Stress Analysis and Performance Evaluation of Flange Spool Subjected to Pressure

Abstract

In the present scenario, the prevention of failure of a component is having a vital role in piping industry. Failure of a single component can cease the entire functionality of the system. So the prevention of failure is significant to satisfy the customer needs not only aesthetic but also functionality, reliability and utility of the system. With the advancement of new technologies, finding out the failures and giving a pertinent solution is possible. Value engineered component is an added advantage to the industry in all aspects. A flange spool is a basic type of dismantling joint that connect long pipes with flanges at the ends so that they can be bolted to another pipe with matching flange. The flange joint involves interaction between bolts, flange and gasket and it is the most essential part of Pressure vessel, Condenser, Heat exchanger and Storage tank. This flange joint aims at preventing fluid leakage and maintaining the structural integrity of the joint. The objective of this paper is to design and analyze a flange spool which is used to carry and transport processed fluid and gas. This work deals with the replacement of molybdenum steel material flange spool with a silicon-manganese flange spool. The modeling was done using CATIA software as per API standards. The flange spool is modeled and simulated using ANSYS 15 Software. The design optimization also showed significant potential improvement in the performance of flange spool. In the present work finite element analysis procedure is used in ANSYS simulation to predict the levels of stress and deformation of flange spool under subjected loads.