Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Availability

Open Access Thesis

Keywords

Relief valves--Design and construction; Three-dimensional printing;

Abstract

Additive Manufacturing allows for faster, lower cost product development including customization, print at point of use, and low cost per volume produced. This research uses Stereolithography produced prototypes to develop an improvement to an existing product, the internal pressure relief valve of a positive displacement pump. Four 3D printed prototype assemblies were developed and tested in this research. The relief valve assemblies consisted of additive manufacturing produced pressure vessel components, post processed, and installed on the positive displacement pump with no additional machining. Prototype designs were analyzed with Computational Fluid Dynamic simulation to increase flow through the valve. The simulation was validated with performance testing to reduce the cracking to full bypass pressure range of the valve. By reducing this operational range of the valve, the power requirement of the pump drive system could be reduced allowing for increased energy efficiency in pump drive systems. Performance testing of the 3D printed relief valves measured pump flow, poppet movement within the valve, and discharge pressure at operational conditions similar to existing applications. The Stereolithography prototype assemblies performed very well, demonstrating a 56% reduction in the pressure differential of the cracking to full bypass stage of the valve. This research has demonstrated the short term ability of additive manufactured produced components to replace existing metal components in pressure vessel applications. Keywords: Additive Manufacturing, Stereolithography, Prototype, Internal Pressure Relief Valve, Positive Displacement Pump

Year of Submission

2018

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Technology

First Advisor

Scott Giese, Thesis Committee Chair

Date Original

5-2018

Object Description

1 PDF file (xi, 92 pages)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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