Welded joints are an essential part of rocket engine structures such as the space shuttle main engine (SME) turbopumps. Defects produced in the welding process can be detrimental to weld performance. Recently, review of the SSME high pressure fuel turbopump (HPFTP) titanium inlet x rays revealed several weld discrepancies such as penetrameter density issues, film processing discrepancies, weld width discrepancies, porosity, lack of fusion, and weld offsets. Currently, the sensitivity of welded structures to defects is of concern. From a fatigue standpoint, weld offset may have a serious effect since local yielding, in general, aggravates cyclic stress effects. Therefore, the weld offset issue is considered in this report. Using the finite element method and beam-like plate approximations, parametric studies were conducted to determine the influence of weld offsets and a variation of weld widths in longitudinally welded cylindrical structures with equal wall thicknesses on both sides of the joint. Following the study, some conclusions are derived from the weld offsets.
Study of weld offset in longitudinally welded SSME HPFTP inlet
Untersuchung von Schweißfehlern im längs geschweißten Einlaß der Hochdrucktreibstoffpumpe im Space Shuttle
1992
7 Seiten, 16 Bilder, 2 Tabellen, 4 Quellen
Conference paper
English
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