On the stability of heat exchanger tube bundles, part I: Modified theoretical model

A simple theoretical model has been developed from first principles for cross flow induced fluid-elastic instabilities in heat exchanger tube bundles. The model is an extension of the authors' tube-in-channel physical representation used for the case of transverse dynamic stability of tube arrays. The theory has been modified and extended to treat static divergence as well as fluid-elastic stability in both streamwise and transverse directions to the flow. While the mechanism responsible for transverse dynamic instability was found to be one of flow redistribution, no flow redistribution takes place for symmetric streamwide tube motion nor during transverse divergence. The model includes the effects of tube array pattern and pitch. Theoretical descriptions of heat exchanger instability mechanisms developed by other authors are compared and contrasted with the present model.

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