After asbestos was banned for health & safety reasons in the 1990’s, traditional sealing methods now utilise graphite gasketing, with its inherent brittleness, adhesion & handling problems.

Sealing technology business, Garlock now has available inorganic fibre based gasketing material, Style ST-706, suitable for superheated steam at maximum 540 degree C and 105-bar pressure.

Stuart Phythian, Garlock’s sales and marketing manager, commented, "No longer should any steam plant be limited by having to use graphite with its inherent problems of handling with personal protective equipment and flange cleaning due to its stickiness."

“ST-706 solves these problems with its high temperature capability & ease of handling, allowing it to be cut from a sheet on site, or reducing damage to dies for machine cut gaskets.”

Independent tests undertaken by the BHR Group further illustrate the endurance of the material successfully testing its integrity at 400 degree C under thermal cycling conditions for 90 days.

The use of oxidation resistant materials in ST-706 gasketing makes it suitable for high performance, high temperature steam applications within power generation, chemical processing, petrochemical and hydrocarbon processing industries