DETERMINING HYDROSTATIC LEAKAGE

摘要

A method of predicting the hydrostatic leakage (Q) between a seal and a counter face, wherein the seal comprises a first surface portion and the counter face comprises a second surface portion and, in use, the first surface portion contacts the second surface portion and allows hydrostatic leakage (Q) of a fluid between a first region and a second region separated by the seal, the method comprising the steps of : determining a value of Svm, wherein Svm is the depth of the lowest valley in a measured roughness profile of the first surface portion relative to a mean line of the roughness profile, or wherein Svm is the average depth of two or more of the lowest valleys in the roughness profile relative to the mean line; predicting the hydrostatic leakage (Q) based on the value of Svm.