Backflow is a type of system issue wherein the flow of water or fluids reverses. And with the reversal of their flow, the water or fluids can cause damages and problems to other system components and their surrounding properties or mechanisms.

There are two possible reasons behind the backflow issue. First, backflow can occur if the pressure from the non-potable water sources increases significantly than the pressure of the potable water sources. Boilers, sprinkler systems, and power washing tools can often cause this specific issue. Another reason behind backflow would be the loss of pressure in the potable water sources, causing the contaminated water to be pulled backward. This often occurs whenever the water main breaks.

Fortunately, backflow can be prevented by the addition of special hardware devices. One of these devices is the check valve.

Working Principles of Check Valves

Check valves are hardware devices that restrict the water or fluid flow to only one direction. They are comprised of two ports. One of these ports is intended to be the inlet for the media, while the other one is designed as the output for the media. 

These hardware devices rely heavily on a pressure differential to operate normally. The inlet side of the check valves must have a higher pressure than the output side for the check valves to be open. Once the pressure becomes higher on the output side, the valves will close with the help of a spring or gravity. The minimum upstream pressure or the pressure differential between inlet and outlet is known to be the cracking pressure, which can change depending on the design and size of the check valves.

Hence, when picking the check valves for certain systems, the latter must be able to generate enough cracking pressure for the valves.

Choosing theRight Check Valves

When selecting and choosing the right check valves for your system, you must consider numerous important factors. As previously stated, you must consider your system’s ability to generate enough cracking pressure for the valve components. The installation orientation of the check valves must likewise be considered to ensure that they can work effectively. If the installation is done wrongly, a build-up of pressure might occur, which might damage the system.

Line size for connection points, envelope dimensions, accessibility, temperature, maximum pressure, and cracking pressure must all be considered also when choosing the right check valves for your property. Selecting the most compatible material of valves for the medium of the system must likewise be done to avoid generating issues along the way. Some materials that can be used for creating check valves are brass, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and stainless steel.

Check Valves Notable Applications

Check valves can be used to protect various equipment from backflow damages. They can also avoid contamination and siphoning from occurring. Ultimately, they are designed to keep a vacuum sealing around specific system components and parts. Household appliances, boilers, furnaces, vacuum system, and water lines can all benefit from check valves.

To obtain check valves for your applications, feel free to contact us at VRSP.

The key role of a gasket is pretty straightforward. It is designed to effectively fill the space and irregularities between two or more products. As space is filled, any signs of leakage can be prevented from or into the joined products. Given the effectiveness of this specific mechanical seal, it is often used in industries such as automotive, aerospace, electrical, food processing, and petrochemical.

A gasket can be made from different materials. Some of these are rubber, metal, cork, felt, fibreglass, and plastic polymer. And one gasket material that can be very helpful in specific applications is rubber. As long as it is manufactured properly, a rubber gasket can assure solid sealing functionality and safe operations of products. It can likewise guarantee resistance to electricity, water, and temperatures. Its flexibility can also help in filling the irregularities once the stress is applied.

Failure Awaits with Poorly Built Rubber Gaskets

Rubber gaskets that are poorly manufactured, alternatively, can easily fail once they are used in their intended applications. There are numerous reasons why they would fail. 

One of the main reasons why poorly built rubber gaskets might fail is their interaction with specific substances. Substances like fuels, chemicals, and cleaners can be damaging to some rubber gaskets. And without considering these substances, rubber gaskets can easily fail in just a short time. Utilising the wrong type of rubber for the gaskets can be one aspect behind this. 

Aside from substances, another reason why poorly built rubber gaskets might fail is the surrounding temperature. Rubber gaskets that are manufactured correctly can easily withstand the temperatures that they are set to operate. On the other hand, gaskets that are poorly manufactured can easily soften at high temperatures and deteriorate at low temperatures. Pressure is another factor that can cause poorly built rubber gaskets to fail. Applying high enough pressure to these gaskets can easily break them.

Potential Hazards with Faulty Rubber Gaskets

The application of poorly manufactured rubber gaskets to certain products can pose hazards to properties and the people around them. One possible hazard with faulty rubber gaskets would be the generation of accidents in a workplace. Instances of trips, falls, and other similar accidents might increase significantly as these gaskets are continuously used.

