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PaulinResearchGroupFEAandpipestresssoftwareforpipingandpressurevesselsASMESectionVIIIdiv2B31

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Installation&Licensing
FEASoftwareInstallationError=931546
2551FatalError

TechnicalErrors
ErrorID3241andUnzippedNodes
WhyamIgetting2000000000%overstress?

General
NozzleandHeader/PadDefinitionsRegions
GeneralNozzles,ShellsandPlates(NOZSHELL)
ReinforcedFabricatedTee(RFT28)
UnreinforcedFabricatedTee(UFT28)
WeldingTee(WTEE)

WhatarethedefinitionsofFE/Pipesboundaryconditions?
Whyisthereamissingbandofmaterialintheplottedresultsonoutputgraphics?
WhatarethedefinitionsforInplane,Outplane,TorsionalandAxialforIntersectionsandBends?

FE/PipewithPCLGold:
GetFEAresultswithout
havingtolearnanew
pipingorFEAprogram!

Installation&Licensing
FEASoftwareInstallationError=931546

ThiserroroccurswhenattemptingtoinstallthesoftwarefromaCDwithadatelimitontheinstaller.Youcan
acquirethefullprogramfromthedownloadpageonourwebsite.Toaccessthedownloadpage,youmustsetup
amembershipaccount.YouraccountisnottiedtoyourLicenseNumberorsoftwareregistration.Onceloggedin
andonthedownloadpagefindthefileentitled
PRG2007Release
InstallationprogramforfullreleaseofPRGsoftware.RegistrationandactivationwithPRGisrequired.Notethat
thisinstallationpackageisacumulativeinstallationthatincludescriticalupdatesandblackboxfix.
Thefileaboveisalloftheprograms.Asaresult,itsabout128MB.Oncedownloaded,youmaycontinuethe
installationasnormal.Youwillneedtodisableanyantivirussoftwarerunning,asitmaypreventafull
installation.
Aforewarningthough,ourprogramdoesnotworkwithanyoddcharacters(Suchasperiods,commas,or
slashes.However,Underscoresdowork)inthepathnames.Whetheritisintheinitialinstalldirectoryorthe
individualjobnames.Tosaveyourselfahassleandalotoftimepleaseensurenowthatitagoodinstall
directory.
C:\PRGSOFT_2007
Aboveisanexampleofacleandirectory.(Shouldbethedefault)Aftersuccessfullyinstallingtheprogram,you
willstillneedtoauthorizeit.Pleaserefertothemanualintheinstallationfolderorourinstallationguidesalso
locatedonourFAQpage.Shouldyouhaveanyquestionsaboutauthorization,oranyfurtherproblemsinstalling,
pleasecontactsupport@paulin.com<backtotop>
2551FatalError

Thiserrorgenerallyisaresultofrunninganoutdatedversionofthesoftware.Thismayhappenwheninstalling
fromaCD.(Asopposedtodownloadingthefullreleasefromourwebsite.)Theprogramversionislistedunder
theHelp>AboutscreensontheMainMenu.<backtotop>

TechnicalErrors
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ErrorID3241andUnzippedNodes
ErrorID3241
OneofthemostcommonerrorsusershavewithNozzlePROisErrorID3241.Thereisasimplewayofsolving
thisproblembyaddingaMergeNodeTolerancetothemodel.
WhatiserrorID3241?
Everynodeinthemodelhasanareaaroundit.Inorderfortwonodestobeconnected,onlytwonodesmustlie
withinacertainarea.Ifthisareaistoolarge,thenthreeormorenodesmayliewithinthisareacollapsingthe
element.Seepicturebelow.

