Fluid-solid Interaction Model for Hydraulic Reciprocating O-ring Seals

Elastohydrodynamic lubrication characteristics of hydraulic reciprocating seals have significant effects on sealing and tribology performances of hydraulic actuators, especially in high parameter hydraulic systems. Only elastic deformations of hydraulic reciprocating seals were discussed, and hydrodynamic effects were neglected in many studies. The physical process of the fluid-solid interaction effect did not be clearly presented in the existing fluid-solid interaction models for hydraulic reciprocating O-ring seals, and few of these models had been simultaneously validated through experiments. By exploring the physical process of the fluid-solid interaction effect of the hydraulic reciprocating O-ring seal, a numerical fluid-solid interaction model consisting of fluid lubrication, contact mechanics, asperity contact and elastic deformation analyses is constructed with an iterative procedure. With the SRV friction and wear tester, the experiments are performed to investigate the elastohydrodynamic lubrication characteristics of the O-ring seal. The regularity of the friction coefficient varying with the speed of reciprocating motion is obtained in the mixed lubrication condition. The experimental result is used to validate the fluid-solid interaction model. Based on the model, The elastohydrodynamic lubrication characteristics of the hydraulic reciprocating O-ring seal are presented respectively in the dry friction, mixed lubrication and full film lubrication conditions, including of the contact pressure, film thickness, friction coefficient, liquid film pressure and viscous shear stress in the sealing zone. The proposed numerical fluid-solid interaction model can be effectively used to analyze the operation characteristics of the hydraulic reciprocating O-ring seal, and can also be widely used to study other hydraulic reciprocating seals.

Influence Analysis of Secondary O-ring Seals in Dynamic Behavior of Spiral Groove Gas Face Seals

The current research on secondary O-ring seals used in mechanical seals has begun to focus on their dynamic properties. However, detailed analysis of the dynamic properties of O-ring seals in spiral groove gas face seals is lacking. In particular a transient study and a difference analysis of steady-state and transient performance are imperative. In this paper, a case study is performed to gauge the effect of secondary O-ring seals on the dynamic behavior（steady-state performance and transient performance） of face seals. A numerical finite element method（FEM） model is developed for the dynamic analysis of spiral groove gas face seals with a flexibly mounted stator in the axial and angular modes. The rotor tilt angle, static stator tilt angle and O-ring damping are selected to investigate the effect of O-ring seals on face seals during stable running operation. The results show that the angular factor can be ignored to save time in the simulation under small damping or undamped conditions. However, large O-ring damping has an enormous effect on the angular phase difference of mated rings, affecting the steady-state performance of face seals and largely increasing the possibility of face contact that reduces the service life of face seals. A pressure drop fluctuation is carried out to analyze the effect of O-ring seals on the transient performance of face seals. The results show that face seals could remain stable without support stiffness and O-ring damping during normal stable operation but may enter a large-leakage state when confronting instantaneous fluctuations. The oscillation-amplitude shortening effect of O-ring damping on the axial mode is much greater than that on the angular modes and O-ring damping prefers to cater for axial motion at the cost of angular motion. This research proposes a detailed dynamic-property study of O-ring seals in spiral groove gas face seals, to assist in the design of face seals.

Failure Mechanism of O-Ring Seals under Extreme Operating Conditions

In this paper the behavior of an O-ring made of NBR rubber was investigated under extreme conditions. The effect of the extreme initial compression, operating pressure and extreme temperature conditions were examined. The rubber material was tested in simple tension, pure shear and equibiaxial tension modes complemented with a Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA) to capture the viscoelastic behavior of the material. For the investigation, a large-strain viscoelastic material model was developed by the authors, to take into account the large deformations caused by extreme conditions. Insufficient space during installation causes extreme initial compression consequently leading the material to crack on the contacting outer surfaces. It was found that the excessive strain and friction induced shear stress contributes primarily to this phenomenon. Extreme operating pressure causes the seal to penetrate into the gap between the shaft and the housing. This behavior damages the material and cracks appear on the seal. High strain areas were found in the proximity of the gap in the material. The analysis of the extreme operating temperature showed that during cooling the O-ring can completely loose its ability to seal at -70°C. There are three contributing factors: the speed of cooling, the temperature and the coefficient of thermal expansion.

