Random Excitation Forces in Heat Exchanger Tube Bundles

2000 ◽  
Vol 122 (4) ◽  
pp. 509-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. E. Taylor ◽  
M. J. Pettigrew

Random excitation forces can cause low-amplitude tube motion that will result in long-term fretting-wear or fatigue. To prevent these tube failures in heat exchangers, designers and troubleshooters must have guidelines that incorporate random or turbulent fluid forces. Experiments designed to measure fluid forces were conducted at the Chalk River Laboratories and at other laboratories worldwide. The data from these experiments were studied and collated, to determine suitable guidelines for random excitation forces. In this paper, a guideline for random excitation forces in single-phase cross flow is presented in the form of normalized spectra that are applicable to a wide range of flow conditions and tube frequencies. In particular, the experimental results used in this study were conducted over the full range of flow conditions found in the liquid region of a nuclear steam generator. The proposed guidelines are applicable to steam generators, condensers, reheaters and other shell-and-tube heat exchangers. They may be used for flow-induced vibration analysis of new or existing components, as input to vibration analysis computer codes and as specifications in procurement documents. [S0094-9930(00)00603-X]

Author(s):  
E. S. Perrot ◽  
N. W. Mureithi ◽  
M. J. Pettigrew ◽  
G. Ricciardi

This paper presents test results of vibration forces in a normal triangular tube bundle subjected to air-water cross-flow. The dynamic lift and drag forces were measured with strain gage instrumented cylinders. The array has a pitch-to-diameter ratio of 1.5, and the tube diameter is 38 mm. A wide range of void fraction and fluid velocities were tested. The experiments revealed significant forces in both the drag and lift directions. Constant frequency and quasi-periodic fluid forces were found in addition to random excitation. These forces were analyzed and characterized to understand their origins. The forces were found to be dependent on the position of the cylinder within the bundle. The results are compared with those obtained with flexible cylinders in the same tube bundle and to those for a rotated triangular tube bundle. These comparisons reveal the influence of quasi-periodic forces on tube motions.


Author(s):  
H. Senez ◽  
N. W. Mureithi ◽  
M. J. Pettigrew

Two-phase cross flow exists in many shell-and-tube heat exchangers. Flow-induced vibration excitation forces can cause tube motion that will result in long-term fretting wear or fatigue. Detailed flow and vibration excitation force measurements in tube bundles subjected to two-phase cross flow are required to understand the underlying vibration excitation mechanisms. Studies on this subject have already been done, providing results on flow regimes, fluidelastic instabilities, and turbulence-induced vibration. The spectrum of turbulence-induced forces has usually been expected to be similar to that in single-phase flow. However, a recent study, using tubes with a diameter larger than that in a real steam generator, showed the existence of significant quasi-periodic forces in two-phase flow. An experimental program was undertaken with a rotated-triangular array of cylinders subjected to air-water cross-flow, to simulate two-phase mixtures. The tube bundle here has the same geometry as that of a real steam generator. The quasi-periodic forces have now also been observed in this tube bundle. The present work aims to understand turbulence-induced forces acting on the tube bundle, providing results on drag and lift force spectra and their behaviour according to flow parameters, and describing their correlations. Detailed experimental test results are presented in this paper. Comparison is also made with previous measurements with larger diameter tubes. The present results suggest that quasi-periodic fluid forces are not uncommon in tube arrays subjected to two-phase cross-flow.


