Vibration of Tube Bundles Subjected to Two-Phase Cross-Flow

Abstract

Two-phase cross-flow exists in many shell-and-tube heat exchangers such as condensers, reboilers and nuclear steam generators. Thus we are conducting a comprehensive program to study tube bundle vibrations subjected to two-phase cross-flow. This paper presents the results of experiments on a normal-triangular and a normal-square tube bundle, both of p/d = 1.47. The bundles were subjected to air-water mixtures to simulate realistic vapor qualities and mass fluxes. Vibration excitation mechanisms were deduced from vibration response measurements. Results on damping, hydrodynamic mass, fluid-elastic instability and random turbulence excitation in two-phase cross-flow are presented.