Analysis of Vertically Mounted Through-Tube Heat Exchangers

A computer-oriented method for axisymmetric stress analysis of integral tubesheet exchangers is developed. The tubesheet is modeled as a composite plate consisting of a perforated interior and a solid annular plate bonded at the interface radius. The interaction of the shell and channel with the tubesheet is included in the analysis. To incorporate the effect of gravity loads in vertical units, the shell and tubeside pressures are allowed to be different at the two tubesheet locations. An analytical expression for the differential longitudinal expansion of the tubes over the shell is also devised.