Analysis of impacting phenomena in a helically wound heat exchanger

During commissioning tests on a helically wound heat exchanger at Heysham Nuclear Power Station, evidence of impacting was observed on accelerometer responses. Impacting greatly enhances wear and methods have been developed to determine whether the operating lifetime of plant may be limited by tube failures. A theoretical frequency response function based on Timoshenko beam theory has been derived which relates an impact force to the acceleration field which propagates away from the impact site and is detected by remote accelerometers. The accuracy of this function has been verified experimentally and its suitability for the analysis of boiler responses has been demonstrated following investigations into the nature of impacting. Examples of the analysis of impact forces are given and methods of estimating wear are discussed. (author)