Qualification of Gasket Performance for Vacuum Applications

Author(s):  
Walter Lee ◽  
Abdel-Hakim Bouzid ◽  
James Huang

Gasket performance for vacuum applications has not been well studied. Although a wealth of sealability data has been generated for pressurized systems, little is done with vacuum conditions. A new test method has been developed to study the sealing performance of gaskets for vacuum services. The tests were conducted on a standard ROTT test rig, where a vacuum chamber surrounding the gasket was created by an air pump and monitored by a pressure gauge capable of measuring pressures down to 0.1 Torr. Two levels of vacuum were used: 50 Torr and 3 Torr. Each tested gasket was compressed to various assembly stresses corresponding to the levels defined in the ROTT procedure. After the gasket was compressed to a desired stress and a target vacuum level was reached, the pumping stopped, and the leak rate was measured, using the pressure rise method. The similar leakage results with two very different vacuum levels confirm that sealing a vacuum system is simply to seal ∼1 bar of air. The air leakage was further compared with the helium leak rates obtained from the standard ROTT test with a pressure of 21 bar to determine the correlation between the two data sets. To better understand the effects of pressure and molecular size of a gas, two additional tests at 2 bar, with helium and with nitrogen, were performed. The comparison among all test data suggests that the gases at relatively low pressures follow a molecular flow behavior up to about 55 MPa of gasket stress on the tested material. As a result, a tightness curve that can be used to estimate the vacuum leakage has been established. For applications involving elevated temperatures, thermal behaviors of gaskets determined by other PVRC tests, such as the HOBT and ARLA, can be used to understand the impact of temperature on vacuum performance. A stress-tightness-temperature framework is proposed that can be used to estimate the tightness and leakage of the gasket at high temperatures. Knowing the air leak rates under different operating conditions, a gasket user will be able to determine the suitability of the gasket for a specific vacuum requirement as well as the optimal assembly stress to maintain the desired vacuum level.

Author(s):  
Daryl S. Schneider ◽  
Lyndon S. Stephens

Premature failure of mechanical seal components is often a result of the elevated temperatures at the sealing interface that arise due to frictional heating. The Heat Sink Mechanical Seal (HSS) is a new approach to interface cooling in which a micro heat sink is constructed within millimeters of the sealing interface. Coolant circulated through the highly structured pin fin region carries away the generated heat. This work investigates the impact of interface cooling on carbon wear rates for a tungsten carbide (WC) and carbon graphite material pair. Experiments are performed using a thrust washer rotary tribometer to simulate a mechanical seal operating in dry running conditions within and in excess of the PV limit for the material pair (17.5 MPa*m/s or 500,000 psi*ft/min). Results show stable operation of sealing components in harsh operating conditions as well as the potential to reduce the occurrence of thermally induced wear and failure.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 5428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacek Jaworski ◽  
Adrian Dudek

Thermal gas meters represent a promising technology for billing customers for gaseous fuels, however, it is essential to ensure that measurement accuracy is maintained in the long term and in a broad range of operating conditions. The effect of hydrogen addition to natural gas will change the physicochemical properties of the mixture of natural gas and hydrogen. Such a mixture will be supplied through the gas system, to consumers, including households, where the amounts of received gas will be metered. The physicochemical properties of hydrogen, including the specific density or viscosity, differ significantly from those of the natural gas components, such as methane, ethane, propane, nitrogen, etc. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to establish the impact of the changes in the gas composition caused by the addition of hydrogen to natural gas on the metrological properties of household gas meters, including thermal gas meters. Furthermore, since household gas meters can be installed outdoors and, taking into account the fact that household gas meters are good heat exchangers, the influence of ambient and gas temperature on the metrological properties of those meters should be investigated. This article reviews a test bench and a testing method concerning errors of thermal gas meter indicators using air and natural gas, including the type containing hydrogen. The indication errors for thermal gas meters using air, natural gas and natural gas with an addition of 2%, 4%, 5%, 10% and 15% hydrogen were determined and then subjected to metrological analysis. Moreover, the test method and test bench are discussed and the results of tests on the impact of ambient and gas temperatures (‒25 °C and 55 °C, respectively) on the errors of indications of thermal gas meters are presented. Conclusions for distribution system operators in terms of gas meter selection were drawn based on the test results.


Author(s):  
Chetan S. Mistry ◽  
A. M. Pradeep

This paper discusses the results of a parametric study of a pair of contra-rotating axial fan rotors. The rotors were designed to deliver a mass flow of 6 kg/s at 2400 rpm. The blades were designed with a low hub-tip ratio of 0.35 and an aspect ratio of 3.0. Numerical and experimental studies were carried out on these contra-rotating rotors operating at a Reynolds number of 1.25 × 105 (based on blade chord). The axial spacing between the rotors was varied between 50 to 120 % of the chord of rotor 1. The performance of the rotors was evaluated at each of these spacing at design and off-design speeds. The results from the numerical study (using ANSYS CFX) were validated using experimental data. In spite of certain limitations of CFD under certain operating conditions, it was observed that the results agreed well with those from the experiments. The performance of the fan was evaluated based on the variations of total pressure, velocity components and flow angles at design and off-design operating conditions. The measurement of total pressure, flow angles etc. are taken upstream of the first rotor, between the two rotors and downstream of the second rotor. It was observed that the aerodynamics of the flow through a contra rotating stage is significantly influenced by the axial spacing between the rotors and the speed ratio of the rotors. With increasing speed ratios, the strong suction generated by the second rotor, improves the stage pressure rise and the stall margin. Lower axial spacing on the other hand, changes the flow incidence to the second rotor and thereby improves the overall performance of the stage. The performance is investigated at different speed ratios of the rotors at varying axial spacing.


