IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 1 Issue 6, August 2014.

www.ijiset.com
ISSN 2348 7968

Optimization of Tubesheet Thickness of

Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger
Amey Shirodkar1 and Sangita Bansode2
1

Mechanical Department, K.J.Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai University

Vidyavihar, Maharashtra, India

Mechanical Department, K.J.Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai University

Vidyavihar, Maharashtra, India

Abstract
A heat exchanger is a device built for efficient heat transfer from
one medium to another. Many a times some issues occurred in
the heat exchanger. Out of which this paper is concerned with the
thermo-mechanical issue that is thermal expansion of tubesheet
due to high temperature. It is necessary to make a optimize
design which is safe, economical and accurate. Due to high
temperature and high pressure fluids tubesheet of heat exchanger
expands which results expansion of shell which causes
deformation of heat exchanger. To avoid this deformation,
analysis of effect of temperature variation and associated stresses
in the tubesheet is necessary. Objective of this paper is to analyse
the temperature variation at the junction of shell to tubesheet
junction in shell and tube heat exchanger and optimization of
tubesheet thickness.
Keywords: Heat Exchanger, Thermal Analysis, Structural
Deformation, Optimization

1. Introduction

1.2 Objective of Paper

In most of the refineries high temperature and high
pressure fluids are used. In this project the material used is
alloy of chromium and nickel also high temperature
(698 0C) and high pressure (8 bar) fluid is used in shell and
tube heat exchanger, due to high temperature tubesheet of
heat exchanger expands which results expansion of shell
and tubesheet. That causes deformation of heat exchanger.
Therefore the following is the objective of Paper.
The validation for different stresses in PVElite
(software method) and ASME code (mathematical
method).
To obtained the optimized thickness of tubesheet
from different cases in PVElite.
To separate the model into different parts to get
the fine meshing at the high stress location.
To analyze the stresses produced at the shell,
tubesheet and channel in ANSYS 14.

1.1 Heat exchanger

Heat exchanger is one of the equipment found in all
industry. Heat exchangers are components that allow the
transfer of heat from one fluid to another fluid. Heat
exchangers are widely used in space heating, refrigeration,
air conditioning, power plants, chemical plants,
petrochemical plants, petroleum refineries, natural gas
processing, and sewage treatment. Heat exchangers can
have a range of problems which can cause them to perform
poorly or stop working all together. Due to a high pressure
and temperature many problems occurred in heat
exchanger like shrinkage of tubes, vibration issues,
distortion of tubes due to high flow rate, thermal expansion
of tubesheet due to high temperature. Out of which this
work is based on the problem regarding thermal expansion
of tubesheet. Sometime high temperature fluid is used in
heat exchanger due to which thermal expansion of
tubesheet occurs that leads to cracks on surface of heat
exchanger. In this project radial differential thermal
expansion occurred.

2. Methodology
The work is done on the case study given by Aker
Solutions Pvt Ltd., Kanjurmarg, Mumbai. This work is
based on the fixed tubesheet shell and tube heat exchanger.
Company gave the details of current shell and tube heat
exchanger. The flow chart for methodology is given in fig.
2.1. This methodology shows the flow of project. The
model of fixed tubesheet heat exchanger is made in
PVElite software. PVElite is customized software for
vessels like heat exchangers, boilers, tanks etc. In PVElite
the model of component like shell, channel, tubesheet etc.
are already available. The result of stresses at the tubesheet,
shell and channel are calculated from this software. Thus
results are then validated with ASME code calculation and
by ANSYS software for general case. The 3 D model of
shell and tube heat exchanger is designed in Ansys
workbench14.0 software. Then PVElite software is used to
obtain the stresses for different thickness. This stresses are

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IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 1 Issue 6, August 2014.
www.ijiset.com
ISSN 2348 7968

compared with the allowable stress. If it is safe then for

different thickness of tubesheet, shell and channel the table
is prepared from which optimum case is selected for
validation. This optimized case is validated in PVElite and
ANSYS software. If results are compared then this case is
consider as final optimum case else consider second case
for validation.

result of stresses at the tubesheet, shell and channel are

calculated from this software. Fig. 3.1 shows the model
made in PVElite software. PVElite software generates the
results in the form of different stresses as output. The
stresses generated are tubesheet bending stresses, tubesheet
shear stresses, shell to tubesheet junction, channel to
tubesheet junction and axial membrane stress in shell

Fig. 3.1 Model in PVElite Software

3.2 Mathematical Approach (ASME Code)

It is necessary to do mathematical calculation to obtained
results because the mathematical calculations are the base
of any results. In American Standard for Mechanical
Engineering (ASME) code section VIII, Div. I the rules for
constructions of pressure vessels are given. In that UHX13 is the procedure for fixed tubesheet shell and tube heat
exchanger. By using this ASME code (mathematical
method) the different stresses generated at STHE are
calculated and validated with PVElite (software method).

