Garlock's THERMa-PUR® 4122 Kammprofile Helps Oil & Gas Customer
THERMa-PUR™ is a proprietary new gasketing material designed for use in high temperature sealing applications. It is produced using an environmentally friendly solvent-free process and combines a unique formulation with a patent-pending fiber core. THERMa-PUR™ is yet another innovative Garlock Sealing Technologies sealing solution that provides more than just temperature resistance.
INDUSTRY
Oil & Gas
CUSTOMER
An international energy company had a propane dehydrogenation facility that had historically used a vermiculite-based gasket for its high temperature sealing applications.
BACKGROUND ON CUSTOMER'S BUSINESS
The facility had installed large Kammprofile gaskets with vermiculite facing. When those gaskets were removed, the customer found significant vermiculite residues adhering firmly to the flanges and it was a lengthy process to clean them. This caused increased downtime and scratches to the sealing face of the flanges that could compromise their sealing integrity.
CHALLENGES FACED BY CUSTOMER
The previous PTFE valve diaphragms were blistering from SIP cleaning between product runs and maintenance. This was causing premature failure of the diaphragms and bacteria build-up in between layers of the PTFE which was leading to costly downtime and potential product recalls.
EQUIPMENT OPERATING CONDITIONS
- Size: 174” (4425mm)
- Temperature: 630-650˚C (1166-1202˚F)
- Application: Flange
- Media: Propane
- Pressure: 2 bar (35 psi)
SOLUTION AND BENEFITS
In 2018, the facility switched from gaskets with vermiculite facing to Garlock THERMa-PUR® Kammprofile gaskets. The gaskets were installed in February of 2018 and removed in March 2019 during scheduled maintenance. The customer stated that they were, “Impressed with the sealing capability of the Garlock THERMa-PUR® gasket at extreme temperatures and the minimal cleaning required during gasket removal”. Thanks to its unique formulation, THERMa-PUR® is wellsuited for the facility’s high temperature sealing applications, and leaves no residual material sticking to flanges, thus avoiding heavy cleaning, additional downtime, and flange damage.
The original article was written by Garlock staff and can be found on their website here.
For more information about Garlock and GYLON gaskets, contact our engineering department.
