The effect of convection area on the deformation of dry gas seal operating with supercritical CO2

摘要

Air riding seals require flat and near parallel surfaces to operate correctly and deformations can deteriorate their performance or cause catastrophic failure. Deformations arise due to non-uniform thermal and pressure loads or due to the effect of centrifugal forces on the sealing rings. Coupled simulations are conducted to explore trends and methods to reduce the distortion of a dry gas seal operating with supercritical CO2. The seal experiences significant deformations, especially those induced by non-uniform temperatures leading to thermal deformations. The results demonstrate that reducing the surface area exposed to convective heat transfer is an effective approach to reduce thermal deformation.