Effect of Downward Curvature on the Structural Performance of Perforated Support Plates in Ion Exchange Vessels

Perforated support plates in ion exchange vessels must balance structural integrity against flow and cost, yet the effect of curvature on their structural performance remains understudied. Using ANSYS Student 2026 R1 and SpaceClaim, a finite element analysis parametric study of 13 models was conducted. Each model shared the same diameter, thickness, material (316L stainless steel), porosity, hole size, and hole arrangement, with curvature, measured as the rise height, as the only variable. A uniform pressure was applied normal to the surface, and a fixed support was assigned along the rim, with rise heights ranging from 0 to 300 mm at 25 mm intervals. The maximum total deformation and maximum von Mises stress were extracted for each model; both dropped sharply with increasing rise height (~99.8% and ~96.4%, respectively), consistent with a shift toward membrane action, with the benefit front-loaded at low rise heights (~0–75 mm). These results indicate that modest curvature delivers most of the structural benefit, informing the design of perforated support plates. Prior work has examined curvature’s structural benefits and perforation’s effects on structural integrity separately. This paper presents a novel quantitative structural analysis that, for the first time, combines curvature and perforation in this application for ion exchange vessels, confirming established shell-theory phenomena while identifying a previously unquantified threshold for practical design use.