Anti-friction sealing rings
Systems and methods are provided for a sealing element arranged in a ring groove of a piston assembly to seal against the ring groove at a first interface and to seal against a bore of a cylinder, in which the piston assembly is arranged, at a second interface. A feature of the sealing element is arranged at the first interface for reducing friction between the sealing element and the ring groove. The second interface is without a liquid lubricant or oil during operation.
1 . A sealing ring assembly configured to seal against a bore of a cylinder, the sealing ring assembly comprising:
a ring segment comprising a first surface configured to form a sealing interface with the bore; and
a feature configured to receive fluid communicated from a first pressurized region, wherein the first pressurized region is in contact with a second surface of the ring segment during operation, wherein:
the feature comprises a grid patterned array of channels arranged on a third surface of the ring segment, and
the array of channels is configured to enable fluid to form a second pressurized region that is in contact with the third surface of the ring segment during operation.
2 . The sealing ring assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second surface faces opposite of the first surface.
3 . The sealing ring assembly of claim 1 , wherein the third surface is perpendicular to the first surface.
4 . The sealing ring assembly of claim 1 , wherein the grid patterned array of channels is embedded in the third surface.
5 . The sealing ring assembly of claim 1 , wherein the feature is configured to reduce a friction force between the third surface and a piston surface arranged to contact the third surface.
6 . The sealing ring assembly of claim 1 , wherein the feature is configured to reduce a contact force in an axial direction in response to receiving the fluid from the first pressurized region.
7 . The sealing ring assembly of claim 1 , wherein the feature is configured to reduce a contact force between the third surface and a surface of a piston when at least partially filled with the fluid from the first pressurized region.
8 . A device comprising:
a cylinder comprising a bore;
a translator comprising a piston arranged to move along the bore without a liquid lubricant or oil, wherein the piston comprises a ring groove;
a sealing element arranged in the ring groove to contact a surface of the ring groove at a first interface and to seal against the bore of the cylinder at a second interface; and
a feature comprising a grid patterned array of channels arranged at the first interface that is configured to reduce friction between the sealing element and the surface of the ring groove.
9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein:
the sealing element defines a lower-pressure region and a higher-pressure region;
the piston is configured to undergo successive strokes along the bore;
fluid is configured to flow from the higher-pressure region to the feature during at least some of each successive stroke;
the fluid flows from the feature to the first interface during at least some of each stroke; and
the fluid flows from the first interface to the lower-pressure region during at least some of each stroke.
10 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the feature comprises a set of channels arranged to receive fluid from a pressurized region of the cylinder to lessen a contact force on the sealing element.
11 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the feature is configured to reduce a contact force on the sealing element by reducing a friction force on the sealing element.
12 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the feature comprises a pocket configured to receive fluid communicated from a pressurized region.