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Thermal interface materials are used to eliminate air gaps or voids from adjoining rough or un-even mating surfaces. Because the thermal interface material has a greater thermal conductivity than the air it replaces, the resistance across the joint decreases, and the component junction temperature will be reduced.
Two principal “gap filler” thermal interface materials prevalent on the market today are thermal gels – also known as dispensable gap fillers – and gap filler pads.
So, which one should you select for your application? Here are the top 6 things you need to know:
Both thermal gels and thermal gap filler pads are highly conformable, but the maximum configurability of a gap pad is less than that of a gel due to its solid structure. Dispensable gels provide maximum conformability because they can be dispensed in near infinite shapes and patterns.
Gap filler pads have long been the go-to choice for many design engineers, but recent advances in thermal gels, which are highly conformable, pre-cured single-component compounds, can provide superior performance, a greater ease of manufacturing and assembly, and a lower cost in certain high-volume applications; particularly as electronic design applications get smaller, more fragile and more complex.
Looking to learn more about thermal gap pads and dispensable gels? Download our new white paper Thermal Interface Materials: Choosing Between Gels and Gap Filler Pads now!
In this white paper, you’ll learn about the two general types of thermal interface materials – gels (or dispensable gap fillers) and gap filler pads – which are used by design engineers for displacing air voids and ensuring proper heat transfer, as well as:
• Heat transfer fundamentals refresher
• Intro to gap filler pads and thermal gels
• Pads vs. gels – understanding key differences
• Conclusion and recommendations
This white paper analyzes and draws conclusions about key performance and manufacturability characteristics in both gap pads and new advances in gels. Download it today!
This blog was contributed by Jarrod Cohen, marketing communications manager, Parker Chomerics.
Selecting a Thermal Gel or Thermal Gap Pad – Your Questions Answered (Part I)
Selecting a Thermal Gel or Thermal Gap Pad – Your Questions Answered (Part II)
In 1933, Kenworth Motor Truck Co. became the first American truck manufacturer to introduce the Cummins 4 cylinder, 100 hp, HA4 model diesel engine as standard equipment. By 1938 the first two-stroke diesel powered bus was introduced. In 1940, Cummins was the first diesel engine manufacturer to offer a 100,000-mile warranty. By the 1950s, diesel engines had virtually replaced gasoline engines in commercial trucks. Since 1997, engineers of diesel engine manufacturers have risen to the challenges of meeting new and more stringent limits for particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) and increasing the fuel efficiency of the engine.
As the heavy truck and bus market continues to evolve, engineers need to meet new challenges by identifying and adopting innovative technologies.
Consider the trend of commercial vehicle electrification. Driven largely by concerns over emissions and environmental impact, the vehicle electrification market has grown substantially. And enhanced vehicle battery technologies are the key to driving truck and bus electrification.
Challenges remain, however, before these systems will prove feasible and practical over the long term.
Lithium-ion batteries have been the primary solution for electric vehicle manufacturers because they have higher energy densities than lead-acid or nickel-metal hybrid batteries. Li-ion batteries also offer attractive features such as low self-discharge and considerable energy storage, or battery capacity. Yet, there are still many barriers for the vehicle electrification market to overcome. Among these barriers are cost, weight and range, safe storage and thermal management.
Electric vehicle battery technology
A lot of research is being conducted to identify alternative battery chemistries and reduce the use of cobalt. Although cobalt is ideal for rechargeable batteries because of its thermal stability and high energy density, a problem is that it is almost exclusively mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo, an unstable country that has been charged with numerous human rights violations.
Increased ethics concerns and growing costs have universities, private companies and the U.S. military aggressively researching alternatives to cobalt.
Since it is critical to protect the integrity of a battery from dirt and water, proper sealing is a key design consideration. Electric vehicle battery covers pose unique sealing challenges due to the significant size of the perimeter of the battery, as well as the aggressive performance requirements. Batteries are assigned Ingress Protection (IP) ratings to specify the degree of environmental protection from solids and water that might otherwise enter the enclosure and cause damage. Sealing products from Parker O-ring and Engineered Seals and electronic materials from Parker Lord prevent ingress between battery covers and housings—for both serviceable and non-serviceable batteries.
Watch this webinar to learn more:
View our webinar on Serviceability of EV Battery Packs
Electromagnetic interference (EMI)
Electromagnetic interference is a concern because electric vehicles have multiple battery cells, converters and powered electronics (ADAS, LiDAR and infotainment screens). The signals from one could interfere with those of another. The good news is that special EMI shields now exist to help contain the magnetic signals within the components.
