Sealing Face Fluid Circulation Groove for Sediment Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mechanical seals face issues with sediment generation due to concentration of sediment-causing substances on sealing faces, leading to reduced functionality and fluid leakage, despite efforts to optimize sliding materials and sealing face roughness.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a fluid circulation groove system with an inlet and outlet section on one sealing face, where the groove width is gradually expanded towards the outlet end to prevent stagnation and ensure a uniform streamline flow, actively introducing and discharging fluid to maintain lubricity and prevent sediment accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fluid introduction groove is formed to form a fluid layer on the sealing face, then wear and burnout due to friction heat are reduced, but fluid stagnation occurs at the outlet section causing sediment accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet section of the fluid introduction groove is designed with a curved shape instead of a straight line, causing the groove width to gradually increase toward the outlet end. This curvature prevents fluid stagnation by maintaining streamline flow, eliminating the harmful sediment accumulation while preserving the sealing function.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove width parameter is changed along the length of the outlet section, transitioning from a constant width to a gradually increasing width. This parameter change optimizes fluid flow characteristics, preventing stagnation and sediment formation while maintaining effective lubrication of the sealing face.
2Ease of manufacture
If the groove width is fixed throughout the fluid introduction groove, then manufacturing is simplified, but fluid stagnation occurs at the outlet end
Solution Approach 1:
The groove width parameter is varied along the outlet section to gradually increase toward the outlet end. This controlled parameter change prevents fluid stagnation by maintaining adequate flow velocity throughout the groove, balancing manufacturing feasibility with optimal fluid dynamics.
3Reliability
If sediment causative substances concentrate on the sealing face over time, then the sealing function deteriorates, but conventional optimization of sliding material and roughness cannot prevent this
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid introduction groove is designed with an expanded outlet section that proactively prevents sediment accumulation before it can occur. By maintaining continuous fluid flow and preventing stagnation, the design addresses the root cause of sediment formation, thereby extending the service life and maintaining sealing function over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The design converts the potential harm of fluid discharge into a beneficial continuous flow mechanism. By designing the outlet section to gradually expand, the discharged fluid continues to flow smoothly rather than stagnating, transforming what could be a dead zone into an active lubrication zone that prevents sediment formation.
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 design maintains the sealing function over time by preventing fluid stagnation and sediment formation, ensuring the fluid circulation groove remains clean and the sealing face is effectively lubricated, thereby enhancing the mechanical seal's performance and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid introduction groove for forming a fluid layer on a sealing face is formed in order to prevent generation of wear and burnout due to friction heat generation of the sealing face
Implementation Method 2
groove width of the outlet side section of the fluid circulation groove is gradually expanded toward an outlet end, thereby no stagnation of the flow is formed in the vicinity of the outlet end
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(e)
AI summary
A fluid is actively taken into sealing faces and discharged from the sealing faces so as to prevent concentration of sediment causative substances on the sealing faces and hence prevent generation of sediment while preventing leakage of the fluid taken into the sealing faces to a low pressure fluid side. Thereby, a sealing function of the sealing faces is maintained for a long time. A fluid circulation groove 10 including an inlet side section 11 where the fluid comes in from a high pressure fluid side and an outlet side section 12 where the fluid goes out to the high pressure fluid side is provided in one of sealing faces S of a pair of sliding parts that slide on each other. The fluid circulation groove 10 is isolated from the low pressure fluid side by a land section R. Groove width of the outlet side section 12 of the fluid circulation groove 10 is gradually expended toward an outlet end.