Effects of Clearance on the Performance of a Labyrinth Seal Under Wet-Gas Conditions

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Zhang ◽  
Dara W. Childs ◽  
Dung L. Tran ◽  
Hari Shresth
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Stiffness ◽  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Test Fluid ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Liquid Volume ◽  
Rotordynamic Coefficients ◽  
Whirling Motion ◽  
Wet Gas ◽  
Different Diameters ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The labyrinth seal is one of the most popular noncontact annular seals used in centrifugal compressors to improve machine efficiency by reducing the secondary flow leakage. Reducing the radial clearance Cr can effectively decrease the seal's leakage and therefore increase the machine efficiency. However, reducing Cr can also introduce undesired effects on the machine's vibration behaviors. This paper experimentally studies the impact of reducing Cr on the leakage and rotordynamic coefficients of a 16-tooth see-through labyrinth seal under wet-gas conditions. The test seal's inner diameter is 89.256 mm. Two rotors with different diameters are used to obtain two radial clearances (0.102 mm and 0.178 mm). Tests are carried out at a supply pressure of 62 bars, three speeds from 10 krpm to 20 krpm, three pressure ratios from 0.21 to 0.46, and six inlet liquid volume fractions (LVFs) from zero to 15%. The test fluid is a mixture comprised of air and silicon oil. Test results show that, for all pure-air and mainly air conditions, decreasing Cr decreases (as expected) the test seal's leakage mass flowrate. For all test cases, direct dynamic stiffness KΩ is negative, producing a negative centering force on the associated rotor. For inlet LVF ≤ 8%, the effects of decreasing Cr on KΩ are negligible. When inlet LVF = 12% and 15%, decreasing Cr increases KΩ (decreases the magnitude). In other words, when inlet LVF = 12% and 15%, decreasing Cr reduces the test seal's negative centering force on the rotor, and would increase the critical speeds of the rotor. The value of the effective damping Ceff near 0.5ω represents the seal's capability to suppress the rotor's potential whirling motion at about 0.5ω. For all pure-air and mainly air conditions, decreasing Cr generally increases the Ceff value near 0.5ω; i.e., decreasing Cr improves the test seal's stabilizing capability against the rotor's potential whirling motion at about 0.5ω.

Effects of Clearance on the Performance of a Labyrinth Seal Under Wet-Gas Conditions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Zhang ◽  
Dara W. Childs ◽  
Dung L. Tran ◽  
Hari Shrestha
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Stiffness ◽  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Test Fluid ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Liquid Volume ◽  
Rotordynamic Coefficients ◽  
Whirling Motion ◽  
Wet Gas ◽  
Different Diameters ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The labyrinth seal is one of the most popular non-contact annular seals used in centrifugal compressors to improve machine efficiency by reducing the secondary flow leakage. Reducing the radial clearance Cr can effectively decrease the seal’s leakage and therefore increase the machine efficiency. However, reducing Cr can also introduce undesired effects on the machine’s vibration behaviors. This paper experimentally studies the impact of reducing Cr on the leakage and rotordynamic coefficients of a 16-tooth see-through labyrinth seal under wet-gas conditions. The test seal’s inner diameter is 89.256 mm. Two rotors with different diameters are used to obtain two radial clearances (0.102 mm and 0.178 mm). Tests are carried out at a supply pressure of 62 bars, three speeds from 10krpm to 20 krpm, three pressure ratios from 0.21 to 0.46, and six inlet liquid volume fractions (LVFs) from zero to 15%. The test fluid is a mixture comprised of air and silicon oil. Test results show that, for all pure-air and mainly-air conditions, decreasing Cr decreases (as expected) the test seal’s leakage mass flow rate. For all test cases, direct dynamic stiffness KΩ is negative, producing a negative centering force on the associated rotor. For inlet LVF ≤ 8%, the effects of decreasing Cr on KΩ are negligible. When inlet LVF = 12% and 15%, decreasing Cr increases KΩ (decreases the magnitude). In other words, when inlet LVF = 12% and 15%, decreasing Cr reduces the test seal’s negative centering force on the rotor, and would increase the critical speeds of the rotor. The value of the effective damping Ceff near 0.5ω represents the seal’s capability to suppress the rotor’s potential whirling motion at about 0.5ω. For all pure-air and mainly-air conditions, decreasing Cr generally increases the Ceff value near 0.5ω; i.e., decreasing Cr improves the test seal’s stabilizing capability against the rotor’s potential whirling motion at about 0.5ω.

