The two dimensional thermohydrodynamic analysis of a lubrication in non-contacting face seals

Abstract

Non-contacting face seals are applied in highly efficient devices in which safety and reliability are required the most. Meeting the requirements is possible due to some detailed research and analyses of physical processes related to the flow of the medium (fluid) through the radial gap, to the heat transfer in the sealing knot or to the thermoelastic strains which are undergone by the wear rings. Establishing and developing mathematical models which describe the above mentioned phenomena allow more and more detailed results of analyses to be achieved. This paper presents the results of the comparative studies for two different mathematical models that describe the same phenomenon, i.e. heat transfer in non-contacting face seals (type: face to face). The results of the research allow to determine which solution provides some more detailed glimpse of the described physical phenomenon and might be applicable to non-contacting face seals.