Thermal Fluid-Solid Interaction Model and Experimental Validation for Hydrostatic Mechanical Face Seals

Hydrostatic mechanical face seals for reactor coolant pumps are very important for the safety and reliability of pressurized-water reactor power plants.More accurate models on the operating mechanism of the seals are needed to help improve their performance.The thermal fluid–solid interaction（TFSI）mechanism of the hydrostatic seal is investigated in this study.Numerical models of the flow field and seal assembly are developed.Based on the mechanism for the continuity condition of the physical quantities at the fluid–solid interface,an on-line numerical TFSI model for the hydrostatic mechanical seal is proposed using an iterative coupling method.Dynamic mesh technology is adopted to adapt to the changing boundary shape.Experiments were performed on a test rig using a full-size test seal to obtain the leakage rate as a function of the differential pressure.The effectiveness and accuracy of the TFSI model were verified by comparing the simulation results and experimental data.Using the TFSI model,the behavior of the seal is presented,including mechanical and thermal deformation,and the temperature field.The influences of the rotating speed and differential pressure of the sealing device on the temperature field,which occur widely in the actual use of the seal,are studied.This research proposes an on-line and assembly-based TFSI model for hydrostatic mechanical face seals,and the model is validated by full-sized experiments.

Application of Fractal Contact Model in Dynamic Performance Analysis of Gas Face Seals

Fractal theory provides scale?independent asperity contact loads and assumes variable curvature radii in the contact analyses of rough surfaces, the current research for which mainly focuses on the mechanism study. The present study introduces the fractal theory into the dynamic research of gas face seals under face?contacting conditions. Structure?Function method is adopted to handle the surface profiles of typical carbon?graphite rings, proving the fractal con?tact model can be used in the field of gas face seals. Using a numerical model established for the dynamic analyses of a spiral groove gas face seal with a flexibly mounted stator, a comparison of dynamic performance between the Majumdar?Bhushan(MB) fractal model and the Chang?Etsion?Bogy(CEB) statistical model is performed. The result shows that the two approaches induce differences in terms of the occurrence and the level of face contact. Although the approach distinctions in film thickness and leakage rate can be tiny, the distinctions in contact mechanism and end face damage are obvious. An investigation of fractal parameters D and G shows that a proper D(nearly 1.5) and a small G are helpful in raising the proportion of elastic deformation to weaken the adhesive wear in the sealing dynamic performance. The proposed research provides a fractal approach to design gas face 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.

Discriminative Features of Abnormities in a Spiral Groove Gas Face Seal Based on Dynamic Model Considering Contact

It is a difficult task to root the cause of the failure of a gas face seal because different causes may result in similar observations.In the work being presented,the discrimination of multiple types of abnormities in a spiral groove gas face seal is studied.A dynamic model is employed to analyze groups of cases in order to uncover the dynamic behaviors when the face contact is induced by different mixtures of abnormities,whose discriminative features when motion and contact are monitored are studied and uncovered.A circumferential-pattern-related oscillation phenomenon is discovered,which is extracted from contact information and implies the relative magnitude of the moment on stator and the rotor tilt.The experimental observation shows consistent results.It means that the grooves(or other circumferential patterns)generate useful informative features for monitoring.These results provide guidance for designing a monitored gas face seal system.

An efficient adaptive finite element method algorithm with mass conservation for analysis of liquid face seals

To improve lubrication effect and seal performance, complicated geometrical hydrodynamic grooves or patterns are often processed on end faces of liquid lubricated mechanical seals. These structures can lead to difficulties in precisely estimating the seal performance. In this study, an efficient adaptive finite element method （FEM） algorithm with mass conservation was presented, in which a streamline upwind/Petrov-Galerkin （SUPG） weighted residual FEM and a fast iteration algorithm were applied to solve the lubrication equations （Reynolds equation）. A mesh adaptation technique was utilized to refine the computation domain based on a residual posterior error estimator. Validation, applicability, and efficiency were verified by comparison among different algorithms and by case studies on seals＇ faces with different groove structures. The study investigated the influence of the order of shape function and the mesh number on the leakage balance. Mesh refinement occurred mainly in cavitation zones when cavitation happened, otherwise it occurred in regions with a high pressure gradient. Numerical experiments verified that the proposed algorithm is a fast, effective, and accurate method to simulate lubrication problems in the engineering field apart from end face seals.

