Microasperity Lubrication

1968 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. N. Anno ◽  
J. A. Walowit ◽  
C. M. Allen

Large load-supporting capability has been observed between parallel surfaces of a rotary-shaft face-seal when one of the surfaces contains microasperities in the form of circular cylinders with 12 × 10−3-in. dia and 100-microin. height, covering about one third of the surface. A theory is presented in which the load support is attributed to small tills on the tops of the asperities. The experimental data of lubricant film thickness versus applied load are correlated well by this theory assuming an average till of 0.86 microin. for the 12-mil-dia asperities investigated. Torque data obtained by a thermal technique are also correlated by this theory in the form of a plot of coefficient of friction versus Hersey number. Although direct evidence of the presence of small tilts on the asperity tops is lacking, it has been demonstrated that the load support is even further increased when the tops are purposely rounded. It is concluded that the theory developed correlates well the experimental data and, further, that the use of planned microasperities is an effective method for lubricating the parallel surfaces of face seals and thrust-bearing surfaces.

1969 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 434-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. J. Sneck

The laminar and turbulent flow of an incompressible fluid between the rotating parallel surfaces of a face seal is investigated analytically to determine the influence of conduction, convection, and dissipation on the temperature distribution. A method of estimating the general temperature level within the seal is suggested.


Author(s):  
K.B. Reuter ◽  
D.B. Williams ◽  
J.I. Goldstein

In the Fe-Ni system, although ordered FeNi and ordered Ni3Fe are experimentally well established, direct evidence for ordered Fe3Ni is unconvincing. Little experimental data for Fe3Ni exists because diffusion is sluggish at temperatures below 400°C and because alloys containing less than 29 wt% Ni undergo a martensitic transformation at room temperature. Fe-Ni phases in iron meteorites were examined in this study because iron meteorites have cooled at slow rates of about 10°C/106 years, allowing phase transformations below 400°C to occur. One low temperature transformation product, called clear taenite 2 (CT2), was of particular interest because it contains less than 30 wtZ Ni and is not martensitic. Because CT2 is only a few microns in size, the structure and Ni content were determined through electron diffraction and x-ray microanalysis. A Philips EM400T operated at 120 kV, equipped with a Tracor Northern 2000 multichannel analyzer, was used.


Author(s):  
Xu-Dong Peng ◽  
Li-Li Tan ◽  
Ji-Yun Li ◽  
Song-En Sheng ◽  
Shao-Xian Bai

A two-dimensional Reynolds equation was established for isothermal compressible gas between the two faces of a dry gas face seal with both spiral grooves and an inner annular groove onto the hard face. The opening force, the leakage rate, the axial film stiffness and the film stiffness to leakage ratio were calculated by finite element method. The comparisons with the sealing performances of a typical gas face seal only with spiral grooves onto its hard face were made. The effects of the face geometric parameters on the static behavior of such a seal were analyzed. The optimization principle for geometric parameters of a dry gas face seals with spiral grooves and an inner annular groove was presented. The recommended geometric parameters of spiral grooves and circular groove presented by optimization can ensure larger axial stiffness while lower leakage rates.


2001 ◽  
Vol 123 (5) ◽  
pp. 403-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taiji Adachi ◽  
Ken-ichi Tsubota ◽  
Yoshihiro Tomita ◽  
Scott J. Hollister

A computational simulation method for three-dimensional trabecular surface remodeling was proposed, using voxel finite element models of cancellous bone, and was applied to the experimental data. In the simulation, the trabecular microstructure was modeled based on digital images, and its morphological changes due to surface movement at the trabecular level were directly expressed by removing/adding the voxel elements from/to the trabecular surface. A remodeling simulation at the single trabecular level under uniaxial compressive loading demonstrated smooth morphological changes even though the trabeculae were modeled with discrete voxel elements. Moreover, the trabecular axis rotated toward the loading direction with increasing stiffness, simulating functional adaptation to the applied load. In the remodeling simulation at the trabecular structural level, a cancellous bone cube was modeled using a digital image obtained by microcomputed tomography (μCT), and was uniaxially compressed. As a result, the apparent stiffness against the applied load increased by remodeling, in which the trabeculae reoriented to the loading direction. In addition, changes in the structural indices of the trabecular architecture coincided qualitatively with previously published experimental observations. Through these studies, it was demonstrated that the newly proposed voxel simulation technique enables us to simulate the trabecular surface remodeling and to compare the results obtained using this technique with the in vivo experimental data in the investigation of the adaptive bone remodeling phenomenon.


1993 ◽  
Vol 115 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Yoshimoto ◽  
Y. Anno ◽  
M. Fujimura

This paper proposes a new type of a self-controlled restrictor which can achieve a very high bearing stiffness in hydrostatic bearings. This self-controlled restrictor employs a floating disk to control the mass flow rate of the oil entering the bearing clearance according to changes of the applied load. Furthermore, a hydrostatic bearing with this restrictor can theoretically achieve an infinite stiffness when the mass of a floating disk is assumed to be zero. The static characteristics of a rectangular hydrostatic thrust bearing with this self-controlled restrictor are theoretically and experimentally investigated. It was consequently shown that the proposed hydrostatic thrust bearing can achieve a very high stiffness (nearly infinite stiffness) in a very wide range of applied load independent of supply pressure.


