OmniSafe Flight Qualification

This is the equipment and procedure used to determine the quantity and size of the particles shed into the process stream, due to galling, as a legacy metal face seal fitting is tightened. Objectives Compare standard metal face seal fitting with the OmniSafe torque suppression fitting over the following criteria: Examine the sealing surfaces of…

This graph shows the installed cost of an Omnisafe vs the legacy metal face seal fitting. For either fitting, the purchase price is based on quantity. The additional labor cost of legacy fittings occur while trying to keep the components in alignment, undamaged, and leak tight during gas system assembly. Cost avoidance due to torque…

This is the cross sectional view of the Omnisafe fitting at finger tight (click to enlarge). The gap between the torque eliminators is the same as the gasket thickness (.028”). If the gasket is missing, the torque eliminators bottom out into a “fail safe” mode. This prevents torroid to torroid contact and destruction. The fitting…

Tribology is the study of friction, lubrication, and wear. Formally defined, it is the science and technology of interacting surfaces in relative motion. A face seal fitting that transfers torque to the sealing surfaces during the compression that creates the seal, has a fundamental flaw. A tribological study of metal seals shows that this rotation…

How much rotation is transferred to the components connected by a “VCR type”* metal face seal fitting as it is tightened with a nickel gasket? This data below shows that the relative rotation of the components ranges from 6.7 to 18.2 degrees. This rotation is based on the plating inside the female nut and the…

* taken at the point indicated by the red arrow on the first S.E.M.s After checking the nickel peaks on the bottom EDS we notice much higher nickel reading. This higher signal is from nickel particles that are embedded into the torroid of the gland from the galled nickel gasket during tightening of the fitting….