Investigation on the Failures Experienced in Deaerators and Solution Recommendation

Author(s):  
Aun Ming Lim ◽  
Simon Yuen

The internals in the deaerators of a refinery plant were reported to have experienced a series of failures since their installation in 1985. These failures included development of cracks in the floor plates, damage of supports and breakage of fillet welds. Two possible root causes were initially identified; thermal stresses due to transient conditions and flow induced vibration. The former cause was classified as unlikely since the deaerators were always operating on steady-state conditions. No cyclic operating conditions were imposed on these deaerators. Vibrations however posed as the most likely root cause for the series of failures. The refinery plant inspectors reported that vibrations on the deaerators, although have not been measured, could be physically felt. These vibrations appear to be continuous and increase linearly with load. A finite element analysis was performed to determine the natural frequency of the deaerators. Mode shapes predicted from this calculation show that vibrations could have caused the failures of the internals. Furthermore, the lowest natural frequency of the deaerators appeared to fall within the actual vibration frequency on site (∼20 Hz). Although not confirmed, it is highly suspected that the vibration was excited by the flow (low pressure steam). Several repair options were explored to overcome this problem. These options were concentrated in increasing the stiffness of the steam inlet pipe and the deaerator floor. Finite element assessments demonstrated that the current flexible deaerator floor was the reason for the low natural frequency. An option of introducing reinforcement strips to the bottom side of the floor was identified as the best option to increase the natural frequency of the deaerator and this is expected to overcome the vibration problem. Only one vessel was assessed but the results apply to the other vessels since they are similar in design.

2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-59
Author(s):  
Nilesh Chandgude ◽  
Nitin Gadhave ◽  
Ganesh Taware ◽  
Nitin Patil

In this article, three small wind turbine blades of different materials were manufactured. Finite element analysis was carried out using finite element software ANSYS 14.5 on modeled blades of National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics 4412 airfoil profile. From finite element analysis, first, two flap-wise natural frequencies and mode shapes of three different blades are obtained. Experimental vibration analysis of manufactured blades was carried out using fast Fourier transform analyzer to find the first two flap-wise natural frequencies. Finally, the results obtained from the finite element analysis and experimental test of three blades are compared. Based on vibration analysis, we found that the natural frequency of glass fiber reinforced plastic blade reinforced with aluminum sheet metal (small) strips increases compared with the remaining blades. An increase in the natural frequency indicates an increase in the stiffness of blade.


Author(s):  
Sang-Mo Lee ◽  
Ohgeon Kwon ◽  
Vitor Lopes Garcia

Efficient refinery start-up and shutdown durations are vital in establishing prolonged productivity in refineries operating hydrotreating reactors. The benefits of efficient start up and shutdown cycles are extensive, and include considerable operational and cost reduction. Reduced start-up and shutdown cycles, however, require increased heating and cooling rates, which cause higher temperature gradients throughout the reactor vessel, consequently leading to higher thermal stresses, which may affect damage mechanisms and limit reactor’s life. The equipment’s OEM has defined guidelines for the reactor heating and cooling during start-up and shutdown cycles and any attempt to reduce the start-up and shutdown duration is usually limited by these guidelines. It is therefore necessary to carry out an engineering assessment to determine the effect of changing the start-up and shutdown procedures beyond the OEM guidelines on reactor’s life. Multiple thermo-mechanical Finite Element analyses for a series of different start-up/ shutdown procedures, including the current procedure, were carried out to determine the through-wall thermal gradient and stresses, and identify the most critical locations. In order to estimate convective heat transfer coefficients, Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) analysis was utilized to describe the complex fluid flow behavior of the feedstock in the presence of catalysts and internal geometry features. Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) was adopted as a main damage mechanism to quantify the damage as a result of the changed operating conditions. It was determined that the LCF life calculated in the reactor vessel’s critical damage locations was found to be sufficiently long with respect to the frequency of start/shutdown cycles, even with operating conditions exceeding the OEM limit. Therefore, alternative guidelines were suggested to achieve the time reduction in startup/shutdown operation by increasing ramp rates without compromising structural integrity of the vessel.


2014 ◽  
Vol 660 ◽  
pp. 511-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Izzuddin Zaman ◽  
Muhammad Mohamed Salleh ◽  
Maznan Ismon ◽  
Bukhari Manshoor ◽  
Amir Khalid ◽  
...  

