HYDRODYNAMIC EFFECTS ON THE BOILING INTERFACE IN A MISALIGNED, 2-PHASE, MECHANICAL SEAL - A QUALITATIVE STUDY

A qualitative study of the hydrodynamic effect on the radius at which boiling occurs in two-phase, misaligned, mechanical seals with coning is presented. The more important parameters affecting the Problem are identified and analyzed. It is found that hydrodynamic effects depend mainly on a modified Sommerfeld number. It is shown that in most pract ical cases the hydrodynamic effects can be neglected even at large fac e misalignment. It is further shown that the boiling interface in many cases is practically axisymmetric and at almost the same radius as fo r perfectly aligned faces. A factor that reduces the tendency to cavit ate in misaligned, two-phase seals is also pointed out.