Method for solving the nonlinear inverse problem in gas face seal diagnosis based on surrogate models

Physical models carry quantitative and explainable expert knowledge.However,they have not been introduced into gas face seal diagnosis tasks because of the unacceptable computational cost of inferring the input fault parameters for the observed output or solving the inverse problem of the physical model.The presented work develops a surrogate-model-assisted method for solving the nonlinear inverse problem in limited physical model evaluations.The method prepares a small initial database on sites generated with a Latin hypercube design and then performs an iterative routine that benefits from the rapidity of the surrogate models and the reliability of the physical model.The method is validated on simulated and experimental cases.Results demonstrate that the method can effectively identify the parameters that induce the abnormal signal output with limited physical model evaluations.The presented work provides a quantitative,explainable,and feasible approach for identifying the cause of gas face seal contact.It is also applicable to mechanical devices that face similar difficulties.

Performance comparison and parametric study on spiral groove gas film face seals

Several spiral groove gas film face seals (SGFS) with different layouts are compared quantitatively to analyze their merits and faults and application behaviors. In addition, a parametric study on downstream mode SGFS is conducted to determine its optimal parameters under certain working conditions. In tne computation of gas film pressure on the face, finite element method (FEM) is applied to adapt to complicated geometrical boundary.

Mechanical Deformation of Ship Stern-Shaft Mechanical Face Seals

In ship propeller shaft systems, the shaft seal is a mechanical face seal, which includes a sta-tionary metal seal ring and a rotating ring. The seal faces are deformed with different loads. The deformation of the seal faces affects the performance of mechanical face seals, which leads to water leakage, so the seal face deformation must be analyzed. A mechanics model with deformation equations was developed to describe ship stern-shaft seals. An example was given to verify the deformation equations. The solution of the deformation equations gives a theoretical basis for the analysis of seal leakage and improvements of seal structures.

Optimization design of main parameters for double spiral grooves face seal

The optimization design of the parameters, such as the groove depth, groove number, ratio of the groove width to the land width, and spiral angle of a new kind of double spiral grooves face seal, which works under the condition of high velocity, high sealing pressure and ultra-low temperature, is presented under the assump-tion of fixed closure force by finite element analysis method. The results show that the stiffness of the maximum film can be obtained when the ratio of the groove width to the land width is 0.5 and the spiral angle is about 75 degrees, when the influence of the groove number on the sealing performance is not obvious.

Experiment on Wear Behavior of High Pressure Gas Seal Faces

Current researches show that mechanical deformation of seal ring face makes fluid film clearance decrease at high pressure side, thus a divergent clearance is formed and face wear occurs more seriously at the high pressure side than that on the low pressure side. However, there is still lack of published experimental works enough to prove the theoretical results. In this paper, a spiral groove dry gas seal at high pressures is experimentally investigated so as to prove the face wear happened at the high pressure side of seal faces due to the face mechanical deformation, and the wear behavior affected by seal ring structure is also studied. The experimental results show that face wear would occur at the high pressure side of seal faces due to the deformation, thus the leakage and face temperature increase, which all satisfies the theoretical predictions. When sealed pressure is not less than 5 MPa, the pressure can provide enough opening force to separate the seal faces. The seal ring sizes have obvious influence on face wear. Face wear, leakage and face temperature of a dry gas seal with the smaller cross sectional area of seal ring are less than that of a dry gas seal with bigger one, and the difference of leakage rate between these two sizes of seal face width is in the range of 24%–25%. Compared with the effect of seal ring sizes, the effect of secondary O-ring seal position on face deformation and face wear is less. The differences between these two types of dry gas seals with different secondary O-ring seal positions are less than 5.9% when the rotational speed varies from 0 to 600 r/min. By linking face wear and sealing performance changes to the shift in mechanical deformation of seal ring, this research presents an important experimental method to study face deformation of a dry gas seal at high pressures.

