A New Bolted Joint Profile, Optimized with FEA, Fixes a Leaking Propane Pump
Abstract
A bolted raised face Joint (with O-ring gasket) was failure prone. An axisymmetric FEA (finite element analysis) of the Joint verified why: the flanges were not stiff enough (not thick enough); too much flange rotation occurred. A gap opened that the O-ring could extrude into and fail. Going with thicker flanges was not an option, but continuing with FEA, various flange profile designs were analyzed narrowing in on a profile that kept the flanges together at the gasket location, minimizing the extrusion gap. This design was implemented into the new replacement discharge head and was successful: The joint is now leak-free.
Description
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Citation
Schmidt, John M. (2021). A New Bolted Joint Profile, Optimized with FEA, Fixes a Leaking Propane Pump. Turbomachinery Laboratory, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station; Texas A & M University. Libraries; Texas A & M University. Libraries. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /196747.