3.2.1 Engineering Data

Table 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 shows the engineering data of
shell, channel, tubesheet and tube. It shows its pressure,
diameter, thickness, material, temperature respectively.
Table 3.1: Shell Data

Shell Data

Fig.2.1: Flow Chart for methodology

3. Project Approach
Softwares are used to generate the stresses on the structure.
PVElite is one of the customized software for vessels like
heat exchanger, boiler etc. to calculate stresses. This
stresses are then validate with the results obtained from the
mathematical calculation. i.e. ASME code, Section VIII,
Division I. This results are also validate with the other
software i.e. ANSYS.

3.1 Software Approach (PVElite Software)

PVElite is customized software for vessels like heat
exchangers, boilers, tanks etc. The model of fixed
tubesheet heat exchanger is made in PVElite software. The

Pressure

Ps

0.8 mpa

Thickness

ts

36 mm

Inside Dia.

Ds

910 mm

Temperature

Ts

6540C

Material

SA-240 304H
Table 3.2: Channel Data

Channel Data
Pressure

Pt

0.8 mpa

Thickness

tc

36 mm

Inside Dia.

Dc

910 mm
6980C

Temperature

Tc

Material

SA-240 304H

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IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 1 Issue 6, August 2014.
www.ijiset.com
ISSN 2348 7968
Table 3.3 : Tubesheet Data

3.2.3 Different Steps of UHX-13 of ASME Code to

Design Tubesheet

Tubesheet Data
Tubesheet Type

Fixed

Conf. A

Thickness

250 mm

Outside Dia.

982 mm

Area Of The Untubed Lanes

AL
SA-213
TP304H

Material

0 mm

Some of the important steps of UHX-13 are given below.

The Tubesheet Bending Stress [Sigma]:
= (1.5 * Fm / mu* ) * (2 * ao/(h - h'g))2 * Pe
The Tubesheet Average Shear Stress [Tau]:
= ( 1 / ( 2*mu ) ) * ( ao/h ) * Pe

Table 3.4 : Tube Data

Tube Data
No. Of Tube Holes

Nt

736

Tube wall thickness

et

1.24 mm

Tube outside Dia.

Tube Pitch

Material

SA-213 TP304H

19.05
mm
23.812
mm

3.2.2 Tubesheet Diagram

The Shell Bending Stress due to Joint Interaction:

= 6*ks/ts1 {betas[deltaS*Ps + as*PstarS/(Esb*ts1)] + 6(1
- nu*)/(E*)(ao/h)(1 + h*betas/2)[Pe(Zv + Zm*Q1) +
2/ao * Zm * Q2 ]}
Shell Stress Summation
|Sigmasm| + |Sigmasb| =<SPSsb
Channel Bending Stress due to Joint Interaction:
= 6kc/tc{betac[deltaC * Pt + ac/(Ec*tc)* P*c] - 6(1 nu*)/(E*)(ao/h)(1 + h*betac/2) * [Pe(Zv + Zm*Q1) +
2/ao*Zm*Q2] }
Channel Stress Summation
|Sigmacm| + |Sigmacb| =<SPSc

3.3 ANSYS Calculation (Software Approach)

ANSYS is engineering simulation software. ANSYS
Mechanical software is a comprehensive FEA analysis
(finite element) tool for structural analysis, including linear,
nonlinear and dynamic studies.

3.3.1 Steps to do analysis in ANSYS software

Fig. 3.5 Tubesheet Design

The fig. 3.5 shows the No Tubes in Window (NTW) layout.

This NTW layout is used in this project for tubesheet. In
this layout there are no tube holes in upper and lower
portion of the tubesheet. This layout is used according to
the requirement of space in heat exchanger. The
dimensions are given in this figure. Also the required
parameters are mentioned. The outer tube limit is also
given.

Step 1: Make a 3 D model in ANSYS workbench 14.0 for

section of shell and tube heat exchanger.
Step 2: In steady state thermal apply engineering data
includes thermal conductivity, Youngs modulus, Poissons
ratio, density etc.
Step 3: The engineering data and geometry is transformed
to static structural
Step 4: In model part of static structural do meshing by
using concept of Hexa dominant method, mapped face
mesh and body sizing.
Step 5: Apply effective pressure at the inner surface of
the heat exchanger
Step 6: Apply fixed constraint at the one end of the
channel
Step 7: Solve for equivalent stresses obtained at static
structural part
This steps shows the procedure to do analysis of this paper
in the ANSYS software.