A Study on the Leakage and Rotordynamic Performance of a Long Labyrinth Seal Under Mainly Air Conditions

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Zhang ◽  
Dara W. Childs
Keyword(s):  
Silicone Oil ◽  
Dynamic Stiffness ◽  
Excitation Frequency ◽  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
System Stability ◽  
Test Fluid ◽  
Liquid Volume ◽  
Frequency Dependent ◽  
Frequency Independent ◽  
The Impact

Abstract This paper investigates the impact of liquid presence in air on the leakage and rotordynamic coefficients of a long (length-to-diameter ratio L/D = 0.747) teeth-on-stator labyrinth seal. The test fluid is a mixture of air and silicone oil (PSF-5cSt). Tests are carried out at inlet pressure Pi = 62.1 bars, three pressure ratios from 0.21 to 0.46, three speeds from 10 to 20 krpm, and six inlet liquid volume fractions (LVFs) from 0% to 15%. Complex dynamic-stiffness coefficients Hij are measured. The real parts of Hij are too frequency dependent to be fitted by frequency-independent stiffness and virtual-mass coefficients. Therefore, this paper presents frequency-dependent direct stiffness KΩ and cross-coupled stiffness kΩ. The imaginary parts of Hij produce frequency-independent direct damping C. Test results show that, under both pure- and mainly air conditions, the leakage mass flowrate m˙ of the test seal steadily increases as inlet LVF increases. KΩ is negative under all test conditions, and the magnitude of KΩ increases as inlet LVF increases, leading to a larger negative centering force on the associated compressor rotor. Under pure-air conditions, kΩ is a small negative value. Injecting oil into the air increases kΩ slightly and make the magnitude of kΩ closer to zero. Under mainly air conditions, increasing inlet LVF from 2% to 15% has little impact on kΩ. C normally increases as inlet LVF increases. The value of the effective damping Ceff = C − kΩ/Ω near 0.5ω is of significant interest to the system stability since an unstable centrifugal compressor may precess at approximately 0.5ω. Ω denotes the excitation frequency. The oil presence in the air has little impact on the value of Ceff near 0.5ω. Also, the liquid presence does not change the insensitiveness of m˙, KΩ, kΩ, C, and Ceff to change in ω; i.e., under both pure- and mainly air conditions, changes in ω has little impact on m˙, KΩ, kΩ, C, and Ceff.

Clearance Effects on Rotordynamic Performance of a Long Smooth Seal With Two-Phase, Mainly-Air Mixtures

2018 ◽  
Vol 141 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Zhang ◽  
Dara W. Childs ◽  
Dung L. Tran ◽  
Hari Shrestha
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Dynamic Stiffness ◽  
Test Fluid ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Liquid Volume ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Stiffness Coefficients ◽  
Frequency Independent ◽  
The Impact

This paper experimentally studies the effects of changing radial clearance Cr on the performance of a long (length-to-diameter ratio L/D = 0.65) smooth seal under mainly-air (wet-gas) conditions. The test fluid is a mixture of air and silicone oil. Tests are conducted with Cr = 0.188, 0.163, and 0.140 mm, inlet pressure Pi = 62.1 bars, exit pressure Pe = 31 bars, inlet liquid volume fraction LVF = 0%, 2%, 5%, and 8%, and shaft speed ω = 10, 15, and 20 krpm. The seal's complex dynamic stiffness coefficients Hij are measured. The real parts of Hij cannot be fitted by frequency-independent stiffness and virtual-mass coefficients. Therefore, frequency-dependent direct KΩ and cross-coupled kΩ stiffness coefficients are used. The imaginary parts of direct Hij produce frequency-independent direct damping C. Test results show that, for all pure- and mainly-air conditions, decreasing Cr decreases (as expected) the leakage mass flow rate m˙. Under mainly-air conditions, decreasing Cr decreases KΩ. This outcome is contrary to the test results at pure-air conditions, where KΩ increases as Cr decreases. Since an unstable centrifugal compressor rotor may precess at approximately 0.5ω, the effective damping Ceff at about 0.5ω is used as an indicator of the impact a seal would have on its associated compressor. For pure-air conditions, when Ω ≈ 0.5ω, decreasing Cr increases Ceff and makes the seal more stabilizing. This trend continues after the oil is added. A bulk-flow model developed by San Andrés (2011, “Rotordynamic Force Coefficients of Bubbly Mixture Annular Pressure Seals,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power, 134(2), p. 022503) produces predictions to compare with test results. m˙ predictions correlate with measurements. Under pure-air conditions, the model correctly predicts the effects of changing Cr on KΩ and the Ceff value near 0.5ω. After the oil is added, as Cr decreases, predicted KΩ increases while measured KΩ decreases. Also, for mainly-air cases and Ω ≈ 0.5ω, decreasing Cr does not discernibly change predicted Ceff but increases the measured value.