双端面机械密封在双螺杆原油泵上的应用

基于原油库拆建工程项目,对双螺杆原油泵原采用的单端面金属波纹管机械密封改造为新型的带泵效环的背靠背双端面机械密封,并配套冷却循环辅助系统,经现场工业考核,背靠背双端面机械密封在双螺杆原油泵上得到良好应用。结果表明,新改造的双端面机械密封彻底解决了原密封存在的摩擦副磨损严重、泄漏量大、使用寿命短等问题,实现了工艺介质的零泄漏并确保设备长周期安全稳定运行。

表面波度对液体椭圆孔端面密封上游泵送特性的影响

表面波度与端面几何型槽的耦合影响使得密封性能的变化规律更为复杂。基于粗糙和波度表面假设,建立空化效应下端面椭圆孔液体上游泵送密封的理论分析模型,对上游泵送端面密封的压力分布和泄漏率进行数值求解计算,分析周向表面波度幅值、数量等几何参数和转速、密封压力等操作参数对开启力和泄漏率的影响规律。结果显示:表面波度使得密封端面产生更高的流体动压效果,并减弱上游泵送效果,容易导致密封介质的泄漏;随着波高和周向波数的增加,开启力略有增加;泄漏率随着波高的增加呈现正向增强趋势,但波数对泄漏率没有明显影响;在空化效应和表面波度的影响下,速度剪切产生的密封端面开启力可增加50%以上,并形成流体的完全上游泵送;密封压力和膜厚的增加,使得流体的上游泵送性能和密封性下降。

高压混相激光脸浅槽机械密封润滑状态转变特性及密封性能分析

以激光脸浅槽微接触式密封为研究对象,求解考虑混相介质特性和密封端面粗糙度效应的雷诺方程,通过分形接触理论求解微凸体接触力,利用不同微凸体接触状态下求解出的液膜承载系数对混相微接触式机械密封混合润滑状态进行分级,探究了压力及转速等工况条件和开槽形式对密封的润滑状态转变的影响规律.结果表明:混相微接触式机械密封混合润滑状态可分为弹性混合润滑状态、弹塑性混合润滑状态和塑性混合润滑状态3个级别;随着转速升高,液膜承载力不断增大,微凸体接触力逐渐趋向于0,密封环分开实现非接触,此时液膜承载系数为1;压差和槽深越大、混相介质气相容积比越高,矩形槽角度和周期数越小,临界转速越大,润滑状态更稳定,摩擦副分离越困难.

圆-椭圆垂直复合微孔织构对密炼机端面密封装置摩擦性能的影响

建立密炼机端面密封装置圆-椭圆垂直复合微孔织构(简称复合织构)的流体动压润滑模型,研究织构参数和工况参数对复合织构摩擦性能的影响。结果表明:当复合织构深度为5μm时,复合织构端面密封装置具有最好的减摩性能;当复合织构面积率为43.96%时,润滑油膜平均无量纲压力(P_(a))最大和摩擦因数(μ)最小;复合织构的μ随着动密封环转速(n)和润滑油粘度(η)的增大而增大;密封间隙(h_(0))为3和6μm时,复合织构的P_(a)和μ都随着n和η的增大而增大;在不同的n和η下,复合织构的P_(a)和μ随着h_(0)的增大而减小。

核主泵用机械密封摩擦学性能研究进展

核主泵是核电厂的核心元件,核主泵机械密封在其中起到防止介质泄漏的作用。当前,我国核主泵密封装置相关技术和产品受到国外垄断限制,核主泵摩擦副在运行状态下泄漏严重破坏核电系统的稳定运行和长周期服役,其摩擦学性能直接影响核主泵的运行性能。对于动压式核主泵机械密封,若没有处于完全液膜润滑状态,密封装置会出现异常磨损和泄漏率增大导致核主泵故障。针对核主泵摩擦副的液膜特性,从数学模型计算和软件仿真两方面分析。对温度场、速度场和应力场等进行分析,总结了密封环及副密封材料、端面热变形对摩擦学性能的影响,概述了端面形状的动压润滑机理及波度面、槽型结构和加工方法等因素对摩擦磨损的影响,为核主泵密封性能的提高和可靠运行提供理论基础。

