Numerical Simulation of Cross-Flow-Induced Fluidelastic Vibration of Tube Arrays and Comparison With Experimental Results

Abstract

Tube arrays exposed to air, gas or liquid cross-flow can vibrate due to vortex-shedding, turbulence, or fluidelastic instability. The major emphasis of this paper is on the phenomenon of fluidelastic instability (or fluidelastic vibration). A numerical model is applied to the simulation of fluidelastic vibration of representative tubes in a tube bundle, based on S. S. Chen’s unsteady flow theory. The results are validated against published data based on linear cases. The model is then applied to a nonlinear structure of a U-bend tube bundle with clearances at supports, and the computed results compared to those obtained by experimental testing. The numerical studies were performed using the ABAQUS-EPGEN finite element code using a special subroutine incorporating fluidelastic forces. It is shown that the results of both the linear and nonlinear modeling are in good agreement with experimental data.