This is a historical review of the literature, outlining the development of our understanding of the factors affecting the performance of reciprocating polymeric seals, rod seals and piston seals, for fluid power systems. Particular attention is paid to early seminal studies many of the findings from which have become an accepted part of the technology while others are sometimes overlooked.
SwartzJ. H.‘O’ and ‘V ring packings in industrial hydraulics. In Proceedings of the Sixth National Conference onIndustrial Hydraulics, 1950, Vol. 4, pp. 251–269.
2.
GronauH.Investigations on gland packings and sealing rings for high hydraulic pressures. Doctoral thesis, University of Berlin, 1935.
3.
BertoletE. C.Teflon—use of Teflon packings and seals in hydraulic operations. In Proceedings of the 12th National Conference on Industrial Hydraulics, 1956, Vol. 10, pp. 56–68.
4.
GallowayC. W.Evaluation of high temperature hydraulic seals to temperatures of 550 °F. Part I: mechanical evaluation. Wright Air Development Center (WADC) Technical Report 57-76, 1958, 143 pp.
5.
WhiteC. M.DennyD. F.The sealing mechanism of flexible packingsScientific and Technical Memorandum 3/47, Ministry of Supply, 1947 (Reprinted 1972, BHRA Fluid Engineering, Cranfield, Bedfordshire).
6.
CheyneyL. E.MuellerW. J.DuvalR. E.Frictional characteristics of O-rings with a typical hydraulic fluidTrans. ASME, 1950, 72 (4), 291–297.
7.
DennyD. F.Leakage characteristics of rubber seals fitted to reciprocating shafts. In Proceedings of the Conference onOil Hydraulic Power Transmission and Control, 1961, paper 22 (Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London).
8.
TurnbullD. E.NauB. S.A simplified analysis of the characteristics of fabric-rubber seals for reciprocating shafts. BHRA Report RR648, Harlow, Essex, 1960.
9.
IwanamiS.TikamoriN.Oil leakage from an O-ring packing. In Proceedings of the First BHRA International Conference onFluid Sealing, Ashford, 1961, paper B2 (BHRA, Harlow, Essex).
10.
HiranoF.Dynamic inverse problems in hydrodynamic lubrication. In Proceedings of the Third BHRA International Conference onFluid Sealing, Cambridge, 1967, paper Fl (BHRA, Cranfield, Bedfordshire).
11.
HiranoF.KanetaM.Theoretical investigation of friction and sealing characteristics of flexible seals for reciprocating motion. In Proceedings of the Fifth BHRA International Conference onFluid Sealing, Warwick, 1971, paper G2 (BHRA, Cranfield, Bedfordshire).
JohannesonH.On the optimization of hydraulic cylinder seals. Doctoral thesis, Machine Elements Division, University of Lulea, Sweden.
14.
FieldG. J.NauB. S.A theoretical study of the elastohydrodynamic lubrication of reciprocating rubber sealsTrans. Am. Soc. Lubric. Engrs, 1975, 18, 48–54.
15.
RuskellL. E. C.A rapidly converging theoretical solution of the elastohydrodynamic problem for rectangular rubber sealsJ. Mech. Engng Sci., 1980, 22 (1), 9–16.
16.
OhK. P.RohdeS. M.A unified treatment of thick and thin film elastohydrodynamic problems by using higher order element methodsProc. R. Soc. Lond. A, 1975, 343, 315.
17.
FieldG. J.NauB. S.The effects of design parameters on the lubrication of reciprocating rubber seals. In Proceedings of the Seventh BHRA International Conference onFluid Sealing, 1975, paper Cl (BHRA, Cranfield, Bedfordshire).
18.
FieldG. J.NauB. S.Film thickness and friction measurements during reciprocation of a rectangular section rubber seal ring. In Proceedings of the Sixth BHRA International Conference onFluid Sealing, 1973, paper C5 (BHRA, Cranfield, Bedfordshire).
19.
ParkerE. J.How O-rings seal air and oil componentsAppl. Hydraul, 1957, 10 (5), 121–124.
20.
NauB. S.The state of the art of rubber-seal technologyRubber Chem. Technol., 1987, 60, 381–416.
21.
GroschK. A.The relation between friction and viscoelastic properties of rubberProc. R. Soc. Lond. A, 1963, 274, 21–39.
22.
WendtG.Untersuchungen an Gummielastischen Berurhungsdictungen: benspruchung-Lebensdauer-Reibung. Doctoral thesis, Fakultat fur Maschinenbau und Elektrotechnik, Technical University Carolo-Wilhelmina zu Braunschweig, 1968.
23.
DowsonD.SwalesP. D.The development of elastohydrodynamic conditions in a reciprocating seal. In Proceedings of the Fourth BHRA International Conference onFluid Sealing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1969, paper 1 (BHRA, Cranfield, Bedfordshire).
24.
WerneckeP. W.Untersuchung der physikalischen Vorgange in Spalten von Hydraulikdichtungen. Doctoral thesis, Fakultat fur Maschinenwesen, Technische Hochschule Aachen, 1983.
25.
WerneckeP. W.Analysis of the reciprocating sealing process. In Proceedings of the 11th BHRA International Conference onFluid Sealing (Ed. NauB. S.), Cannes, France, 1987, paper El (Elsevier, London).
26.
KassfeldtE.Analysis and design of hydraulic cylinder seals. Doctoral thesis, Lulea University of Technology, 1987.
27.
KanzakiY.KawaharaY.KanetaM.Oil film behaviour and friction characteristics in reciprocating rubber seals. Part 1: Single contact. In Proceedings of the 15th BHR Group International Conference onFluid Sealing (Ed. HalliganB. D.), 1997, pp. 79–95 (Mechanical Engineering Publications, London).
28.
SchoutenM. J. W.DollevoetR. P.B.de LaatB. M.Design of optimized seals for leak-free hydraulic cylinders. In Proceedings of the 15th BHR Group International Conference onFluid Sealing (Ed. HalliganB. D.), 1997, pp. 111–131 (Mechanical Engineering Publications, London).
29.
MüllerH. K.NauB. S.Fluid Sealing Technology: Principles and Applications, 1998 (Marcel Dekker, New York).
30.
FlitneyR. K.HansfordI.NauB. S.The effect of surface texture on reciprocating seal performance. Report CR 3069, BHR Group Limited, 1989.
31.
HobsonR. M.FlitneyR. K.NauB. S.Effects of operational factors on reciprocating polymeric seals for fluid power. Report CR 6221, BHR Group Limited, 1994.
32.
FlitneyR. K.NauB. S.Performance variation in reciprocating rubber seals for fluid power applicationsLubric. Engng, 1988, 44 (12), 993–1000.
33.
ISO 7986 Hydraulic fluid power—sealing devices—standard test methods to assess the performance of seals in oil hydraulic reciprocating applications, 1997 (International Standardization Organization, Geneva).
