Improved Thermowell Selection

Abstract

We examine a documented failure in high-velocity condensate correctly identified by the current standard, unlike similar failures that could only be explained if elevated Strouhal number was considered. On closer review of published flow test data, we find that the supercritical Strouhal number in a given installation depends on the intensity of freestream turbulence, a parameter rarely known in advance. This failure demonstrates that performing two evaluations, one based on the current standard and one based on revised supercritical parameters, facilitates identifying the failure risk, when the turbulence parameters are not specified.