Effects of Increased Tooth Clearance on the Performance of a Labyrinth Seal With Oil-Rich Bubbly Laminar Flow

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Zhang ◽  
Dara W. Childs
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Surface ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Silicone Oil ◽  
Bubbly Flow ◽  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Test Fluid ◽  
Axial Thrust ◽  
Rotordynamic Coefficients ◽  
Piston Seal ◽  
The Impact

Abstract In recent years, multiphase pumps have become more and more popular because of the capability to simplify the process, reduce the footprint, and lower the cost. To compensate for the axial thrust force, an annular seal is normally used as a balance piston seal, and the labyrinth seal is one of the choices. A typical labyrinth seal consists of a surface with teeth and a smooth surface. The teeth are either on the rotor or the stator. To protect the machine, one side (either the teeth or the smooth surface) is made of a material that can be safely sacrificed during a rub. After the rub, the teeth clearance is increased. This paper studies the impact of the increased teeth clearance on the performance of the labyrinth seal under oil-rich bubbly flow conditions. The test fluid is a mixture of silicone oil (PSF 5cSt) and air with inlet Gas Volume Fraction GVF up to 9%. Tests are conducted with pressure drop PD = 34.5 bars, rotor speed ω = 5 krpm, and radial tooth clearance Cr = 0.102 mm and 0.178 mm. Test results show that, for all test conditions (before and after injecting air bubbles into the oil flow), increasing Cr from 0.102 mm to 0.178 mm increases the mass flow rate by about 40% but barely changes the test seal’s rotordynamic coefficients; i.e., the increased tooth clearance would not change the pump vibration performance.

Experimental Study of the Static and Dynamic Characteristics of a Long Smooth Seal With Two-Phase, Mainly Air Mixtures

2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Zhang ◽  
James E. Mclean ◽  
Dara W. Childs
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Dynamic Stiffness ◽  
Test Fluid ◽  
Liquid Volume ◽  
Test Cases ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Rotordynamic Coefficients ◽  
Stiffness Coefficients ◽  
Annular Seal

