hr.

Printed
ELSEVIER

0308-0161(95)00015-1

J. Pres.

Ves. & Piping 67 (1996) 181-184

0 1996 Elsevier
Science Limited
in Northern
Ireland.
All rights reserved
030%0161/96/$15.00

A new approach to the analysis of a

tubesheet for a U-tube heat exchanger
D. N. Paliwal
Motilal

Nehru Regional

Engineering

College, Allahabad-211004,

India

(Received 18 December 1995; accepted8 February 1995)

A tubesheet for a U-tube heat exchanger is analysed on the basisof the

anisotropic theory of plates. The pattern of analysis is similar to the one
carried out by Singh and Soler (Mechanical Design of Heat Exchangers and
PressureVesselComponents,pp. 387-413. Arcturus, NJ, 1984)usingisotropic
theory of plate. In the limiting case, the present analysis yields the same
expressionsasthose of Singh and Soler.

NOTATION

d
d

E
5
&I
h
KC2
k
M
M@

M*
MO
NT
P
PI
r, 8, z

tc
4

constants of integration
radius of perforated region
outer radius of unperforated
region of tubesheet
flexural rigidity of annular unperforated rim, Eh/[12(1- v)]
flexural rigidity of tubesheet in
circumferential direction, E,h/
[12(1 - ~&)I
bolt circle radius
effective tube hole diameter
modulus of elasticity of parent
material of tubesheet
modulus of elasticity of perforated region in radial direction
modulus of elasticity of perforated region in circumferential
direction
tubesheet thickness
rotational spring rate at Y= a
a factor equal to m=
GE
radial bending moment
circumferential bending moment
edge loading parameter
radial bending moment at r = a
number of bolts in tubesheet
differential pressure (p, - ps)
effective tube pitch
cylindrical coordinate system

W o(r)

rl
CL
V

V,

V,

channel thickness
shell thickness
tubesheet displacement in zdirection
particular solution for axisymmetrically distributed load on
tubesheet
ligament efficiency
edge stiffness parameter
Poissons ratio of parent material
of tubesheet
Poissons ratio of perforated
region in radial direction
Poissons ratio of perforated
region in circumferential
direction
tubesheet rotation at r = a
flexural rigidity of tubesheet in
radial direction, E,h3/[12(1 -

WJI
INTRODUCTION

A tubesheet is an important component of a heat

exchanger from a structural, functional and cost
point of view. Its optimum design is of great
significance for a designer. Perforations in the
tubesheet, complicated mechanical loading due
to its connections with shell, channel and
tube-bundle
and differential
fluid pressure,
accompanied by residual stresses due to fabrica181

D. N. Paliwal

182

tion and the presence of thermal stresses, makes

it very difficult to carry out exact stress analysis
of a tubesheet. Any undrilled central region of
the U-tube tubesheet further complicates the
matter and it is almost impossible to calculate
theoretically the exact bending stresses at the
centre of such a U-tube tubesheet.
Despite these difficulties, Singh and Sole8
thoroughly investigated the tubesheet for fixedtubesheet, floating-head and U-tube heat exchangers. State-of-the-art analysis carried out by
them is one of the most important contributions
to the subject and shall remain a classic work for
years to come. Paliwal and Saxena2 analysed
U-tube tubesheet, using Pants component
theory.
In this paper the author has made a modest
attempt to analyse a tubesheet for U-tube heat
exchanger, employing an orthotropic theory of
plates. The pattern of analysis is based on the
work of Singh and Soler. They analysed a
U-tube tubesheet using classical isotropic theory
of plates. Lekhnitskii3 derived the governing
differential equation of a circular orthotropic
plate for symmetrical transverse loading. Carrier4
solved it for a uniformly
loaded circular
orthotropic plate. In the present work the
behaviour of the tubesheet is assumed to be that
of a circular orthotropic plate. Radial and
tangential directions are considered to lie in the
two planes of symmetry for elastic constants.
Effective elastic constants are represented by E,,
Ee, Y,. and ye. Values of these elastic constants
may be found by theoretical as well as by
experimental work.

in which
k=g+9
A general solution of eqn (1) for k # 1 is given
by:
w = A, + A2r2 + A3r+

where w,,(r) is a particular solution depending on

the load distribution; A,, AZ, A3, A, are arbitrary
constants of integration to be determined from
the boundary conditions on the edge and at the
centre.
Carrier4 derived the solution for a uniformly
loaded circular orthotropic plate as:
w =A, +Airl+k+

pr4

(3)

8(9 - k)O,

As the deflection and shear forces at the centre

are finite,
AZ=A4=0
Then the slope,
c$(r) = 2

= (1 + k)A3rk +

pr3

(4)

y;;

(5)

2(9 - k)Q

and
M, = D,(l + k)A,(k

+ vo)rk-

+ ;(;

