Theoretical analysis and experimental studies on torque friction in magnetic fluid seals

Magnetic fluid seals are among the most common applications of ferrofluids. In such seals, the torque friction results only from the internal friction in the fluid and there is no direct contact between seal elements. Despite this, the heat generated during operation can be significant due to the low volume of the ferrofluid in the seal and high rotational speeds. The difficulty in calculating the torque friction is because the ferrofluid is a non-Newtonian fluid and changes its viscosity under the influence of a magnetic field. In order to measure torque friction in magnetic fluid seals, a special test stand was built. Tests were performed at different rotation speeds, different temperatures, and two seal stage geometries (rectangle and trapezoid). Numerical simulations were performed to determine the magnetic field distribution in the seal. Dynamic viscosity under the influence of the magnetic field was measured on a rotary rheometer. Mathematical models were compared with laboratory results. The results obtained from the calculations in some cases gave overstated values almost twice in value. An additional correction in the case of ferrofluid viscosity is proposed.