Development of coolant pump seals for heavy duty diesel engines

Seal development for heavy duty diesel engines requires knowledge of the interactions between the engine design and fluid flows, seal and pump geometries, coolant chemistry and seal materials. The engine design, pump geometry and fluid flow define the operating envelope for the seal, while the seal geometry, coolant chemistry and seal materials directly affect the operation and performance. Each of the factors affecting the operating envelope and seal performance will be reviewed and discussed. Additional discussion will focus on the methods to investigate and validate seal operation and performance improvements within the operating envelope for the current designs of heavy duty diesel engines.