Spring Energized Seals

Canted Coil Spring Seals employ a specialty wound wire spring installed in a polymer jacket. The canted coil is unique in the sealing industry because of its semi-linear load curve. As an engineered loading device, canted coil springs display a very constant load over a large deflection range. This feature allows Canted Coil Spring Seals to operate in friction sensitive applications like HPLC, encoders and flap actuators with consistent performance. Seals used in battery operated devices utilize these seals – minimizing seal friction and optimizing battery life. On the other end of the spectrum, Canted Coil Spring Seals are used with heavy load springs for use in highly viscous media such as epoxies and urethanes. 

Face Seals are typically used in static sealing applications. Outside Face Seals are often used to keep environmental media out of an exposed joint, hinge point, or pipe fitting. A PTFE Face Seal offers advantages over traditional O-Rings in terms of pressure handling, chemical compatibility, and operating temperature range. Use in cyrogenic applications is common.

Face Seals are typically used in static sealing applications. Inside Face Seals contain pressure inside a vessel and are often used as lid seals or in pipe flange fittings. A PTFE Face Seal offers advantages over traditional O-Rings in terms of pressure handling, chemical compatibility, and operating temperature range. Use in cryogenic applications is common.

Cantilever Spring Seals make use of a V shaped spring embedded in a polymer jacket. At installation, the V shape of the spring is compressed, providing sealing energy to the seal jacket ensuring a positive seal.  They are common replacements when rubber u-cups fail due to chemical attack, extreme temperature range, friction concerns and wear issues. Cantilever Spring Seals are best suited for reciprocating applications such as shocks, hydraulic cylinders, pumps and compressors. The shape of the spring concentrates load on the front of the seal, which makes this design also suitable for use as environmental excluders and for applications requiring scraping of viscous media. As an additional option, the spring cavity area can be filled with silicone for FDA clean-in-place applications.

Helical Spring Seals are comprised of a wound ribbon metal spring installed in a polymer jacket. This helical shape spring affords a relatively high load versus deflection range resulting in a seal product that can provide very tight sealing. As a highly loaded product, Helical Spring Seals should be considered when dynamics are very slow or static. Examples are in stems seals and in cryogenic valves where additional force is required to overcome thermal effects.

Canted Coil Spring Seals employ a specialty wound wire spring installed in a polymer jacket. The canted coil is unique in the sealing industry because of its semi-linear load curve. As an engineered loading device, canted coil springs display a very constant load over a large deflection range. This feature allows Canted Coil Spring Seals to operate in friction sensitive applications like HPLC, encoders and flap actuators with consistent performance. Seals used in battery operated devices utilize these seals – minimizing seal friction and optimizing battery life. On the other end of the spectrum, Canted Coil Spring Seals are used with heavy load springs for use in highly viscous media such as epoxies and urethanes. 

Cantilever Spring Seals make use of a V shaped spring embedded in a polymer jacket. At installation, the V shape of the spring is compressed, providing sealing energy to the seal jacket ensuring a positive seal. They are common replacements when rubber u-cups fail due to chemical attack, extreme temperature range, friction concerns and wear issues. Cantilever Spring Seals are best suited for reciprocating applications such as shocks, hydraulic cylinders, pumps and compressors. The shape of the spring concentrates load on the front of the seal, which makes this design also suitable for use as environmental excluders and for applications requiring scraping of viscous media. As an additional option, the spring cavity area can be filled with silicone for FDA clean-in-place applications.

Helical Spring Seals are comprised of a wound ribbon metal spring installed in a polymer jacket. This helical shape spring affords a relatively high load versus deflection range resulting in a seal product that can provide very tight sealing. As a highly loaded product, Helical Spring Seals should be considered when dynamics are very slow or static. Examples are in stems seals and in cryogenic valves where additional force is required to overcome thermal effects.

Flanged seals are a special class of radial seals with an added feature to help retain the seal under rotary forces. The flange is an extension of the heel of the seal, which locates in a counterbore of the housing. At assembly, the seal flange gets pinched in the housing providing a positive mechanical lock that keeps the seal stationary. Flanged seals are an excellent choice for equipment that can be designed with end plates. In these cases, assembly of a flanged seal is simple and provides a robust design as well as a level of redundant sealing on the static side of the gland. Process machinery that require a product to be contained (mixers, augers, spool valves) are good applications of this design.

When considering a rotary service seal and additional gland length is available, an O-Ring Heel Seal provides a level of anti-rotation and redundant sealing. The addition of an O-Ring on the heel of a radial seal creates a high friction interface
at the bore to counteract rotary forces. With proper hardware design, a high level of sealing can be realized, making an O-Ring Heel Seal a good choice where gaseous or low viscosity fluids need to be sealed.

When considering a rotary service seal and additional gland diameter is available, an O-Ring OD Seal provides a level of anti-rotation and redundant sealing. The addition of an O-Ring on the OD of a radial seal creates a high friction interface at the bore to counteract rotary forces. Because the O-Ring is a lower durometer than the jacket material, it is more compliant and offers tight sealing on the bore. This feature is utilized in equipment such as vapor recovery and vacuum pumps where running friction needs to be low and sealing efficiency high.