Seismic Qualification of Safety-Critical Butterfly Valves
Project Overview
PDL supported Heap & Partners, a leading supplier of butterfly valves, in the qualification of a range of valve designs for a safety-critical defence application. The valves were required to demonstrate resilience to extreme seismic and shock loading conditions and undergo formal shaker table testing. With project schedules placing significant pressure on design completion, PDL delivered an advanced simulation programme to virtually validate the designs prior to manufacture and testing.
Our Solution
Our engineers deployed a comprehensive suite of simulation tools, including ANSYS Mechanical for structural analysis and ANSYS Fluent for thermal-fluid interaction. We developed a detailed 3D model of the component, applying realistic boundary conditions and material properties. Key aspects of our solution included:
Material Characterization : Incorporating advanced material models to accurately represent behavior under irradiation and high temperatures
Topology Optimization : Identifying optimal material distribution to reduce weight while maintaining structural integrity.
Thermal-Structural Coupling : Simulating the interaction between temperature fields and structural deformation.
Fatigue Life Prediction : Performing high-cycle and low-cycle fatigue analysis to predict component lifespan.
The virtual qualification programme enabled potential design concerns to be identified and resolved before manufacturing commenced, significantly reducing technical risk and programme uncertainty. The analyses demonstrated compliance with the required seismic loading conditions and justified the minimum physical testing strategy required for qualification. When the manufactured valves subsequently underwent shaker table testing, all valves passed successfully on their first test campaign. The project accelerated delivery, reduced development costs and provided confidence in the final valve designs while maintaining the stringent safety requirements expected within the defence sector.
Client: Heap & Partners
Sector: Defence
Service Provided: Advanced Analysis, FEA, Seismic Assessment, Dynamic Response Analysis, Design Verification
Challenge: Rapid qualification of multiple valve designs for seismic and shock loading without extensive prototype testing
Outcome: First-time pass during physical testing, reduced development timescales and minimised testing costs through advanced virtual qualification
