Benefits of Vespel® CR-6100

DuPont™ Vespel® CR-6100 is a one-of-a-kind composite material designed for use in working environments where harsh chemicals are common. Low creep and high thermal resistance make Vespel CR-6100 an especially well-suited material for the construction of seals, wear rings, and other stationary components used in myriad devices, applications, and operating conditions. Vespel CR-6100 can help solve a number of issues, from pump design to operational concerns to service and maintenance conditions. If your daily operations involve centrifugal pumps, agitators, or other rotating machines, Vespel CR-6100 can provide significant improvements in machine reliability, safety, and efficiency.

Unique Structure, Superior Performance

This composite material is made from long carbon fibers and Teflon PFA resin. The manufacturing process orients the carbon fibers on the X-Y plane, perpendicular to the rotational direction of wear parts in a rotating machine. Vespel CR-6100 makes it possible to eliminate metal-to-metal contact points in pumps and other machinery. With stationary parts manufactured from Vespel, and metal rotating parts, a more stable and durable metal-to-composite interaction is created instead. Benefits of a metal-to-composite interface include:

• No risk of galling during alignment, slow-roll, startup, and shutdown
• No risk of equipment seizure
• Reduced damage to expensive components like impellers and casings, even during a severe dry-running event
• Increased pump efficiency
• Improved rotor stability
• Reduced vibration
• Reduced shaft deflection
• Reduced risk of cavitation

 

Additional benefits of Vespel include:

• Lower power consumption at the same operating point
• Potential for increased throughput (if the system allows)
• Reduced CO₂ emissions
• Wide operating temperature range: from cryogenic to 500°F (260°C)
• Lower coefficient of friction in the X-Y plane than in carbon steel
• Easy to machine and install
• Near-universal chemical compatibility
• Approved for potable water applications

Applications & Industries

Since 1997, Vespel CR-6100 has been used to manufacture a broad spectrum of wear components for rotating equipment and utilized across a wide range of industries. In the right hands, Vespel CR-6100 can easily be machined into a wide range of parts. Using computerized design files and CNC machining equipment, Vespel can be made into small, complex components, large, simple pieces, and anything in between. Successful part applications for Vespel include:

• Agitator bearings
• API separator bearings
• Centrifugal compressor labyrinth seals
• Centrifugal pump wear rings
• Gear pump bearings
• PERF-seal components
• Reciprocating compressor valve plates
• Throat bushings
• Throttle bushings
• Vertical pump shaft bearings

The benefits of Vespel CR-6100 are seen most significantly in hydrocarbon processing and other fluid-handling industries. Common industrial applications include:

• Chemical plants
• Gas plants
• LNG processing plants
• Petrochemical plants
• Power plants
• Refined product pipelines
• Refineries

Vespel® is a registered trademark of DuPont™. Photo courtesy of Boulden Company.