Analysis of Wear Characteristics of Hydrodynamic Seals During Startup Using 3D Fractal Characterization and Study of Opening Performance Degradation Mechanism

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the degradation mechanism of the opening performance of hydrodynamic seals during multiple startups, and a model was proposed to analyze the wear characteristics during the startup process. The study that the state evolution of the hydrodynamic seal during the single startup process occurs in five stages: low-speed and heavy-load stage, mid-speed and mid-load stage, high-speed and light-load stage, intermittent contact stage, and noncontact stage. The main factor that influences the deterioration of the initial performance of hydrodynamic seals during multiple startups is the decrease in the depth of the root groove. To prevent the heavy deterioration of the opening performance of the hydrodynamic seal, it is important that the remaining depth of the tip of spiral groove (TSG) is greater than 47.67% of the initial value and the dimensionless startup time should not exceed 0.42 for a complete passage through the mid-speed and mid-load stage.