Numerical Analysis of Temperature Distribution at the Lip Seal-Shaft Interface

Abstract

A numerical model has been developed to investigate thermal effects at the lip seal shaft interface. The thermal Reynolds, film thickness, and energy equations with appropriate boundary conditions were discretized according to the control volume finite difference approach and solved using the multigrid multilevel technique. The pressure distribution at the lip seal shaft interface for both isothermal and thermal cases are obtained. The temperature effects on leakage rates are obtained for various operating conditions. The results indicate that temperature effects within the film are significant and increase the side leakage rate as compared to the isothermal case.