Is the tube sheet a pressure-bearing component of the shell side or the tube side?
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RT, I have just started working with heat exchanger design, and I would like to ask whether the tube sheet counts as a primary pressure-bearing component in the shell side or the tube side? Because the test pressure for pneumatic (hydraulic) testing must be determined based on the ratio of the allowable stress of the stressed component at normal temperature to its allowable stress at the actual temperature, if I have a heat exchanger with shell tubes made of grade 20 seamless steel and tube sheets made of Q345R, with a design pressure of 2.0 for the shell side and a design temperature of 120°, then what should be the test pressure for pneumatic testing of the shell side?
From the perspective of the stressed components, the tube sheet belongs to both the tube side and the shell side. The test pressure during pressure testing also depends on the design pressure and design temperature of the tube side.
The tube sheet belongs to both the tube side and the shell side. When determining the test pressure, it is determined according to the respective tube side and shell side. To meet the most demanding operating conditions. When calculating the strength of the tube sheet, it is also done under various operating condition combinations to meet the most demanding conditions.
Thank you to the two people above**:lol. The new regulatory requirements state that the lowest of the various test pressures should be used. If the tube sheet is made of 345R material, its allowable stress remains the same at room temperature and at 120°; in other words, a ratio of 1 represents the minimum value. Therefore, the test pressures for the shell side and the tube side should be calculated by multiplying their respective design pressures by 1.1, right? I’ve always been confused by the idea of using the lowest value – in my opinion, it would be more appropriate to use the highest value instead. Please help clarify this for me
The test pressure should be specified separately; the tube sheet is a separate pressure-bearing component and is not related to the calculation of the test pressure, right?
The heat exchange tubes belong to the tube side, while the equipment shell (i.e., the outer casing) belongs to the shell side; these are distinct concepts. The design pressures are different, as are the test pressures