Characteristics Of Seals Research Articles

Thermoelastohydrodynamic Mixed Lubrication of Combined Rod Seals Operating at High Pressures and Speeds: Mathematical Modeling and Numerical Analysis

Abstract Thermoelastohydrodynamic (TEHD) mixed lubrication characteristics of a step-combined rod seal under high-pressure and high-speed conditions are analyzed in this article. A novel TEHD mixed lubrication model for combined rod seals is innovatively established from the perspective of “seal-film-rod” system for the first time. Parameterized studies are conducted to evaluate the thermal effect on seal behavior with the comparison of isothermal elastohydrodynamic (EHD) lubrication analysis. Numerical results show that the interface friction heat is quite remarkable and mainly concentrated on the sealing lip, especially in high pressure and speed cases. With the increasing sealed pressure or rod speed, the temperature rise becomes more obvious and has a more significant impact on the sealing performance. The excessively rising temperature will even exceed the melting point of the sealing material, causing thermal damage.

Leakage performance of hybrid brush seals under high differential pressure conditions

A three-dimensional axial fluid-porous medium-flow field model was designed for the sealing properties of the hybrid brush seal (HBS) seal structure under complex operating conditions. Using a computational fluid dynamics model in view of non-Darcy porous media, the pressure and velocity distributions of the sealing medium in the flow path were simulated, and the flow characteristics of the hybrid brush seal were analysed to obtain the leakage of the hybrid seal structure. The results show the implication of pressure ratio (Rp) on the labyrinth brush seal leakage rate and pressure distribution. Compared with typical brush seal test results, as the inlet and outlet pressure ratio (Rp) increases, the more obvious the hybrid brush seal sealing effect is, when the pressure ratio is 3 bar, the spillage of the hybrid brush seal is reduced by about 39%.

RESEARCH ON FRACTAL HEAT FLOW CHARACTERIZATION OF FINGER SEAL CONSIDERING THE HEAT TRANSFER EFFECT OF CONTACT GAPS ON ROUGH SURFACES

Finger seal is a new flexible dynamic sealing technology, and its heat transfer characteristics and seepage characteristics are one of the main research hotspots. In this paper, based on the fractal theory, a fractal model of the total thermal conductance of the finger seal considering the heat transfer effect of the contact gap of the rough surface is established, a fractal model of the effective gas permeability of the adjacent finger seals annulus considering the gas slip effect and the temperature change is established, and a finite element calculation method of the two-way thermo-mechanical coupling for the finger seal is proposed. The results show that the solid-phase thermal conductance decreases with the increase of the scale coefficient. When the axial pressure difference is greater than 0.4[Formula: see text]MPa, the rotor speed is greater than 11,000[Formula: see text]r/min, the radial displacement excitation is [0.03[Formula: see text]mm, 0.09[Formula: see text]mm], and the temperature is less than 600[Formula: see text]K, the gas-phase thermal conductance between the finger seal and the rotor shows an increasing trend. The gas-phase thermal conductance of the finger seal and the rotor is always the main position under different working conditions. Under different fractal dimensions, the solid-phase thermal conductance gradually occupies the dominant position. Temperature has a certain effect on the effective gas permeability, and fractal dimension, scale coefficient, and axial pressure difference have less effect on the effective gas permeability. At an axial pressure difference of 0.08[Formula: see text]MPa, the numerical calculation results of the two-way thermo-mechanical coupling calculation method for finger seal are closer to the experimental results, with a maximum error rate of 1.96%. The above results further improve the theoretical research system of the heat transfer characteristics of the finger seal.

Research on Micro Gap Flow Field Characteristics of Cylindrical Gas Film Seals Based on Experimental and Numerical Simulation

Flexible support cylindrical gas film seals (CGFSs) adapt well to rotor whirling and have a good gas lubrication effect during thermal deformation. However, when a CGFS operates under the “three high” (high interface slip speed, high-pressure differential, and high ambient temperature) operating conditions, the complex deformation of the support structure is a crucial factor affecting the stability of the CGFS. A thorough and systematic analysis of the micro gap flow field characteristics of flexible support CGFSs is a fundamental problem when we study the deformation of the support structure under multiple physical field conditions. This study uses a cylindrical gas film high-speed rotor test rig to study and compare the sealing characteristics of experiments and numerical simulations and then optimizes and verifies the accuracy and effectiveness of the simulation model. A cross-scale gas film grid model is used to analyze the flow field characteristics and seal ability of different groove models and compare the mechanical characteristics and sealing performance. We also analyze the gas film pressure distribution in micro gaps and explore the impact of dynamic pressure groove microstructure on flow field characteristics. Results show that micro gaps are the primary conditions for generating hydrodynamic effects, and high rotational speed, high-pressure differential, and large eccentricity have a significant effect on improving hydrodynamic effects and enhancing gas film stability. However, an increase in these parameters can cause an increase in leakage rate. A single flow channel makes it easier to improve the hydrodynamic effect, gas film load-bearing ability, and gas film stability while reducing leakage rate. The analyses in this study supplement and improve the theory of the flow field characteristics of cylindrical annular micro gaps and provide a theoretical basis for exploring the relation between the support structural parameters of the CGFS and the mechanical characteristics of the micro gap flow field. This study provides important guidance to the establishment of a quantitative design theory of supporting structures.