Among them are seals that are made of electrically conductive elastomers and form-in-place (FIP) conductive gaskets and even plastic pellet materials for housings
Thermal management
Thermal management tops the list of priority concerns. Parker offers several material innovations in this area that can stand up to excessively high temperatures and are flame-retardant to prevent a catastrophic thermal event, including thermally conductive gap filler pads and thermally conductive structural adhesives
In addition, there are air ventilation panels that dissipate heat and provide EMI shielding.
Conclusion
Electric vehicle battery technology is a significant, trending topic in the bus and commercial vehicle market. While lithium-ion is currently the most dominant type of EV battery, engineers are driven by concerns over emissions and environmental impact to find a higher performing alternative. Reduced weight, improved storage, and better thermal management are among the features that engineers are hoping to work into EV batteries.
This article was contributed by Christopher Overmyer, Senior Field Application Engineer, Parker Engineered Materials Group
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Clean energy consultancy Gladstein, Neandross and Associates, in its recent report on sustainable fleets¹, predicts another decade of diesel-powered heavy trucks leading long-haul. Diesel efficiency and emissions reductions are important areas of research as broader trends toward sustainable fleet adoption accelerate.
One new technology to the diesel market is cylinder deactivation (CDA). This technology has been commercially applied to the automotive sector as “Displacement on Demand” to improve fuel economy in V-8 engines. In the diesel market, CDA not only helps with fuel economy, but it also helps to increase exhaust temperatures and reduce engine-out nitrogen oxides (NOx).
CDA would be used when the diesel engine runs below its normal operating temperatures, such as in a cold start or when the engine is under light loads (i.e., idling or cruising at highway speeds). In these conditions, the system deactivates some of the cylinders to increase the load on the remaining cylinders. When this occurs, more fuel per injection is required and this produces more heat in the engine block. This, in turn, raises the exhaust gas temperature to an appropriate operating level to activate the diesel particulate filter (DPF) burn off cycle. Successful development and commercialization of CDA technology would help the industry meet 2024 emissions standards.
Another major advancement has been in the development of ducted fuel injectors. Developed by Sandia National Laboratory’s Combustion Research Facility, the ducted fuel injectors offer many benefits. They clean emissions like soot (another potent climate change chemical second only to carbon dioxide) from vehicle fuel, and they represent an inexpensive transition by working well with conventional diesel fuels. They can easily be retrofitted into existing engines, require no after-treatment systems, and have the potential to lengthen oil change intervals.
The ducts are small tubes that are mounted to the underside of the cylinder head near the injector nozzle. Researchers continue to search for appropriate high-temperature alloys for those tubes without substantially increasing costs.
Thermal energy recovery systems
A desire to improve energy efficiency and cut greenhouse gas emissions has led to considerable interest and research in various waste heat recovery techniques. Topping the list of options are thermoelectricity and Rankine Cycle. Rankine Cycle offers the greatest potential due to its higher cycle efficiency.
Rankine Cycle is not a new concept. It has been widely employed in large-scale power plants for years. But it has yet to be fully implemented for heavy-duty trucks and buses.
The cycle works by recovering wasted heat from the engine through an intermediate heat transfer loop that is filled with a working fluid. The fluid captures some of the energy from the waste heat source. The fluid is often water, but with organic Rankine cycles, a higher molecular mass fluid with a lower boiling point is used to reduce the amount of heat needed for energy recovery.
Despite its tremendous potential, some challenges remain, such as limitations of heat available in the heat source, heat rejection constraints, backpressures during the recovery process, and safety and environmental impacts of the chosen working fluid.
The beauty of this form is that its heat source--exhaust waste heat--exists on all current engines on the market.
Creating a more aerodynamic truck
Today there is a large array of aerodynamic aids available for heavy-duty trucks and trailers, all designed to increase efficiency by reducing drag and fuel consumption by as much as 12%.
Some of the more popular options include front and underbody deflectors, side skirts, rear diffusers and boat tails. Companies have experimented with the specific design and rigidity of such aids to further enhance aerodynamic performance. While all of these can provide some benefit, the key is to identify the right combination of aids that provides enough fuel savings to offset the added costs.
Low-rolling resistance tires also improve truck aerodynamic performance by reducing resistance caused by the tires rolling on the highway’s surface, often through tread depth and design. To date, however, while more fuel-efficient truck tires have garnered interest because of their ability to minimize energy and boost fuel economy, their lower life cycles cause concerns for bottom line-oriented owners and operators.
