Modeling and numerical simulation of sealing characteristics of O-ring in hydraulic steering gear

O-ring seals are critical components in hydraulic steering gears, where their failure can significantly compromise the reliability and performance of the entire hydraulic system. To investigate the O-ring seal's fault mechanism and characteristics of the main control valve of hydraulic steering gear, the influencing factors of the leakage for the seal are discussed. Firstly, the leakage model for the O-ring seal is developed, demonstrating the effects of compression rate, oil pressure, cross-sectional diameter, and fit clearance on seal leakage. Secondly, the O-ring seal is modeled and simulated using the finite element method under ideal conditions. The change of O-ring seal leakage with oil pressure under different compression rates and different oil pressures are obtained by simulation. Additionally, the contact pressure distribution curve, oil film thickness, and leakage flow for various cross-sectional diameters and fit clearances are obtained. Finally, the effects of various factors on the O-ring seal's performance are discussed, and the accuracy of the proposed model is verified.