CFD Assessment of Rotordynamic Coefficients in Labyrinth Seals

Author(s):  
Sai S. Sreedharan ◽  
Giuseppe Vannini ◽  
Hiteshkumar Mistry

Seals used in high speed centrifugal compressors are prone to generate rotordynamic (RD) instabilities. To further understand their influence, a CFD based approach is developed. The objective of the current study is to numerically investigate and characterize the RD coefficients, representative of the dynamic seal forces. Experiments were carried out at high pressure test rig (up to 200 bar seal inlet pressure) which runs at 10000 RPM and has a high pre-swirl (about 0.9) along the same direction of rotor rotation. The rotor shaft in the experiment was instrumented with active magnetic bearings (AMBs) to linearly excite the rotor at three different frequencies: 28 Hz, 70 Hz and 126 Hz. Each frequency is characterized by amplitude of vibration and a phase. CFD simulations were carried out using commercial flow solver, using similar boundary conditions as that of experiments. The paper describes details of CFD model and its comparison against experiments. Numerical results show reasonable agreement of RD coefficients with test results. This job has to be considered as a first approach to CFD methodology applied to annular seals for the authors.

Author(s):  
Margaret P. Proctor ◽  
Irebert R. Delgado

Advanced brush and finger seal technologies offer reduced leakage rates over conventional labyrinth seals used in gas turbine engines. To address engine manufactures’ concerns about the heat generation and power loss from these contacting seals, brush, finger, and labyrinth seals were tested in the NASA High Speed, High Temperature Turbine Seal Test Rig. Leakage and power loss test results are compared for these competing seals for operating conditions up to 922 K (1200 °F) inlet air temperature, 517 KPa (75 psid) across the seal, and surface velocities up to 366 m/s (1200 ft/s).


1994 ◽  
Vol 116 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. M. Franchek ◽  
D. W. Childs

In this study, four hybrid bearings having different geometric configurations were experimentally tested for their static and dynamic characteristics, including flowrate, load capacity, rotordynamic coefficients, and whirl frequency ratio. The four bearings included a square-recess, smooth-land, radial-orifice bearing (baseline), a circular-recess bearing, a triangular-recess bearing, and an angled-orifice bearing. Each bearing had the same orifice diameter rather than the same pressure ratio. Unique to these test results is the measurement of the added mass terms, which became significant in the present tests because of high operating Reynolds numbers. Comparisons of the results were made between bearings to determine which bearing had the best performance. Based on the parameters of interest, the angled-orifice bearing has the most favorable overall performance.


Author(s):  
Dara W. Childs ◽  
David A. Elrod ◽  
Keith Hale

Test results (leakage and rotordynamic coefficients) are presented for an interlock and tooth-on-stator labyrinth seals. Tests were carried out with air at speeds out to 16,000 cpm and supply pressures up to 7.5 bars. The rotordynamic coefficients consist of direct and cross-coupled stiffness and damping coefficients. Damping-coefficient data have not previously been presented for interlock seals. The test results support the following conclusions: (a) The interlock seal leaks substantially less than labyrinth seals. (b) Destabilizing forces are lower for the interlock seal. (c) The labyrinth seal has substantially greater direct damping values than the interlock seal. A complete rotordynamics analysis is needed to determine which type of seal would yield the best stability predictions for a given turbomachinery unit.


Author(s):  
Samuel A. Howard ◽  
Luis San Andre´s

Gas foil bearings offer several advantages over traditional bearing types that make them attractive for use in high-speed turbomachinery. They can operate at very high temperatures, require no lubrication supply (oil pumps, seals, etc), exhibit very long life with no maintenance, and once operating airborne, have very low power loss. The use of gas foil bearings in high-speed turbomachinery has been accelerating in recent years, although the pace has been slow. One of the contributing factors to the slow growth has been a lack of analysis tools, benchmarked to measurements, to predict gas foil bearing behavior in rotating machinery. To address this shortcoming, NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has supported the development of analytical tools to predict gas foil bearing performance. One of the codes has the capability to predict rotordynamic coefficients, power loss, film thickness, structural deformation, and more. The current paper presents an assessment of the predictive capability of the code, named XLGFBTH©. A test rig at GRC is used as a simulated case study to compare rotordynamic analysis using output from the code to actual rotor response as measured in the test rig. The test rig rotor is supported on two gas foil journal bearings manufactured at GRC, with all pertinent geometry disclosed. The resulting comparison shows that the rotordynamic coefficients calculated using XLGFBTH© represent the dynamics of the system reasonably well, especially as they pertain to predicting critical speeds.


