Background. Magnetic fluid seals (MFS) are beginning to be used to seal rotating shafts in electric motors operating in conditions of high humidity, dust and pollution. Friction torque and heating are the most important operational indicators of MFS depending on the design parameters and operation conditions: rotation frequency, operation time, temperature and clearance (taking into account roughness and waviness). An urgent task is to study the influence of design parameters and operating conditions on the performance indicators of MFS of such electric motor shafts.
Materials and methods. The modeling of rough surfaces was performed using orthogonal transformations of roughness matrix vectors and a visual representation. The contact area of the magnetic fluid with rough surfaces was determined by mathematical modeling. The experimental studies were performed on a test bench. Wear sleeves and poles made of various steels with different roughness parameters were used.
Results. Models of MFS clearances formed by surfaces with different roughness have been obtained. The contact areas of the magnetic fluid with the surfaces of MFS at different roughness values have been determined. Nonlinear dependences and variation limits of the friction torque and MFS temperature on the surface roughness of the poles and sleeves, rotation frequencies of the electric motor, and the external temperature have been obtained.
Conclusions. Clearance models allow determining the roughness of MFS surfaces. The developed experimental unit allows carrying out studies on the effect of changes of design parameters and operating conditions on the performance indicators of MFS. At a 5,21 time higher rotation frequency (from 556 to 2897 rpm), the MFS temperature can increase by up to 2 times, the friction torque – by up to 2,2 times. If the temperature rises by 50 оC, the friction torque can drop by up to 3 times. With an increase in the surface roughness from 0,357 to 7,21 μm, the temperature of the MFS can rise by 20 %, and the friction torque by 55 %.