AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE NATURE OF THE INTERFACE FILM, THE PRESSURE GENERATION MECHANISM AND CENTRIPETAL PUMPING IN MECHANICAL SEALS

摘要

Experiments are described in which a glass-faced" mechanical seal is used to observe the conditions of the interface film of the seal. Tests were made at several speeds and over a small range of pressures. Liquids used include Tellus 27 mineral oil, water and 2-Methoxyethylene. Tests were carried out sealing the liquid on the inside of the seal, on the outside and both sides to¬gether.nCavitation of the liquid film was found to be of common occurrence and under certain conditions the liquid may be entirely replaced by an air film.nMeasurements were made of the spontaneous inward pumping action of the system under a variety of conditions and a physically simple explanation is proposed and shown to be theoretically feasible.nIt is noted that there is no radial flow in either direction when the film contains a continuous circumferential band of air.