DefinePK

Abstract

In the present study, an instrumented central tube’s wear analysis was carried out in a tube bundle with triangular configuration having parallel tubes. The pitch to diameter ratio (P/D) is 1.45. The fluid i.e. water’s velocity in cross flow increases from 0.18 to 0.55 m/s in equal increments of 0.09 m/s. Tests were carried out using five distinct flow velocities along with three unique time intervals (i.e. 60, 90 and 120 minutes). A Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) is utilized during experimentation to examine the scars and gauge the wear scar dimensions developed on the surface of tubes. It can be seen during vibrations analysis that the amplitude of transverse vibrations increases considerably when we move past the velocity of 0.27 m/s and monotonically increases till the maximum velocity i.e. 0.55 m/s is reached. This analysis concludes that the considerable wear is caused in the transverse direction at higher velocities. Examining the wear area points out that there is no unusual change in it against all the time durations up till 0.37 m/s, but once this value is surpassed the wear area inclines towards appreciable increase with an increase the in cross flow velocity. The analysis of wear volume suggests that wear volume with increasing cross flow velocity shows an increasing trend. There is not any considerable change in pattern of wear volume against 60 and 90 minutes time intervals even at higher velocities. The change is observed against the 120 minutes interval; as the behavior becomes quite distinct and displays a notable increase in the wear volume.