A Study on the Characteristics of Lift and Drag Fluctuation Power Spectral Density in a Heat Exchanger Tube Array

A heat exchanger tube array in a heat recovery steam generator is exposed to hot exhaust gas flow that can cause flow induced vibrations, which could damage the heat exchanger tube array. The characteristics of flow induced vibration in the tube array need to be established for the structural safe operation of a heat exchanger. Several studies of the flow induced vibrations of typical heat exchangers have been conducted and the nondimensional PSD (Power Spectral Density) function with the Strouhal number, fD/U, had been derived using an experimental method. The present study examined the results of the previous experimental research on the nondimensional PSD characteristics by CFD analysis and the basis for the application of flow induced vibration to the heat recovery steam generator tube array was determined from the present CFD analysis. The present CFD analysis introduced circular cylinder tube array and calculated using unsteady laminar flow for the tube array. The characteristics of lift and drag fluctuations over the cylinder tube array was investigated. The derived nondimensional lift and drag PSD was compared with the results of the previous experimental research and the characteristics of lift and drag PSD for a circular cylinder tube array was established from the present CFD study.