Wear on radial lip seals: a numerical study of the influence on the sealing mechanism

In this paper a numerical approach is applied to analyse the influence of wear on the lubrication and sealing mechanism of radial lip seals. A three-dimensional multi-scale mechanical model is presented. This allows to simulate the macroscopic deformation of the entire radial lip seal and the microscopic deformations in the contact area between the sealing edge and the shaft surface. Furthermore, different wear band widths and surface roughness of sealing edges can be analysed efficiently. In the context of this paper, measurement results of radial lip seals in different wear states out of test runs are applied. The simulation results of the different sealing edges are compared. This allows drawing conclusions about the influence of wear on the performance of radial lip seals. This leads to a better understanding of the potential failure mechanisms of radial lip seals.

Automated summary

A numerical approach is used to analyze the impact of wear on the lubrication and sealing mechanism of radial lip seals in this paper. A three-dimensional multi-scale mechanical model is presented to simulate the deformation of the entire seal and the contact area between the sealing edge and shaft surface. Results from test runs of radial lip seals in different wear states are applied to compare simulation results and draw conclusions on the influence of wear on seal performance, enhancing understanding of potential failure mechanisms.