An approach to evaluate the sealing performance of sealing structures based on multiscale contact analyses

Abstract The evaluation of sealing performance is important in the design stage and assembly process of sealing structures. To date, analyses of sealing structures have rarely quantitatively evaluated sealing performance: They tend to neglect microsurface topographic information or simplify rough surfaces. Herein, we propose a new and efficient simulation approach to analyse sealing performance based on a multiscale contact model. In this simulation approach, a new parameter, critical preload, is used as the index of sealing performance. The validity of the proposed index was verified using the case of a cone seal. The evolution of the contact characteristics during the assembly process, such as the real contact area, the distribution of contact pressure, and contact status, were studied in detail.