The value of DPE's Finite Element Analysis (FEA) service to customers in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and food processing industries is now well proven. Manufacturing companies in those industries use hotter and more aggressive cleaning chemicals to sterilize process tubing - conditions that lead to the use of Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer parts in order to meet hygiene standards, such as DIN 11864-2, which often recommend no free volume.

O-ring test result after 10 SIP cycles.

With the higher thermal expansion of Kalrez® parts versus parts made of some other elastomers, recommended O-ring sizes would intrude into the process stream, leading to contamination.

The value-added FEA service provided by DPE helps solve the problem. Jean-Luc Matoux, DPE Applications Engineer, describes how, using software and high quality data unique to DPE, developed over the past five years to define behavior of Kalrez® parts.

D-Shape results after 22 SIP cycles.

"Several companies showed interest in upgrading to Kalrez® seals, although perfluoroelastomer parts also exhibit thermal expansion in those harsh process conditions. We wanted to find a solution to this problem and, using FEA, we developed a special custom 'D' section O-ring design that exhibits virtually no deformation, even after 22 extensive steam-in-place test cycles at 180°C.

The result is that these customers have now switched to 'D' section Kalrez® 6230 and 6221 O-rings that are FDA and USP Class VI-compliant. Some have now been in place for over 18 months without failure, intrusion into the process streams, or contamination."

More information about the 'D'-ring development is available in the DIN 11864-2 Form A leaflet, order reference KZE-D10396-00-A0905.

Kalrez® and Kalrez® SpectrumT are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont Performance Elastomers.