HyPerComp Blast Chamber Access/Closure

Team: James Blake, Blake Buffington, Zachary Smith, and Gavin Stoker

Sponsor: HyPerComp

Problem Description

HyPerComp Engineering is targeting an improved design of a blast chamber lid to make testing operations safer, faster, and easier. The lid is meant to contain debris and other potentially destructive effects of a COPV burst during testing. HyPerComp has an existing blast chamber that is difficult to access and operate. The current blast chamber door is a large inconvenience to the company, and they have asked us to make a new design for it.

Our Design

Overall design components. Labeled starting top-left and going clockwise: Chamber Door, Existing Chamber, Support Structure, Vertical Adjust, Arm, Horizontal Adjust, Locking mechanism.

Overall design components

Support structure with Vertical Adjustment. Labeled starting top-left and going clockwise: jack moves door up and down, attachment points

Support structure with Vertical Adjustment

Arm subassembly. Labeled starting top-left and going clockwise: slots to allow horizontal movement, needle bearing to resist rotation, tapered roller bearing to support thrust load.

Arm subassembly

Horizontal Adjustment. Labeled starting top-left and going clockwise: Bolts pass throught the front plate to the back plate, existing holes in door, jack moves door horizontally.

Horizontal Adjustment

Locking Mechanism. Labeled starting top-left and going clockwise: Steel bars placed behind door in closed position, backets can be slid back for opening clearance.

Locking Mechanism

Completed and installed design

Completed and installed design 1
Completed and installed design 2
Completed and installed design 3

Analysis

FEA static analysis of structure under effect of gravity shows slight strain in arm and large stress over-reporting near bolt holes

FEA static analysis of structure under effect of gravity shows slight strain in arm and large stress over-reporting near bolt holes

Calculated opening force when pulling on the left side of door

Calculated opening force when pulling on the left side of door

Displacement analysis shows less than 1/8" of deformation at the left edge of door

Displacement analysis shows less than 1/8" of deformation at the left edge of door

Design Performance

Requirement / Constraint Target Threshold Performance
Lid interference when open N/A 0 in² 0 in²
Support weight of lid N/A 1550 lbf 1550 lbf
Lid radial tolerance when closed ¼ in ½ in ½ in
Required opening/closing force 25 lbf 50 lbf 10 lbf
Safety Factor 4 2 2

Conclusion

  • Design met or exceeded all requirements
  • Door falls closed; needs a stopper to stay open
  • Larger tolerances are required for aligning multiple holes

Future Work

  • Corrosion Resistive Layer
  • Position Locking of door in open position
  • Using Electric/Pneumatic Jacks
  • Make use of radial hole to lock door