• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.75-81
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• 2020

In this paper, we present an experimental investigation of the leakage and endurance performances of mechanical face seals in a 75-tonf turbopump for the Korea Space Launch Vehicle II first-stage engine. A mechanical face seal is used between the fuel pump and turbine to prevent mixing of the fuel and turbine gas. However, excessive leakage occurs through the carbon attached to the mechanical face seal bellows. To reduce this leakage, we redesign the mechanical face seal such that the contact area between the fuel and carbon is reduced, height of the carbon nose is reduced, and stiffness of the bellows is increased. Then, we conduct static and dynamic leakage tests and endurance tests to compare the performances of the original and modified mechanical face seals. The investigation of the leakage of the old and new mechanical face seals confirms that the leakage performance is significantly improved, by 80%, in the new design in comparison with the old design. The endurance tests demonstrate that the average wear rate of carbon in the new mechanical face seal is 0.1094 ㎛/s. The service lifetime is predicted to be 4,200 s, which is 28 times greater than the requirement. Finally, we present a new mechanical face seal in a 75-tonf turbopump, and perform a validation test in the real-propellant test facility at the NARO Space Center. Based on the test results, we can confirm that the modified mechanical face seal works well under real operating conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.169-175
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• 2006

This study investigated variation leakage current maximum value and waveform considering applied voltage phase angel by simulating three environmental conditions, such as fog, salt fog, and kaolin contamination .As the result of applied voltage phase angel characteristics, leakage currents presented almost in phases in the early stage regardless of environmental conditions just after applying the voltage, and the phase of leakage currents certain phase lags for the discharge of the applied voltage when surface discharges occurred due to the continuous environmental contamination. In addition, the difference in phase significantly increased according to the intensity of discharges. The change in distortion rates according to the environmental contamination presented a nearly same level just after applying the voltage. The distortion rate of third harmonic for the fundamental wave presented by the order of fog>salt fog>kaolin when surface discharges occurred due to the applied voltage for certain continued periods. In the case of the fog and salt fog, the scale of spectrums decreased according to the increase in frequencies from the results of the analysis of high frequencies. In addition, the even number frequency presented a relatively large level compared to the odd number frequency under the kaolin contamination.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1339-1349
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• 1997

A numerical method of calculating the performance of a scroll compressor for refrigerant R-22 and R-134a is presented in this paper. A series of involute curves are employed for the scroll wrap design and the compression volume is investigated geometrically. The radial leakage flow rate through tip clearance is calculated by the two-dimensional compressible flow. On the basis of the results, quasi one-dimensional leakage modeling can be applied to the performance analysis of a scroll compressor, more effectively. Furthermore, the heat transfer effect between scroll wrap and working fluid in compression chamber is considered for the performance analysis. As the results of this study, the effects of the radial and tangential leakage flow rate and heat transfer on the scroll compressor performance are derived precisely. These results may provide the guideline for the design and development of a real scroll compressor.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.349-356
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• 2003

A damper floating ring seal with round hole pattern surfaces is suggested for better leakage control. The flat plate test of the round hole pattern surfaces has been performed to yield an empirical friction factor model. The exact predictions of the lock­up position of the damper floating ring, the leakage performance, and the rotordynamic coefficients of the seal are necessary to evaluate the rotordynamic performance of the turbo pump unit. The governing equations including the empirical friction factor model for round hole pattern surfaces are solved by the Fast Fourier Transform method. The lock­up position, leakage flow rate, and rotordynamic coefficients are evaluated according to the geometric parameters of the damper floating ring seal. Theoretical results show that the damper floating ring seals yield less leakage and better rotordynamic stability than the floating ring seal with a smooth surface.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.230-235
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the gas leakage for a 30-inch ball valve. The ball valve was designed and manufactured for a natural gas transportation through a long-distance pipeline mainly installed in the permafrost region. The gas leakage assessment is based on the pressure testing criteria of international standards. Pressure conditions of the gas leakage test was employed 70 bar, 100 bar, and 110 bar. The amount of the gas leakage at each pressure condition was small and had a value under the pressure testing criteria, ISO 5208. Gas leakage with respect to the test pressure was predicted by the polynomial curve fitting using the experimental results. It is found that the gas leakage rate according to the pressure is proportion to a second order curve.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.134-143
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• 2001