Aside from workplace accidents, the application of poorly manufactured rubber gaskets can also cause significant loss of products or components. Products that rely heavily on gaskets might get damaged as the gaskets cannot truly carry out their functions. And as time passes by, the gaskets might crack, which would then affect the quality of the joined products.

Once the joined components become broken, the equipment pieces or machines that utilise these components may ultimately get damaged with faulty rubber gaskets. The continuous exposure of the faulty rubber gaskets to damaging elements can destroy and break them along the way, affecting everything that they are intended to serve.

Purchase High-Quality Rubber Gaskets Today

There are elements that you need to consider when buying rubber gaskets. Some of these elements are dimensions, pressure, temperature, application, and lifespan. If you want to purchase high-quality rubber gaskets, just give us a call at VSRP. We specialise in customised tooling design and manufacture according to our customers’ specifications.

There are a lot of activities that are often conducted on a mining site. From the setting up of equipment pieces and tools to the extraction of the element itself, all these activities are performed carefully to ensure that the entire mining process will be successful and will be free from any problems.

One part of the mining process that must be conducted is the assessment of all the equipment pieces and tools before their usage. Without checking their condition, they might suddenly fail in the middle of operations, which might lead to costly repairs. They might even trigger site damages and cause injuries to the people on-site, affecting the overall condition of the mining project.

The maintenance of mining equipment pieces and tools typically involves the assessment of their sealing materials. And if replacement is needed, then rubber seals can be utilised for better functionality. After all, rubber seals boast the following features that make them great for the mining industry.

Temperature Resistance

Mining equipment pieces and tools typically operate at varying temperatures. As a matter of fact, most of them have mechanisms that often generate heat as they operate for mining purposes. Through rubber seals, any temperature changes can be resisted without manifesting any problems since rubber itself can tolerate both high and low temperatures. Some types of rubber seals can resist temperatures between -100°C and 310°C, making them suitable for any mining operations and conditions.

Guaranteed Flexibility

No matter where they are installed, rubber seals can effectively absorb any stress and pressure that is placed upon them without showing signs of breakage. The flexibility of rubber materials allows them to mould themselves to the shape and contours of components that they are intended to seal tightly. This feature alone makes rubber seals very useful for the mining industry, particularly when it comes to its equipment pieces and tools that are often used in a wide variety of processes and operations.

Reliable and Non-toxic

One more feature of rubber seals that makes them appropriate for the mining industry is that they can be truly reliable. Many rubber seals today are now made of non-toxic materials, allowing them to work well with elements and substances without expecting any issues or problems. Even with continuous operations of mining equipment pieces and tools, the rubber seals will not affect the outcome of the mining processes and can even prevent dust and other elements from entering.

Material Compatibility

The installation of rubber seals on different mining equipment and tools can be done effectively as they can work well with other parts and components. Seals made from rubber do not generate any negative effects once they are integrated with other materials. They even improve the overall tolerance of the equipment pieces and tools to extreme temperature. They could likewise enhance their overall compression capabilities as well as extend their service life.

To gain access to rubber seals, feel free to reach us at VSRP. We offer rubber dust seals that can prevent dust entry into equipment. They are mostly available to suit your machinery.

Most of the time, machine components are equipped with gaskets to ensure that their surfaces will be protected and safe against any type of leakage. Moreover, they are joined by gaskets to make sure that their irregularities will be filled properly.

While a lot of materials can be used for producing gaskets, there is one material that can boast great benefits to many businesses. This material is known as rubber. Just like other materials, rubber gaskets can prevent leaks that may come from gas or liquid. However, they can also be effective in keeping chemicals and any other substances from going in and out of machine components. They can also be resistant to ultraviolet rays and ozone cracking, allowing them to be useful for outdoor applications.

Problems with Rubber Gaskets

Despite the grand resistance of rubber against elements, they can still manifest problems that businesses should consider and take note of. And even though they are relatively cheap, the effects of their failures may generate expensive repairs, income loss, and even high hospital bills. Hence, failure to account for possible sources of rubber gasket issues can yield a huge amount of operational expenses.

