Sealing materials seals for arctic applications

• Main Author: Eichstaedt, Joanna Anna
• Other Authors: Echtermeyer, Andreas
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: NTNU 2016
• Subjects: Diverse studier ved IVT; Arctic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11250/2433702

This thesis is about exploring the performance of rubber O-ring seals made of materials such as: ELAST-O-LION 101, base HNBR and HNBR 50 CB, under cold temperatures and compressions equal to 10% and 20%. Initially a test apparatus with cooling chamber was built to evaluate seal performance at different temperatures and contact pressures. This part of the project included building the environmental chamber in which the mechanical compression rig is located, as well as connecting the circulating unit for the cooling liquid to the chamber. In order to obtain the data, such as the applied force and the temperature inside the chamber, a load cell and a thermocouple was also attached. The data was initially collected with the use of Catman program. The analysis of the obtained data delivered useful information about the materials performance under harsh conditions which are were similar to those which can be faced by a sealing arrangements operating in the arctic environment. The tests have shown a significant force drop while decreasing the temperature inside chamber. A part of the analysis was also to calculate contact pressure of the specimens at lowered temperatures. This was done on the basis of Hertz theory of contact of the bodies. Further, this master thesis identified the need for further research and investigation of a specific arctic conditions and the factors that are influencing any machinery which is desired to find an application on Arctic.