Silo Flange Weld Groove Offset Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container designs with flange connections and welded seams face issues with reduced load-bearing capacity due to notch effects and incomplete weld penetration, leading to increased sheet thickness and costs, as well as difficulties in testing and securing the weld pool.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves laterally offsetting the joint of silo sheets from the mounting flanges and creating a groove on the silo wall for the weld seam, allowing the weld to extend into this groove, which enhances load-bearing capacity and weld quality, and using the flange connection as a supporting component to distribute force effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the weld seam is placed directly on the gap between flange surfaces, then the assembly is simplified, but a notch effect is created that reduces weld seam quality and increases crack risk
Solution Approach 1:
The weld seam is extracted from the problematic gap area between flange surfaces and relocated to a groove positioned away from the flange contact line. This separation removes the weld seam from the notch effect zone, eliminating the source of crack initiation while maintaining assembly simplicity through the groove structure.
Solution Approach 2:
A groove structure serves as an intermediary element between the flange connection and the weld seam. The groove acts as a mediator that provides a suitable positioning for the weld seam away from the flange contact line, enabling both reliable welding and simple assembly by decoupling these two requirements.
2Strength
If the sheet thickness is increased to compensate for weld seam weakness, then the load-bearing capacity is improved, but the cost and weight of the container increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The weld seam is extracted from the weakened gap region and repositioned to a groove location where it can achieve complete penetration and optimal strength. This allows the weld seam to reach its full load-bearing potential without requiring excessive sheet thickness, thereby reducing container weight while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The position parameter of the weld seam is changed from the flange gap area to a groove location. This parameter change enables the weld seam to achieve superior quality and load-bearing capacity, allowing for optimized sheet thickness that reduces both weight and cost while maintaining required strength.
3Ease of operation
If the weld seam is positioned at the flange gap, then assembly alignment is easier, but complete weld penetration cannot be guaranteed and quality testing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The groove structure serves as an intermediary that facilitates both assembly alignment and weld penetration quality. The groove provides a defined receptacle for the weld seam that guides proper positioning during assembly while simultaneously enabling complete penetration and facilitating quality testing, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and manufacturing precision.
4Device complexity
If the weld seam is made directly onto the flange gap, then the number of components is reduced, but the weld pool cannot be effectively secured and crack formation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The weld seam is extracted from the high-risk flange gap area and relocated to a groove position that provides inherent weld pool security. The groove structure itself acts as a fixture that secures the weld pool without requiring additional components, thereby maintaining low device complexity while significantly improving crack resistance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design increases the load-bearing thickness of the weld seam, reduces the need for oversized sheet thickness, improves weld quality, and allows for easier testing and assembly, while minimizing the risk of crack formation and notch effects.
Implementation Method 1
the welded connection achieves a higher quality and has superior strength
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~6
AI summary
Container or cylindrical pipe structure with flanged connections and welded internal seam, in particular for storing solid or fluid substances, comprising a plurality of segments (4), each segment (4) consisting of a sheet (11) and external connecting flanges (5, 6), wherein the individual segments (4) are connected to one another via the flange connections (8, 9) formed by the connecting flanges (5, 6) and are connected by an internal weld (26) connecting the respective wall sheet (11) of the segment (4), wherein there is an offset (15) between the parting plane (14) of the flange connection and the parting plane (10) between the wall sheets (11) and the weld (26) is located in the parting plane (10) between the wall sheets (11), characterized in that a groove (7) open towards the weld (26) is arranged in at least one of the flanges (5, 6), into which the weld (26) extends into.In a further development according to independent claim 10, it is provided that the two flanges (5, 6) together form a groove (7) open towards the weld (26), and that the weld (26) extends into this groove (7) in the area of the common contact surface (10, 14) of the connecting flanges (8, 9), (Fig. 8, 9).