Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A new transient CFD method for determining the dynamic coefficients of liquid annular seals

  • Published:
Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Currently, the dynamic characteristics of annular seals are numerically investigated mainly by solving the bulk flow equations using perturbation method, or by simulating the perturbed flow field of annular seal using CFD method. The adopted disturbance way is generally the circular whirling motion of rotor around seal centre with constant speed. Relative to the transient CFD simulation, the quasisteady CFD simulation introducing Moving reference frame (MRF) has been widely used by researchers. Both the dynamic mesh problem and the time-consuming problem suppress the use of transient CFD simulation in annular seal research. In the paper, a new transient CFD method based on rotor’s variable-speed whirl is presented to improve the time-consuming problem and all the (total 20) dynamic coefficients of concentric liquid seal can be obtained by only two transient CFD simulations, one for the variable-speed cylindrical whirl and the other for the variable-speed conical whirl. The results are compared with those from the experiment, the quasi-steady CFD method and the traditional transient CFD method based on constant-speed whirl. The comparisons show that the new transient method can keep the good accuracy of traditional transient method and meantime largely save the computational time.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. M. Arghir and J. Frene, Static and dynamic analysis of annular seals, Proc. of ASME Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting 2006, Miami, FL, USA (2006) 517–526.

    Google Scholar 

  2. D. W. Childs, Turbomachinery Rotordynamics: Phenomena, Modeling, and Analysis, New York, USA (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  3. O. R. Marquette and D. W. Childs, An extended three-controlvolume theory for circumferentially-grooved liquid seals, ASME Journal of Tribology, 118 (2) (1996) 276–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. L. San Andres and A. Delgado, A novel bulk-flow model for improved predictions of force coefficients in grooved oil seals operating eccentrically, ASME Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 134 (5) (2012) 052509.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. D. Sun et al., A trigonometric series expansion based method for the research of static and dynamic characteristics of eccentric seals, Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, 28 (6) (2014) 2111–2120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. F. J. Dietzen and R. Nordmann, Calculating rotordynamic coefficients of seals by finite-difference techniques, ASME Journal of Tribology, 109 (3) (1987) 388–394.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. T. Feng and R. Nordmann, Identification of fluid/structure interactions in centrifugal pumps (Part 1: Computational Procedure), Proc. of ISROMAC-4, Hawaii, USA (1992) 34–43.

    Google Scholar 

  8. M. Arghir and J. Frene, Forces and moments due to misalignment vibrations in annular liquid seals using the averaged Navier-Stokes equations, ASME Journal of Tribology, 119 (2) (1997) 279–287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. N. Kim and D. L. Rhode, A new CFD-perturbation model for the rotordynamics of incompressible flow seals, Proc. of the ASME Turbo Expo, Munich, Germany (2000).

    Google Scholar 

  10. L. T. Tam, A. J. Przekwas and A. Muszynska, Numerical and analytical study of fluid dynamic forces in seals and bearings, ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, 110 (3) (1988) 315–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. T. W. Ha and B. S. Choe, Numerical prediction of rotordynamic coefficients for an annular-type plain-gas seal using 3D CFD analysis, Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, 28 (2) (2014) 505–511.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. J. J. Moore, Three-dimensional CFD rotordynamic analysis of gas labyrinth seals, ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, 125 (4) (2003) 427–433.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. A. Untaroiu et al., On the dynamic properties of pump liquid seals, ASME Journal of Fluids Engineering, 135 (5) (2013) 051104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. M. Williams, W. Chen and L. Brozowski, Three-dimensional finite difference method for rotordynamic fluid forces on seals, AIAA Journal [H.W. Wilson- AST], 35 (8) (1997) 1417–1420.

    Google Scholar 

  15. G. Chochua and T. A. Soulas, Numerical modeling of rotordynamic coefficients for deliberately roughened stator gas annular seals, ASME Journal of Tribology, 129 (2) (2007) 424–429.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. X. Yan, J. Li and Z. P. Feng, Investigations on the rotordynamic characteristics of a hole-pattern seal using transient CFD and periodic circular orbit model, ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, 133 (4) (2011) 041007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. K. K. Nielsen, K. Jønck and H. Underbakke, Hole-pattern and honeycomb seal rotordynamic forces: validation of CFDbased prediction techniques, ASME Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 134 (12) (2012) 122505.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. X. K. Jiang and D. Z. Wu, Numerical study of the fluid forces for a whirling annular seal: CFD simulation versus experiment, Proc. of the 6th International Symposium on Fluid Machinery and Fluid Engineering, Wuhan, China (2014) 836–843.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Y. Kanemori and T. Iwatsubo, Experimental study of dynamic fluid forces and moments for a long annular seal, ASME Journal of Tribology, 114 (4) (1992) 773–778.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Y. Kanemori and T. Iwatsubo, Forces and moments due to combined motion of conical and cylindrical whirls for a long seal, ASME Journal of Tribology, 116 (3) (1994) 489–498.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. ANSYS FLUENT 14.0 Theory Guide, ANSYS Inc., USA (2011).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Dazhuan Wu, Xinkuo Jiang, Shiyang Li & Leqin Wang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power Transmission and Control, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Dazhuan Wu

Authors
  1. Dazhuan Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xinkuo Jiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shiyang Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Leqin Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dazhuan Wu.

Additional information

Recommended by Associate Editor Cheolung Cheong

Dazhuan Wu is currently a Professor in the Institute of Process Equipment, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University (China). He obtained his B.Sc. degree in 1999 and his Ph.D. in 2004 from Zhejiang University (China). His major research interests include optimal design, transient flow, cavitations, vibration and noise in fluid machinery.

Xinkuo Jiang is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Institute of Process Equipment, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University (China). His major research interests are seal dynamic characteristics and rotor-dynamics.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wu, D., Jiang, X., Li, S. et al. A new transient CFD method for determining the dynamic coefficients of liquid annular seals. J Mech Sci Technol 30, 3477–3486 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-016-0707-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-016-0707-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation