Modelling of fluidelastic vibrations of heat exchanger tubes with loose supports

The existence of gaps at tube supports necessitates time domain modelling of fluid forces to predict flow-induced vibrations and associated wear in heat exchangers and steam generators. This paper presents a new time-domain model for fluidelastic instability forces of tubes with loose-supports. In this model, the fluidelastic force, which is dependent on flow velocity and array geometry, is superimposed on the turbulence forcing function. The model was used to calculate the critical flow velocity, tube response, and tube/support interaction parameters, such as impact force and work rate. The critical velocity for linear cases was accurately predicted. The critical flow velocity for the loose support case was found to be sensitive to both the gap size and the turbulence level.