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Abstract
Valves, such as the ones shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, are very common throughout Navy vessels in systems which transport various materials such as water, steam, and oil. Over their lifetime the valve Stellite seatings are rehabilitated by being ground down to create a smooth surface. If the seating surface is ground to a thickness lower than 3/32 in, the valve will be considered inoperable. It was necessary to design a portable device that can be used by Newport News Shipbuilding to measure the thickness of Stellite coatings on valve seating surfaces. A device that could be used on both globe and gate valves was to be designed and prototyped as a proof of concept.
Throughout the design process a decision was made to focus on gate valves due to the financial and time limitations placed on the project. The final design proposes the use of ultrasonic technology to measure the valve seat thickness. The prototyped mechanism demonstrates the ability to allow the probe to maintain constant contact with the valve seating throughout its measurement. This portable apparatus will be able to save Newport News Shipbuilding resources by increasing the longevity of its valves used throughout the operable life of their ships. As work on the project continues, an ultrasonic transducer needs to be purchased and the design needs to be adapted to be used with globe valves to fulfill the initial project requirements. By completing these tasks, the design will be able to be used in the field by Newport News Shipbuilding workers.
Publication Date
2016
Keywords
Mechanical and nuclear engineering, Valves, Thickness Measurement, Ultrasonic Technology, Stellite Coating
Disciplines
Engineering | Mechanical Engineering | Nuclear Engineering
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Ibrahim Guven
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
James Carter
VCU Capstone Design Expo Posters
Rights
© The Author(s)
Date of Submission
August 2016