Another trend in commercial trucking is the replacement of dual tires with super single tires. The advantage of reducing the number of tires on a large rig is minimized friction and resistance. However, safety concerns arising from what happens when a tire blows are keeping most fleets from making the switch.
Alternative fuel sources
Electric (battery or fuel cell) is not the only alternative energy source being explored, as companies continue to research the potential of various renewable fuels, like renewable natural gas (RNG), biodiesel and renewable diesel (RD) which are efficient as fuel sources while producing inherently lower greenhouse gas emissions.
California leads the way in renewable energy research with herds of dairy cows already powering fleets, homes and factories throughout the state. An especially promising development is the recycling of dairy cow waste to produce methane--an option that creates a negative carbon footprint. Known as biomethane, it is an attractive tool for battling climate change.
Beyond dairy waste, RNG can come from other sources of manure, landfills, as well as wastewater. The advantage is that it can be easily exchanged with natural gas drilled out of the ground, minimizing the need to overhaul natural gas engine designs.
Biodiesel (B) and renewable (R) diesel, both of which can be made from similar feedstocks, recycled cooking oil (i.e., oil used to make French fries), oil from algae, soybeans, and other oilseed crops, are also attractive alternatives for existing diesel engines. Not only are they carbon neutral, but, like RNG, their use does not necessitate a diesel engine modification. However, biodiesel blends above 20 percent (B20) will require use of higher performance fluorocarbon sealing compounds. Learn more in our Seal Materials for Biodiesel blog.
One of the concerns for renewable diesel is the choice of which feedstock is used. Palm oil feedstock, for example, has been linked to significant land use impacts, including deforestation, which results from allocating land to grow and farm the palm oil.
Yet another alternative fuel is ethanol. One company recently completed tests showing that its system matched the torque and power of a commercial diesel engine using ethanol instead of diesel fuel, delivering over 500 hp and 1850 ft lb. of torque without additional aftertreatment.
There are several points of concern for fleets that operate Class 4 through Class 8 vehicles with multiple power sources, i.e., some diesel, some natural gas, some electric, etc. Among other things, they will face “right to repair” and maintenance challenges as technicians must be sufficiently trained in the repair of multiple power-source vehicles. For example, mechanics working with electric systems need to be well-versed on sensors and how to properly ground them to avoid serious injuries. In addition, a wide variety of parts may need to be inventoried to maintain an array of engine types.
Another point of concern is the training of first responders—not only the emergency responders, but also tow/salvage operators. Diesel, natural gas, and electric engines require different approaches to putting out fires in a roadway vehicle crash or in a facility where electric vehicles are charged.
Conclusion
When considering options for lessening environmental impact, total cost of ownership still plays a role in ultimately determining which technologies will be adopted and to what extent. The ability to make these innovations affordable, safe, reliable, and sustainable is the key to the future of a sustainable transportation model.
This article was contributed by Christopher Overmyer, Senior Field Application Engineer, Parker Engineered Materials Group
¹ Cision PR Newwire - State of Sustainable Fleets Report Released, Finds Sustainable Vehicle Technologies and Fuels Are Growing Across All Sectors
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As the automotive industry moves toward more automated, connected vehicles, engineers are challenged to identify technologies that can process and transfer large volumes of data in real-time without adding significantly to the price of the vehicle.
For example, Level-5 autonomous driving (meaning the vehicle is capable of safely performing all driving functions on its own) requires a combination of:
Accommodating all the necessary cameras, sensors and electronic control units (ECUs) that enhance connectivity and ensure autonomous vehicle safety has proven to be problematic due to the resulting electromagnetic interference (EMI) and excess heat being generated by the growing complement of electronic devices, including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
Parker is aggressively responding to both challenges with innovative shields and thermal management technologies that contain the electromagnetic noise and transfer heat away from critical components.
Addressing EMI concerns
EMI pollution not only interferes with communications, but it deteriorates the durability and proper function of electronic equipment. This has opened the door to numerous technology advances in the form of EMI shielding.
EMI shielding uses materials to act as barriers to reflect and/or absorb electromagnetic radiation. Although metals are great for the task and have been used extensively to date, a major drawback is added weight. Other concerns include costs and vulnerability to corrosion.
In 2018, Parker Chomerics introduced its innovative CHOFORM 5575 silver-aluminum filled form-in-place EMI gasket, which is a moisture cure silicone system that provides reliable EMI protection for packaged electronic assemblies. Robust enough to provide corrosion resistance and able to endure high-temperature applications, it is ideal when isolation and complex cross-section patterns are required, which is often the case with ADAS modules and telecommunications boxes.
