• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.9 no.3 s.36
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• pp.14-21
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• 2006

Leakage reduction through annular type seals of turbomachinery is necessary for enhancing their efficiency and the precise prediction method of seal leakage is needed. The analysis based on Bulk-flow concept has been mainly used in predicting seal leakage. However, full Navier-Stokes Equations with turbulent model derived in the seal flow passage have to be solved for improving the prediction of seal leakage. FLUENT 6 which is commercial CFD(Computational Fluid Dynamics) code based on FVM(Finite Volume Method) and SIMPLE algorism has been used to analyze leakage of various non-contact-type seals in this presentation. Comparing with the results of Bulk-flow model analysis and experiment, the result of CFD analysis shows good agreement with that of existing theoretical analysis for the incompressible grooved seal and compressive plain and staggered seal. The CFD analysis also shows improvement on the leakage prediction of the incompressible plain seal and compressive see-through-type labyrinth seal.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.26-31
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• 2013

In present 3D CFD study, the method for determining leakage and rotordynamic coefficients of a plain-gas seal is suggested by using the relative coordinate system for steady-state simulation. In order to find the effect of pre-swirl speed at seal inlet, pre-swirl velocity is included as a parameter. Present analysis is verified by comparison with results acquired from Bulk-flow analysis code and published experimental results. The results of 3D CFD rotordynamic coefficients of direct stiffness(K) and cross-coupled stiffness(k) show improvements in prediction. As pre-swirl speed at seal inlet increases, k also increases to destabilize system. However, pre-swirl speed at seal inlet does not show sensitivity to the leakage and rotordynamic coefficients of K and damping(C).

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.150-156
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• 2009

Precise leakage prediction for annular type seals of turbomachinery is necessary for enhancing their efficiency and various prediction methods have been developed. As the seal passage is designed intricately, the analysis based on Bulk-flow concept which has been mainly used in predicting seal leakage is limited. In order to improve the seal leakage prediction, full Navier-Stokes Equations with turbulent model derived in the seal flow passage have to be solved. In this study, 3D CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) analysis has been performed for predicting leakage of various non-contact type anular seals using FLUENT. Compared to the results by Bulk-flow model analysis, experiment, and 2D CFD analysis, the result of 3D CFD analysis shows improvement in predicting seal leakage, especially for the parallel grooved pump seal.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2010

Precise prediction of rotordynamic coefficients for annular type seal of turbomachinery is necessary for enhancing their vibrational stability and various prediction methods have been developed. As the seal passage is designed complicatedly, the analysis based on Bulk-flow concept which has been mainly used in predicting seal dynamics is limited. In order to improve the seal rotordynamic prediction, full Navier-Stokes Equations with turbulent model derived in the seal flow passage have to be solved. In this study, 3D CFD(Computational Fluid Dynamics) analysis has been performed for predicting rotordynamic coefficients of non-contact type annular plain seal using FLUENT. Comparing with the results of Bulk-flow model analysis, the result of 3D CFD analysis shows good agreement.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.795-802
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• 1992

A numerical analysis is performed on the turbulent flow in the plain seal with injection. The parameters used in this study are as follows : Reynolds number, rotation speed, injection speed, clearance ratio, injection angle, and axial injection location. Flow pattern and leakage performance due to the variation of parameters are investigated. SIMPLER algorithm is used to solve the Navier-Stokes equation governing steady, incompressible turbulent flow and standard K- .epsilon. turbulent model is used to consider the turbulence effects. The leakage performance is significantly enhanced with injection. The increases of the injection flow rate and be rotation speed of the shaft cause the leakage performance to the increased. With the increase of the Reynolds number the leakage performance is diminished. At the injection angle of 90deg, the leakage coefficient has a minimum value. The pressure drop has a maximum value at axial center location but the injection location has little effect on the pressure drop. Clearance ratio has a significant effect on the pressure drop.

• KSTLE International Journal
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2003

A turbo pump unit provides high pressure oxygen and fuel in a space shuttle main engine (SSME). This paper focused on rotordynamics, investigating its characteristics based on a numerical simulation of turbo pump finite element model. Speeds up to 50,000 rpm are considered, as well as the special problems related to elastic-ring, seal hydrodynamic force, shroud force and clearance-excitation farce. The rotordynamic prediction shows that the elastic-ring which is inserted between the casing and the outer race of ball bearing allows far an acceptable separate margin of first critical speed. Additionally, the results show that the floating ring seal, which have a peculiar ring, adds substantial stiffness and damping to the system as well as exhibits superior performance in terms of rotordynamic stability of system compared to the plain seal.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.24-33
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• 2002

The basic equations are derived for the analysis of a staggered labyrinth gas seal which are generally used in high performance compressors and steam turbines. The Bulk-flow is assumed for a single cavity control volume and the flow is assumed to be completely turbulent in circumferential direction. Moody's wall-friction-factor formula is used for the calculation of wall shear stresses in the single cavity control volume. For the reaction force developed by the seal, linearized zeroth-order and first-order perturbation equations are developed for small motion about a centered position. Integration of the resultant first-order pressure distribution along and around the seal defines the rotordynamic coefficients of the staggered labyrinth gas seal. Theoretical results of leakage and rotordynamic characteristics for the staggered labyrinth gas seal are compared with those of the plain seal and see-through labyrinth seal.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.56-61
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• 1986

Rotor dynamic response of pumps is greatly influenced by the nature of the hydraulic forces arising from wearing seal, balance drum and impeller, etc.. Therefore, rotor dynamic analysis should be conducted during the design stage in order to aleviate some of the vibrational problems which might occur during the operational life of pumps. Previsousely, the authors have proposed the method to obtain the dynamic seal coefficients of the annular plain seal, convergent and divergent tapered seals, parallel grooved seal, spiral grooved seal and annular stepped seal. On the basis of these results, this paper presents the investigated effect of seals on the stability behavior of a centrifugal pump. The results show the effects of seal geometry, pressure difference, clearance, length/diameter ratio, on stability behavior.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.36-40
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• 1991

The dynamic characteristics of the annular pressure seal employed in pump have been theoretically deduced with consideration of the effects of elastic deformation due to the thermal stress. The thermal deformation is developed for the two-dimensional steady thermal stress distribution in a infinite circular cylinder subject to heating of the seal and shaft surface into the surrounding fluid. To demonstrate this analysis, the effects of thermal stress on rotordynamic coefficients and logarithmic decrement for annular plain seals was shown.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.41-45
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• 1991

An experimental investigation for leakage performance of five anti-swirl self-injection seals was carried out to select an optimum configuration for minimum leakage. Test results show that the self-injection mechanism with a plain seal generally degrades the leakage performance of noncontacting seals; however, through a series of the test program, an optimum anti-swirl self injection seal was selected to obtain a comparable leakage performance with a damper seal. A 12 holes anti-swirl and anti-leakage self-injected. configuration with a labyrinth surface gives minimum leakage among the tested anti-swirl self-injection seals.