A two-phase annular seal stand (2PASS) has been developed at the Turbomachinery Laboratory of Texas A&M University to measure the leakage and rotordynamic coefficients of division wall or balance-piston annular seals in centrifugal compressors. 2PASS was modified from an existing pure-air annular seal test rig. A special mixer has been designed to inject the oil into the compressed air, aiming to make a homogenous air-rich mixture. Test results are presented for a smooth seal with an inner diameter D of 89.306 mm, a radial clearance Cr of 0.188 mm, and a length-to-diameter ratio (L/D) of 0.65. The test fluid is a mixture of air and silicone oil (PSF-5cSt). Tests are conducted with inlet liquid volume fraction (LVF) = 0%, 2%, 5%, and 8%, shaft speed ω = 10, 15, and 20 krpm, and pressure ratio (PR) = 0.43, 0.5, and 0.57. The test seal is concentric with the shaft (centered), and the inlet pressure is 62.1 bar. Complex dynamic-stiffness coefficients are measured for the seal. The real parts are generally too dependent on excitation frequency Ω to be modeled by constant stiffness and virtual-mass coefficients. The direct real dynamic-stiffness coefficients are denoted as KΩ; the cross-coupled real dynamic-stiffness coefficients are denoted as kΩ. The imaginary parts of the dynamic-stiffness coefficients are modeled by frequency-independent direct C and cross-coupled c damping coefficients. Test results show that the leakage and rotordynamic coefficients are remarkable impacted by changes in inlet LVF. Leakage mass flow rate m˙ drops slightly as inlet LVF increases from zero to 2% and then increases with further increasing inlet LVF to 8%. As inlet LVF increases from zero to 8%, KΩ generally decreases except it increases as inlet LVF increases from zero to 2% when PR = 0.43. kΩ increases virtually with increasing inlet LVF from zero to 2%. As inlet LVF further increases to 8%, kΩ decreases or remains unchanged. C increases as inlet LVF increases; however, its rate of increase drops significantly at inlet LVF = 2%. Effective damping Ceff combines the stabilizing impact of C and the destabilizing impact of kΩ. Ceff is negative (destabilizing) for lower Ω values and becomes more destabilizing as inlet LVF increases from zero to 2%. It then becomes less destabilizing as inlet LVF is further increased to 8%. Measured m˙ and rotordynamic coefficients are compared with predictions from XLHseal_mix, a program developed by San Andrés (2011, “Rotordynamic Force Coefficients of Bubbly Mixture Annular Pressure Seals,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power, 134(2), p. 022503) based on a bulk-flow model, using the Moody wall-friction model while assuming constant temperature and a homogenous mixture. Predicted m˙ values are close to measurements when inlet LVF = 0% and 2% and are smaller than test results by about 17% when inlet LVF = 5% and 8%. As with measurements, predicted m˙ drops slightly as inlet LVF increases from zero to 2% and then increases with increasing inlet LVF further to 8%. However, in the inlet LVF range of 2–8%, the predicted effects of inlet LVF on m˙ are weaker than measurements. XLHseal_mix poorly predicts KΩ in most test cases. For all test cases, predicted KΩ decreases as inlet LVF increases from zero to 8%. The increase of KΩ induced by increasing inlet LVF from zero to 2% at PR = 0.43 is not predicted. C is reasonably predicted, and predicted C values are consistently smaller than measured results by 14–34%. Both predicted and measured C increase as inlet LVF increases. kΩ and Ceff are predicted adequately at pure-air conditions, but not at most mainly air conditions. The significant increase of kΩ induced by changing inlet LVF from zero to 2% is predicted. As inlet LVF increases from 2% to 8%, predicted kΩ continues increasing versus that measured kΩ typically decreases. As with measurements, increasing inlet LVF from zero to 2% decreases the predicted negative values of Ceff, making the test seal more destabilizing. However, as inlet LVF increases further to 8%, the predicted negative values of Ceff drop versus measured values increase. For high inlet LVF values (5% and 8%), the predicted negative values of Ceff are smaller than measurements. So, the seal is more stabilizing than predicted for high inlet LVF cases.

The Impact of Pad Flexibility on the Rotordynamic Coefficients of Tilting-Pad Journal Bearings

2016 ◽  
Vol 138 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer E. Gaines ◽  
Dara W. Childs
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Stiffness ◽  
Dynamic Performance ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Bending Stiffness ◽  
Test Fluid ◽  
Unit Load ◽  
Rotordynamic Coefficients ◽  
Damping Coefficients ◽  
Tilting Pad ◽  
The Impact

Static and dynamic load tests were performed on a three-pad, rocker-pivot, tilting-pad journal bearing (TPJB) with three interchangeable pad configurations, each with measurably different pad flexibilities. Measured dynamic-stiffness data for the bearing were readily fitted by a frequency-independent, constant-coefficient [K][C][M] model. The test-bearing had a 101.74 mm diameter with L/D = 0.6. Tests were conducted over the speed range of 6–12 krpm, with unit loads varying from 0.172 to 1.724 MPa. An ISO VG 46 lubricant was used as the test fluid. Pad flexibility was characterized as the change in the pad's bending stiffness or the change in pad thickness. A finite-element model (FEM) was created to predict the structural bending stiffness of each pad configuration, showing a significant pad flexibility increase as pad thickness decreased. To examine the effect of pad flexibility on the rotordynamic coefficients, the measured results were compared across pad configurations and showed that the pad flexibility increase reduced the direct damping coefficients by 12–20%. As pad flexibility increased, the direct-stiffness coefficients could increase or decrease, depending on the unit load. They varied from an increase of 12% at low unit loads to a decrease of 3% at high unit loads. Results show that the pad's structural bending stiffness or flexibility is important when predicting the bearing’s dynamic performance. Damping is consistently overpredicted when neglecting pad flexibility. A nondimensional pad flexibility parameter αflex was developed. It related the average deflection across the pad surface to the pad's arc length and was to relate the pad flexibility of multiple bearings of different sizes. A bearing code was used to predict the percent change in direct damping coefficients for rigid-pad/flexible-pivot and flexible-pad/flexible-pivot models for a surface speed of 54 m/s and a unit load of 783 kPa for the three-pad configuration tested here plus five additional tested bearings from the literature. For the minimum pad thickness configuration tested here, the code predicted a 20% drop in predicted Cxx (off-load axis direct damping) when comparing a model that included pad flexibility with a model that neglected pad flexibility. In terms of αflex, the two thinnest pad configurations tested here are quite flexible compared to both TPJB's pads used in industry and previously tested TPJB pads.