Author(s):  
G. Ricciardi ◽  
M. J. Pettigrew ◽  
N. W. Mureithi

Two-phase flow in power plant steam generators can induce tube vibrations, which may cause fretting-wear and even fatigue cracks. It is therefore important to understand the relevant two-phase flow-induced vibration mechanisms. Fluidelastic instabilities in cross-flow are known to cause the most severe vibration response in the U-bend region of steam generators. This paper presents test results of the vibration of a normal triangular tube bundle subjected to air-water cross-flow. The test section presents 31 flexible tubes. The pitch-to-diameter ratio of the bundle is 1.5, and the tube diameter is 38 mm. Tubes were flexible in the lift direction. Seven tubes were instrumented with strain gauges to measure their displacements. A broad range of void fractions (from 10% to 90%) and fluid velocities (up to 13 m/s) were tested. Fluidelastic instabilities were observed for void fractions between 10% and 60%. Periodic fluid forces were also observed. The results are compared with those obtained with the rotated triangular tube bundle, showing that the normal triangular configuration is more stable than the rotated triangular configuration.


Author(s):  
Christoph Reichel ◽  
Klaus Strohmeier

In many technical fields, e.g. heat exchangers, circular cylinders are involved in Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) problems. Therefore correct frequency and magnitude of fluid forces, respectively Strouhal number, drag and lift coefficient are needed. If fluid forces are evaluated with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), mostly flow around a rigid cylinder is used to verify model and numerical methods. Unfortunately experimental as well as numerical results show great variation, making verification and testing of models difficult. Reynolds number is regarded as main influencing parameter for a rigid cylinder in cross flow. Most of experimental deviations can be related to other parameters, which differ from experiment to experiment. In this paper such parameters are specified and it is shown, that a closer look is needed, if one really wants to verify a model. Besides experimental results, which can be found in literature, some parameters are investigated by numerical simulation. Like experiments CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations show a huge bandwidth of results, even when the same turbulence model is used. Flow around cylinders separates over a wide range of Reynolds numbers. It will be demonstrated that, using CFD, large deviations in fluid forces can often be related to miscalculation of the point of separation.


Author(s):  
Nitin D. Pagar ◽  
S. H. Gawande

Abstract Shell and tube heat exchangers [STHE] play a very vital role in energy conversion systems, process industries like chemical, pharmaceutical, refineries etc. and in different power plants. For designing shell and tube heat exchangers, the tubes vibrational response (internally) to any random excitations of fluid flow need to be understandable. Also, circumferential inlet pipe or tube at the entrance region of the shell side, generally subject to the fluid thrust in the bends of typical pipe arrangements. It produces loadings forces and moments, leading to unavoidable vibrations. The goal of vibration analysis is to ensure that fatigue damage or fretting wear does not occur, as well as, predicted frequencies, amplitudes shall be within acceptable limits criteria. This paper reports the vibration analysis of different piping arrangement of different end conditions to understand its effects on frequencies and modes so that a designer must mitigate it, at the initial stage. Axial, lateral and torsional vibrations are analyzed for different end conditions. The boundary conditions used are both ends fixed, one end fixed and other end free, both ends free and one end fixed-other end attached to a weight. Analytical procedure is carried out to determine the frequencies for axial, lateral and torsional cases. FEA analysis and experiment using an FFT analyzer is carried out to check the convergence of the results. Very useful results are established which generates the philosophy to protect the pipings from the resonant frequencies subjected to different end conditions.


Vestnik IGEU ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 12-21
Author(s):  
A.I. Khaibullina ◽  
A.R. Khairullin

