The fluid flow in the runner of a hydraulic turbine has serious uncertainties. The sealing failure of the magnetorheological (MR) fluid sealing device of the main shaft of the hydroturbine, caused by a sudden change in speed, has always been a difficult topic to research. This study first derives the MR fluid seal pressure and unbalanced curl equations of the hydroturbine main shaft, and then analyzes the seal pressure and friction heat under different rotational speed mutation conditions through experiments. After verification, the temperature field and magnetic field distribution of the MR fluid sealing device of the main shaft of the hydraulic turbine are obtained via numerical calculation. The results show that the external magnetic field affects the magnetic moment of the magnetic particles in the MR fluid, resulting in a significant change in frictional heat, thereby reducing the saturation of magnetic induction intensity of the MR fluid. This results in a decrease in the sealing ability of the device. The size and abrupt amplitude of the main shaft of the hydraulic turbine, and friction heat is positively correlated reducing the sealing ability of the device and causing sealing failure. Based on our results, we recommend adding the necessary cooling to the device to reduce the frictional heat, thereby increasing the seal life of the device.
