ASHCROFT 100-101 Threaded Diaphragm Seal Instruction Manual

: June 3, 2024
: ASHCROFT

ASHCROFT 100-101 Threaded Diaphragm Seal

ASHCROFT-100-101-Threaded-Diaphragm Seal-product-image

Introduction

A diaphragm seal is a device that attaches to the process side of a pressure- measuring instrument to separate the instrument from the process ﬂuid while transmitting pressure across a ﬂexible membrane. The volume enclosed by the diaphragm, the top housing, and the measuring element is completely ﬁlled with a pressure transfer ﬂuid. A change in pressure at the process connection causes a displacement of the ﬁlling ﬂuid due to deﬂection of the diaphragm, transferring the change in pressure to the sensing element of the pressure instrument.

Safety Information

WARNING: Serious injury or equipment damage can result from failure to properly install, maintain, or operate these components. To assure safe operation and maintenance procedures, read carefully and follow the instructions in this manual.

Follow all instructions in this document to avoid exposure to pressurized ﬂuid
Use proper tools and safety equipment in installing or maintaining components
Assure that process pressure and temperatures are properly monitored and maintained, and the process ﬂuid is appropriate and compatible with the wetted materials of the diaphragm seal
Follow all of your company’s safety procedures in the event of a leak or diaphragm seal failure

Diaphragm Seal Components

Though the exact components will vary between speciﬁc models, most diaphragm seals will share the same essential parts.

Top Housing

The top housing of the diaphragm seal is used to connect to the pressure measurement instrument. The ﬁll port allows for assemblies to be vacuum ﬁlled, then sealed with a ball bearing in a conical seat and secured with a set screw.

Diaphragm

The diaphragm serves to separate the process ﬂuid from the ﬁlling ﬂuid, and as such is a component wetted to the process. Diaphragms can be welded or threaded into the top housing, which in turn can be welded or clamped to a lower housing. Changes in pressure cause the diaphragm to deﬂect, displacing ﬁll ﬂuid and transmitting pressure to the pressure-measuring instrument. It is important to ensure that a diaphragm has sufﬁcient displacement to operate a pressure-measuring instrument across its entire span. For detailed diaphragm seal and instrument compatibility, see Ashcroft Product Information Page DS- PI-82, “Minimum and Maximum Pressures for Diaphragm Seals,” found at Ashcroft.com

PTFE Gasket

All 100- and 200-series seals are supplied with a single- use PTFE skirted gasket. Refer to Section 4.2.3 for process considerations related to these gaskets.

Lower Housing

The lower housing connects a diaphragm seal to the user’s process, and is therefore a wetted part. Lower housings are designed to mate with the process They are avaiable in a wide variety of thread sizes. Lower housings can optionally be provided with threaded ﬂushing connections which can be used to clean the inside of the seal or to ﬂush out process media.

Fill Fluid

A ﬁlling ﬂuid (sometimes referred to as “system ﬁll,” “pressure sensing ﬂuid,” or, “hydraulic ﬂuid”) is required to transmit pressure from the diaphragm membrane to the pressure sensing device. Diaphragm seal assemblies are ﬁlled via a vacuum ﬁlling process that ensures the system contains no air gaps. Fill ﬂuids are selected based on operating conditions; primarily temperature. Though normally not in contact with the process media, a diaphragm failure may bring process media in contact with the ﬁll ﬂuid, so compatibility with the process media should be a consideration.

Speciﬁcations

100/200/300-Series Seals

Threaded Seals: 100, 101, 200, 201, 300, 301

Connections| 100, 200, 300: threaded process connection

101, 201, 301: threaded process

connection with flushing port

---|---
Process Connection Sizes| ¼ to 11/2 NPT female

¼ to 1 NPT male

Instrument Connection Sizes| ¼ or 1/2 NPT female
Pressure Ratings| 2,500 psi (5,000 psi optional)
Added Instrument Tolerance| ±0.5% typical
Wetted Components| Diaphragm, bottom housing, PTFE gasket
Non-Wetted Components| Top Housing, clamp rings, assembly hardware

Temperature Information

Thermal Dissipation
Seals will dissipate thermal energy, though ambient and process conditions will greatly affect the amount of heat
that can be lost through the seal. Accessories designed for dissipating heat, such as siphons or capillaries, should be used whenever dealing with elevated process temperatures.