Structural vibration is undesirable, wasting energy and possibly leading to excessive deflections and structure and machine’s failure. In order to reduce structural vibration, one of the common way is considering vibration absorber system attach to the structure. In this study, a vibration absorber is developed in a small scale size. The host structure selected for the study is a fixed-fixed ends beam. The effectiveness of vibration absorbers attached to a beam is investigated through experimental study. In prior to experiment, a finite element analysis of Solidworks® and analytical equations of Matlab® are produced in order to determine the structural dynamic response of the beam, such as the natural frequency and mode shapes. The preliminary results of finite element analysis demonstrate that the first five natural frequency of fixed-fixed end beam are 17Hz, 46Hz, 90Hz, 149Hz and 224Hz, and these results are in agreement with the beam’s analytical equations. However, there are slight discrepancies in experiment result due to noise and error occurred during the setup. In the later stage, the experimental works of beam are performed with attached vibration absorber. Result shows that the attachment of vibration absorber produces better outcome, which is about 45% vibration reduction. It is expected that by adding more vibration absorber to the structure, the vibration attenuation can significant.


2014 ◽  
Vol 629 ◽  
pp. 191-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Izzuddin Zaman ◽  
Muhammad Mohamed Salleh ◽  
Bukhari Manshoor ◽  
Amir Khalid ◽  
Sherif Araby

A current challenge for researchers is the design and implementation of an effective vibration control method that reduces vibration transmission from vehicle structures such as aircraft. This challenge has arisen due to the modern trend of utilizing lightweight thin panels in aircraft structural design, which have the potential to contribute towards significant vibration in the structures. In order to reduce structural vibration, one of the common approaches is considering vibration neutralizer system attached to the structure. In this study, a vibration neutralizer is developed in a small scale size. The effectiveness of attached vibration neutralizers on a thin plate are investigated through experimental study. Prior to the experiment, a finite element analysis of Solidworks® and analytical modelling of Matlab® are produced in order to determine the structural dynamic response of the thin plate such as the natural frequency and mode shapes. The preliminary results of finite element analysis demonstrate that the first four natural frequency of clamped plate are 48Hz, 121Hz, 194Hz and 242Hz, and these results are in agreement with the plate’s analytical equations. However, there are slight discrepancies in the experiment result due to noise and error occurred during the set up. In the later stage, the experimental works of thin plate are performed with attached vibration neutralizer. Result shows that the attachment of vibration neutralizer produces better outcome, which is about 41% vibration reduction. It is expected that by adding more vibration neutralizer to the structure, the vibration attenuation of thin plate can be significant.


2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 268
Author(s):  
Ahmed Ibrahim Razooqi ◽  
Hani Aziz Ameen ◽  
Kadhim Mijbel Mashloosh

Helical and slotted cylinder springs are indispensable elements in mechanical engineering. This paper investigates helical and slotted cylinder springs subjected to axial loads under static and dynamic conditions. The objective is to determine the stiffness of a circular cross-section helical coil compression spring and slotted cylinder springs with five sizes and dynamic characteristics. A theoretical and finite element models are developed and presented in order to describe the various steps undertaken to calculate the springs stiffnesses. Five cases of the springs geometric are presented. A finite element model was generated using ANSYS software and the stiffness matrix evaluated by applying a load along the springs axis, then calculating the corresponding changes in deformation. The stiffness is obtained by solving the changes of load and deformation. The natural frequencies, mode shapes and transient response of springs are also determined. Finally, a comparison of the stiffnesses are obtained using the theoretical methods and those obtained from the finite element analysis were made and good agreement are evident and it can be found that the stiffness of spring for the slotted cylinder spring is much larger than that for helical spring and the stiffness for slotted cylinder spring increases with the number of slots per section. Natural frequencies, mode shape and transient response of helical spring and slotted cylinder spring have been represented in ANSYS software and results have been compared and it found that the natural frequency has also increased in the same proportion of stiffness because the natural frequency is directly proportional to the stiffness for all the cases that have been studied. Keywords: ANSYS, Finite Element Analysis, Helical Spring, Slotted Cylinder Spring, Stiffness.