Author(s):  
Jacek Hunicz ◽  
Maciej Mikulski

The present study investigates various measures to reduce pressure rise rates (PRRs) in a residual-affected homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine. At the same time, the impact of those measures on efficiency and emissions is assessed. Experimental research was performed on a single cylinder engine equipped with a fully flexible valve train mechanism and direct gasoline injection. The HCCI combustion mode with exhaust gas trapping was realized using negative valve overlap (NVO) and fuel reforming, achieved via the injection of a portion of fuel during exhaust recompression. Three measures are investigated for the PRR control under the same reference operating conditions, namely: (i) variable intake and exhaust valve timing, (ii) boost pressure adjustment, and (iii) split fuel injection to control the amount of fuel injected for reforming. Variable exhaust valve timing enabled control of the amount of trapped residuals, and thus of the compression temperature. The reduction in the amount of trapped residuals, at elevated engine load, delays auto-ignition, which results in a simultaneous reduction of pressure rise rates and nitrogen oxides emissions. The effects of intake valve timing are much more complex because they include the variability in the amount of intake air, the thermodynamic compression ratio, as well as the in-cylinder fluid flow. It was found, however, that both early and late intake valve openings (IVOs) delay auto-ignition and prolong combustion. Additionally, the reduction of the amount of fuel injected during exhaust recompression further delays combustion and reduces combustion rates. Intake pressure reduction has by far the largest effect on peak pressure reduction yet is connected with excessive NOX emissions. The research successfully identifies air-path and injection techniques, which allow for the control of combustion rates and emissions under elevated load regime.


Author(s):  
David Samet ◽  
Abhishek Kwatra ◽  
Suresh K. Sitaraman

As the microelectronics industry continues to advance the boundaries of size and performance, focus on the impact of systems packaging has risen to the forefront of design and material considerations. As interfaces are often constructed of multiple heterogeneous layers, interfacial delamination is an important failure mechanism to consider in microelectronic packaging. This failure is due to, among other factors, the stresses arising from high mismatches in coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). Most work to date has focused on interfacial crack propagation under monotonic loading that is incurred during fabrication steps such as deposition or curing which occur at elevated temperatures and subsequent cooling to room temperature. This is an important design consideration but it is not sufficient as the operational life of these devices involve high numbers of heating and cooling cycles which result in crack propagation under fatigue loading. As such the study of fatigue effects on these interfaces is paramount to improving the lifetime of microelectronic devices as the field pushes towards both thinner and wider packages. One such exploration, which is the subject of this work, is to determine the interface incremental crack growth rate as it relates to cyclic loading. In this work, double cantilever beam (DCB) tests are performed at various stress ratios on samples with epoxy mold compound (EMC) atop a copper leadframe. For these tests, force versus displacement curves will be obtained. Given the small dimensions of the interfaces in question, it is desirable to develop a test methodology that does not require in-situ measurement of crack length. Thus, in these tests the compliance of the samples is determined from the force versus displacement curves and used to infer the progress of the crack through an indirect approach. The advantage of this method is that it does not require the observational measurement of the crack length potentially allowing crack monitoring absent any optical or imaging methods. Using the determined crack propagation rate with fatigue cycle under various loading conditions, a generalized fatigue crack propagation model will be developed for mold compound and copper interface, and such a model can be employed to assess packaging reliability in operating conditions.


Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 1213
Author(s):  
Michael Betz ◽  
Marco Gleiss ◽  
Hermann Nirschl

This paper presents a study of the use of flow baffles inside a centrifugal air classifier. An air classifier belongs to the most widely used classification devices in mills in the mineral industry, which is why there is a great interest in optimizing the process flow and pressure loss. Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the flow profile in a classifier without and with flow baffles is systematically compared. In the simulations, turbulence effects are modeled with the realizable k–ε model, and the Multiple Reference Frame approach (MRF) is used to represent the rotation of the classifier wheel. The discrete phase model is used to predict the collection efficiency. The effects on the pressure loss and the classification efficiency of the classifier are considered for two operating conditions. In addition, a comparison with experimental data is performed. Firstly, the simulations and experiments show good agreement. Furthermore, the investigations show that the use of flow baffles is suitable for optimizing the flow behavior in the classifier, especially in reducing the pressure loss and therefore energy costs. Moreover, the flow baffles have an impact on the classification performance. The impact depends on the operation conditions, especially the classifier speed. At low classifier speeds, the classifier without flow baffles separates more efficiently; as the speed increases, the classification performance of the classifier with flow baffles improves.


