Numerical Analysis And Experimental Research Of A Laser Textured Micro-Pore Face Mechanical Seal

Friction and wear were the primary cause of failure of mechanical seals. In this study, in consideration of mechanical seals insufficiency of oil in low velocity and high load, a pulsed Nd:YAG laser was adopted to fabricate the textured surface. In theoretical research, an analysis model was developed for mechanical seals with a laser-textured micro-pores face. The nondimensional steady-state Reynolds equation was solved by finite difference method. The computing method was programmed by Visual C++.The effects of geometry parameters and experiment condition on the mechanical seals performances of the partial face with micro-pores were analyzed. Then the experimental values were compared to the calculational values. Optimal geometry parameters and experiment condition were selected to gain the lowest leakage and friction.Experimental results indicated frictional properties were dependent on geometry parameters and experiment condition include pore radius, area density, pore depth, load, velocity and viscosity. When the pore radius changed from 50 to 100μm, the friction torque would reduce while the pore radius increased. The friction torque would reduce firstly then increase with the increase of the value of pore depth when its value changed from 10 to 50μm. The friction torque would increase while the load, velocity or viscosity increased.Calculational results indicated that geometry parameters and experiment condition had effect on film opening force, stiffness, leakage and frictional properties. The optimum values of micro-pore geometry parameters were presented based on the biggest hydrodynamic pressure, lowest leakage, friction and cost. The seal performed well when the geometry parameters were in the range of follows: the micro-pore area density was about 0.2, the micro-pore radius was about 100μm and the ratio of micro-pore to diameter was about 0.3 .Appropriate load, velocity and viscosity were also important.The calculational results were compared with the experimental results. The formers accorded well with the latters but much smaller.