EnginSoft and ANSYS in the study of pressure equipment

Thermo-mechanical stress analysis on the tubesheet of a S&T heat exchanger

By tradition, one of the areas where CAE is most widely employed is in the design and production of structures and components subject to internal pressure for which the potential risks linked to structural failure can result in dangerous direct hazards such as explosions or shock waves, or indirect impacts including leaks and the dispersion of dangerous materials. The need for special attention to safety factors is therefore evident.

The design of equipment of this type is, consequently, subject to conformity with the obligations imposed by local and international standards which set the minimum requirements for structural resistance that the design has to respect for the component to be acceptable.

Thermo-mechanical stress analysis on the tubesheet of a S&T heat exchanger

The design is calculated to conform to the required standard by the application of either the design by code approach, with which design is tested against the minimum dimensions requested by the standard, or the design by analysis method, where a more realistic approach is adopted with the application of CAE (typically FEA).

These approaches to standards conformity are typical of the chemical, process and energy industries but they also find applicationin less obvious sectors such as those linked to the construction of machinery with compressed air circuits, heating systems, etc.

For these applications, EnginSoft has for years been a key industry partner in the supply of a complete solution for all the needs of its customers. The company can supply bench mark simulation technologies (ANSYS/CFX), with features that make the simulation of the design needs of the sector easy to simulate. These range from the evaluation of heat exchange balanced to fluid-structure interactions, and the calculation of stress analysis including the effects of pressure, heat stress and external loads, in addition to making the aggregated results immediately available in the form required by the standard in question, for example the linearization and classification of tensions.

In addition, the team of EnginSoft engineers can boast a long and well documented experience in the sector in which it has worked for years providing consultancy services to leading companies that include Snam Progetti, Nuovo Pignone, Foster Wheeler, Tecnimont, Imar and others. A wide range of work has been undertaken for these companies including detailed analyses of heat exchange in heat exchangers, evaluation of the effects due to flows caused by structural and dynamic reactions, and optimization of structural characteristics and the insulation needed to reduce thermal stress.

EnginSoft specialists are able to take on projects such as those listed above from the creation of the models with the complexity and accuracy required by the specific case in hand to the provision of the documentation for presentation to the certification and control body for the standards of interest.