Test apparatus for seal members in a pressurized oxygen environment

摘要

An apparatus for testing seal members for use in an oxygen-rich environment. The test apparatus operates and is constructed to replicate the service environment as closely as possible. The test unit includes a hull with an interior test portion, with connections for gaseous or liquid oxygen and nitrogen and having a reciprocating actuator shaft extending into the hull interior. A valve seal member is carried on a retainer and bears against sealing surfaces on a nozzle to test valve sealing operations, while a dynamic O-ring bears against a liner element carried within the hull. Pressure sensors determine whether an effective seal is maintained, while a temperature sensor insures that the dynamic O-ring temperature does not exceed specifications. The retainer and the nozzle can be changed to permit testing a variety of valve seals.