The issue of the number of tube sheet hole bridges in fixed tube sheet heat exchangers
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Colleagues, has anyone ever considered how to calculate the number of hole bridges on the tube sheet? It’s easy to deal with dozens of tubes, but how do you calculate it when there are thousands of tubes?
It feels strange – why is it necessary to keep track of the number of bridge spans, and what’s the use of that number? Tell me, maybe there are other ways to do it
What’s there to calculate? Isn’t it done using specialized piping software? . .
That’s the situation: the corporate structure is quite complex. The main business involves refrigeration compressors, so pressure vessels are not manufactured at the main factory; instead, they are produced by a smaller subsidiary within the group. In other words, the manufacturing standards there are average. When I create drawings for the heat exchange tube sheet, I need to specify in the technical requirements the provisions outlined in clause 8.4.5.3 on page 104 of GB/T151-2014, which deal with the requirements regarding hole bridges after drilling. The standard specifies a percentage of the total number of hole bridges. My supervisor believes that rather than relying on workers to check things based on their judgment, it’s better to calculate the exact number according to the standard requirements. As a result, I spent ages trying to figure this out – apart from checking each one individually, what other way is there to determine the number of hole bridges?
Count the difference; each row differs from the one below by only one or two strands. Count the number of roots in each row and write it next to it; simple addition and subtraction operations are performed, with the results written next to each row. Finally, add them all together – you can use Excel for this as well.
There is no professional piping software; a CAD plugin from an online forum is used, and it lacks the functionality to count hole bridges
No one goes to count the arch bridges. . .
Mm-hmm, when I used to work on design in a specialized pressure vessel factory, for large heat exchangers with thousands of heat exchange tubes, I did the same thing when counting those tubes; it just seemed too troublesome. I was thinking about whether there might be some calculation formulas or something, but it seems I was overthinking it
Yes, that’s why I’d like to ask everyone for advice – does anyone have any good methods? Please share them