Work

Marine Thruster Lip Seals: A Comparative Study of Frictional Behavior and a Condition-Based Monitoring Approach

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The present work studies the behavior of a polyurethane (PU) seal and a hybrid seal design with a PU body with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) insert, and compares it to a conventional nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) seal used in marine thrusters. The seals had a 300 mm diameter. Three samples of each seal were tested under 27 operating condition combinations, and were characterized by the frictional torque and subsurface temperature. The PU seal had the highest frictional torque and subsurface temperature, followed by the NBR seal, then the PTFE seal. The contact temperature was estimated with a simplified conjugate heat transfer model, and a condition-based monitoring approach was proposed based on the results of the model and online measurement of near-lip temperature.

Source: Journal of Tribology

DOI: 10.1115/1.4069632

Authors: Omar Morad, Raine Viitala, Vesa Saikko

Institution: Aalto University

Language: English

Topic: Tribology and Lubrication Engineering

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: Academy of Finland, Aalto-Yliopisto, Business Finland

Awards: Artificial Intelligence Optimization for Production Lines Deploying Rotating Machinery, Co-Research — Aalto-korkeakoulusäätiö sr (2534/31/2022)