Analytical evaluation of stresses and displacements of stuffing-box packing based on a flexibility analysis

Although stuffing boxes are old systems used to ensure stem valve sealing, the analytical developments of the stresses and the displacements generated during assembly and operation are very limited and seldom verified and the studies carried out on these devices are either restricted or not accessible. Moreover, even with the evolution of calculation and simulation means, studies based on numerical models are rare. ork proposes a simplified analytical approach, using the theory of thick-walled cylinders to analyse the stresses and displacements in stuffing box systems. The magnitude and distribution of the lateral contact pressures generated at the housing–packing–stem interfaces as a result of the application of the gland axial stress are determined as a function of the radial flexibility of the different components involved. The results of the developed approach are compared and validated against the more accurate finite elements axisymmetric models.