Analysis of a Hydrodynamic Spiral Grooved Upstream Pumping Face Seal Considering Cavitation

A numerical analysis of an oil-lubricated spiral grooved upstream pumping face seal, accounting for the occurrence of cavitation, have been performed in this paper. The “equivalent flow model”, which is a theoretical scheme for taking the JFO boundary condition into hydrodynamic lubrication theory, was applied to the analyses by a finite difference treatment of the Reynolds equation that dealt with the geometry of logarithmic spiral groove. The calculated results were compared respectively based on Reynolds model and JFO model. The load capacity, cavitation ratio, frictional torque and leakage rate were also theoretically calculated. The difference between the theoretical results based on two boundary conditions for cavitation occurrence is considerable. The JFO boundary condition should be used in theoretical studies on sealing characteristics rather than Reynolds equation, especially in the conditions of less groove depth and high rotary speed.