Mohammad R. Badrossamay, Saint Gobain Seals’ senior research engineer and a key member of the development team, will be available to present the new product that is most suited for the following jet engine applications: bearing chambers, sump system, internal gearboxes and accessories as well as applications with high-temperature requirements.
Over the past few years, the jet engine industry has experienced a considerable movement toward improving performance, efficiency, emissions and operating costs. These improvements impact the working conditions of this equipment resulting in higher requirements for pressure and temperature, which are transferred to all components of the system such as engine seals. In parallel, higher engine operating temperatures require lubricants with superior thermal and oxidation stability, which present another challenge in terms of compatibility when using traditional sealing solutions.
To contend with stricter pressure and temperature working conditions, Saint-Gobain Seals developed a new material that enables their spring-energised seals design to work with continuous temperature above 320°C; this higher threshold goes beyond the traditional sealing solution limit for PTFE compounds currently matching industry requirements.
The Fluoroloy A90 material formulation withstands static hot air sealing in temperatures up to 350°C while retaining the mechanical properties with same or less leakage, surface indentation and material degradation. Under certain conditions, the material has reached an even higher temperature mark, providing very good results at 365°C.
Additionally, the Fluoroloy A90 polymer shows a low linear coefficient of thermal expansion that is a favourable benefit in high-temperature sealing applications. Concerning thermal expansion, especially in applications where temperature range is wide and with more rigid materials (similar to Fluoroloy A90), if this remains low , the jacket and the counter-surface behave with temperature in a similar way, keeping interference constant through the temperature range, and makes the seal function more reliably and keeping leakage stable. The material offers stability through time and minimum loss of properties due to thermal aging compared to perfluoroelastomer compounds.
With these competitive advantages, Saint-Gobain Seals can continue to help their partners with another precise fit and lifetime confidence sealing solution along with their OmniSeal®, OmniLip™ and Meldin® product lines that are also widely used in the aerospace industry (e.g. spring-energized seals for the lubrication sump system, rotary shaft seals for the internal and accessory gearbox, and stator vane bushes in HP and IP Compressor sections).
To learn more about Saint-Gobain Seals’ Fluoroloy® product line, other product lines and its strategic business unit, visit www.seals.saint-gobain.com or connect on LinkedIn.
