Does the tube sheet flange experience radial stress?
Thread Content
Dear friends, I have a question for everyone: when the extended portion of the tube sheet is also used as a flange, it is necessary to calculate the flange stress as well. In GB150, flange calculations require the determination of radial, tangential, and axial stresses. Why, when the tube sheet also serves as a flange, does GB151 consider only the stress of the flange? When the tube sheet also serves as a flange, doesn’t this flange bear any radial stress? Welcome everyone to join the discussion!
Since the tube sheet is equivalent to a solid plate with openings, and unlike flanges, it has material in its central area similar to that of a flat cover. Compared to radial and circumferential stresses, axial stress is not on the same order of magnitude; therefore, axial stress is the key factor, and only this stress is checked.
Thank you for your participation. However, from the flange stress calculation formula in GB151, it seems that the stress calculated is more like the circumferential stress of the flange rather than the axial stress.