Efficiency of tube bundle cleaning by low-frequency flow pulsations with solid particles

Abstract

Scale buildup on the tube surface in the intertubular space of the shell-and-tube heat exchangers reduce their efficiency. The topical issue is the search for clean-in-place methods. The tube bundle cleaning by low-frequency nonsymmetrical pulsations is understudied. The aim of the paper is numerical analysis of the influence of pulsations on the key cleaning factors (wall shear stress, erosion rate). For the numerical experiment the symmetrical element of a staggered tube bundle with a crossflow of turbine oil (T22) (Re = 100; Pr = 273) and the quartz sand as a cleaning agent is used. The model of incompressible fluid flow comprises the system of Navier-Stokes and continuity equations, the turbulent model Spallart-Allmaras. The motion of solid particles is calculated by the discrete element method, and the erosion rate is calculated by the Campos-Amezcua method. In unsteady conditions with time step 0,001 sec, numerical simulations are performed in Ansys Fluent. Pulsations are generated on entry boundary condition. To estimate the flow pulsation efficiency, the wall shear stresses on the central tube of bundle and erosion rates are compared under the same average rate in steady and nonsteady flow. It is found that asymmetrical flow pulsations (duty cycle 0,25) increase of wall shear stress in all the modes under consideration (amplitude 25 ≤ A/d ≤ 35, frequency 0,3125 ≤ f ≤ 0,5 Гц), but an increase in erosion rate takes place only at maximal frequency. The amplitude variation displaces the localization of the reinforcing effect of flow pulsations on the tube surface. However, it is found that flow pulsations increase the wall shear stress and erosion rate in the front and rear sides of the tubes that are most susceptible to scale buildup. The conducted analysis confirms the significant influence of asymmetrical pulsations on cleaning factors and the perspective of their application for intensification of tube bundle cleaning. The detected effects can be the base to develop new technologies of cleaning intertubular space of heat exchangers.