Advancements in Key Technologies for Enhancing Performance of Flexible Contact Seals in Refrigeration Equipment

Flexible contact seals are vital components in refrigeration equipment, as they contribute to effective thermal and moisture insulation. Improving the performance of these seals faces technical challenges arising from the assembly state's combination of rigid and flexible multi-contact elements. To enhance their performance, a comprehensive understanding of the technical characteristics and overall development of flexible contact seals is crucial. Therefore, this research summarizes the current state of research on key issues affecting their performance improvement, including measurement and modeling techniques. The future development of seal performance improvement is anticipated. According to the research findings, the heat transfer measurement technology based on reverse heat loss lacks accuracy. However, by incorporating filtering algorithms, the noise fluctuation in heat flux signals can be effectively reduced. The current tracer gas technology fails to consider the flow and diffusion of moist air within the rigid and flexible contact interface. To address this limitation, it is suggested to employ interface microscopic detection and contact dynamics theory, to elucidate the flow pattern. Additionally, constructing a tracer source and detection circuit that are appropriately matched is recommended. Currently, the research on thermal-fluid-solid coupling modeling of flexible contact seals is lacking, leaving a significant knowledge gap. Only a heat transfer numerical model and flow average analytical equation have been developed so far. To address this gap, a coupling model can be established using iterative algorithms for numerical calculations of the temperature and deformation field, along with analytical calculation of seepage parameters. In addition to conducting fundamental research on measurement and modeling, it is crucial to overcome the bottleneck of size effect, achieve good coordination between sealing components, and apply ultra-low thermal conductivity materials and electromagnetic induction technology to improve the thermal and moisture insulation performance of seals. © 2024 Xi'an Jiaotong University. All rights reserved.