Whendoesthiserroroccur?
Thiserroroccursmostcommonlyonellipticalheadsthathaveanoffsetnozzle.Themeshinginthesecases
causessometimesthecollapseofelementsduetothecomplicatedmeshingthathastobecreatedforthese
cases.
Howdoyoucheckforcollapsedelements?
Therearethreeimportantcheckstheusermustlookbeforerunningamodel.
1. Checkforcollapsedelements
2. Checkforunzippednodes
3. Checkforpoorlyshapedelements
Tocheckforthesethreeimportanterrors,youneedtoPlotthemodel.Theninthemodelwindowunder
Controls/ModelVerificationyouwillbeabletoseethethreechecks.

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Thesecondthirdandfourthofthelistarethethreemostimportantchecksforthemodel.
IfworkinginFE/Pipeinmanycasestherecanbepoorlyshapedelements,thiscanbeinthecaseofBendwith
Staunchion,wherethemeshingonthebendmayhavepoorlyshapedelements.Thesearenotasimportantif
theyareawayfromthediscontinuityandwillnotaffectthehigheststressareas.
Unzippednodesandcollapsedelementsareveryimportant.Thesetwomustbecheckedbeforerunningany
model.
HowdowesolveerrorID3241?
Adjustingtheareamentionedbeforewillsolvetheerror.Usuallythiserroroccursbecausetheareaistoolarge.
ThesecanbefixedbychangingtheMergeNodeToleranceinNozzlePROandtheMergeNodeOverridein
FE/Pipe.
ForEnglishunits,agoodnumbertostartwithis0.005inandforSIunits0.127mmfortheMergeNode
Tolerance.Thesearenotsetinstonethoughthesevaluesmaynotsolveallofthecollapsedelements.The
usermustkeepchangingthenumbersifcollapsedelementscanstillbeseen.
BecarefulreducingtheMergeNodeTolerancetoomuch,thereisafinelinebetweencollapsedelementsand
unzippednodes.Ifthenumberistoosmall,theninsteadofhaving2nodeswithinacertainarea,youwillhave
only1,meaningthatnoelementswillbeconnectedtogether.<backtotop>
UnzippedNodes
WhentheMergeNodeOverrideistoosmall,thentheelementswillnotbegluedtogether.ThereisNOerror
forthis.Whattheusercanlookfor,ifthiswasnotcheckedbeforerunningthemodel,isforunusualhigh
stresses,usuallyoverstressedbymorethan300%,whentheloadingsaresmall.
Asmentionedearlier,theusermustbecautiouswhenchangingthenumberintheMergeNodeTolerancebox.
<backtotop>
WhyamIgetting2000000000%overstress?
Example:BC.ifu
AcommonusererrorinFE/Pipewillgiveanunrealisticsolutionsuchas2000000000%overstressforanypartof
themodel.Themainreasonwhythiscouldbeisduetomissingboundaryconditions.Theotherproblemthat
cancausesuchhighmagnitudesofstressisduetomismatchingmidsurfaceradiiinCylindricalShellstemplate
(STRINGS).
Whentheuserforgets,ordoesnotatarestrictionasaboundarycondition,thenthesolutionwillbeveryhigh
duetothefactthatthemodel,forFE/Pipeisfloatinginmidair.
TheattachedBC.ifuhastheproblemofboundaryconditions.OpenthisfileandrunitandyouwillseeinASME
OverstressedAreasunderReportsthatthestressis2000000000%overstressedasshownbelow.

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TheeasywayoffixingthisproblemistoaddanewboundaryconditionintheLoads/Displacementwindowas
shownbelow.

ThisboundaryconditionwilltellFE/Pipethatthemodelisnotfloatingintheair,soresultsnowwillbe
reasonable.
FIXITYisnottheonlywaytoaddrestraintstoamodelforaccurateresults.DISPLACEMENTcanbeadded
too,theusermayfixonlycertaindegreesoffreedom,forexample,preventonlyaxialdisplacement,andleave
therestfreetorotateandtranslate.
FIXITYwillfixall6degreesoffreedom,whileDISPLACEMENTwillhavetospecifiedbytheuserwhich
degreesoffreedomtokeepfixed.
Therearesomeothercasesthatcanhavethissameproblem,butitisnotduetoboundaryconditions.Inthe
CylindricalStringsTemplate(STRINGS),thisproblemmightoccurifthereisaninputerrorinthemidsurface
radiusspecifiedbytheuser.Thisusuallyhappenswhenaskirtisbeingadded,andthemidsurfaceradiusofthe
skirtdoesnotmatchthemidsurfaceradiusofthevesselshell.Theusershouldcarefulcheckallthemidsurface
radiiwhengettingtheseunrealisticresults.<backtotop>

