Seeking advice on heat exchanger baffle issues
Thread Content
I read in a reference book that \"adjusting the spacing of the baffle plates can help to prevent vibrations induced by the tube bundle.\" ” May I ask what spacing level can cause vibration, and how is this generally specified during the design phase?
Waiting for the expert’s answer; I only know that it is generally distributed at equal intervals.
Generally, during the structural design phase it is necessary to ensure that the spacing between baffle plates does not exceed the standard value for unsupported spans. Vibration issues are usually taken into account during heat transfer design; they will specify the spacing between the inlet baffle plates as well as the spacing between other baffle plates. Whether vibration occurs is determined by the heat transfer calculations. As for any universal guidelines on this matter, I haven’t encountered any such things yet
This doubt arises because in a recent leak incident in the heat exchange tubes, tests showed that the leaks occurred at the points where the tubes came into contact with the baffle plates; the vibration caused the baffle plates to cut through the tubes, resulting in leaks. One possible reason for the vibration of this heat exchanger is the 17 baffle plates distributed across its 2.4-m-long shell. I’ve never seen baffles arranged so densely, so I’m asking. Hope for expert answers.
Pay special attention to whether the tube hole dimensions of the baffle plates are out of tolerance!
Could you describe the exact location of the leak point? Is it near the shell-side inlet pipe? Is it present along the entire length as well? If the leakage points are concentrated near the inlet fitting, is the flow velocity at the shell-side fluid inlet too high? If the leakage points are evenly distributed, it is more likely that there is a problem with the machining of the tube holes in the support plate.
I usually use the HTRI software for simulation, and it will give some prompts. It’s hard to say exactly what the spacing should be; it depends on the properties of the fluid and the size of the heat exchange tubes, I guess
This is related to the medium used in the internal circulation and the operating conditions; in simple terms, it is the properties of the medium and its flow rate that determine the size and number of baffle plates. Baffles can improve heat transfer efficiency and also serve to support the tube bundle; meeting these two requirements is sufficient