The Packings Division received the first results of the test project with Amtec and the University of Mannheim to perform packing tests at room and elevated temperatures to compare helium and hydrogen leakage. Later this year, tests with temperature and spindle cycling are planned for
different packing materials. Another project will be started to compare the leakage performance of packing sets to lengths with PTFE packing material.
Ralf Vogel, ESA’s Technical Director
The Expansion Joints Division is in an advanced stage to issue a configurator tool for fabric expansion joints selection. It is planned to make this tool available on the Division website as well as in the ESA Knowledge Base.
The Plan 53 B bulletin developed by the Mechanical Seals Division members will be forwarded to the API 682 working group, which is considering an update to the Plan 53 B section during the current revision process.
The Flange Gasket Division has collected a wide range of emission test results comparing hydrogen to helium leakage performance. It is planned to publish technical articles for different gasket materials in cooperation with Amtec.
All divisions are actively working on additional or new training modules to be published in the Knowledge Base.
This year, three articles have been published by ESA members in Valve World magazine. The Expansion Joints Division will have an article about “Correct design for fabric expansion joints” in the June edition of Hose + Coupling World. PDF versions of all articles can be found in the Knowledge Base. The Mechanical Seals Division is planning to provide articles for Pump Engineer magazine in the future.
The new standard ISO/CD 5119 “Low Temperature Sealing Capability of Elastomeric Seals — Test Methods” initiated by Ozan Devlen and the Elastomeric & Polymeric Seals Division, is on course to be published in January 2024. ESA will join the next working group meeting of ISO TC 153/WG 5 to further develop the new standard ISO 12101 “Industrial valves — Measurement, test and qualification procedures for fugitive emissions — Classification system and qualification procedures for type testing of stem seals for valve emissions”.
Ralf Vogel,
Technical Director