Fluoroelastomers
- July 10, 2018
Gallagher recently released our High Performance Elastomer Seals for the Instrumentation Industry White Paper. This was written by Russ Schnell, an Elastomer Consultant contracted by Gallagher Fluid Seals, and a former Senior Application Engineer with the Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer parts business at DuPont. This white paper is now available for download on our Resources page.
Below is the first section of the white paper, diving into applications where the measurement is made at the process and the results then transmitted to a control system. This section will review the four types of in-line measurement devices, all involving slightly different elastomer sealing applications.
In-Line Process Applications
Flowmeters
Flowmeters are used to measure the flow of liquid. In this section we will only consider the measurement of liquid flow in a closed piping system. Several examples of flow measurement devices include: flowmeters, Venturi tubes and orifice plates.
Note that these devices are “in-line” and require isolating the process line to remove and repair, or replace the measurement device. Shutting down a process to remove a device is time consuming, involves loss of production, and may require specific procedures to protect the operators and environment when a line is opened. All of these devices require seals to prevent leakage of the process to the environment and the elastomer seals should last the life of the flowmeter. For aggressive chemicals or high temperature applications, FKM or FFKM seals are an excellent choice. These products offer a long service life and resist deterioration in harsh environments.
- June 05, 2018
Gallagher Fluid Seals recently posted our new Fluoroelastomer Basics webinar on gallagherseals.com. This is the third and final section of our webinar, focusing on Considerations When Choosing a Fluoroelastomer. The full video is now available on our Resources page.
This video discusses considerations when choosing a fluoroelastomer, including temperature performance range, performance in harsh chemical exposure, and the need to take caution when using fluoroelastomer blends.
[embed]https://youtu.be/ETuFwz88SB0[/embed]
- May 01, 2018
Gallagher Fluid Seals recently posted our new Fluoroelastomer Basics webinar on gallagherseals.com. This is the second section of our webinar, focusing on Fluoroelastomer Materials. The full video is now available on our Resources page.
This section of the video discusses different fluoroelastomer materials, along with their mechanical and physical properties, and in which applications they're normally found.
[embed]https://youtu.be/pukqRYUXtbw[/embed]
- March 27, 2018
Gallagher Fluid Seals recently made our Fluoroelastomer Basics webinar available on the website.
This webinar will discuss:
- Differences between an elastomer and a fluoroelastomer
- The important role fluorine plays
- Types of fluoroelastomers and their features and benefits
- Material performance comparisons
- Chemical resistance of fluoroelastomers
- Temperature ratings of fluoroelastomers
- Considerations when choosing the right fluoroelastomer for your application
What is an Elastomer?
An elastomer is made up of long chain polymers which are connected by crosslinks. Crosslinks are analogous to springs and provide an "elastic" (recovery) nature to the material. The crosslinks are relatively stable, but can break down under extreme temperatures and pressures.