Sealing the Extreme: The Critical Role of Metal Seals in Aerospace Engineering
Created on 08.02
In the aerospace field, metal seals are widely used. This is because they have the ability to withstand extreme temperatures, pressures, and harsh environments, making them particularly suitable for critical systems where elastomer or polymer seals are difficult to perform well. The typical application scenarios of metal seals in the aerospace field are as follows:
Engines and propulsion systems: Metal seals can be found in many components of aircraft and rocket engines, such as combustion chambers, fuel and oxidizer systems, and exhaust nozzles. They play an important role in maintaining the integrity of these systems and preventing leaks, thereby ensuring the optimal performance and operational safety of the systems.
Hydraulic systems: Aerospace hydraulic systems have extremely high performance requirements for seals, which need to withstand high pressure and high temperature. Metal seals are applied to components such as actuators, pumps, and valves to maintain system pressure and avoid fluid leakage.
Fuel systems: Metal seals are used in fuel tanks, fuel pipelines, and fuel control valves to ensure the safe and efficient storage and transmission of fuel in aircraft or spacecraft.
Environmental Control Systems (ECS): Metal seals play a role in components that regulate the internal temperature, pressure, and humidity of aircraft or spacecraft. They are relatively common in heat exchangers, pressure regulators, and air conditioning systems.
Cryogenic systems: Metal seals are crucial in cryogenic application scenarios such as liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen storage tanks, and transmission pipelines. They can achieve reliable sealing in extremely low - temperature environments and effectively prevent leaks.
Avionics and electronic equipment: Metal seals are used in electrical connectors and cable feed - through devices, which helps maintain the integrity of electronic systems and protect them from the harsh aerospace environment.
Landing gear systems: Metal seals are used in the hydraulic components of landing gear systems to prevent liquid leakage, thus ensuring the smooth operation of the take - off and landing processes.
Oxygen systems: In life support systems, metal seals are used to prevent leaks and maintain appropriate pressure in oxygen supply pipelines and storage tanks.
The above are just a few examples of the numerous applications of metal seals in the aerospace field. In these applications, metal seals play a key role in ensuring the reliability, safety, and performance of the systems.