Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

Tubular (also known as shell-and-tube, or tube-in-shell) heat exchangers are the most typical countercurrent heat exchangers and have a long history of use in industry, and they still dominate all heat exchangers today. Tubular heat exchangers consist of main components such as the shell, tube bundle, header, and end caps. The shell is usually cylindrical and contains parallel tube bundles. The tube bundles are fixed at both ends to the headers. In tubular heat exchangers, two fluids are exchanged within the tubes. The flow path within the tubes is called the tube side, and the flow path outside the tubes is called the shell side. The tube wall is the heat transfer surface. To increase the heat transfer coefficient on the shell side, baffles are usually installed inside the shell. The baffles not only prevent short-circuiting but also increase the fluid velocity and force the fluid to flow in a zigzag pattern through the tube bundle, greatly increasing turbulence. Common types of baff…