Pump Thermal Stress Analysis
Analysis Type: Stress with thermal deformation (FEA)
Objective: To improve an assembly procedure
Sector: Process industry
Client Benefits: Rapid improvement of a lengthy procedure, combined with an enhanced design tool for future use.
Project Background: As a manufacturer of high performance centrifugal pumps, HMD Sealless/Kontro supplies pumping solutions for some of the most demanding chemical process applications in the world.
Under normal circumstances HMD routinely achieves the precise manufacture control that is required to enable successful pump assembly and high speed running. However, a statistically minor number of bearings required a more extended installation procedure leading to increased production assembly times. The cause was related to the heat shrink process, and resulting in a minor degree of non-uniform deformation of the bearing bushes.
Further insight was required in order to find a quick solution and minimise corrective testing. TriVista Engineering was therefore engaged to investigate the assembly using finite element analysis (FEA) and to recommend countermeasures.
Solution: A 3D model of the assembly was readily built using existing CAD data. This provided a convenient ‘what-if’ tool for a thorough investigation of the impact of interference fit and operating temperature on the bush closedown and relevant clearances.
Using this procedure resulted in a speedy understanding of this statistically low dimensional variation issue, led to a relatively straightforward workable solution and also resulted in a simplified spreadsheet approach for HMD to apply to future pump designs.
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