Experimental study on transient frictional features of herringbone-grooved mechanical face seals in start-up and stop stages

Abstract

Evolutions of frictional features of herringbone-grooved face seals during start-up and stop stages are focused on. Transient frictional torques are measured for outer-diameter-side, middle and inner-diameter-side grooved seals and a smooth-face seal based on a formerly developed dedicated test rig. Development of fluid carrying capacity can be deduced for all four seals according to torque evolutions, and lift-off mechanisms are analyzed. Hydrodynamic effect gets smaller with grooves apart from pressurized fluid side, and thereby hydrostatic effect due to face coning by heat generation dominates the fluid film formation as it is for the smooth-face seal. Thermal characteristic time due to thermal lag effect is smaller than accelerating periods. The squeeze effect indicated by the smaller torque of stop stages is also playing a role in transient operation.