Development of an Advanced Severe Service Valve Actuator

The objective of this project is to define and develop a concept for an electric actuator for high vibration service on valves on US Navy ships. Electric valve actuators for US Navy surface combatants are required to meet the requirements of DOD-V-24657(SH), including the MIL-STD-167-1 vibration requirements. Generally, vibrations aboard ships fall within these requirements, but on CVN 77, it has been discovered that valve actuators used on and around drainage eductors experience vibrations greatly exceeding MIL-STD-167-1 both in amplitude and frequency. In Phase I, Tri-Tec, a manufacturer of valve actuators for US Navy ships including CVN 77, proposes to identify sources of vibration induced failure by running simulations on 3-D solid models and performing physical testing on components and assemblies of its model CE valve actuator. This information will be used in a potential Phase II project to design, build, and test a robust valve actuator with demonstrated resistance to high vibration environments.