Experimental study on the failure factors of the O-ring for long-term working

The O-ring in the rotary dynamic sealing system of gas meters should have outstanding long-term sealing performance under the conditions of high and low temperature,which can ensure the safety of gas meters.In this paper,based on the O-ring sealing mechanism,taking the compression set as the main sealing index,a finite element simulation method is used to analyze the failure charac-teristics under different conditions according to the constitutive relation of nitrile rubber.Then,using the orthogonal test method for the O-ring sealing performance index,the main factors which affect the law of long-term test are analysed,and the orthogonal regression mathematical model that can predict the compression set is obtained.Finally,the O-ring is improved according to the model,and the test results show that the performance of the new O-rings with high and low temperature resistance is greatly improved and meets the expected target requirements.

Evolution and Application of Sealing Ability of Gypsum Caprocks under Temperature-Pressure Coupling:An Example of the ZS5 Well in the Tazhong Area of the Tarim Basin

Gypsum caprocks'sealing ability is affected by temperature-pressure coupling.Due to the limitations of experimental conditions,there is still a lack of triaxial stress-strain experiments that simultaneously consider changes in temperature and pressure conditions,which limits the accuracy of the comprehensive evaluation of the brittle plastic evolution and sealing ability of gypsum rocks using temperature pressure coupling.Triaxial stress-strain tests were utilized to investigate the differences in the evolution of the confinement capacity of gypsum rocks under coupled temperaturepressure action and isothermal-variable pressure action on the basis of sample feasibility analysis.According to research,the gypsum rock's peak and residual strengths decrease under simultaneous increases in temperature and pressure over isothermal pressurization experimental conditions,and it becomes more ductile.This reduces the amount of time it takes for the rock to transition from brittle to plastic.When temperature is taken into account,both the brittle–plastic transformation's depth limit and the lithological transformation of gypsum rocks become shallower,and the evolution of gypsum rocks under variable temperature and pressure conditions is more complicated than that under isothermal pressurization.The sealing ability under the temperature-pressure coupling is more in line with the actual geological context when the application results of the Well#ZS5 are compared.This provides a theoretical basis for precisely determining the process of hydrocarbon accumulation and explains why the early hydrocarbon were not well preserved.

Fracture sealing performance of granular lost circulation materials at elevated temperature:A theoretical and coupled CFD-DEM simulation study

Lost circulation is a common downhole problem of drilling in geothermal and high-temperature,high-pressure(HTHP)formations.Lost circulation material(LCM)is a regular preventive and remedial measure for lost circulation.However,conventional LCMs seem ineffective in high-temperature formations.This may be due to the changes in the mechanical properties of LCMs and their sealing performance under high-temperature conditions.To understand how high temperature affects the fracture sealing performance of LCMs,we developed a coupled computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method(CFD-DEM)model to simulate the behavior of granular LCMs in fractures.We summarized the literature on the effects of high temperature on the mechanical properties of LCMs and the rheological properties of drilling fluid.We conducted sensitivity analyses to investigate how changing LCM slurry properties affected the fracture sealing efficiency at increasing temperatures.The results show that high temperature reduces the size,strength,and friction coefficient of LCMs as well as the drilling fluid viscosity.Smaller,softer,and less frictional LCM particles have lower bridging probability and slower bridging initiation.Smaller particles tend to form dual-particle bridges rather than single-particle bridges.These result in a deeper,tighter,but unstable sealing zone.Reduced drilling fluid viscosity leads to faster and shallower sealing zones.

