In order to better solve the problem of air leakage during compressor operation, based on the converging
stepped magnetic fluid seal structure, the L₁₆ (4⁴) orthogonal test design and the numerical simulation of the
finite element method are combined to optimize the sealing structure. Four factors, four levels and the corresponding
orthogonal table are selected in this paper. The simulation results of each test are calculated and
range values are studied. Finally, sealing pressure capability of the structure before and after optimization are
calculated and compared. The results show that under the conditions of different axial and radial sealing gaps,
the sealing pressure capability of converging stepped magnetic fluid seal structure has been significantly
improved after orthogonal optimization, especially when the radial sealing gap is relatively small. The maximum
pressure capability can be improved by about 11 %, which fully proves the effectiveness of orthogonal
optimization. At the same time, the research results can also provide references for the application of other
rotary sealing conditions.