Talk
about a replacement for metals. Carbon-reinforced Xycomp thermoplastic
composites have 80 percent lower density than steel, 60 percent less than
titanium, and 40 percent less than aluminum. They have higher continuous
service temperature capabilities than most plastics and better toughness than
most thermosets.
They are used as containment shells in magnetic-driven pumps and mixers to form a closed system that seals off the fluid contact areas of the pump/mixer. This seal-less design replaced the traditional style of packings and complex mechanical seals, with their associated piping, valves, cooling units and other equipment, and offers a reduction in maintenance. Traditional shell materials such as Hastelloy or carbon-reinforced epoxy are said to suffer from significant energy losses through eddy currents.
The reduction in eddy current using Xycomp shells means there is no heat generation and a stable fluid temperature, boosting the safety level in hydrocarbon applications where pumps are operating with media close to the boiling point. Xycomp composites can be made from polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyether imide (PEI), poly(aryletheretherketone) (PEEK), or poly(ether ketone ketone) (PEKK). PEKK is said to be the only polymer that can withstand continuous high temperatures of around 260C - its melting point is 360C.
Xycomp components are molded through the proprietary Techna3 process, which produces complex tubular shapes with flanges, reinforcement ribs and closed ends. www.gtweed.com