Study on Sealing Characteristics of Sliding Seal Assembly of Aircraft Hydraulic Actuator

The hydraulic actuator,known as the"muscle"of military aircraft,is responsible for flight attitude adjustment,trajectory control,braking turn,landing gear retracting and other actions,which directly affect its flight efficiency and safety.However,the sealing assembly often has the situation of over-aberrant aperture fit clearance or critical over-aberrant clearance,which increases the failure probability and degree of movable seal failure,and directly affects the flight efficiency and safety of military aircraft.In this paper,the simulation model of hydraulic actuator seal combination is established by ANSYS software,and the sealing principle is described.The change curve of contact width and contact pressure of combination seal under the action of high-pressure fluid is drawn.The effects of different oil pressure,fit clearance and other parameters on the sealing performance are analyzed.Finally,the accelerated life test of sliding seal components is carried out on the hydraulic actuator accelerated life test rig,and the surface morphology is compared and analyzed.The research shows that the O-ring is the main sealing element and the role of the check ring is to protect and support the O-ring to prevent damage caused by squeezing into the fit clearance,so the check ring bears a large load and is prone to shear failure.Excessive fit clearance is the main factor affecting the damage of the check ring,and the damage parts are mainly concentrated at the edge of the sealing surface.This paper provides a theoretical basis for the design of hydraulic actuator and the improvement of sealing performance.

Application of Choquet Integral-Importance-Performance Analysis and TOPSIS Methods in Approaching the Preference Factors of Calligraphy and Seal Engraving Imagery

Classical Chinese characters,presented through calligraphy,seal engraving,or painting,can exhibit different aesthetics and essences of Chinese characters,making them the most important asset of the Chinese people.Calligraphy and seal engraving,as two closely related systems in traditional Chinese art,have developed through the ages.Due to changes in lifestyle and advancements in modern technology,their original functions of daily writing and verification have gradually diminished.Instead,they have increasingly played a significant role in commercial art.This study utilizes the Evaluation Grid Method(EGM)and the Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP)to research the key preference factors in the application of calligraphy and seal engraving imagery.Different from the traditional 5-point equal interval semantic questionnaire,this study employs a non-equal interval semantic questionnaire with a golden ratio scale,distinguishing the importance ratio of adjacent semantic meanings and highlighting the weighted emphasis on visual aesthetics.Additionally,the study uses Importance-Performance Analysis(IPA)and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution(TOPSIS)to obtain the key preference sequence of calligraphy and seal engraving culture.Plus,the Choquet integral comprehensive evaluation is used as a reference for IPA comparison.It is hoped that this study can provide cultural imagery references and research methods,injecting further creativity into industrial design.

Effect of nitrile butadiene rubber hardness on the sealing characteristics of hydraulic O-ring rod seals

The nitrile butadiene rubber(NBR)hardness effect on the sealing characteristics of hydraulic O-ring rod seals is analyzed based on a mixed lubrication elastohydrodynamic model.Parameterized studies are conducted to reveal the mechanism of the influence of rubber hardness on the static and dynamic behavior of seals.The optimized selections of rubber hardness are then investigated under different conditions.Results show that the low hardness seal is prone to stress concentration due to the extrusion effect under high pressure conditions;it is also more prone to leaking.A high hardness seal can better prevent leakage by reducing film thickness but it will cause large frictional power loss and increase the probability of wear failure.The choice of low hardness is recommended to reduce friction with the premise that leakage requirements are met.

O-ring橡胶密封圈的耐老化性能研究

通过自然老化、加速老化和介质老化对手表丁腈橡胶O-ring密封圈的耐老化性能进行研究。结果表明,经过40个月常温下自然老化后,O-ring密封圈老化性能未完全失效;在60℃、85℃和100℃三种温度下的加速老化下,24h内对老化性能影响较大,随着加速老化时间的延长,开始进入缓慢老化阶段;其耐盐雾腐蚀性能较好,此外,酒精浸泡30min,对O-ring密封性能无影响。

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE LOAD DECAY AND ITS EFFECT ON LEAK RATE OFO-RING

Experimental studies on load decay and leak rate of O-rings made of two kindsof silicone rubber are conducted. The results show that the characteristic of load decay isrelative to the material and temperature of O-rings; the rate of load decay increases with the riseof temperature; the effects of load decay on leak rate of O-rings are negligible at roomtemperature, but they are notable at high temperature, and they are related to the material ofO-rings. On the basis of study on the theory of load decay and analysis to the results ofexperiments, a theoretical model is developed to describe the load decay characteristic of O-rings,and it matches the experimental data very well. By the study of time-temperature equivalence of loaddecay, the interconvertting equation of test data of load decay at different temperatures isobtained.