In recent years, the market has witnessed the emergence of more flexible polymer components that are lightweight and corrosion-resistant and offer superior electrical, dielectric, thermal, mechanical, and magnetic properties, which are highly useful for suppressing electromagnetic noise. Even newer are flexible polymer composites comprised of metals and various forms of carbon nanofillers, such as:
Among these options, graphene has thus far shown the most promise and is a focus of Parker’s ongoing R&D efforts.
Challenges abound regarding thermal management, which includes thermal connectivity and the cooling of electrical components. Not only are engineers working to manage heat from the large array of electric components required to make today’s cars more connected and autonomous, but they are doing so in confined spaces of the vehicle where temperatures are often elevated. With components under the hood reaching ambient temperatures as high as 221°F (105°C), there is an added burden on thermal management solutions.
Equally challenging is controlling noise associated with a cooling system, such as the case with any type of fan. Today’s discriminating automobile purchaser expects a quiet driving environment uncompromised by the whirring of fan blades. That means solutions must be identified that generate little to no noise and possess high thermal conductivity and low interface resistance with a low-pressure bond.
While there are many possible Thermal Interface Materials to choose from, the most pursued today in the automotive sector are dispensable thermally conductive gap fillers (gels), which are also commonly referred to as Gap Filler Liquids (GFLs). Proponents of thermally conductive gels tout the products’ softness and low viscosity that make them highly effective in managing heat and easy to use.
Other engineers prefer thermal gap filler pads because of their high level of flexibility and enormous mechanical resistance.
Parker continues to test new chemistries and advanced polymers that offer greater thermal conductivity. Parker Chomerics THERM-A-GAP™ GELs are examples of Parker’s success in developing products that are meeting growing demands for thermal management. The cross-linked gel structure provides superior long-term thermal stability and reliable performance without needing to be cured. Parker is currently the only company to provide a single component, fully cured conductive gap filler.
On the horizon are new thermal absorbent materials with unique properties that can also absorb some of the EMI noise.
Beyond the search for alternative materials, work also is being done with novel active heat sink designs, which are sealed miniature loops with liquid metal alloys, such as Galinstan. Connecting a heat source to heat sink has proven to be a highly efficient means for thermal cooling of electronic components while simultaneously having an electrically insulating effect.
Other types of active cooling approaches also are gaining interest, including spray and jet impingement. With these designs, the vehicle’s AC loop is modified by adding a pump and integrating a spray chamber. One problem in the early designs, however, continues to be the added weight of the loop.
In another test, two-phase cooling of the underside of automotive power inverters was investigated. The study involved two pressure-atomized nozzles that sprayed antifreeze coolant at 190.4°F (88°C) on the bottom thick-film resistors. Early results are encouraging since this method resulted in cooler temperatures than those obtained using a commercially available heat sink.
Still, other work is being done to modify the aerodynamics of a vehicle in recognition of the impact of convective cooling on thermal management.
Cost remains a key obstacle. Parker’s contribution to the cost equation has been to simplify product designs as a means for lowering total costs.
Driving many of Parker’s advancements in the automotive sector are adaptations of technologies currently used for military applications. Lidar is an example of a technology once used exclusively by the military that is proving valuable for automobiles. Lidar is a method of measuring distances by illuminating the target with laser light and measuring the reflection with a sensor. Its advantage over traditional cameras is in its ability to function well even at night or on cloudy days.
The military uses lidar to map out the terrain of the battlefield and to know the exact position of the enemy and its capacity. Lidar is a critical technology for the advancement of driverless military vehicles. The superior resolution produced by lidar is a result of its use of light pulses that have about 100,000 times smaller wavelengths than the radio waves used by radar. The speed and sensitivity of the lidar components, combined with the massive amount of data that is being processed, require specific material properties that optimize the accuracy, reliability, and durability of the lidar assembly. This is where Parker comes in, providing the specialized EMI shielding and thermal conductivity necessary to support the advanced lidar technology.
Industry experts agree that it is a matter of when, not if fully connected, autonomous vehicles will become a reality. Some of the remaining challenges relative to EMI and thermal management have proven a bit more difficult than originally envisioned, but progress is being made in both areas to bring us closer to a new driving reality.
This article was contributed by Daniel Chang, Global Automotive Market Sales Manager, Parker Chomerics Division.
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The popularity of electric and zero-emissions vehicles is growing substantially, although their share of the overall automobile market remains relatively small.
Automobile manufacturers are spending tens of billions of dollars to develop better electric car battery technology that will help shift the market to all electric vehicles.
