Interlocking PTFE Gasket Seal for High-Pressure Flange Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sealing systems in high-pressure flow lines are prone to seal collapse during pressure changes, leading to leakage and potential damage or contamination in piping systems.
Innovation Solution
A sealing system comprising a metallic core retaining element with an interlocked inner diameter seal element, such as a PTFE sealing ring, and radial and axial locking features that prevent movement between the retaining element and seal element, ensuring the seal remains intact during pressure changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional gasket device is used to seal between joined pieces, then sealing is provided under normal conditions, but the seal collapses during pressure changes leading to leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket device is segmented into multiple functional elements: an inner diameter seal element for primary sealing, an outer diameter seal element for secondary sealing, and a retaining element with locking features. This segmentation allows each element to specialize in resisting specific pressure forces, preventing collapse during pressure changes while maintaining seal reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining element introduces radial locking features that constrain the inner diameter seal element in the radial dimension, preventing it from collapsing inward during pressure changes. This adds a radial constraint dimension to the traditional axial compression sealing approach, enabling the seal to withstand significant pressure variations.
2Reliability
If the inner diameter seal element is made flexible to conform to the joint, then sealing effectiveness improves, but the seal becomes susceptible to movement and collapse under pressure changes
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining element with radial locking features performs preliminary action by pre-constraining the inner diameter seal element in the radial direction before pressure changes occur. This preliminary radial constraint prevents the flexible seal from collapsing or moving during pressure variations, maintaining both sealing effectiveness and positional stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The gasket device combines materials with different properties: the inner diameter seal element uses a flexible material for conforming and sealing, while the retaining element uses a rigid material for structural support and radial constraint. This composite structure allows the flexible seal to maintain effectiveness while the rigid retaining element ensures positional stability under pressure changes.
3Strength
If a rigid retaining element is used to prevent seal movement, then pressure resistance improves, but the complexity of the sealing system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining element merges multiple functions into a single component: it provides radial constraint through locking features, axial positioning through the groove structure, and structural support for the seal elements. This merging reduces the number of separate components needed while maintaining high pressure resistance, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining element serves multiple purposes: it retains the inner diameter seal element, provides radial locking to prevent collapse, offers axial positioning through the groove, and supports the overall sealing structure. This multi-functionality allows a single rigid component to address multiple requirements, improving pressure resistance without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Gasket seals for high pressure applications include retaining elements with inner diameter seal elements that interlock with the retaining element to provide resistance to movement in both axial and radial directions between the retaining element and seal element. High pressure sealing may be accomplished using a metallic core retaining element to which an electrically isolating material is bonded on either or both sides. Sealing is achieved through an inner diameter dielectric sealing element, such as a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) inner diameter sealing ring. Flanges of a joint in a fluid flow ling may be bolted together with the gasket seal interposed therebetween. In the event of pressure changes, the inner diameter seal resists being drawn into the flow line, and resists axial movement relative to the retaining element, through dual locking members that secure the seal to the retaining element.