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IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 1 Issue 6, August 2014.
www.ijiset.com
ISSN 2348 7968

3.3.2 Overview of ANSYS in This Project

ANSYS 14.0 has a facility to make a 3 D model in
workbench. The Half section of shell and tube heat
exchanger is made in this ANSYS 14.0 workbench and
applied symmetry to this model. The engineering data then
applied to the model. The given material is alloy of
chromium and nickel.
The engineering data and geometry of the steady state
thermal is then linked to the static structural part as shown
in fig.3.6. The meshing is done in the model part as shown
in fig. 3.7. Meshing is done by using hex dominant method,
body sizing and mapped face meshing. Then effective
pressure of 1.1549 MPa which is obtained from the
mathematical calculation based on ASME code is applied
to the inner surface of the heat exchanger as shown in the
fig.3.8.That effective pressure incorporates the effect of
shell and channel side temperature as well as the rim
temperature. The fixed constrained is applied to the one
end of the channel as shown in fig. 3.9

Fig. 3.6 Link in ANSYS 14.0

4 Results and Validation

Results obtained for different stresses from PVElite and
ASME method are shown below:

4.1 Results
Table 4.1: Different stresses

SR.
NO.

Method
Stresses

1
2
3
4
5

Tubesheet bending
Stresses
Tubesheet Shear
Stresses
Shell to tubesheet
Junction
Channel To Tubesheet
junction
Axial Membrane Stress
in Shell

ASME Code
(Mathematical
Method)
N/mm2
-23.5506

PVElite
(Software
Method)
N/mm2
-23.449

-5.1117

-5.1117

30.775

31.937

63.569

60.12

-1.7

-1.7792

Table 4.1 shows the different stresses generated by

PVElite software and their validation with ASME code.
Different stresses produced at different region. As the
result of high temperature and pressure the stresses
produced at the junction of shell and tubesheet is more due
to which expansion of tubesheet occurs. Therefore this
project is concerned with the stresses produced at the
junction of shell and tubesheet. The main area of interest
of this project is the stresses produced at the junction of
the shell and tubesheet. Due to the high temperature and
pressure high stresses are generated at the junction of shell
and tubesheet. The model is designed in ANSYS and
boundary conditions are applied to the model. The results
obtained form it shown in fig. 4.1.
Fig. 4.1 shows the stresses generated at the shell and
tubesheet junction. The maximum stresses generated are
25.736 N/mm2 which shows by red color in the fig. 4.1.
The minimum stress generated is 8.6186 N/mm2.
Table 4.2 shows the validation for stress generated for the
general case having tubesheet thickness 250 mm and shell
thickness 36 mm.

Fig. 3.7 Meshing on HE

Fig.3.8 Pressure Load

Fig.3.9 Fixed Constraint

Fig. 4.1 Generated Stresses

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IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 1 Issue 6, August 2014.
www.ijiset.com
ISSN 2348 7968
Table 4.2 Validation for junction stress

SR.
NO.

Method

Stresses
1

Shell
to
tubesheet
Junction

4.3 Validation

ASME Code
(Mathematical
Method)
N/mm2

PVElite
(Software
Method)
N/mm2

ANSYS
(Software
Method)
N/mm2

33.0775

31.937

25.736

The case 4 is selected as optimized case in this project

from PVElite analysis. It is necessary to validate the stress
produced at the shell to tubesheet junction. The changes
made in the design of the previous general case in ANSYS
14.0 according to the case 4.After solving the model in
the ANSYS it shows the result as shown in fig. 4.2 for the
junction of shell and tubesheet.

4.2 Algorithm to achieve optimized safe design from

PVElite:
Step 1: Make a model of shell and tube heat exchanger in
PVElite.
Step 2: Apply input to model like material, temperature,
pressure, dimensions etc.
Step 3: Assume tubesheet thickness (X1)
Step 4: Calculate different stresses
Step 5: If stresses within allowable then go to step 7 else
go to step 3
Step 6: Reduced tubesheet thickness and go to step 4
Step 7: If (induced stresses- allowed stresses) <= 10% then
go to step 8 else go to step 6.
Step 8: Optimized safe design
As from the methodology the different cases are studied to
obtain optimized thickness by varying the thickness as
shown in table 4.3.
The result pass and fail is made on the stresses generated
on the heat exchanger in PVElite software.
Case 1 is having the details that are given by the Aker
Solutions Company. In case 2, 3, 4 varied the tubesheet
thickness (T1 & T2) and checked the results whereas in
case 5 & 6 varied the shell and channel thickness (C1, C2,
S1 & S2). From the table 4 it is conclude that the case 4 is
optimized case for selection of shell and tube heat
exchanger as weight is directly proportional to the cost.

