Tube Support Plate Compressive Strength Evaluation via Simulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The evaluation of in-plane compressive strength of tube support plates in steam generators is challenging due to anisotropy, requiring multiple test pieces and resulting in high costs and low confidence in tolerance evaluations, as conventional methods struggle to accurately assess the compressive strength under varying load directions.
Innovation Solution
An in-plane compressive strength evaluation device and method that uses a test piece with inserted heat transfer tubes to store evaluation results, simulates structural models, adjusts elemental factors to match actual conditions, and expands the model for accurate evaluation of the tube support plate, reducing the need for multiple test pieces and improving accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple test pieces are used to evaluate anisotropy in different load directions, then measurement precision of compressive strength is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal test piece design that can be used for evaluating compressive strength in multiple load directions. By incorporating multiple through-holes with heat transfer tubes arranged in different orientations within a single test piece, the system achieves multi-functionality, allowing evaluation of anisotropy across various directions without requiring separate test pieces for each direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from evaluating compressive strength in a single direction to a multi-dimensional evaluation approach. By arranging heat transfer tubes and through-holes in multiple orientations within the test piece, the system enables simultaneous evaluation of compressive properties in different spatial dimensions, effectively converting a one-dimensional testing approach into a multi-dimensional one.
2Reliability
If multiple test pieces are produced for different load directions, then reliability of evaluation is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple separate test pieces into a single integrated test piece. By combining multiple through-holes with heat transfer tubes oriented in different directions within one test piece structure, the system achieves the same evaluation reliability that would require multiple separate test pieces, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and simplifying production.
Solution Approach 2:
The universal test piece design allows a single manufactured component to serve multiple evaluation purposes across different load directions. This multi-functionality eliminates the need to produce multiple specialized test pieces, directly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining comprehensive evaluation reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional test piece evaluation is used, then ease of manufacture is maintained, but measurement precision and confidence in results decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The test piece is segmented into multiple functional regions, each containing through-holes with heat transfer tubes oriented in different directions. This segmentation allows the single test piece to capture compressive strength characteristics across multiple load directions simultaneously, significantly improving measurement precision and confidence in the evaluation results while maintaining ease of manufacture through a unified production process.
Data Source
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AI summary
A reduction in cost and improvement in evaluation accuracy are achieved. Provided is an in-plane compressive strength evaluation device (10) that is provided with a memory unit (21) into which, when an in-plane compressive strength evaluation is actually performed using a test piece, an evaluation result related to the load and a displacement in the test piece is stored as first information; a first analysis unit (22) that obtains, by producing a structural model of a test piece and performing a simulation of the in-plane compressive strength evaluation, second information that is an evaluation result related to the load and a displacement of the structural model; an adjustment unit (23) that adjusts an elemental factor of the structural model that influences the in-plane compressive strength such that the second information approaches the first information; and a second analysis unit (24) that, in a state where the elemental factor used when the second information approaches the first information most closely is maintained, expands the structural model into the structural form of the actual tube support plate, and that performs the in-plane compressive strength evaluation using the expanded structural model.