Low Friction Elastomer Products (with improved frictional properties)
"Slippery" rubber has the ability to "dry" friction (with a dry friction coefficient of less than 0.2 on steel), which is very important for use in submersible pumps in conditions of fluid flow stall.
Low friction elastomeric compounds (slippery elastomeric compositions) are characterized by enhanced wear and abrasion resistance and ability to retain high performance under dry friction conditions. The selection of suitable contact materials is vital for submersible equipment for use in crude oil with high hard particle concentrations (of more than 500 mg/l).
Low friction elastomeric compounds have a dry friction coefficient against hardened steel of max 0,2 and are able to perform well even under dry friction conditions. This property makes low friction elastomeric compounds especially suitable for submersible oil and gas applications such as marine bearings, thrust washers, PCP pump and down-hole motor stators (equipment life time is 400 days min).
To improve working efficiency of products in movable joints that are exposed to sliding friction against smooth metal surfaces is possible if one uses not only compounding (volume treatment) but surface finishing methods of already finished elastomeric materials as well.
Adsorptive-absorption treatment (AAT) method was devised and patented by REAM's experts. This method provides such increased product performance as follows:
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low dry friction coefficient (static and dynamic) - 0,2 max;
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ozone resistance;
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no need for special lubricant for unit assembly;
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contact temperature decrease of moving seal lips.
