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This paper aims to acquire the phase distribution and sealing performance of supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO₂) dry gas seals with phase transitions.

The SCO₂ spiral groove dry gas seal is taken as the research object. The finite differential method is applied to solve the governing equations. Furthermore, the phase distribution and the sealing performance are obtained. Compared to the ideal gas model, the effect of phase transitions on sealing performance is also explored.

Vaporization is likely to occur near the inner radius when SCO₂ dry gas seals are operated near the critical point. Whether phase transitions are considered in the model affects the sealing performance seriously. When phase transitions are considered, the sealing performance depends significantly on the working conditions, and unexpected results are produced when inlet conditions approach the critical point.

The numerical model for SCO₂ dry gas seals with phase transitions is established. The phase distribution and the sealing performance of SCO₂ dry gas seals are explored.

This study aims to study the gas film stiffness of the spiral groove dry gas seal.

The present study represents the first attempt to calculate gas film stiffness in consideration of the slipping effect by using the new test technology for dry gas seals. First, a theoretical model of modified generalized Reynolds equation is derived with slipping effect of a micro gap for spiral groove gas seal. Second, the test technology examines micro-scale gas film vibration and stationary ring vibration to determine gas film stiffness by establishing a dynamic test system.

An optimum value of the spiral angle and groove depth for improved gas film stiffness is clearly seen: the spiral angle is 1.34 rad (76.8º) and the groove depth is 1 × 10^–5 m. Moreover, it can be observed that optimal structural parameters can obtain higher gas film stiffness in the experiment. The average error between experiment and theory is less than 20%.

The present study represents the first attempt to calculate gas film stiffness in consideration of the slipping effect by using the new test technology for dry gas seals.

This paper aims to introduce a new type of analysis method to seek the actual working performance of the regulatable dry gas seal, including equilibrium film thickness, stiffness-leakage ratio and so on. Additionally, a parametric optimization of the hydrostatic structure is completed for this kind of seal.

From the point of axial force balance based on gas lubrication theory, a new analysis method, the Gas Film Divided Method, has been introduced. A four-factor and three-level hydrostatic structural parameters test scheme is designed by means of Central Composite Design test and then the hydrostatic structural parameters of regulatable dry gas seal were optimized. Three types of regulatable dry gas seal have been designed and manufactured to verify the theoretical analysis by measuring the equilibrium film thickness and inward leakage.

The results indicate that the numerical values of the Gas Film Divided (GFD) method agree well with the experimental ones. Test proves that the Central Composite Design test could achieve optimized hydrostatic structural parameters of regulatable dry gas seal effectively.

For validating the correctness of the GFD method, an experiment study of the regulatable dry gas seal is being carried out where atmosphere is selected as the lubricant for the sake of safety. Soon after, the author will discuss the application in the new paper.

The introduction of the GFD method proffers important insights to seek the performances of regulatable dry gas seal under the actual working conditions. The detailed optimal values of the hydrostatic structural parameters were given by the theoretical research which may be helpful for the design of regulatable dry gas seal.

This study aims to research the influence mechanism of microtextured geometric parameters of dry gas seal end face on the tribological behavior under dry frictional conditions.

The microtexture was processed using laser processing, while the diamond-like carbon (DLC) film was applied through magnetron sputtering; the experimental platform of friction vibration was established, the frictional and vibrational properties of different geometric parameters were tested; the data signals of vibrational acceleration and frictional torque were collected and processed using data acquisition instrument. The entropy characteristic parameters of 3D vibrational acceleration were extracted based on wavelet packet decomposition method. The end-face topography was measured with ST400 three-dimensional noncontact surface topography instrument.

The geometry of pits plays a key role in influencing friction performance; the permutation entropy and fuzzy entropy of the vibration acceleration signal changed with variations in microtextured parameters. A textured surface with appropriately size parameters can trap debris, enhance the dynamic pressure effect, reduce impact between the friction interfaces and improve the frictional vibrational performance. In this research, microtextured surface with Φ150 µm-10% and Φ200 µm-5% can effectively reduce friction and vibration between the end faces of a dry gas seal.

DLC film improves the hardness of seal ring end face, and microtexture improves the dynamic effect; the tribological behavior monitoring can be realized by analyzing the characteristics of vibration acceleration sensitive parameter with friction state. The findings will provide a basis for further research in the field of tribology and the microtexture optimization of dry gas seal ring end face.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-12-2023-0389/

The purpose of this paper is to enhance film stiffness and control seal leakage of conventional spiral groove dry gas seal (S-DGS) at a high-speed condition by introducing a new type superellipse surface groove.

The steady-state performance and dynamic characteristics of superellipse groove dry gas seal and S-DGS are compared numerically at a high-speed condition. The optimized superellipse grooves for maximum steady-state film stiffness and dynamic stiffness coefficient are obtained.

Properly designed superellipse groove dry gas seal provides remarkable larger steady-state film stiffness, dynamic stiffness coefficient and lower leakage rate at a high-speed condition compared to a typical S-DGS. The optimal values of first superellipse coefficient for maximum steady and dynamic stiffness are 1.3 and 1.4, whereas the optimal values of second superellipse coefficient for which are 1.4 and 2.0, respectively.

A new type of molded line, namely, superellipse curve, is proposed to act as the boundary lines of surface groove of dry gas seal, as an alternative of typical logarithm helix. The conclusions provide references for surface groove design with larger stiffness and lower leakage rate at a high-speed condition.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence rule and mechanism of three degrees of freedom film thickness disturbance on the transient performance of spiral groove, upstream pumping spiral groove dry gas seal (UP-SDGS) and double-row spiral groove dry gas seal (DR-SDGS).

The transient performance of spiral groove, UP-SDGS and DR-SDGS are obtained by solving the transient Reynolds equation under different axial and angular disturbance coefficients. The transient and steady performance of the above-mentioned DGSs are compared and analyzed.

The film thickness disturbance has a remarkable impact on the sealing performance of DGS with different structures and the calculation deviations of the leakage rate of the UP-DGS will increase significantly if the film thickness disturbance is ignored. The axial and angular disturbance jointly affect the film thickness distribution of DGS, but there is no significant interaction between them on the transient sealing performance.

The influence mechanism of axial disturbance and angular disturbance on the transient performance of typical SDGSs behavior has been explained by theory. Considering small and large disturbance, the interaction between axial disturbance and angular disturbance on the transient performance have been studied.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the sealing performance of S-CO₂ dry gas seals (DGSs) by considering the effects of pressure-induced deformation, thermal deformation and coupling deformation.

A hydrodynamic lubrication flow model of S-CO₂ DGS was established, and the model was solved using the finite difference and finite element methods. The pressure-induced deformation and thermal deformation of the sealing ring, as well as the sealing performance under the effects of pressure-induced deformation, thermal deformation and coupling deformation, were obtained.

The deformation of the sealing ring is mainly thermal deformation. The influence of pressure-induced deformation on leakage and gas film stiffness is greater than that of thermal deformation and coupling deformation. However, thermal deformation has a greater impact on friction torque and minimum film thickness than pressure-induced deformation and coupling deformation. The influence of deformations on sealing performance is important.

The sealing performance of S-CO₂ DGSs was analyzed considering the effect of pressure-induced deformation, thermal deformation and coupling deformation, which can provide a theoretical basis for S-CO₂ DGS optimization design.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-04-2023-0120/

This study aims to acquire the influence mechanism of gas film adaptive adjustment (GFAA) acted on the dynamic characteristics of spiral groove dry gas seal (S-DGS) and then propose a sealing stability enhancement measure.

The gas film dynamic stiffness and damping of S-DGS are obtained by numerically solving the transient Reynolds equation based on perturbation method and finite difference method. The dynamic coefficients in GFAA model and constant gas film thickness (CGFT) model are compared and analyzed.

There is the risk to misestimate the instability of DGS with rotational speed or medium pressure grows under the condition of CGFT assumption. Based on GFAA model, increasing balance ratio B properly is an effective measure to improve the stability of DGS. The balance ratio can stimulate the sensitivity of gas film dynamic coefficients to the variation of rotational speed. Increasing medium pressure in small balance ratio range will be conducive to reducing the risk of angular instability.

The influence mechanism of GFAA on S-DGS dynamic characteristics is analyzed. The interactions between rotational speed and balance ratio, medium pressure and balance ratio acted on gas film dynamic characteristics are explored based on the GFAA model.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze and improve the lubrication performance of a floating cylindrical seal by investigating micro spiral groove.

The lubrication model of is solved by finite difference, considering the influence of convergence eccentricity and Rayleigh step on the gas film period. A lubrication model, which is a gas film of floating microgroove cylindrical seal, is solved under high-precision central difference (finite-difference method-center) for the critical problems of convergence eccentricity and Rayleigh step. And then, an idea on the opening-leakage ratio is proposed, and a multiobjective optimization model is established. Finally, an experiment is conducted on a narrow gap to determine the gas film opening force and leakage by the modules of testing system, and the theoretical results are verified by real tests.

The theoretical calculation results agree well with the experimental data, which proves the correctness of the lubrication optimization model, and the optimized groove has better lubrication performance. On the other hand, the sealing pressure plays a more important role in the seal operation.

The theoretical model carries out low complexity and high sparseness, thus being very suitable for large-scale gas film problems. A multiobjective optimal function is established based on the opening-leakage ratio for optimizing groove. Finally, a curved groove of high precision and gas film opening force is obtained completely.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-02-2020-0048/

The purpose of this paper is to improve opening performance of bi-directional rotation gas face seals by investigating the hydrodynamic effect of non-closed elliptical grooves.

A model of non-closed elliptical groove bi-directional rotation gas face seal is developed. The distribution of lubricating film pressure is obtained by solving gas Reynolds equations with the finite difference method. The program iterates repeatedly until the convergence criterion on the opening force is satisfied, and the sealing performance is finally obtained.

Non-closed elliptical groove presents much stronger hydrodynamic effect than the closed groove because of drop of the gas resistance flowing into grooves. Besides, the non-closed elliptical groove presents significant hydrodynamic effect under bi-directional rotation conditions, and an increase of over 40 per cent is obtained for the opening force at seal pressure 4.5 MPa, as same level as the unidirectional spiral groove gas seal. In the case of bi-directional rotation, the value of the inclination angle is recommended to set as 90° presenting a structure symmetry so as to keep best opening performance for both positive and reverse rotation.

A model of non-closed elliptical groove bi-directional rotation gas face seal is established. The hydrodynamic mechanism of this gas seal is illustrated. Parametric investigation of inclination angle and integrity rate is presented for the non-closed elliptical groove bi-directional rotation gas face seal.