To investigate the damages of rubber products under gas exposure in pressure reducing stations especially the gas city stations (CGSs), a performance testing was designed and implemented based on a well-known rapid gas decompression (RGD) standard test for the first time in Iran. To meet operational conditions of CGS, the RGD test was modified to temperature and pressure about 800C and 80 bar, respectively. Specimen samples were prepared from final elastomeric sleeve products used in axial flow valve (AFV) regulator of CGSs in the Ring-type geometry. Results of performance test confirmed the observed failures such as blister, bubble, crack and rupture of sleeve rubber products in real operations. Based on the obtained results, the severity of damages was increased as the thickness of samples increased due to larger cross section of gas contact area. The proposed performance RGD test can be definitely developed for other seal rubber products in gas transmission and distribution field.

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