on the operational costs.
GORE® Universal Pipe Gaskets (Style 800) provide a reliable seal for steel, glass-lined steel and fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) flanges, in the full spectrum of strong acid, alkali, and solvent process media, including the most challenging thermal cycling and elevated temperature applications.
This single gasket solution can reduce the process safety and production downtime risks caused by the use of an incorrect gasket material. The highly conformable 100% ePTFE also reliably seals irregular surfaces.
While fuel cells have been around for almost a century, over the past decade their development has rapidly increased because of their potential to produce sustainable energy.
Fuel cells are designed to convert the chemical energy of hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy. The cell itself consists of an anode and cathode, sandwiched around an electrolyte—a liquid or gel containing ions (also contained in batteries).
W. L. Gore & Associates, a global materials science company with its U.S. headquarters based in Newark, Delaware, produces items derived from fluoropolymers. Gore is also one of the leading suppliers of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs), the core component that helps to initiate the electrochemical reaction required to separate electrons in fuel cells.
The MEAs produced by Gore is currently
Not all applications are created equal, and when the application is especially demanding, one, at times, must consider different solutions.
Such is the case regarding air operated double diaphragm (AODD) pumps. Typically, applications associated with this type of pump involve chemical compatibility 0.0 issues, abrasive element concerns, or a combination of the two.
Some examples include:
Using GORE® Low Friction Film, a tissue-thin coating material made from graphite-filled expanded PTFE (ePTFE), enables a new level of performance in dynamic elastomer seals: Lower friction. Longer life. Better tightness.
GORE Low Friction Film – an innovative, tissue-thin coating material for dynamic elastomer seals – creates a permanent mechanical connection with the elastomer during the molding process.
Made from graphite-filled ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene), this new solution opens up new opportunities and potentials in design, performance and application of dynamic seals. In automotive applications, it reduces friction and improves wear-resistance while maintaining excellent elasticity and sealability. Quite simply, this material is made for designing the future of mobility.
Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) pipes and flanges are increasingly used in the oil and gas industry where metal is simply too heavy and expensive. In addition to cost pressure, the need for lightweight chemically resistant materials are also driving the use of fiberglass pipes and flanges. Innovations in FRP flange design coupled with improvements in manufacturing technology have allowed FRP piping to be used in even more demanding applications. However, these demanding applications have added challenges for sealing the bolted flange connections.
More aggressive media and higher internal pressures have pushed the limits of the commonly used rubber gasketing materials, such as Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR), Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM), or neoprene. Obtaining a reliable seal in FRP flanges using conventional gasketing materials has become more difficult.
Fiberglass pipes are generally known to have strength limits and a lower pressure resistance, making sealing fiberglass flanges difficult. Gore solved this problem with its patented expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) gasket, specifically designed to seal flanges at low stresses. This solution was successfully demonstrated in a multistage testing procedure conducted in cooperation with a globally leading manufacturer of anti-corrosive fiberglass pipe systems.
Attention: When installing GORE Gasket Tape Series 1000 in joints with multiple (2 or more) gaskets compressed with a single set of bolts or clamps, see the installation supplement “Installation on Joints with Multiple Gaskets,” for additional mandatory instructions.
Select the gasket width that provides enough material to align the gasket tape flush with the inner and outer diameter. Ensure full coverage of the glass surface. Excess material may exceed the outer diameter.
Most applications require a base layer of 6 mm (1/4") tape, which can accommodate deviation up to 1.5 mm (1/16") without shimming. Applications with deviation up to 2.3 mm (0.090") can utilize 9 mm (3/8") tape without shimming.
To effectively seal flanges with deviations beyond the maximum for the base layer, a shimming process is recommended. Use of 3 mm (1/8") GORE® Series 1000 shim tape as a shim layer will accommodate an additional 1.5 mm ( 1/16") of flange deviation. Ensure the shim layer has the same width as the base layer.
To achieve a reliable seal, adequate gasket stress must be applied during installation.
Typical minimum stress to seal values for GORE Gasket Tape Series 1000 are:
Perform an engineering calculation to determine the torque value for your specific application.
Industry guidance is available, for example in ASME PCC-1 Guidelines for Pressure Boundary Bolted Flange Joint Assembly, and EN 1591-1 Flanges and their Joints - Design Rules for Gasketed Circular Flange Connections - Part 1: Calculation.
However, ASME PCC-1 does not include glass-lined steel specialties. Therefore, it is advised to contact the equipment manufacturer for an adequate torque recommendation.