Pulp Machine Dryer Stress Analysis

PE Tech was hired to determine possible root causes of historical piping and connection failures on the pulp dryer steam coils. The team reviewed previous studies and assessed differences between materials and maintenance changes in the dryer steam coils. Expanding on the analysis and findings from previous studies, PE Tech focused on mechanical sources as a potential for failure. Two computational models were created to estimate the stress added to the steam coils due to the system pressure, temperature, and mass of piping and fluid supported by the steam coil nozzle. Upon completing a pipe stress analysis and a steam coil header stress analysis, PE Tech presented a solution to address corrosion and overloaded nozzles. As a result of this study, PE Tech recommended a flexible connection to be applied to the steam coil nozzles and that new pipe supports should be added to reduce the requirement for additional pipe stress on the steam coils and optimize the new pipe support design.