DWARAKAKRISHNA, are you concerned only with the reaction at each saddle? These are simply found from the dimensional relation of the CG to the saddles.
If you are interested in the stresses imposed in the shell, this is normally done by the so-called Zick calculations, which (I believe) PVE does perform. However the method is not especially accurate for shell & tube exchangers, as it assumes a vessel that is symmetrical about the supports. You can find details of the calculations in standard handbooks such as Moss, Bednar, etc. or the Zick paper itself.
About the only really accurate way is to run one calculation for each end of the exchanger, adjusting the weights such that the reactions at the saddle correspond to reality. Note the vessel is treated by the software as being symmetrical for each case. Even this is troublesome. I should say that I run these calculations in
Code Calc, not PVE, which may handle the asymmetry, I don't know.
My experience has taught me to not especially trust these calculations. If they tell me something is overstressed, well I don't exactly believe it. If they tell me the opposite, I don't exactly believe that either
Regards,
Mike
The problem with sloppy work is that the supply FAR EXCEEDS the demand