2005 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 273-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. B. LEE ◽  
S. K. SHIN ◽  
K. RYU ◽  
C. H. KIM ◽  
GUNHEE JANG

Author(s):  
J. Mark Darden ◽  
Eric M. Earhart ◽  
George T. Flowers

Annular seals are known to enhance rotordynamic stability margins and minimize vibration response levels in high-speed rotating machinery. Theoretical predictions for the rotordynamic characteristics of annular seals exist but additional experimental data is needed to properly anchor these results. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has developed an annular seal test rig and facility to experimentally characterize axially-fed annular seals. The objective of MSFC’s annular seal test rig is to obtain the rotordynamic coefficients (direct and cross-coupled stiffness, damping, and added mass) for a variety of high Reynolds number annular seals. The MSFC test rig supports centered-seal testing with inlet pressures up to 138 bars (2000 psi) and flow rates of over 946 liters per minute (250 gpm). The rig’s shaft is powered by a 186 kilowatt (250 horsepower) steam turbine capable of rotational speeds of over 20,000 revolutions per minute (rpm). A description of the identification process used to obtain rotordynamic coefficients is given as well as procedures for ensuring quality data. Experimental results for a smooth annular seal with an L/D = 0.5 is presented. Excellent agreement between experimental and theoretical results is obtained.


1999 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
pp. 349-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Darden ◽  
E. M. Earhart ◽  
G. T. Flowers

Annular seals are known to enhance rotordynamic stability margins and minimize vibration response levels in high-speed rotating machinery. Theoretical predictions for the rotordynamic characteristics of annular seals exist but additional experimental data is needed to properly anchor these results. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has developed an annular seal test rig and facility to experimentally characterize axially fed annular seals. The objective of MSFC’s annular seal test rig is to obtain the rotordynamic coefficients (direct and cross-coupled stiffness, damping, and added mass) for a variety of high Reynolds number annular seals. The MSFC test rig supports centered-seal testing with inlet pressures up to 138 bars (2000 psi) and flow rates of over 946 liters per minute (250 gpm). The rig’s shaft is powered by a 186 kilowatt (250 horsepower) steam turbine capable of rotational speeds of over 20,000 revolutions per minute (rpm). A description of the identification process used to obtain rotordynamic coefficients is given as well as procedures for ensuring quality data. Experimental results for a smooth annular seal with an L/D =0.5 is presented. Excellent agreement between experimental and theoretical results is obtained.


Author(s):  
Robert J. Neubert ◽  
Charles P. Gendrich

Previous experimental and analytical studies have demonstrated the potential for significant improvements in efficiency and stall margin with forward swept rotor blading. This paper extends the assessment to a light weight, low noise two stage fan designed and fabricated under the NASA High Speed Civil Transport program. The experimental investigation evaluates the effect of forward sweep on efficiency and stall margin relative to the predicted levels for a radial fan designed for the same requirements. Efficiency was above multi-stage fan state of the art and stall margin was significantly greater than predicted based on radial fan experience. In addition, the effects of increasing the axial gap between the IGV and rotor 1, as well as R1 to S1 axial gap are evaluated. The increased axial gap between R1 & S1 had a much greater effect on performance than increasing the IGV to R1 gap. And, 3D Navier-Stokes flow solver analysis was performed for comparison to test results.


Author(s):  
Hongbiao Han ◽  
Jishun Li ◽  
Bing Wang ◽  
Dandan Liu ◽  
Yonggang Liu

A movable instantaneous impact pressure test device is designed and achieved, according to the characteristic of instantaneous impact wave such as acutely variation and large range of pressure, adverse conditions on the spot. A piezoresistive transducer of high-frequency an high pressure is selected and used. MEMS technology is adopted to design and manufacture the sensor that is flush packaged. In addition multi-channel analogue amplified circuit and DSP control core circuit are studied. So the multilevel multiple pressure analogue signals can be achieved. The circuit can take charge of high speed sampling, processing and storing of analogue signal too. Software modifying mode, process parameter and data transmission is also developed. The device has the function of scheduling of timing sample, automatic gain of magnification, automatic detection of the beginning of impact pressure, parameterization of working mode and process etc. It is a practical instrument with battery as power supply, the low power consumption of power supply control mode and the solid mental shell for testing explosion shock wave. Pressure test results indicated accurate pressure waves of instantaneous impact can be got with the instrument.


Author(s):  
Tobias Pietrzyk ◽  
David Roth ◽  
Georg Jacobs ◽  
Schmitz Katharina

Abstract Increasing the rotational speed of the internal gear pump entails addressing topics such as cavitation, overheating and filling problems of the tooth spaces. Besides the development of a tooth geometry and flow optimization, using CFD simulation is necessary. This paper discusses the design of the newly developed high speed internal gear pump. This includes a detailed description of the different parts as well as the dimensioning of the pump by using CFD simulations. The geometry of the pressure build-up groove has a significant effect of pressure build up inside the pump. Therefore, three different geometries are investigated. The calculation of the journal bearings for the internal gear as well as for the driving shaft is shown. To avoid cavitation problems, the suction pressure of the pump will be increased up to 25 bar. This paper will show the technical arrangements to reach this high suction pressure level whilst still using a radial shaft seal ring. In order to determine the efficiency of the newly developed high speed pump, a test rig was built up. The test rig allows the measurement of the volumetric efficiency as well as the hydraulic-mechanical efficiency at different operation points up to 10 000 rpm and 250 bar.


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