Shell-and-tube heat exchangers are widely used in different industries. Even a small increase in the efficien-cy of shell-and-tube heat exchangers can lead to significant energy savings. One of the ways to improve the efficiency of shell-and-tube heat exchangers is the use of pulsating flows for the enhancement of heat ex-change. Despite the fact that heat transfer in the tube bundle cross flow in steady-state conditions has been studied quite well, there is limited data on heat transfer in pulsating flow, which means that the problem of finding regularities of heat transfer with pulsating flows in tube bundles is still important. The work employs the incompressible Reynolds averaged Naviere-Stokes (URANS) equations and the continuity equation. Heat transfer is described by the convective heat transfer (Fourier-Kirchhoff) equation. The calculations are performed using Ansys Fluent. A numerical study has been conducted of the effects of forced asymmet-rical pulsating flow on heat exchange in in-line tube bundle cross-flow conditions. In the numerical experi-ment the Reynolds number Re ranged from 1000 to 2000, the relative pulsating amplitude A/D – from 1 to 2, the Strouhal number Sh – from 0,77 to 1,51, the Prandtl number and the duty cycle had fixed values: Pr = 7,2,  = 0,25. The relative transverse and longitudinal pitch was s1,2/D = 1,3. It has been found that pulsating flows lead to the enhancement of heat transfer in the whole range of the studied operating parameters. An increase in A/D and Sh leads to bigger Nusselt number Nu. An increase in the Re number leads to a de-crease in the Nu ratio in pulsating and steady flow conditions. The general correlation obtained based on the numerical study results can be used to predict heat transfer in a pulsating flow in the range of the studied geometric and operating parameters. More research is needed to predict heat transfer in a wider range of operating parameters and with other tube bundle configurations.


2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Mohany

Self-excited acoustic resonance is a design concern in many engineering applications such as tube bundles of heat exchangers and boilers. Since this phenomenon is not yet fully understood, it can be dangerously unpredictable. Due to the complexity of the flow-sound interaction mechanisms in tube bundles, the simplified cases of a single cylinder and two cylinders in various arrangements, tandem and staggered, are investigated in some detail. A summary of these investigations is presented in the current paper. It is found that the aeroacoustic response of two-tandem and side-by-side cylinders in cross-flow can be considerably different from that of a single cylinder under similar flow conditions. Moreover, for the case of two tandem cylinders, the acoustic resonance is excited over two different ranges of flow velocity; the pre-coincidence and the coincidence resonance ranges. The pre-coincidence acoustic resonance phenomenon is found to be similar to the acoustic resonance mechanism of in-line tube bundles.


Author(s):  
Michel J. Pettigrew ◽  
Colette E. Taylor

Design guidelines were developed to prevent tube failures due to excessive flow-induced vibration in shell-and-tube heat exchangers. An overview of vibration analysis procedures and recommended design guidelines is presented in this paper. This paper pertains to liquid, gas and two-phase heat exchangers such as nuclear steam generators, reboilers, coolers, service water heat exchangers, condensers, and moisture-separator-reheaters. Part 2 of this paper covers forced vibration excitation mechanisms, vibration response prediction, resulting damage assessment, and acceptance criteria.


Author(s):  
Victor P. Janzen ◽  
Erik G. Hagberg ◽  
James N. F. Patrick ◽  
Michel J. Pettigrew ◽  
Colette E. Taylor ◽  
...  

In nuclear power plant steam generators, the vibration response of tubes in two-phase cross-flow is a general concern that in some cases has become a very real long-term wear problem. This paper summarizes the results of the most recent U-bend vibration-response tests in a program designed to address this issue. The tests involved a simplified U-tube bundle with a set of flat-bar supports at the apex, subjected to two-phase air-water cross-flow over the mid-span region of the U-bend. Tube vibration properties and tube-to-support interaction in the form of work-rates were measured over a wide range of flow velocities for homogeneous void fractions from zero to 90%, with three different tube-to-support clearances. The measured vibration properties and work-rates could be characterized by the relative influence of the two most important flow-induced excitation mechanisms at work, fluidelastic instability and random-turbulence excitation. As in previous similar tests, strong effects of fluidelastic instability were observed at zero and 25% void fraction for pitch velocities greater than approximately 0.5 m/s, whereas random turbulence dominated the tube vibration and work-rate response at higher void fractions. In both cases, a link between vibration properties and the effect of the flat-bar supports could be established by comparing the vibration crossing frequency, extracted from time-domain vibration signals, to the participation of the lowest few vibration modes and to the measured work-rate. This approach may be useful when fluidelastic instability, random turbulence and loose supports all combine to result in high work-rates. Such a combination of factors is thought to be responsible for excessive U-tube fretting-wear in certain types of operating steam generators.


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