Analytical Modelling of Elastic Interaction in Bolted Flange Gasketed Joints

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linbo Zhu ◽  
Abdel-Hakim Bouzid ◽  
Jun Hong
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Model ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Elastic Interaction ◽  
Industrial Complex ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Minimum Number ◽  
Leakage Failure ◽  
Bolted Flange

Bolted flange joints are widely used in the fossil and nuclear power plants and other industrial complex. During their assembly, it is extremely difficult to achieve the target bolt preload and tightening uniformity due to elastic interaction. In addition to the severe service loadings the initial bolt load scatter increases the risk of leakage failure. The objective of this paper is to present an analytical model to predict the bolt tension change due to elastic interaction during the sequence of initial tightening. The proposed analytical model is based on the theory of circular beams on linear elastic foundation. The elastic compliances of the flanges, the bolts, and the gasket due to bending, twisting and axial compression are involved in the elastic interaction. The developed model can be used to optimize the initial bolt load tightening to obtain a uniform final preload under minimum number of tightening passes. The approach is validated using finite element analysis and experimental tests conducted on a NPS 4 class 900 weld neck bolted flange joint.

Elastic Interaction in Bolted Flange Joints: An Analytical Model to Predict and Optimize Bolt Load

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Linbo Zhu ◽  
Abdel-Hakim Bouzid ◽  
Jun Hong ◽  
Zaoxiao Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Model ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Elastic Interaction ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Bolt Preload ◽  
Industrial Complexes ◽  
Leakage Failure ◽  
Bolted Flange

Bolted flange joints are widely used in the nuclear power plants and other industrial complexes. During their assembly, it is extremely difficult to achieve the target bolt preload and tightening uniformity due to elastic interaction and criss-cross talks. In addition to the severe service loadings, the initial bolt load scatter increases the risk of leakage failure. The objective of this paper is to present an analytical model to predict the bolt tension change due to elastic interaction during the sequence of initial tightening. The proposed analytical model is based on the theory of circular beams on linear elastic foundation. The elastic compliances of the flanges, the bolts, and the gasket due to bending, twisting, and axial compression are involved in the elastic interaction and bolt load changes during tightening. The developed model can be used to optimize the initial bolt tightening to obtain a uniform final preload under minimum tightening passes. The approach is validated using finite element analysis (FEA) and experimental tests conducted on a NPS 4 class 900 weld neck bolted flange joint.

A Novel Methodology to Optimize the Tightening Sequence in Bolted Flange Joints

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linbo Zhu ◽  
Abdel-Hakim Bouzid ◽  
Jun Hong
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Elastic Interaction ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Successful Operation ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Bolt Preload ◽  
Safety And Reliability ◽  
Complex Structural ◽  
Leakage Failure ◽  
Bolted Flange

Abstract Bolted flange joints are the most complex structural components of pressure vessels and piping equipment. Their assembly is a delicate task that determines their successful operation during the service life. During bolt tightening, it is very difficult to achieve uniformity of the target bolt preload due to elastic interaction and criss-cross talk. The risk of leakage failure under service loading is consequently increased because of the scatter of the bolt preload. In previous work, an analytical model based on the theory of circular beams on linear elastic foundation was proposed to predict the bolt tension change due to elastic interaction. Based on this model, this paper presents a novel methodology for the optimization of the tightening sequence. The target preload and the load to be applied to each bolt in each pass can be calculated to achieve uniform final preload and avoid bolt tension reaching yield under a number of specified tightening passes. The validity of the approach is supported by experimental tests conducted on a NPS 4 class 900 welding neck flange joint and by finite element analysis on this bolted joint using the criss-cross tightening and sequential patterns. This study provides guidelines for bolted flange joints assembly and enhances its safety and reliability by minimizing bolt tension scatter due to elastic interaction.

