A shell and tube heat exchanger comprises of a number of tubes

mounted inside a cylindrical shell. Two fluids can exchange heat,

one fluid flows over the outer side of the tubes while the second
fluid flows through the tubes. The fluids can be single or two
phase and can flow in a parallel or a cross/counter flow
arrangement. Shell and Tube heat exchangers are the most
common types of heat exchangers. It is extensively used as
power condensers, preheaters, oil coolers and steam generators.
It consists of numerous tubes mounted parallel to each other in a
cylindrical shell. Flow can be counter, parallel or cross flow, and in
several cases combinations of these flow arrangements is used as
a result of baffling. Increased investment in the petrochemical,
chemical, and HVACR industries and stringent environmental
regulations are the major drivers triggering the growth of shell &
tube heat exchangers market.
This study estimates the global market for shell & tube heat
exchangers by the end of 2020. This market research study
provides detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of the
global shell & tube heat exchangers market. The report provides a
comprehensive review of major market drivers, restraints,
opportunities, winning imperatives, challenges, and key issues in
the market. The market is further segmented and forecasted for
major geographic regions, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and
Rest of the World. Major countries with market revenues are
covered for each of the region. Competitive scenario and market

share of the top players has been discussed in detail. The top
players of the industry are profiled in detail with their recent
developments and other strategic industry activities.
Market has also been segmented on the basis of applications. The
major applications for shell & tube heat exchangers include
chemicals, petrochemical and oil & gas, HVACR, food & beverage,
pulp & paper, power generation. Market share for major market
participants has been described in detail for shell & tube heat
exchangers.
We have used various secondary sources such as encyclopedia,
directories, and databases to identify and collect information
useful for this extensive commercial study of shell & tube heat
exchangers. The primary sources selected experts from related
industries and selected suppliers have been interviewed to obtain
and verify critical information as well as to assess the future
prospects for shell & tube heat exchangers.
We have also profiled leading players of this industry with their
recent developments and other strategic industry activities. Key
participants in the shell & tube heat exchangers market include
Alfa Laval AB (Sweden), GEA Group (Germany), Danfoss A/S
(Denmark), SPX Corporation (U.S.) and so on.
Scope of the report: This research report categorizes the global
market for shell & tube heat exchangers on the basis of

applications and geography; forecasting revenues and analyzing

trends in each of the submarkets.
On the basis of applications: The shell & tube heat exchangers
market is segmented on the basis of application as chemicals,
petrochemical and oil & gas, HVACR, food & beverage, pulp &
paper, power generation. Each application is further described in
detail in the report with revenues forecasted for each application.
On the basis of geography: North America, Europe, AsiaPacific, and ROW and key countries in every region.
Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchangers Construction Details
The shell-and-tube heat exchanger is named for its two major components round tubes
mounted inside a cylindrical shell.
The shell cylinder can be fabricated from rolled plate or from piping (up to 24 inch
diameters). The tubes are thin-walled tubing produced specifically for use in heat
exchangers.
Other components include: the channels (heads), tubesheets, baffles, tie rods & spacers,
pass partition plates and expansion joint (when required). Shell & tube heat exchanger
designs and constructions are governed by the TEMA and ASME codes.

Tubes
Tubing may be seamless or welded. Seamless tubing is produced in an extrusion process;
welded tubing is produced by rolling a strip into a cylinder and welding the seam. Welded
tubing is usually more economical.
Normal tube diameters are 5/8 inch, 3/4 inch and 1 inch. Tubes of smaller diameter can be
used but they are more difficult to clean mechanically. Tubes of larger diameter are
sometimes used either to facilitate mechanical cleaning or to achieve lower pressure drop.
The normal tube wall thickness ranges from 12 to 16 BWG (from 0.109 inches to 0.065
inches thick). Tubes with thinner walls (18 to 20 BWG) are used when the tubing material is
relatively expensive such as titanium.
Tubing may be finned to provide more heat transfer surface; finning is more common on the
outside of the tubes, but is also available on the inside of the tubes. High flux tubes are
tubing with special surface to enhance heat transfer on either or both sides of the tube
wall. Inserts such as twisted tapes can be installed inside tubes to improve heat transfer
especially when handling viscous fluids in laminar flow conditions. Twisted tubes are also
available. These tubes can provide enhanced heat transfer in certain applications.
Tubesheets
Tubesheets are plates or forgings drilled to provide holes through which tubes are
inserted. Tubes are appropriately secured to the tubesheet so that the fluid on the shell side
is prevented from mixing with the fluid on the tube side. Holes are drilled in the tubesheet
normally in either of two patterns, triangular or square.
The distance between the centers of the tube hole is called the tube pitch; normally the tube
pitch is 1.25 times the outside diameter of the tubes. Other tube pitches are frequently
used to reduce the shell side pressure drop and to control the velocity of the shell side fluid

as it flows across the tube bundle. Triangular pitch is most often applied because of higher
heat transfer and compactness it provides. Square pitch facilitates mechanical cleaning of
the outside of the tubes.
Two tubesheets are required except for U-tube bundles. The tubes are inserted through the
holes in the tubesheets and are held firmly in place either by welding or by mechanical or
hydraulic expansion. A rolled joint is the common term for a tube-to-tube sheet joint
resulting from a mechanical expansion of the tube against the tubesheet. This joint is most
often achieved using roller expanders; hence the term rolled joint. Less frequently, tubes
are expanded by hydraulic processes to affect a mechanical bond. Tubes can also be welded
to the front or inboard face of the tubesheet. Strength welding designates that the
mechanical strength of the joint is provided primarily by the welding procedure and the
tubes are only lightly expanded against the tubesheet to eliminate the crevice that would
otherwise exist. Seal welding designate that the mechanical strength of the joint is provided
primarily by the tube expansion with the tubes welded to the tubesheet for better leak
protection. The cost of seal-welded joints is commonly justified by increased reliability,
reduced maintenance costs, and fewer process leaks. Seal-welded joints are required when
clad tubesheets are used, when tubes with wall thickness less than 16 BWG (0.065 inch) are
used, and for some metals that cannot be adequately expanded to achieve an acceptable
mechanical bond (titanium and Alloy 2205 for instance).

