DuPont has developed a unique seal design to improve seal life in dovetail grooves. This design benefits from the excellent chemical, thermal and plasma resistance of DuPont^™ Kalrez^® perfluoroelastomer parts with a unique cross-sectional trilobe seal that eliminates many of the problems associated with semi-dynamic seal applications using a dovetail groove. These problems include installation difficulties as well as short seal life and particle generation due to seal wear and degradation.

Features and Benefits

• Molded notch makes installation a snap
• Reduces installation time.
• Avoids improper installation.
• Geometry interlocks in groove to prevent seal from rolling and twisting during installation.
• Bottom lobes lock seal in place to resist pullout and movement during actuation.
• Seal parting lines are maintained below the flange surface, eliminating direct exposure to plasma or process chemicals.
• Seal design and compound selection combine to yield reduced particle generation and significantly increase seal life.
  

Suggested Applications

• Slit valve doors
• Gate valves
• Semi-dynamic sealing applications that utilize a dovetail groove configuration
  

Availability

• Molds have already been developed for a number of common slit valve door seal part sizes.
• A DuPont^™ Kalrez^® TriLobe^™ seal can be developed to fit any size dovetail groove.
• The Kalrez^® TriLobe^™ seal is available in a variety of compounds.