scope:

Maximizing the sealing performance, longevity and reliability of gasket materials continues to challenge users in the industrial marketplace. There is a wide array of gasketing materials available, however there remains a lack of well understood, meaningful performance data and useful insight into the material's capabilities and limitations. Current resources and information that is available typically relies heavily upon interpretations made from physical property data and short duration, ambient or low temperature performance testing. There are currently no standard procedures or guidelines for manufacturers and users to follow when qualifying and confirming the performance or use capabilities of today's industrial gasket materials.

PVRC project 95-18 provides a concise summary of the current MTI, PVRC and TTRL gasket performance test methods and analysis, and suggests qualification schemes for users and manufacturers to follow when evaluating and specifying compressed non-asbestos fiber gaskets, PTFE based gaskets, flexible graphite sheet type gaskets and spiral wound gaskets. An Appendix provides more detailed descriptions of many of these tests and methods.

Use and understanding of the project 95-18 qualification guidelines facilitates an engineered approach to selection and use of gasket materials, and will help increase the performance and reliability of bolted, flanges connections