The Top 5 Advantages of Hydraulic Cylinder Seals:

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Hydraulic seals are crucial parts of numerous equipment types. They are renowned for their exceptional sealing properties in pressure and oil systems. Hydraulic equipment operates using cylinders to complete its task. A piston, a piston rod, and an outer casing make up the cylinder. Hydraulic cylinder seals are essential parts of several mechanical devices, machinery, and apparatus. The practical sealing ability of these seals accounts for their popularity. Oil and pressure systems are the most common hydraulic seals and supply applications. Polytetrafluoroethylene, silicone, polyurethane, and rubber frequently make these seals. Piston, rod, wiper, O-Ring, bonded, and symmetric seals are some of the most commonly used.

What are hydraulic seals?

Gasket-like rings are used to close gaps between hydraulic cylinder components. Hydraulic cylinders contain various parts that come into contact with the fluid. Fluid cannot leak around these components. While offering a leak-proof seal, hydraulic seals are created to fit the features of a hydraulic cylinder. Even if the piston of the hydraulic cylinder moves and fluid pressure increases, the component won't leak. The hydraulic seal will stop leaks around the element by keeping fluid in the appropriate container.

Advantages of Hydraulic Cylinder Seals:

• Pressure adaptability and preventing contamination:

Hydraulic seals may function in both low-pressure and high-pressure systems. Additionally, these seals aid in rescuing your automated application from contamination. The automatic system's features can be precisely covered from dirt penetration by the seal. 

• Controlling leaks and preventing blowouts:

To prevent system leakage, hydraulic cylinder seals are necessary. They are mainly used to stop leaks in machinery or equipment. The goal is to enhance performance while undervaluing rehabilitation efforts. Businesses use hydraulic seals in industrial settings to prevent or lessen blowouts on oil plants.

• Cost-effectiveness and ease of maintenance:

One of the most well-known sealing manufacturers in the world, it has been in the company for more than 50 years. Their company is recognised for delivering hydraulic seals at competitive costs. As a result of their low price, dependability, and low maintenance needs, numerous businesses and industrial facilities acquire these seals in large quantities. The ability to quickly change a seal makes hydraulic seals so intriguing.

• High Durability and Adaptability:

Numerous manufacturers produce hydraulic cylinder seal kits. Some are strong and offer a long service life. They use premium materials to create cutting-edge seals that keep machinery operational and prolong seal life. Their hydraulic seals can function well in challenging conditions.

With competitive price and timely delivery, CDI sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

• Safety and Water Resistance:

Hydraulic seals offer exceptional resistance qualities that allow them to endure water, chemicals, wear and tear, and both. Because of this, most mining businesses utilize their wear-resistant seals to speed up the extraction of minerals. Lastly, hydraulic seals kits are safe for various industries, including companies producing drugs and chemicals.

Summing it up:

Maintaining strong hydraulic seals is essential for maintaining long cylinder life. Bearing Centre must be exposed to lubricant to prevent accelerated wear and tear on their elastic surfaces. The signs that require attention are clear to notice. Maintain the quality of your hydraulic seals and supplies to keep your hydraulic cylinders operating at peak efficiency.

Jan 5,

The Importance of Hydraulic Seal Integrity

Hydraulic seals prevent leakage and loss of fluids from systems. When seals shrink or harden, they can crack and may lose elasticity, leading to seal failure. This can be caused by:

• High operating fluid temperatures
• Fluid degradation

The use of incompatible hydraulic fluids can cause swelling, and/or shrinkage of the seal or chemical attack that can lead to the failure of lip seals as well as O rings.

Types of Hydraulic Seals

The most commonly used material is acrylonitrile or nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR). Relatively inexpensive, NBR exhibits excellent resistance to petroleum-based hydraulic fluids for the temperature range -50°C to 120°C (-60°F to 250°F), but is not resistant to weathering. NBR can be used at temperatures up to 150°C (300°F) but service life will be shortened.

