The tube-to-tubesheet joint of heat exchangers is an important aspect in the design and fabrication process. This paper discusses the fatigue strength of welded tube-to-tubesheet joint under a periodic axial load along the tube by test and by 3D finite element analysis. The testing shows that expanding, in addition to welding, may slightly enhance the fatigue strength of a welded joint. From a microscopic view, the fatigue crack begins at the half melt coarse grain zone of the welded seam on the outer wall of tube and then propagates to the zone of the welded seam on the inner wall of the tube. In the fracture zone, the fracture face is at an angle of 45 deg to the tube wall face and the explicit plastic deformation is present. The analysis, by electronic energy spectrum, shows that there exist many fatigue striations in the fracture face. A 3D finite element analysis correlates with the experimental results.
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August 2009
Research Papers
Investigation of Fatigue Strength of Welded Tube-to-Tubesheet Joint
Wenxian Su,
Wenxian Su
Institute of Chemical Machinery and Process Equipment,
University of Shanghai for Science and Technology
, Shanghai 200093, P.R.C.
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Ning Ma,
Ning Ma
Institute of Chemical Machinery and Process Equipment,
University of Shanghai for Science and Technology
, Shanghai 200093, P.R.C.
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Zhifu Sang,
Zhifu Sang
Institute of Chemical Machinery and Process Equipment,
Nanjing University of Technology
, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R.C.
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G. E. O. Widera
G. E. O. Widera
Center for Joining and Manufacturing Assembly,
Marquette University
, Milwaukee, WI 53233
Search for other works by this author on:
Wenxian Su
Institute of Chemical Machinery and Process Equipment,
University of Shanghai for Science and Technology
, Shanghai 200093, P.R.C.
Ning Ma
Institute of Chemical Machinery and Process Equipment,
University of Shanghai for Science and Technology
, Shanghai 200093, P.R.C.
Zhifu Sang
Institute of Chemical Machinery and Process Equipment,
Nanjing University of Technology
, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R.C.
G. E. O. Widera
Center for Joining and Manufacturing Assembly,
Marquette University
, Milwaukee, WI 53233J. Pressure Vessel Technol. Aug 2009, 131(4): 041205 (5 pages)
Published Online: July 14, 2009
Article history
Received:
April 28, 2008
Revised:
November 21, 2008
Published:
July 14, 2009
Citation
Su, W., Ma, N., Sang, Z., and Widera, G. E. O. (July 14, 2009). "Investigation of Fatigue Strength of Welded Tube-to-Tubesheet Joint." ASME. J. Pressure Vessel Technol. August 2009; 131(4): 041205. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3122024
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