Dynamic characteristics of a non-Newtonian lubrication mechanical seal with herringbone grooves considering cavitation effect

This research investigated the effect of lubricant's non-Newtonian properties on dynamic characteristics of a herringbone grooved liquid film seal (HG-LFS) considering cavitation. A modified steady-state perturbation Reynolds equation of the non-Newtonian was derived. Visualized experiments were conducted to verify the accuracy of calculations. The non-Newtonian effect on stiffness, cavitation, damping coefficients, and other sealing performance of the liquid film seal at different velocity, pressure and film thickness were discussed and analyzed. The results indicate that the seal has larger stiffness and damping coefficients with the dilatant lubricant, the cavitation can be inhibited by the shearing-thinning lubricant, and the impact of non-Newtonian on the seal stability decreases with the increase of film thickness. This study would contribute to the design and theoretical research of liquid film seals.