Simulation of crack propagation in a centrifugal pump casing

Ramana .Podugu Dy Manager-FEA CUEC Bangalore

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Engineering Problem
Detecting the reason for the crack initiation at the cutwater region of a centrifugal pump casings using Ansys. Simulating the crack propagation along the volute of the casing from the cutwater region using Ansys and Franc3D soft wares. Finding good understanding between test results and FEA results.

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Static stress analysis

Meshing Model Boundary conditions

Boundary conditions

Loading conditions

Material data:

Hydro static pressure 12.4Mpa (1800 psi) is

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Stress distribution at the cutwater region

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Work flow between ansys and Franc 3D

Global Model

Local Model

Sub modeling approach

The area where crack has initiated is separated from the main model and considered as local model

The main model is considered as global model .

The both parts are written into CDB files with the

boundary and pressure conditions. Used sub modelling approach to save the runtime and computation time.
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Crack insertion procedure in Franc3D

Crack type Crack size

Crack orientation
Crack front radius

Mesh refinement at the cutwater region in franc3D

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Connection between franc3D and Ansys

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Finding SIF using J-Integral

Stress intensity factor

The Initial stress concentration at the crack insertion is 95 Ksi inch^0.5

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Displacement field at the crack

Maximum displacement at the initial crack is 0.03895 inch

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Stress field at the crack

Plastic zone ahead of the crack tip

Maximum Von-misses stress at the initial crack is 798030 Psi

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Crack Propagation techniques

Once the SIF solution for a given crack front is obtained, FRANC3D provides tools to estimate a new, propagated crack front. Because KI is in generally not constant along the crack front, the crack will not propagate evenly across the font . The user specifies the maximum propagation increment anywhere along the crack, delta amax, which would of course corresponding to the point where KI is highest. The crack extension everywhere else on the crack front is calculated based on the Paris power law.

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Crack Propagation at the critical area

Crack front at the 73 load step

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Crack Propagation at the critical area

Crack propagation at the 74 load step.

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Crack propagation at the last step

Crack propagation along the cut water region- Inner side of the casing

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Crack propagation at the last step

Crack propagation along the cut water region- outer side of the casing

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Results
SIF plot along the crack lenght
350.00 300.00

SIF ,Ksi root square (inch)

Original design

250.00 200.00 150.00 100.00 50.00 0.00 0.000

2.000

4.000

6.000

8.000

10.000

12.000

14.000

Crack lenght ,inch

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Results validation

FEA results

Test results

Crack formed at the cutwater region (inside the casing)

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Results validation

FEA results

Test results

Crack formed at the cutwater region (outside the casing)

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