PHASE-CHANGE IN A MISALIGNED MECHANICAL FACE SEAL

The combination of phase change, coning, and face misalignment in mech anical seats is studied. The seal performance is calculated using an i mplicit analytical solution of the thermohydrodynamic problem. It is f ound that phase change can be detrimental to the seal's angular stiffn ess. It is also found that the boiling interface is practically axisym metric, even at moderate face misalignment. Thus, future analyses of p hase change with misalignment can be considerably simplified.