| Abstract: | Based on a paper by Hein, a dimensioning program for tube-bundle heat exchangers with straight tubes and fixed tube sheets has been developed. The equipment to be dimensioned is tested at 14 critical points, with regard to permissible stresses. The optimum thickness of the tube sheet, the shell and channel are subsequently selected on the basis of economic criteria. Compared to dimensioning according to AD-data sheet, it is possible to save between 10 and 25% of production costs. With the aid of a finite-element (FE) program, complex structures such as heat exchangers can be calculated accurately. Several mesh-generation programs were written for the data input. The structure of a tube-bundle heat exchanger with straight tubes is generated with 3/D elements with only some geometrical data. An FE-calculation of a heat exchanger is explained with the aid of an example and stress analysis is presented. |