2016 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 101-106
Author(s):  
Seyedeh Alieh Kazemi ◽  
Sadegh Imani Yengejeh ◽  
Andreas Öchsner

The vibrational behavior of defected graphene sheets was investigated via finite element analysis. The simulations were carried out for perfect and imperfect nanosheets. This study was conducted to examine the influence of vacant sites on these nanostructures. In the current study, a graphene sheet is considered as a space frame. The natural frequency and corresponding mode shapes of the perfect and defective nanosheets were obtained and compared. Results are presented as diagrams stating the natural frequency of graphene sheets with respect to the amount of vacancy defects. The results indicate that the natural frequency of nanosheets reduced by introducing atomic defects to the configuration of these nanomaterials. Such impurities lower the vibrational stability of graphene sheets.


2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 518-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takwa Sellami ◽  
Hanen Berriri ◽  
A Moumen Darcherif ◽  
Sana Jelassi ◽  
M Faouizi Mimouni

In this article, the dynamic responses of wind turbine systems are analytically and numerically investigated. For this purpose, analytic differential equations of motion of wind turbine components subjected to vibration (the blades, the nacelle, and the tower) are solved. This allows determining their dynamic characteristics, mode shapes, and natural frequencies. Two models of two three-dimensional (3D) micro-turbine that are created by the finite element method are set up using the new version of the academic finite element analysis software ANSYS. The first wind turbine is a standard micro three-bladed turbine and the second one is a micro six-bladed Rutland 504. Their natural frequencies and mode shapes are identified based on the modal analysis principle to check the validity of designed models. Dynamic behaviors at several operating conditions of wind turbines are established. Then, spectrum graphs of the structures along x-, y- and z-axis are analyzed.


Author(s):  
Can Gonenli ◽  
Hasan Ozturk ◽  
Oguzhan Das

In this study, the effect of crack on free vibration of a large deflected cantilever plate, which forms the case of a pre-stressed curved plate, is investigated. A distributed load is applied at the free edge of a thin cantilever plate. Then, the loading edge of the deflected plate is fixed to obtain a pre-stressed curved plate. The large deflection equation provides the non - linear deflection curve of the large deflected flexible plate. The thin curved plate is modeled by using the finite element method with a four-node quadrilateral element. Three different aspect ratios are used to examine the effect of crack. The effect of crack and its location on the natural frequency parameter is given in tables and graphs. Also, the natural frequency parameters of the present model are compared with the finite element software results to verify the reliability and validity of the present model. This study shows that the different mode shapes are occurred due to the change of load parameter, and these different mode shapes cause a change in the effect of crack.


2021 ◽  
pp. 096739112110033
Author(s):  
TG Sreekanth ◽  
M Senthilkumar ◽  
S Manikanta Reddy

Delamination is definitely an important topic in the area of composite structures as it progressively worsens the mechanical performance of fiber-reinforced polymer composite structures in its service period. The detection and severity analysis of delaminations in engineering areas like the aviation industry is vital for safety and economic considerations. The existence of delaminations varies the vibration characteristics such as natural frequencies, mode shapes, etc. of composites and hence this indication can be effectively used for locating and quantifying the delaminations. The changes in vibration characteristics are considered as inputs for the inverse problem to determine the location and size of delaminations. In this paper Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is used for delamination evaluationof glass fiber-reinforced composite beams using natural frequency as typical vibration parameter. The Finite Element Analysis is used for generating the required dataset for ANN. The frequency-based delamination prediction technique is validated by finite element models and experimental modal analysis. The results indicate that the ANN-based back propagation algorithm can predict the location and size of delaminations in composites with good accuracy for numerical natural frequency data but the accuracy is comparitivelyless for experimental natural frequency data.


2013 ◽  
Vol 281 ◽  
pp. 165-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang Lei Zhang ◽  
Bin Yao ◽  
Wen Chang Zhao ◽  
Ou Yang Kun ◽  
Bo Shi Yao

Establish the finite element model for high precision grinding machine which takes joint surface into consideration and then carrys out the static and dynamic analysis of the grinder. After the static analysis, modal analysis and harmonic response analysis, the displacement deformation, stress, natural frequency and vibration mode could be found, which also helps find the weak links out. The improvement scheme which aims to increase the stiffness and precision of the whole machine has proposed to efficiently optimize the grinder. And the first natural frequency of the optimized grinder has increased by 68.19%.


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