FEA to check Structural integrity of the Boiler Main Header and Stub Header

In high-temperature boiler systems, headers serve as vital components for collecting and distributing steam and water, while stub headers act as crucial connecting channels to other boiler elements. These tubular structures are regularly exposed to cyclic thermal loading during cold, warm, and hot startups — making them vulnerable to thermal fatigue over time. To maintain long-term operational safety and performance, it's essential to assess their structural integrity under realistic operating conditions.

Tridiagonal’s CAE experts performed an advanced Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to evaluate the reliability of the boiler header and stub header assembly. By incorporating a non-linear material model that accounts for complex behaviors such as cyclic creep and viscoplasticity, the simulation accurately captured stress evolution and potential fatigue damage. This predictive approach enables better lifecycle estimation and helps prevent costly failures in critical thermal systems. Get the full case study to see how FEA helped ensure boiler header reliability.