3. Conclusion

To operate correctly, the friction faces of a seal must have a well-defined geometric appearance to ensure the formation of a lubricating film while limiting leakage flow. The order of magnitude of the lubricant film thickness being the micrometer, deformations occurring during operation can significantly affect seal performance. This article presents some methods for estimating the amplitude of these deformations, which may be of thermal or mechanical origin.

As surfaces deform, lubrication conditions, dissipation and interfacial temperature change. To correctly predict the behavior of a mechanical seal, it is essential to take all these aspects into account. In the second part of the article, we present methods for coupling all these phenomena. Two typical cases were then analyzed. Analytical methods provide a fairly good estimate of performance, but it is sometimes...