A New Seal Material on the Sunny Side
In many applications seals are housed and protected from the elements, however, this is not always possible and seals are sometimes positioned where they are open to wind, rain and the sun.
One of the harshest elements is the sun and its ultra-violet (UV) rays can have a highly deteriorating effect on sealing materials reducing seal life significantly. This can lead to frequent maintenance requirements and extended downtime, impacting the productivity of manufacturers and operators.
Zurcon?is a Trelleborg Sealing Solutions proprietary range of engineered materials and is primarily chosen for sealing applications that require a high level of wear resistance combined with outstanding friction capabilities.
The Zurcon?Z82 material is ideal for pneumatic and hydraulic applications, many of which are in extremely harsh environments where equipment is continually exposed to the sun, such as, in offshore oil & gas facilities and on off-highway equipment. Trelleborg Sealing Solutions has therefore spent considerable research and development resources in engineering Zurcon?Z82. in tests this has proved to demonstrate superior resistance to UV compared to other UHMW polyurethane sealing materials.
?Zurcon?Z82 can be used to replace existing sealing products,?says Soeren Roepstor, R&D Manager at the Trelleborg Sealing Solutions manufacturing facility in Helsing?r, Denmark, who was involved in the development of Zurcon? Z82. ?If seals in Zurcon?Z82 are extensively exposed to sunlight, then according to our test results, when Zurcon?Z82 is used, seal life will be extended and maintenance for seal replacement can be reduced. This is a very important benefit where downtime can have a significant effect on a manufacturer?s or operator?s bottom line. In the oil and gas industry, for instance, a few hours of lost production can equate to many thousands of dollars in lost revenue.?
Typical Applications
- Oil and gas drilling rig riser tensioner cylinder
- Mobile hydraulics
- Slow rotating shaft seals exposed to sunlight
- Valve spindles
- Hydraulics for solar panels
- Heavy duty scrapers
- Dry and lubricated pneumatic equipment
- In low to medium-high pressures
- With ceramic coated surfaces
- In lubricated and non-lubricated fluids and gases
- Low pressure water hydraulics