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Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering

Sealing Performance of Beam Tube Flange Connections Under Internal Pressure and External Bending Loads

Published:
2026-05-13
DOI Linkhttps://doi.org/10.21791/IJEMS.2026.08
Authors
Usman Aslam,
Kamran Ahmed Khan,
Waqqas Ahmad
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Keywords
Bolted Joints FEA TCM SCM EPDM Stress Relaxation Gasket Stress
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Copyright (c) 2026 Usman Aslam, Kamran Ahmed Khan, Waqqas Ahmad

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How To Cite
Selected Style: APA
Aslam, U., Khan, K. A., & Ahmad, W. (2026). Sealing Performance of Beam Tube Flange Connections Under Internal Pressure and External Bending Loads. International Journal of Engineering and Management Sciences, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.21791/IJEMS.2026.08
Received 2026-03-16
Accepted 2026-05-13
Published 2026-05-13
Abstract

Pipe flange connections are critical components in nuclear and petrochemical facilities, where reliable sealing and structural integrity are essential for safe operation. In research on open-pool reactors, ion beam tubes represent a specialized application of flange-connected pressure boundaries. This study investigated the structural response and sealing performance of a beam tube–flange assembly using three-dimensional nonlinear finite element analysis. The beam tube was evaluated under two operating conditions: an empty configuration and a configuration subjected to externally applied mechanical loads. Stress analysis indicated that the maximum Von Mises stress in the beam tube remained well below the material yield strength and satisfied the design deformation limit of 3 mm for both loading scenarios. Sealing performance assessment of the flange joint showed a bolt stress variation of 23 MPa, which remained within acceptable design limits. The corresponding gasket stress variation was 0.49 MPa, with maximum and minimum gasket stresses were within the recommended operating range of 1.4–8 MPa. Time-dependent analysis revealed gasket stress relaxation of 3.5% for the empty beam tube and 3.78% for the externally loaded case. The finite element results were validated using analytical models, demonstrating good agreement with discrepancies ranging from 0.01% to 5.8%. The findings confirmed the structural adequacy and sealing reliability of the beam tube–flange assembly under the investigated operating conditions, providing a robust basis for safe design and operation in research reactor applications.

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