Numerical study on sealing characteristic of rubber X-ring exposed to high-pressure hydrogen by considering swelling effect

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the sealing characteristic of the rubber X-ring combined seal used in high-pressure hydrogen service and clarify the effect of swelling due to dissolved hydrogen on the sealing behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

A finite element analysis method with a user subroutine is proposed to investigate the sealing characteristic of rubber X-ring seals in conjunction with the swelling effect.

Findings

The swelling has a noticeable impact on the sealing behavior. The higher peak contact stress suggests that the X-ring seal may be superior to the O-ring seal, while the calculated increase in Mises stress suggests the X-ring exhibits a higher propensity to mechanical damage under low pressure conditions.

Originality/value

This paper describes a method with a user subroutine developed within ABAQUS to simulate the sealing performance coupled hydrogen swelling. The suitability of X-ring seals is evaluated. This work provides insight into the swelling effect on sealing behavior of an X-ring, which is of great value for the design and application of rubber seals used in hydrogen service.

Citation

Zhou, C., He, M., Chen, G. and Jiang, S. (2019), "Numerical study on sealing characteristic of rubber X-ring exposed to high-pressure hydrogen by considering swelling effect", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 71 No. 1, pp. 133-138. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILT-02-2018-0067