Thermally induced stresses on radiant heating tubes including the effect of fluid–structure interaction

• Published in: Applied thermal engineering Vol. 94; pp. 364 - 374
• Main Authors: Hellenkamp, Martin, Pfeifer, Herbert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 05.02.2016
• Subjects: Durability; Fluid-structure interaction; Furnaces; Mathematical analysis; Radiant heating; Radiant tubes; Stresses; Temperature gradients; Thermal engineering; Thermal expansion; Thermal stresses; Tubes; Radiant tubes; Thermal expansion; Fluid–structure interaction; Temperature gradients; Thermal stresses
• ISSN: 1359-4311
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2015.10.080

•Temperature and stress distribution on a radiant heating tube are examined numerically.•The numerical model is validated with experimental results.•The stress calculations conducted are based on elastic material parameters.•Critical areas of the component can be identified also with elastic material parameters.•Mainly responsible for the stresses occurring are temperature differences on the tube. High temperatures as well as local temperature peaks and their gradients within the individual components of industrial furnaces are a challenge for the durability of the furnace. In order to optimize furnace component design and thereby increase the life expectancy of each component being considered, the exact determination of local temperature distributions is indispensable. This necessitates a coupled examination of fluid flow and thermal processes, including the calculation of the resulting stresses for the considered component. In order to introduce the so-called fluid–structure interaction (FSI) in the field of plant engineering and industrial furnace engineering, a radiant heating tube was selected for calculations concerning temperature and stress distribution, since radiant heating tubes are especially subject to considerable thermal and mechanical loading.