MODELLING OF THE MANDREL-FREE COIL DRAWING PROCESS OF PIPES FROM STEEL 12Х18Н10Т

Abstract

The metallurgical industry of Russia faces the task of joining the country with the world leaders in the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG). This task involves reducing the dependence of the level of imports, since today the dependence on imports in the LNG production industry is about 95 %. The main equipment for LNG production is a spiral heat exchanger. The purpose of this work was to study the thin-walled long-length pipes used in its construction. According to the requirements for the specified heat exchange equipment, the components of its cold-deformed pipes must have a length of at least 50 m. For the production of such pipes, it is recommended to apply the mandrel-free coil drawing process. The article presents the results of a theoretical study of the mandrel-free coil drawing process of pipes from steel AISI 321 (grade Cr18Ni10Ti). Predicting the technological feasibility of manufacturing pipes in coils can reduce the costs for subsequent organization of industrial production. Using the finite element method implemented in the “Deform-2D” software package, the boundary value problem was solved to carry out the process of mandrel-free coil drawing of pipes and the process of their winding on a drum. The simulation was carried out for the technology of manufacturing seamless cold-deformed pipes in accordance with the principal scheme of coil production ensuring its rational organization, which was developed by the research & production teams of the TMK Group. The possibility of manufacturing pipes in coils with dimensions of 10×1.0 mm from steel grade AISI 321 (grade Cr18Ni10Ti) has been theoretically justified. It is recommended to use the simulation results for the subsequent implementation of the technology.