The O-rings for valves are a sealing solution for the stem of a spindle valve, as we explained in another article published in our blog under the name of “Some sealing solutions in valves”.
Depending on the valve's service, it will be required that its documentation includes certificates of critical components for the valve's operation, such as, for example, in the case of O-rings of elastomer.
In the oil and gas industry, it is common practice for oil and gas companies to make it compulsory for their O-rings for valves to be used ensure that they will not suffer the consequences of a “Rapid Gas Decompression (RGD)” and therefore are rated AED (Anti-Explosive Decompression).
When a O-ring If the valve is in contact with a gas at high pressure, it may happen that the gas penetrates and diffuses internally into the elastomer of the valve. O-ring. If accidentally the pressure in the environment of the O-ring If the gas trapped inside it expands violently and will cause cracks that will irreversibly damage it.
When a O-ring If the valve is in contact with a gas at high pressure, it may happen that the gas penetrates and diffuses internally into the elastomer of the valve. O-ring. If accidentally the pressure in the environment of the O-ring If the gas trapped inside it expands violently and will cause cracks that will irreversibly damage it.
International standards applied to O-rings
The most widely recognized international standards that include tests to be performed on materials made of O-rings for valves to achieve AED qualification are as follows:- NORSOK M-710 Rev. 2 Section 7.3 Annex B: «Qualification of non-metallic sealing materials and manufacturers: resistance to rapid gas decompression (RGD)».
- TOTAL GS PVV 142, Appendix 8 «Elastomer O-ring seals explosion decompression type test procedure».
- NACE TM0297 «Effects of high-pressure, high-temperature carbon dioxide decompression on elastomeric materials.».
- ISO 23936-2 «Petroleum, petrochemical and natural gas industries: non-metallic materials in contact with media related to oil and gas production - Part 2: Elastomers».