Customizable Components Ideal for Extremely High Heat Environments

With hot summer temperatures upon most of the United States, we are reminded that many of our customers have applications that must operate in temperature extremes. From our years of experience, we are able to assist customers who require exposure to high heat environments by recommending a plastic body and o-ring material with characteristics able to withstand these extreme conditions.

With every check or pressure relief valve we create, we have 9 plastic body materials and 7 o-ring materials to meet a wide variety of application demands. Our vast knowledge of each material helps us select the ideal components.

For plastics, we often recommend valves in Ultem®, Radel® 5000, and PVDF. Ultem® is our go-to plastic when an application requires high heat, flame, or solvent resistance as it performs between 200°F to 400°F. Radel® 5000 is another great option because it performs up to 375°F and is known for its superior strength and resiliency. PVDF aka Kynar is popular for its natural resistance to direct sunlight. This material works up to 300°F and is our number one choice for devices exposed to ozone.

For o-rings, our top suggestions for high heat environments would be Viton®, Silicone, Fluorosilicone, and Aflas. Viton® works up to 400°F and is popular for its compatibility with petroleum and fuel oils. However, we do not recommend it for environments exposed to hot water or steam due to the potential of swelling in this particular material. For dry heat, sunlight, ozone, and weathering, Silicone is a great option, and it works up to 450°F. Silicone also has an excellent rating for sealing versus other o-ring materials due to its softer compounds. Fluorosilicone also works up to 450°F and has the widest temperature range available of any o-ring we offer. For a really tough and high heat environment, Aflas is the ideal option as it is only available in a size 80 (hardness of rubber) durometer and performs in the 400°F range. This material also works well with steam. We've also seen it used in a lot of engine applications due to its high temperature resistance and compatibility with motor oils and coolants.

Please note that the above information is a general recommendation of materials that have proven successful with high temperatures. As always, Smart Products strongly advises that customers test products for each application-specific use. To ensure we create the right valve for your device, it is important to communicate any liquids/gasses used, application environment, and intended shelf life with us.

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