The Online O-Ring Connection.

O-RING FAILURE ANALYSIS

Prevention of seal failures through proper design, material selection and
maintenance certainly minimizes the risk of failure. Attention to the condition of
replaced seals, as well as the equipment performance over time, will result in
improved process reliability, reduced operating costs and a safer work environment.
O-ring seals often fail prematurely in applications because of improper design or
compound selection. This section is designed to provide the user with eamples of
common failure modes. !y correctly identifying the failure mode, changes in the
design or seal material can lead to improved seal performance.
"rom the end-user#s point of view, a seal can fail in three $%& general ways'
Leaking
Contamination
Change in Appearance
ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS
One ma(or factor in possible seal failure is the etreme and harsh environment in
which seals are epected to perform. The sealing environment can consist of
virtually anything from inert gases at room temperatures to aggressive chemicals at
very high temperatures. The sealing environment may result in chemical
degradation or swelling of the sealing components. )levated temperatures may
cause seal degradation, swelling or outgassing. And the pressure*or more often,
the vacuum environments*can cause outgassing and weight loss.
+ontributing factors to seal failure in the sealing environment include'
Chemical* the type of chemical$s& in service
Thermal* the operating ranges of the seal $also any thermal cycling&
Pressure/Vacuum* the range of pressures or vacuum levels in the process
SEAL DESIGN ANALYSIS
Page 1 of 5 O-Ring Failure Analysis
26-07-2014 http:!!!"allorings"#o$failure"ht$
Analysis of the seal application is crucial to the understanding of possible failure.
,ost seal design is performed by component suppliers and equipment
manufacturers. The designs are refined as eperience is gained. As quickly as
process technology changes, however, the eperience gained with seal design may
not be relevant to the latest process technology. -acuum applications have
historically relied on high levels of compression and gland fill to reduce permeation
and trapped gases. These techniques, when applied to new materials, or at higher
operating temperatures, can result in premature seal failure.
The seal design and application can provide information about the cause of failure'
Static Seals* aial and radial, confined or unconfined
Dynamic Seals* aial $open-close& or radial $reciprocating or rotary&
Sealing Gland Dimensions*
shape $square, trapezoidal, etc.&
compression
gland fill
stretch
nstallation Procedures* stretch
COMMON SEAL FAILURES
ABRASION
Description! %he seal or parts of the seal e&hi'it a flat surfa#e
parallel to the (ire#tion or $otion" )oose parti#les an( s#rapes $ay
'e foun( on the seal surfa#e"
Contri"uting #actors! Rough sealing surfa#es" *&#essi+e
te$perature" Pro#ess en+iron$ent #ontaining a'rasi+e parti#les"
,yna$i# $otion" Poor elasto$er surfa#e finish"
Suggested Solutions! -se re#o$$en(e( glan( surfa#e finishes"
.onsi(er internally lu'e( elasto$ers" *li$inate a'rasi+e
#o$ponents"
COMPRESSION SET
Description! %he seal e&hi'its a flat-si(e( #ross-se#tion/ the flat
si(es #orrespo(ing to the $ating seal surfa#es"
Contri"uting #actors! *&#essi+e #o$pression" *&#essi+e
te$perature" 0n#o$pletely #ure( elasto$er" *lasto$er !ith high
#o$pression set" *&#essi+e +olu$e s!ell in #he$i#al"
Suggested Solutions! )o! #o$pression set elasto$er" Proper
glan( (esign for the spe#ifi# elasto$er" .onfir$ $aterial
#o$pati'ility"
Page 2 of 5 O-Ring Failure Analysis
26-07-2014 http:!!!"allorings"#o$failure"ht$
CHEMICAL DEGRADATION
Description! %he seal $ay e&hi'it $any signs of (egra(ation
in#lu(ing 'listers/ #ra#1s/ +oi(s or (is#oloration" 0n so$e #ases/ the
(egra(ation is o'ser+a'le only 'y $easure$ent of physi#al
properties"
Contri"uting #actors! .ontri'uting Fa#tors: 0n#o$pati'ility !ith
the #he$i#al an(or ther$al en+iron$ent"
Suggested Solutions! 2ele#tion of $ore #he$i#ally resistant
elasto$er"
EXPLOSIVE DECOMPRESSION
Description! The seal ehibits blisters, pits or pocks on its
