Abstract
The sealing performance of an elastomeric O-ring seal with a temperature gradient has been analyzed for the contact stress behaviors that develop between the O-ring seal and the housing surfaces with which it comes into contact in the dovetail groove. The leakage of an O-ring seal will occur when the pressure differential across the seal just exceeds the initial peak contact stress. The contact stress behaviors that develop in compressed O-rings, in common case of restrained geometry (grooved), are investigated using the finite element method. The FE analysis includes material hyperelasticity and axisymmetry The computed FEM results show that the contact stress behaviors are related to a compression rate and a temperature gradient between the vacuum chamber with a dovetail groove and the contacting plate with a cooling jacket.