Seals - definition
Seals - definition
Seals is a structural element used to ensure the tightness of joints between two or more contact surfaces in mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic and chemical systems. Its main purpose is to prevent the uncontrolled flow of liquids, gases or dust, and to minimise the risk of leakage and loss of working fluid, thus improving the efficiency and operational safety of technical equipment.
The design and properties of Seals depend on the type of application, operating conditions and parameters such as temperature, pressure, chemical aggressiveness of the medium or load dynamics. Seals are made from a wide range of materials, including elastomers (e.g. EPDM, NBR, FKM), metals (e.g. stainless steel, copper), expanded graphite, aramid fibres or multilayer composites, often enriched with coatings to improve chemical resistance or reduce friction assembly.
The mechanism of action of a gasket is based on its ability to compensate for unevenness and deformation of the surfaces of the parts to be joined by appropriately distributing contact forces, thus maintaining tightness even under conditions of varying loads and thermal expansion. High-performance Seals must provide resistance to ageing, material creep and the maintenance of mechanical properties throughout the life cycle of the device, especially in applications requiring high reliability, such as aerospace, nuclear power and petrochemicals.
Dynamic designs, such as piston-cylinder systems, use Seals capable of sliding or rotary motion, using lip geometry or O-ring seals that adapt to varying operating conditions. Modern technologies are increasingly using advanced metal-polymer seals and seals made from nanomodified materials that offer higher resistance to extreme temperatures, pressures and chemicals.
Seal design requires detailed analysis of system performance, selection of a material suitable for the working medium and optimisation of contact geometry to achieve a balance between the requirements of tightness, durability and ease of installation. Modern engineering applications also use numerical modelling techniques, such as finite element method (FEA), to simulate the behaviour of seals under complex mechanical and thermal loads.
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