Seal Selection for Valve Design and Retrofitting | Engineering360

Seal Selection for Valve Design and Retrofitting

May 23, 2017

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Introduction—Seals in an Industrial Valve

Valve seals are a critical component in the overall development of a new valve. In addition,
upgrading seals in an existing device with the properly selected retrofit has the potential to enhance
valve life and performance while reducing leakage and mean time to repair (MTTR).

Valve seals must be selected to provide enhanced durability and life in the end-use application while
meeting increasingly stringent performance criteria in regards to leakage and low emissions. Careful
evaluation and analysis is required to ensure that the proper valve seal is selected for a new OEM
valve design under development as well as a valve being retrofitted or redesigned in an existing
installation.

Several valve components require sealing such as:

• Stem packing or gland seals—The stem provides a mechanical connection between the
handwheel or handle and valve. The sealing element around a stem consists of a packing
material or a combination of seals, followers, O-rings, bellows, spring energized seals, spacers
and packing. The seal prevents leaks while allowing the stem to rotate or slide freely.
• Valve Connection Seals—Depending on the valve port or connection type, a seal can be
required. While welded valve connections do not require any seal, a welded connection
precludes easy removal for maintenance or replacement. Valves with bolted flange
connections or face seals typically require gaskets or O-rings. Threaded connections use
PTFE tape, joint compound, O-rings or ring seals. Compression fittings can be sealed with
flaring, ferrules, O-rings, sealing washers and/or flare seals.
• Bonnet—Valve Body Seals—The valve bonnet or cover holds the stem and steam seals.
Seals, sealing rings, O-rings or gaskets are required between the bonnet and valve body. On
larger valves, the bonnet is often bolted to the valve body or larger valve and sealed with a
bonnet gasket.
• Valve disk and seat “seals”—Certain valves have a seal material between the plug and seat or
seat and body. Some valves use a corrosion and wear resistant alloy to maintain sealing
between the plug and seat with aggressive media.
• Sensor or gauge connections—Instrumented valves with integral pressure gauges or other
sensors may require a diaphragm seal to protect the instrumentation while reading pressure.

Valve Seal Functions and Performance

Valve seals have an impact on the main functions of valves, which are to control flow and prevent
leakage. Valve seals are critical in preventing the escape of the liquid or gaseous media in the valve
such as the fugitive emissions of volatile compounds, release of hazardous or toxic media (gases or
liquids), or leak of corrosive compounds into the environment. Bonnet, stem and connection seals
also prevent the ingress of contamination into the media flowing through the valve such as bacteria,
dust, chemicals, oil or other environmental contaminants. Ingress of contaminants can destroy
downstream products and trigger expensive shut downs until the contamination source is found and
repaired. The valve seat or plug seals prevent leaks of media past a closed valve seat and in some
design-enabled functions of valve mechanisms (e.g., prevent leaks between separate ports or a
pressure balancing chamber, diaphragm valve membranes,
gate seals, ball seals).
Seal Selection for Valve Design and Retrofitting | Engineering360

Valve Seal Types

The first step in valve seal selection is determining the type of seal or seals required (Figure 2). The
seal type required will depend on the type of valve and the valve components requiring sealing. For
instance, a diaphragm or check valves may not require stem seals depending on the valve design.
Most flow control valves will require stem seals.

Compression packing seals or gland seals are used to seal a variety of fluids under a range of
conditions. They are used to help contain water, acids, solvents, gases, oil and other chemicals that
are subjected to various temperatures and pressures. Compression packing is made of yarn, roving,
ribbons or other flexible materials in a braided, twisted, plaited, laminated or jacketed core
construction. Stems and shafts on valves, pumps and equipment are very common applications.

Gasketing material is a flat sheet material used to prevent fluid or gas leaks by providing a barrier
between two mating surfaces. Gasketing material is cut or formed into a gasket fitting the two
dimensional profile of the mating surfaces. The gasket must be able to maintain a seal under
pressure and temperature changes. A number of different gaskets are available: pre-cut
compression (flat or extruded style), formedin-
place and cured-in-place. The FIP gasketing compound is spread across the mating surface(s)
forming the gasket during joint assembly. A formed-in-place gasketing material is similar to a
sealant compound. Spiral wound gaskets are constructed with alternating layers of a soft filler
material and a formed metal wire. They may include a centering ring, an inner ring or both. The
outer centering ring acts as a compression limiter
and the inner ring adds radial strength. They are used for a variety of applications due to their
resiliency and strength.

