Tubesheets per Section VIII, Division 2

[dgrande]

My company just received a job for some Shell & Tube heat exchangers that are to be designed per Section VIII, Div. 2. We have designed & built many vessels per Div. 2, but these will be our first heat exchangers. We currently subscribe to Compress' Div. 2 & Heat Exchanger software packages.

I was looking in Div. 2 & came across Mandatory Appendix 4, Article 4-9 for Stresses In Perforated Flat Plates whch I believe will apply to my tubesheet designs. My question is: "Does Compress have a methodology for calculating tubesheets per ASME Section VIII, Div. 2?"

 

[TomBarsh]

COMPRESS does not include option to design "perforated flat plates" as per Article 4-9. The COMPRESS Heat Exchanger program includes option only for Division 1 design, not Division 2.

Article 4-9 seems not to incorporate the latest thinking in ASME Code for design of tubesheets. Paragraph 4-900(c) indicates that staying (bracing) action of tubes may be considered in the analysis of perforated plates but that the Article 4-9 method does not do so.

Tom Barsh
Codeware Technical Support