4.

2 SHELL-AND-TUBE EXCHANGERS: CONSTRUCTION

4.2.6 Mechanical Design and Fabrication

4.2.6-l 1

circumferential welding in the convolution itself. Thickness is usually in the range 4 to 13 mm, with a convolution depth of 100 to 150 mm, but because of its stiffness the movement of one convolution is limited to about 2 to 5 mm. Larger movements can be accommodated by adding more convolutions, but the cost will then be higher than the thin-wall type. Its chief advantage is that the rugged construction allows the complete exchanger to be handled easily without the need for bellows protection or restraining bars. The thin-wall bellows, shown in Fig. 25, has convolutions in stainless steel or Incoloy, formed cold, either by rolling or hydraulic forming. Convolution depth is about 24 to 75 mm, with a single-ply thickness of 0.5 to 2 mm, although multi-ply construction is used for higher pressures. This design of bellows offers greater scope than the thick-wall type with regard to movement and pressure. It has the disadvantage that it requires careful handling at all times, and it is usual to protective liners both inside and outside. It is also essential to provide external restraining bars to keep the complete unit rigid during handling. Once installed, the restraining bars must be released to permit axial thermal movement. The hot-formed medium-wall bellows offers a compromise between the thick and thin wall types, being more flexible than the thick wall, yet offering a more rugged construction than the thin wall. Material is usually a chrome-molybdenum alloy or stainless steel, 2.0 to 4.5 mm thick, with a convolution height of 50 to 63 mm.

H. Hydrostatic testing
If tube end welding is involved, the welds are given a low-pressure air or halogen test on the shell side at about before the fmal hydrostatic tests. It is 0.07
Nuts released after installation I screws

easier to make sound tube end weld repairs if the ends have not been in contact with water. If a multipass technique has been used for the tube end welding, then each pass must be given a low-pressure test before proceeding to the next. Upon completion the exchanger must be hydrostatically tested with water to check the soundness of all welded seams, tube end, and joints. The shell side and tube side of the exchanger must be tested independently to their code test pressures, unless the exchanger has been designed for a differential pressure, in which case both sides must be pressurized together, taking care that the differential test pressure is not exceeded. The fabricator prefers to test the tube ends with pressure on the outside of the tubes, as this allows every tube end to be checked for tightness at the outer sheet face and leakers can be positively identified. This is acceptable if the shell-side test pressure is equal to or greater than the tube-side test pressure. When the reverse is the case, the customer may insist that the tube ends be tested with pressure on the tube side, which means that removable bundles must be tested outside the shell. In this event leakage is detected as drips from the bottom of the bundle at the inner tubesheet face, but positive identification of the actual leakers is more difficult, particularly with the tube configurations commonly used. The fabricator endeavors to minimize unnecessary rerolling of tube ends, but some may be inevitable. Split straight tubes and outer U tubes are removed and replaced if practicable, but otherwise they are plugged. Inner U tubes must be plugged. Explosive plugging is available for high-integrity services. Testing of tubesheet exchangers is straightforward in that there are only two tests to carry out. The shell side is pressurized first, with the heads or head covers removed, to check the shell welding, tube ends,
-External cover (free at

Restraining bolts

Restraining flange

Internal sleeve

Stub ends (in same metal as shell barrel)

Figure 25

Thin-wall bellows.

1983 Hemisphere Publishing Corporation

1--

4.2.6-12

4.2 SHELL-AND-TUBE EXCHANGERS: CONSTRUCTION 4.2.6 Mechanical Design and Fabrication

flange at rear head

Floating tubesheet Observe leaks

Figure 26 Test flange and gland for floating-head exchanger.

and for split tubes. Unless the exchanger has been designed for a differential pressure, the shell side is drained, the heads or head covers fitted, and the tube side pressurized to check the head welding and all head joints. Although this again tests the tube ends, leaks can be revealed only as drips from bottom nozzles. In order to test and T-type floating-head bundles inside the shell, with the test pressure outside the tubes, a special test flange and gland is required at the floating head as shown in Fig. 26. This allows tube ends to be inspected at the outer face of the floating tubesheet. The construction of and P-type floating-head
la: in gaskets fitted

changers is such that they have built-in test flange and gland facilities. It should be noted that to test T-type floating-head bundles inside the shell, using the test flange and gland, the bolt holes in the floating tubesheet must be plugged temporarily. If the T type has no rear head flanges, the test flange and gland cannot be used, neither can it be used for T-type kettles. Sometimes a separate test shell is made to suit these cases. When testing any removable bundle inside the shell, with the test pressure outside the tubes, a joint must be made between the shell and stationary tubesheet to contain the shell-side pressure. There must also be access to the outer face of the stationary tubesheet to inspect the
lb: Pressure in tubes To check tube expansions and split tubes

To check tube expansions and split

Test when Test 2:

test

tube-side test pressure

Test when

test pressure fitted

shell-ride test

in tubes-Service gaskets fitted

3: Pressure in shell--Service

To check welding To check ioint To check To check channel To check channel/cover

check shell end shell cover welding To check shell/shell cover joint To check plate

Figure 27 Hydrostatic testing of split-backing-ring floating-head exchanger.

1983 Hemisphere Publishing Corporation

4.2 SHELL-AND-TUBE EXCHANGERS: CONSTRUCTION 4.2.6 Mechanical Design and Fabrication tube ends. Bobbin-type heads satisfy these requirements, but bonnet-type heads do not and they must be omitted for the test. Unless the tubesheet is flanged, it is necessary to replace bonnet-type heads by a special test ring or backing flange on the tube side of the stationary sheet to hold the joint. For testing the bundle outside the shell, with the pressure inside the tubes, a joint must be made between the stationary head and stationary tubesheet to contain the tube-side pressure. Unless the tubesheet is flanged,

4.2.6-13

or integral with the head, a similar test ring will be required on the shell side of the stationary tubesheet to hold the joint. The test procedure for an S-type floating-head exchanger is shown in Fig. 27 from which the special test ring will be seen. A similar testing procedure is used for other removable bundle exchangers. If any joints have to be broken during testing, test gaskets are used instead of the service gaskets, these being stored until the service joints are finally made.

1983 Hemisphere Publishing Corporation