Bal Seal Addresses Analytical Pump Pressures in New Tech Article, Podcast


Resources Navigate Engineers Through 20KPSI Pressure Challenges

Foothill Ranch, Calif. - March 1st, 2012 - With a technical article slated for publication in two major magazines next month, and a podcast on its Website. Bal Seal Engineering is providing designers of liquid chromatography pumps with techniques to meet new operating pressure demands of 20KPSI and higher.

Bal Seal, a global provider of custom-engineered sealing solutions for laboratory equipment and analytical sciences, is developing 30,000 psi seals for the next generation of higher pressure UHPLC pumps. Those interested in learning more are invited to visit Bal Seal's booth, #1543, at the Pittcon 2011 Conference and Expo, March 13th-18th at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

The Bal Seal UHPLC pump seals are being developed for mobile phase applications requiring extreme pressures which are increasingly in demand for analyzing high viscosity inorganic samples. Examples include pharmaceutical development and quality control. The benefits of UHPLC include faster flow rates, smaller sample sizes, and less buffer requirements, which ultimately save money and provide higher quality analyses.

Bal Seal, a world leader in high pressure liquid chromatography sealing solutions, is working on 30,000 psi pump seals in partnership with several major industry OEMs. The new seals will be made from advanced polymer formulations, and some configurations will employ the company's proven Canted-coil(TM) spring technology for longer seal life and more effective sealing performance. Seal profiles will be optimized for longer life and durability under a wider range of pump pressures. Unique backup seal designs will provide additional protection against extrusion in some applications.

"We have the right materials and the right seal geometries," says Steven Twork, a Global Analytical Market Manager at Bal Seal. "The seals we're developing for these unprecedented pressures will last as long as or longer than other Bal Seal UHPLC seals, typically 800 hours or more when properly maintained. They will work equally well at low pressures, too. System manufacturers and end users will have access to high performance seals that provide exceptional performance over an increased pressure range."

Bal Seal is developing the ultra high performance seals for use primarily with the industry's newest wave of UHPLC pumps, but they will also retrofit many existing pumps that provide 20,000-30,000 psi performance.

HPLC and UHPLC piston seals are manufactured to very fine tolerances to fit around the piston in a pump and prevent seepage of eluent. A leaking seal can lead to catastrophic situations including contamination and system breakdown. Bal Seal custom solutions provide effective sealing with strong resistance to abrasion, and they are widely used by HPLC system OEMs for long life in mobile phases, especially when buffer salts are present.

To illustrate the use of its solutions in analytical equipment - including an ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography pump and a mass spectrometer - Bal Seal has produced a detailed animation sequence which can be viewed at http://mediaroom.balseal.com/vod24

About Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.

Bal Seal Engineering, Inc. is a global provider of custom-engineered sealing, connecting, conducting and shielding solutions for industry worldwide. The company's products employ unique Canted-coil(TM) spring technology for enhanced performance and reliability. For information about Bal Seal products and services, visit www.balseal.com or call 800.366.1006.

About Pittcon 2011

Pittcon is the world's largest annual conference and exposition for laboratory science. Pittcon 2011 will offer the latest technology and instrumentation from more than 950 exhibitors, a diverse technical program of over 2,200 abstracts to technical presentations, more than 100 short courses, and networking sessions that provide the chance to exchange innovative ideas with scientists from around the world. For more information, visit www.pittcon.org.
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