Product Overview

Shell-and-tube heat exchangers are primarily composed of a shell, baffles, heat exchange tubes, headers, and turn-down baffles. They can be manufactured using either carbon steel or stainless steel. During heat exchange, one fluid enters through a connection pipe at the header and flows through the tubes, exiting through the outlet pipe at the other end of the header, which is known as the tube side; another fluid enters through a connection on the shell and exits through another connection on the shell, referred to as the shell side.

Fixed tube sheet heat exchanger

The structure is relatively simple, compact, and cost-effective, but the outer surface cannot be mechanically cleaned. The tube bundle of this heat exchanger is connected to the tube sheets, which are separately welded to the ends of the shell. A top cover is attached to these tube sheets, and fluid inlet and outlet connections are fitted to both the top cover and the shell. Typically, a series of baffles perpendicular to the tube bundle are installed outside the tubes. The connection between the steel tubes, tube sheets, and the shell is rigid, while the fluids inside and outside the tubes are at different temperatures. Therefore, when there is a significant temperature difference between the tube wall and the shell wall, due to the differing thermal expansion of the two, a large temperature difference stress is generated, which can cause the tubes to twist, bend, or even become loose from the tube sheets, potentially damaging the heat exchanger. Generally, when the temperature difference between the tube wall and the shell wall exceeds 50°C, for safety reasons, the heat exchanger should have a temperature difference compensation device. However, the compensation device (expansion joint) can only be used when the temperature difference between the shell wall and the tube wall is below 60 ~ 70°C and the pressure of the fluid in the shell is not high. Usually, when the shell side pressure exceeds 0.6 MPa, due to the excessive thickness of the expansion bellows, it becomes difficult to expand and contract, thus losing its temperature difference compensation function, and alternative structures should be considered.

U-tube heat exchanger

U-shaped tube heat exchangers, each tube bent into a U-shape, with both ends fixed on the same tube sheet, allowing each tube to expand and contract freely for thermal compensation. The tube side has at least two passes, the tube bundle can be removed for cleaning, and the tubes can expand freely. It features a simple structure, light weight, and is suitable for high temperature and high pressure conditions.

Immersible Serpentine Heat Exchanger

A heat exchanger utilizing a serpentine tube as the heat transfer element is one type of shell-and-tube heat exchangers. It boasts a simple structure, ease of manufacturing, installation, cleaning, and maintenance, affordability, and is particularly suitable for cooling high-pressure fluids, thus it is still in use.

Technical Specifications