Improving Pressure–Velocity Limit of Mechanical Seal with Polycrystalline Diamond Coating

Abstract

Polycrystalline diamond (PCD)-coated mechanical seal rings were prepared by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) on graphite-loaded silicon carbide (GSiC) substrates. From the initial deposition process, the diamond first nucleated and then grew into a dense coating with grain size of 4 μm and thickness of 12.3 μm. The well-grown PCD coating, as confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry, significantly improves the pressure–velocity limit of the mechanical seal applied in harsh operating conditions, no matter whether for a hard-to-soft mating combination or a hard-to-hard mating combination. Comparing GSiC against sintered silicon carbide (SSiC) combination (GSiC/SSiC), GSiC against graphite combination (GSiC/graphite) and PCD against graphite combination (PCD/graphite), PCD against SSiC combination (PCD/SSiC) shows the highest pressure velocity (PV) limit of 42.31 MPa·m/s with 4 kN loading at 4500 rpm rotation speed. An extremely low and stable friction coefficient and super mechanical properties under harsh conditions can be approved as the source of the high PV limit of PCD coating. A mechanical seal with PCD coating can be used for more demanding applications.

Keywords

• polycrystalline diamond coating
• PV limit
• mechanical seal
• friction coefficient
• harsh conditions