×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Nirile in Caustic

Nirile in Caustic

Nirile in Caustic

(OP)
I previously posted this on the Polymer forum, but since there are some rubber experts here, I am inquiring here.I have an inline caustic washer on a paint line.The parts hang from an overhead conveyor and there is a slot on top of each stage for the parts hangers to pass through.This slot is sealed with a rubber strip on each side for the entire length.In the spray washer (5% sodium hydroxide at 140F)stage, I used EPDM rubber because of its resistance to hot water and caustic.But, I didn't consider the effects of the oil removed from the parts during washing.This oil mist swelled the EPDM sealing strips, scalloping them to the point where the top of the washer is no longer sealed.Would nitrile work in this application?

RE: Nirile in Caustic

The nitrile rubber would be more resistant to oil, but it is less resistant to sodium hydroxide.  Volume swell is estimated to be 10-20%.  Fluoroelastomers or perfluoroelastomers would perform the best.

RE: Nirile in Caustic

Hot caustic and oil combined will probably force you into a more expensive compound.  Unless you can redesign the seal lips with metal back plates and spring loading so that distortion of the elastomer doesn't have as much effect on performance.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Corrosion never sleeps, but it can be managed.
http://www.trenttube.com/Trent/tech_form.htm

RE: Nirile in Caustic

(OP)
We are only talking about 50 feet of 6" rubber strip, so cost will not be an issue.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources