Thermoelastohydrodynamic Characteristics of Low-Temperature Helium Gas T-Groove Face Seals

Abstract

Thermoelastohydrodynamic lubrication behaviors of helium gas T-groove face seals are numerically simulated under conditions of low temperature and high pressure, with the consideration of real-gas properties including compressibility coefficient, viscosity, and heat capacity. It is found that helium gas T-groove face seal presents a sharp divergent deformation at low temperature and high pressure, which makes the opening performance weaken and the leakage rate increase. This result is obviously different from the case of high-temperature gas face seals. As the sealing temperature drops from 300 K to 150 K, the leakage rate increases about 17% and the opening force decreases about 15%. Moreover, with the growth of rotational speed, both the outlet film pressure and the sealing performance present a non-monotonic trend. Specifically, while the rotating speed of moving ring raises from 3000 to 30,000 r·min−1, the leakage rate changes more than 30%, and the opening force is reduced about 10%.