A research program for experimental verification of new advanced computer analysis codes for turbomachinery seals has been initiated at VPI. Problem areas for design evaluation have been identified and current research is concentrating on the prediction and experimental verification of the performance of liquid and gas seals. Equipment provided by this grant will enable data reduction for response and phase versus speed, orbit display, and frequency spectrum analysis for up to 48 channels of simultaneous vibration sensor input required for this research. The evaluation of liquid seal designs will be made by monitoring the leakage flow, thermal distortions, pressure pulsations, and the vibratory response of the rotating shaft and the seal element(s). The equipment provides state-of-the-art capabilities for monitoring and reducing the vast amount of vibratory data essential to the total understanding of the various seal designs and the proper correlation to predicted system response. The results of this research work will give valuable information on the accuracy of analytical prediction programs and the data necessary to develop new advanced computer programs which can assist in the analytical design evaluation of machinery components and will enhance the sale of U.S. turbomachinery equipment in the international marketplace.
