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Failure Analysis on a Collapsed Flat Cover of an Adjustable Ballast Tank Used in Deep-Sea Submersibles

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Failure Analysis on a Collapsed Flat Cover of an Adjustable Ballast Tank Used in Deep-Sea Submersibles applied sciences Article Failure Analysis on a Collapsed Flat Cover of an Adjustable Ballast Tank Used in Deep-Sea Submersibles Fang Wang 1, Mian Wu 2, Genqi Tian 3, Zhe Jiang 1, Shun Zhang 1, Jian Zhang 2 and Weicheng Cui 1,4,* 1 Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hadal Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; [email protected] (F.W.); [email protected] (Z.J.); Shun_zhang@rainbowfish11000.com.cn (S.Z.) 2 Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Manufacture and Process for Marine Mechanical Equipment, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212003, China; [email protected] (M.W.); [email protected] (J.Z.) 3 School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; [email protected] 4 School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, China * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 14 October 2019; Accepted: 28 November 2019; Published: 3 December 2019 Abstract: A flat cover of an adjustable ballast tank made of high-strength maraging steel used in deep-sea submersibles collapsed during the loading process of external pressure in the high-pressure chamber. The pressure was high, which was the trigger of the collapse, but still considerably below the design limit of the adjustable ballast tank. The failure may have been caused by material properties that may be defective, the possible stress concentration resulting from design/processing, or inappropriate installation method. The present paper focuses on the visual inspections of the material inhomogeneity, ultimate cause of the collapse of the flat cover in pressure testing, and finite element analysis. Special attention is paid to the toughness characteristics of the material. The present study demonstrates the importance of material selection for engineering components based on the comprehensive properties of the materials. Keywords: flat cover; adjustable ballast tank; fracture; high-strength maraging steel; toughness 1. Introduction Deep-sea manned/unmanned submersibles are the necessary high-tech equipment for ocean exploration. It is used to carry crews or equipment to various deep-sea complex environments for efficient exploration, scientific investigation and resource exploitation [1,2]. Deep-sea submersibles contain multiple complex systems. Buoyancy regulation system is one of the important subsystems of the submersible. The adjustable ballast tank is one of the key components, which can ensure that the submersible has a good ability of depth setting and weight fine-tuning [3–5]. Through the high-pressure seawater pump, seawater is pumped in and out of the ballast tank, and the buoyancy balance of the submersible in seawater is adjusted within a certain range. Reducing the weight for better performances such as range, speed, and payload is a significant consideration for the designers of the submersibles, as the weight-to-displacement ratio is used to evaluate the structural efficiency of underwater vehicles [1,2]. The weight of the submersible is distributed among the main components. At present, a spherical adjustable ballast tank with its promising application to a sea depth of 11,000 m and a volume of 300 L is designed, where domestic Appl. Sci. 2019, 9, 5258; doi:10.3390/app9235258 www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci Appl. Sci. 2019, 9, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 17 Reducing the weight for better performances such as range, speed, and payload is a significant consideration for the designers of the submersibles, as the weight-to-displacement ratio is used to Appl.evaluate Sci. 2019, 9the, 5258 structural efficiency of underwater vehicles [1,2]. The weight of the submersible2 of 15 is distributed among the main components. At present, a spherical adjustable ballast tank with its promising application to a sea depth of 11,000 m and a volume of 300 L is designed, where domestic ultra-highultra-high strength strength maraging maraging steel steel 18Ni(350) 18Ni(350) was was used used for for first first time time for for this this purpose, purpose as, shownas shown in in FigureFigure1. The 1. adjustableThe adjustable ballast ballast tank is composedtank is composed of upper andof upper lower hemispheres,and lower hemispheres, which are connected which are by aconnected Huff clamp. by a An Huff O-ring clamp. seals An theO-ring hemispheres seals the hemispheres at the end. Fine-tuningat the end. Fine makes-tuning the makes weight the of weight the submersibleof the submersible maintain positivemaintain buoyancy positive orbuoyancy produce or enough produce negative enough buoyancy negative for buoyancy safely sitting for safely at bottom.sitting A at flat bottom. cover is A beneficial flat cover for is installationbeneficial for of installation different cabin of different piercing cabin parts. piercing Sealing isparts. carried Sealing out is throughcarried a radialout through O-ring a and radi isal evenly O-ring locked and is withevenly