Hydraulically Expanded Tube-Tubesheet Joints Of Heat Exchanger Finite Analysis And Design

In this paper, the hydraulically expanded joint with one groove in each tubesheet hole in E-3201 heat exchanger was taken as the research object, a 3-D finite element model of the hydraulically expanded joint was established to simulating the hydraulically expansion process. The effects of adjacent tubesheet holes, the strain-hardening properties of materials of tube and tubesheet, the end effects of the two tube ends stretching out of the tubesheet were taken for consideration in this 3-D model. The effects of the width, depth, location and quantity of grooves on connection strength and tightness of expanded joints were investigated in terms of the minimal residual contact pressure. The distribution of contact pressure, residual contact pressure in expanded joint, as well as the change of contact pressure and residual contact pressure with expansion pressure were also investigated. Therefore an final groove structure is given according to the calculation results.