Low-Sulfur Resin Piston Ring for Hydrogen Compressor Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing piston rings for hydrogen gas reciprocating compressors require costly and hazardous desulfurizing treatments to reduce sulfur content, which increases operational costs and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A piston ring composed of a resin composition containing PEEK resin or thermoplastic polyimide resin with low sulfur content, combined with carbon materials like carbon fiber and graphite, or PTFE resin, which eliminates the need for special desulfurizing treatments and enhances wear resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a sliding member is exposed to a hydrogen atmosphere for desulfurizing treatment, then the sulfur content is reduced, but a special exposing device and strict safety measures are required, leading to high cost
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful sulfur component is extracted and removed from the piston ring material through formulation with low-sulfur carbon materials and resins, eliminating the need for subsequent desulfurizing treatment in a hydrogen atmosphere. This extracts the sulfur removal function from the operational phase to the material design phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The sulfur content is controlled at low levels (200 ppm or less) in the carbon material before the piston ring is manufactured and installed. This preliminary control of sulfur content during material selection and manufacturing eliminates the need for post-manufacturing desulfurizing treatment, thereby removing the requirement for special exposing devices and safety measures.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If carbon material with low sulfur content is used in the resin composition, then sulfur introduction into hydrogen gas is reduced, but wear resistance must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The piston ring uses a composite resin composition combining PEEK resin or thermoplastic polyimide resin with carbon materials (carbon fiber, graphite, or coke powder) having sulfur content of 200 ppm or less. This composite structure maintains the mechanical strength and wear resistance of the carbon materials while controlling sulfur content to prevent fuel cell deterioration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the sulfur content parameter of the carbon material to 200 ppm or less, which is sufficiently low to prevent fuel cell deterioration while maintaining adequate wear resistance. This parameter optimization balances the conflicting requirements of low sulfur introduction and sufficient wear resistance without requiring extreme material specifications.
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 piston ring effectively reduces sulfur introduction into hydrogen gas, preventing fuel cell deterioration while ensuring high wear resistance and safety, thus reducing costs and maintaining compressor performance.
Implementation Method 1
The resin composition contains carbon material in which the content of a sulfur atom is 200 ppm or less. The carbon material is at least one of carbon fiber, graphite, and coke powder.
Implementation Method 2
The resin composition may contain 5-25 vol % of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) resin relative to the whole of the resin composition.
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a piston ring that has low content of a sulfur atom, eliminates the need for a special exposing device and a strict safety measure, and is low in cost. A piston ring 1 is used in a reciprocating compressor that compresses gas and is formed of a resin composition containing at least polyetheretherketone resin or thermoplastic polyimide resin as a main component. The resin composition contains carbon material in which the content of a sulfur atom is 200 ppm or less. The carbon material is at least one of carbon fiber, graphite, and coke powder. The resin composition contains total 5-35 volt of the carbon material relative to the whole of the resin composition.