DESGNING SHELL & TUBE HUT EXCHANGERS: Avoid Vibration From The Start

摘要

Mechanical integrity is an essential consideration in heat exchanger design. The most common threat to this integrity is tube bundle vibration. So, the computer programs used for heat exchanger design incorporate procedures that assess this threat. However, such analysis is generally undertaken after exchanger geometry has been identified. The result can be that geometry that is optimal in terms of thermal performance is rejected for a more expensive alternative. This added expense is often unnecessary. This article shows that identification of geometry that avoids dangerous vibration can be undertaken as an integral part of the design process and provides insight on doing so. (Part 2 of this report, pp. 35-38 addresses the challenges of two-phase flow)