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http://dx.doi.org/10.9725/kts.2019.35.4.222

A Study on the Lifetime Estimation and Leakage Test of Rubber O-ring in Contacted with Fuel at Accelerated Thermal Aging Conditions  

Chung, Kunwoo (Dept. of Environmental & Resources Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology)
Hong, Jinsook (Researcher, Dept. of Environmental & Resources Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology)
Kim, Young-wun (Dept. of Environmental & Resources Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology)
Han, Jeongsik (Agency for Defense Development)
Jeong, Byunghun (Agency for Defense Development)
Kwon, Youngil (Dept. of Industrial Engineering, Cheongju University)
Publication Information
Tribology and Lubricants / v.35, no.4, 2019 , pp. 222-228 More about this Journal
Abstract
As rubber products such as O-rings, which are also known as packings or toric joints, come in regular, long term contact with liquid fuel, they can eventually swell, become mechanically weakened, and occasionally crack; this diminishes both their usefulness and intrinsic lifetime and could cause leaks during the steady-state flow condition of the fuel. In this study, we evaluate the lifetime of such products through compression set tests of FKM, a family of fluorocarbon elastomer materials defined by the ASTM international standard D141; these materials have great compression, sunlight, and ozone resistance as well as a low gas absorption rate. In this process, O-rings are immersed in the liquid fuel of airtight containers that can be expressed as a compression set, and the liquid fuel leakage in a flow rig tester at variable temperatures over 12 months is investigated. Using the Power Law model, our study determined a theoretical O-ring lifetime of 2,647 years, i.e. a semi-permanent lifespan, by confirming the absence of liquid fuel leakage around the O-ring assembled fittings. These results indicate that the FKM O-rings are significantly compatible for fuel tests to evaluate long-term sealing conditions.
Keywords
liquid fuel; rubber O-ring; compression set; lifetime prediction; leakage test;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 1  (Citation Analysis)
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