We present a theoretical approach to estimate the fluid leakage in flat seals. The approach is based on the analogy between the seal-substrate interface and a porous medium. We assume that the interface is constituted of a random distribution of noncontact patches (the pores) and small but numerous contact spots (islands). Leakage may occur only through the pores, of which the lateral size and height are distributed according to a probability density function that we calculate on the basis of a recent theory of contact mechanics. Our theoretical approach is based on a percolation scheme that has never been proposed before and we believe it could be useful to stimulate further theoretical or experimental investigations. Within this percolation scheme we apply critical path analysis to calculate the hydraulic conductivity of the medium and compare our predictions with other calculations very recently presented to the scientific community.

Leakage Mechanism in Flat Seals / Bottiglione, Francesco; Carbone, Giuseppe; Mangialardi, Luigi; Mantriota, Giacomo. - In: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS. - ISSN 0021-8979. - 106:10(2009). (Intervento presentato al convegno SEECCM 2009, 2nd South-East European Conference on Computational Mechanics tenutosi a Rodhes, Greece nel 22-24 June, 2009) [10.1063/1.3254187].

Leakage Mechanism in Flat Seals

BOTTIGLIONE, Francesco;CARBONE, Giuseppe;MANGIALARDI, Luigi;MANTRIOTA, Giacomo
2009-01-01

Abstract

We present a theoretical approach to estimate the fluid leakage in flat seals. The approach is based on the analogy between the seal-substrate interface and a porous medium. We assume that the interface is constituted of a random distribution of noncontact patches (the pores) and small but numerous contact spots (islands). Leakage may occur only through the pores, of which the lateral size and height are distributed according to a probability density function that we calculate on the basis of a recent theory of contact mechanics. Our theoretical approach is based on a percolation scheme that has never been proposed before and we believe it could be useful to stimulate further theoretical or experimental investigations. Within this percolation scheme we apply critical path analysis to calculate the hydraulic conductivity of the medium and compare our predictions with other calculations very recently presented to the scientific community.
2009
Leakage Mechanism in Flat Seals / Bottiglione, Francesco; Carbone, Giuseppe; Mangialardi, Luigi; Mantriota, Giacomo. - In: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS. - ISSN 0021-8979. - 106:10(2009). (Intervento presentato al convegno SEECCM 2009, 2nd South-East European Conference on Computational Mechanics tenutosi a Rodhes, Greece nel 22-24 June, 2009) [10.1063/1.3254187].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11589/2061
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