Engineering technique for calculating rational geometric dimensions of a sealing joint with thin-walled elements

Abstract

Thin-walled metal elements are widely used in sealing joints of various engineering structures. This is due to the increasing requirements for the performance characteristics of shutters that ensure tightness in an "aggressive" environment at high pressures. Under such conditions, the resource of metal-polymer sealing joints is reduced. The use of thin-walled shells in the shutters provides the sealing force achieved in metal-polymer sealing joints as well as the uniform distribution of the contact pressure in the sealing joint, and minimizes the drive force. The main disadvantage of joints with thin-walled shells is their low resistance to force (shock) loading from the "spool" (movable part of the gate). The "sensitivity" of a thin-walled shell to such loading can be compensated by lowering its reduced stiffness. This is achieved by connecting the thin-walled shell and the plate, which has a rigid termination along the contour. When reducing a rigidity of a thin-walled element (shell-plate), the calculation of the connection is required in order to determine the rational geometric dimensions (thickness) and ensure its strength. Many works are devoted to the calculations of thin-walled shells and plates. The lack of scientifically grounded methods for calculating the rational geometric dimensions of thin-walled seals hinders their use in the valve industry. The complexity of developing a calculation method is due to the fact that such  problem usually does not have an analytical solution. In the article the calculation of the reduced stiffness of a thin-walled seal is considered in detail. The developed technique makes it possible to formulate an optimization problem. In addition, clarifications were made when calculating flange connections and the effect of pressure of the working medium.