Author(s):  
Jacek Hunicz ◽  
Maciej Mikulski

One of the pending issues regarding Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engines is high load operation limit constrained by excessive pressure rise rates (PRRs). The present study investigates various measures to reduce combustion harness in a residual-affected HCCI engine. At the same time, the impact of those measures on efficiency and emissions is assessed. Experimental research was performed on a single cylinder engine equipped with a fully-flexible valvetrain mechanism and direct gasoline injection. The HCCI combustion mode with exhaust gas trapping was realized using negative valve overlap and fuel reforming, achieved via the injection of a portion of fuel during exhaust re-compression. Three measures are investigated for the PRR control under the same reference operating conditions, namely: (i) variable intake and exhaust valve timing, (ii) boost pressure adjustment and (iii) split fuel injection to control the amount of fuel injected for reforming. Variable exhaust valve timing enabled control of the amount of trapped residuals, and thus of the compression temperature. The reduction in the amount of trapped residuals, at elevated engine load, delays auto-ignition, which results in a simultaneous reduction of pressure rise rates and nitrogen oxides emissions. The effects of intake valve timing are much more complex, because they include the variability in the amount of intake air, the thermodynamic compression ratio as well as the in-cylinder fluid flow. It was found, however, that both early and late intake valve openings delay auto-ignition and prolong combustion. Additionally, the reduction of the amount of fuel injected during exhaust re-compression further delays combustion and reduces combustion rates. Intake pressure reduction has by far the largest effect on peak pressure reduction yet is connected with excessive NOx emissions. The research successfully identifies air-path and injection techniques, which allow for the control of combustion rates and emissions under elevated load regime, thus shorting the gap towards the real-world application of HCCI concepts.


Coatings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adnan Darwish Ahmad ◽  
Ahmad Abubaker ◽  
Ahmad Salaimeh ◽  
Nelson Akafuah

Electrostatic rotary bell sprayers (ERBSs) are widely used in the automotive industry. In ERBS, atomization is facilitated using centrifugal forces which disintegrate the paint film inside the cup into droplets at the cup edge. The droplets are then transported by the flow of a shaping air (SA) and electrostatic forces to a target surface; the characteristics of these droplets dramatically influence the quality of a painted surface and the painting transfer efficiency. In the current paper, a novel Schlieren-based visualization of the shaping air in the absence of paint droplets was performed during a qualitative investigation to delineate shaping air flow behavior and its interaction with droplets and droplet transport. An infrared thermographic flow visualization (IRFV) method and droplet size measurement were used to complement the Schlieren data for providing insight into shaping air-droplet interactions. The results demonstrated the impact of different operating conditions on the SA flow pattern, and the influence SA has on the secondary atomization and transport of droplets. Hence, these experimental methods combine with a useful tool for optimizing SA configurations that improve spray quality, droplet transport, and the efficiency of ERBS operations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Georgios Skordaris ◽  
Antonios Bouzakis ◽  
Konstantinos-Dionysios Bouzakis

The impact test has been used for several years, among others, for characterizing the fatigue strength, creep, adhesion and residual stresses of coatings at ambient and elevated temperatures under dry or lubricated conditions. A major advantage of this test method is that in many cases, it can be employed directly on the coated parts and not on specimens. The obtained experimental results are evaluated by convenient finite element method (FEM)-supported algorithms. Based on these algorithms, critical data for predicting the life span of coated parts such as cutting tools and bearings and for planning appropriate replacements can be obtained. The paper provides an overview of the development of impact test devices, experimental techniques and result evaluation methods. Characteristic examples highlighting the quantification of the fatigue strength of PVD (Phyical Vapour Deposition) coatings and their adhesion via the critical equivalent and shear stresses, respectively, as well as that of the temperature-dependent interfacial fatigue strength of diamond coatings via the critical shear stress, are shown.


2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (6) ◽  
pp. 619
Author(s):  
Rui Xu ◽  
Haitao Ling ◽  
Haijun Wang ◽  
Lizhong Chang ◽  
Shengtao Qiu

The transient multiphase flow behavior in a single-strand tundish during ladle change was studied using physical modeling. The water and silicon oil were employed to simulate the liquid steel and slag. The effect of the turbulence inhibitor on the slag entrainment and the steel exposure during ladle change were evaluated and discussed. The effect of the slag carry-over on the water-oil-air flow was also analyzed. For the original tundish, the top oil phase in the impact zone was continuously dragged into the tundish bath and opened during ladle change, forming an emulsification phenomenon. By decreasing the liquid velocities in the upper part of the impact zone, the turbulence inhibitor decreased considerably the amount of entrained slag and the steel exposure during ladle change, thereby eliminating the emulsification phenomenon. Furthermore, the use of the TI-2 effectively lowered the effect of the slag carry-over on the steel cleanliness by controlling the movement of slag droplets. The results from industrial trials indicated that the application of the TI-2 reduced considerably the number of linear inclusions caused by ladle change in hot-rolled strip coils.


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