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Where Is PTFE Teflon Packing Used? Chemical Resistance and Clean Media Guide
Published: · 2 min read
PTFE Teflon packing is the standard soft packing for acid, alkali, solvent and food lines. In which industries and within which limits is it used, and how do you choose between graphited and white? A practical guide from the manufacturer.
PTFE Teflon packing is a soft packing braided from synthetic yarns impregnated with PTFE dispersion. PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, trade name Teflon) is affected by almost no chemical and is one of the solid materials with the lowest known coefficient of friction. These two properties make PTFE packing the first choice wherever tallow packing falls short.
Applications of PTFE Teflon packing
Chemicals and petrochemicals
Pumps and valves handling acids, alkalis, solvents and cleaning agents are the core market. It works safely across pH 2–12 and up to 260 °C. Apart from strong oxidisers and molten alkali metals, "not suitable" hardly appears in its resistance table.
Food, beverage and pharmaceuticals
White PTFE packing does not stain the product and gives no odour or taste. It is preferred in pumps handling milk, juice, syrup, vegetable oil and pharmaceutical raw materials, and it withstands the hot caustic and acid solutions used during CIP cleaning.
Pulp and paper
White water, stock and chemical dosing pumps on paper machines combine high speed with chemical load; PTFE packing handles both.
Water treatment and chemical dosing
Chlorine, hypochlorite, sulphuric acid and coagulant dosing pumps, reverse osmosis and filtration plants.
High-speed centrifugal pumps
Up to 10 m/s peripheral speed, low friction keeps heat build-up limited and shaft wear minimal.
Graphited or white?
- White (pure) PTFE packing: food, pharma and clean chemical lines where product purity is critical. Heat transfer is lower; respect the speed limit.
- Graphited (dark) PTFE packing: the graphite content carries heat to the shaft and box faster; longer life in high-speed pumps and hot media. Preferred wherever graphite contact with the product is acceptable.
Limits
| Condition | Limit |
|---|---|
| Temperature | −100 °C / +260 °C |
| Pressure | Pumps 25 bar · Valves 100 bar |
| pH | 2 – 12 |
| Peripheral speed | 10 m/s |
Above 260 °C and above 100 bar in valves, graphite packing takes over. For water and light media, tallow packing is more economical.
Installation tips
PTFE has a high thermal expansion. If the gland is over-tightened cold, the packing swells at operating temperature, grips the shaft and heats up. Leave the gland slightly loose at first and adjust gradually once the pump reaches operating temperature. Cut rings at 45° and stagger the joints by 90°.
Why buy from the manufacturer?
The PTFE impregnation ratio determines the packing's life. Cheap, lightly impregnated products lose their PTFE in the first months and behave like dry yarn. At the Yaman Tekstil Salmastra factory, impregnation ratio and section tolerance are measured on every batch; graphited and white types from 3 mm to 50 mm ship from stock. We export to more than 15 countries. If you are looking for quality, you are in the right place.
