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Categories: Temperature Measurement

Why have been limits imposed on the frequency ratio for

thermowells?

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In 1995, an accident caused due to breaking thermowells in Monju Nuclear Plant reactor, led to
very serious damages to the surrounding facilities. Thermowells located on a line carrying liquid
sodium coolant were subjected to intense vibration and eventually broken. As a result 3 tons of
sodium coolant leaked out of the pipes. When contacted with the air, the liquid sodium
spontaneously reacted with oxygen and moisture in the air, filling the room with sodium fumes
and producing temperature of several hundred degrees Celsius. Intense heat generated
damaged several steel structures in the room.

The investigations after the accident pointed towards the thermowell damage being the root
cause and this accident led to the development of Performance Test Codes (PTC) 19.3 (2010)
to be followed by the thermowell manufacturers. These codes impose maximum limitations on
the vibration frequencies for the thermowells.

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ASME PTC 19.3 TW-2010 is divided into dynamic and static calculation results. For gaseous
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media, the previous limit frequency, r max = 0.8, from PTC 19.3-1974, is still valid.
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For liquid media, in many applications, the newly-introduced limit frequency of r max = 0.4,
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applicable for the inline resonance. The evaluation of the dynamic results is made using the
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damping factor NSC. For gaseous media, a characteristic value is NSC > 2.5; fluids typically have
an NSC
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Whether frequency ratio r

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The results of static analysis as per ASME PTC 19.3 TW-2010 are generated from the
maximum permissible process pressure (dependent upon the process temperature and the
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geometry of the thermowell) and the bending stress in the area of thermowell root. Bending
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stresses are caused by the incident flow on the thermowell, and is dependent on the shielded
length of the flange adapter.

For fabricated thermowells, the calculation method per Dittrich/Klotter must be used because
this construction is not covered by ASME PTC 19.3 TW-2010.The approach is based on
calculating the stresses occurring under load. These are compared with allowable stresses for
the thermowell and safety factors.

Remedies using structural changes, when r max (permissible), is exceeded

By exceeding the maximum permissible limit frequency, r max, for the “In-line”- or main
resonance, following structural changes should be made:

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a) Shortening of insertion length To
This is the most effective method (and the recommended method from ASME PTC 19.3
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TW-2010) for improvement of frequency ratio r.

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b) Increasing the tip diameter

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By the enlargement of the tip diameter, natural frequency fs is reduced, as well as the frequency
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ratio r is optimized.
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c) Support through an anchor

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Support of the thermowell through an anchor is generally not recommended by ASME PTC 19.3
TW-2010, and lies outside the scope of the ASME code.
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On customer request, an anchor can be used, in line with precise customer specifications and
the process side thermowell components below the anchor connection will be designed in
accordance with the design and calculation criteria of ASME PTC 19.3 TW-2010, without,
however, falling within the scope of ASME PTC 19.3 TW-2010.

The operator is responsible for the rigid support of the anchor in the adapter, which may mean
that a reworking of the adapter is needed.

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