SHELL & TUBE

HEAT EXCHANGER
DESIGN
 Introduction

 Shell & tube heat exchangers are the most versatile type
of heat exchangers.
They are used in process industries, in conventional
and nuclear power stations, steam generators, etc
They are used in many alternative energy
applications including ocean, thermal and
geothermal.
 Shell & tube heat exchangers provide relatively large
ratios of heat transfer area to volume.
 They can be easily cleaned.
 Shell & Tube Heat Exchangers

 Shell & tube type heat exchangers are built of tubes (round or
rectangular in general) mounted in shells (cylindrical, rectangular or
arbitrary shape).
 Many variations of this basic type is available.
The differences lie mainly in the detailed features of construction
and provisions for differential thermal expansion between the tubes
and the shell.
 Heat Exchanger Nomenclature
 SlZE: Sizes of shells (and tube bundles) shall be
designated by numbers describing shell (and tube bundle)
diameters and tube lengths, as follows:
 NOMINAL DIAMETER
The nominal diameter shall be the inside diameter of
the shell in inches (mm), rounded off to the nearest
integer.
 NOMINAL LENGTH
The nominal length shall be the tube length in inches
(mm). Tube length for straight tubes shall be taken as
the actual overall length. For U-tubes the length shall
be taken as the approximate straight length from end
of tube to bend tangent.
 TYPE: Type designation shall be by letters describing
stationary head, shell (omitted for bundles only), and
rear head, in that order, as indicated in Figure N-1.2.
HEAT EXCHANGER
NOMENCLATURE
Types of Shell &
Tube Heat
Exchangers

(Figure N-1.2)
 HEAT EXCHANGER NOMENCLATURE
Components
1. Stationary Head- 11. Shell Flange-Rear 21. Floating Head Cover-
Channel Head End External 31. Pass Patiion
2. Stationary Head- 22. Floating Tubesheet
Bonnet 12. Shell Node Skirt 32. Vent Connection
3. Stationary Head
Flange-Channel or Bonnet 13. Shell Cover Flange 23. Packing Box 33. Drain Connection
34. Instrument
4. Channel Cover 14. Expansion Joint 24. Packing Connection

5. Stationary Head Nozzle 15. Floating Tubesheet 25. Packing Gland 35. Support Saddle

6. Stationary Tubesheet 16. Floating Head Cover 26. Lantern Ring 36. Lifting Lug
17. Floating Head Cover
7. Tubes Flange 27. Tierods and Spacers 37. Support Bracket
18. Floating Head Backing 28. Transverse Baffles or
8. Shell Device Support Plates 38. Weir
39. Liquid Level
9. Shell Cover 19. Split Shear Ring 29. Impingement Plate Connection
10. Shell Flange-
Stationary Head End 20. Slip-on Backing Flange 30. Longitudinal Baffle 40. Floating Head Support
HEAT EXCHANGER NOMENCLATURE
Typical Examples
HEAT EXCHANGER NOMENCLATURE
Typical Examples
HEAT EXCHANGER NOMENCLATURE
Typical Examples
HEAT EXCHANGER NOMENCLATURE
Typical Examples
HEAT EXCHANGER NOMENCLATURE
Typical Examples
HEAT EXCHANGER NOMENCLATURE
Typical Examples
 Shell Types

 TEMA (the Tubular Exchangers

Manufacturers Association) publishes
standards defining how shell and tube
exchangers should be built. They define a
naming system that is commonly used.
 Shells are also typically purchased in
standard sizes to control costs. Inside the
shell, baffles (dividers) are installed to
direct the flow around the tubes, increase
velocity, and promote cross flow. They also
help support the tubes. The baffle cut is
the ratio of the baffle window height to
the shell diameter. Typically, baffle cut is
about 20 percent. It effects both heat
transfer and pressure drop. Designers also
need to specify the baffle spacing; the
maximum spacing depends on how much
support the tubes need.
 Baffle Type & Geometry

 Baffles serve two functions:

 Support the tubes for structural rigidity, preventing tube vibration and
sagging
 Divert the flow across the bundle to obtain a higher heat transfer
coefficient.

 The single and double segmental baffles are most frequently used. They
divert the flow most effectively across the tubes.
The baffle spacing must be chosen with care.
 Optimal baffle spacing is somewhere between 40% - 60% of the shell
diameter.
 Baffle cut of 25%-35% is usually recommended.

 The triple segmental baffles are used for low pressure applications.
Baffle Type & Geometry
 Disc & Ring Baffles
Baffle Type & Geometry
 Disc and ring baffles are composed of alternating outer rings and
inner discs, which direct the flow radially across the tube field.
 The potential bundle-to-shell bypass stream is eliminated.
 This baffle type is very effective in pressure drop to heat
transfer conversion.
 Disc
 Orifice Baffle
Baffle Type & Geometry

 In an orifice baffle shell-side-fluid flows through the clearance

between tube outside diameter and baffle-hole diameter.
 Number of Tubes

 The number of tubes in an exchanger depends on the

 Fluid flow rates.
 Available pressure drop.

