30 Ncmer037
30 Ncmer037
30 Ncmer037
26 -27 MAY 2010, FKM Conference Hall, UMP, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia ; pp. 292-307
ISBN: 978-967-5080-9501 (CD ROM); Editors: M.M. Rahman, M.M. Noor and K. Kadirgama
Universiti Malaysia Pahang
ABSTRACT
In this paper, a bundle of 6 tubes of DIN 1.4878 with each 20300 mm length, 511 mm
diameter and 5 mm thickness operates under thermal and rotary bending stress with
fixed support at one-end and simply supported (fix and adjustable) at the various point
are examined. Newly installed tubes failed before 1 year in operation compared to 13
years from the previous one. Failure mood identified; severe metal loss and cracks at the
outer tubes surface in contact with the supports and connection bolts snapped. Authors
main objective is to examine the tubes and try to indentify the problems and suggestions
to overcome the tube failure.
Keywords: Shell and tube heat exchanger, thermal stress, rotary bending, tube failure
INTRODUCTION
Cooling is a very important process in many industries today. During the cooling
process, catastrophic failure of tubes often happens on shell & tube type of heat
exchanger compared to other component. A set of tube called tube bundle located inside
the shell is impossible to be inspect without shutting the equipment down. Tube failure
more often discovered when process data shows an up-set result and it is already too
late. It is important to understand all the stresses acting to the tubes and to ensure all the
stresses been taken into consideration during design stage. Heat exchanger (HE)
calcified as a specialized devise that assist in the transfer of heat from one fluid to the
other. In general, HE is known as a static type of equipment. Stress analysis of the
equipment is more focus on mechanical stresses of installation, startup, shutdown,
normal operation, emergencies and maintenance and thermal stress induced by
temperature differences. There are four types of failure of heat exchanger that can
possibly occur: mechanical, chemically induced, combination of mechanical and
chemically induced and scale, mud and algae fouling (P. Schwartz, 1982). Dynamic
type of HE is a lot more complicated and being used in specific type of industries.
Indirect Air-Cooled Rotary Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger (IACRSTHE) or Cooler is
widely use in cement and pigment manufacturing industry and it assist the transfer of
heat from solid to the fluid (ambient air). Working temperature applied is anonymously
high. The temperature of bulk-material is up to 950C at the inlet tube. As the HE
rotates, there is another stress that need to be taken into consideration; Rotary Bending
Stress (RBS). RBS results the tubes experiencing tension-compression stress, which the
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Failure Analysis of Heat Exchanger Tubes in the Indirect Air-Cooled Rotary Shell
position continuously changes due to the rotational movement of the tubes (Andrea,
2000).
It is also important to understand the effects caused by changes of operating
parameters that may lead to catastrophic failure to the equipment. In large capacity or
size of HE, the design may imposed quite a complex mechanism with limited
mechanical adjustment parameter range especially in dynamic type of HE. Slight
changes in operating parameter i.e.: temperature surge, will cause different magnitude
of material expansion and further will affect the cold gaps (allowable restriction) on
tubes-to-shell supports that been set for certain range of temperature and lead to metal
loss due to rubbing effect from the rotational movement of equipment.
Sequence of Tube Failure Event
September, 2007
October, 2007
February, 2008
November, 2008
February, 2009
energy saving utilization. Plant concepts utilizing this energy can save a corresponding
amount of primary energy; fuel and electricity. Depending in individual case, the
exhaust temperature is usually at a relatively high and efficiently usable level of 150 to
300C.
294
Failure Analysis of Heat Exchanger Tubes in the Indirect Air-Cooled Rotary Shell
Tube Failure
Tube failures in heat exchanger have been studied by several authors (Nusair and
Usman, 2006, Jose and Pablo 2004, Purbolaksono et al, 2008 and B. Kuznicka, 2009)
and are mainly focused on static type of equipment. The failure of the tube could force
entire plant to shut down for costly repairs and suffer loss of production. Typically there
are 4 types of failures in heat exchanger; mechanical, chemically induced, combination
of mechanical and chemically induced and scale, mud and algae fouling (Plant
Engineering, 1982). Factors that can contribute to tube failure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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Failure Analysis of Heat Exchanger Tubes in the Indirect Air-Cooled Rotary Shell
Operates above capacity limits will cause deterioration to the tubes. Erosion
caused by turbulence flow, crack caused by higher operating pressure or temperature
(Jose, 2004) or tube bends due to overweight mass transferred are some of the failure
examples that can happen to the tubes. Three types of failure modes such as ovalization,
buckling and crack initiation subjected to bending moment (Ki-Woo Nam, 2006).
Tubes wall thinning, thickening and cross-section ovality of tube are obtained due to
bending process (LI Xue-tong, 2006).
Improper maintenance will decrease equipments service life. If the maintenance
method did not being fully understood or not being carried-out carefully, maintenance
actives that supposed to pro-long the service life will turns to damaging the equipment.
Impact of corrosion due to chemical cleaning activity during degreasing and passivation
prior to service (Jose, 2004) and scaling work during routine maintenance has
significant impact to the tubes.
