scholarly journals Test Results of a New Damper Seal for Vibration Reduction in Turbomachinery

1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (4) ◽  
pp. 843-846 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Vance ◽  
J. Li
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Critical Speed ◽  
Vibration Reduction ◽  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Leakage Rate ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Test Apparatus ◽  
Labyrinth Seals ◽  
New Type

A new type of labyrinth gas seal for damping vibration and whirl, called the TAMSEAL, has been evaluated in both nonrotating and rotating tests at Texas A&M University. Test results of the prototype, along with comparison tests of a conventional labyrinth seal, show up to 100 times more direct damping than the conventional bladed seal. The new design also has a feature that blocks swirl of the working fluid, which is known to be rotordynamically destabilizing in machines with conventional seals. Coastdown tests of the new seal were conducted at various pressures on a rotordynamic test apparatus with a critical speed at 4000 rpm and compared with identical testing of a conventional labyrinth seal. Rap tests of both seals were also conducted to measure the logarithmic decrement of free vibration, and the leakage of both seals was measured. Test results show large reductions in peak vibration at the critical speed in all cases, with the critical speed being completely eliminated by the TAMSEAL at some pressure drop conditions. The leakage rate of the tested TAMSEAL is higher than the conventional seal at the same clearance, but the large reductions in vibration and whirl amplitudes suggest that the TAMSEAL could be operated with smaller clearances than conventional labyrinth seals.

scholarly journals Test Results of a New Damper Seal for Vibration Reduction in Turbomachinery

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Vance ◽  
Jiming Li
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Critical Speed ◽  
Vibration Reduction ◽  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Leakage Rate ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Test Apparatus ◽  
Labyrinth Seals ◽  
New Type

A new type of labyrinth gas seal for damping vibration and whirl, called the TAMSEAL, has been evaluated in both non-rotating and rotating tests at Texas A&M University. Test results of the prototype, along with comparison tests of a conventional labyrinth seal, show up to one hundred times more direct damping than the conventional bladed seal. The new design also has a feature that blocks swirl of the working fluid, which is known to be rotordynamically destabilizing in machines with conventional seals. Coastdown tests of the new seal were conducted at various pressures on a rotordynamic test apparatus with a critical speed at 4000 rpm and compared with identical testing of a conventional labyrinth seal. Rap tests of both seals were also conducted to measure the logarithmic decrement of free vibration, and the leakage of both seals was measured. Test results show large reductions in peak vibration at the critical speed in all cases, with the critical speed being completely eliminated by the TAMSEAL at some pressure drop conditions. The leakage rate of the tested TAMSEAL is higher than the conventional seal at the same clearance, but the large reductions in vibration and whirl amplitudes suggest that the TAMSEAL could be operated with smaller clearances than conventional labyrinth seals.

A New Damper Seal for Turbomachinery

1993 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Vance ◽  
Richard R. Schultz
Keyword(s):  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Test Apparatus ◽  
New Type ◽  
Honeycomb Seals

Abstract A new type of labyrinth seal for damping vibration and whirl in turbomachinery has been invented and tested at Texas A&M University (TAMU). Test results of the prototype, along with a conventional labyrinth seal, show that the new design has fifteen times more direct damping than the conventional bladed seal. The design also has a feature that blocks swirl of the working fluid, which is known to be destabilizing in machines with conventional seals. This paper shows how the new design is different from conventional bladed seals and honeycomb seals, describes the test apparatus and results, describes a theory which explains the test results, and explains how the seal can be much more effective than a bearing damper for reducing vibration in turbomachines with a compressible working fluid.

