Mechanical Seal Sliding Faces With Trap Grooves Against Dust Entry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sliding components, such as mechanical seals, face challenges in preventing dust entry and fluid leakage due to open spiral grooves on the leakage side, which can lead to dust contamination and fluid leakage during unsteady operations, such as vibrations.
Innovation Solution
The proposed sliding component features a pair of sliding parts with a stationary-side and rotating-side seal rings, where the sliding face of at least one part is equipped with trap grooves on the leakage side to trap fluid and reduce dust entry, and dynamic pressure generation grooves to create a gas lubrication state, while dust entry reduction means, like small gap zones and radial inclined grooves, prevent dust and fluid leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spiral grooves are provided on the sliding face to draw in fluid and prevent leakage, then sealing performance is improved, but dust entry from the leakage side increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding face is segmented into multiple functional zones: spiral grooves for fluid pumping, trap grooves for dust trapping, and land portions for dust entry reduction. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function without interfering with others, resolving the contradiction between sealing performance and dust prevention
Solution Approach 2:
Trap grooves act as intermediary structures between the spiral grooves and the external environment. They capture dust particles that enter through the spiral groove openings, preventing dust from reaching the sliding interface while maintaining the fluid pumping function of the spiral grooves
2Reliability
If spiral grooves are open to the leakage side for fluid pumping, then fluid leakage prevention is improved, but fluid leakage during unsteady operations worsens
Solution Approach 1:
Trap grooves are prepared in advance as receptacles for excess fluid. During unsteady operations when fluid leakage occurs, the trap grooves immediately capture the leaking fluid, preventing it from escaping to the external environment. This preliminary preparation of fluid reception spaces resolves the instability issue
Solution Approach 2:
The trap grooves temporarily hold (discard) excess fluid that leaks during unsteady operations, preventing it from causing external damage. When operations stabilize, the fluid is recovered and returned to the sealed side through the spiral grooves, maintaining overall sealing effectiveness
3Reliability
If sliding faces are in direct contact for sealing, then sealing performance is improved, but friction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral grooves generate hydrodynamic pressure that lifts the rotating seal ring slightly away from the stationary seal ring, creating a fluid film between the sliding faces. This hydrodynamic lubrication reduces friction while maintaining sealing, as the pressurized fluid film prevents direct contact between the sealing surfaces
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
This configuration effectively reduces friction and leakage by trapping leakage fluid and preventing dust entry, maintaining low friction and preventing fluid leakage even during unsteady operations, and ensures efficient lubrication through dynamic pressure generation.
Implementation Method 1
at least one trap groove located on a leakage side and spaced from the leakage side by a land, for trapping leakage fluid
Implementation Method 2
dynamic pressure generation grooves to create a gas lubrication state
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
At sliding faces of a pair of sliding parts sliding relatively, entry of dust from a leakage side is prevented and liquid leakage to the leakage side is prevented. The sliding face of at least one sliding part of the pair of sliding parts is provided, along its entire circumference, with a trap groove 10 for trapping leakage fluid, located on the leakage side and spaced from the leakage side by a land. A dust entry reduction means 12 for reducing entry of dust from the leakage side while allowing passage of fluid is formed between lands of the pair of sliding parts on the leakage side of the trap groove 10.