Hybrid lubrication model study of slip ring combination seal under the influence of frictional heat

This paper presents an experimental and theoretical investigation into the factors influencing the sealing performance of combined slip rings. Factoring in the frictional heat from micro convex bodies and convective heat exchange between the slip ring, oil film, and air, we formulate a thermoelastic flow hybrid lubrication model for the combined slip ring seal. This model calculates the distribution of oil film thickness, pressure, temperature, velocity, and viscosity in the sealing zone, drawing on the generalized average Reynolds equation and the transmembrane average energy equation, in conjunction with the heat conduction equation of the slip ring. Utilizing the Archard wear model, we also examine the wear characteristics of the combined slip ring seal, providing insights into seal wear under these conditions. The model enables an analysis of the interplay between parameters and their impact on seal performance. The method proposed accurately predicts friction and leakage in line with experimental data, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for further numerical investigation of seal characteristics.

Calculation of the Operational Characteristics of the Impulse Gas-Barrier Face Seal

Abstract The problem of reducing leaks along the pump or compressor shaft of pumped liquids and gases into the environment is very urgent. Serious difficulties have to be faced when sealing the shafts of machines that pump aggressive, toxic, explosive and fire-hazardous environments. According to modern occupational safety requirements, such pumps and compressors should use double seals with a barrier medium whose pressure exceeds the sealed one by 0.05-0.2 MPa. Currently, liquid-lubricated double mechanical seals are widely used in chemical production equipment, however, over the last decade of the 20th century, leading companies have developed a number of designs of double gas mechanical seals for pumps and chemical production devices, which significantly exceed liquid-lubricated seals in their performance characteristics. The vast majority of these seals use a gas-dynamic principle of operation, i.e. spiral, logarithmic, T-shaped or other micro grooves are made on the sealing faces of their rings, which, when rotated, create an additional gas dynamic force that ensures the functioning of these seals with a micron gap between the sealing pair. In this paper, the design, principle of operation and engineering methodology for calculating the main characteristics of a impulse gas barrier face seal, in which one pair of sealing rings performs the functions of a double mechanical seal, is considered. The design is simple, compact and, thanks to the more advanced principle of creating a gap between the sealing pair, is able to maintain operability in a wide range of sealing and barrier pressures. The existing experience of operating seals of this type on chemical production pumps has confirmed their high efficiency, reliability and safety.

Thermal Characteristics of Dry Gas Seal in Startup Process Considering Microscale Effects

The heat generated during the startup process of dry gas seals, such as the friction heat of the asperities, viscous shear heat, and the expansion heat of the gas film, easily leads to seal failure and endangers the stable operation of turbomachinery. This study combines the statistically modified contact model and the average Reynolds equation by considering the adiabatic index and the microscale effects of dry gas seals to explore the heat generation characteristics of dry gas seals formed in series at multiple times. In particular, the change laws and influencing factors among the components, including the friction heat of asperities and the shear heat and expansion heat of the gas film and total heat, are investigated. A comparative analysis indicates that the slip flow effect increases the total heat during the startup process. The friction heat is much greater than expansion heat and shear heat. Despite constant acceleration, exponential acceleration, or Harrison acceleration, the heat changes are uneven during the startup process. In particular, the heat changes sharply in the early stage and slowly in the later stage. The Harrison acceleration mode is the most conducive to sealing stability.