Labyrinth Seal Leakage Tests: Tooth Profile, Tooth Thickness, and Eccentricity Effects

2008 ◽  
Vol 130 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed J. M. Gamal ◽  
John M. Vance
Keyword(s):  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Blade Profile ◽  
Labyrinth Seals ◽  
Seal Design ◽  
Blade Thickness ◽  
Center Position ◽  
Blade Tip

The effects of two seal design parameters, namely blade (tooth) thickness and blade profile, on labyrinth seal leakage, as well as the effect of operating a seal in an off-center position, were examined through a series of nonrotating tests. Two reconfigurable seal designs were used, which enabled testing of two-, four-, and six-bladed see-through labyrinth seals with different geometries using the same sets of seal blades. Leakage and cavity pressure measurements were made on each of 23 seal configurations with a in.(101.6mm) diameter journal. Tests were carried out with air as the working fluid at supply pressures of up to 100psia (6.89bar). Experimental results showed that doubling the thickness of the labyrinth blades significantly influenced leakage, reducing the flow rate through the seals by up to 20%. Tests to determine the effect of blade-tip profile produced more equivocal results, with the results of experiments using each of the two test seal designs contradicting each other. Tests on one set of hardware indicated that beveling blades on the downstream side was most effective in limiting leakage, whereas tests on newer hardware with tighter clearances indicated that seals with flat-tipped blades were superior. The test results illustrated that both blade profile and blade thickness could be manipulated so as to reduce seal leakage. However, an examination of the effects of both factors together indicated that the influence of one of these parameters can, to some extent, negate the influence of the other (especially in cases with tighter clearances). finally, for all configurations tested, results showed that leakage through a seal increases with increased eccentricity and that this phenomenon was considerably more pronounced at lower supply pressures.

Design of Experiments to Investigate Geometric Effects on Fluid Leakage Rate in a Balance Drum Seal

2014 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neal R. Morgan ◽  
Alexandrina Untaroiu ◽  
Patrick J. Migliorini ◽  
Houston G. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Design Of Experiments ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Leakage Rate ◽  
Upstream Region ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Cfd Model ◽  
Labyrinth Seals ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Designed Experiment

Annular labyrinth seals are designed as tortuous paths that force a working fluid to expand and contract repeatedly through small clearances between high and low pressure stages of turbomachinery. The resulting expansion and recirculation reduces kinetic energy of the flow and minimizes leakage rate between regions of high and low pressure through the seal. Most current seal geometries are selected based on what has worked in the past, or by incremental improvements on existing designs. In the present research, a balance drum used in a multistage centrifugal pump was chosen as a starting point. A design of experiments (DOEs) study was performed to investigate the influence of groove scale on leakage rate across the seal for a fixed pressure differential. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of the selected labyrinth seal has an upstream region leading to 20 evenly spaced semicircular grooves along a 267 mm seal length, with a clearance region of 0.305 mm. The seal geometry was specified by a set of five variables. The variables allow for variation in scale of the semicircular grooves within a pattern of five independently scaled grooves repeated four times along the seal length. The seal was constructed with a parameterized CFD model in ansys-CFX as a 5 deg sector of the full 3D seal. A noncentral composite designed experiment was performed to investigate the effects of five parameters on leakage rate in the system. This study demonstrates a practical approach for investigating the effects of various geometric factors on leakage rate for balance drum seals. The empirical ten-parameter linear regression model fitted to the results of the experimental design yields suggested groove radii that could be applied to improve performance of future seals.

Labyrinth Seal Leakage Tests: Tooth Profile, Tooth Thickness, and Eccentricity Effects

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed M. Gamal ◽  
John M. Vance
Keyword(s):  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Blade Profile ◽  
Labyrinth Seals ◽  
Seal Design ◽  
Blade Thickness ◽  
Center Position ◽  
Blade Tip