Study on the effect of thermal deformation on the liquid seal of high-temperature molten salt pump in molten salt reactor

The high-temperature molten salt pump is the core equipment in a molten salt reactor that drives the flow of the molten salt coolant.Rotor stability is key to the continuous and reliable operation of the molten salt pump,and the liquid seal at the wear ring can affect the dynamic characteristics of the rotor system.When the molten salt pump is operated in the hightemperature molten salt medium,thermal deformation of the submerged parts inevitably occurs,changing clearance between the stator and rotor,affecting the leakage and dynamic characteristics of the seal.In this study,the seal leakage,seal dynamic characteristics,and rotor system dynamic characteristics are simulated and analyzed using finite element simulation software based on two cases of considering the effect of seal thermal deformation effect or not.The results show a significant difference in the leakage characteristics and dynamic characteristics of the seal obtained by considering the effect of seal thermal deformation and neglecting the effect of thermal deformation.The leakage flow rate decreases,and the first-order critical speed of the seal-bearing-rotor system decrease after considering the seal’s thermal deformation.

New Mini Dental Implant Attachments versus O-ring Attachment after Cyclic Aging: Analysis of Retention Strength and Gap Space

Overdenture as a treatment modality for both partially and fully edentulous patients is costeffective and less expensive. The purpose of the present study was to examine the newly fabricated attachments by comparing them with conventional O-ring attachment in vitro in terms of retention force and cyclic aging resistance. A total of 150 samples were prepared and divided into five groups according to the materials used(O-ring attachment, Deflex M10 XR, Deflex Classic SR, Deflex Acrilato FD, and flexible acrylic resin). The retention force of different attachments was measured by a mini dental implant after three subsequent aging(0, 63, and 126) cycles in the circumstances similar to the oral environment. The gap space between the head of the implant and the inner surface of the attachments was detected. Two-way analysis of variance(ANOVA) analysis with multiple comparisons test was applied for statistical analysis. The results showed that Deflex M10 XR had the highest retention force and the lowest gap space after cyclic aging; in addition, by comparing the relative force reduction, the lowest values were obtained in the O-ring attachment and the highest values in the flexible acrylic resin attachment. The retention force measured after cyclic aging for the Deflex M10 XR attachment was greatly improved when compared with the O-ring attachment and other types of attachment materials; in addition, the Deflex M10 XR attachment exhibited the minimum gap space between the inner surface and the mini dental implant head. In conclusion, Deflex M10 XR has the ability to withstand weathering conditions and retains its durable and retentive properties after aging when compared with other attachments.

On the installation of an in situ large-scale vertical SEALing (VSEAL) experiment on bentonite pellet-powder mixture

Recently,the Institute for Radiological protection and Nuclear Safety(IRSN)has launched VSEAL(Vertical SEALing)project to investigate the impact of gas migration on the long-term performance of bentonite based vertical sealing systems(VSS).The first VSEAL in situ test was emplaced in IRSN’s Underground Research Laboratory(URL)in Tournemire(France)in 2019 and was equipped with 76 wired and wireless sensors.The test is still in progress,but the collected set of data provides already valuable information of the hydro-mechanical behavior of VSS during hydration.The swelling core consists of a mixture of highdensity pellets and powder of MX80 bentonite in a ratio of 80/20(in dry mass).An innovative method was adopted to drill a 1-m diameter and w10-m deep shaft in order to minimize the rock perturbation at the sidewalls.Because a specific protocol was adopted to install the bentonite mixture together with a careful characterization of the core during construction,VSEAL 1 constitutes the unique in situ sealing test with a well-known initial structural distribution of the pellets and the powder.Some heterogeneities occurred within the experiment during the installation process:a damaged zone developed around the shaft walls due to the interruption of the installation operations caused by COVID19 lockdown in France;a technological gap with a variable thickness between the last pellets layer and the top confining lid and a heterogeneous distribution of the bentonite powder at some layers inducing large inter pellets voids close to the bentonite-rock interface.Artificially injected water volume,relative humidity,water content and swelling pressure in both radial and axial directions were monitored.Comparison of the results showed that the presence of installation-induced heterogeneities led to the generation of preferential flow paths that influenced the swelling pressure evolution at radial and axial directions.

