Eventos Anais de eventos
COBEM 2023
27th International Congress of Mechanical Engineering
ASSESSMENT OF MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE IN A PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER ENHANCED BY A THICKER REINFORCEMENT PLATE
Submission Author:
Giovani Martins , SC
Co-Authors:
Giovani Martins, kleber paiva, Jorge Luiz Oliveira
Presenter: Giovani Martins
doi://10.26678/ABCM.COBEM2023.COB2023-2151
Abstract
Plate heat exchangers (PHEs) are commonly used in the oil and gas industry for their high thermal efficiency. However, the use of thin plates can lead to mechanical weaknesses and failures due to excessive deformations. To address these issues, manufacturers suggest incorporating a thicker reinforcing plate within the plate pack. This study aims to experimentally assess the mechanical behavior of a PHE with and without a 6 mm thick reinforcing plate. Testing involved 96 stainless steel 316L plates with a thickness of 0.6 mm, subjected to hydrostatic tests with single and double channel pressurization. Three configurations were examined: no reinforcing plate, a freely positioned reinforcing plate, and a locked reinforcing plate. Strain gauge analysis and modal analysis were conducted to evaluate stress distribution and vibration modes for each configuration. Results showed minimal alteration in stress distribution when using the thicker intermediate plate, whether free or locked. The reinforcing plate had no significant impact on modal response, as frequency response function curves remained similar. The first vibration mode consistently occurred around 500 Hz. Therefore, for heat exchangers with fewer than 100 plates and similar dimensions to the studied object, the use of an intermediate reinforcing plate is not justified based on the observed differences.
Keywords
Plate heat exchangers, reinforcing plate, stresses, displacements, vibration mode