The effects of two seal design parameters, namely blade (tooth) thickness and blade profile, on labyrinth seal leakage, as well as the effect of operating a seal in an off-center position, were examined through a series of non-rotating tests. Two reconfigurable seal designs were used, which enabled testing of two- four-, and six-bladed see-through labyrinth seals with different geometries using the same sets of seal blades. Leakage and cavity pressure measurements were made on each of twenty-three seal configurations with a four inch (101.6 mm) diameter journal. Tests were carried out with air as the working fluid at supply pressures of up to 100 psi-a (6.89 bar-a). Experimental results showed that doubling the thickness of the labyrinth blades significantly influenced leakage, reducing the flow-rate through the seals by up to 20%. Tests to determine the effect of blade-tip profile produced more equivocal results, with the results of experiments using each of the two test seal designs contradicting each other. Tests on one set of hardware indicated that beveling blades on the downstream side was most effective in limiting leakage whereas tests on newer hardware with tighter clearances indicated that seals with flat-tipped blades were superior. The test results illustrated that both blade profile and blade thickness could be manipulated so as to reduce seal leakage. However, an examination of the effects of both factors together indicated that the influence of one of these parameters can, to some extent, negate the influence of the other (especially in cases with tighter clearances). Lastly, for all configurations tested, results showed that leakage through a seal increases with increased eccentricity and that this phenomenon was considerably more pronounced at lower supply pressures.

Simulation and Experimental Investigation of a New Type of Combined Seal Structure

2021 ◽  
Vol 143 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Li ◽  
Xiaoli Fu ◽  
Shenglin Yan
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Internal Resistance ◽  
Leakage Rate ◽  
Geometric Parameters ◽  
Inlet Flow ◽  
New Type ◽  
Leakage Characteristics ◽  
Nozzle Structure ◽  
Better Than

Abstract Based on the study of leakage characteristics of labyrinth seal structure (LSS), a new type of combined seal structure (CSS) consisting of the labyrinth structure and the nozzle structure has been proposed. The sealing characteristics of CSS and LSS are compared by means of numerical simulation and experiments, and the effects of the internal resistance of the device, structural geometric parameters and other factors on the leakage characteristics of CSS are studied. The results illustrate the following conclusions: (a) When the inlet flow is 12 m3/h and the internal resistance of the device is 2000–4000 Pa, the leakage rate of CSS decreases by 30%–40% in comparison with that of LSS, which indicates that the performance of CSS is much better than that of LSS. (b) The leakage rate increases as the internal resistance of the device increases. When the internal resistance of the device increases from 2000 Pa to 8000 Pa, the leakage rate increases from 26% to 72%. (c) When the internal resistance of the device is constant, the larger the inlet flow, the smaller the leakage rate. (d) The choice of nozzle radius in structural geometric parameters is more important for the leakage rate than the tooth height and teeth numbers. When the nozzle radius decreases, ΔPAB (pressure difference between the labyrinth structure and the nozzle structure) and the leakage rate decrease accordingly.

Numerical Investigations of Leakage Performance Degradations in Labyrinth and Flexible Seals Due to Wear

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinbo Dai ◽  
Xin Yan ◽  
Kun He ◽  
Jun Li ◽  
Zhenping Feng
Keyword(s):  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Leakage Rate ◽  
Labyrinth Seals ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Numerical Investigations ◽  
Forward Bending ◽  
The Finite Element Analysis ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
Wear Damage

Abstract The Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods are utilized to investigate the leakage performance degradations in two kinds of flexible seals (i.e. forward bending and backward bending) and two kinds of shroud labyrinth seals (i.e. with straight fins and chamfered fins) in rubbing events. With the existing experimental data, FEA methods for contacting simulations and CFD methods for leakage rate and flow pattern predictions are carefully examined. The wear characteristic and leakage performance between labyrinth seals and flexible seals are compared before and after rub. The results show that, in rubbing process, the labyrinth seal with straight (symmetrical) fins is likely to undergo the mushrooming damage, whereas the labyrinth seal with chamfered (asymmetrical) fins is likely to undergo the tooth-bending damage. In rubbing process, compared with the labyrinth seal, the flexible seal has a superior characteristic in resisting the wear damage due to increased flexibility of fin. For a labyrinth seal with 0.3mm design clearance and a flexible seal with 0.15mm design clearance, the 0.5mm radial displacement of rotor will result in 110% increase of leakage rate for labyrinth seal, and 7% increase of leakage rate for flexible seal after wear. Under the same conditions, the forward bending flexible seal has a lower leakage rate than the backward bending flexible seal before and after rub.

scholarly journals Rotordynamic Coefficient and Leakage Test Results for Interlock and Tooth-on-Stator Labyrinth Seals

