Journal of Zhejiang University

Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE A 2014 Vol.15 No.3 P.172-184

An efficient adaptive finite element method algorithm with mass conservation for analysis of liquid face seals*

Author(s): Xiang-kai Meng,Shao-xian Bai,Xu-dong Peng
Affiliation(s): 1. . Institute of Chemical Process Machinery, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, China
Corresponding email(s): mengxk@zjut.edu.cn
Key Words: Cavitation, Finite element method (FEM), End face seals, Streamline upwind/Petrov-Galerkin (SUPG), Mass conservation

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Xiang-kai Meng, Shao-xian Bai, Xu-dong Peng. An efficient adaptive finite element method algorithm with mass conservation for analysis of liquid face seals[J]. Journal of Zhejiang University Science A, 2014, 15(3): 172-184.

@article{title="An efficient adaptive finite element method algorithm with mass conservation for analysis of liquid face seals",
author="Xiang-kai Meng, Shao-xian Bai, Xu-dong Peng",
journal="Journal of Zhejiang University Science A",
volume="15",
number="3",
pages="172-184",
year="2014",
publisher="Zhejiang University Press & Springer",
doi="10.1631/jzus.A1300328"
}

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%T An efficient adaptive finite element method algorithm with mass conservation for analysis of liquid face seals
%A Xiang-kai Meng
%A Shao-xian Bai
%A Xu-dong Peng
%J Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE A
%V 15
%N 3
%P 172-184
%@ 1673-565X
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%I Zhejiang University Press & Springer
%DOI 10.1631/jzus.A1300328

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T1 - An efficient adaptive finite element method algorithm with mass conservation for analysis of liquid face seals
A1 - Xiang-kai Meng
A1 - Shao-xian Bai
A1 - Xu-dong Peng
J0 - Journal of Zhejiang University Science A
VL - 15
IS - 3
SP - 172
EP - 184
%@ 1673-565X
Y1 - 2014
PB - Zhejiang University Press & Springer
ER -
DOI - 10.1631/jzus.A1300328

Abstract
Chinese Summary
Academic Network
Reviewer Comment

Abstract: To improve lubrication effect and seal performance, complicated geometrical hydrodynamic grooves or patterns are often processed on end faces of liquid lubricated mechanical seals. These structures can lead to difficulties in precisely estimating the seal performance. In this study, an efficient adaptive finite element method (FEM) algorithm with mass conservation was presented, in which a streamline upwind/Petrov-Galerkin (SUPG) weighted residual FEM and a fast iteration algorithm were applied to solve the lubrication equations (Reynolds equation). A mesh adaptation technique was utilized to refine the computation domain based on a residual posterior error estimator. Validation, applicability, and efficiency were verified by comparison among different algorithms and by case studies on seals’ faces with different groove structures. The study investigated the influence of the order of shape function and the mesh number on the leakage balance. Mesh refinement occurred mainly in cavitation zones when cavitation happened, otherwise it occurred in regions with a high pressure gradient. Numerical experiments verified that the proposed algorithm is a fast, effective, and accurate method to simulate lubrication problems in the engineering field apart from end face seals.

液体润滑端面密封质量守恒自适应有限元算法

研究目的：为液体润滑端面密封空化问题的数值模拟提供一种高效精确的计算方法。
创新要点：1.采用流线迎风SUPG有限元法求解具有对流扩散特征的控制方程；2. 针对未知量的互补关系提出了一种高效的数值迭代技术；3.提供了针对润滑液膜空化问题的网格自适应技术。
重要结论：1.相比文献算法，本文算法具有计算速度快，计算精度高的优点；2.空化区域和大压力梯度区域的计算网格得到加密。

关键词：空化；有限元法；端面密封；流线迎风伽辽金法SUPG法；质量守恒