Analysis of Tube-to-Tubesheet Welding in Carbon Steel Heat Exchangers of a Double Plate Header Box
The rear wall of the header box serves as a tubesheet in heat exchangers of double plate header box. Tube-to-tubesheet welding must be performed using orbital Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) with a head extension, which is passed through the corresponding hole in the front wall (plugsheet) of the he...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Materials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/1/261 |
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| author | José García González Juan José Hernández-Ortega Ana-Eva Jiménez-Ballesta Rosendo Zamora Pedreño |
| author_facet | José García González Juan José Hernández-Ortega Ana-Eva Jiménez-Ballesta Rosendo Zamora Pedreño |
| author_sort | José García González |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The rear wall of the header box serves as a tubesheet in heat exchangers of double plate header box. Tube-to-tubesheet welding must be performed using orbital Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) with a head extension, which is passed through the corresponding hole in the front wall (plugsheet) of the header box, where the welding machine is supported. In this project, the effect of parallelism deviations between the plugsheet and the tubesheet of carbon steel header box is analyzed to evaluate its influence on the quality of the tube-to-tubesheet welding. Welded tube (SA-210 Gr. A1) to tubesheet (SA-516 Gr. 70) coupons are manufactured simulating the parallelism deviations previously analyzed in two double plate header boxes of air-cooled heat exchangers using two different preheating temperatures. Macrographic analysis is performed in order to evaluate the weld penetration (minimum leak path) and length of the weld leg in tube-to-tubesheet joints. The results obtained show important variations in those parameters when the parallelism deviations are equal to or greater than −1 mm over the theoretical distance as well as when the distance approaches +1 mm or more. Finally, the incorporation of dimensional controls prior to the welding process is discussed and the implementation of improvements in orbital GTAW equipment is recommended as an optimal solution for this kind of heat exchangers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:33:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5e70adc247f3494fb81df271d8e0643d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:33:44Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-5e70adc247f3494fb81df271d8e0643d2023-11-23T11:50:37ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442021-12-0115126110.3390/ma15010261Analysis of Tube-to-Tubesheet Welding in Carbon Steel Heat Exchangers of a Double Plate Header BoxJosé García González0Juan José Hernández-Ortega1Ana-Eva Jiménez-Ballesta2Rosendo Zamora Pedreño3Mecánicas Bolea S.A., 30353 Cartagena, SpainDepartamento de Ingeniería de Materiales y Fabricación, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30202 Cartagena, SpainDepartamento de Ingeniería de Materiales y Fabricación, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30202 Cartagena, SpainDepartamento de Ingeniería de Materiales y Fabricación, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30202 Cartagena, SpainThe rear wall of the header box serves as a tubesheet in heat exchangers of double plate header box. Tube-to-tubesheet welding must be performed using orbital Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) with a head extension, which is passed through the corresponding hole in the front wall (plugsheet) of the header box, where the welding machine is supported. In this project, the effect of parallelism deviations between the plugsheet and the tubesheet of carbon steel header box is analyzed to evaluate its influence on the quality of the tube-to-tubesheet welding. Welded tube (SA-210 Gr. A1) to tubesheet (SA-516 Gr. 70) coupons are manufactured simulating the parallelism deviations previously analyzed in two double plate header boxes of air-cooled heat exchangers using two different preheating temperatures. Macrographic analysis is performed in order to evaluate the weld penetration (minimum leak path) and length of the weld leg in tube-to-tubesheet joints. The results obtained show important variations in those parameters when the parallelism deviations are equal to or greater than −1 mm over the theoretical distance as well as when the distance approaches +1 mm or more. Finally, the incorporation of dimensional controls prior to the welding process is discussed and the implementation of improvements in orbital GTAW equipment is recommended as an optimal solution for this kind of heat exchangers.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/1/261tube-to-tubesheet weldingdouble plate header boxorbital GTAWparallelism deviationsair-cooled heat exchanger |
| spellingShingle | José García González Juan José Hernández-Ortega Ana-Eva Jiménez-Ballesta Rosendo Zamora Pedreño Analysis of Tube-to-Tubesheet Welding in Carbon Steel Heat Exchangers of a Double Plate Header Box Materials tube-to-tubesheet welding double plate header box orbital GTAW parallelism deviations air-cooled heat exchanger |
| title | Analysis of Tube-to-Tubesheet Welding in Carbon Steel Heat Exchangers of a Double Plate Header Box |
| title_full | Analysis of Tube-to-Tubesheet Welding in Carbon Steel Heat Exchangers of a Double Plate Header Box |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of Tube-to-Tubesheet Welding in Carbon Steel Heat Exchangers of a Double Plate Header Box |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of Tube-to-Tubesheet Welding in Carbon Steel Heat Exchangers of a Double Plate Header Box |
| title_short | Analysis of Tube-to-Tubesheet Welding in Carbon Steel Heat Exchangers of a Double Plate Header Box |
| title_sort | analysis of tube to tubesheet welding in carbon steel heat exchangers of a double plate header box |
| topic | tube-to-tubesheet welding double plate header box orbital GTAW parallelism deviations air-cooled heat exchanger |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/1/261 |
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