الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract In the current study, several enhanced designs of axial pumping rings fixed on the rotating part of the outboard seal is being investigated on a laboratory setup using API piping plan 53 B. Pumping rings can be divided according to its flow directions inside the seal chamber into two categories either radial or axial. The axial scroll ring itself has two separate designs; full depth scroll ring and half depth scroll ring. While the outer gland itself can be categorized into two different aspects; the outer gland’s radial clearance, either non-API design (0.5 mm) and API design (1.5 mm) and its geometrical design either non scrolled outer gland and scrolled outer gland. The latter setup can be identified as double scroll design which has the most superior performance output amongst the pumping ring types. The non-API single scroll full depth ring has been investigated using previous researches results as repeatability check and validation method for the numerical model. Half depth double scroll both API and non-API designs is investigated against several factors which may affect the ring’s performance i.e. outlet port configuration, speed of rotation, barrier fluid pressure and temperature. Numerically, the non-API single full depth scroll design has been investigated by the means of ANSYS Fluent software aiming to produce acceptable numerical model for both tangential and radial outlet seal types using the experimental performance curve as a reference. This investigation is done against all of the three k-epsilon turbulence model equations on two different operating speeds. Post processing simulations have been carried out inside the outboard seal, non-API scroll ring and outlet ports in order to comprehend the flow field pattern behavior and observe any possible limitation for future improvement studies. |