Computer-aided study of the process of impregnation of elastomeric materials with liquid hydrocarbons

The article solves the problem of losses of liquids transported in tanks, the main reason for which is the change in structural characteristics of the insulation materials in the process of their service. A methodology is developed and physical and mechanical tests of elastomeric materials are carried out by the example of a sealing ring of a tank drain valve. To carry out an experimental testing, aggressive media of light hydrocarbons were used as operating fluids. In the capacity of such a medium, gasoline and oil hydraulic fluid (as a material with the most frequently found viscosity factor) were used. The statistically average value of the mass of the calculated batch of samples obtained in the process of the study was taken as the result. Experimental research showed that the highest intensity of change of the mass of the samples in the medium of light hydrocarbons is observed during the first whole day of immersion. During the immersion of the samples in the hydraulic oil, the highest intensity of swelling is observed in the first few days. This length of testing of elastomeric materials is unacceptable for industry laboratories. Because of this, based on experience of the previous studies, authors offer a study methodology and an automated experimental unit on the basis of the industrial equipment of thermal vacuum filling. To automate field tests, authors developed a system of controlling and monitoring parameters in the unit operating chamber. As the cornerstone of the control board, a cost-effective version of the programmable controller was used. An automated study method allowed obtaining new results on the filling dynamics of the elastomeric materials. It was determined that light hydrocarbons fill the elastomeric materials almost uniformly. Nevertheless, it is worth pointing out that some deviations from the linear dependency were also determined in the first minutes of the experiment. The initial representation of filling elastomeric materials with heavy hydrocarbons was determined. For the first time, it showed the intensive dynamics in the first minutes of filling the samples of elastomeric materials. The study results provide means for developing structural and technological measures for using new elastomeric materials, and the offered organizational arrangements make it possible to stabilize operational characteristics of the used materials during the transportation of liquid hydrocarbons.