Purpose – This study aims to simultaneously enhance the load-carrying capacity and control the leakage rate of mechanical seals by optimizing the texture shape. Design/methodology/approach – A multi-objective optimization approach is implemented to determine the optimal “free-form” textures and optimal circular dimples. Experiments are conducted to validate the simulation results. Findings – The experimental coefficient of friction (COF) and leakage rate are in good agreement with the calculated results. In addition, the optimal “free-form” texture shows a lower COF and a lower leakage in most cases. Originality/value – This work provides a method to optimize the surface texture for a better combination performance of mechanical seals.

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