Research on the Accelerated Life Test Method for Gaskets and the Verification of the Accuracy of the Life Prediction

Abstract

Bolted flanged connections are widely used in the petroleum and chemical industries. The gasket is the core component of bolted flanged connections. Accurate prediction of the gasket life is of great significance for the efficient, continuous, safe, and long-term operation of the device. The gasket accelerated life prediction method is a method for predicting gasket life developed in recent years. However, the accuracy of gasket life predicted by this method has not been studied so far. In order to verify the accuracy of the gasket accelerated life prediction method, a verification model for the accuracy of gasket life prediction was proposed in this study. The maximum accelerated stress level of gasket was determined through tests, and the accelerated life test and long-term sealing performance test were carried out. The hypothesis check of the gasket life distribution, consistency check of the shape parameters, and model parameter estimation of the accelerated life equation were carried out based on the measured data. All parameters of the life verification model (LVM) were obtained. On this basis, the life estimation values of the gasket accelerated life prediction model (ALPM) and the life verification model were compared under multiple groups of normal stress levels. The results show that the error time between the prediction model and the verification model does not exceed 720 h, which verifies the accuracy of the gasket accelerated life prediction method.