A seal face of at least one ring used in a noncontacting, gap-type mechanical end face seal having a pattern including an optional dam and an annular grooved area. The annular grooved area has one of several embodiments, including entrance lands which are essentially triangular and have one side contiguous with one circumferential edge of the annular grooved area. These embodiments further include a set of converging boundary sides of the groove to provide a pressure zone effect. Seal face patterns include a contiguous groove around the comprising a repeating pattern of an essentially triangular groove interposed between two adjacent, but oppositely oriented, lands. One seal face pattern includes a circular or elliptical groove being open to the circumferential edge, thus providing an entrance land effect, and which includes a circular or elliptical land within it so that the boundaries between the lands and groove converge to provide the pressure zone effect.
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