O-rings are solid-rubber seals that are shaped like a doughnut. When pressed between two mating
surfaces, O-rings block the passage of liquids or gases. O-rings can form a static or dynamic seal. A
static seal is where the O-ring does not move and is used simply for containing pressure or
maintaining a vacuum. Dynamic seals are used to seal moving surfaces such as a reciprocating or
rotating valve stem. Straight threads used with O-rings provide a better seal than tapered threads
used alone. Solid elastomeric rings are compression seals for applications requiring a more
complex cross section.

Some specialized seal types or related

components include back-up rings, v-ring seals
and diaphragms. Back-up rings are washer-like
devices that are used to prevent a seal from
extruding through any gaps while under
pressure. These seals are installed in the
downstream side of the gland. Back-up rings are
not seals themselves, but are usually used in
conjunction with O-rings or other seals in high-
pressure
applications (over 1,500 psi) for support or as
spacers. V-ring seals are elastomer seals used
primarily to retain lubrication and exclude
contaminants, including dust, dirt, grease and
water and oil splash. Diaphragms are flexible
sealing element components that provide a
barrier between two chambers in
diaphragm valves.
Figure 1—Types of Valve Seals

Media, Environment and

Valve Material Selection
Examples of common valve seal materials include:
Seal Selection for Valve Design and Retrofitting | Engineering360

• Aramid—Aramid fibers are an engineered polymer with very high strength and good
temperature resistance.
• Elastomer/Rubber—Non-porous polymeric material with a high degree of elasticity (%
elongation). Properties vary widely with specific polymer type. Some elastomers cannot be
used with higher temperatures and become brittle at cryogenic temperatures.
• Fiberglass—Silicate glass fibers in rope, ribbon or cloth form provide high temperature
performance with good chemical resistance.
• Fluoropolymer/PTFE—Polytetrafluoroethylene and other fluoropolymer plastics have higher
temperature
performance combined with chemical resistance and inertness. Can seal media with pH from
0 to 14.
• Foam/Sponge—Porous polymeric material with a high degree of compressibility. Thermal and
chemical properties will depend on the specific polymer or elastomer. Closed cell foam does
not have
interconnected pores or cells.
• Graphite—Graphite glass fibers in rope, ribbon or cloth form provide high temperature
performance with good chemical resistance.
• Hybrid/Composite—Hybrid, blended or composite seal materials can provide unique
performance unattainable by either material alone (e.g., graphite with Inconel® nickel based
alloy reinforcement)
• Lubricant Impregnated—Many gasket or packing seal materials can be filled or loaded with
additional high temperature lubricants.
• Metal—Metals or alloys are harder and less compliant compared to seal materials, but they
can withstand high temperatures and pressures without outgassing. Metal to metal seals are
useful in certain applications—e.g., vacuum valves and fittings
• Silicone—Polysiloxane elastomer providing higher temperature performance combined with
chemical
resistance and inertness.

The tensile strength, % elongation, durometer and other mechanical properties of the valve seal
material must be understood to select a seal with the appropriate level of compressibility while
maintaining adequate internal strength to resist blowout under the pressure of the media in the
valve.

If the compression set of the elastomer is too high, then the seal will loosen and leak over time due
to the loss of elastomer’s resiliency. The creep or flow of the seal under heat and pressure is
another factor to consider. If the valve seal material does not have sufficient mechanical strength,
then the pressure performance will be limited. Pressure—withstand internal media pressure without
blowout. Figure 3 shows the maximum operating pressure of several compression packing
materials. Graphite packing materials
outperform PTFE and synthetic material in regards to high pressure. However, PTFE packing
materials can provide good sealing service under vacuum conditions.

