The relationship between stress of plate-fin structures and emergency stop operation process in LNG heat exchanger

Abstract

For insuring the safe operation of LNG heat exchanger in the Emergency Stop Operation Process (ESOP), a numerical method is proposed to investigate the stress of Plate-Fin Structures (PFS) in that. The relationship between stress of PFS and ESOP is analyzed in LNG heat exchanger. The results will be obtained that the maximum equivalent stress of PFS is greater at the initial stage of ESOP than that at the last stage when the HMR pressure is more than 5 MPa. The maximum equivalent stress increases with the equilibrium temperature when is greater than 180 K and reaches peak value at the last stage of ESOP. The maximum equivalent stress is larger at the last stage of ESOP than the other stage and increases with the equilibrium pressure. When the temperature difference is more than 5 K in the ESOP, the influence of that is obvious for the stress of PFS. In the ESOP, the equilibrium temperature and temperature difference should be controlled within 240 K and 5 K, respectively.