Experts agree, however, that the key to increasing the competitiveness of zero-emissions vehicles is identifying new materials and designs that drive down battery costs and weight, extend driving range, and improving time spent at public fast-charging stations.
Creating a cost parity with internal combustion engines is critical to gaining greater acceptance of electric vehicles. Most of this area’s focus has been on reducing the structure and complexity of the battery, as well as increasing the use of automation in the manufacture of batteries to reduce labor costs and increase productivity.
Much work also has been done in identifying more cost-effective materials. Innovations such as low-cobalt and cobalt-free battery chemistries represent a major step forward since cobalt is the most expensive material in many of today’s batteries. On the horizon are long-life nickel-manganese-cobalt batteries with cathodes that consist of 50% nickel and only 20% cobalt. Besides the obvious cost advantages, this type of battery is largely recyclable.
Another way to bring down overall cost is to extend battery service life, limiting the number of times they need to be replaced. Advances are being made in the use of chemical additives and nano-engineered materials that make existing lithium-ion batteries tougher and more resistant to bruising from stress caused by rapid charging.
Creative approaches to the packaging of battery cells are also being explored. Something known as a cell-to-pack eliminates the bundling of cells, effectively reducing both weight and cost of the battery.
Battery life anxiety is another key challenge that the market must overcome if electric vehicles are truly to become our future. That means we need to increase battery life and/or build a better infrastructure that includes more charging stations so consumers have the confidence of knowing they can safely drive without running out of power.
The market is quickly adapting to these challenges with many people now having charging stations at their homes. Super chargers are also becoming the norm and continue to evolve with the goal of being able to fully charge a vehicle in as little as 10-15 minutes.
Most electric car batteries on the road today are lithium-ion. Drawbacks to this technology include a short life and tendency to overheat which have prompted interest in alternatives that provide better fire resistance, quicker charges and longer life spans.
Some experts see solid-state and lithium-silicon technologies as game changers. The addition of silicon significantly enhances energy density, prompting manufacturers to add more and more silicon to achieve silicon-dominant anodes. By encasing the silicon in the anode with graphene, an exotic form of carbon sheets that is only one atom thick, further cost reductions can be realized, along with a significant increase in driving range. Chemical additives and coatings are also being explored to reduce the internal stress on the battery, allowing it to store more energy for longer periods of time.
Longer term, these silicon-based anodes will likely give way to solid-state batteries. Their advantage is the elimination of liquid elements found in traditional lithium-ion batteries and their ability to increase energy density using “dry” conductive materials that are less likely to catch fire.
Cobalt-free lithium-iron-phosphate batteries are attractive because of their higher charge rates and long lives. To make them more energy dense, engineers are looking at ways to switch from the standard cylindrical cells to prism-shaped cells. The advantage is that prisms are more space-efficient, allowing more batteries to fit within a given space.
To learn about new battery sealing technologies from Parker, check out our webinar presented by Will Shurtliff, global sales manager electric vehicles, and Bhawani Tripathy, division engineering manager, O-Rings and Engineered Seals Division
Additional options
Supercapacitors represent yet another important development. These charged metal plates can boost a device’s charging capacity by pumping electrons into and out of a circuit at blindingly fast speeds.
Still, other research is looking at new binders that hold the lithium-ion battery components together to get a lot more energy per pound of battery. New research is focused on creating binders that stabilize the silicon particles, effectively extending battery life, increasing charging speed and improving thermostability.
There is also research into possible improvements in the separators which, to date, have been vulnerable to heat shrinkage that seriously reduces a battery’s life span and creates safety concerns. By coating the separators with ceramic particles, for example, the battery can better handle temperature increases while keeping the separators intact and preventing the anode and cathode from touching each other.
The future of electric cars rests with the market’s ability to produce the next big battery breakthrough. A lot of progress has been made in the identification of possible changes and alternatives. Getting some of these new technologies market-ready may still take a few more years. But with so many companies focused on the result of creating a financially viable, long-running, quick-charging battery, it is only a matter of time before electric vehicles dominate the road.
This article was contributed by Will Shurtliff, global sales manager – vehicle electrification, Parker Engineered Materials Group
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Fluids play a critical role in sustaining life. Keeping animals and humans hydrated and helping plants grow are obvious ways. Less obvious ways include moving cargo around the world and keeping equipment operating (hydraulic oils, coolants, engine oils, etc.). All these applications require seals of some sort ranging from public water systems to hydraulic pumps. What happens when these fluids become aggressive? People typically think of acids as being an aggressive media, but for many fluoroelastomers, bases are more aggressive presenting severe challenges. Using material science and technology, Parker has created a new class of Base Resistant (fluoro) Elastomer (BRE) compounds.
