Soft elastohydrodynamic analysis of rotary lip seals

Author(s):  
R F Salant

The extensive literature on the elastohydrodynamic analysis of rotary lip seals is reviewed. Models that predict quantities such as film thickness and reverse pumping rate and that elucidate the physical processes governing the behaviour of rotary lip seals are described. Thermal effects, mixed lubrication, capillary effects, transients, viscoelasticity, statistical approaches, and so-called hydrodynamic seals are discussed.

1994 ◽  
Vol 116 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. F. Salant ◽  
A. L. Flaherty

An elastohydrodynamic analysis of a rotary lip seal containing microundulations, incorporating both the fluid mechanics of the lubricating film and the elastic behavior of the lip, has been performed numerically. The results indicate that, under dynamic conditions, the undulation pattern deforms such that it produces reverse pumping. The reverse pumping rate is substantial, and overwhelms the natural leakage induced by the sealed pressure, thereby preventing leakage through the seal. The results also show that the undulations hydrodynamically generate sufficiently high pressures, within the film, to provide load support and maintain the integrity of the film.


2007 ◽  
Vol 129 (4) ◽  
pp. 851-859 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip C. Hadinata ◽  
Lyndon Scott Stephens

A numerical analysis is conducted to investigate the elastohydrodynamic effect of deterministic microasperities on the shaft of a lip seal. Various geometries of microasperities (triangular, square, hexagonal, and circular) are put into a 100×100μm2 unit cell and are investigated using Reynolds equation. For each shape, the area fraction of the microasperity is varied between 0.2 and 0.8, and the asperity height is varied between 0.3μm and 5μm. The calculation for load capacity and friction coefficient indicates that there are values for asperity height, where the load capacity and friction coefficient are optimized. These optimum heights were reached at 1–3μm. Although the lip seal surface is considered to be smooth, reverse pumping can still be obtained using an oriented triangular design. The Couette flow rate for this asperity showed lubricant is reverted back toward the seal side 2.6 times more than using a conventional lip seal. The addition of microasperities to the shaft surface shows significant improvement in lubrication characteristics for the lip seal in the form of a simultaneous reduction in friction coefficient and increase in the reverse pumping rate.


Author(s):  
Bingqi Jiang ◽  
Xing Huang ◽  
Fei Guo ◽  
Xiaohong Jia ◽  
Yuming Wang

This study is devoted to the effect of different coefficients on the calculation results of the rotary lip seal mixed lubrication model. It was proved by experiments that the dry friction coefficient used in the previous models was quite different from the boundary lubrication friction coefficient, which was theoretically more accurate. The pumping rate, friction torque, pressure distribution, and oil film thickness were calculated using both the dry friction coefficient and the boundary lubrication coefficient and the results were quite different. A friction coefficient test method under boundary lubrication condition for numerical simulation of rotary lip seals and an improved method for numerical calculation using the boundary lubrication coefficient instead of the dry friction coefficient were proposed. It was verified that the accuracy of numerical calculation can be improved, and the calculation result was closer to the actual working state.


Author(s):  
Eduardo de la Guerra Ochoa ◽  
Javier Echávarri Otero ◽  
Enrique Chacón Tanarro ◽  
Benito del Río López

This article presents a thermal resistances-based approach for solving the thermal-elastohydrodynamic lubrication problem in point contact, taking the lubricant rheology into account. The friction coefficient in the contact is estimated, along with the distribution of both film thickness and temperature. A commercial tribometer is used in order to measure the friction coefficient at a ball-on-disc point contact lubricated with a polyalphaolefin base. These data and other experimental results available in the bibliography are compared to those obtained by using the proposed methodology, and thermal effects are analysed. The new approach shows good accuracy for predicting the friction coefficient and requires less computational cost than full thermal-elastohydrodynamic simulations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shixian Xu ◽  
Zhengtao Su ◽  
Jian Wu

Purpose This paper aims to research the influence of pressure, friction factors, roughness and actuating speed to the mixed lubrication models of outstroke and instroke. Design/methodology/approach Mixed lubrication model is solved by finite volume method, which consists of coupled fluid mechanics, deformation mechanics and contact mechanics analyses. The influence of friction factor on the finite element model is also considered. Then, contact pressure, film thickness, friction and leakage have been studied. Findings It was found that the amount of leakage is sensitive to the film thickness. The larger the film thickness is, the greater the influence received from the friction factor, however, the effect of oil film on the friction is negligible. The friction is determined mainly by the contact pressure. The trend of friction and leakage influenced by actuating velocity and roughness is also obtained. Originality/value The influence of friction factor on the finite element model is considered. This can make the calculation more accurate.


