Flow-Excited Acoustic Resonance Vibration Mitigation of Reactor Inlet Piping by a Perforated Annulus

Abstract

Piping vibration had been observed in one of our refinery’s reactor inlet piping for several decades. Vibration levels in inlet piping for reactor ‘D’ and ‘E’ were highest, relative to those in reactor ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’. To cope with the vibration, design changes to small-bore branch connections had been implemented to reduce susceptibility to the vibration. A recent increase in production demand made the vibration levels more evident and a production constraint was imposed after an MOV gas seal failure. Analysis identified the root-cause as flow-excited acoustic resonance of (almost) coaxial closed side branches in the flow path. The selected vibration mitigation solution involved installing a perforated annulus in the main line, in front of the mouth of the (almost) coaxial closed side branch acoustic resonator. Before fabricating and installing the perforated annulus, it was decided to evaluate its expected performance by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and structural stress finite element analysis (FEA). This paper gives an account of the selection of the perforated annulus as the preferred vibration mitigation solution and its evaluation by means of high-performance computing CFD and FEA. The CFD and FEA analysis showed that the perforated annulus would perform as intended and mitigate the piping vibration. The perforated annulus was fabricated and installed in the inlet piping for reactor ‘D’. Piping vibration was observed to be mitigated, even when flowing above the design rate. The perforated annulus vibration mitigation solution was replicated in the inlet piping for reactor ‘E’. The production constraint has since been lifted.