Analysis of the O-rings that influence the performance of RCP hydrostatic seal based on TEH coupling method

Abstract

A Multi-body contacting Thermal-Elastic-Hydro Model, MTEHM has been established in this study. And which has been applied to analysis the leakage behavior of No.1 seal of the RCP hydrostatic seal. The hydro-model is based on 2D Reynolds equation and programmed by M-code. An interface program written in C has been carried out. And which is used to transit the end face pressure value from hydro-model to elastic-solid model. The FEA multi-body contacting method has been taken into the elastic-solid model. And which is used to obtain the deformation angle of seal rings. An opening force ratio has been carried out as a convergent judgment of the multi-physics iterative coupling process. The influence of position of O-rings (on the back of seal rings and relative to the hydrostatic clamp rings) has been discussed. For test and verify the MTEHM, a testing rig has been established. It can be used to simulate a high temperature high pressure seal media with a temperature range from 22°C to 100°C and a pressure range from 0.1MPa to 22MPa. At last, a comparison of pressure-leakage data from Westinghouse, Saint Alban power plant and this study has been presented. And a variance analysis has been attached.