General
NozzleandHeader/PadDefinitionsRegions

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RegionsaredefineddifferentlyindifferentFE/PipeTemplates.Belowarethedefinitionsfor4common
templates:
GeneralNozzles,ShellsandPlates(NOZSHELL)
ReinforcedFabricatedTee(RFT28)
UnreinforcedFabricatedTee(UFT28)
WeldingTee(WTEE)
NozzleandPadDefinitions(GeneralNozzles,ShellsandPlates)
Nozzlesaredividedinto3sections:
1. NozzleatJunction
2. NozzleTransition
3. NozzleAwayfromJunction
Thepadisdividedin3sections:
1. Nozzle#atweldpadarea
2. PadnexttoNozzle#
3. Padatnozzle#
Thediscontinuityintheshellisdividedintwosections:
1. ShellatNozzle#
2. ShellinNozzle#Vicinity
Themeshinganddimensionsofthesethreepartsofthenozzlecanbeadjustedbytheuser.
PleaseseeHillsideNozzle.

<backtotop>

NozzleandPadDefinitions(ReinforcedFabricatedTee)
Branchesaredividedinto3sections:
1. BranchatJunction
2. BranchTransition
3. BranchRemovedfromJunction
TheHeader/Padisdividedin3sections:
1. Header/PadatJunction
2. PadRemovedfromJunction
3. PadOuterEdgeWeld
TheHeaderhasonesection:
1. HeaderoutsidePadArea

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<backtotop>

NozzleandPadDefinitions(UnreinforcedFabricatedTee)
Branchesaredividedinto3sections:
1. BranchNexttoHeaderWeld
2. BranchTransition
3. BranchAwayfromJunction
TheHeaderisdividedin3sections:
1. HeaderNexttoNozzleWeld
2. HeaderAwayfromJunction

<backtotop>
BranchandRunDefinitions(WeldingTee)
Branchesaredividedinto2sections:
1. TransitiontoTopPipe
2. TopPipe
Run/Headerisdividedinto4sections:
1.
2.
3.
4.

TransitiontoFrontPipe
FrontPipe
TransitiontoBackPipe
BackPipe

Teeisdividedinto2sections:
1. TeeBody
2. CrotchArea

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<backtotop>
WhatarethedefinitionsofFE/Pipesboundaryconditions?
TherearemanytypesofboundaryconditionsinFE/Pipe.Belowisalistofallboundaryconditions.
FIXITY
DISPLACEMENT
FORCE
HEAD
RIGID
FLAT
PFIX
SYMFIX
NONE
FIXITYFixitywillrestrainall6degreesoffreedom,nottranslationorrotationwillbeallowedatthespecified
nodeselectedbytheuser.Thereissomeradialdisplacementallowedinthisboundarycondition.Iftheuser
doesnotwantanyradialdisplacement,thenRIGIDshouldbeused,seedefinitionbelow.
DISPLACEMENTTheusercanspecifywhichdisplacementsareallowed.Thefigurebelowshowstheonly
alloweddisplacementintheFYdirectionandrotationintheRXaxis.