Most problems that are associated with these gaskets may come from various factors. These factors include unstable temperatures, uneven flange surfaces, stress relaxation, torque loss, and uneven pressure forces at the joint. No matter what factors a rubber gasket has, they can all lead to either catastrophic failure or chronic leakage. Catastrophic failure entails the urgent leakage of the media, while chronic leakage is known to be the gradual deterioration of the gasket that leads to small leaks.

Preserving Gasket Durability

Now, to effectively preserve the durability of rubber gaskets, businesses might want to consider and follow some tips when utilising these useful components.

One of the most notable tips in preserving gasket durability is to keep a record of all instances of gasket failures in the past. All these records and historical logs can be utilised in studying the trends of failures, pointing out the root cause of the said failures, as well as producing corrective measures to prevent notable gasket failures in the future.

Another great tip to preserve gasket durability is to choose the best rubber gaskets for the intended applications. Choosing the best rubber gaskets can preserve their durability as they are expected to last despite being exposed to elements every day. Two considerations in choosing the best rubber gaskets are their material and production quality. A rubber gasket that can effectively resist chemicals and temperature fluctuations is known to last for a long time. A gasket that is manufactured efficiently can likewise provide all the benefits that it should possess right from the very beginning.

Ultimately, rubber gaskets can stay durable and functional if they are installed correctly. Following the guide from their manufacturer can ensure that they can yield minimised downtime and costs of upkeep.

Buy Rubber Gaskets at VSRP

To obtain quality rubber gaskets for your application, feel free to reach us at VSRP. We specialise in customised tooling design and manufacture according to our customers’ specifications. Our staff have extensive experience in the rubber industry, providing you with professionally produced products.

A heavy emphasis is placed on worker safety when designing underground mines. Huge efforts are made to provide a risk-free environment down there among the tunnels and vaulted subterranean chambers. That’s why there are steel-laced supports in every passageway to stabilise the walls and ceilings. Following this line of safety-centric reasoning, a vent band’s job is to secure a mine’s ventilation tubes.

Vent Bands Ensure Environmental Protection

Above ground, walking around in the fresh air, we all take oxygen for granted. The air is maybe fresh, or it’s maybe a little stuffy, but it’s readily available. Divers can’t say the same. Swimming down into deep waters, they cautiously pay attention to their back-strapped oxygen tanks so that they can surface while they’ve still got plenty of breathable air. It’s much the same situation down inside an underground mine. There might be gas trapped in a chamber, clouds of dust choking a passageway, or simply a lack of breathable air throughout a deep subterranean level. Therefore, the ventilation tubing running through a mine is generally perceived as a life-giving umbilical line. The pipes provide clean, breathable air to miners. What, however, happens if the tubing develops a leak in a pipe joint?

Vent Bands Prevents Leaks and Ignition Hazards

From one perspective, the tubing stays sealed so that oxygen pressure stays high and miners have access to a fully working ventilation system. Then there’s the other point of view to consider. Those gasses and powdered materials, the ones collecting and unable to disperse in a mine chamber, could very well ignite if they’re mixed with oxygen. For example methane gas is sometimes exposed and released from ground pockets, then there’s bituminous coal dust, which is also ignitable. To prevent joint leaks from feeding these ignitable atmospheric elements with fire-feeding oxygen, mining engineers wrap ventilation tubes in a special sealing rubber. This is Vent Band rubber, a Fire Retardant and Anti-Static medium (FRAS) that seals the tubing and, therefore, maintains a safe, pressure-verified vent line.

Vent Bands Limit Spark Hazards Spark hazards are significantly reduced when oxygen lines are wrapped in Vent Band rubber. The material features a static reduction attribute, so the possibility of a spark discharge is greatly minimised. The tubing seal also provides a high measure of flame retardation. Even if a conflagration does develop, it won’t receive any flame feeding oxygen from the tubing, not with the rubber resisting the heat. One more time, then, this material wraps snugly around oxygen line joints to create an impermeable oxygen barrier. Venting systems remain properly pressurised when the rubber wrapping eliminates potential leaks. Just as importantly, the flame and static immune material actually reduces sparks and suppresses mine ignitability conditions.