1978 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. O. Lebeck ◽  
J. L. Teale ◽  
R. E. Pierce

A model of face seal lubrication is proposed and developed. Hydrodynamic lubrication for rough surfaces, surface waviness, asperity load support, elastic deflection, and wear are considered in the model. Predictions of the ratio of hydrodynamic load support to asperity load support are made for a face seal sealing a low viscosity liquid where some contact does occur and surface roughness is important. The hydrodynamic lubrication is caused by circumferential surface waviness on the seal faces. Waviness is caused by initial out of flatness or any of the various distortions that occur on seal ring faces in operation. The equilibrium solution to the problem yields one dimensional hydrodynamic and asperity pressure distributions, mean film thickness, elastic deflection, and friction for a given load on the seal faces. The solution is found numerically. It is shown that the fraction of hydrodynamic load support depends on many parameters including the waviness amplitude, number of waves around the seal, face width, ring stiffness, and most importantly, surface roughness. For the particular seal examined the fraction of load support would be small for the amount of waviness expected in this seal. However, if the surface roughness were lower, almost complete lift-off is possible. The results of the analysis show why the initial friction and wear rates in mechanical face seals may vary widely; the fraction of hydrodynamic load support depends on the roughness and waviness which are not necessarily controlled. Finally, it is shown how such initial waviness effects disappear as the surface profile is altered by wear. This may take a long or short time, depending on the initial amount of hydrodynamic load support, but unless complete liftoff is achieved under all operating conditions, the effects of initial waviness will vanish in time for steady state conditions. Practical implications are drawn for selecting some seal parameters to enhance initial hydrodynamic load support without causing significant leakage.


2007 ◽  
Vol 129 (4) ◽  
pp. 841-850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sébastien Thomas ◽  
Noël Brunetière ◽  
Bernard Tournerie

A numerical modeling of thermoelastohydrodynamic mechanical face seal behavior is presented. The model is an axisymmetric one and it is confined to high pressure compressible flow. It takes into account the behavior of a real gas and includes thermal and inertia effects, as well as a choked flow condition. In addition, heat transfer between the fluid film and the seal faces is computed, as are the elastic and thermal distortions of the rings. In the first part of this paper, the influence of the coning angle on mechanical face seal characteristics is studied. In the second part, the influence of the solid distortions is analyzed. It is shown that face distortions strongly modify both the gap geometry and the mechanical face seal’s performance. The mechanical distortions lead to a converging gap, while the gas expansion, by cooling the fluid, creates a diverging gap.


Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1285
Author(s):  
Wentao He ◽  
Shaoping Wang ◽  
Chao Zhang ◽  
Xi Wang ◽  
Di Liu

The service life of mechanical face seals is related to the lubrication and wear characteristics. The stable analytical methods are commonly used, but they cannot address effects of random vibration loading, which, according to experimental studies, are important factors for lubrication and wear of mechanical face seals used in air and space vehicles. Hence, a dynamic model for mechanical face seals is proposed, with a focus on the effects of random vibration loading. The mechanical face seal in the axial direction is described as a mass-spring-damping system. Spectrum analysis specified for random vibration is then performed numerically to obtain the response power spectral density (PSD) of the mechanical face seal and calculate the root mean square (RMS) values under random vibration conditions. A lumped parameter model is then developed to examine how dynamic parameters such as stiffness and damping affect the lubrication regimes of mechanical face seals. Based on the dynamic model and Archard wear equation, a numerical wear simulation method is proposed. The results elucidated that the increase of input acceleration PSDs, the decrease of axial damping, and the increase of axial stiffness lead to the probability of the mechanical face seal operating under full film lubrication regime increase and finally the decrease of wear. This research provides a guideline for improving the adaptability of mechanical face seals under random vibration environments.


Author(s):  
Peter A. J. Achten ◽  
Marc P. A. Schellekens

Most hydrostatic pumps and motors apply mechanical face seals, often also acting as a thrust bearing. The load carrying capacity of these bearings is very much dependent on the pressure profile generated in the sealing gap. Previous research, outside pumps and motors, has already shown that the gap pressure profile is largely influenced by small radial deformations of the seal lands. This paper discusses the elastic deformation of pump components and the effects of these deformations on the load carrying capacity of a barrel in an axial piston machine.


1981 ◽  
Vol 103 (2) ◽  
pp. 284-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. A. Koye ◽  
W. O. Winer

Fifty-seven measurements of the minimum lubricant film thickness separating the elastohydrodynamically lubricated point contact of a steel crowned roller and a flat sapphire disk were made by an optical interferometry technique. The data collected were used to evaluate the Hamrock and Dowson minimum EHD film thickness model over a practical range of contact ellipticity ratio where the major axis of the contact ellipse is aligned both parallel and perpendicular to the direction of motion. A statistical analysis of the measured film thickness data showed that the experimental data averaged 30 percent greater film thickness than the Hamrock and Dowson model predicts.


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