Abstract
The buckling strength of a thin-walled torispherical head in a residential electric water heater tank was investigated by both experimental and finite element analyses. Three water heater tanks pressurized with water were tested, and the strains on the heads and the pressure variations were measured and recorded. Finite element analysis was used to predict the buckling of the torispherical head. The effect of the imperfection induced by the contact nonuniformity between the torispherical head and the shell on the buckling of the structure is included. Good agreement between the test and finite element results shows that finite element models used in this paper are viable to predict the buckling pressure of a thin-walled torispherical head in a water heater tank. The results also show that the contact between the bottom head and the shell has a reinforcing effect on the buckling strength of the head. The contact imperfection will produce a dent adjacent to the knuckle region when the head buckles. The buckling pressure of the head perfectly contacting with the shell is 6.88% higher than that without contacting with the shell. The obtained results provide reference for the design and manufacture of water heater tanks.
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