Freecanbeplacedbytheusersayingthatthisdegreeoffreedomisfreetotranslateorrotate.Notethatthe
WeightandOperatingcasewerebothenteredwiththesamevalues,thesetwoaredifferentcasesandwillbe
computedasseparateloadcases,andthereforeitisagoodideatoplacethesamevaluesonboth,iftheuser
doesnothavedifferentvaluesforWeight.
FORCETheusercanaddforcesinanydirection.
HEADForvessels,sometimestheuserneedstomodelthetopofthevesseltohaveaheadboundary
condition.FE/Pipewilladdaheadtothemodelsothatthetopofthevesselisnotfreetorotateordisplacein
anydirection.ThetypeofheadplacedisdefinedintheOptionalwindow(onlyforNOZSHELLtemplate).
RIGIDThisboundaryconditionwillplacearigidelementatthedesiredlocation,thisboundaryconditionwill
addstiffness,thatispreventradialdisplacementalso,tothemodelaswellasrestrictitfrommovinginall6
degreesoffreedom.

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FLATThisboundaryconditionisverymuchalikeHEADboundarycondition,onlythistimeaflatplatewillbe
addedtothetopofthevesselornozzle,topreventsomeradialdisplacementandsomerotation.
PFIXThiswillallowdisplacementintheaxialdirection.UsuallywhatisusedforavesselisFIXITYatthe
bottomandPFIXatthetop.PFIXallowsaxialdisplacementsothataccuratePD/4tstressescanbecomputed
attheboundaryconditionduetopressure.
SYMFIXProvidesaxialrestraintandlocalinplanebendingrestraint.Thisboundaryconditionismore
commonlyusedwhenonlyhalfofasymmetricmodelisused.
NONENoboundaryconditionwillbeapplied.<backtotop>
Whyisthereamissingbandofmaterialintheplottedresultsonoutputgraphicsasshownbelow?

Thenonrenderedregionisthezonewithinonehalfthewallthicknessofthepressurevesselheadoronehalf
thewallthicknessofthenozzleplusfilletweldlengths.Inthecaseofverythickhead,shellornozzle,theregion
isratherwide.
Thisapproach(notusingstresseswithinthevolumeoftheintersection)hasbeensupportedbypastPressure
VesselResearchCouncil(PVRC)publicationsandisalsosupportedbythenewASMESectionVIII,Division2,
Annex5.A.Theconceptisthatthestresseswithintheintersectionvolumedonotrepresentvalidmembraneor
bendingstresses.However,thestressesintheshellsdirectlyadjacenttothiszonearevalid.Therefore,our
reportsbeginattheedgeoftheintersectionplusanyfilletweldthatisspecified.
Thisprocedureisgoodpracticeregardlessofthetypeoffiniteelementtoolbeingused.Forinstance,ifyouare
usingaproductlikeANSYS,youshouldbereportingstressesatasimilarregion.Stresseswithinthevolume
oftheweldhavenophysicalmeaningandshouldbediscarded.Thisisoftennotdonebecause:1)analystsdo
notunderstandtheintentoftheCode,2)itistoodifficultandtimeconsumingtodowithgeneralFEAtools.
<backtotop>
WhatarethedefinitionsforInplane,Outplane,TorsionalandAxialforIntersectionsandBends?

Inplane,Outplane,AxialandTorsionalDirections
InplaneForce/Moment:Isaforceormomentthatwillcausethebranchtodeflecttowardstheheaderalong
itscenterline.
OutplaneForce/Moment:Isaforceormomentthatwillcausethebranchtodeflectalongthe
circumferentialplaneoftheheader.
TorsionalForce/Moment:Isaforceormomentthatwillcausethebranchtodeflectarounditscenterline.
AxialForce:Isaforcethatwillcausethebranchtodeflectalongitscenterline.

Allinplane,outplane,torsionalandaxialdirectionsareinthelocalaxis.Forlateralsthesame
processwillbeappliedregardlessoftheangleoftiltofthebranchtoheader.<backtotop>
ForIntersections(TeesandHeads):

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Foracenternozzleonahead,theinplaneandoutplanedirectionwillbethesame.<backtotop>
ForBendsandBendswithSupport:

<backtotop>

ProductQuickLinks
FE/PipeNozzlePROBOSFluids

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Copyright2013,PAULINResearchGroupAllrightsreserved.

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