In Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) operations, valves and equipment face some of the harshest conditions on Earth: temperatures plunging below -320°F (-196°C), pressures exceeding 750 psi, and constant thermal cycling that causes hardware expansion, shrinkage, and material stress. These challenges demand seals that can maintain integrity over the long term while ensuring safe, leak-free operation.

Efficient, reliable valve performance is critical to the success of any LNG/CNG operation, and seals play a central role in keeping valves up and running. But their job is made difficult by the demanding service conditions.

Challenges in LNG Valve Sealing

LNG operations subject seals to unique stresses:

• Extreme Cold: Materials contract dramatically at cryogenic temperatures, risking seal failure.
• High Pressure: Seals must resist deformation under pressures exceeding 750 psi (and up to 900+ psi in some cases).
• Thermal Cycling: Repeated temperature fluctuations cause expansion/contraction cycles, leading to material fatigue.
• Corrosive Media: Exposure to LNG, chemicals, and specialty gases accelerates wear.

Spring-energized seals are vital across LNG infrastructure, including:

• LNG Compressors & Transfer Pumps
• Cryogenic Valve Stem Seals
• Butterfly Valve Seat Seals
• LNG Fueling Systems
• Rocket Propulsion Filling Systems
• Specialty Gas Manufacturing

With the right material formulation and design, they can actually provide much better sealing service than alternative technologies, such as metallic seals, elastomeric seals and packings—especially in dynamic applications. In fact, the right polymer seals can actually help engineers achieve new levels of valve performance.

Sealing at cryogenic temperatures has its own unique set of challenges. JST has a wide range of solutions for cryogenic sealing applications. Cryogenic seals require skillful design by combining the right type of material, seal configuration, and spring energizer to overcome the dimensional fluctuation of all mating parts.

Upgrade your LNG systems with JST’s cryogenic sealing solutions—engineered to keep your operations running smoothly, safely, and leak-free.