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Figures (16)

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Research Article | Open Access

Friction and wear behavior of different seal materials under water-lubricated conditions

Weigang ZHAO^¹, Guoyuan ZHANG^²(), Guangneng DONG^³

1School of Astronautics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China

2School of Mechano-Electronic Engineering, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071, China

3Key Laboratory of Modern Design and Rotor-bearing System of Ministry of Education, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China

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Abstract

The shaft mechanical face seal in a high-speed turbopump of a liquid rocket engine often operates under extremely harsh conditions. For example, a low-temperature and low-viscosity fluid (such as liquid oxygen or liquid hydrogen) is used as a lubricant. The performance of the seal rings, especially the friction and wear behavior, directly determines whether the seal functions normal. In this study, the friction and wear behavior of several ring materials are tested using a pin-on-disk tribo-tester, and the wear morphology of the ring is investigated. The friction coefficients (COFs) and mass-wear rates under dry-friction and water-lubricated conditions, which are used to simulate low-viscosity conditions, are obtained. The results show that at a pressure-velocity (PV) value of 2.4 MPa·(m/s), the COF between the copper graphite (stator) and copper-chrome alloy disk (rotor) is low (with a value of 0.18) under the dry-friction conditions, and the 5-min wear mass of the copper graphite is approximately 2 mg. Under the water-lubricated conditions, compared with other materials (such as copper-chrome alloy, S07 steel, alumina ceramic coating, and nickel-based calcium fluoride), the S07 steel with a diamond-like carbon film is preferred for use in a high-speed turbopump under extreme conditions. The results of this study can provide theoretical and experimental guidance in the design of mechanical face seals in liquid rocket engines.

Keywords

friction wear mechanical face seal water-lubricated high-speed turbopump

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Volume 9 Issue 4,
August 2021

Pages 697-709

DOI: 10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5

Cite this article:

ZHAO W, ZHANG G, DONG G. Friction and wear behavior of different seal materials under water-lubricated conditions. Friction, 2021, 9(4): 697-709. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5

10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F001 Fig. 1Pin for test.
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F002 Fig. 2Disk samples: (a) S07 steel disk (sample A), (b) alumina ceramic coating disk (sample B), (c) S07 steel disk with DLC film (sample C), (d) copper-chromium alloy disk (sample D), and (e) nickel-based calcium fluoride disk (sample E).
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F003 Fig. 3Diagram of the non-contact mechanical seal.
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F004 Fig. 4(a) COFs and (b) wear rate with the S07steel disk under the dry-friction conditions.
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F005 Fig. 5(a) COFs and (b) wear rate with the alumina ceramic coating disk under the dry-friction conditions.
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F006 Fig. 6(a) COFs and (b) wear rate with the S07 steel disk with DLC film under the dry-friction conditions.
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F007 Fig. 7(a) COFs and (b) wear rate with the copper-chromium alloy disk under the dry-friction conditions.
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F008 Fig. 8(a) COFs and (b) wear rate with the nickel-based calcium fluoride disk under the dry-friction conditions.
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F009 Fig. 9(a) Average COF and (b) wear rate results with the different materials under the dry-friction conditions.
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F010 Fig. 10(a) COFs and (b) wear rate with the S07steel disk under the water-lubricated conditions.
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F011 Fig. 11COFs with the copper-chromium alloy disk under the water-lubricated conditions.
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F012 Fig. 12(a) COFs and (b) wear rate with the S07 steel disk with DLC film under the water-lubricated conditions.
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F013 Fig. 13(a) Average COF and (b) wear rate results with the different materials under the water-lubricated conditions.
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F014 Fig. 14Wear surface topography with the S07steel disk: PV = (a) 15 MPa·(m/s), (b) 20 MPa·(m/s), (c) 25 MPa·(m/s), and (d) 30 MPa·(m/s).
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F015 Fig. 15Wear surface topography with the copper-chromium alloy disk: PV = (a) 15 MPa·(m/s), (b) 20 MPa·(m/s), (c) 25 MPa·(m/s), and (d) 30 MPa·(m/s),
10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.F016 Fig. 16Wear surface topography with the S07 steel disk with DLC film: PV = (a) 15 MPa·(m/s), (b) 20 MPa·(m/s), (c) 25 MPa·(m/s), and (d) 30 MPa·(m/s).

Return

10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.T001Table 1Composition of S07 steel.

Composition	(wt%)
C	0.07
Mn	0.50
Cr	16
Ni	6
Ti	≤ 0.05

10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.T002Table 2Surface roughness of the disks.

Disk	Sample number	Roughness (μm)
S07 steel disk	A	0.01
Alumina ceramic coating disk	B	0.01
S07 steel disk with DLC film	C	0.01
Copper-chromium alloy disk	D	0.1
Nickel-based calcium fluoride disk	E	0.2

10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.T003Table 3Experimental design under the dry-friction conditions.

PV (MPa·(m/s))	P (MPa)	F (N)
0.6	1	5.02
1.2	2	10.05
1.8	3	15.06
2.4	4	20.08
3.0	5	25.08

10.1007/s40544-020-0364-5.T004Table 4Experimental design under the water-lubricated conditions.

PV (MPa·(m/s))	P (MPa)	F (N)
15	12.5	62.76
20	16.7	83.69
25	20.8	104.58
30	25.0	125.53

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