Think Thin for Better Seals

摘要

Retrofitting turbines with lighter, thinner blades can boost power output. While many believe in the slogan "you can never be too thin or too rich," some engineers have been reluctant to apply that same adage to their pressure seals. They opt to go with older, thicker spiral wound or camprofile seals, rather than switching to slimmer gaskets like the Selco technology from Sealing Corp of North Hollywood, CA. According to Sealing Corp, these gaskets are more pliable, longer-lasting, stable under temperature and pressure shifts, less prone to leakage and require a much lower bolt load. Camprofile (or kammprofile) gaskets have been used in Europe for 20 years and are gaining more of a foothold in the US market. Technology originally developed for use on fighter aircraft has been incorporated into Selco gaskets, but differs in several ways. What really matters most is not the type of seal used, but how the joint performs in operation.