Experimental Study of the Static and Dynamic Characteristics of a Long Smooth Seal With Two-Phase, Mainly-Air Mixtures

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Zhang ◽  
James E. Mclean ◽  
Dara W. Childs
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Stiffness ◽  
Excitation Frequency ◽  
Test Fluid ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Test Cases ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Rotordynamic Coefficients ◽  
Stiffness Coefficients ◽  
Rate Of Increase ◽  
Annular Seal

A 2-phase annular seal stand (2PASS) has been developed at the Turbomachinery Laboratory of Texas A&M University to measure the leakage and rotordynamic coefficients of division wall or balance-piston annular seals in centrifugal compressors. 2PASS was modified from an existing pure-air annular seal test rig. A special mixer has been designed to inject the oil into the compressed air, aiming to make a homogenous air-rich mixture. Test results are presented for a smooth seal with an inner diameter D of 89.306 mm, a radial clearance Cr of 0.188 mm, and a length-to-diameter ratio L/D of 0.65. The test fluid is a mixture of air and Silicone oil (PSF-5cSt). Tests are conducted with inlet LVF = 0%, 2%, 5%, and 8%, shaft speed ω = 10, 15, and 20 krpm, and pressure ratio PR = 0.43, 0.5, and 0.57. The test seal is concentric with the shaft (centered), and the inlet pressure is 62.1 bars. Complex dynamic stiffness coefficients are measured for the seal. The real parts are generally too dependent on excitation frequency Ω to be modeled by constant stiffness and virtual mass coefficients. The direct real dynamic stiffness coefficients are denoted as KΩ; the cross-coupled real dynamic stiffness coefficients are denoted as kΩ. The imaginary parts of the dynamic stiffness coefficients are modeled by frequency-independent direct C and cross-coupled c damping coefficients. Test results show that the leakage and rotordynamic coefficients are remarkable impacted by changes in inlet LVF. Leakage mass flow rate ṁ drops slightly as inlet LVF increases from zero to 2%, and then increases with further increasing inlet LVF to 8%. As inlet LVF increases from zero to 8%, KΩ generally decreases except it increases as inlet LVF increases from zero to 2% when PR = 0.43. kΩ increases virtually with increasing inlet LVF from zero to 2%. As inlet LVF further increases to 8%, kΩ decreases or remains unchanged. C increases as inlet LVF increases; however, its rate of increase drops significantly at inlet LVF = 2%. Effective damping Ceff combines the stabilizing impact of C and the destabilizing impact of kΩ. Ceff is negative (destabilizing) for lower Ω values and becomes more destabilizing as inlet LVF increases from zero to 2%. It then becomes less destabilizing as inlet LVF is further increased to 8%. Measured ṁ and rotordynamic coefficients are compared with predictions from XLHseal_mix, a program developed by San Andrés [1] based on a bulk-flow model, using the Moody wall-friction model while assuming constant temperature and a homogenous mixture. Predicted ṁ values are close to measurements when inlet LVF = 0 and 2%, and are larger than measured values when inlet LVF = 5% and 8%. As with measurements, predicted ṁ drops slightly as inlet LVF increases from zero to 2%, and then increases with increasing inlet LVF further to 8%. However, in the inlet LVF range of 2∼8%, the predicted effects of inlet LVF on ṁ are weaker than measurements. XLHseal_mix poorly predicts KΩ in most test cases. For all test cases, predicted KΩ decreases as inlet LVF increases from zero to 8%. The increase of KΩ induced by increasing inlet LVF from zero to 2% at PR = 0.43 is not predicted. C is reasonably predicted, and predicted C values are consistently smaller than measured results by 14∼34%. Both predicted and measured C increase as inlet LVF increases. kΩ and Ceff are predicted adequately at pure-air conditions, but not at most mainly-air conditions. The significant increase of kΩ induced by changing inlet LVF from zero to 2% is predicted. As inlet LVF increases 2% to 8%, predicted kΩ continue increasing versus that measured kΩ typically decreases. As with measurements, increasing inlet LVF from zero to 2% decreases the predicted negative values of Ceff, making the test seal more destabilizing. However, as inlet LVF increases further to 8%, the predicted negative values of Ceff drops versus measured values increase. For high inlet LVF values (5% and 8%), the predicted negative values of Ceff are smaller than measurements. So, the seal is actually more stable than predicted for high inlet LVF cases.

The Impact of Pad Flexibility on the Rotordynamic Coefficients of Tilting-Pad Journal Bearings

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer E. Gaines ◽  
Dara W. Childs
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Stiffness ◽  
Dynamic Performance ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Bending Stiffness ◽  
Test Fluid ◽  
Unit Load ◽  
Rotordynamic Coefficients ◽  
Damping Coefficients ◽  
Tilting Pad ◽  
The Impact

Static and dynamic load tests were performed on a three-pad, rocker-pivot, tilting-pad journal bearing (TPJB) with three interchangeable pad configurations, each with measurably different pad flexibilities. Measured dynamic-stiffness data for the bearing were readily fitted by a frequency-independent, constant-coefficient [K][C][M] model. The test bearing had a 101 .74 mm diameter with L/D = 0.6 Tests were conducted over the speed range of 6 to 12 krpm, with unit loads varying from .172 to 1.724 MPa. An ISO VG 46 lubricant was used as the test fluid. Pad flexibility was characterized as the change in the pad’s bending stiffness or the change in pad thickness. A finite-element model was created to predict the structural bending stiffness of each pad configuration, showing a significant pad-flexibility increase as pad thickness decreased. To examine the effect of pad flexibility on the rotordynamic coefficients, the measured results were compared across pad configurations and showed that the pad-flexibility increase reduced the direct damping coefficients by 12–20%. As pad flexibility increased, the direct stiffness coefficients could increase or decrease, depending on the unit load. They varied from an increase of 12% at low unit loads to a decrease of 3% at high unit loads. Results show that the pad’s structural bending stiffness or flexibility is important when predicting the bearing’s dynamic performance. Damping is consistently over-predicted when neglecting pad flexibility. A non-dimensional pad flexibility parameter αflex was developed. It related the average deflection across the pad surface to the pad’s arc length and was to relate the pad flexibility of multiple bearings of different sizes. A bearing code was used to predict the percent change in direct damping coefficients for rigid-pad/flexible-pivot and flexible-pad/flexible-pivot models for a surface speed of 54 m/s and a unit load of 783 kPa for the three pad configurations tested here plus five additional tested bearings from the literature. For the minimum-pad-thickness configuration tested here, the code predicted a 20% drop in predicted Cxx (off-load-axis direct damping) when comparing a model that included pad flexibility with a model that neglected pad flexibility. In terms of αflex, the two thinnest pad configurations tested here are quite flexible compared to both TPJB’s pads used in industry and previously-tested TPJB pads.

Segmentation Effects on Brush Seal Leakage and Rotordynamic Coefficients

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander O. Pugachev ◽  
Manuel Gaszner ◽  
Christos Georgakis ◽  
Paul Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Discharge ◽  
Electrical Discharge Machining ◽  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Performance Characteristics ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Single Plane ◽  
Rotordynamic Coefficients ◽  
Damping Coefficients ◽  
Brush Seal ◽  
Stiffness And Damping

This paper studies the effect of brush seal segmentation on the seal performance characteristics. A brush-labyrinth sealing configuration arranged of one brush seal downstream and two labyrinth fins upstream is studied experimentally and theoretically. The studied brush seal is of welded design installed with zero cold radial clearance. The brush seal front and back rings as well as the bristle pack are segmented radially in a single plane using the electrical discharge machining technique. The segmentation procedure results in loss of bristles at the site of the cuts altering the leakage flow structure in the seal and its performance characteristics. Two test rigs are used to obtain leakage, as well as rotordynamic stiffness and damping coefficients of the seal at different pressure ratios. The CFD-based model is used to predict the seal performance and to study in detail local changes in the flow field due to the segmentation. A back-to-back comparison of the performance of non-segmented and segmented brush seals, as well as baseline labyrinth seal is provided. The obtained results demonstrate that the segmentation in general negatively affects the performance of the studied brush-labyrinth sealing configuration. However, the segmented brush seal shows increased direct damping coefficients.

