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Experimental analysis of axial and radial stress distribution in soft materials used for

petrochemical valve stem sealing package

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2017 IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 174 012004

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13th International Conference on Tribology, ROTRIB’16 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 174 (2017) 012004 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/174/1/012004

Experimental analysis of axial and radial stress distribution in

soft materials used for petrochemical valve stem sealing
package

R G Ripeanu1, A Ispas2 and D Ispas1

1
University Petroleum-Gas of Ploiesti, Mechanical Engineering Department, 39
Bucharest Blvd., 100680 Ploiesti, Romania
2
S.C. Etanșări GRAFEX S.R.L., 1 Dumbravei Street, 100197 Ploiesti, Romania

E-mail: rrapeanu@upg-ploiesti.ro

Abstract. Paper presents experimental results obtained by authors regarding pressure values
and distribution, by using a special pressure sensitive paper, type FujiFilm and adequate
hardware equipment and a soft program FPD810 Win. Was obtained the proper axial force
related for different materials in order to respect the valves sealing demands. Were showed
that, pressure maps obtained depends of the construction of sealing package, density of the
preformed band rings and corrected sealing replacing on location in case of square braided cord
used.

1. Introduction
Refineries are industrial sites that manage huge amounts of raw and processed materials and in the
same time being intensive consumers of energy and water. That is the reason for refineries to be on the
2nd place [1] (after combustion plants with a power greater than 50 MW) in energy industry domain in
Directive 2008/1/EC of 15 January 2008 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control of
pollution, IPPC (was included, together with the late six directives, directive 2010/75/I of 24
November 2010) referring industrial emissions.
On the total refineries fugitive emissions (specific in case of sealing’s), 75% are generated by
valves [1], so diminishing pollution is an important problem that must be solved.
There are many norms [2] (API 589, API 607, API 622ASME B73.1, ASME B73.2, ASTM F
2087-01, ASTM F2168-02, ASTM F 2191-02, ASTM F 1277-02, BS 4371, ISA-SP-93, ANSI/FCI 91-
1, MSS SP – 120, MSS SP – 121, TA Luft, VDI 2440, EN ISO 15848-1) which impose very
restrictive conditions regarding leakage rate. In Europe are applied especially TA – Luft (Technische
Anleitung zur Reinhaltung der Luft, 2002), VDI 2440 (Verein Deuscher Ingenieure) and EN ISO
15848-1, 2. The “Technische Anleitung zur Reinhaltung der Luft” (Technical Guidelines for Air
Pollution Control, or TA Luft for short and referred to hereinafter as TA Luft) are like a law in
character [3]. Among other things, this norm pursues the objective of reducing emissions with gasket
systems which are normally used in the chemicals and petrochemical industries. TA Luft only gives
guidelines in respect of compliance with permissible leakage limits and refers to regulations which
define basic conditions for inspections [3]. For shutoff and regulating valves, will be applied VDI
(Association of German Engineers) Guideline 2440 which may be regarded as state-of-the-art from a

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13th International Conference on Tribology, ROTRIB’16 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 174 (2017) 012004 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/174/1/012004

legal perspective [3]. Guideline VDI 2440 refers to average gas-like emissions for differing gasket
systems but these are not upper limits (see table 1). VDI 2440 refers to the use of high quality metallic
bellows with a downstream safety stuffing box or “equivalent gasket systems” as a particularly
effective means of reducing emissions. In other words, metallic bellows and so-called “equivalent
gasket systems” are established as conforming to TA Luft [3]. This means that only these kinds of
gasket systems may be used in Germany on shutoff and regulating valves when a TA Luft medium is
subsidized.
Table 1. Average gaseous emissions (leakage) for valve gaskets [3].
Leakage related to the
Gasket system average size of the
gasket (mg/sxm)
Stuffing box with packing 1.0
Stuffing box with cup leather, O-ring 0.1
Stuffing box with packing, stuffing box with cup leather, O-ring (with 0.01
“TA Air Certificate” according to VDI 2440, Section 3.3.1.3)
Metallic bellows, sealed 0.01
Metallic bellows, sealed (with flat gasket possessing a TA Luft 0.001
Certificate according to VDI 2440)
Stuffing box with packing and sealing medium/suction, metallic No emission
bellows, welded on both sides (technically leak-proof)

The norm EN ISO 15848-1 has been valid since 2006. These ISO norm describes detailed tests for
determining leakage and the creep behavior of valves. The norm was developed under the overall
control of the CEN/TC 69 “Industrial Valves” Committee. The norm distinguishes between the
following parameters [3]:
 3 grades of imperviousness for the spindle/shaft;
 a grade of imperviousness for the body gasket;
 2 testing media (helium and methane);
 3 grades of firmness;
 5 grades of temperature;
 1 distinction between shutoff and regulating valves.
According to EN ISO 15848-1, table 2 shows the grades of imperviousness for die spindle and the
shaft.

