Estimation of residual stresses in hydraulically expanded tube-to-tubesheet joints
- Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, Quebec (Canada). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Recent investigations show that the tube-to-tubesheet joint axial strength is a major contributor to the joint soundness, and that tensile residual stresses in the tubes cannot be ignored due to their effect on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) and subsequent leakage failures. Because of their wide industrial use the tube-to-tubesheet joints need to be designed efficiently in order to increase the joint strength and overall performance. The knowledge of residual stresses introduced in the tubes of heat exchangers during their expansion in the tubesheet holes is important because of their effect on the structural integrity of components. This paper presents a simplified theoretical method to calculate the maximum residual stresses introduced in the transition zone of expanded tube-to-tubesheet joint. The higher positive values of tensile residual stresses and their corresponding axial locations are determined by using a standard deviation analysis. The validation of the proposed equations was accomplished by comparing their results to those obtained by the finite element method for some arbitrary cases. An upper limit has been imposed on the expansion pressure level, depending on the combination of the geometrical and material parameters that are involved in the design of the tube-to-tubesheet joints.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 619450
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology, Vol. 120, Issue 2; Other Information: DN: Paper presented at the pressure vessels and piping conference, July 21--26, 1996, Montreal, Quebec (CA); PBD: May 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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