COMPARISON BETWEEN NUMERICAL AND THEORETICAL STUDIES FOR: FLANGE COUPLING DESIGN

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to compare the numerical and theoretical studies for designing and analyzing the stresses of a gray cast iron-protected flange coupling that connects a motor to a pump.

The flange was designed according to the analysis of the theoretical structure, and was modeled into a three-dimensional model by using the Solid Works program. The simulation was performed by using ANSYS Static Structural where an appropriate mesh, boundary conditions, and solution parameters were selected. Boundary conditions were the torque on the surface of the driving shaft and the fixed driven shaft.

The results have shown that the shaft and key are mostly affected by the applied torque. The applied torque had relatively little effect on the resulting parameters of the flange and the only significant effect on the bolt was at the points of contact with the flange.

The simulation results were compared with the theoretical and permissible pressures of the selected material; this comparison showed that the flange coupling material can withstand the applied torque without failure or deformation and within the acceptable margin of protection.