Projects
Projects: Projects for Investigator |
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| Reference Number | EP/X030067/1 | |
| Title | Quantifying safe operation of sustainable seals for rotating systems | |
| Status | Started | |
| Energy Categories | Not Energy Related 80%; Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Other Supporting Data) 20%; |
|
| Research Types | Basic and strategic applied research 100% | |
| Science and Technology Fields | PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Applied Mathematics) 100% | |
| UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation | Not Cross-cutting 100% | |
| Principal Investigator |
Dr N Bailey Engineering King's College London |
|
| Award Type | Standard | |
| Funding Source | EPSRC | |
| Start Date | 01 October 2023 | |
| End Date | 31 July 2024 | |
| Duration | 10 months | |
| Total Grant Value | £81,978 | |
| Industrial Sectors | No relevance to Underpinning Sectors | |
| Region | London | |
| Programme | NC : Maths | |
| Investigators | Principal Investigator | Dr N Bailey , Engineering, King's College London (99.999%) |
| Other Investigator | Dr T Pryer , Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath (0.001%) |
|
| Industrial Collaborator | Project Contact , Cross Manufacturing Company Limited (0.000%) |
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| Web Site | ||
| Objectives | ||
| Abstract | Current sealing technology employed in rotating machines, such as aircraft turbine engines, high pressure turbo compressors and wind turbines, are reaching their maximum potential efficiency. Therefore, innovative sealing designs are necessary to meet the industrial demands for next generation machinery that require reduced leakage across the seal, decreased power losses and increased efficiency.Non-contacting gas lubricated mechanical face seals have the potential to provide significant improvements in the sealing performance and meet the increased demand conditions. However, a key challenge is to provide safe and reliable operation under challenging, but feasible operating conditions, including potentially destabilising disturbances. The aim of this proposal is to develop theoretical capabilities to characterise the dynamic behaviour of a non-contacting gas lubricated mechanical face seal, which comprises of two discs; one fixed to a rotating shaft and the other mounted to a stationary housing with a thin fluid film separating the two. This design gives operational advantages over existing seals, including increased efficiency, decreased power losses and reduced costs over its lifetime. However, non-contacting seal technology has been described as unpredictable and unreliable, due to a high number of premature and unexpected experimental failures. By using a mathematical representation of the seal, investigations into the dynamic behaviour will enable understanding into the experimental failures and conditions on safe operation to be identified. Guidelines of sustainable seals will also be developed to provide improved sealing capabilities and performance envelop to ensure reliable and predictable behaviour. | |
| Publications | (none) |
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| Final Report | (none) |
|
| Added to Database | 18/10/23 | |
