James Walker offers large-section RGD capability

The latest Norsok tests carried out on James Walker’s New Generation FR68/90 fluoroelastomer have returned a perfect ‘0000’ rating for a 10.00mm secti

No compromise
The material was launched in August this year with a clear performance advantage over the best options currently available, the pre-launch test programme at that time having established ‘0000’ ratings at 8.40mm at 100ºC and 5.33mm section at an elevated temperature of 150 ºC.

This exceptional RGD performance is not achieved at the expense of other material characteristics however. FR68/90 retains flexibility for ease of fitting and offers excellent seal stress retention characteristics with compression set figures of just 8% after 24 hours @ +175°C and 10% after 24 hours @ +200°C. This is in addition to superb Amine and H2S resistance plus an operational temperature capability of -30ºC to +200ºC.

New capabilities
The testing was carried out at the purpose-built RGD testing facility within the James Walker Technology Centre - one of the most advanced and expanding facilities for RGD testing currently available.

The results revealed a top rating of zero defects in all four samples following rapid gas decompression testing at 100ºC (212ºF) using a pressure of 150bar (15MPa) and a decompression rate of 35bar/minute (3.5MP/minute). This is well in excess of the 20bar/minute industry standard demanded by the Norsok M-710 test regime.

The combined performance parameters of FR68/90 open up new opportunities for extending the use of elastomeric materials to larger sections than previously possible with no loss of RGD resistance. This holds the possibility to eliminate the need for complex and costly re-engineering of components to accept solutions such as spring energised PTFE seals which are physically larger, more sensitive to surface finish and more difficult to install.

Testing continues
Since the launch of FR68/90 James Walker has continued an intensive testing programme - both for RGD performance at increasing temperatures and larger sections as well as for chemical resistance - to map out the full performance envelope of the material’s advanced polymer architecture. In addition, the material is now also undergoing field trials in the sort of applications and environments for which it was designed.

Application specific
Although this New Generation material significantly extends the performance envelope of fluoroelastomer (FKM) materials, FR68/90 will by no means replace the existing market-leading elastomers in the James Walker range such as Elast-O-Lion® 101 and FR58/90, which will remain the best available technology for many current oil and gas industry applications.

Full product details plus a PDF brochure are available on the James Walker website.

James Walker, Tel: 01900 823555
Website: www.jameswalker.biz

Published: 31st March 2011