Effect of Square Texture on Tribological Properties of Nano-SiO2/POB-PTFE Composites

In order to study the seal design problem of piston rings in Stirling engine, on the basis of filling PTFE with Nano-SiO2 and POB and preparing the GCr15 contact surface with square texture by HM20-I laser marking machine, experiments were carried out on LSR-2M wear tester by indirect weighing and in-situ observation methods. Optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to observe the evolution of Nano-SiO2/POB-PTFE composites’ transfer film on contact surface. The results showed that the square texture would shorten the running-in and transitionary periods of the composites’ tribological process, accelerate into the stationary period. The formation process of the composites’ transfer film on the square textured contact surface was also different from smooth contact surface. Although the square texture would increase wear rate, its ability to store wear debris is more conducive to the formation of reliable, uniform and continuous transfer film with a same friction direction. Obviously, reasonable design of surface texture can effectively improve the wear resistance of sealing parts made of filling modified PTFE composites, thus providing theoretical guidance for the seal design of Stirling engine piston ring.

Phantom Porcelains: Zhangzhou and Yoshida Polychrome Dishes with Seal Design

Zhangzhou ceramics, coarsely potted with thick glaze and sandy feet, were mass-produced in southern Fujian during the late Ming and early Qing periods. The rise of the Zhangzhou kiln complex was an outcome of expanding maritime trade since the Jiajing period (1522–1566) and Zhangzhou production reached a climax in the Wanli period (1572–1620). The Fujianese workshops created a whole spectrum of porcelain products, ranging from monochrome pieces to blue-and-white and polychrome ones. Of the decorative vocabulary that is unique to Zhangzhou kilns, the pavilion and seal design (previously known as the “Split Pagoda” motif) is noteworthy for its decorative originality and transnational appeal. Through a close examination of typical Zhangzhou dishes with seal design, the paper points out that the intriguing theme fuses Daoist ideals with Confucian-recluses’ pursuits. The pluralism in the symbolic meanings of the pattern enhances the marketability of this type of Zhangzhou ware. Around the 1650s, Japanese potters in the Yoshida workshops of Ureshino, Hizen province on the Island of Kyushu started to incorporate the Zhangzhou designs into their local decorative repertoire. But instead of faithfully imitating the seal pattern from the Fujianese prototype, Yoshida decorators seamlessly wove Japanese fashion into Chinese-inspired motifs. Popular designs from nearby Arita, the porcelain capital of Japan, further stimulated Yoshida artisans to create affordable fusion-style products for Southeast Asian markets that were yet to be dominated by prestigious Hizen porcelains. However, the efflorescence of Yoshida porcelains with seal design was rather short-lived due to limited native resources and fierce competition in and outside Kyushu.

Development of a New Loss Model for Turbomachinery Labyrinth Seals

The preliminary design of labyrinth seals requires a fast and accurate estimate of the leakage flow. While the conventional bulk flow models can quickly predict labyrinth seal discharge characteristics, they lack the accuracy and pragmatism of modern CFD technique and vice-a-versa. This paper presents a new 1D loss model for straight-through gas labyrinth seals that can provide quick seal leakage flow predictions with CFD-equivalent accuracy. The present seal loss model is developed using numerical experimentation technique. Multiple CFD computations are conducted on straight-through labyrinth seal geometries for a range of pressure ratios. A distinct post-processing methodology is developed to extract the through-flow stream tube in seal. Total pressure losses and flow area variations experienced by the flow in seal stream-tube are systematically accounted for based on the well-known knife-to-knife (K2K) methodology. Regression analyses are conducted on the trends of variations of loss and area coefficients to derive the independent pressure loss and flow area correlations. These novel correlations can predict the bulk leakage flow rate, windage flow rate and inter-knife static pressures over a wide range of variation of flow and geometry parameters. Validation study shows that the leakage mass flow rate predicted by this model is accurate within ±8% of measured test data. This fast and accurate model can be employed for various applications such as, in seal design-analysis workflows, for secondary air system (SAS) performance analysis and for the rotor-dynamic and aeroelastic assessments of seals.

Predictions of the thermo elastic deformation of dry gas seal rings in the hydrodynamic lubrication regime

Dry gas seals represent a significant advancement in turbo machinery due to their ability to handle high pressures and speeds without the use of external sealing fluids, such as oil or water, thus reducing contamination and increasing reliability. Despite their widespread use, internal working mechanisms are not fully understood to date, in particular regarding fluid film thickness prediction, which is an essential component of the seal design. The axial deflection of the rotating and stationary rings in a dry gas seal affects the development of the fluid film formed between the ring faces of the seal, influencing the performance of the seal during its operation, as well as leakage of the seal when it is at rest. The hydrodynamic and hydrostatic pressure fields of the fluid film, together with temperature gradients in the rings, induce axial deflection of these components. This in turn modifies the pressure field developed in the film. This paper focuses on establishing a methodology to couple the deformation field and the dynamic behavior of the fluid film (pressure and temperature fields) through numerical computations. Analytical relationships are employed to obtain the thermo-elastic deflection of the seal rings in the axial direction and this distortion is used in the numerical methodology to accelerate the prediction of the seal behavior. The coupled seal ring-fluid film dynamic system with 11° and 15° spiral angle is stable because the axial deflection calculated from numerical analysis produces a converging radial taper in the direction of the flow (producing a net opening force). An important result of this work is that the predicted magnitude of the axial deflection (as a result of pressure and temperature effects) under thermal and pressure loads on the stationary and rotating rings is smaller but of the same order of magnitude as the fluid film thickness.