• Compatible fluids: Petroleum-based hydrocarbons including mineral oils, diesel and fuel oils; vegetable oils and greases; HFA, HFB and HFC hydraulic fluids; dilute acids, alkali and salt solutions up to moderate temperatures.
• Incompatible fluids: Highly aromatic hydrocarbons; ketones, acetic acid, and other polar solvents; strong acids, and glycol-based brake fluids.

The second most common material is fluorocarbon rubber (FPM/FKM), commonly known under the DuPontTM trade name VITON® *. It can be used over a wider temperature range of -40°C to 200°C (-40°F to 400°F). There are two main classes of Viton materials, type A and type G. Type A is more common and lower cost than type G, but type G offers improved compatibility with most fluids and resistance to both weathering and ozone.

• Compatible fluids: Petroleum-based hydrocarbons, synthetic hydraulic fluids, fuels, including gasoline/alcohol fuels, aromatics; many organic solvents and chemicals.
• Incompatible fluids: Glycol-based brake fluids; strong alkalis, amines, ammonia, formic and acetic acids, and superheated steam.

Other materials are used for specialised applications such as thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) with bio-hydraulic fluids.

Hydraulic Fluid Base Oils

To evaluate the interaction of hydraulic fluids and the sealing materials, it is important to understand the differences between hydraulic fluid base oils.

• API Group I base oils are commonly used for hydraulic fluids. They are refined by a solvent extraction method.
• API Group II and III base oils are refined by hydroprocessing techniques that convert waxes into iso-paraffins without using solvents. These base oils are water white in color and have superior oxidation resistance.
• API Group IV base oils are polyalphaolefins (PAO) whilst API Group V fluids include naphthenic mineral oils, polyalkylene glycol (PAG), natural triglyercide and synthetic esters and other synthetic products.

The majority of base oils used for hydraulic fluids need additives to enhance specific properties. These additives also introduce an additional set of potential interactions with the seal material.

Predicting the Behavior of a Fluid and Seal Material

It is possible to predict the swelling or shrinkage behavior of a seal material with reasonably accurate results under normal operating temperature conditions.

• Comparing the aniline point of the fluid in question to the aniline point of standard ASTM International reference oils produces a useful indication of the oil/ seal compatibility.
• More accuracy can be obtained using the Elastomer Compatibility Index (ECI) method that compares the behavior of a standard NBR compound in a variety of petroleum-based oils to the behaviors of various other nitrile compounds. The results of the compatibility tests are plotted on a graph and used to determine the Swelling Behavior (SB) of the compound in question. Knowing the ECI of the fluid and the SB of the seal material, one can calculate the expected physical interaction of the pair.

How to Pick the Right Seal Material for Your Application

Given the wide range of variables, it is wise to seek guidance from the manufacturers when selecting seal materials for either a new build or maintenance replacement.

It is particularly important to consider the likely impact of any change in hydraulic fluid on the seals already in use before proceeding with a replacement.

For API Group I based fluids operating at temperatures below 100°C (212°F), NBR seals are the most cost-effective choice. Fluoroelastomers (FKM) increase the maximum operating temperature to 200°C (400°F), which is well above the recommended range for ordinary fluids, whilst only slightly reducing low temperature performance. All the other materials exist to fill application niches not covered by NBR or FKM materials.

For applications currently using NBR or FKM seals that are not exhibiting unusual failure modes or unexpectedly short service lives, it is unlikely that changing to a higher performance &#; and usually more expensive &#; material will reduce operating or maintenance costs enough to offset the cost of the premium seals.

For new designs that operate with the same fluids in the same temperature ranges as existing systems, the same seal materials will probably work in the new system too. For new systems that don&#;t duplicate existing designs, either NBR or FKM is a logical elastomer to start with, unless there is something very unusual about the system or known issues with the fluid that will be used.

For more information on hydraulic fluids, elastomer or seal performance, contact your Lubrizol representative.

* Viton is a registered trademark of the E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company

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