Table 2. Grade of imperviousness/leakage areas [3].

Measured leakage
Grade Remarks
rate (mg/sxm)
Typically achieved with bellows gasket or an
A
≤10-6 equivalent spindle/shaft gasket system for swivel
(helium only)
valves.
Typically achieved with packing on a PTFE basis
B ≤10-4
or elastomer packing.
Typically achieved with packing on the basis of
C ≤10-2
flexible graphite.

The majority of the refinery valves, newer or older manufactured have the sealing with
atmosphere- to avoid volatile organic compounds emissions, placed on the valve stem of type stuffing
box with soft sealing material package. Expanded graphite (flexible) is almost generalized used as soft
material [1] [2], [4], in various forms: square braided cord, preformed band rings and combined

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13th International Conference on Tribology, ROTRIB’16 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 174 (2017) 012004 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/174/1/012004

packages in various densities and construction. Sealing depends on radial pressure developed in
package due to axial pressure applied on the gland [2], [5], [6].
The aim of this paper is to present a method of testing new sealing soft materials and to analyze
axial and radial stress distribution in these materials used for petrochemical valve stem sealing
package, in order to determine the transforming pressure coefficients that are used in dimensioning
calculus of sealing package, with respecting fugitive emissions imposed by the norms presented
above.

2. Stuffing box sealing calculus

Depending of working conditions, stuffing box sealing requires of us to differentiate between static or
dynamic use of packings. Very small relative movements of the components are characteristic of seals
under static or semi-static load [2]. At valves, but not only, sealing package must have elasticity, small
friction coefficient and mainly low leakage. When a packing ring is compressed, it will be subjected to
both plastic and elastic deformation depending on the circumstances. In exclusively static sealing
applications, such as housing covers, flanges etc., the seal is required to give an elastic reaction in
order to adapt itself to the dimensional changes of the seal cavity resulting from temperature and stress
variations [2]. Reliable seals should neither extrude at elevated temperatures nor release volatile
constituents. Stuffing box sealing calculus respects the equilibrium state of sealing packing within
stuffing box as presented in figure 1.

Figure 1. Equilibrium state of the

internal pressures of sealing packing
within the stuffing box.
(a) Tightening pressure distribution;
(b) Sealing pressure distribution.

To obtain the pressure equilibrium at x distance we could obtain the px [4], [5], [6]:
(1)

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13th International Conference on Tribology, ROTRIB’16 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 174 (2017) 012004 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/174/1/012004

where: µ 1 and µ 2 are friction coefficients between stem and sealing ring respectively between
sealing ring and stuffing box.
(2)

(3)

We could observe that to solve equations (1), (2) and (3) we have to know geometrical parameters,
[4, 5, 6]:
b = (1.2 ... 1.4) d 1/2 (4)

l = (0.8 ... 1.5) d (5)

and also K is a factor which is specific to the packing, normally ranging from 0.6 to 1.0. K
represents transforming of axial pressure which has an exponential distribution on l-high of the
package, in radial pressure.
K =min (K1, K0) (6)

where: K1 is the pressure transforming coefficient on stuffing box;

K0 - the pressure transforming coefficient on stem/shaft.

3. Experimental tests

3.1. Working procedure

In order to experimentally establish px -axial pressure distribution of package height and radial
pressure on stuffing box and on stem respectively was used the device presented in figure 2 and
pressure sensitive paper fixed on stem, on stuffing box, between the rings, on gland and on seat. In
figure 3 it is shown the pressure sensitive paper fixed as mentioned above.

Figure 2. Testing device.

1-stuffing box; 2-seat; 3-gland; 4-stem/shaft.

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13th International Conference on Tribology, ROTRIB’16 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 174 (2017) 012004 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/174/1/012004

Figure 3. Positions of pressure sensitive papers.

Appling load F was made controlled with a dynamometer and loading speed as well as unloading
speed was also controlled. The maximum load on gland of 40kN, 50kN and 60kN respectively were
maintained 15 seconds and then set was unloaded. FujiFilm pressure sensitive paper registers the
pressure depending on temperature and humidity. Tests were performed at 200C and RH=33%, in dry
conditions (without lubricant). Also at each test, to avoid possible errors, the calibration was made
without stuffing box, pressure sensitive paper being placed between two sealing plates type AF and
clearance between stem.
In figure 5 is presented a result obtained with a specific software type FPD 8010 Win.