Numerical and Experimental Study of Elastic Interaction in Bolted Flange Joints

2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Linbo Zhu ◽  
Abdel-Hakim Bouzid ◽  
Jun Hong
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Elastic Interaction ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Interaction Coefficient ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Nonlinear Finite Element ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Bolted Flange

Bolted flange joints are widely used to connect pressure vessels and piping equipment together and facilitate their disassembly. Initial tightening of their bolts is a delicate operation because it is extremely difficult to achieve the target load and uniformity due to elastic interaction. The risk of failure due to leakage and fatigue under service loading is consequently increased. This paper presents a study on the effect of elastic interaction that is present during the tightening of bolted flange joints using three-dimensional nonlinear finite-element modeling and experimentation. The nonlinear nonelastic behavior of the gasket is taken into account in the numerical simulation. The scatter in bolt preload produced during the tightening sequence is evaluated. Based on the elastic interaction coefficient method, the initial target tightening load in each bolt for every pass is determined by using the nonlinear finite-element model to obtain a uniform preload after the final tightening pass. The validity of the finite-element analysis (FEA) is supported by experimental tests conducted on a NPS 4 class 900 weld neck bolted flange joints using fiber and flexible graphite gaskets. This study provides guidance and enhances the safety and reliability of bolted flange joints by minimizing bolt load scatter due to elastic interaction.

Numerical and Experimental Study of Elastic Interaction in Bolted Flange Joints

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linbo Zhu ◽  
Abdel-Hakim Bouzid ◽  
Jun Hong
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Elastic Interaction ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Nonlinear Finite Element ◽  
Elastic Behavior ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Bolted Flange

Bolted flange joints are widely used to connect pressure vessels and piping equipment together and facilitate their disassembly. Initial tightening of their bolts is a delicate operation because it is extremely difficult to achieve the target load and uniformity due to elastic interaction. The risk of failure due to leakage and fatigue under service loading is consequently increased. This paper presents a study on the effect of elastic interaction that is present during the tightening of a bolted flange joints using three-dimensional nonlinear finite element modeling and experimentation. The nonlinear non-elastic behavior of the gasket is taken into account in the numerical simulation. The scatter in bolt preload produced during the tightening sequence is evaluated. Based on the elastic interaction coefficient method, the initial target tightening load in each bolt for every pass are determined by using the nonlinear finite element model to obtain a uniform preload after the final tightening pass. The validity of the FEA (Finite Element Analysis) is supported by experimental tests conducted on a NPS 4 class 900 weld neck bolted flange joints using fiber and flexible graphite gaskets. This study provides guidance and enhances the safety and reliability of bolted flange joints by minimizing bolt scatter due to elastic interaction.

Development of 1500-r/min 75-Inch Ultra-Long Last Stage Blades for Nuclear Steam Turbine

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deqi Yu ◽  
Jiandao Yang ◽  
Wei Lu ◽  
Daiwei Zhou ◽  
Kai Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Vibration Monitoring ◽  
Steam Turbines ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Rotating Blade ◽  
Lifetime Analysis ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
Last Stage

The 1500-r/min 1905mm (75inch) ultra-long last three stage blades for half-speed large-scale nuclear steam turbines of 3rd generation nuclear power plants have been developed with the application of new design features and Computer-Aided-Engineering (CAE) technologies. The last stage rotating blade was designed with an integral shroud, snubber and fir-tree root. During operation, the adjacent blades are continuously coupled by the centrifugal force. It is designed that the adjacent shrouds and snubbers of each blade can provide additional structural damping to minimize the dynamic stress of the blade. In order to meet the blade development requirements, the quasi-3D aerodynamic method was used to obtain the preliminary flow path design for the last three stages in LP (Low-pressure) casing and the airfoil of last stage rotating blade was optimized as well to minimize its centrifugal stress. The latest CAE technologies and approaches of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Fatigue Lifetime Analysis (FLA) were applied to analyze and optimize the aerodynamic performance and reliability behavior of the blade structure. The blade was well tuned to avoid any possible excitation and resonant vibration. The blades and test rotor have been manufactured and the rotating vibration test with the vibration monitoring had been carried out in the verification tests.

