Structural Performance of Cylindrical Pressure Housings of Different Ceramic Compositions Under External Pressure Loading. Part 2. Zirconia Toughened Alumina Ceramic.

摘要

Ten 12-inch-outside diameter (OD) by 18-inch-long by 0.412-inch-thick monocoque cylinders fabricated by WESGO, Inc. from zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) ceramic were assembled into external pressure housings and experimentally evaluated under short-term, and cyclic-pressure loadings. This study was undertaken as part of a program to promote the application of ceramics to large external pressure housings for underwater vehicles. Pressure testing was performed to generate structural performance data that could be used to establish design criteria for external pressure housings constructed using ZTA ceramic as the primary hull material. Design curves for ZTA ceramic housings are presented that relate the maximum number of operational dive cycles to the maximum allowable stresses in the ceramic housing during each dive cycle. ZTA ceramic was found to be a reliable structural material for fabrication of cylindrical external pressure housings with a minimum fatigue life of 1,000 cycles at nominal design stresses of -190,000 psi in the hoop direction. ZTA was also evaluated by comparing its structural performance to that of alumina ceramic for use as the primary structural material for deep submergence external pressure housings. Ceramics, External pressure housing, Ocean engineering.