The beginning of useful fluoroelastomer polymers (FKM) was introduced in the early 1960’s. Since that time, FKM materials have come a long way and improved in many areas ranging from fluid resistance to low and high temperature performance. In 1975, Asahi Glass Ltd. introduced a new polymer under the name of Aflas®. The composition of this polymer gives it a slightly improved high temperature range, but also imparts the polymer with a wider range of fluid compatibility. One area that Aflas® excels in is high pH (basic) fluids. Traditional FKM polymers will become stiff and embrittled with long term exposure to basic fluids. While Aflas® has benefits in basic fluids, it also has some significant downsides. The two main downsides are it’s low temperature performance and swell in some hydrocarbons. One measure of low temperature performance is a materials glass transition temperature (abbreviated as Tg). The Tg is the temperature at which materials transition from being soft and pliable to being rigid and glassy. The Tg of many Aflas® materials is -3°C, whereas some FKMs can reach below -40°C.
Parker’s new BRE compounds offer the best of both worlds. Designed specifically for the oil and gas market but applicable to any market space, these materials exhibit improved base resistance over traditional FKMs while possessing improved low temperature and hydrocarbon performance over Aflas®.
These new compounds are named VP309-80 and VP316-90 . They are 80 and 90 Shore A durometer respectively. Both are designed to be all-encompassing material options and possess a balance of properties between traditional FKM and Aflas®. As shown in the spider chart at the right, Parker’s BREs are formulated to fill a broader design space when compared to ASTM D1418 Type 1 FKMs and Aflas®. Even when compared to more chemically resistant FKM types, Parker’s BRE compounds show improvements in high pH fluid resistance.
Utilizing Parker’s experience in molding and extrusion technologies, these new compounds can be processed into a wide variety of products ranging from small O-rings to thick cross section downhole packing elements. Combining the BRE compounds with Parker LORD’s adhesive options result in a material that can be molded to a variety of substrates and resist aggressive media in harsh conditions. Both VP309-80 and VP316-90 are ISO 23936-2:2011 Rapid Gas Decompression (RGD) tested and approved. VP316-90 has also been tested in H2S according to NACE TM0187.
While these materials were specifically developed for the oil and gas market segment, they can find uses in a variety of other markets such as aggressive gear lubes for pumps and aggressive fluids utilized in automotive and chemical processing industry (CPI) applications.
For more information on these materials, download our the Parker OES 7004 brochure or visit the Parker O-Ring & Engineered Seals Division website to chat with our applications engineers.
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Fluids play a critical role in sustaining life. Keeping animals and humans hydrated and helping plants grow are obvious ways. Less obvious ways include moving cargo around the world and keeping equipment operating (hydraulic oils, coolants, engine oils, etc.). All these applications require seals of some sort ranging from public water systems to hydraulic pumps. What happens when these fluids become aggressive? People typically think of acids as being an aggressive media, but for many fluoroelastomers, bases are more aggressive presenting severe challenges. Using material science and technology, Parker has created a new class of Base Resistant (fluoro) Elastomer (BRE) compounds.
The beginning of useful fluoroelastomer polymers (FKM) was introduced in the early 1960’s. Since that time, FKM materials have come a long way and improved in many areas ranging from fluid resistance to low and high temperature performance. In 1975, Asahi Glass Ltd. introduced a new polymer under the name of Aflas®. The composition of this polymer gives it a slightly improved high temperature range, but also imparts the polymer with a wider range of fluid compatibility. One area that Aflas® excels in is high pH (basic) fluids. Traditional FKM polymers will become stiff and embrittled with long term exposure to basic fluids. While Aflas® has benefits in basic fluids, it also has some significant downsides. The two main downsides are it’s low temperature performance and swell in some hydrocarbons. One measure of low temperature performance is a materials glass transition temperature (abbreviated as Tg). The Tg is the temperature at which materials transition from being soft and pliable to being rigid and glassy. The Tg of many Aflas® materials is -3°C, whereas some FKMs can reach below -40°C.
Parker’s new BRE compounds offer the best of both worlds. Designed specifically for the oil and gas market but applicable to any market space, these materials exhibit improved base resistance over traditional FKMs while possessing improved low temperature and hydrocarbon performance over Aflas®.
These new compounds are named VP309-80 and VP316-90 . They are 80 and 90 Shore A durometer respectively. Both are designed to be all-encompassing material options and possess a balance of properties between traditional FKM and Aflas®. As shown in the spider chart at the right, Parker’s BREs are formulated to fill a broader design space when compared to ASTM D1418 Type 1 FKMs and Aflas®. Even when compared to more chemically resistant FKM types, Parker’s BRE compounds show improvements in high pH fluid resistance.
