Understanding Thermal Stress in High-Temperature Piping Systems

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At Dynaflow, we specialize in advanced simulations that provide critical insights into the behavior of complex industrial systems. In this project, we analyzed the thermal performance of a 2’’ equal Tee, where a high-temperature, dense fluidized catalyst stream meets ambient-temperature plant air. The catalyst, made of fine particles (~80 microns) at 690°C, rapidly transfers heat to the incoming air, creating steep thermal gradients.
To assess the impact of this interaction, we used Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to simulate the multi-phase flow of catalyst and air.
Explanations of the animation:

Temperature Distribution Animation
Purpose: This animation visualizes how heat propagates through the mixing zone and the pipe walls when the high-temperature catalyst (690°C) interacts with ambient-temperature air.
Relevance to the Project:
▶ Thermal Gradients: It highlights the steep thermal gradients created by the rapid heat transfer from the catalyst to the air. These gradients are critical because they can induce thermal stresses in the pipe walls.
▶ Mixing Zone Behavior: It shows how the temperature changes spatially within the mixing zone, helping engineers identify areas of high thermal stress or potential hotspots.
▶ Boundary Conditions for FEA: The temperature data extracted from this animation is used as input for the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to evaluate the structural integrity of the piping system under thermal stress.

Air Fraction Animation
Purpose: This animation illustrates the flow dynamics and mixing behavior of the two-phase flow (catalyst particles and air) within the tee.
Relevance to the Project:
▶ Flow Dynamics: It reveals how the dense catalyst stream interacts with the incoming air, showing the distribution of air and catalyst within the tee.
▶ Mixing Efficiency: It helps assess how well the two streams mix, which can influence the uniformity of temperature distribution and, consequently, the thermal stresses.
▶ Design Optimization: By understanding the flow patterns, engineers can identify areas of turbulence or stagnation that might affect the system's performance or lead to localized stress concentrations.

These detailed flow simulations provided temperature and heat transfer data that were then used as boundary conditions in a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to evaluate thermal stresses. Combined with internal pressure and piping loads (from Caesar II), this approach enabled a comprehensive structural integrity assessment based on ASME BPVC Section VIII Division 2 (2023).

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