Sealing performance of sealing structure in a sediment sampler under ultra-high pressure

Abstract

As a key component of a sediment sampler designed for ultra-high pressures, the sealing structure determines whether pressure retention can be reliably achieved. This study constructed a finite element model to study sealing performance and reveal the sealing mechanism. The effects of the hardness and compression rate of O-ring as well as seawater pressure on the sealing performance were studied. The study showed that a self-tightening seal can be formed when the coefficient of friction on the sealing surface is less than or equal to 0.25. In addition, the maximum contact stress of the O-ring increased nearly linearly with increasing pressure, and it was larger than the corresponding pressure. However, with increasing pressure, the maximum Von-Mises stress initially increased rapidly, then tended to stabilize, and then continued to increase. Although increasing the hardness reduced the principal strain, the stress increased correspondingly. Within the compression rate range from 10 to 25%, the hardness of the O-ring had a greater impact on the contact pressure than the compression rate. In order to further verify that the finite element analysis was accurate, the sealing performance was tested, and the results showed that the seal was reliable and capable of sealing a deep-sea sampler.

Research on the Sealing Mechanism of Split-Liner High-Pressure Hydrogen Storage Cylinders

“…However, a compression rate that is too high can lead to high Mises stress on the O-ring, resulting in stress relaxation and plastic deformation over time. This can cause a loss of elasticity, leading to leakage and sealing failure, ultimately shortening the O-ring's service life [25][26][27]. The sealing performance of the cylinder is affected by the distance from the straight edge section to the sealing groove of the head.…”