Fig. 4.2 Generated stress for optimized case

The maximum stresses produced at the junction of shell

and tubesheet is 27.073 N/mm2. It is shown by the red
color in the above fig. and minimum stresses with the blue
color. This stresses are validated with the stresses
produced by the PVElite software showing 29.39 N/mm2
shown in table 4.4.
Table 4.4 Validation for stresses for optimized case

SR.
NO.

Method

Stresses
Table 4.3 Optimization based on weight

PVElite
(Software
Method)
N/mm2

ANSYS
(Software
Method)
N/mm2

29.39

27.073

Shell to tubesheet
Junction

t(m)

Case 1
Wt(kg)

t(m)

Case 2
Wt(kg)

t(m)

Case 3
Wt(kg)

t(m)

Case 4
Wt(kg)

t(m)

Case 5
Wt(kg)

t(m)

Case 6
Wt(kg)

C1

0.036

1070.04

0.036

1070.04

0.036

1070.04

0.036

1070.04

0.036

1070.04

0.034

1008.46

C2

0.036

1070.04

0.036

1070.04

0.036

1070.04

0.036

1070.04

0.036

1070.04

0.036

0.036

1284.05

0.036

1284.047

0.036

1284.047

0.034
0.034

1008.46

1284.05

S1

0.036

1284.05

1210.15

S2

0.036

1284.05

0.036

1284.05

0.036

1284.05

0.036

1284.047

0.036

1284.047

0.034

1210.15

SB

0.014

1461.27

0.014

1461.27

0.014

1461.27

0.014

1461.266

0.014

1461.266

0.014

1461.27

0.12

525.766

0.14

613.393

0.15

657.2069

0.16

701.0207

0.25

1095.34

0.12

525.766

0.14

613.393

0.15

657.2069

0.16

701.0207

0.25

1095.34

T1
T2
TW
(Kg)
Result

0.25
0.25

1095.34
1095.34
8360.13

7220.97

7396.23

7483.854

7571.481

Pass

Fail

Fail

Pass

Pass

8089.16
Pass
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ISSN 2348 7968

5 Conclusions
1. Due to high temperature and pressure large stresses are
generated at the junction of shell and tubesheet junction of
heat exchanger. This stresses are validated with Software
(PVElite, ANSYS) and Mathematical (ASME Code,
Section VIII, Division I) method.
2. Optimized thickness of tubesheet is achieved from table
4.3 and the stresses produced in the optimize case is also
validated with the PVEite and ANSYS software. So it is
economical as well as it ensures safety of heat exchanger.

Appendix

Exchanger. SINOPEC Engineering Incorporation, Beijing

100101, China
[2] KhosrowBehseta, Donald Mackenzie and Robert
Hamilton, Ratcheting Assessment of a Fixed Tube Sheet
Heat Exchanger Subject to In Phase Pressure and
Temperature Cycles. Journal of pressure vessel
technology, volume 133, issue 4.
[3] ASME, ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code Section
VIII Division 2, New York, American Society of
Mechanical Engineers, 1998. (Cited in Zengliang Gao.,et
al,2005)
[4] Vijay Kumar and Pardeep Kumar, Mechanical design
of pressure vessel by using PVELITE software.
International Journal of Scientific and Research
Publications, Volume 4, Issue 4, April 2014

The Tubesheet Bending Stress - Original Thickness

[Sigma]:
= (1.5 * Fm / mu* ) * (2 * ao/(h - h'g))2 * Pe
= (1.5 * 0.2169 /0.2000 ) * (2 * 442.5800 /(250.000 0.000 ))2 * -1.15
= -23.5506 MPa
The Tubesheet Average Shear Stress - Original Thickness
[Tau]:
= ( 1 / ( 2*mu ) ) * ( ao/h ) * Pe
= ( 1 / (2*0.200 ) ) * ( 442.5800 /250.000 ) * -1.155
= -5.1117 MPa
Shell Stress Summation
|Sigmasm| + |Sigmasb| =<SPSsb
|-1.8 | + |-28.975 | =< 120.90 MPa
30.775 must be < or = 120.90 MPa
Channel Stress Summation
|Sigmacm| + |Sigmacb| =<SPSc
|4.9 | + |58.6690 | =< 81.38 MPa
63.569 must be < or = 81.38 MPa
Acknowledgments
Although it is a stimulating and motivating experience,
completing a project takes a lot of effort, time and
energies. And apart from the efforts of ones own, the
success of any project largely depends upon the guidelines
and encouragement of many others. I would like to take
this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to the
people who have been instrumental in the success of this
project.

References
[1] Feng Qing-xiao, Discussions for the Integral Joint
Structure of Tubesheet to Shell on Tubular Heat

449