Stress in Boiler Drum

STRESS IN BOILER DRUM

OBJECTIVE
Upon completion of this lesson, students should be able to:
Describe circumferential stress.
Describe longitudinal stress.
Describe need for compensation for holes cut in shell of a boiler.
Discuss limitations of pressure imposed upon tank type boiler.
Discuss reason for providing support to flat surface in a pressure vessel.
State regulations relating to the materials used in boiler construction including
tests.
LESSON OVERVIEW
This lesson discusses circumferential and longitudinal stress in a boiler drum and need
for providing strength to boiler by way of compensation rings at the openings and stays
for the flat surfaces under pressure. egulations regarding materials for construction and
their tests are discussed.
REFERENCES
!orton, Thomas D, Steam "ngineering #nowledge for !arine "ngineers $%&&'(,
Thomas eed )ublications
*lanagan, + T ,, !arine Boilers $-..%(
!ilton, / , and 0each, oy !, !arine Steam Boilers $%&&1(
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Stress in Boiler Drum
INTRODUCTION
Stress in longitudinal 4oint is twice the stress in circumferential 4oint.
CIRCUMFRENTIAL STRESS IN LONGITUDINAL SEAM
*ig.%
5f pressure acting upon the circumference is resolved into hori6ontal components,
the resulting hori6ontal force 7 pressure 8 pro4ected area.
This is resisted by the stresses setup in the longitudinal seam. Then for e9uilibrium
conditions:
,ori6ontal forces to left 7 ,ori6ontal forces to right
,ori6ontal forces to left 7 esisting force in longitudinal seam
)ressure 8 pro4ected area 7 Stress 8 cross sect, area of seam
)ress. 8 dia. 8 length 7 Stress 8 - 8 thickness 8 length
)ressure 8 diameter
7 Stress in longitudinal seam
- 8 thickness
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Stress in Boiler Drum
LONGITUDINAL STRESS IN CIRCUMFRENTIAL SEAM
*ig. -
The force acting upon the end plate is resisted by the stress set up in the
circumferential seam.
Then for e9uilibrium conditions:
,ori6ontal forces to left 7 ,ori6ontal forces to right
)ressure 8 end plate area 7 esisting force in circumferential 4oint
)ress. 8 : 8 diameter
-

7 Stress ; cross sect. area of 4oint
'
)ressure 8 diameter
7 Stress in circumferential 4oint
' 8 thickness
Thus it follows that lonitu!inal st"#a$ st"#ss is twi%# th# %i"%u$f#"#ntial s#a$
st"#ss.
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Stress in Boiler Drum
MA&IMUM WOR'ING (RESSURE IN TAN' T)(E BOILERS
*ig <
2rranging the circumferential stress formula in terms of pressure
!a8 stress 8 - 8 thickness
!a8. =orking pressure7
diameter
It has *##n shown that th# s#a$ su*+#%t#! to th# "#at#st st"#ss will *# th#
lonitu!inal +oint, Th# st"#nth of this +oint o-#"ns th# allowa*l# wo".in
/"#ssu"#,
Thus it can be seen that if the stress in the material is to be kept within fi8ed limits $as is
the case with boiler material( then, if the pressure or diameter increases, the plate
thickness must also change if the ratio is to remain constant.
Therefore if boiler pressure is increased, either the boiler shell diameter must decrease,
or the boiler scantlings increase> the latter leading to increased cost and weight. 5n order
to accommodate the combustion chamber, smoke tubes, etc., no great reduction in the
shell diameter of tank type boilers is possible, and thus very thick shell plates would be
re9uired for high pressure.
The furnace must also be considered, as its thickness must be kept within certain limits
to prevent overheating. ,owever, its diameter cannot be reduced too much> otherwise
difficulties in burning the fuel in the furnace would arise.
*or these reasons the ma8imum pressure in tan. t0/# *oil#"s is limited to about %?.1
bars.
Table below shows reduction in allowable working pressure in bars with increase in
diameter. Source 2BS rules
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Stress in Boiler Drum
COM(ENSATING (ADS
*ig '
2ny material cut from the shell will weaken it by an e8tent related to the amount cut out.
in general any holes cut in the shell, with a diameter greater than:-@1 8 plate thickness A
?. mm must be provided with compensation for the loss of strength due to the material
cut out. Some forms of compensating pads are shown in *ig. '
*ig. 1
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Stress in Boiler Drum
The largest holes cut in the shell include the manholes, and where these are cut in the
cylindrical portion of the shell they must be arranged with their minor a8is parallel to the
longitudinal a8is of the boiler. This is due to the stress acting upon the longitudinal seam
being twice that acting upon the circumferential seam. Thus the shell must not be
weakened more than necessary along its longitudinal a8is.
*ig. B
SU((ORTING FLAT SURFACE WIT1 STA)S
*ig ?
=hen a force is applied to a curved plate as shown in *ig. ?, internal forces are set up
which enable the plate to withstand the force without undue distortion.
The bursting stress can be resolved into perpendicular components, one of which will
oppose the force. The surface will bend until this component balances the pressure. 5t
will then be found that the surface is in the form of an arc of a circle.
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Stress in Boiler Drum
*ig. C
=hen the pressure acts upon a flat plate, it will tend to bend the plate until e9uilibrium
is obtained as shown in *ig. C. Thus to prevent undue distortion the flat plate must be
very thick or supported by some form of stay. 5t follows that if the use of flat surfaces
can be avoided in the design of a pressure vessel there will be no need to fit internal
stays. Thus pressure vessels are often given hemispherical ends but, if this is not
possible, any flat surfaces must be stayed or of sufficient thickness to resist the
pressure without undue distortion.
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Stress in Boiler Drum

Fi,2
Diagrams of tank type boilers with stay and without stay
BOILER MATERIALS
Tube temperatures for the water cooled sections is considered to be saturation
temperature plus %1
o
D. Tube temperatures for convection superheater sections is
considered to be final superheat temperatures plus <.
o
D. *or adiant heat a higher
temperature is considered.
Tubes for water@tube boilers, superheaters and other parts of a boiler, where sub4ected
to internal pressure, are of seamless steel or electric@resistance@welded tubing.
*or Superheater tubes operating above '11
o
D a Dhrome !olybdenum alloyed steel is
re9uired.
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