Utilizing Parker’s experience in molding and extrusion technologies, these new compounds can be processed into a wide variety of products ranging from small O-rings to thick cross section downhole packing elements. Combining the BRE compounds with Parker LORD’s adhesive options result in a material that can be molded to a variety of substrates and resist aggressive media in harsh conditions. Both VP309-80 and VP316-90 are ISO 23936-2:2011 Rapid Gas Decompression (RGD) tested and approved. VP316-90 has also been tested in H2S according to NACE TM0187.
While these materials were specifically developed for the oil and gas market segment, they can find uses in a variety of other markets such as aggressive gear lubes for pumps and aggressive fluids utilized in automotive and chemical processing industry (CPI) applications.
For more information on these materials, download our the Parker OES 7004 brochure or visit the Parker O-Ring & Engineered Seals Division website to chat with our applications engineers.
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Honeycomb air vent panels are used to help cool electronics with air flow and while maintaining electromagnetic interference (EM) shielding. Recently, our team of experts held a webinar on EMI shielding air vent panels, now available on-demand. This blog post will highlight some topics discussed on the webinar.
Cell size
Specifies the width of the individual cells. The honeycomb is hexagonal, and the cell size is the measurement across each cell and the thickness is the measurement of the entire sheet of honeycomb material.The thickness of the air vent panel also has an impact on both the air flow and the shielding effectiveness. If the cell size were kept the same, the lower the thickness of the vent panel, the greater the allowable air flow.
The decreased air flow is caused by the surface friction of the air flowing through the honeycomb cells. However, reducing the vent thickness will also reduce the attenuation capabilities of the honeycomb. Again, the key is to try and find the middle ground between good air-flow (less pressure drop) and shielding effectiveness.
Aluminum honeycomb is made from thin ribbons of bent aluminum that are adhered together using a non-conductive adhesive. The points at which the ribbons come together are known as nodes and can cause EMI shielding leakage. With single layer honeycomb vents, there is actual directional EMI shielding. This is known as the polarization principle.
It’s also important to note that this is only the case with aluminum honeycomb vents because with brass and steel vent construction, the nodes are welded together and therefore are inherently conductive.
OMNI-CELL™
One way to reduce the directionality of attenuation in vent panels is by using what Parker Chomerics calls an OMNI CELL construction. This means that a second layer of aluminum honeycomb is stacked on top of the first at a 90-degree angle.
The directionality is offset by the second layer and the new panel should have nearly equal attenuation in both directions. One small drawback is that the two layers will reduce air flow across the new vent panel.
OMNl-CELL can be a great option in many cases, but for applications where an OMNI-CELL construction will not work because of space or high attenuation needs, you can achieve the same effect by plating the honeycomb. The plating of aluminum honeycomb will bridge the non-conductive node, and eliminate the directional effect of the honeycomb.
It’s also a much more thorough coverage, which results in better shielding. Platings will protect the vents from corrosion and standard wear and tear. Electroless nickel is one of the most common plating option, as is a chromate conversion coating.
And lastly, EMI vents can be coated with aesthetic paints to match any enclosure design. This includes CARC paints and common military color patterns.
Want to learn more about specific applications and get more detail? Watch our on-demand webinar EMI Shielding Honeycomb Air Vent Panels: Application and Design 101 now!
This blog was contributed by Jarrod Cohen, marketing communications manager, Parker Chomerics.
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Design Decisions Relating to EMC Shielding
The growing connected vehicle and electric car markets are currently driving up demand for IP-rated (Ingress Protection rating) and EMI protection. Even standard road vehicle electronics need to be increasingly protected environmentally and electrically.
Vehicle functionality is being taken over by sophisticated electronics and these systems need protection against EMI and environmental elements such as dust, dirt, and water to operate efficiently.
This trend is also seen in the defense industry and today more than 20% of vehicle designers (commercial and military) who approach Parker Chomerics, need a solution for both EMI and environmental protection.
What does IP rating mean?
The IP code, or Ingress Protection rating, is an international standard EN/IEC 60529 which is used to define the level of sealing effectiveness of an electrical enclosure or mechanical casing against intrusion from environmental elements. In addition, international standard ISO 20653 is used for IP degrees of protection specifically for road vehicles. Parker Chomerics offers a range of EMI shielding gaskets and seals that are being used to meet this growing IP rated environmental exposure demand.
