Numerical and experimental investigation on uniformity of pressure loads in labyrinth seal

Abstract

The pressure loads acting on the teeth of a labyrinth seal could differ significantly. Sometimes, one of the teeth would take almost half of the total pressure difference. This article makes an analysis of the influence of pressure ratio and seal geometry on the uniformity of pressure loads on labyrinth seal teeth. Therefore, a coefficient to evaluate the uniformity of pressure loads on the teeth is presented. The computational fluid dynamics model and test results show that the pressure ratio is the main important factor that affects the uniformity of pressure loads on the teeth. In order to improve the uniformity of pressure loads on teeth, the non-uniform seal geometry parameters are analyzed. In addition, it is found that the non-uniform clearances and groove width play positive roles in improving the uniformity of pressure loads on the teeth.