Effect of Temperature and Flange Support on Critical Pressure of Conical Acrylic Windows Under Short Term Pressure Loading

Abstract

Temperature and the seating arrangement in the flange have a significant effect on the critical pressure of conical acrylic windows. Over 400 acrylic windows with 90 deg conical angle were used in this study to establish experimentally the relationship between thickness to minor diameter ratio (t/D), temperature, seating arrangement in the flange, and critical pressure under short term hydrostatic loading. The data indicates that utilizing 70 deg F as standard of comparison, there is, approximately 20 percent increase in critical short term pressure when 32 deg F, and 20 percent decrease when 90 deg F ambient temperatures are utilized, respectively. It was also found that the short term critical pressure of some conical acrylic windows is influenced by the seating arrangement in the flange. As a rule, an increase in the ratio of minor window diameter to minor flange opening diameter (D/Df) raised the short term critical pressure of windows with t/D ≥ 0.375 significantly. For windows with t/D < 0.375, it did not raise the critical pressure.