Seal Ring Sliding Surface Layout for Wear Debris Discharge
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In sliding components with dimpled surfaces, wear debris accumulates and can lead to damage as it flows back between the sliding surfaces, causing deposit formation and surface damage.
Innovation Solution
A sliding component design featuring a pair of seal rings with sliding surfaces that include a land and inward and outward recessed portions. These recessed portions are arranged in the circumferential direction to collect and discharge wear debris, reducing the likelihood of it re-depositing on the sliding surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dimples are formed in the sliding surface to reduce friction, then frictional force is reduced and wear is decreased, but wear debris accumulates in the dimples and causes deposit formation leading to surface damage
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding surface is segmented into multiple functional zones: friction-reducing dimples for lubrication and separate debris collection grooves for wear debris accumulation. This segmentation allows the surface to simultaneously reduce friction through fluid retention while preventing damage by isolating wear debris in dedicated collection areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Wear debris is extracted from the general sliding surface area and directed into specific collection grooves. The grooves act as separate compartments that capture and contain wear debris, removing it from the active sliding interface and preventing its harmful effects on surface integrity.
2Loss of energy
If the sliding surface is made smooth to reduce energy loss, then energy efficiency is improved, but wear debris cannot be effectively collected and removed
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding surface exhibits local quality variations with different regions serving distinct functions. Most of the surface remains smooth for low friction, while specific localized areas contain dimples for fluid retention and grooves for debris collection. This local differentiation allows simultaneous achievement of low energy loss and effective wear debris management.
3Force
If wear debris is collected in dimples during relative rotation, then friction is reduced, but the wear debris flows out and re-deposits on the sliding surface causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The debris collection grooves are designed with asymmetric geometry that facilitates easy entry of wear debris into the grooves while preventing easy exit back onto the sliding surface. The groove configuration creates a one-way collection mechanism where debris is trapped and contained, preventing the cycle of re-deposition that causes surface damage.
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 reduces damage to the sliding surfaces by promptly collecting and discharging wear debris, preventing its re-deposition and subsequent surface damage.
Implementation Method 1
the sealed fluid is held in the dimples during use, so that the sealed fluid intervenes between the sliding surfaces, and the frictional force generated between the sliding surfaces is reduced
Implementation Method 2
wear debris generated in the land as the pair of seal rings rotate relative to each other moves along with the relative rotation, is collected in the inward recessed portion or the outward recessed portion
Data Source
AI summary
A sliding component includes a pair of seal rings which are arranged to rotate relative to each other. The seal rings have sliding surfaces, respectively, which are facing each other. The sliding surfaces are provided with: a land continuously extending in a circumferential direction; inward recessed portions recessed in an axial direction, extending to a radially inner side, and open to the radially inner side; and outward recessed portions recessed in the axial direction, extending to a radially outer side, and open to the radially outer side.