Elastomers and Polymeric materials
Seals made with elastomeric or polymeric wetted components will have lower pressure ratings than those made from metallic components. Refer to the applicable
data sheet for temperature and pressure ratings for seals with non-metallic diaphragms or bottom housings.

PTFE Gasketing
The highest acceptable process temperature for PTFE gaskets is 500F. The lowest acceptable temperature is limited by the ﬁll ﬂuid, the lowest of which is Syltherm XLT, rated to -150ºF. For process temperatures below -150ºF or exceeding 500ºF, consider a temperature dissipating device, such as capillary or a a microTube™ or siphon. For processes that are not compatible with PTFE, consider an all-welded diaphragm seal.

Fill Fluid Speciﬁcations

Fill Fluid	Temperature	Viscosity (cSt at RT)	Variation Code	Notes
Glycerin (food grade)	0°F to 400°F (-18°C to 204°C)	1,300	CG	Direct-

mounting only. Not for use with vacuum service
50 cSt Silicone| -40°F to 500°F (-40°C to 260°C)| 50| CK|
10 cSt Silicone| -40°F to 500°F (-40°C to 260°C)| 10| DJ|
Halocarbon® 4.2| -70°F to 300°F (-57°C to 199°C)| 4.2| CF| For use with oxygen/ oxidizing process media
Slytherm® 800| -40°F to 750°F (-40°C to 400°C)| 10| HA| High temperature applications
Syltherm® XLT| -150°F to 500°F (-100°C to 260°C)| 1.4| CC| Low temperature applications
Calflo® AF| -20°F to 600°F (-29°C to 316°C)| 60| KF| High temperature, silicone-free
Mineral Oil| 10°F to 400°F (-12°C to 204°C)| 75| MY|
Neobee® M-20 (food grade)| 5°F to 400°F (-15°C to 204°C)| 9.5| NM|
Silicone (food grade)| -40°F to 500°F (-40°C to 260°C)| 350| CZ|
Distilled Water| 40°F to 185°F (4°C to 85°C)| 0.9| FJ|
50/50 Glycerin/Water| 15°F to 200°F (-9°C to 93°C)| 30| GH|
Propylene Glycol| -50°F to 325°F (-46°C to 163°C)| 54| CV|
Ethylene Glycol| 20°F to 325°F (-7°C to 163°C)| 14| FK|
50/50 Ethylene Glycol/Water| -25°F to 190°F (-32°C to 88°C)| 2.9| CT|
80/20 Glycerin/Water| 15°F to 225°F (-9°C to 107°C)| 270| GR|
95/5 Water/ Propylene Glycol| 40°F to 185°F (4°C to 85°C)| 1.0| PY|

Installation

General Information

Instruments attached and ﬁlled to diaphragm seals should never be tightened or loosened at the top housing. Doing so will alter the dynamics of the ﬁll ﬂuid and diaphragm movement, causing errors in the reading. Assemblies should ONLY be installed and/or tightened at the diaphragm seal lower housing. Most diaphragm seals can be purchased with either a locking device (XLD) or with the instrument welded to the top housing of the seal to prevent tampering (XDU).
Diaphragm seals should be installed in accordance with any safety precautions or installation speciﬁcations applicable to the end user. That said, the general principles in the following sections still apply.

Flushing Ports

Use of ﬂushing ports is application-speciﬁc and are often used when process media has the potential to clog inside the lower housing, whether due to process media solidiﬁcation, suspended solids, polymerization, or other factors. Diaphragm seals with ﬂushing ports must have the ﬂushing ports plugged prior to startup. Flushing ports on most seals are ¼ NPT, though some conﬁgurations may have ¹⁄8 or ½ NPT ﬂushing ports. Diaphragm seals can be ordered with the ﬂushing ports pre-plugged with the “XPU” variation. Note that to prevent thread galling or stripping, factory-installed ﬂush plugs may not be fully tightened and should be checked for tightness prior to pressurization.