Baffles
Baffles serve three functions: 1) support the tube; 2) maintain the tube spacing; and 3)
direct the flow of fluid in the desired pattern through the shell side.
A segment, called the baffle cut, is cut away to permit the fluid to flow parallel to the tube
axis as it flows from one baffle space to another. Segmental cuts with the height of the
segment approximately 25 percent of the shell diameter are normally the optimum. Baffle

cuts larger or smaller than the optimum typically result in poorly distributed shell side flow
with large eddies, dead zones behind the baffles and pressure drops higher than expected.
The spacing between segmental baffles is called the baffle pitch. The baffle pitch and the
baffle cut determine the cross flow velocity and hence the rate of heat transfer and the
pressure drop. The baffle pitch and baffle cut are selected during the heat exchanger design
to yield the highest fluid velocity and heat transfer rate while respecting the allowable
pressure drop.
The orientation of the baffle cut is important for heat exchanger installed horizontally. When
the shell side heat transfer is sensible heating or cooling with no phase change, the baffle
cut should be horizontal. This causes the fluid to follow an up-and-down path and prevents
stratification with warmer fluid at the top of the shell and cooler fluid at the bottom of the
shell. For shell side condensation, the baffle cut for segmental baffles is vertical to allow
the condensate to flow towards the outlet without significant liquid holdup by the baffle. For
shell side boiling, the baffle cut may be either vertical or horizontal depending on the
service.
Other types of baffles are sometimes used such as: double segmental, triple segmental,
helical baffle, EM baffle and ROD baffle. Most of these types of baffles are designed to
provide fluid flow paths other than cross flow. These baffle types are typically used for
unusual design conditions. Longitudinal baffles are sometimes provided to divide the shell
creating multiple passes on the shell side. This type of heat exchangers is sometimes useful
in heat recovery applications when several shell side passes allow to achieve a severe
temperature cross.
Tie Rods and Spacers
Tie rods and spacers are used for two reasons: 1) hold the baffle assembly together; and 2)
maintain the selected baffle spacing. The tie rods are secured at one end to the tubesheet
and at the other end to the last baffle. They hold the baffle assembly together. The spacers
are placed over the tie rods between each baffle to maintain the selected baffle pitch. The
minimum number of tie rod and spacers depends on the diameter of the shell and the size of
the tie rod and spacers.

Channels (Heads)
Channels or heads are required for shell-and-tube heat exchangers to contain the tube side
fluid and to provide the desired flow path.
Many types of channels are available. The three (3) letters TEMA designation is the standard
method for identifying the type of channels and the type of shell of shell-and-tube heat
exchangers. The first letter of the TEMA designation represents the front channel type
(where the tube side fluid enters the heat exchanger), the second letter represents the shell
type and the last letter represents the rear channel type. The TEMA channel types are
shown below.

The channel type is selected based on the application. Most channels can be removed for
access to the tubes. The most commonly used channel type is the bonnet. It is used for
services which do not require frequent removal of the channel for inspection or cleaning. The
removable cover channel can be either flanged or welded to the tubesheet. Flanges are
usually not provided for units with larger shell diameters. The removable cover permits
access to the channel and tubes for inspection or cleaning without the need to remove the
tube side piping. Removable cover channels are provided when frequent access is required.
The rear channel is often selected to match the front channel. For example a heat
exchanger with a bonnet at the front head (B channel) will often have a bonnet at the rear
head (M channel) and will be designated as BEM. However, there can be circumstances
where they are different such as when removable bundles are used.
Pass partitions are required in channels of heat exchangers with multiple tube passes. The
pass partition plates direct the tube side fluid through multiple passes. The number of tube
side passes is normally less than eight, although more than eight passes can in some cases
be required. Multiple tube passes allow to maximize the tube side heat transfer within the
pressure drop constraint. Typically, heat exchangers with liquid as the tube side fluid have
multiple tube passes. Most heat exchangers with large tube side volumetric gas flow rates
have a single tube pass.

Typical Applications
The shell-and-tube heat exchanger is by far the most common type of heat exchanger used
in industry. It can be fabricated from a wide range of materials both metallic and nonmetallic. Design pressures range from full vacuum to 6,000 psi. Design temperatures range
from -250oC to 800oC. Shell-and-tube heat exchangers can be used in almost all process
heat transfer applications.
The shell-and-tube design is more rugged than other types of heat exchangers. It can stand
more (physical and process) abuse. However, it may not be the most economical or most
efficient selection especially for heat recovery applications or for highly viscous fluids. The
shell-and-tube heat exchanger will perform poorly with any temperature crosses unless
multiple units in series are employed.
Typical applications include condensers, reboilers and process heaters and coolers.