Seal Ring Sliding Surface Layout for Wear Debris Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
In sliding components with dimpled surfaces, wear debris accumulates and can flow back between sliding surfaces, causing damage and deposit formation, leading to reduced durability and increased friction.
Innovation Solution
A sliding component design featuring a land with inward and outward recessed portions that collect and discharge wear debris along the circumferential direction, reducing the likelihood of debris accumulation and damage by directing it away from the sliding surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If dimples are formed in the sliding surface to reduce friction, then frictional force is reduced, but wear debris accumulates in the dimples and causes damage to the sliding surface
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding surface is segmented into multiple functional zones: friction-reducing dimples for lubricant retention, wear debris collection recesses positioned downstream, and discharge paths. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function without interfering with others, solving the contradiction by separating the friction reduction function from the debris accumulation problem.
Solution Approach 2:
Wear debris is extracted from the sliding contact zone by directing it into separate collection recesses positioned downstream from the dimples. The debris is then removed from the system through discharge paths, preventing it from returning to and damaging the sliding surface while maintaining the friction-reducing dimples.
2Loss of energy
If the sliding surface is made smooth to reduce wear, then energy loss is reduced, but wear debris generated from protruding portions cannot be effectively removed
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding surface has different local qualities: most of the surface is smooth to minimize energy loss, while specific localized regions contain dimples for lubricant retention, collection recesses for debris accumulation, and discharge paths. This local differentiation allows the surface to maintain low energy loss overall while providing targeted debris removal capabilities where needed.
3Force
If wear debris is collected in dimples to protect the sliding surface, then friction is reduced, but the debris can flow out and cause damage at other locations
Solution Approach 1:
The collection recesses are positioned asymmetrically downstream from the dimples in the direction of relative motion, creating a one-way debris flow path. The discharge paths are located at the downstream end of the recesses, allowing debris to be collected during the approach phase and discharged during the retreat phase, preventing debris from returning to damage the sliding surface.
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 wear and damage to the sliding surfaces by collecting and promptly discharging wear debris, enhancing durability and maintaining low friction coefficients.
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
Implementation Method 3
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, and is promptly discharged to the outside
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~2(b)
Figure 3~3(c)
AI summary
Provided is a sliding component in which damage to a sliding surface can be reduced. A sliding component 1 includes a pair of seal rings which are arranged to rotate relative to each other. The seal rings 3 and 5 have sliding surfaces S1 and S2, respectively, which are facing each other. The sliding surfaces S1 and S2 are provided with: a land 9 continuously extending in a circumferential direction; inward recessed portions 11 recessed in an axial direction, extending to a radially inner side, and open to the radially inner side; and outward recessed portions 12 recessed in the axial direction, extending to a radially outer side, and open to the radially outer side.