First-Hand News?
Obtain news and background information about sealing technology, get in touch with innovative products – subscribe to the free e-mail newsletter.
- Home
- News & Stories
-
Back to
Press Releases
- Patented Sealing Solution To Improve Drinking Water
08.08.2023 Press Release
Patented Sealing Solution To Improve Drinking Water
Drinking water is heavily contaminated in many countries around the world: Pollutants such as microplastics, bacteria, viruses and pesticides can negatively impact the quality of the water. Freudenberg Sealing Technologies developed an innovative sealing solution for a water treatment device that not only filters tap water but also enriches it with minerals, trace elements and, if desired, carbonic acid.
When the device was first developed, the customer faced a technical challenge: The valves of conventional carbon dioxide cartridges are not fully standardized and have many different dimensions that connect at varying heights. Ensuring that all valve variants fit together flawlessly with the appliance requires a seal with a sophisticated design that provides reliable sealing regardless of this high tolerance range.
“After the customer contacted us, we began an analysis of the special conditions that such a seal has to meet,” said Ulrich Wüstenhagen, Pneumatics Product Development at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies. “It quickly became clear that this project required our materials expertise as well as our development know-how and our experience in manufacturing such products.”
Amazing sealing performance
The valves of carbon dioxide cartridges are screwed into water purifiers with a standardized trapezoidal thread. Then the cartridge and appliance are firmly connected to each other. Next, a pressure reducer on the appliance lowers the cartridge pressure from 60 bar to a permanent working pressure of around three bar. The seal in the gap between the pressure reducer on the appliance and the valve of the gas cartridge must now accomplish something extraordinary: Since it is exposed to the pressure of 60 bar for a long time, carbon dioxide penetrates the material until the saturation point. When the water purifier is used, the pressure quickly decreases, and the gas abruptly expands. During this rapid decompression, the gas in the material escapes back out of the material. This is no problem when the seal is produced from the right kind of material. But if the material has imperfections in which the CO2 can accumulate, or if it is categorically unsuitable, the expansion will create bubbles that damage the seal.
In addition to the right material, the seal must also have the right geometry to handle these tough conditions. It must both compensate for the various connection dimensions of the valves on the gas cartridges and make it easy for users to change the cartridges. Here a clever combination of material and geometry ensures the lowest possible frictional torque as the cartridge is twisted in or out.
Optimal in design and material
The customer was working on a tight deadline that did not offer much time for extensive testing. By relying on its existing material expertise and manufacturing know-how, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies began working in close cooperation with the appliance manufacturer, and the optimal sealing solution and perfect material were identified. The company’s high-performance polyurethane ,93 AU V167, is resilient and has excellent tensile strength in addition to high elongation at break. It is very elastic, wear-resistant and approved for food contact pursuant to European Union Regulation 10/2011. It also complies with FDA requirements and 3-A sanitary standards.
The company’s rapid seal service, Freudenberg Xpress® supplied the first CNC-machined prototypes and then took over the production of two preliminary series, each with about 1,000 CNC-machined seals. The next step called for the expertise of specialists at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies for the production and sampling of an injection molding tool, which is now being used to supply the series parts – economically and ready for use.
“Thanks to a very pragmatic approach, we arrived at a tailor-made solution with our customer in a short time – a solution we have now patented,” Wüstenhagen concludes. “This seal ensures that, in the future, tap water can be enjoyed confidently anywhere in the world.”
Ulrike Reich
Head of Media Relations & Internal Communications
Telephone: + 49 (0) 6201 960 5713
ulrike.reich@fst.com
Cheryl Eberwein
Director, Corporate Communications
Telephone: +1 734 354 5373
cheryl.eberwein@fnst.com
Download Press Release
Download Images
News Service
You can subscribe to the Freudenberg Sealing Technologies news alert service, bringing you the news as soon as they are published. You can always unsubscribe from this service.
Subscribe now! 
Further Articles With These Taggings
Putting Robotic Parts Through Their Paces
The interplay of gears, lubricants and seals determines how precisely and smoothly robots are able to function. This interaction can be precisely tested at the test facilities in Weinheim.
Ensure purity with our Simmerring® Radiamatic HTS II
Learn how we helped a United States manufacturer meet the demanding needs of their customers.
Overcoming Seal Failures With Freudenberg EPDM 291 Material
How a major US manufacturer in the health and well-being industry used Freudenberg EPDM 291 material to solve their sealing failures while delivering considerable cost-saving.
The Foods of Southeast Asia
Climate change, a growing population and rising incomes: All three factors are changing diets in Southeast Asia. This is also having an impact on the food industry.
Simriz® – Quick Tooling Ensures a Reliable Supply of FFKM Seals
Discover how our Simriz® quick tooling & reliable supply chain ensure that an American seed and agricultural chemical company has a reliable supply of FFKM seals.
Southeast Asia Is Worth a Look
Pulsing, dynamic and diverse: Southeast Asia doesn‘t always get the attention that it deserves. Why people should keep a close eye on it.
Clean All Around: High-Quality Sealing Solutions For Safe Foods And Drinks
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies presents product highlights for the food industry at CibusTec 2023.
The Right Material Mix for the Highest-Quality Sound
Rubber surrounds incorporated into speakers help to control the vibration of their cones. Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has turned to high technology for the surrounds’ manufacture.
Energy for the Future
Solar energy, wind power, hydrogen: Why it is important to maintain a healthy curiosity about energy options for the future. After all, energy is everywhere.
News Service
You can subscribe to the Freudenberg Sealing Technologies news alert service, bringing you the news as soon as they are published. You can always unsubscribe from this service.
Subscribe now!
Back to Top