As existing supplies of oil and gas are depleted, these industries are being forced to explore ever more severe environments for future supplies. To help this exploration, Oil and Gas companies are utilising the excellent characteristics of Syalons, such as corrosion and erosion resistance, heat tolerance and light weight, to replace traditional metal components.
Hydrocylones
In sub-sea oil extraction, hydrocyclone separators are used in the process of separating sand from the oil. Pressure differences in the slurry generates centrifugal forces which causes rotational motion of the fluid which in turn causes the dense sand particles to separate from the less dense material. The rotational flow results in severe abrasion on the materials used in the hydrocyclones.
Syalons possess the physical and chemical properties to perform well in this demanding environment where wear resistance is critical.
Metering Valves
Metering valves, used for metering the flow of often hot, abrasive slurries, again require a demanding set of properties. The high hardness, toughness and strength of Syalon 050 results in excellent wear resistance, which when combined with its excellent thermal properties and chemical stability make it an ideal material for this application.
A 38mm diameter Syalon 050 metering valve, which cycled every 10 seconds, while metering a hot, abrasive slurry, out-performed inconel valves by a factor of 14 to 1 and out-performed silicon carbide valves by 7 to 1.