Rotordynamic characteristics of a novel labyrinth seal with partition walls and helical groove teeth

To improve the stability of the conventional labyrinth seal (LS), in this paper, four novel fully partitioned helically labyrinth seals (FPHGLS) were designed and they were in comparison with one FPPGLS. The influences of the preswirl ratio and the helical groove pitch on the leakage flow and rotordynamic characteristics were numerically investigated, using the transient computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method based on the multi-frequency elliptical whirling orbit model. The accuracy and availability of the present transient numerical method were demonstrated based on the experiment data. The results show that the partition walls design can significantly increase the direct damping and cross-coupling stiffness for labyrinth seals and the helical teeth design can significantly decrease the cross-coupling stiffness and tangential force. When the helical groove pitch is equal to the seal length, the leakage nearly remains unchanged. Compared to the baseline design (LS), the FPPGLS and the FPHGLS have similar and significantly larger direct stiffness and direct damping. The two designs possess positive direct stiffness throughout the frequency range. The FPPGLS and FPHGLS possess significantly higher direct damping (∼323.7% larger than LS). But the FPPGLS possesses the largest cross-coupling stiffness among three seals at two preswirl ratios. From preswirl ratio = 0.13–0.84, the cross-coupling stiffness of the FPHGLS decreases by 53.4-310.1% compared with the FPPGLS. Increasing the helical groove pitch increases both direct stiffness and direct damping and reduces cross-coupling stiffness, but it also leads to greater leakage losses. In general, the novel FPHGLS whose helical groove pitch is equal to seal length possesses superior rotordynamic characteristics and similar leakage characteristic. This work provides the reference of the seal design and safety operation for the turbomachinery.

Influence of pressure disturbance wave on dynamic response characteristics of liquid film seal for multiphase pump

Slug flow or high GVF (Gas Volume Fraction) conditions can cause pressure disturbance waves and alternating loads at the boundary of mechanical seals for multiphase pumps, endangering the safety of multiphase pump units. The mechanical seal model is simplified by using periodic boundary conditions and numerical calculations are carried out based on the Zwart-Gerber-Belamri cavitation model. UDF (User Define Function) programs such as structural dynamics equations, alternating load equations, and pressure disturbance equations are embedded in numerical calculations, and the dynamic response characteristics of mechanical seal are studied using layered dynamic mesh technology. The results show that when the pressure disturbance occurs at the inlet, as the amplitude and period of the disturbance increase, the film thickness gradually decreases. And the fundamental reason for the hysteresis of the film thickness change is that the pressure in the high-pressure area cannot be restored in a timely manner. The maximum value of leakage and the minimum value of axial velocity are independent of the disturbance period and determined by the disturbance amplitude. The mutual interference between enhanced waves does not have a significant impact on the film thickness, while the front wave in the attenuated wave has a promoting effect on the subsequent film thickness changes, and the fluctuation of the liquid film cavitation rate and axial velocity under the attenuated wave condition deviates from the initial values. Compared with pressure disturbance conditions, alternating load conditions have a more significant impact on film thickness and leakage. During actual operation, it is necessary to avoid alternating load conditions in multiphase pump mechanical seals.

Mechanical seal friction condition monitoring based on bispectral characteristics

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the monitoring of the friction condition of mechanical seals.Design/methodology/approachAcoustic emission signals from the friction of the seal end face were obtained, and their bispectral characteristics were extracted. The variation of non-Gaussian information with the degree of friction was investigated, and by combining bispectral characteristics with information entropy, a bispectral entropy index was established to represent the friction level of the seal end face.FindingsIn the start-up stage, the characteristic frequency amplitude of the micro-convex body contact is obvious, the friction of the end face is abnormal, the complexity of the system increases in a short time and the bispectral entropy rises continuously in a short time. In the stable operation stage, the characteristic frequency amplitude of the micro-convex body contact varies with the intensity of the seal face friction, the seal face friction is stable and the bispectral entropy fluctuates up and down for a period of time.Originality/valueThe bispectral analysis method is applied to the seal friction monitoring, the seal frequency domain characteristics are extracted, the micro-convex body contact characteristic frequency is defined and the bispectral entropy characteristic index is proposed, which provides a certain theoretical basis for the mechanical seal friction monitoring.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-07-2023-0242/

Numerical research on contact friction force with different structural brush seal hysteresis characteristics under differential pressure

The problems of leakage, frictional wear, and flow heat transfer caused by the hysteresis characteristics of brush seals are prominent, and existing models for solving the hysteresis characteristics of brush seals have convergence difficulties owing to the extreme degree of nonlinearity caused by additional contacts. In this study, numerical models based on the finite element software ABAQUS were proposed to address the hysteresis characteristics of brush seals with three different structures: basic, low-lag hysteresis, and low-wear high-pressure bearing. The models accounted for the contacts between: the brush, brush and the baffle, and brush and the rotor, while damping was introduced to improve the convergence of the models. The hysteresis of the three structures under differential pressure was investigated and compared with theoretical calculations and experimental test results. The hysteresis of the bristles was normalised by the contact force, the shift of the contact area, and the contact friction force when the hysteresis effect occurred in the brush seal. The results show that the basic model has the most obvious hysteresis characteristics in the presence of differential pressure. Although the low-lag hysteresis model and the low-wear high-pressure bearing model have the weakest hysteresis effect, the deformation variables of the last row of bristles of these two structures are larger than those of the basic model; therefore, the contact position is prone to fatigue fracture. Simultaneously, the hysteresis effect was verified by varying the contact area and contact friction force, and it was found that the larger the contact area and contact friction force, the larger the hysteresis.

