Thermo-Elasto-Hydro-Dynamic Modeling of Hydrostatic Seals in Reactor Coolant Pumps

The French energy company EDF has experienced in the last years some problems in managing reactor coolant pumps (RCP) seals in operation. That’s why a thermo-elasto-hydrodynamical model of the seal has been developed. The present model is a steady two-dimensional approach so as to characterize the normal operating mode of the seal. Numerical results are successfully compared to experimental results of leak-flow rate. The influence of pressure drop and injection temperature is described. The influence of the conicity of the faceplates is underlined. The friction is introduced in the model in order to reproduce the hysteretic behavior of the seal. The development of this model leads to a better knowledge of the behavior of a critical component.