James Walker offers new marine elastomer

Sydney, Australia – For any vessels entering US Coastal Waters, environmentally acceptable lubricants (EAL) are now mandatory in all oil-to-sea applications. These EAL applications require specially formulated elastomer compounds to ensure seal performance is not compromised.

Bi-O-Lionis a new elastomer material developed by James Walker specifically to perform in marine propulsion sealing duties where the latest generation of environmentally acceptable lubricants are in use.

Extensive testing programme

Bi-O-Lionhas been developed as part of an extensive compatibility testing programme designed to develop a clear understanding of the effect on seals and components of switching to such lubricants.

Through this programme James Walker has currently explored the compatibility of elastomer compounds against more than 40 major EAL products currently in use.

The James Walker programme has covered both static and dynamic testing for extended periods of at least 1,000 hours, assessing water-oil interfaces and the effects of water-oil media mix on material performance to simulate as closely as possible, true operating conditions.

Sealing product range

The full range of elastomeric sealing products for marine propulsion applications can be manufactured in the new Bi-O-Lion material, including; Walkerselerotary lip seals for shafts, gearboxes and stabilisers, plus the Walkersele OSJoption for on-site joining, O-rings and hydraulic seals.

The number of EALs on the market continues to grow so our compatibility testing programme will continue and our results will be published regularly on the James Walker website.