An experimental and numerical study on gas impermeability of metal rubber seals

Abstract

Metal rubber seals are notably effective in maintaining sealing performance in high-temperature environments, emerging as a reliable solution for sealing challenges in such conditions. Recently, researchers have conducted extensive studies on the leakage mechanisms of metal rubber seals using supercomputer simulations, achieving significant research milestones. However, the high computational costs associated with these methods can limit their practical application in engineering. Thus, developing an analytical method that is both rapid and efficient holds great practical importance for studying the leakage behavior of metal rubber seals. In this study, we introduced a novel prediction method designed to evaluate the gas leakage rate of metal rubber seals at room temperature, using the sealing region of a flexible plate in a variable Mach number nozzle as an engineering context. The prediction results from this method closely matched experimental data. Furthermore, this study explored the impact of seal compression rate, surface roughness, and inlet/outlet differential pressure on the leakage rate of metal rubber seals, analyzing the sensitivity of the leakage rate to these factors. The findings aim to provide a theoretical foundation and design guidelines for the application of metal rubber seals in the sealing regions of flexible plates for variable Mach number nozzles.