Thermal fatigue results from cyclic heating and cooling caused the
circumferential crack (Nusair Khan, 2006). Thermal stratification found contributes to
thermal fatigue and thermal buckling (Katsumi, 1995).
Design procedure such as ASME, API 660 and BS 3274 did not entirely govern
the underlying affects that may cause the tube failure. Experiment carried out (Shahab,
2003) shown the failure of the tube caused by excessive vibrations under normal
operating conditions.
TUBES FAILURE AT IACRSTHE
IACRSTHE or known as Cooler was commissioned in 1991. After 10 years in service,
the cooler starts giving symptoms of failure:
1. Manhole support covers cracked and bolts snapped.
2. Failure rate of down streams equipment increased.
i. Primary Hot Gas Fan (PHGF).
ii. Wet Electrostatic Precipitator (WESP)
3. Natural gas used by Calciner burner increased.
As the plant required to continuously running, the maintenance regime of the
cooler is based on reactive mood. In 2004 turnaround, robot with camera was sent into
each of the tube for inspection. Almost all of the tubes found cracked and punctured.
Cracks and punchers localize at tubes supports area. After repair activities took place,
the cooler back to operation. Capital Expenditure Request (CER) immediately created
and approved. In 2007 turnaround, all 6 numbers of tubes replaced. Less than a year the
tubes failed. The failure mood is totally different from previous. Numbers of the
connecting bolts found undo and snapped. The opening between the tube flange and
tube sheet allows the pigments being sucked to the Calciners combustion chamber
through heat recovery system and caused the burner tripped. Method of bolts
installation was changed and all the bolts replaced. Before the burner tripped, there are
indicators i.e.: PHGF frequently experienced high vibration and has to be switched for
maintenance. WESP performance dropped at shorter service period and frequently has
to be switched for maintenance.
Bolts snapped found at downstream equipment but the numbers of snapped bolts
is not worrying because mapping method already implemented. With the mapping,
engineers fully aware which bolts are snapped. But however it indicates the root cause
297
is still not fully understood and yet to be tackled. After a year, in 2008 maintenance
team decided to shutdown the cooler for inspection. Crack found at one of the tube,
located at manhole support and repaired. The crack was located along the welding-toe.
All the information from previous failures are gathered and studies being
carried-out to find the root cause of the failure. In 2009, the cooler was brought down
and dissembled for thorough maintenance.
Tube failure investigation focused on:
1.
2.
3.
4.
MSC
298
Failure Analysis of Heat Exchanger Tubes in the Indirect Air-Cooled Rotary Shell
Convex shape
Concave shape
299
TCB
Shell
Tube sheet
Center Tube
(CB)
300
Failure Analysis of Heat Exchanger Tubes in the Indirect Air-Cooled Rotary Shell
Cracks
Weldment
Metal loss
Punctured
301
MSC
MSC
Steel grade
1.4878
C max
0.05
N
-
Others
Ti
Steel grade
Proof strength
Rp0.2
Rp1.0
(N/mm)
(N/mm)
Tensile strength
Rm
(N/mm)
302
Elongation Hardness
max.
%
HB
Failure Analysis of Heat Exchanger Tubes in the Indirect Air-Cooled Rotary Shell
1.4874
190
230
500 - 720
40
Replace
with
N
Correct
Material
PMI
Lab
Test
Identify
Suitable
Material
Y
Y
FEA
Identify
Feasible
Modification/
RCA
Up-rating Capacity
Recommendation
Y
Modification
Recommendation
303
215
6750 kg/h
6750 kg/h
940 C
80 C
4.7 min-1
30 mm/m
1500 min-1
28 C
210 C
36.843 m/h
Failure Analysis of Heat Exchanger Tubes in the Indirect Air-Cooled Rotary Shell
3. Cooling efficiency
Excessive increase of input temperature above form material specification will
change the materials microstructure, which can be one of the factor contributes to TCB
snapped. Tubes expansion magnitude will also affected and can be relates to MSC and
MSB failure. The design of the tubes support is a bit different at the center compared to
the others. Tubes supported with only one support that is located at the tube shell side at
the center as shown in Figure 12. Unlike at the others, tubes supported circumferentially
with 2 supports; at the shell side and at the center tube side. With higher feed rate,
higher distribution load will be distributed to each of the tube and tube will experience
higher degree of deflection. Deflection will cause movement on circumferential
direction as the cooler rotates. While the tube at the top position (0 position), the tube
will off from the center support (CS) due to deflection. When the cooler starts to rotate
down (90 to 180 position) the tubes will start to get-in to the support and this will lead
to rubbing between components as well as when the tubes start to move out when it is
continuing to rotate to the top (270 to 0 position). Insufficient cold-gap between the
MSs and the tubes can be one of the reasons for tubes deflection, which further can fail
the TCB due to cyclic tension-compression load as shown in Figure 13.
Center
support
saddle
Shell support
saddle
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Failure Analysis of Heat Exchanger Tubes in the Indirect Air-Cooled Rotary Shell
307
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