An engineer designing a new valve or

retrofitting the seal in an existing valve
should gain an understanding of any
chemical and physical changes to seal
material on exposure to media or external
environment in the application (water, steam,
gas, oil, fuel, corrosive salts, acids, organic
solvents
and liquids as well as temperature and
pressure). While the internal media may be
innocuous, such as a lubricant or oil, the
external environment in the surrounding plant
might present corrosive liquids, volatile
Seal Selection for Valve Design and Retrofitting | Engineering360

Figure 2—Maximum operating pressure (psi) of select compression

solvent fumes or elevated temperatures. The
packing materials available from Phelps Industrial Products.
potential failure mechanisms arising from the
application conditions are usually known from reviews of earlier designs currently in the field and
customer feedback.
The underlying causes of the failure should be determined to find a viable sealing solution.

After prolonged exposure to higher

temperatures, some seal materials can
exhibit reduced mechanical properties due
to heat embrittlement or heat aging, which
results in seal cracking or leakage. Heat
embrittlement and aging is the result of
internal chemical changes as well as
reactions to ozone, oxygen and sunlight
(UV). Amine light stabilizers, oxidation
inhibitors and other aging additives are
compounded to enhance aging
performance. If your seal will be exposed to
elevated temperatures for extended times, Figure 3—Minimum and maximum use temperatures for select gasket
materials available from Phelps
then
Phelps’ General Age Resistance of Elastomers table should be consulted to aid in seal material
selection. Exposure to ozone or oxygen can deteriorate some thermoplastics and elastomers over
time. Liquid nitrogen and other liquefied gas media expose valve seals to extreme cold or cryogenic
temperatures, which can quickly turn certain flexible elastomers into brittle solids.

The minimum and maximum recommended use temperature of the seal material should be
referenced in regard to the media and ambient temperature where the valve will be operating.
Aramid, graphite, fiberglass and PTFE provide the highest use temperature on the select gasket
materials reviewed in Figure 4. PTFE provides the lowest use temperature. Certain elastomer or
rubber gasket materials are not recommended
for low temperature applications.

Figure 4—Fluid compatibility with several seal materials

Corrosion and chemical resistance is another factor. Gasoline, solvents, hydraulic fluids, organic
chemicals and other fluid media can be absorbed causing a seal material to swell and deteriorate
mechanical properties with subsequent leakage or blowout. In other cases, acids, saltwater, alkaline
solutions and other fluids can corrode a metal seal. The Fluid Compatibility of Elastomers and Fluid
Compatibility of Metals
are good reference tables to consult to avoid incompatibility issues with your valve seal material. In
applications with wet or aqueous environments, metal or conductive valve seal materials should be
chosen to avoid creation of a galvanic corrosion couple. For instance, a steel or 400 series stainless
steel valve seal used in a nickel-copper Monel® or 300 series stainless valve body conveying
seawater will promote the
corrosion of less noble seal metal alloy. Dielectric isolating isolation gaskets and bolt insulating
sleeves are used on valve flange connections to interrupt current flow and electrically insulate the
Seal Selection for Valve Design and Retrofitting | Engineering360

valve from the pipeline preventing cathodic corrosion from stray currents. Figure 4 provides a
sample of several fluids and their compatibility to several common seal materials.

Valves transferring erosive slurries, powders, granules or solids require erosion resistance seal
materials, a combination of seals or other protective seal elements. Excessive wear can occur
during sliding or rotation of stem or seat elements against the seal. The wear problem can be the
exacerbated intrusion of erosive media into the stem seal interface. Materials combination should be
selected to avoid galling or
binding situations. Valve seal materials impregnated with solid or high temperature lubricants can
reduce binding between the stem and packing.

In vacuum and lower pressure valve applications, low outgassing valve seal materials should be
selected to avoid downstream process contamination. Non-porous elastomers (non-lubricated, low
plasticizer levels), PTFE or metal seals might be advisable choices. If a lubricant impregnated seal
is required, then vacuum greases or solid lubricants with low volatilization might be possible
choices. The valve stem seals should be selected to maintain a low friction and a nonbinding
condition around the stem. Low friction is required
to ensure that an operator or actuator can easily open or close the valve.