Preswirl and Mixed-Flow (Mainly Liquid) Effects on Rotordynamic Performance of a Long (L/D = 0.75) Smooth Seal

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dung L. Tran ◽  
Dara W. Childs ◽  
Hari Shrestha ◽  
Min Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Instability ◽  
Silicone Oil ◽  
Dynamic Stiffness ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Transition Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Rotordynamic Coefficients ◽  
Transition Flow Regime

Abstract Measured results are presented for rotordynamic coefficients and mass leakage rates of a long smooth annular seal (length-to-diameter ratio L/D = 0.75, diameter D = 114.686 mm, and radial clearance Cr = 0.200 mm) tested with a mixture of silicone oil (PSF-5cSt) and air. The test seal is centered, the seal exit pressure is maintained at 6.9 bars-g while the fluid inlet temperature is controlled within 37.8–40.6 °C. It is tested with three inlet-preswirl inserts, namely, zero, medium, and high (the preswirl ratios (PSRs), i.e., the ratio between the fluid's circumferential velocity and the shaft surface's velocity, are in ranges of 0.10–0.18, 0.30–0.65, and 0.65–1.40 for zero, medium, and high preswirls, respectively), six inlet gas-volume fractions GVFi (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10%), four pressure drops PDs (20.7, 27.6, 34.5, and 41.4 bars), and three speeds ω (3, 4, and 5 krpm). The targeted test matrix could not be achieved for the medium- and high-preswirl inserts at PD ≥ 27.6 bars due to the test-rig stator's dynamic instability issues. Spargers were used to inject air into the oil, and GVFi values higher than 0.10 could not be consistently achieved because of unsteady surging flow downstream from the sparger mixing section. Leakage mass flow rate m˙ and rotordynamic coefficients are measured, and the effect of changing inlet preswirl and GVFi is studied. The test results are then compared with predictions from a two-phase, homogeneous-mixture, bulk-flow model developed in 2011. Generally, both measurements and predictions show little change in m˙ as inlet preswirl changes. Measured m˙ remains unchanged or slightly increases with increasing GVFi, but predicted m˙ decreases. Measured m˙ is comparable to predicted values but consistently lower. Dynamic-stiffness coefficients are measured using an ensemble of excitation frequencies and curve-fitted well by frequency-independent stiffness Kij, damping Cij, and virtual mass Mij coefficients. Planned tests with the medium- and high-preswirl inserts could not be accomplished at PD = 34.5 and 41.4 bars because the seal stator became unstable with any finite injection of air. The test results show that the instability arose because the seal's direct stiffness K became negative and increased in magnitude with increasing GVFi. The model predicts a drop in K as GVFi increases, but the test results dropped substantially more rapidly than predicted. Also, the model does not predict the observed strong tendency for K to drop with an increase in preswirl in moving from the zero-to-medium and medium-to-high preswirl inserts. The authors believe that the observed drop in K due to increasing GVFi is not explained by either (a) a reverse Lomakin effect from operating in the transition flow regime or (b) the predicted drop in K at higher GVFi values from the model. A separate and as yet unidentified two-phase flow phenomenon probably causes the observed results. The negative K results due to increasing GVFi and moving from the zero to medium, and medium to high preswirl observed here could explain the instability issue (sudden subsynchronous vibration) on a high-differential-pressure helico-axial multiphase pump (MPP), reported in 2013. Effective damping Ceff combines the stabilizing effect of direct damping C, the destabilizing effect of cross-coupled stiffness k, and the influence of cross-coupled mass mq. As predicted and measured, increasing inlet preswirl significantly increases k and decreases Ceff, which decreases the seal's stabilizing properties. Ceff increases with increasing GVFi—becomes more stable.

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