Bidirectional Sliding Seal Grooves for Leakage and Debris Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sliding components with fluid lubrication and sealing mechanisms are prone to leakage and wear due to foreign matter or air bubbles entering dimples, leading to friction heating and damage, which compromises their sealing function over time.
Innovation Solution
A sliding component design featuring positive pressure generation grooves on one side and negative pressure generation grooves on the other, with deep grooves communicating between them, allowing for fluid film formation and suction to prevent leakage, while also enabling the discharge of foreign matter or air bubbles through tapered inlet and outlet portions and stagnation areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dimples are arranged on the low-pressure fluid side for sealing, then sealing performance is improved, but foreign matter or air bubbles cannot be discharged leading to wear and burn-damage
Solution Approach 1:
The groove structure is segmented into multiple functional zones: a sealing groove on the low-pressure side for maintaining sealing performance, and a discharge groove with communication passages connecting to the high-pressure side for removing foreign matter and air bubbles. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function independently while working together as a unified system.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication passage acts as an intermediary channel between the sealing groove and the discharge groove. It enables the controlled transfer of fluid, foreign matter, and air bubbles from the sealing zone to the discharge zone, mediating between the conflicting requirements of sealing and foreign matter removal.
2Reliability
If positive pressure generation grooves are formed for fluid lubrication, then lubrication is improved, but foreign matter accumulates in the grooves causing leakage and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The groove system incorporates dynamic fluid flow characteristics where the communication passage enables foreign matter to be dynamically transported from the positive pressure generation groove to the discharge groove during operation. This dynamic mechanism prevents static accumulation of foreign matter while maintaining continuous lubrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The discharge groove with communication passages extracts foreign matter and air bubbles from the positive pressure generation groove. By actively removing harmful substances from the lubrication zone, the system maintains clean fluid circulation and prevents leakage while preserving lubrication performance.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If deep grooves are created to discharge foreign matter, then foreign matter removal is improved, but fluid film formation is compromised affecting sealing
Solution Approach 1:
Different groove regions have different depths and configurations optimized for their specific functions. The sealing groove maintains appropriate depth for fluid film formation, while the discharge groove and communication passages are designed with specific geometries to facilitate foreign matter removal. Each local region has quality characteristics tailored to its functional requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication passage introduces a new dimensional pathway that connects the sealing groove to the discharge groove. This additional spatial dimension enables foreign matter to be routed out of the sealing zone without compromising the integrity of the fluid film in the sealing groove, effectively adding a removal pathway without disrupting the sealing function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design effectively maintains the sealing function over time by preventing leakage and wear, enhancing the discharge of foreign matter or air bubbles, and optimizing the arrangement of grooves for efficient fluid management and pressure distribution.
Implementation Method 1
forms a fluid lubrication film between sliding faces by positive pressure generated at positive pressure generation regions
Implementation Method 2
positive pressure generated at positive pressure generation regions
Implementation Method 3
providing pumping action of drawing fluid that has leaked to the low-pressure fluid side back to the high-pressure fluid side
Implementation Method 4
negative pressure generation groove located on an opposite-to-sealed-fluid side
Data Source
AI summary
A sliding component includes a pair of sliding parts of which a rotating-side sliding part rotates in both forward and reverse directions. In the sliding component, at least one of the sliding parts has a sliding face provided with positive pressure generation grooves on the sealed fluid side, and a negative pressure generation groove on the opposite-to-sealed-fluid side and separated from the opposite-to-sealed-fluid side by a land, and a deep groove communicating with the sealed fluid side on the sealed fluid side of the negative pressure generation groove. The positive pressure generation grooves each have an upstream end communicating with the deep groove, and the negative pressure generation groove has an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet that communicate with the deep groove, and an intermediate portion between the inlet and the outlet located on the opposite-to-sealed-fluid side of the inlet and the outlet.