How do you prevent a gasket blowout?

Blowout can lead to a catastrophic failure, caused by the unplanned escape of the contained material.   The liquid, gas or other hazardous material that is released can cause a dangerous environment.   Ensuring the success of a gasket is important to help create a safer environment for your team.

Blowout happens when the internal pressure exceeds the strength of the gasket and exceeds the forces in the assembly that compress and retain the gasket.    Although there is no one way to prevent a blowout there are key factors to consider reducing the likelihood of a blowout.

• Remember, thinner is better. If the material is too thick it can add more strain to the joint assembly.  Over time, too thick of material can creep and this leads to bolt relaxation which then leads to less resistance to the internal pressure load after the initial clamping forces on the gasket erode.


• Minimizing the amount of vibration helps to decrease the stress on the gasket and increase the likelihood of a successful application.


• Be mindful of the temperature. The gasket material should be able to withstand the highest or lowest temperature of the environment.


• Chemical compatibility between the sealed material, the gasket material and the external environment is required to sustain gasket elastomeric properties.

 

PGC Engineers are here to answer your questions and help you find the best material for your application.  Get in touch with us today!