Preparation and property of self-sealed plasma electrolytic oxide coating on magnesium alloy

Plasma electrochemical oxidation (PEO) is a surface modification technology to form ceramic coatings on magnesium alloys However,its application is limited due to its defects.This work reports a novel preparation of in-situ sealing of PEO coatings by four-layer voltage and sol addition.The morphology and structure were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM),energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS),and X-ray diffractometer (XRD).Image-Pro Plus 6.0 was used to determine the porosity of the coating,which was decreased from 8.53%to 0.51%.Simultaneously,the coating thickness was increased by a factor of four.The anti-corrosion performance of each sample was evaluated using electrochemical tests,and the findings revealed that the corrosion current density of coatings (i_(corr)) of the samples were lowered from 9.152×10^(-2) to 6.152×10^(-4) mA·cm^(-2),and the total resistance (R_(T)) of the samples were enhanced from 2.19×10^(4) to 2.33×10^(5)Ω·cm^(2).The salt spray test used to simulate the actual environment showed that corrosion points appeared on the surface of the coating only at the 336 h.In addition,the mechanism of PEO self-sealing behavior was described in this article.

MRI insight on multiphase flow in hydrate-bearing sediment and development mechanism of hydrate seal

Gas and water migration through the hydrate-bearing sediment are characteristic features in marine gas hydrate reservoirs worldwide.However,there are few experimental investigations on the effect of water-gas flow on the gas hydrate reservoir.In this study,gas-water migration in gas hydrate stability zone(GHSZ)was investigated visually employing a high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)apparatus,and the formation of hydrate seal was experimentally investigated.Results revealed that normal flow of gas-water at the low flow rate of 1–0.25 mL/min will induce the hydrate reformation.Conversely,higher gas-water flow rates(at 2–0.5 and 4–1 mL/min)need higher reservoir pressure to induce the hydrate reformation.In addition,the hydrate reformation during the gas-water flow process produced the hydrate seal,which can withstand an over 9.0 MPa overpressure.This high overpressure provides the development condition for the underlying gas and/or water reservoir.A composite MRI image of the whole hydrate seal was obtained through the MRI.The pore difference between hydrate zone and coexistence zone produces a capillary sealing effect for hydrate seal.The hydrate saturation of hydrate seal was more than 51.6%,and the water saturation was more than 19.3%.However,the hydrate seal can be broken through when the overpressure exceeded the capillary pressure of the hydrate seal,which induced the sudden drop of reservoir pressure.This study provides a scientific explanation for the existence of high-pressure underlying gas below the hydrate layer and is significant for the safe exploitation of these common typical marine hydrate reservoirs.

Propagation and sealing efficiency of chemical grouting in a two-dimensional fracture network with flowing water

In this study, an orthogonal array experiment is conducted by using a transparent fracture network replica. Image processing and theoretical analysis are performed to investigate the model sealing efficiency(SE), factors influencing SE, and the effect of flowing water on propagation. The results show that grout propagation can be classified into three patterns in the fracture network: sealing off, partial sealing,and major erosion. The factors controlling the SE in a descending order of the amount of influence are the initial water flow speed, fracture aperture, grout take, and gel time. An optimal value for the combination of the gel time and grout take(artificial factors) can result in a good SE. The grouting and seepage pressures are measured, and the results reveal that their variations can indicate the SE to some extent. The SE is good when the seepage pressure at each point increases overall;the frequent fluctuations in the seepage pressure indicate a moderately poor SE, and an overall decline in the seepage pressure indicates a major erosion type. The deflection effect of grouting shows an approximately elliptical propagation with the long axis expanding along the wider fracture opening, demonstrating further application in grouting design.

