Shell And Tube Heat Exchanger

A Shell And Tube Heat Exchanger is a type of heat exchanger that is commonly used for heating, cooling and condensing applications. lt consists of a shell with an internal bundle of tubes,which allows the hot and cold fluids to pass through the walls of the exchanger and exchange their energy. Shell and tube exchangers are classified in several ways, including design, operational construct, and construction materials. Mainly Fixed Tube Heat Exchanger, Floating Head Heat Exchanger, U-tube Heat Exchanger, and double tube heat exchanger.

The working principle of a shell and tube heat exchanger is relatively simple. The system is designed with two separate flows on either side of the heat exchanger. The primary flow of the hot fluid passes through the tubes, while the secondary flow of the cold fluid passes through the spaces between the tubes. Heat is then transferred from the hot side to the cold side via conduction, leading to an exchange of temperatures.

Shell and tube heat exchangers are normally used in process plants and used in a wide range of applications. A case in point is the cooling of condensates in refineries and nuclear power plants. In this application, condensate is heated using an external source and passed through the tube section of the heat exchanger. This condensate is then cooled and condensed as it passes through the shell side, where the heat is transferred to a cooling medium such as water, steam or oil.