Andrew Dunbabin March 2012

Thermowell Calculation Guide

In accordance with ASME PTC 19.3
TW-2010
ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 1

Introduction
ASME PTC 19.3 TW-2010 was written to replace ASME PTC 19.3-1974 following
some catastrophic failures in non-steam service, these thermowells passed
the criteria laid out in 1974.

The 2010 standard includes significant advances in the knowledge of

thermowell behaviour. ASME PTC TW-2010 evaluates thermowell suitability
new and improved calculations including:

Various thermowell designs including stepped thermowells

Thermowell material properties

Detailed process information

Review of the acceptable limit for frequency ratio

Steady-state, dynamic and pressure stress

ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 2

Failure of a thermowell
In

1995 a thermowell failed in the secondary coolant loop of

the Monju fast breeder reactor in Japan.
The

failure closed the plant for 15 years

The

thermowell was designed to ASME PTC 19.3 1974

The

failure was found to be due to the drag resonance induced

on the thermowell by the liquid sodium coolant

ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 3

Stresses on a Thermowell
Thermowells protect temperature sensors from direct contact with a
process fluid. But once inserted into the process, the thermowell can
obstruct flow around it, leading to a drop in pressure. This
phenomenon creates low pressure vortices downstream of the
thermowell.
These vortices occur at one side of the
thermowell and then the other, which is
known as alternating vortex shedding. This
effect can be seen in the example of a flag pole
rippling a flag in the wind

ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 4

Frequency Ratio
X

Vortex shedding causes the

thermowell to vibrate.
Y
Flow Direction

If this vortex shedding rate (fs)

matches the natural frequency
(fnc ) of the thermowell, resonance
occurs, and dynamic bending
stress on the thermowell greatly
increases

Forces created by the fluid in the Y plane (in-line with flow) are called drag and
forces created in the X plane (transverse to flow) are called lift
The vortex shedding rate for the drag and lift must be calculated. The in-line frequency
(parallel to flow) is 2x the transverse frequency.

ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 5

Induced Frequencies

Where the induced frequency meets the natural frequency of the thermowell the amplitude of
vibration increases rapidly

The drag frequency induced is twice that of the lift frequency induced.

As such it meets the natural frequency of the thermowell at half the fluid velocity of the lift
induced frequency

The drag forces are smaller than the lift forces and under certain special conditions may not
be significant.

ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 6

Frequency

Resonance lock in

Both lift and drag resonance tends to lock in on the

natural frequency

The low damping of thermowells exaggerates this effect

In line (drag) excitation

Transverse (lift)

Fn

Nominal lock-in
range

Fluid velocity
ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 7

Frequency Ratio Limit

The frequency ratio (fs / fnc ) is the ratio between the vortex shedding rate and the
installed natural frequency. In the old standard, the frequency ratio limit was set
to 0.8. This was to avoid the critical resonance caused by the transverse (lift)
forces
Following the inclusion of the inline (drag) forces, a second
resonance band may also need to
be avoided

The transverse
resonance band is
above the 0.8 limit

Frequency Ratio Limit

The frequency limit ratio
is set at either 0.4 or 0.8.
The criteria for which
limit to use is defined in
ASME PTC 19.3 TW-2010
and the theory is
simplified below. This is
the theory used in the
calculation and should
not be estimated
without carrying out the
full evaluation.

Thermowell stress location

The thermowell is an unsupported beam and as such the

stresses concentrate at the root of the stem

ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 10

Thermowells; when to perform a calculation

A thermowell can be considered to

be at negligible risk if the following
criteria are met:

Process fluid velocity is less

than 0.64 m/s

Wall thickness is 9.55 mm or

more

Unsupported length is 610 mm

or less

Root and tip diameter are 12.7

mm or more

Maximum allowable stress is

69 Mpa or more

Fatigue endurance limit is 21

Mpa or more

For all other conditions it is advised

that a calculation is performed

ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 11

Thermowells; Assumptions and limits

A number of assumptions are made in the

standard:

Surface finish of the thermowell will

be 32 Ra or better

The thermowell is solid drilled

There is no welding on the stem of

the thermowell (other than the
attachment to the flange)

That the flange rating and attachment

are in compliance with established
standards .

That the thermowell is within the

dimension limits given in the standard
(table 4-1-1 and 4-2-1)

That any corrosion or erosion is

allowed for

ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 12

Thermowell; the pass criteria

ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 13

There are four criteria for a

thermowell to pass evaluation to
PTC 19.3 TW-2010

Frequency limit: the resonance

frequency of the thermowell shall
be sufficiently high so that
destructive oscillations are not
excited by the fluid flow

Dynamic stress limit: the

maximum primary dynamic stress
shall not exceed the allowable
fatigue stress limit

Static stress limit: the maximum

steady-state stress on the
thermowell shall not exceed the
allowable stress, determined by the
Von Mises criteria

Hydrostatic pressure limit: the

external pressure shall not exceed
the pressure ratings of the
thermowell tip, shank and flange

All four of the criteria need to be

evaluated and all four need to be
passed.

Introduction to ABBs Wake Frequency

Calculation

ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 14

Thermowell Types
STR/THREAD

STR/SW

STR/FLG

STR/VAN

STR/WELD

TAP/THREAD

TAP/SW

TAP/FLG

TAP/VAN

TAP/WELD

STEP/THREAD

STEP/SW

STEP/FLG

STEP/VAN

STEP/WELD

KEY: STR = STRAIGHT; TAP = TAPERED; STEP = STEPPED

THREAD = THREADED; SW = SOCKET WELD; FLG = FLANGED;
ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 15

VAN = VAN STONE; WELD = WELD-IN

Dimension Details

Note:
Ls and bs are only applicable for step-shank thermowells
ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 16

Calculation Report
Project and client details from the
Front Page are shown here
Input data from the Data Entry
sheet is pulled through here
including the thermowell type
and material details
The calculated results are shown
in either Metric or Imperial units
as selected on the Front Page
Thermowell Suitability is the key
information

The reason for suitability failure

can be found in the comments
section
ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 17

When a Calculation Fails

If a thermowell fails the evaluation, the design can be changed in the
following ways:

Shorten the thermowell to reduce the unsupported length

Increase the thickness of the thermowell (A and B)

A velocity collar can be added to reduce the unsupported length although
this is not generally recommended. A velocity collar is used to provide a
rigid support to the thermowell and will work only if there is an
interference fit between the standoff wall and the collar.
Care must be taken to ensure the collar meets the standoff wall at
installation and is not affected by corrosion. If a velocity collar is the
only viable solution, it is the responsibility of the operator to ensure
there is an interference fit between the standoff wall and the velocity
collar.

ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 18

 ABB Group
November 4, 2014 | Slide 19