Geopolymer-based modification of blasting sealing materials and optimization of blasting block size in coal seams of open pit mines

This research proposes the utilization of a geopolymer-based blasting sealing material to improve the profitability of coal sales and reduce the rate of coal fragmentation during blasting in open pit mines.The study first focused on optimizing the strength of the sealant material and reducing curing time.This was achieved by regulating the slag doping and sodium silicate solution modulus.The findings demonstrated that increasing slag content and improving the material resulted in an early rise in strength while increasing the modulus of the sodium silicate solution extended the curing time.The slag doping level was fixed at 80 g,and the sodium silicate solution modulus was set at 1.5.To achieve a strength of 3.12 MPa,the water/gel ratio was set at 0.5.The initial setting time was determined to be 33 min,meeting the required field test duration.Secondly,the strength requirements for field implementation were assessed by simulating the action time and force destruction process of the sealing material during blasting using ANSYS/LS-DYNA software.The results indicated that the modified material meets these requirements.Finally,the Shengli Open Pit Coal Mine served as the site for the field test.It was observed that the hole-sealing material’s hydration reaction created a laminated and flocculated gel inside it.This enhanced the density of the modified material.Additionally,the pregelatinized starch,functioning as an organic binder,filled the gaps between the gels,enhancing the cohesion and bonding coefficient of the material.Upon analyzing the post-blasting shooting effect diagram using the Split-Desktop software,it was determined that the utilization of the modified blast hole plugging material resulted in a decrease in the rate of coal fragmentation from 33.2%to 21.1%.This reduction exhibited a minimal error of 1.63%when compared to the field measurement,thereby providing further confirmation of the exceptional plugging capabilities of the modified material.This study significantly contributes to establishing a solid theoretical basis for enhancing the blasting efficiency of open pit mines and,in turn,enhancing their economic advantages.

Air tightness of compressed air storage energy caverns with polymer sealing layer subjected to various air pressures

During the operation of compressed air storage energy system,the rapid change of air pressure in a cavern will cause drastic changes in air density and permeability coefficient of sealing layer.To calculate and properly evaluate air tightness of polymer sealing caverns,the air-pressure-related air density and permeability must be considered.In this context,the high-pressure air penetration in the polymer sealing layer is studied in consideration of thermodynamic change of the cavern structure during the system operation.The air tightness model of compressed air storage energy caverns is then established.In the model,the permeability coefficient and air density of sealing layer vary with air pressure,and the effectiveness of the model is verified by field data in two test caverns.Finally,a compressed air storage energy cavern is taken as an example to understand the air tightness.The air leakage rate in the caverns is larger than that using air-pressure-independent permeability coefficient and air density,which is constant and small in the previous leakage rate calculation.Under the operating pressure of 4.5-10 MPa,the daily air leakage in the compressed air storage energy cavern of Yungang Mine with high polymer butyl rubber as the sealing material is 0.62%,which can meet the sealing requirements of compressed air storage energy caverns.The air tightness of the polymer sealing cavern is mainly affected by the cavern operating pressure,injected air temperature,cavern radius,and sealing layer thickness.The cavern air leakage rate will be decreased to reduce the cavern operating pressure the injection air temperature,or the cavern radius and sealing layer thickness will be increased.

Experimental Investigation on the Effect of Seal Presence on the Behavior of Double-Deck Floating Roofs in Cylindrical Steel Storage Tanks

Liquid storage,particularly oil and petrochemical products which are considered hazardous liquid,are an important part of the oil industry.Thin-walled vertical cylindrical steel storage tanks are widely used in recent years.Due to high sensitivity of these structures in an earthquake and other external excitations may lead to catastrophic consequences.For instance,huge economic losses,environmental damages,and casualities,many studies have been done about these structures.past studies showed that liquid storage tanks,equipped with a floating roof,are potentially vulnerable while subjected to seismic loads and earthquake has been considered as one of the most destructive natural hazards.The reason is that such tanks are made of two separated parts(shell and roof)which each may have its own responses;sometimes causing resonance phenomenon and so that,roof movements,rooffluid interaction,roof-shell interaction,and also the way they are attached should still be investigated.Experimental tests of floating roof’s vertical fluctuation was performed in a full-scale reservoir tank and assessing of the results demonstrated that presence of a seal between floating roof and shell plate can significantly increase damping ratio in liquid sloshing and also suppress the roof`s vertical displacements.In other words,seal can control a floating roof and make it stop moving vertically over few cycles.