Conax Technologies

Techni Measure distribute the Conax Technologies range of compression seal fittings, and temperature sensor assemblies.

The temperature sensors are available as RTD or thermocouple assemblies and are offered in various configurations, including many different termination styles and mounting options. These sensors can of course be supplied along with an appropriate seal fitting to provide a complete pressure vessel solution.

Compression seal fittings restrain the elements from moving as a result of pressure differentials, prohibit the leakage of gas/liquid media along the elements, and can electrically isolate the elements from the mounting device. Many different seals are available, and the Conax soft seal technology, allows for high pressure and high temperature applications.

Single element seals consist of a body, cap, sealant and follower, whereas multiple element seals also include a seat, follower and an anti-rotation pin to prevent wires/conductors from twisting and shearing.

The element to be sealed passes through the holes in the sealing assembly components and the cap is then torqued to the recommended value, thus translating an axial force on the follower. This force compresses the sealant contained within the body housing so that the sealant conforms to the element, creating a seal.

The elastic nature of the sealant allows it to flow into any voids between the seal and the element. Typical applications include pressure vessels, autoclaves, furnaces, holding tanks and pipelines. Typical systems include the PL series that are for multiple power leads and come supplied with 8 to 20 AWG Kapton insulated wire pre-installed. The TG series are supplied with or without wires and are for low voltage applications such as strain gauges and thermocouples. Split seals are also available.

One interesting application involved several heater power feed-throughs for an autoclave in the Aerospace industry. While it was intended to be an exact physical replacement of an existing product, Conax developed a "plug and play" solution offering several key advantages − updates to the design, improved performance, longer life and ease of use. 

These units can be rebuilt in the field and spare parts are kept in stock at the customer site.  Downtime is now limited to 3-4 hours to replace a few simple components, compared to 3-4 months for complete rebuilds of the previous design. 

Performance and longevity are improved so that the heating elements can function at peak performance at all times rather than a continuous degradation in performance until failure as with the old design. This application typifies what is possible from the Conax range and by utilizing their application experience.