Strength Analysis and Structure Optimization of Gate Valve Body Based on Finite Element Software

Abstract

Stress concentration zone and maximumdeformation zone ofgate valve at 1.6MPaworking pressure were found out according to strength calculationand analysisby ANSYSsoftware, which proceedsthe processes of modeling, meshing, constraintsdefine, applyingloadsand solving. Design variables,state variablesand optimize targetswere defined by target optimization design function of ANSYS Workbenchin ordertoreveal the influence law of eachdesign variable onthe gate valve body equivalent stress,and the optimal valuesof design variablescould be obtained after calculation. The valve structure was improved and stress concentration was reduced from the perspective of safety and economy,whichcouldprovidea referencefor reliable valvedesign.The shape of the valve body was optimized by topology optimization design in order to achieve the rational use of materials.Researchresultsshow that the maximum stress lies on both sides of the valve rib plateand the stress is beyond thematerial allowable value, but the valve body has little deformation.After optimization the maximum equivalent stress of valve body is decreasedby23.91%and the valvebodyhasuniformstress distribution, the mass of the valve body is reduced by1.4%as well. Material utilization is improvedeffectively,which indicates that the optimizationdesignbased onANSYS Workbenchis highly efficient and reliable.