Standards and Regulations

Compliance to regulations, codes and standards are impacted by the valve seals selected.

Valve seals are an integral part of industrial efforts to control

Figure 5—Mechanical, Thermal and
Environmental Performance
fugitive emissions. Fugitive emissions are gases and vapors
released into the environment without passing through a
stack, chimney, vent, scrubber or other pollution control
equipment. EPA regulations mandated implementation of
Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) programs at oil refineries,
chemical plants or other industries emitting volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) and volatile hazardous air pollutants
(VHAPs) from leaking equipment such as valves, pumps,
compressors, tanks and connectors. In chemical plants and
refineries, 60% to 75% of the fugitive leaks occur at valves.
EPA has made the valve OEM responsible for ensuring low
fugitive VOC emissions from the valves they manufacture.

Factors in Valve Seal Selection

NSF/ANSI standards and FDA regulations must be met for sanitary valves or valves designed for
use in potable water, food, beverage or drug contact applications. The valve seal material should
not release any toxic substances in these applications. If the valve is part of a medical device or
equipment, then additional standards and regulations would apply.

In safety intensive or fail-safe applications, regulations and standards from OSHA, API, SAE, ANSI,
ISA/ANSI, ISO or other organizations must be met to prevent explosions, the release of extremely
toxic media or failure of mission critical components. For instance, the ASME Boiler and Pressure
Vessel Code (BPVC) has specific requirements for valves to prevent the explosion of boilers, which
can result in loss of life and property damage. Valves in aircraft and nuclear power plants are
additional examples of safety critical applications
requiring high reliability valve seals.

A wider range of seal materials may solely meet the mechanical performance requirements (tensile
strength,
compression set, etc.) of an application. The addition of a thermal performance criterion such as
strength at an elevated media temperature narrows the choice of valve seal materials. A small
viable subset of valve seal materials might be the result when both thermomechanical and
environmental performance (chemical resistance, aging, etc.) constraints are considered such a
Seal Selection for Valve Design and Retrofitting | Engineering360

valve seal material operating at high

temperatures while sealing a pressurized, corrosive media.

Design Tips and Next Steps

Industrial seals are available today in a wide range of specific types or configurations as well as
materials, both of which are often designed or selected for specific end-use situations.
Understanding the valve seal material properties, chemical resistance and compatibility are
important is selecting a valve that will meet and maintain your valve design performance criteria.

While the valve seal components are critical to engineers in the valve design process, many other
valve aspects require rigorous design and analysis to maximize overall valve performance.

Design Recommendations and Next Steps:

• Design to prevent overtightening or loosening

(a) Provide clear specifications for bolting torque
(b) Use metal to metal fit or stops to prevent
overtightening of gaskets or seals
(c) Proper tolerances for sealing material and mating
components
(d) Use thread retaining/locking compound and lock
washers
• Design proper geometry for seal—e.g., positioning or retaining grooves that do not pinch, over
compress or extrude the valve seal.
• Surface engineering—Low friction coatings and low Ra surface finishes on surfaces sliding
against seals
can increase seal life. An extremely rough surface or a corroded metal surface can result in
leakage.
• Select valve internal alloys or materials with corrosion resistance at least equal to the seal
material. A PTFE seal material is very inert and corrosion resistant, but leaks could still occur if
the internal metal surfaces with poor corrosion resistance are attacked by aggressive media.
• Utilize rotary stem designs over linear stem designs.
• Minimize product variability by selecting a single seal OEM supplier with a broad offering and
custom
engineering capability to meet all your needs, such as Phelps.
• Find a valve seal supplier capable of quick responding and providing a solution to seal failure
problems that occur in the field, such as Phelps.
• Leverage material expertise and design knowledge of a well-respected and reliable seal OEM,
such as Phelps, in order to design the next high performance industry valve.

The proper valve seal selection can enhance valve design or retrofit project compared to existing or
alternative candidates by providing benefits such as reduced leakage and tighter sealing, improved
reliability, extended lifetime, lower maintenance, higher operating pressure or temperature and ease
of installation.