Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers

Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers

Shell and tube heat exchangers are the most common type of heat exchangers used in the process, petroleum, chemical and HVAC industries. Intended for heating or cooling process fluids, shell and tube heat exchangers are used when a process requires large amounts of fluid to be heated or cooled. Due to their design, shell and tube heat exchangers offer a large heat transfer area and provide high heat transfer efficiency.

Shell and tube heat exchangers consist of tubes that are run through a large circular tank called the shell. The tubes act as flow channels for one of the fluids in the shell and tube heat exchanger; these exchangers are often parallel in order to provide a large surface area for heat transfer. The shell, on the other hand, holds the tube bundle and acts as the conduit for the fluid. The shell assembly houses the shell side connections and is the actual structure into which the tube bundle is placed.

Shell and tube heat exchangers are used in applications where the pressure and temperature demands are high. These heat exchangers are also employed when the fluid in the exchanger contains particles that block the channels of a plate heat exchanger. Shell and tube heat exchangers serve a wide range of applications in compressor systems, hydraulic systems, stationary engines, pain systems, vapor recovery systems, air dryers, lube oil consoles, and several marine applications.