Stability and tracking analysis of gas face seals under low-parameter conditions considering slip flow

Dynamic property of a gas face seal is about an internal ability of the mass-spring-damper system consisting of the nonlinear gas film, the flexible support, and the component mass or moment of inertia to handle ambient disturbances. Stability and tracking properties are important dynamic components, the current research for which mainly focuses on high-speed and high-pressure conditions in turbomachinery applications. In this paper, perturbation theory is used to obtain the linearized properties of the gas film in a spiral groove gas face seal, where the Boltzmann-Reynolds model with Fukui-Kaneko approximation is involved to account for slip flow under low-parameter conditions. Transmissibility of the step jump method is introduced into the perturbation method, and a critical ambient-disturbance amplitude is further proposed to cover the defect of transmissibility in characterizing the tracking property. The effects of slip flow on the stability and tracking properties of gas face seals are explored. The results show that slip flow induces an extra “relaxation region” in the critical transverse moment of inertia, providing a softer demand for angular stability. With regard to transmissibility, slip flow will induce an advantageous effect on transmitting the rotor motion to the stator. However, after considering the space required for tracking motions, the results of critical amplitude indicate that slip flow will induce an extra “rigorous region”, leading gas face seals to require more conservative design and more rigorous manufacture and assembly for non-contacting tracking.