This paper presents the characteristics of flank and tip seal leakage in a scroll compressor for air-conditioners with R-22 under actual operating conditions. It is well known that the leakage has significant effect on the performance of the scroll compressor. Experiments were performed by using indirect method for measuring mass flow rate passing through flank and tip seal under actual operating conditions, In addition, an analytical model for tip seal leakage was developed to investigate tangential and radial leakage observed at grooves and contact points of tip seals. For low oil concentration, theoretical results were compared with experimental data to verify the analytical model. As a result, leakages through flank and tip seal parts were evaluated as afunction of pressure ratio, orbiting angle, discharge pressure, tip clearance, and leakage point. It was also found that the tip seal leakage was considerable even though the tip seal provided adequate sealing effect.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.145-160
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• 2018

Long subsea tunnel is subject to many restrictions in terms of spatial limitation when vertical or inclined shafts are built for tunnel ventilation. So, the construction of some artificial island is required to provide ventilation. But, because of construction difficulty and cost increase, it is necessary to minimize the artificial island construction. As a result, ventilation distance become longer and supply airflow becomes excessive due to air leakage, So, duct mounting for temporary ventilation is impossible or fan pressure and power increase exponentially. Therefore, in order to build a long subsea tunnel, it is necessary to overcome these practical problems and to develop technical solution that can keep the comfortable condition of tunnel environment during construction. In previous study, we have found that air leakage is the key factor in solving these problems and experimental results show that the new connection method has a leakage rate of about $1.46mm^2/m^2$ (Jo et al., 2017). In this study, we present the experimental results of the measurement of the leakage rate of the prototype with the new connection method, and analyze experimentally the improvement of the leakage rate when applying the flexible cover inside the duct to improve the leakage performance of the existing connection method.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.233-240
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• 2010

Double Plug is constructed for preventing mixing of two different oils between two compartments in the underground oil storage cavern. And the gas and oil tightness of double plug is tested from the measurement of water leakage from double plug after the completion of double plug water filling. If water leakage is underestimated, it can increase construction cost and if water leakage is overestimated, it can increase operating cost. Therefore, optimum water leakage should be estimated to cut down the cost. In this study, hydraulic stability analysis was conducted to consider permeable properties of rock mass around double plugs and a water leak rate from double plug was estimated from the hydraulic stability analysis and case study. Finally, the reliability of estimation of water leak rate was proven by comparing estimated water leak rate with measured data.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.200-207
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• 2009

This study was conducted to analyze the variations of air temperature, relative humidity and pressure in a low pressure chamber for plant growth. The low pressure chamber was composed of an acrylic cylinder, a stainless plate, a mass flow controller, an elastomer pressure controller, a read-out-box, a vacuum pump, and sensors of air temperature, relative humidity, and pressure. The pressure leakage in the low pressure chamber was greatly affected by the material and connection method of tubes. The leakage rate in the low pressure chamber with the welding of the stainless tubes and a plate decreased by $0.21kPa{\cdot}h^{-1}$, whereas the leakage in the low pressure chamber with teflon tube and rubber O-ring was given by $1.03kPa{\cdot}h^{-1}$. Pressure in the low pressure chamber was sensitively fluctuated by the air temperature inside the chamber. An elastomer pressure controller was installed to keep the pressure in the low pressure chamber at a setting value. However, inside relative humidity at dark period increased to saturation level.. Two levels (25 and 50kPa) of pressure and two levels (500 and 1,000sccm) of mass flow rate were provided to investigate the effect of low pressure and mass flow rate on relative humidity inside the chamber. It was concluded that low setting value of pressure and high mass flow rate of mixed gas were the effective methods to control the pressure and to suppress the excessive rise of relative humidity inside the chamber.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.378-383
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• 2009

Hydrogen is the primary fuel in fuel cell systems. Because of high inflammation and explosion possibility of hydrogen, fuel cell systems require safety measures to prevent hydrogen hazard upon leakage. In this study, a model enclosure was made by referring to a commercial residential fuel cell system and hydrogen leakage experiments and computational simulations were conducted therein. Hydrogen was injected into the cavity through leakage holes located at the bottom while its flow rate was precisely controlled using MFC. The transient sensor signals from hydrogen sensors installed inside the enclosure were recorded and analyzed. The hydrogen sensor signals showed different delay times depending on their position relative to a leakage point, which indicated that hydrogen generally moves upward and accumulates at the upper region of a closed cavity. The inflammable regions with hydrogen concentration over 4% LEL were observed to locate near the leakage hole initially, and broaden towards the upper cavity region afterward. The simulation result showed that detection time at the hydrogen sensor was similar to the pattern of experimental results. However, the maximum concentration of hydrogen had a gap between experiment and simulation at detect point due to measurement errors and reaction rate.