Abstract:The lifting-force characteristics of finger seal with flat lifting pad were analyzed by numerical simulation, and the effects on pressure distribution of the lower surface of lifting pads, lifting-force and lifting-force coefficient by the rotor speed, clearance of finger seal and pressure drop were investigated. The seal structure was consisted of two slice layers with 72 fingers per layer around its circumference, which were treated as the porous medium, and the three dimensional(3-D)computation model included one lifting pad and its nearby clearance. The research results indicate that the lifting force is increased with the increase of pressure drop, and decreased with the increase of seal clearance, and increased slowly with the increase of rotor speed. The lifting-force coefficient is decreased with the increase of pressure drop, and decreased with the increase of seal clearance. Along with the increase of rotor speed, the lifting-force coefficient is decreased, especially when the seal clearance is smaller.