Non-probabilistic reliability analysis and design optimization for valve-port plate pair of seawater hydraulic pump for underwater apparatus

Seawater hydraulic axial piston pumps are widely used in underwater apparatus systems in recent years. Reliability of the valve-port plate pair is vital to the performance of seawater hydraulic axial piston pumps. As the distribution information of the material combinations and working conditions of seawater hydraulic axial piston pumps are insufficient, the probability reliability analysis methods are not available for the valve-port plate pair. This paper develops a non-probabilistic reliability convex model for the valve-port plate pair. Firstly, the rotation of the pump cylinder is partitioned into six stages. Based on this partition, the dynamic models of contact pressure and pv value (the product of contact specific pressure and linear velocity) of the valve-port plate pair are derived by accounting for the pre-compression angle. Secondly, the marginal interval for the limiting [pv] value (It is the usual criterion to evaluate the critical operating conditions under which the material fails) of the material combination was obtained through adhesive wear tests. Thirdly, a limit-state function is then established based on the stress-strength interference model. Finally, the analysis and sea test results indicate that the reliability of the valve-port plate pair has significantly improved by adding auxiliary support on the port plate.