Figure 4. FPD 8010 Win pressure sensitive paper results.

From figure 5 we could remark the confidence between measured load of 60000 N and obtained
load on surface of pressure sensitive paper of 59754 N , so an error of 0.41%.

3.2. Experimental results

3.2.1. Package of expanded graphite rings string type GS. For experimental tests were made string
rings of expanded graphite with dimensions Φ67.8 x Φ49.5 x 10.4 mm, (outer diameter x inner
diameter x height) with a mass of 25 g and density of 1.3 g·cm-3. The illustrated in figure 2
arrangements was compressed with a dynamometer measured load of 40, 50 and 60 kN. After
disassembling each paper pressure sensitive rings were analyzed with soft program FPD 8010 Win.
Average axial pressure, px on each ring was considered as arithmetic average of two values obtained
on each ring face.
Radial pressure, qx, on stuffing box and on stem was established for each ring taking account the
height of rings on paper records.
Experimental results obtained for package of expanded graphite rings string are synthetic presented
in table 3.

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13th International Conference on Tribology, ROTRIB’16 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 174 (2017) 012004 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/174/1/012004

Table 3. Results obtained for package of expanded graphite rings string.

Stem Stuffing box
F Average px,
pB Average qx, Average qx,
X103 (MPa) K0 K1
(MPa) (MPa) (MPa)
(N)
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
40 21.75 13 14 16 19 10 11 15 16 0.77 0.79 0.94 0.84 9 11 14 16 0.69 0.79 0.88 0.84

50 27.19 14 15 17 22 13 13 16 20 0.93 0.87 0.94 0.91 11 13 15 19 0.79 0.87 0.88 0.86

60 32.63 22 23 24 30 19 20 21 29 0.86 0.87 0.88 0.97 20 21 22 26 0.91 0.91 0.92 0.87

3.2.2. Package of preformed rings of expanded graphite tape. Experimental tests were identical
conducted as in case of package of expanded graphite rings string. Were realized preformed rings of
expanded graphite tape with Φ67.8 x Φ49.5 x 9.7 mm, (outer diameter x inner diameter x height), with
a mass of 22 g and density of 1.1 g·cm-3.
Experimental results obtained for package of preformed rings of expanded graphite tape are shown
in table 4.
Table 4. Results obtained for package of preformed rings of expanded graphite tape.
Stem Stuffing box
F Average px,
pB Average qx, Average qx,
X103 (MPa) K0 K1
(MPa) (MPa) (MPa)
(N)
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
40 21.75 10 10 12 14 13 13 14 17 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.2 5 6 11 16 0.5 0.6 0.92 1.14

50 27.19 12 12 15 18 10 12 15 22 0.83 1 1 1.22 11 11 14 19 0.92 0.92 0.93 1.05

60 32.63 19 20 22 29 23 24 26 29 1.2 1.2 1.18 1 19 21 25 33 1 1.05 1.13 1.14

4. Conclusions
Results obtained at experimental tests show that testing method proposed gives us the possibility to
characterize the packing materials, by finding pressure transforming coefficients K1, K0 and
K=min(K1,K0). Pressure transforming coefficients are necessary to solve sealing pressure equations
(1), (2) and (3) and to establish the dimensions of sealing package depending of sealed pressure and
also to establish the compression load/ torque necessary to obtain sealing in conditions of respecting
fugitive emissions limits.
The results obtained for package of expanded graphite rings string and for package of preformed
rings of expanded graphite tape presented in table 3 and in table 4 shows that these materials are even
better than similar sealing materials recommended by major sealing manufactures (Garlock [7],
Klinger et.a.).
It could be observed, also from table 3 and table 4, that axial pressure px at contact between gland
and ring 4, pgland is smaller than theoretical pressure pB due to package friction with stem and stuffing
box surfaces during compression. From axial and radial pressures records could also be established the
average friction coefficients, but at experimental tests friction are between package and pressure
sensitive paper, so these friction coefficients are not important.
From table 3 and table 4 could be also observed that with increasing compression load the axial
pressure px for package of expanded graphite rings string and for package of preformed rings of
expanded graphite tape became similar, and this means that could be used a smaller high of package of
preformed rings of expanded graphite tape.

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13th International Conference on Tribology, ROTRIB’16 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 174 (2017) 012004 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/174/1/012004

Acknowledgments
Authors would like to express their gratitude to company SC Etansari Grafex SRL for providing
materials and devices used for experimental tests.

References
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[5] Pengyun S, Kuangmin C and Zongyun D 1997 A theoretical analysis of the lateral pressure
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