Experimental and numerical analysis of heat transfer and thermal deformation in small-dimension liquid mechanical seals

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental and numerical analysis of heat transfer and thermal deformation in small-dimension (1.4 mm) liquid mechanical seals operating in an unstable dynamic tracking mode. The studied non-contacting mechanical seal is used in a liquid pump for turbojets. The study aims to estimate the values of pressure, temperature, and thermal deformations that can prevent excessive wear of the sealing rings and control the increase in leakage rate or power loss during operation. Experimental investigations were conducted under a nominal inner pressure of 0.7 MPa, across a wide range of rotational speeds (from 1000 to 6000 rpm), and at low Reynolds numbers (Re < 70). Two high-viscosity fluids, glycerol and engine oil, were used as sealing fluids. Rotational speeds and inner pressure were set as boundary conditions in the simulations. Temperatures measured by thermocouples during the experiments were used to compare with the simulation results. Simulations were performed using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software COMSOL. The two-dimensional numerical models accounted for thermal transfers and face seal deformations, coupled with the pressure field in the lubrication fluid. The effects of various sealing fluids and rotational speeds on the time-dependent behavior of temperature, displacement, and pressure within the thin liquid lubricant film were investigated. Subsequent comparisons between experimental and numerical results, particularly for temperature data measured by thermocouples under various operating conditions, demonstrated strong consistency. The greatest discrepancy observed was less than 1.2 °C. © 2025 The Authors