Flow instability effects related to purge through a gas turbine chute seal

This paper investigates flow instabilities inside the cavity formed between the stator and rotor disks of a high-speed turbine rig. The cavity rim seal is of chute seal design. The influence of flow coefficient on the sealing effectiveness at constant purge flow rate through the wheel-space is determined. The effectiveness at different radial positions over a range of purge flow conditions and flow coefficients is also studied. Unsteady pressure measurements have identified the frequency of instabilities that form within the rim seal, phenomena which have been observed in other studies. Frequencies of these disturbances, and their correlation in the circumferential direction have determined the strength and speed of rotation of the instabilities within the cavity. Large scale unsteady rotational structures have been identified, which show similarity to previous studies. These disturbances have been found to be weakly dependent on the purge flow and flow coefficients, although an increased purge reduced both the intensity and speed of rotation of the instabilities. Additionally, certain uncorrelated disturbances have been found to be inconsistent (discontinuous) with pitchwise variation.

A Vibration Sensor-Based Method for Generating the Precise Rotor Orbit Shape with General Notch Filter Method for New Rotor Seal Design Testing and Diagnostics

Verification of the behaviour of new designs of rotor seals is a crucial phase necessary for their use in rotary machines. Therefore, experimental equipment for the verification of properties that have an effect on rotor dynamics is being developed in the test laboratories of the manufacturers of these components all over the world. In order to be able to compare the analytically derived and experimentally identified values of the seal parameters, specific requirements for the rotor vibration pattern during experiments are usually set. The rotor vibration signal must contain the specified dominant components, while the others, usually caused by unbalance, must be attenuated. Technological advances have made it possible to use magnetic bearings in test equipment to support the rotor and as a rotor vibration exciter. Active magnetic bearings allow control of the vibrations of the rotor and generate the desired shape of the rotor orbit. This article presents a solution developed for a real test rig equipped with active magnetic bearings and rotor vibration sensors, which is to be used for testing a new design of rotor seals. Generating the exact shape of the orbit is challenging. The exact shape of the rotor orbit is necessary to compare the experimentally and numerically identified properties of the seal. The generalized notch filter method is used to compensate for the undesired harmonic vibrations. In addition, a novel modified generalized notch filter is introduced, which is used for harmonic vibration generation. The excitation of harmonic vibration of the rotor in an AMB system is generally done by injecting the harmonic current into the control loop of each AMB axis. The motion of the rotor in the AMB axis is coupled, therefore adjustment of the amplitudes and phases of the injected signals may be tedious. The novel general notch filter algorithm achieves the desired harmonic vibration of the rotor automatically. At first, the general notch filter algorithm is simulated and the functionality is confirmed. Finally, an experimental test device with an active magnetic bearing is used for verification of the algorithm. The measured data are presented to demonstrate that this approach can be used for precise rotor orbit shape generation by active magnetic bearings.

An Innovative Elasto-Hydrodynamic Seal Concept for Supercritical CO2 Power Cycles

Supercritical CO2 (sCO2) power cycles are promising next generation power technologies, holding a great potential in fossil fuel power plants, nuclear power production, solar power, geothermal power, and ship propulsion. To unlock the potential of sCO2 power cycles, technology readiness must be demonstrated on the scale of 10–600 MWe and at sCO2 temperatures and pressures of 350–700 °C and 20–30 MPa for nuclear industries. Amongst many challenges at the component level, the lack of suitable shaft seals for sCO2 operating conditions needs to be addressed for the next generation nuclear turbine and compressor development. In this study, we propose a novel Elasto-Hydrodynamic (EHD) high-pressure, high temperature, and scalable shaft seal for sCO2 turbomachinery that offers low leakage, minimal wear, low cost, and no stress concentration. The focus in this paper was to conduct a proof-of-concept study with the help of physics-based computer simulations. The results showed that the proof-of-concept study was successfully demonstrated, warranting further investigation. Particularly, it was interesting to note the quadratic form of the leakage rate, making its peak of m ˙ = 0.075 kg/s at Pin = 15 MPa and then decaying to less than m ˙ = 0.040 kg/s at Pin = 30 MPa, suggesting that the proposed seal design could be tailored further to become a potential candidate for the shaft seal problems in sCO2 turbomachinery.

Contribution in Optimization of Honeycomb Abradable Seals Structure

The abradable coatings had significantly enhanced turbomachinery performance by acting as a sacrificial seal between rotating blades and stationary casing. Further improvement in seal design to meet the higher energy demand and increase the service time has been the key challenges to solve in the gas turbine industry. Honeycomb seals have become the industry standard clearance seal technique due to their unique design and high structural strength with minimum weight. The present study proposes a concept to form a thermal shock resistance structure to achieve higher temperature capability and improve the reliability of abradable seal structures. A cavity layer of honeycomb seal structure made of SS 321 alloy was coated with advanced high-temperature ZrO2+7.5%Y2O3+4% polyester seal material using TriplexPro-210 plasma spray system. The integrity of a seal structure was assessed by a cross-sectional analysis and evaluation of the coating microstructure. Additionally; the microhardness test was performed to estimate coating fracture toughness; and Object-Oriented Finite Element analysis was used to assess its thermo-mechanical performance. The concept proposed in this study should be further validated to develop the most capable innovative technology for advanced gas turbine abradable seal structures.