The boundary condition,

M,I,=, = M, yields:
M _ (3 + %)Pa2
o
2(9-k2)
A3 = (1 + k)(k + v,)D,uk-

ANALYSIS
We consider an orthotropic circular plate of
radius a. We assume that the perforated plate
behaves like an orthotropic circular plate and the
two planes of symmetry with respect to its elastic
properties coincide with coordinate planes
containing r and 8 directions.
Lekhnitskii3 gave the following governing
differential equation of a circular orthotropic
plate for symmetrical loading:
1
1
wI+2,frr+k2 --wM+-W
2:
r
( r
r3 )

+ Aqrlpk + we(r)

(1)
I

(6)

Substituting the value of A3 from eqn (6) into

eqns (4) and (5) results in:

444 = 4WIr=a
a&
= (k + v&I,

- (k + ve;3

+ k)D,

(7)

and
M,(r) = M,,(b)
x[(.y-(;)2]

- (2;9 y$y2

(8)

A new approach to the analysis of a tubesheet for a U-tube heat exchanger

The circumferential
written as:

bending

moment may be

Me = DO(l - v,Y,) -4 + k%,Mr

(9)

After substituting the value of $(Y), we obtain:

Me=@-

vev,)k2M, r k-
0a
(k + v,)
kZ{ (3 + ve)(;)-pu2

- (k + ve)pr2}

183

and for a clamped plate, p+m

at r = a.
Examination of eqns (14), (15) and (16) reveals
that the maximum bending moment in the tube
plate is influenced by p, M*, and p.
Singh and Soler have provided excellent
detailed analysis for the determination of M* and
p for various edge conditions. The same analysis
holds good for a circular orthotropic plate. Thus
referring to Singh and Soler, we may write the
following:

2(/k + Y,)(9 - k2)

For two side integral

construction

+ k*v,M,

(10)
Following the procedure adopted by Singh and
Soler, new parameters K, and M* are introduced
to express the linear relationship between M, and
+(a) so that:
aM, = -K,+(a)

M*=-$($+l)(+)
l,(bla)

A,
(18)

2
(

(1+ Ye)
R 1

where

aM* + 2;y;)
aM, =

P=

+ aM*

(11)
Putting the value of +(a) from eqn (7) into eqn
(11) yields:

(17)

(12)

(1+/J)

in which
1

K,
p = (k + I@,

-=
K

112

2.568 5

+ 1+651(h/t)

Maximum bending moment in the tubesheet

occurs either at the centre or at the boundary.
Thus we determine:

1+1.285- bl/2tl/2

(20)

1 (21)

= 1, or t,

Mr(u)=Mo=(l+p)+(l:p).2(3pa+q

(14)
k2

Me(a) = (k + ve)

((1 - wr)

For one side integral,

construction

one side gasketed

+ vr(k + ye)1
M=--

N&B

d-

2?r a

- (l - d} 2(3pa:k)]

x (YTPI - YSPS)

(15)

and

In the vicinity of the centre

Mr(r=omo,,
= (0.0001)*[

lJ=

ln(b/a) + A,
?(1+v,)

(ly;)

in which
-${(3+v,)-$-}I

(16)

Now for a simply supported plate /.L= 0 at Y = a

(19)

D. N. Paliwal

184

r, = mean radius of shell gasket

B = bolt load
27tBd
L, = total bolt load = -

NB
NB = number of bolts in the unit
y+l)($+l)

(14), (15) and (16) respectively.

PI-d

n = ligament efficiency = ~

P
p = effective tube pitch as per ASME Code
d* = effective tube hole diameter as

per ASME Code

h = tubesheet thickness

CONCLUSION
d = bolt circle radius
For two-sided

gasketed

construction

- $YTPT

- Y,P,)

The foregoing analysis offers the possibility of

designing a U-tube tubesheet based on orthotropic theory. It also forecasts the employment of
composites for the fabrication of tubesheets. It
has been verified that in the limiting case as
k + 1, each and every expression reduces to the
corresponding equation derived by Singh and
Soler for isotropic material.

ln(bla)
P=

2 (1 + Ye)
R

Maximum

bending

stress in the tubesheet

REFERENCES
1. Singh, K. P. & Soler, A. I., Mechanical
Exchangers

The maximum bending stress in the tubesheet is

given by:
(T=- f34nlax
rlh2
where M,,, is the maximum bending moment out
of M,(a), MB(a) and M,(O*OOOla) given by eqns

and Pressure

Design of Heat
Vessel Components,
Arcturus

Publishers,Cherry Hill, NJ, 1984,387-413.

2. Paliwal, D. N. & Saxena, R. M., Designof tubesheetfor
U-tube heat exchangers, Journal
of Pressure Vessel
Technology, ASME, 115 (1993) 59-67.
3. Lekhnitskii, S. G., Anisotropic
Plates, Gordon and
Breach SciencePublishers,New York, 1987,369-373.
4. Carrier, G. F., The bending of the cylindrically
aeolotropic plate, Journal of Applied
Mechanics,
11
(1944).