1988 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dara W. Childs ◽  
David A. Elrod ◽  
Keith Hale
Keyword(s):  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Damping Coefficient ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Labyrinth Seals ◽  
Rotordynamic Coefficients ◽  
Damping Coefficients ◽  
Leakage Test ◽  
Stiffness And Damping ◽  
Rotordynamic Coefficient

Test results (leakage and rotordynamic coefficients) are presented for an interlock and tooth-on-stator labyrinth seals. Tests were carried out with air at speeds out to 16,000 cpm and supply pressures up to 7.5 bars. The rotordynamic coefficients consist of direct and cross-coupled stiffness and damping coefficients. Damping-coefficient data have not previously been presented for interlock seals. The test results support the following conclusions: (a) The interlock seal leaks substantially less than labyrinth seals. (b) Destabilizing forces are lower for the interlock seal. (c) The labyrinth seal has substantially greater direct damping values than the interlock seal. A complete rotordynamics analysis is needed to determine which type of seal would yield the best stability predictions for a given turbomachinery unit.

Dynamic Response Analysis of Balance Drum Labyrinth Seal Groove Geometries Optimized for Minimum Leakage

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandrina Untaroiu ◽  
Neal Morgan ◽  
Vahe Hayrapetian ◽  
Bruno Schiavello
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Response ◽  
Dynamic Properties ◽  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Leakage Rate ◽  
Response Analysis ◽  
Test Cases ◽  
Labyrinth Seals ◽  
Rotordynamic Coefficients ◽  
Overall Stability ◽  
Optimization Loop

Annular labyrinth seals often have a destabilizing effect on pump rotordynamics due to the large cross-coupled forces generated when the fluid is squeezed by an oscillating rotor. In this study several novel groove geometries are investigated for their effect on the rotordynamic coefficients of the labyrinth seal. The groove cavity geometry of a baseline 267 mm balance drum labyrinth seal with a clearance of 0.305 mm and 20 equally spaced groove cavities were optimized for minimum leakage. From the pool of possible groove designs analyzed, nine test cases were selected for maximum or minimum leakage and for a variety of groove cavity shapes. The rotordynamic coefficients were calculated for these cases using a hybrid CFD-bulk flow method. The rotordynamic coefficients obtained by this method were then used with a rotordynamic model of the entire pump to determine the overall stability. Results show that labyrinth seal’s groove shape can be optimized to generate lower leakage rates, while the effects on dynamic properties are only minimally changed. If the seal dynamic response needs to be modified in addition to targeting a lower leakage rate, for instance to exhibit increased damping values, then the leakage rate and the damping coefficient need to be set as objective functions in the optimization loop.

Application of Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis for Rotating Machinery—Part II: Labyrinth Seal Analysis

2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (4) ◽  
pp. 820-826 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshio Hirano ◽  
Zenglin Guo ◽  
R. Gordon Kirk
Keyword(s):  
Research Work ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Bulk Flow ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Labyrinth Seals ◽  
Eccentric Rotor ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis ◽  
Force Components

Labyrinth seals are used in various kinds of turbo machines to reduce internal leakage flow. The working fluid, or the gas passing through the rotor shaft labyrinth seals, often generates driving force components that may increase the unstable vibration of the rotor. It is important to know the accurate rotordynamic force components for predicting the instability of the rotor-bearing-seal system. The major goals of this research were to calculate the rotordynamic force of a labyrinth seals utilizing a commercial CFD program and to further compare those results to an existing bulk flow computer program currently used by major US machinery manufacturers. The labyrinth seals of a steam turbine and a compressor eye seal are taken as objects of analysis. For each case, a 3D model with eccentric rotor was solved to obtain the rotordynamic force components. The leakage flow and rotor dynamics force predicted by CFX TASCFlow are compared with the results of the existing bulk flow analysis program DYNLAB. The results show that the bulk flow program gives a pessimistic prediction of the destabilizing forces for the conditions under investigation. Further research work will be required to fully understand the complex leakage flows in turbo machinery.

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