Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers are considered as the most popular device for the transfer of heat in industrial process applications. These heat exchangers are basically composed of stainless steel straight or U-tubes in a carbon steel shell. Available in a variety of diameters and lengths, Shell and tube heat exchanger transfer large amounts of heat at a relatively lower cost and provides an effective tube surface, at the same time it also minimizes the need of large floor space, liquid volume and weight.

Shell and tube heat exchangers are used in applications where high temperature and pressure demands are significant. Also employed when fluid contains particles that would block the channels of a plate heat exchanger, they include U-tube, straight, spiral, and finned tube. Shell heat exchanger is easy to clean and inspect, very durable, and are a simple solution for tube expansion.

Features of a high quality Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers are:-

• They usually possess a U-tube construction.
  
  
• These are units, specifically designed for liquid to liquid (PW) and steam to liquid (PS) applications.
  
  
• They feature additional thread and surface protection for clean installation.
  
  
• Easy to clean and inspect these exchangers come with removable tube bundles.
  
  
• Their Coil and baffle arrangement is so designed that it maximizes the heat transfer performance.
  
  
• The tubes of a quality Shell and tube Exchanger expands into stationary tubesheet, allowing the tube to expand and contract, as a result of thermal fluctuations, without causing stresses on the joints.
  
  
• The gaskets are constructed of a high quality compressed fibre that lends to reusability.
  
  
• These exchangers also possess a welded shell protected with high quality paint for corrosion resistance.

The shell and tube is the most common type of heat exchanger used in the process, petroleum, chemical and HVAC industries. They can also be used in various applications like, processing liquid or gas cooling, processing or refrigerating vapor, steam condensing, processing of heat removal, preheating of feed water, hydraulic and lube oil cooling, etc.

There are many different types or designs of tube heat exchangers to meet various process requirements. Shell Tube heat exchangers can provide steady heat transfer by utilizing multiple passes of one or both fluids. These heat exchangers come in two and four pass models standard, and multi-pass custom models.