Composite Metal Seal for High-Pressure Dynamic Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing technologies face challenges in providing reliable low and high-pressure sealing, especially in dynamic applications where metal seals are limited by surface smoothness and nonmetal seals degrade quickly under pressure differentials.
Innovation Solution
A composite sealing device combining a primary metallic load-bearing seal with a secondary mechanically energized non-metallic seal, featuring an 'I' shape design with radial stiffness, axially extending arms, and ridges for localized high contact stresses, which distributes loading and provides self-energizing capabilities under pressure differentials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal seals are used to provide high pressure sealing, then sealing capability under high pressure differentials is improved, but the requirement for very smooth and clean surfaces increases manufacturing complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The seal combines a metal seal element with an elastomeric seal element in a composite structure. The metal portion provides high pressure sealing capability while the elastomeric portion provides compliance and tolerates surface irregularities, eliminating the need for very smooth surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal utilizes pressure differential to change the operational state. At low pressure differentials, the elastomeric element provides the seal. At high pressure differentials, the metal element engages to provide the seal, with the transition driven by the pressure parameter itself.
2Adaptability or versatility
If elastomeric seals are used to seal against irregular surfaces and provide resilient biasing force, then adaptability to surface conditions is improved, but the seal degrades rapidly in dynamic configurations under pressure differentials
Solution Approach 1:
The seal combines a metal seal element with an elastomeric seal element in a composite structure. The metal portion provides high pressure sealing capability while the elastomeric portion provides compliance and tolerates surface irregularities, eliminating the need for very smooth surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal is designed to dynamically transition between elastomeric-dominated sealing at low pressure differentials and metal-dominated sealing at high pressure differentials. The structure allows the elastomeric element to be compressed and the metal element to engage as pressure differential increases.
3Reliability
If a composite structure combining metal and non-metallic seals is used, then sealing performance across high and low pressure differentials is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal combines a metal seal element with an elastomeric seal element in a composite structure. The metal portion provides high pressure sealing capability while the elastomeric portion provides compliance and tolerates surface irregularities, eliminating the need for very smooth surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The metal seal element and elastomeric seal element are merged into a single integrated composite seal assembly, simplifying installation and operation while providing the benefits of both materials.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composite sealing device achieves ultra-high pressure gas/fluid tight seals in dynamic applications, maintaining sealing even with relative movement and pressure changes, and is capable of repeated engagement and disengagement without loss of integrity.
Implementation Method 1
most metals can only be elastically deformed to a limited extent (which thereby limits the biasing force available from elastically deforming a metal seal)
Implementation Method 2
The metal seal is energized in response to a pressure differential across the seal
Data Source
AI summary
An energized composite metal to metal seal. A sealing device includes a metal seal with a metal sealing surface facing radially outward, and another metal sealing surface facing radially inward; and a nonmetal seal including a nonmetal sealing surface positioned proximate one metal sealing surface and facing radially outward, and another nonmetal sealing surface positioned proximate the other metal sealing surface and facing radially inward. A method of sealing between a housing assembly and a closure member includes applying a pressure differential across the sealing device while the sealing device seals between the housing assembly and the closure member, and the pressure differential increasing contact pressure in a metal to metal seal between the housing assembly and a metal sealing surface on the metal seal, and increasing contact pressure in a metal to metal seal between the closure member and another metal sealing surface on the metal seal.