DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF A FLEXIBLE PIPE CONNECTION ON CREEP RANGE

An equipment manufacturer required CADE to conduct the validation design of a flexible pipe connection, between a reactor and a steam generator, to meet the requirements of the end user. This connection had to join the output of two pieces of equipment working at high temperatures and consider the displacement of one of the outputs when reaching a high temperature.

Initially, the manufacturer had proposed a helicoidal design, aimed to absorb the pressures generated by displacement and minimize stress on the connection. Once CADE performed the first Creep analysis, it was determined that the generated stress levels were too high in this first design, even in a state of rest, mainly due to the high weight of the pipe.

Then, a second design was proposed, also based on a spiral concept, although considering a much more horizontal and lighter geometry. However, the system was still too rigid to absorb the stresses generated by the displacement.  Finally, CADE was required to design and analyze (by means of Finite Element Analysis) an alternative solution for such connection.