Computational and experimental study of the stress state of the connecting rod of the opposed compressor to assess the probability of failure-free operation

Fatigue cracks in the piston heads of the connecting rods of opposed compressors can occasionally develop in service. A study of the loading of the connecting rods of the compressors operating in chemical production was carried out to assess the probability of their failure-free operation. Since the experimental study of stresses acting in large structural elements is rather difficult, the study of the stress state was carried out using computational methods with subsequent comparison of the results with the experimental data. When loading the connecting rod, there is an area affected by the distributed load and another area with a gap between the cylindrical surfaces where the contact pressure is absent. The forces acting on the boundary of the contact areas and the gap of the finger with the connecting rod bore are determined: the radial force N, tangential force Q and bending moment M. N and Q are considered functions of the contact angle α. Using numerical experiments, we determined the stresses in the zone from the angle α corresponding to the end of the contact zone to the angle of transition of the head in the shank of connecting rod in conditions of varied operational loads and gaps in the connecting rod — finger coupling. The values and character of changes in the loads affecting the crank mechanism of the compressor during operation are determined experimentally. The distribution of stresses in the sections of the connecting rod and the most loaded cross-sections are specified. the results of the numerical experiment are compared with the experimental data. Comparison of the results of numerical and field experiments has shown that the numerical experiment provides the similar assessment of the stress distribution, moreover, the numerical experiment allows us to estimate the simultaneous effect of both loads and gaps on the stress growth which is almost impossible to be determined by experimental studies.

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