A numerical analysis was carried out to investigate the lubrication characteristics of spool valves with spiral grooves. The three-dimensional flow field is obtained by solving the Navier-Stokes equations in a dimensionless form to determine the performance variables, including the lateral force, friction force and volume flow rate. The lubrication characteristics of the spool valves with spiral grooves are compared to those with typical grooves under various working conditions. The spool valves with spiral grooves were observed to have a higher likelihood of mitigation an uneven pressure distribution surrounding the spool. Moreover, the minimum distance between the spool edges and grooves, the type of spiral groove, and the groove angle are found to have a noticeable effect on the lubrication characteristics. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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