 The number of tubes is selected such that the

 Tube side velocity for water and similar liquids ranges from
0.9 to 2.4 m/s (3 to 8 ft/sec)
 Shell-side velocity from 0.6 to 1.5 m/s (2 to 5 ft/sec).

 The lower velocity limit corresponds to limiting the fouling, and

the upper velocity limit corresponds to limiting the rate of erosion.

 When sand and silt are present, the velocity is kept high enough to
prevent settling.
 Tubes Passes

 A pass is when liquid flows all the way across from one end to the
other of the exchanger. We will count shell passes and tube passes.
 An exchanger with one shell pass and two tube passes is a 1-2
exchanger. Almost always, the tube passes will be in multiples of
two (1-2, 1-4, 2-4, etc.)
Odd numbers of tube passes have more complicated
mechanical stresses, etc. An exception: 1-1 exchangers are
sometimes used for vaporizers and condensers.

 A large number of tube passes are used to increase the tube side
fluid velocity and heat transfer coefficient and minimize fouling.
 This can only be done when there is enough pumping power
since the increased velocity and additional turns increases the
pressure drop significantly.
 Tubes Passes (Continued)

 The number of tube passes depends on the available pressure drop.

 Higher velocities in the tube result in higher heat transfer
coefficients, at the expense of increased pressure drop.

 Therefore, if a higher pressure drop is acceptable, it is desirable to

have fewer but longer tubes (reduced flow area and increased flow
length).
 Long tubes are accommodated in a short shell exchanger by
multiple tube passes.

 The number of tube passes in a shell generally range from 1 to 10

 The standard design has one, two, or four tube passes.
 An odd number of passes is uncommon and may result in
mechanical and thermal problems in fabrication and operation.
 Tube Materials

 Materials selection and compatibility between construction

materials and working fluids are important issues, in particular with
regard to corrosion and/or operation at elevated temperatures.
 Requirement for low cost, light weight, high conductivity, and good
joining characteristics often leads to the selection of aluminum for
the heat transfer surface.
 On the other side, stainless steel is used for food processing or
fluids that require corrosion resistance.
 In general, one of the selection criteria for exchanger material
depends on the corrosiveness of the working fluid.
 A summary Table is provided as a reference fo rcorrosive and
noncorrosive environments.
Materials for Corrosive & Noncorrosive Service
 Tube Wall Thickness

 The wall thickness of heat exchanger tubes is standardized in terms

of Birmingham Wire Gage BWG of the tube.

 Small tube diameters (8 to 15mm) are preferred for greater area to

volume density but are limited for the purposes of cleaning.

 Large tube diameters are often required for condensers and boilers.
 Tube Outside Diameter

 The most common plain tube sizes have 15.88,19.05, and 25.40 mm
(5/8, ¾, 1 inche) tube outside diameters.

 From the heat transfer viewpoint, smaller-diameter tubes yield

higher heat transfer coefficients and result in a more compact
exchanger.

 However, larger-diameter tubes are easier to clean and more

rugged.

 The foregoing common sizes represent a compromise.

 For mechanical cleaning, the smallest practical size is 19.05
mm.
For chemical cleaning, smaller sizes can be used provided that
the tubes never plug completely.
 Tube Length

 Tube length affects the cost and operation of heat exchangers.

 Longer the tube length (for any given surface area),
• Fewer tubes are needed, requiring less complicated header
plate with fewer holes drilled.
• Shell diameter decreases resulting in lower cost.
 Typically tubes are employed in 8, 12, 15, and 20 foot lengths.
Mechanical cleaning is limited to tubes 20 ft and shorter, although
standard exchangers can be built with tubes up to 40 ft.
 There are, like with anything limits of how long the tubes can be.
Shell-diameter-to-tube-length ratio should be within limits of
1/5 to 1/15
 Maximum tube length is dictated by
 Architectural layouts
 Transportation (to about 30m.)
 Tube Pitch

 The selection of tube pitch is a compromise between a

 Close pitch (small values of Pt/do) for increased shell-side heat
transfer and surface compactness, and an
 Open pitch (large values of Pt/ do) for decreased shell-side
plugging and ease in shell-side cleaning.

 Tube pitch PT is chosen so that the pitch ratio is 1.25 < PT/do < 1.5
 When the tubes are to close to each other (Pt/do less than
1.25), the header plate (tube sheet) becomes to weak for proper
rolling of the tubes and cause leaky joints.

 Tube layout and tube locations are standardized for industrial heat
exchangers.
 Fluid Allocation

 Tube side is preferred under these circumstances:

 Fluids which are prone to foul
• The higher velocities will reduce buildup
• Mechanical cleaning is also much more practical for tubes than for
shells.
 Corrosive fluids are usually best in tubes
• Tubes are cheaper to fabricate from exotic materials
• This is also true for very high temperature fluids requiring alloy
construction
 Toxic fluids to increase containment
 Streams with low flow rates to obtain increased velocities and turbulence
 High pressure streams since tubes are less expensive to build strong
 Streams with a low allowable pressure drop
 Viscous fluids go on the shell side, since this will usually improve the rate of heat
transfer.
 On the other hand, placing them on the tube side will usually lead to lower
pressure drops. Judgment is needed