Anti-Vibration Technologies for Heat Exchangers

Amar Wanni Zdenka F. Ruzek Fairfax, Virginia, USA

Research and Engineering

EPRI August 31, 2009

Outline
Anti-Vibration Solutions for Heat Exchangers
Dimpled Tube Saddled Tube

Modeling Application Screen Shots Example Design Performance Questions and Answers

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EPRI August 31, 2009

Anti-Vibration Technologies For Heat Exchangers

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company (EMRE) has developed a suite of new technologies to:
Improve reliability of existing equipment that may have already suffered vibration damage Provide tube vibration mitigation to an existing bundle predicted to have vibration problems at a future/planned increased throughput Modify baffle design to decrease shellside pressure drop while also providing vibration mitigation Design new exchangers with axial shell side flow to substantially decrease pressure drop (e.g., compressor circuits)

New technologies:
Dimpled Tube Supports (DTS) Saddled Tube Supports (STS) Slotted Baffle Exchangers (SBX)
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Overview
Eliminate tube chatter Suitable for U-bend and vertical bundles Applicable even when some of the tubes are warped HTRI software (Xvib) now includes DTS and STS modeling options Licensed to a select number of qualified heat exchanger manufacturers for applications worldwide Successfully used at ExxonMobil and third party sites ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company proprietary technology
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Dimpled Tube Supports (DTS)

Each strip is fabricated from a thin strip of metal Outer end consists of a dimpled region Dimples lock into tubes avoiding accidental dislodging Remainder of strip has corrugations somewhat similar to dimpled region Both dimpled and corrugated regions deflect tubes slightly thereby stiffening tubes and avoiding tube chatter Suitable for all tube layouts (30, 45, 60, and 90) Suitable for vertical tube bundles Modified DTS strip used as a U-Bend stiffener Applicable even when some of the tubes are warped
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Dimpled Tube Supports - Installation

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EPRI August 31, 2009

Saddled Tube Supports (STS)

Each support is formed by welding of two strips that are fabricated to provide Saddles A locking device prevents accidental dislodging of tube support Similar to DTS strips, each tube is slightly deflected to stiffen tubes and provide vibration mitigation Suitable for 45 and 90 tube layouts only Suitable for low-finned tubes made of softer metals such as carbon steel and brass Suitable for exchangers with axial shell side flow
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Saddled Tube Supports - Installation

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EPRI August 31, 2009

HTRI Xvib DTS/STS Modeling Options

Capability to simulate shell and tube heat exchanger with specific locations of DTS or STS and their effect on flow induced vibration probability Capability to model DTS and STS as tube supports to reduce unsupported tube span to affect flow induced vibration but without impacting pressure drop or flow velocity

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EPRI August 31, 2009

Anti-Vibration Technologies for Heat Exchangers

MODELING APPLICATION SCREEN SHOTS

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Anti-Vibration Technologies for Heat Exchangers

EXAMPLE DESIGN PERFORMANCE

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Repair of Failed Heat Exchangers (Example 1)

An LNG Plant experienced tube failures in a number of kettle reboilers Vibration analyses showed a very high probability for tube damage owing to fluidelastic instability as well as excessive cross-flow amplitudes owing to vortex shedding A field inspection showed heavy fretting at tube support locations on top 10 tube rows Unsupported tube span was around 4.5 ft for tubes having a diameter of 0.75 in and a wall thickness of 0.065 in DTS strips inserted at 1/3 and 2/3 locations within each unsupported span Free movement of tubes non-existent following DTS installation; no further vibration failures reported
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Kettle Reboiler

Original Conditions

Conditions withDTS

Duty (MBtu/hr)

244

244

P(psi)

0.29 0.29 4.1 YES

EPRI August 31, 2009

Fluidelastic Instability Ratio(FIR)

0.2 NO
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Vibration Problems?

Application of DTS Retrofit into Treat Gas Heater (Example 2)

Current Case has no vibration problems Future operating case with 30% increase in capacity predicted to have vibration problems Use of DTS allowed re-use of existing equipment while eliminating vibration potential A new design would have required replacement of both shell and bundle and potentially piping modifications
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Feed/ Effluent Heat Exchanger

TEMA BEU 33 x 126, 1 tubes 1,180 ft2 Segmented baffles

Design Conditions

30% Capacity Creep withoutDTS

30% Capacity Creepwith DTS

Duty (MBtu/hr)

49.4 64.2 64.2 8.4 NO 10.0 10.2 YES NO

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p(psi)

Vibration Problems?

EPRI August 31, 2009

An Optimum Design (Example 3)

Optimum conventional design even with double-segmental baffles has vibration problems Alternate conventional design to avoid vibration requires a larger shell diameter (44 in vs. 36 in) Alternate exchanger also requires NoTube-In-Window (NTIW) design Optimum Design with DTS:
No vibration problem Smaller shell diameter Lower shell side pressure drop
1.4 psi vs. 1.8 psi

Condensing Service Exchanger

Conventional Design (withno vibration) 44 x192

Optimum Designwith DTS 36 x192 PlainTubes Doubleseg 2p/1s

TEMA:AES

PlainTubes NTIW/Seg 2p/1s

Duty (MBtu/hr) Fluidelastic Instability Ratio(FIR)

17.7 1.8

17.7 1.4
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EPRI August 31, 2009

Anti-Vibration Technologies for Heat Exchangers

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

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