Bolted Joints Analysis of a Heat Exchanger

Detailed mechanical verification of a shell and tube heat exchanger by Finite Element Analysis (FEA), focusing on the bolted joints at the body flange to tubesheet interface at both ends, and the influence of flange and tubesheet thickness mismatches on sealing performance. Following ASME VIII Division 2, Section 5.2.2 guidelines for protection against plastic collapse, several loading scenarios were evaluated, with the governing case identified as pressurization at 0.4 barg shell side and 4.5 barg tube side under steady state normal operation. Results confirmed that proper tightening of the 36 bolts achieves adequate compressive stress to prevent leakage without exceeding allowable stress limits, while showing that increasing tubesheet thickness would not meaningfully improve gasket sealing performance. This study delivered clear, actionable recommendations to improve sealing robustness and reduce leakage risk in a complex bolted joint configuration governed by combined pressure, thermal, and mechanical loading effects.