密封端面声发射信号降噪处理技术研究

针对利用声发射技术监测密封端面摩擦状态,受到轴承、电机等部件摩擦产生背景噪声对密封端面摩擦信号的干扰,导致获取密封端面声发射信号信噪比不高的问题,文章提出的基于经验小波变换和相对熵(EWT-KLD)的滤波降噪方法,对采集到的原始信号进行滤波降噪处理,以提高密封端面摩擦产生声发射信号的信噪比。通过试验验证,该方法可适用于不同工况、不同介质、不同摩擦状态的声发射信号进行降噪,提高50 kHz以上声发射信号的信噪比,尤其是密封端面微弱摩擦产生信号的信噪比,有效地提高了密封端面摩擦声发射检测的精度和灵敏度,对于早期密封端面摩擦监测的作用尤为明显,使得密封端面摩擦状态累积变化过程的监测更准确。

大直径双浮动端面密封结构多目标优化设计

针对缺乏直径大于600 mm浮动端面密封环结构参数选取标准的问题,建立了密封橡胶O形圈二维轴对称非线性接触模型;结合试验设计、有限元计算、响应面模型、多目标优化算法与优劣解距离决策方法,以密封环最大变形量和端面比压为目标,开展了不同结构双浮动端面密封优化设计研究;分析了密封环结构参数对其端面比压与变形量的影响规律。结果表明:密封环锥面最小半径R_(min)与锥面角 β 越大,密封端面比压越大;R_(min)与 β 越大,安装间隙A越小,密封环变形量越大。影响端面比压的主因素为R_(min)与 β,影响变形量的主因素为R_(min)。浮动环最优结构参数为:R_(min)=381 mm,β=23°,A=18 mm,相应的密封环端面比压为0.49 MPa,最大变形量为12.11 μm。经过静压和运转密封性能测试试验,设计的双浮动端面密封无泄漏,表明优化设计方法有效可行。

径向双端面机械密封端面热-力耦合变形研究

针对鱼雷涡轮机径向双端面机械密封在高速、高温、高压等复杂极端工况下,内层密封发生泄漏的问题,基于热流固耦合仿真方法研究了其端面变形情况,结果表明,内、外层密封端面均产生沿半径增长方向逐渐变大的端面间隙,内层密封端面间隙大于外层,最大为0.04 mm。针对内层机械密封,比较动、静环端面单一热、力、热力耦合变形结果,并研究冷却水压力、密封端面宽度对其端面温度及变形的影响。结果表明,静环端面变形受温度影响较大,且力变形会抑制热变形,动环端面变形主要受温度影响;随冷却水压力增高,密封端面温度逐渐升高,静环端面变形略有减小,动环端面变形几乎不变;随密封端面宽度减小,端面温度逐渐升高,动环端面变形增大,最佳密封端面宽度为3.5 mm,静环端面变形随端面宽度减小而减小。

外输泵双端面机封冷却系统改造技术

某海上平台外输泵采用一用两备模式,其中外输泵A泵双端面机封采用海水冷却方式,针对此种冷却方式易造成机封泄露的现象,提出对外输泵B/C泵双端面机封冷却系统改造为加压滑油冷却机械密封并采用散热柱冷却循环滑油的方式,设计了一套具有补液、保压、打压、报警等功能的成套冷却系统,保障了外输泵正常平稳的运行。

高速箔片端面气膜密封热质传递规律研究

为探究高参数弹性箔片端面气膜密封热性能并开展结构优化设计,基于流体仿真分析软件,建立箔片端面气膜密封热性能分析模型,考虑空气介质实际气体效应影响,研究密封端面气体流动和传热特性,分析不同工况和结构参数对密封端面各流体、固体域最高温度和平均温度的影响。结果表明:箔片端面气膜密封热量主要集中分布在平箔片和密封坝上;随着转速的上升或入口压力、最小气膜厚度的减小,密封环组件各流体和固体域平均和最高温度增大;各流体和固体域平均和最高温度随楔形高度和节距比的增大而减小。