2.
General Principles
2.2 Sealing mechanisms • Inner seals
Hard versus soft seals
The quality of the seal surfaces
that meet is critical for achieving
the required seal.
These surfaces are often
comprised of hard metal or of
polymers, plastic compounds
which may be hard or soft.
Tungsten carbide is widely used
for metal seats, while Peek is
common for hard polymers. PTFE
is often used as soft polymer.
Hard seals withstand greater
forces and wear than soft seals,
but in order to form a seal, they
are more difficult to fabricate.
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Metal seals are often used in
valves which must withstand
being operated with high
pressure differential and/or high
temperature.
On certain ball valves with metal-
to-metal seals, each seat is
adapted to each side of the ball.
The ball must then be mounted
so that the correct side of the ball
meets the right seat in order for
the valve to remain sealed.