Mechanical stress analysis

ACTE heat exchangers achieve extended life time while maintaining attractive cost. This apparently contradictive situation is obtained thanks to the precise evaluation of the stress levels within each part of the whole heat exchanger. The design method is validated by tests. This allows us to choose the proper raw material for your application and make an optimum use of it.

The main sollicitations appearing almost in each heat exchanger are creep, fatigue and corrosion.

For instance, the load on the spot welds within the heat exchanger matrix, due to the triple action of temperature, time and internal pressure determines the creep life. This one is computed with a in-house developed model based on the specific ACTE heat exchange pattern.

 In severe applications, where a large number of start/stop cycles are required, transient loads cause a bending in the coils. The flexibility of the ACTE heat exchanger enables this bending so that the stress level can be predicted. This is frequently an issue in recuperators for gas turbine, where in a few seconds, the full heat load due to the exhaust gases hits the face of the heat exchanger. In ACTE heat exchangers, this bending stress is evaluated and the fatigue life can thus be determined. 

The computation of the mechanical stresses in the external ducts, piping and supporting systems are made by FEM analysis and analytical methods .