CFD and Heat Transfer Analysis of Insulated Pipe Supports with PTFE Pads in High-Temperature Environments

Branzoi, Ana-Emilia (2025) CFD and Heat Transfer Analysis of Insulated Pipe Supports with PTFE Pads in High-Temperature Environments. Integration Project, Industrial Engineering and Management.

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Abstract

PTFE is widely used in industry in low friction pads. However, not many studies have been conducted on quantifying the temperature in this pad, to insure its functionality. Therefore, this work addresses, using computational simulations, the thermal performance of a PTFE pad in a piping support system. In this context, four different models in both 2D and 3D space were considered: a normal conditions model, and three models in which the wind, the fluid in the pipe and the material of insulation have been tested as key parameters. These attempts strive to define the temperature distribution within the PTFE pad for different conditions. These results present a difference between the 2D and 3D models; among these, higher fluid temperatures develop most discrepancies in the "Base" and "Fluid flow" models. For the "Wind" model, however, the temperature difference between the 2D and 3D models is reduced by forced convection, emphasizing the impact of external airflow on temperature reduction. The "Insulation" model was used to determine how different materials, like glass wool and calcium silicate, affected the temperature of the pad. Besides, it was presented that 3D simulations catch the thermal behavior more precisely. Although 2D simulations confer information that is time sensitive, the 3D models provide a more realistic representation of the heat transfer, due to the incorporation of surfaces of contact. The results confirm that the PTFE pad remains below the degradation temperature, thereby preserving its material properties and effectively fulfilling its function as a low-friction pad.

Item Type:	Thesis (Integration Project)
Supervisor name:	Druetta, P.D. and Taheri, M.
Degree programme:	Industrial Engineering and Management
Thesis type:	Integration Project
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	24 Jan 2025 10:27
Last Modified:	24 Jan 2025 10:27
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/34592

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