Thermal Analysis of Floating Ring Mechanical Seal

Abstract

A floating seal arrangement is preferred to counteract the effect of misalignment in any machinery. In the present study a carbon graphite mechanical seals of stationary siphon rotary joint (SRJ), used in paper industry, has been considered. To understand the uncertainties due to floating arrangement of seal rings, axisymmetric finite element analysis of SRJ assembly (rotational speed=150 rpm, steam pressure=3 bars) has been performed. Four configurations of floating seal rings have been studied. In this investigation, the heat generated at the interface is estimated and is assumed to be conducted away by both the seal and mating rings. The axisymmetric steady-state heat conduction and structural equations are solved using ANSYS software.