Simulation of Sealing Performance of Elastomeric O-Ring Gasket Including Metal Skeleton

Abstract

In the hydraulic and pneumatic equipments, the elastomeric O-ring gaskets are widely used to ensure their sealing. The sealing capability of an elastomeric O-ring gasket depends upon the contact stresses that develop between the O-ring and the surfaces with which it comes into contact. In order to increase the strength and service life of the general elastomeric O-ring gasket, this gasket including metal skeleton is gradually applied to the actual product in recent years. In spite of the sealing performance of the elastomeric O-ring gasket has been investigated in many literatures, few information of it is known about the elastomeric O-ring gasket including metal skeleton. If any gasket degrades or fails, the overall operation and performance of the production will be affected. This paper aims to study the contact stresses occurred on the metal skeleton seal structure under the various interference fits with three sectional forms (trapezoid cross section, square cross section and circular cross section). Finite element analysis is used to predict sealing performance of an installed metal skeleton seal, providing a normal force against the sealing surface. Results gained show that the contact stresses occurred on the metal skeleton seal is larger than it generated on the general elastomeric O-ring gasket. Furthermore, the metal skeleton seal possessed trapezoid cross section can produce the maximum contact stress, which will show the best sealing performance among three sectional forms.