surface. Absorption of gas at high pressure and the
subsequent rapid decrease in pressure. The absorbed gas
blisters and ruptures the elastomer surface as the pressure is
rapidly removed"
Contri"uting #actors! Rapi( pressure #hanges" )o!-
$o(ulushar(ness elasto$er"
Suggested Solutions! 3igher-$o(ulushar(ness elasto$er"
2lo!er (e#o$pression 4release of pressure5"
EXTRUSION
Description! %he seal (e+elops ragge( e(ges 4generally on the
lo!-pressure si(e5 !hi#h appear tattere("
Contri"uting #actors! *&#essi+e #learan#es" *&#essi+e pressure"
)o!-$o(ulushar(ness elasto$er" *&#essi+e glan( fill" 0rregular
#learan#e gaps" 2harp glan( e(ges" 0$proper si6ing"
Suggested Solutions! ,e#rease #learan#es" 3igher-
$o(ulushar(-ness elasto$er" Proper glan( (esign" -se of poly$er
'a#1up rings"
INSTALLATION DAMAGE
Description! %he seal or parts of the seal $ay e&hi'it s$all #uts/
ni#1s or gashes"
Contri"uting #actors! 2harp e(ges on glan(s or #o$ponents"
0$proper si6ing of elasto$er" )o!-$o(ulushar(ness elasto$er"
*lasto$er surfa#e #onta$ination"
Suggested Solutions! Re$o+e all sharp e(ges" Proper glan(
(esign" Proper elasto$er si6ing" 3igher-$o(ulushar(ness elasto$er"
Page 7 of 5 O-Ring Failure Analysis
26-07-2014 http:!!!"allorings"#o$failure"ht$
OUTGASSING / EXTRACTION
Description! %his failure is often +ery (iffi#ult to (ete#t fro$
e&a$ination of the seal" %he seal $ay e&hi'it a (e#rease in #ross-
se#tional si6e"
Contri"uting #actors! 0$proper or i$properly #ure( elasto$er"
3igh +a#uu$ le+els" )o! har(nessplasti#i6e( elasto$er"
Suggested Solutions! A+oi( plasti#i6e( elasto$ers" *nsure all
seals are properly post-#ure( to $ini$i6e outgassing"
OVERCOMPRESSION
Description! %he seal e&hi'its parallel flat surfa#es 4#orrespon(ing
to the #onta#t areas5 an( $ay (e+elop #ir#u$ferential splits !ithin
the flattene( surfa#es"
Contri"uting #actors! 0$proper (esign8failure to a##ount for
ther$al or #he$i#al +olu$e #hanges/ or e&#essi+e #o$pression"
Suggested Solutions! 9lan( (esign shoul( ta1e into a##ount
$aterial responses to #he$i#al an( ther$al en+iron$ents"
PLASMA DEGRADATION
Description! %he seal often e&hi'its (is#oloration/ as !ell as
po!(ere( resi(ue on the surfa#e an( possi'le erosion of elasto$er in
the e&pose( areas"
Contri"uting #actors! .he$i#al rea#ti+ity of the plas$a" 0on
'o$'ar($ent 4sputtering5" *le#tron 'o$'ar($ent 4heating5"
0$proper glan( (esign" 0n#o$pati'le seal $aterial"
Suggested Solutions! Plas$a-#o$pati'le elasto$er an(
#o$poun(" :ini$i6e e&pose( area" *&a$ine glan( (esign"
Page 4 of 5 O-Ring Failure Analysis
26-07-2014 http:!!!"allorings"#o$failure"ht$
SPIRAL FAILURE
Description! %he seal e&hi'its #uts or $ar1s !hi#h spiral aroun(
its #ir#u$feren#e"
Contri"uting #actors! ,iffi#ult or tight installation 4stati#5" 2lo!
re#ipro#ating spee(" )o!-$o(ulushar(ness elasto$er" 0rregular
O-ring surfa#e finish 4in#lu(ing e&#essi+e parting line5" *&#essi+e
glan( !i(th" 0rregular or rough glan( surfa#e finish" 0na(e;uate
lu'ri#ation"
Suggested Solutions! .orre#t installation pro#e(ures" 3igher-
$o(ulus elasto$er" 0nternally-lu'e( elasto$ers" Proper glan(
(esign" 9lan( surfa#e finish of <=16 $i#roin#h R:2" Possi'le use of
poly$er 'a#1up rings"
THERMAL DEGRADATION
Description! %he seal $ay e&hi'it ra(ial #ra#1s lo#ate( on the
highest te$perature surfa#es" 0n a((ition/ #ertain elasto$ers $ay
e&hi'it signs of softening8a shiny surfa#e as a result of e&#essi+e
te$peratures"
Contri"uting #actors! *lasto$er ther$al properties" *&#essi+e
te$perature e&#ursions or #y#ling"
Suggested Solutions! 2ele#tion of an elasto$er !ith i$pro+e(
ther$al sta'ility" *+aluation of the possi'ility of #ooling sealing
surfa#es"
. ,aterial /election 0uide $Order 1ere& .
. O-2ings )plained . O-2ings /izing +hart .
. "luid +ompalibility 0uide . O-2ing "ailure Analysis .
. 1ome . +ontact 3s . 2equest a 4uote .
-espel5 is a registered trademark of 6u7ont
-espel8 is a registered trademark of 6u7ont
-iton and 9alrez are a registered trademark of 6u7ont 7erformance )lastomers
Altymid5 an( .he$ra6> are a registered trademark of 0reen Tweed
: ;<<=->??% allorings.com @nc. All rights reserved.
Page 5 of 5 O-Ring Failure Analysis
26-07-2014 http:!!!"allorings"#o$failure"ht$