Finite element model to investigate the dynamic instability of ring stiffened conical shells subjected to flowing fluid

In this study, the vibration stability (i.e., static divergence) and critical velocity of fluid-conveying, ring-stiffened, truncated conical shells are investigated under various boundary conditions. The shell is characterized using Sanders’ theory, while the fluid is modeled using a velocity potential approach with the impermeability condition at the fluid-shell interface. Using linear superposition, the natural frequencies corresponding to each flow velocity are determined by satisfying the dynamic characteristic equation and boundary conditions. Critical velocities are identified where the natural frequencies vanish, indicating static divergence. Parametric studies are conducted to investigate the effect of ring stiffeners on the critical velocities with respect to the semi-cone angle, number of rings, and boundary conditions. The proposed model is validated through comparison with published data. It is found that the rings significantly affect the stability of the cone under different boundary conditions. Instability in stiffened shells occurs at higher critical fluid velocities than in unstiffened shells across all boundary conditions. An increase in the vertex angle leads to a decrease in critical flow discharge.