Optimised design extends seal service life to one million miles
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 2011
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 76 KB
- Volume
- 2011
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1350-4789
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✦ Synopsis
Bal Seal develops high-pressure seals for UHPLC pumps B al Seal Engineering Inc is devel- oping seals, rated at 30 000 psi, for the next generation of ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) pumps.
The provider of custom-engineered sealing technology for laboratory equipment and analytical sciences says that the UHPLC pump seals are being developed for mobile phase applications which involve extreme pressure, and systems are increasingly in demand for analysing high-viscosity inorganic samples in, for example, the development of pharmaceuticals.
HPLC and UHPLC piston seals are manufactured to very fine tolerances to fit around the piston in a pump and prevent seepage of eluent. A leaking seal can lead to catastrophic situations, including contamination and system breakdown.
The new seals will be made from advanced polymer formulations, and some configurations will employ the company's Canted-coil spring technology for longer seal life and more effective sealing performance.
Seal profiles will be optimised for longer service life and durability under a wider range of pump pressures. Back-up seal designs will provide additional protection against extrusion in some applications.
Steven Twork, Global Analytical Market Manager, Bal Seal, commented: 'We have the right materials and the right seal geometries. The seals we are developing for these unprecedented pressures will last as long as, or longer than, other Bal Seal UHPLC seals -typically 800 hours or more when properly maintained. They will work equally well at low pressures too.'
'System manufacturers and end-users will have access to high performance seals that provide exceptional performance over an increased pressure range.'