1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (2) ◽  
pp. 290-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Poll ◽  
A. Gabelli

The development of models for the elastohydrodynamic lubrication of rotary lip seals requires the measurement of the film thickness under a real seal. A new method has been developed for this purpose which is based on the use of lubricant oils in which magnetite particles are suspended (so-called magnetic fluids). A change in the fluid film thickness will create a change in the impedance of the coil of the measuring circuit, the magnetic flux of which is directed through the oil film of the contact area. The advantage of this technique is that minimal modifications have to be applied to the tribological system under examination. Initial measurements carried out with a model rubber lip seal provided new insight into the build-up of a lubricant film as a function of the rotary speed and allowed comparison with the results of a theoretical model for the analysis of lip seal lubrication developed in parallel.


2018 ◽  
Vol 141 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shivam S. Alakhramsing ◽  
Matthijn B. de Rooij ◽  
Aydar Akchurin ◽  
Dirk J. Schipper ◽  
Mark van Drogen

In this work, a mixed lubrication model, applicable to cam-roller contacts, is presented. The model takes into account non-Newtonian, thermal effects, and variable roller angular velocity. Mixed lubrication is analyzed using the load sharing concept, using measured surface roughness. Using the model, a quasi-static analysis for a heavily loaded cam-roller follower contact is carried out. The results show that when the lubrication conditions in the roller-pin contact are satisfactory, i.e., low friction levels, then the nearly “pure rolling” condition at the cam-roller contact is maintained and lubrication performance is also satisfactory. Moreover, non-Newtonian and thermal effects are then negligible. Furthermore, the influence of roller-pin friction coefficient on the overall tribological behavior of the cam-roller contact is investigated. In this part, a parametric study is carried out in which the friction coefficient in the roller-pin contact is varied from values corresponding to full film lubrication to values corresponding to boundary lubrication. Main findings are that at increasing friction levels in the roller-pin contact, there is a sudden increase in the slide-to-roll ratio (SRR) in the cam-roller contact. The value of the roller-pin friction coefficient at which this sudden increase in SRR is noticed depends on the contact force, the non-Newtonian characteristics, and viscosity–pressure dependence. For roller-pin friction coefficient values higher than this critical value, inclusion of non-Newtonian and thermal effects becomes highly important. Furthermore, after this critical level of roller-pin friction, the lubrication regime rapidly shifts from full film to mixed lubrication. Based on the findings in this work, the importance of ensuring adequate lubrication in the roller-pin contact is highlighted as this appears to be the critical contact in the cam-follower unit.


Author(s):  
Mihai B. Dobrica ◽  
Michel Fillon

In this paper, the influence of circumferential scratches on the thermohydrodynamic performance of a partial (lobe) journal bearing is studied. The bearing damage is characterized by four factors: the area of the scratched region, the density of the scratches within the affected area, the relative position of the scratched region and the relative depth of the wear defects. The bearing performance is characterized by minimum film thickness, average oil temperature, maximum pressure, friction torque etc., at imposed magnitude and direction of the load. A numerical hydrodynamic model with global thermal effects is used for studying the influence of the different wear related parameters on the bearing performance. The results permit to predict the overall performance loss due to the circumferential wear marks, for different wear profiles. The types of wear profiles that can lead to the bearing destruction (characterized by a critical minimum film thickness) are also investigated.


1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shao Wang ◽  
T. F. Conry ◽  
C. Cusano

A computationally simple formulation for the stationary surface temperature is developed to examine the thermal non-Newtonian EHD problem for line contacts under simple sliding conditions. Numerical results obtained are used to develop a formula for a thermal and non-Newtonian (Ree-Eyring) film thickness reduction factor. Results for the maximum surface temperature and traction coefficient are also presented. The thermal effects on film thickness and traction are found to be more pronounced for simple sliding than for combined sliding and rolling conditions.


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