Some of the most common IP ratings required by vehicle manufacturers include IP65, IP66, IP67 and IP69.
IP rating codes explainedThe IP rating can be identified by the letters IP, followed by two numbers such as 65 (IP65). The first number refers to the amount of projection the enclosure has against a specific solid element, in this case ‘6’, indicates full protection against dust. The enclosure is dust tight. The second number defines the level of protection against liquids - see below.
IP65 – The enclosure is dust tight and protected against jets of water. Parker Chomerics CHO-SEAL® Co-Extruded gasket profiles LD55 and LH10, when used as elastomer gaskets in a groove, are an ideal solution.
IP66 – The enclosure is dust tight and protected against strong jets of water.
IP67 – The enclosure is dust tight and provides protection against temporary immersion for up to 30 minutes at depths between 15cm and 1 meter. Again, a CHO-SEAL® Co-Extruded gasket in a groove creates an effective all-round solution to this meet this requirement.
IP68 – Is not applicable in vehicle applications as it relates to protection against continuous immersion.
IP69 – The enclosure is dust tight and is protected against both high-pressure and high-temperature jets of water.
IP69K – Provides the same protection as IP69 but with additional resistance to wash-down and steam-cleaning procedures. This rating is most often seen in specific road vehicle applications.
As outlined above, there is similarity between EN/IEC 60529 and ISO 20653. The EN/IEC 60529 standard was updated to include the IPX9 water ingress test. This test is essentially identical to the IP69K test from ISO 20653. The “K” tests specify special requirements for road vehicles.
Design for IP requirementsThe design engineer must consider any EMI shielding and environmental requirements at the conceptual stage of a project in order to protect and extend the lifetime of the electronic system. The customer would benefit from partnering with a reputable EMI shielding technology specialist such as Parker Chomerics, as EMI shielding and sealing materials can be developed and designed specifically for the customer's application.
With such a marked customer-driven trend, it is important to specify the optimum IP rating required for an EMI shielding gasket or seal. However, the rating depends very much on where the EMI shield will be located on the vehicle, and to what elements it will be exposed. For example, typical vehicle applications range from automotive control boxes through to a multitude of requirements in the engine and undercarriage, all which will be particularly demanding from an environmental perspective.
In an application such as a car door, the door itself will deflect most of the water pressure encountered during road use, with the rubber seal being secondary (jets of water will not come into direct contact with the gasket). However, this does not mean the seal is of secondary consideration. Elastomer gaskets with deflection characteristics, along with appropriate mechanical design factors, are recommended to meet IP69 and IP69K requirements.
Cost effective solutionsFor applications where a cost-effective solution is required, a well sized – preferably 3mm solid O-section that is galvanically paired with the mating surface, would deliver protection against both EMI and water. Galvanic compatibility is vital in applications where the gasket might be in contact with a component such as an aluminum surface, as conductivity factors come into play and compatibility between metals must be ensured.
Aside from dust and water, there are many other factors to consider when specifying a suitable gasket/seal. For example, road vehicle applications could be exposed to extreme temperatures during the summer and winter months and in some applications, fire retardant and chemical resistant materials are required.
No matter how challenging, there is a solution for every application requiring EMI and environmental protection and by working closely with a specialist such as Parker Chomerics, customers can benefit from testing services that are application specific and in line with the customer requirements.
Other Parker Chomerics solutions widely used in road vehicle applications are CHO-FORM® Form-In-Place EMI Gaskets and THERM-A-GAPTM Thermal Interface Materials.
This blog was contributed by Melanie French, marketing communications manager, Parker Chomerics Europe.
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Design Decisions Relating to EMC Shielding
What can be done if a bore requires radial sealing but lack of a lead-in chamfer prevents the installation of a seal? A situation like this occurs for instance when an existing bore should be closed with a cover and the space around the bore is too small for a classic flange seal. A seal would not survive an attempt to install it in a bore without a lead-in chamfer. Part of the seal would be sheared off at the edge of the bore even if the edge were chamfered or rounded.
The Roll2Seal® concept solves this problem. Instead of destructively squeezing the seal at the critical edge it is simply made to roll across it. This is achieved by providing the cover with a geometry which, together with the edge of the bore, forces the seal to rotate. Subsequently, the triangular cross section of the seal makes it possible for the seal to roll off at the dangerous edge of the bore with a minimum seal height and thus without risk of seal damage.
Roll2Seal® - the self-retaining static sealing solution for easy and reliable closure of bores
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Posted by Samuel Brenner, application engineer, Engineered Materials Group Europe, Prädifa Technology Division
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