When your customer invests in a high pressure gas re-injection project, the last thing you want to shutdown their multi-million dollar investment is faulty seals. An unexpected lubricant or the introduction of corrosion inhibitors in the gas stream is all it takes to destroy a poorly formulated sealing compound. Likewise, an unexpected change  in the gas composition, such as excessive carbon dioxide or hydrogen sulfide, sour gas, can cause dangerous problems. Seals Eastern formulates its high pressure seals for assurance against aggressive chemicals and gases while maintaining the ultimate mechanical properties in the seals.

Rapid gas decompression (RGD) in high-pressure applications can be a recipe for seal failure. In fact, elastomers have a predictable swelling response in high-pressure gases such as CNG (compressed natural gas), methane, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide (sour gas). The destructive consequences of this swelling is not so much during the absorption of the gas but when the system pressure is suddenly relieved. In the phenomena of explosive decompression ("ED"), the gas absorbed by the polymer expands rapidly within the polymer upon the release of ambient pressure. The consequences to a seal can be catastrophic failure. Such failure can occur in gas compressors, down-hole applications, and other situations where  high pressure is commonly encountered. Since the 1980s, Seals Eastern has supplied rapid gas decompression (RGD) resistant seals to major manufacturers of turbine driven compressors, gas re-injection equipment, pumps, and other fabricators who must mitigate the effects of high-pressure gases in their equipment.

Technical Paper Downloads on High Pressure Sealing

Sealing High Pressures under Sour Conditions

The Hidden Cause of Seal Failure

Elastomers in the Hot Sour Gas Environment

Rapid Gas Decompression Resistant Compounds by Seals Eastern

ASTM  D1418	Compound No.	Shore-A Hardness	Description
EPDM	7204	90	Y267-Type EPDM for geothermal steam service. Ultra-Low compression set. ED resistant.
FKM	7148	95	ED resistant Fluorocarbon formulation
FEPM	7182D	80	Formulated AFLAS ® high-temperature "sour" oil & gas service. ED resistant. Excellent acid and base resistance.
FEPM	7182B	90	Formulated AFLAS ® high-temperature, high-pressure carbon dioxide and "sour" oil & gas service. NORSOK M-710 certified ED resistant. Excellent acid and base resistance.
FEPM	7182A	95	Formulated AFLAS ® high-temperature, high-pressure carbon dioxide and "sour" oil & gas service. ED resistant. Excellent acid and base resistance.

ED Performance of 7182B and 7182D - NORSOK rating

D1418	Compound	Thickness	5000 PSI @ 120°C	11,700 PSI @ 60°C	11,700 PSI @ 120°C
FEPM	7182D	.210	0000, 0000	0000, 0000	0000, 0000
FEPM	7182B	.210	0000, 0000		0000, 0000
FEPM	7182B	.139	0000, 0000		0000, 0000

SEALS EASTERN
MOLDING SUCCESS FOR 50 YEARS.

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