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Hinge Deflection Simulation

zwantz
1-Newbie

Hinge Deflection Simulation

Hey guys,

I have a sort of unique issue. I have door and a 3 part hinge that is mounted to a flange on a pressure vessel.  I'm trying to simulate the deflection after hanging the door and suggest a way to improve the design so that it is easier to mount the door and counteract the door's large bending moment. It needs to swing freely and have some degree of adjustment, which is why the pins are there.

This specific tank had only a ϕ48" OD. Another tank we are designing has a ϕ78" OD and a much more massive door but will utilize a similar hinge mechanism.

Im having issues properly constraining the simplified assembly so that I can get the correct response from the body. How should I constrain it such that I can properly get the door to attempt to rotate the hinge block, pins and bracket while keeping them sufficiently constrained?

I have tried planar constraints on the back side of the door, pin constraints on the hinge pins and removing the flange all together, placing fixed displacement constraints on the bracket face instead.

Simplified simulation assembly model. Just the Door, Hinge Plate, Hinge Pins, Flange and the attachment bracket.

1441_Tank_Door_Sim.PNG

The model with constraints. Im using a Pin constraint with rotation and translation fixed, a planar constraint on the inner face of the door and simple, gravity load.

1441_tank_door.PNG

1441_Tank.PNG

2 REPLIES 2
zwantz
1-Newbie
(To:zwantz)

I'm sure the problem has to do with rigid body motion, but that is precisely what I am trying to evaluate.

When I model structures like this, I typically use beam elements with beam releases at the endopints, to model hinges, and connect the beam endpoints to solids, using rigid or weighted links,

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