Multistable Cosine-Curved Dome System for Elastic Energy Dissipation

2019 ◽  
Vol 86 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mansour Alturki ◽  
Rigoberto Burgueño
Keyword(s):  
Energy Dissipation ◽  
Analytical Model ◽  
Nonlinear Behavior ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Bistable System ◽  
Dissipated Energy ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Hysteretic Response

This paper presents a new energy dissipation system composed of multistable cosine-curved domes (CCD) connected in series. The system exhibits multiple consecutive snap-through and snap-back buckling behavior with a hysteretic response. The response of the CCDs is within the elastic regime and hence the system's original configuration is fully recoverable. Numerical studies and experimental tests were conducted on the geometric properties of the individual CCD units and their number in the system to examine the force–displacement and energy dissipation characteristics. Finite element analysis (FEA) was performed to simulate the response of the system to develop a multilinear analytical model for the hysteretic response that considers the nonlinear behavior of the system. The model was used to study the energy dissipation characteristics of the system. Experimental tests on 3D printed specimens were conducted to analyze the system and validate numerical results. Results show that the energy dissipation mainly depends on the number and the apex height-to-thickness ratio of the CCD units. The developed multilinear analytical model yields conservative yet accurate values for the dissipated energy of the system. The proposed system offered reliable high energy dissipation with a maximum loss factor value of 0.14 for a monostable (self-recoverable) system and higher for a bistable system.

2025 Nuclear Code: The Vision for the Future of ASME Nuclear Codes and Standards

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dale E. Matthews ◽  
Ralph S. Hill ◽  
Charles W. Bruny
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Fusion Energy ◽  
Life Cycle Management ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Plant Design ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Energy Devices ◽  
The Future

ASME Nuclear Codes and Standards are used worldwide in the construction, inspection, and repair of commercial nuclear power plants. As the industry looks to the future of nuclear power and some of the new plant designs under development, there will be some significant departures from the current light water reactor (LWR) technology. Some examples are gas-cooled and liquid metal-cooled high temperature reactors (HTRs), small modular reactors (SMRs), and fusion energy devices that are currently under development. Many of these designs will have different safety challenges from the current LWR fleet. Variations of the current LWR technology are also expected to remain in use for the foreseeable future. Worldwide, many LWRs are planned or are already under construction. However, technology for construction of these plants has advanced considerably since most of the current construction codes were written. As a result, many modern design and fabrication methods available today, which provide both safety and economic benefits, cannot be fully utilized since they are not addressed by Code rules. For ASME Nuclear Codes and Standards to maintain and enhance their position as the worldwide leader in the nuclear power industry, they will need to be modernized to address these items. Accordingly, the ASME Nuclear Codes and Standards organizations have initiated the “2025 Nuclear Code” initiative. The purpose of this initiative is to modernize all aspects of ASME’s Nuclear Codes and Standards to adopt new technologies in plant design, construction, and life cycle management. Examples include modernized finite element analysis and fatigue rules, and incorporation of probabilistic and risk-informed methodology. This paper will present the vision for the 2025 ASME Nuclear Codes and Standards and will discuss some of the key elements that are being considered.

Investigation of Blast Wave Effects on Containment Wall and Steam Generator

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tae Jin Kim ◽  
Yoon-Suk Chang
Keyword(s):  
Blast Wave ◽  
Steam Generator ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Failure Criteria ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Secondary Damage ◽  
Main Steam Line ◽  
Main Steam

When a sudden rupture occurs in high energy lines such as MSL (Main Steam Line) and safety injection line of nuclear power plants, ejection of inner fluid with high temperature and pressure causes blast wave, and may lead to secondary damage of adjacent major components and/or structures. The objective of this study is to assess integrity of containment wall and steam generator due to the blast wave under a postulated high energy line break condition at the MSL piping. In this context, a preliminary analysis was conducted to examine the blast wave simulation using coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian technique. Subsequently, a finite element analysis was carried out to assess integrity of the structures. As typical results, strain and stress values were calculated at the containment wall and steam generator, which did not exceed their failure criteria.

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