the locked sphere with by screws.the sphere The by selection screws. ofThe maraging selection of steelmaraging for the current steel for ballast the current tank is ballast exactly tank based is exactly on the principlebased on ofthe strength principle enhancement of strength enhancement for lower weight.for lower This is weight. also the This first timeis also that the this first material time that has beenthis material used in deep-sea has been pressure used in vessels. deep-sea Some pressure of thevessels. candidate Some materials of the candidate for underwater materials pressure for underwater hulls, such pressure as titanium hulls, and such high as titanium strength and steel, high andstrength their main steel, properties and their can main be foundproperties in literature can be found [6–9]. in The literature candidate [6– material9]. The candidate for pressure material hulls for usingpressure 18Ni grade hulls using maraging 18Ni steels grade has ma beenraging preliminarily steels has been investigated preliminarily in terms investigated of their in application terms of their history,application performance, history, and performance, manufacturing and capability manufacturing by the authorscapability [9]. by The the damage authors tolerance [9]. The related damage performancestolerance related of 18Ni performances grade maraging of 18Ni steels, grade including maraging yield steels, ratio ( σincludingy/σb) and yield fracture ratio toughness, (σy/σb) and havefracture been evaluated. toughness, There have are been basically evaluated. four wroughtThere are commercial basically four maraging wrought steels commercial of the 18 percent maraging nickelsteels family of the i.e., 18 18Ni percent (200), nickel 18Ni family (250), i.e., 18Ni 18Ni (300), (200) and, 18Ni 18Ni (250), (350) 18Ni with (300), yield strengthand 18Ni ranging (350) with from yield 1400strength MPa to 2400ranging MPa from [10]. 1400 In the MPa development to 2400 MPa of ‘MIR’ [10]. In submersibles the development in the 1980s of ‘MIR [11’], submersibles new techniques in the to produce1980s [11], high new strength, techniques high to nickel-content produce high strength, steel 18Ni(250) high nickel for pressure-content hullssteel 18Ni(250) are applied for for pressure its twohulls pressure are applied spheres. for Up its to two now, pressure other grades spheres. of 18Ni Up to series now, of other maraging grades steels of 18Ni have series no application of maraging experiencesteels have in deep-sea no application pressure experience hulls. in deep-sea pressure hulls. (b) (a) Figure 1. Sketch of the adjustable ballast tank and its sealing cover: (a) front view of the adjustable ballastFigure tank; 1. ( bSketch) description of the adjustable of the sealing ballast cover. tank and its sealing cover: (a) front view of the adjustable ballast tank; (b) description of the sealing cover. The increase in strength is very powerful in reducing the weight of pressure hulls, but the only concern isThe that increase increased in strength strength generallyis very powerful leads to in a decreasereducing in the toughness weight of [12 pressure,13] while hulls, it is generallybut the only notconcern considered is that in the increased design ofstrength deep-sea generally compressive leads components. to a decrease Plane in toughness strain fracture [12,13] toughness while it is is angenerally important not factor considered to represent in the the design crack of resistance deep-sea property compressive of the components. material. Wherein, Plane strain 18Ni(250) fracture withtoughness yield strength is an important of 1700 MPa factor has to the represent plane-strain the crack fracture resistance toughness property level of of the 85–110 material. MPa Wherein,m1/2, · but18Ni(250) the value ofwith 18Ni(350) yield strength with yield of strength1700 MPa of 2400has the MPa plane rapidly-strain reduces fracture to 30–50 toughness MPa m le1/2vel[9 ,12of ,1385].–110 · ImprovingMPa·m the1/2, but toughness the value and plasticityof 18Ni(350) of maraging with yield steel strength can be done of 2400 in various MPa ways,rapidly such reduces as reducing to 30–50 harmfulMPa· elementsm1/2 [9,12 or,13]. gas Improving content in the steel toughness by a double and vacuum plasticity smelting of maraging process, steel controlling can be done inclusions in various morphology,ways, such adjusting as reducing microstructure harmful byelements special processing,or gas content and heatin steel treatment by a double processes vacuum [14]. Results smelting 5 haveprocess, shown thatcontrolling when the inclusion harmfuls elementsmorphology, in 18Ni(350) adjusting maraging microstructure steel are by reduced special to processing, 10− magnitude and heat at thetreatment same time, processes the number [14]. Results and volume have shown of inclusions that when are the greatly harmful reduced, elements which in 18Ni is an(350 important) maraging reasonsteel for are the red remarkableuced to 10−5 magnitude improvement at the of same fracture time, toughness the number of and ultra-pure volume 18Ni(350)of inclusions maraging are greatly steel. The influence of the toughness on the resistance to cracking for deep-sea components needs to be examined.
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