A numerical solution of temperature distribution in the clearance and the sealing rings of the non-contact face seal

Abstract

The study presents a numerical analysis of the temperature distribution in the clearance and the temperature distribution in the rings of a non-contact face seal. Non-contact face seals designed for turbine pumps to meet the requirements of lower leakage, longer life, and more frequent starting and stopping are included in this test. A thermo-hydro-mechanical model of the non-contact face seal clearance has been presented. Based on this model, dimensionless differential equations were derived to determine the temperature distribution in the clearance seal gap and the temperature distribution in sealing rings. The numerical solution of differential equations allowed the presentation of temperature characteristics for different parameters of the analyzed non-contact face seal. The analysis took into account hydrodynamic and thermodynamic phenomena in the clearance of the face seal depending on pressure, leakage flow rate and temperature of the sealing fluid, clearance dimensions, thermal parameters of the sealing rings, and operation parameters of the rotating machine. The temperature distribution in a non-contact face seal can also be used to determine the thermal deformation of the sealing rings. The presented numerical model is useful in the design of non-contact face seals because it allows the selection of parameters stabilizing the thermo-hydro-mechanical state of the two mating sealing rings.