Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Analysis for Liquid/Gas Seals

Sponsor:

1. Torishima Pump Co. Ltd. (2015-2016),

2. Texas A&M University Turbomachinery Research Consortium (TRC, 2016-2019)

To advance CFD models of annular seals and to develop hybrid (CFD à bulk flow model) quick predictive tools.

Resources:

1. ANSYS^® Fluent^®, CFX^®;

2. TAMU High-Performance Computing Center access

Ada: 852 Nodes (17,340 total cores)

Tera: 320 Nodes (9,632 total cores)

Curie: 48Nodes (800 total cores)

LONESTAR 5: 1252 Nodes (30,048 total cores)

3. TAMU Turbomachinery Laboratory Clusters (bigmo & DWC).

TOPICS

Pump Grooved Seals (Liquid)

CFD predicted seal reaction force

Gas Labyrinth Seals

CFD model for gas labyrinth seals

Rotor multi-frequency excitation motion for gas labyrinth seals analysis

Flow Mach number contour comparison between the all-Teeth-On-Stator (TOS) labyrinth seal and the Interlocking-Labyrinth-Seal (ILS)

Three Wave Seals for Submersible Subsea Pumps

Pressure field comparison between the pure oil and pure air operating conditions

Comparison of the direct dynamic stiffness coefficient between the CFD predictions and the test measurements.

Comparison of the cross-coupled dynamic stiffness coefficient between the CFD predictions and the test measurements.

Comparison of the direct damping coefficient between the CFD predictions and the test measurements.

Publication à Learn more:

1. Wu, T., and San Andres, L., 2018, “Gas Labyrinth Seals: On the Effect of Clearance and Operating Conditions on Wall Friction Factors – a CFD Investigation,” Tribology International, 131, pp. 363-376.

2. San Andres, L. and Wu, T., Barajas-Rivera, J., Zhang, J., and Kawashita, R., 2019, “Leakage and Cavity Pressures in an Interlocking Labyrinth Gas Seal: Measurements vs. Predictions,” ASME Turbo-Expo 2019, Paper No. GT2019-91507 (Recommended for journal publication by the Review Committee)

3. Lu, X., San Andres, L. and Wu, T., 2019, “Leakage and Dynamic Forced Performance of A Grooved Wet (Bubbly Liquid) Seal,” ASME Turbo-Expo 2019, Paper No. GT2019-90254 (Recommended for Journal publication by the Review Committee)

4. Wu, T., and San Andres, L., 2019, “Pump Grooved Seals: a CFD Approach to Improve Bulk-Flow Model Predictions,” ASME Turbo-Expo 2019, Paper No. GT2019-90499. (Recommended for Journal publication by the Review Committee)

5. San Andres, L. Lu, X., and Wu, T., 2019, “On The Influence of Gas Content on the Rotordynamic Force Coefficients of a Three-Wave (Air in Oil) Annular Seal for Multiple Phase Pumps,” ASME-JSME-KSME Joint Fluids Engineering Conference, July 28- August 1, San Francisco, CA, USA.

6. Wu, T., and San Andres, L., 2018, “Leakage and Dynamic Force Coefficients for Two Labyrinth Gas Seals: Teeth-on-Stator and Interlocking Configurations. A CFD approach to their Performance,” Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbine and Power, 141(4), pp. 04250101-04250112.

7. San Andres, L., Wu, T., Maeda, H. and Ono, T., 2017 “A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Modified Bulk-Flow Analysis for Circumferentially Shallow Grooved Liquid Seals,” Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbine and Power, 140(1), pp. 0125041-0125049.

Original by Tingcheng Wu (January 2019)