Magnetic fluid flow rate and thermal characteristics of hydraulic turbine spindle magnetic fluid seals

The flow and temperature properties of the magnetic fluid are the primary elements impacting the seal stability in the main shaft magnetic fluid seal of the turbine. This study investigated the eddy current and heat field of the magnetic fluid at the seal gap using a mix of numerical computation and experiment and came to the following conclusions: Under the pole tooth groove and the permanent magnet, the magnetic fluid creates symmetrical vortices in the clearance of the magnetic fluid seal device. Below the pole tooth, the magnetic fluid velocity is minimal and essentially constant. The pole shoe and spindle next to the air side of the magnetic fluid seal device have the lowest temperature, and the device’s core has the greatest temperature.

Experimental and numerical simulation study on the influence of structural factors on the leakage characteristics of clearance seals

The leakage characteristics of clearance seals are affected by operating conditions, such as operating parameters and physical properties of the medium, and structural factors such as the clearance and surface structure of the seal. The reasonable design of the seal structure under different operating conditions is very important to ensure the excellent leakage resistance characteristics of the seal. Based on the self-developed plate test platform of the clearance seal, the leakage rate and outlet pressure under different seal clearance and static surface structure conditions have been obtained. The influence of structural factors such as the seal clearance values and its shape and the structure of the static surface on the leakage characteristics of the clearance seal is investigated. The influence mechanism of the structural factors on leakage characteristics of the seal is analyzed by the simulation of the three-dimensional flow field and the turbulent energy dissipation rate of the clearance seal. The results show that the leakage characteristics of the clearance seal are significantly affected by the seal clearance values and its shape, and the sealing surface structure on static and rotor. Under the same value of average seal clearance and compared to the parallel clearance seal, the seal with an axially inclined sealing clearance has better leakage control ability. However, the circumferentially inclined sealing clearance has little influence on leakage characteristics. The best choice of sealing surface structure under different seal clearance conditions is different. Among them, the smooth surface seal, the clearance seal with single-sided opening, and the clearance seal with double-sided holed are the optimal structures when the seal clearance is small (0.05–0.1 mm), moderate (0.3–0.4 mm), and large (0.8–1.0 mm) respectively. This phenomenon is the result of the combined effect of the direct air permeability effect in the sealing clearance, the vortex dissipation effect in the cavity, and the surface friction effect under different conditions.

Dynamic Characteristics of Labyrinth Seal and Rotor Stability Considering Swirl Brakes

Dynamic Characteristics of Labyrinth Seal and Rotor Stability Considering Swirl Brakes

Influence of Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) Shore Hardness and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) Elastic Modulus on the Sealing Characteristics of Step Rod Seals

The influence of NBR Shore hardness and PTFE elastic modulus on the sealing characteristics of step rod seals is analyzed in this paper based on the developed mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) model. The optimized selection studies of NBR Shore hardness and PTFE elastic modulus under different operating conditions are carried out based on the principle of minimizing net leakage and friction power loss. Results show that the Shore hardness of the NBR O-ring and, in particular, the elastic modulus of the PTFE ring has a significant effect on the sealing characteristics. Although the high values of these parameters result in high friction forces, they are beneficial for leakage control. To achieve both low leakage and low friction, it is recommended that high hardness and low modulus are selected for moderate-low pressure or high speed conditions, but low hardness and high modulus are selected for high pressure or low speed conditions.

Evaluation of the flow state and static performance of smooth annular liquid seals

The static fluid-induced force and stiffness coefficient of the smooth annular seal directly affect the rotor system stability. In this paper, a computational fluid dynamics method is applied to investigate the flow characteristics of a smooth annular seal for various eccentricities, discharge/supply pressures and rotational speeds under different flow conditions (laminar, transition, and turbulent flow). The influence factors and formation mechanism of the static instability in the smooth annular liquid seal are analyzed. Results show that laminar flow dominates the flow state at a rotational speed of ω= 2000 rpm. As the rotational speeds increase, the transition flow (2000-7000 rpm) gradually transits to the turbulent regime (ω> 7000 rpm). The direct static stiffness decreases first and then increases from laminar to transition flow state, and the viscosity effect is the dominant factor. For transition and turbulent flow with high eccentricities (ε= 80 %), the dominant viscous effect and inertial effect lead to the negative radial force and negative direct static stiffness coefficients. The smooth annular liquid seal shows best performance in the laminar flow and worst performance in the turbulent flow.

Thermal insulation characteristics of high-temperature heat seals for hypersonic aero-engines

The high-temperature baseline sealing thermal protection technology is of great significance to realizing hypersonic aero-engines and aircraft. Based on the fact that there are few studies on the high-temperature baseline heat sealing in the ultra-high temperature environment (above 1000 °C), the paper establishes a simulation model to analyze the influence of different characteristic parameters on the thermal protection performance of the heat seal at ultra-high temperature and carried out experiments. Verification, simulation, and experiment error are less than 6%. The research results show that the aluminum silicate fiber has the best thermal insulation effect in the material of the inner thermal insulation layer, and the temperature can be lowered by more than 900 °C under an environment of 1200 °C. It is used to prepare heat seals. In addition, the filling density and thickness of the inner thermal insulation layer have little influence on the thermal insulation effect, and the influence coefficient does not exceed 5%. In the test of the degree of degradation of the thermal insulation performance of the heat seal, it is found that it does not exceed 5%, which meets the requirements for use. This paper further promotes the development of high-temperature thermal protection technology. It can also provide a corresponding technical basis for developing supersonic aero-engines.

A non-uniform pressure distribution model on the end face in screw expander and shaft seal leakage characteristics{fr}Etude des paramètres de la Structure sur les fuites d'arbres dans un expandeur à vis basé sur un nouveau modèle de distribution de pression non uniforme sur la face d'extrémité

Pressure distribution on the end face of screw expanders is the primary premise for calculating shaft seal leakage and axial force. Different from other types of expanders, pressure distribution on the screw expander end face is not only affected by operating conditions but also closely related to rotor geometric parameters. To illustrate the leakage characteristics of shaft seal in screw expanders, a non-uniform pressure distribution model on the end face was proposed, and a thermodynamic leakage model in the shaft seal was established. Labyrinth seal, the most widely used sealing assembly, was taken as an example to study the effects of shaft seal parameters on leakage. The influence of four main parameters, namely tooth tip clearance, cavity depth, cavity width, and clearance on the rotor end face, on the leakage of the shaft seal was studied. The results show that pressure on the screw expander end face is non-uniformly distributed, and the average pressure is far less than the highest operating pressure. Moreover, the leakage through the shaft seal rises rapidly with the increase of end face clearance and tooth tip clearance, and a 0.1 mm increment of them can lead to increased leakage up to 108.6% and 52.5%, respectively. And the leakage drops with the increment of cavity width. There is an optimal depth-to-width ratio of about 0.13 for minimum leakage. Clearance on the rotor end face has the most significant influence on the leakage of the seal, followed by the tooth tip clearance, cavity width, and cavity depth.

Effects of High Rotational Speed on Leakage and Windage Heating of Staggered Labyrinth Seals With Smooth and Honeycomb Lands

Abstract Being an important component of aero-engines, the labyrinth seal has always been the focus of research for leakage characteristics. Rotation is usually neglected or taken for minimal effect on seal leakage in previous studies. However, the effect of high rotational speed is inevitable to understand the leakage characteristics of labyrinth seal accurately. Meanwhile, due to high rotational speed, viscous heat is generated massively to result in the rapid temperature rise of leakage flow. Also, the influence of rotational speed on windage heating inside the seal clearance has not been indicated completely. Therefore, the leakage and windage heating of staggered labyrinth seals with smooth and honeycomb lands were experimentally and numerically studied. The large-scale and multifunctional sealing test rig were employed to carry out the experiments with rotational speed 12,000 rpm and pressure ratio range 1.1–2.2. The simulation data obtained by three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics methodology show great agreement with experimental results. Notably, the leakage coefficient is not monotonically decreasing with increased rotational speed, but exists a maximum peak at RPM = 8000. The variation of axial kinetic energy in seal clearance entrances provides a clear explanation of the phenomenon. Rotational speed plays an important role in windage heating, and honeycomb cell size is of secondary importance. Based on simulation data, the calculating formula of windage heating is fitted and shows great performance. This study can provide theory and data support for the follow-up structural optimum design of the labyrinth seal.

Explosion Wave Pressure Distributions and Response Characteristics of Mine Seal Under the Complex Roadway Pattern

Explosion Wave Pressure Distributions and Response Characteristics of Mine Seal Under the Complex Roadway Pattern