Threaded Seals

Note: Torque should never be applied to the pressure instrument when installing the diaphragm seal. Most seals are supplied with either wrench ﬂats or spanner holes to
be used when installing the seal into process piping.

Threaded seals are most commonly supplied with NPT threads per ASME B1.20.1. NPT threads require the use of a suitable thread sealant, such as pipe dope or PTFE tape, and must be tightened securely to prevent galled threads and to ensure a leak-tight seal. Torque values will vary by connection size, though 2-3 full turns past ﬁnger-tight is often used as a guideline. Refer to ASME B1.20.1 for detailed information regarding NPT threads. For alternate thread types (metric, BSP, etc.), refer to the applicable speciﬁcation.

Maintenence

Storage

Diaphragm seal assemblies should be stored in accordance with the storage requirements for all instruments attached,
as well as any temperature limits listed above. Common instrumentation is shown in the table below. Refer to the respective data sheets or maintenance guides for detailed storage requirements for Ashcroft pressure instruments. Note that certain ﬁll ﬂuids (e.g., distilled water) may have storage and process temperature limitations narrower than the below data.

Pressure Instrument| Minimum Storage Temperature

°F (°C)

| Maximum Storage Temperature

°F (°C)

---|---|---
Pressure Gauge (Dry)| -40 (-40)| 250 (121)
Pressure Gauge (Glycerin-filled)| 0 (-18)| 150 (66)
B-series switches| -20 (-28)| 150 (65)
A- Series Switches| -40 (-40)| 257 (125)

Frequency of Inspection

Inspection frequency is application-speciﬁc and depends on the severity of the service and how critical the accuracy of the pressure instrument is. For example, a monthly inspection may be necessary for severe service applications, such as corrosive process media or heavy pulsation
and vibration. Annual inspections, or even less frequent schedules, are often employed in non-critical applications.

Removal from Service

Diaphragm seals should be properly isolated and vented from the process prior to disassembly. Most diaphragms can be inspected by removing the diaphragm seal from the process (either by unthreading or by removing it from the mating ﬂange) and viewing the diaphragm through the lower housing. If additional inspection is needed, 100- and 200-series diaphragm seals can be disassembled by removing the clamping screws and separating the top housing and diaphragm from the lower housing. Note that the PTFE wetted gaskets on certain seals are single use, and must be replaced anytime the compression is lost. Replacement gaskets can be ordered from Ashcroft (part number 124A287-01). 300-series seal should not be disassembled, as the diaphragm is merely clamped between the top and bottom housing; disassembling will result in loss of ﬁll ﬂuid.

Diaphragm Seal Failures and Troubleshooting

100, 200, and 300-series diaphragm seal are continuous duty as deﬁned by ASME B40.2. Should the pressure instrument fail or be removed accidentally, the diaphragm will seat against a matching surface in the top housing preventing damage to the diaphragm or leakage of the process ﬂuid.
In the event that a diaphragm failure is suspected, the assembly should be immediately isolated from the process and the cause for failure determined. Most diaphragm failures are caused by corrosion, high temperatures, or ﬁll leakage. Process media build-up in the lower housing can also require cleaning or replacement. In the event of a diaphragm failure due to corrosion, it is critical that the wetted materials of the assembly be evaluated for compatibility before it is replaced.

Troubleshooting Guide

Symptom	Possible Cause	Solution
Instrument not responding to pressure	Poor filling process, loss of fill
fluid	Refill diaphragm seal and instrument assembly
Process media clog or accumulation in lower housing	Clean out lower housing;

alternately, use a seal with a flushing port
Process media leaking from process connection| Threaded seals: Inadequate thread sealing| Check that the seal has been properly torqued and that the threads have been sealed with pipe dope or PTFE tape
Rusted bolts/top housing/flange| Corrosive atmosphere| In most cases rust will not affect the performance of the seal. Consider more corrosion-resistant non- wetted materials.
Upscale shift on pressure reading| Temperature error – High Temp| Consider a heat dissipation accessory, such as a capillary or MicroTube™ Siphon
Overfilling| Refill diaphragm seal and instrument assembly
Diaphragm permeation| Certain process media can permeate the very thin diaphragm material and react with fill fluid. Review wetted material compatibility