Types of Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchangers
DOI 10.1615/hedhme.a.000414
4.2.3 Types of shell-and-tube heat exchangers
E. A. D. Saunders
A. Introduction
Heat transfer equipment may be designated by type or by the function it performs, such as chiller, condenser, cooler, heater, reboilcr, vaporizer, and so on. The choice of shell-and-tube heat exchanger type is governed chiefly by factors such as provision for differential movement between shell and tubes, design pressure, design temperature, and fouling nature of the fluids, rather than the function. Almost all exchanger types can perform any function. The various shell-and-tube heat exchanger types, and their variations, are described below, the type letter relating to the particular designation system referred to earlier in Section 413B. Nomenclature for heat exchanger components is summarized in Table 1. The features of the various types are summarized in Table 2.
Table 1 Nomenclature for heat exchanger components (applicable to Figure 1, Figure 3, Figure 5, Figure 7, Figure 8 and Figure 9)
| Number | Component | Number | Component |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shell | 16 | Stationary-head nozzle |
| 2 | Real-head dished cover | 17 | Stationary-head cover flange |
| 3 | Floating tubesheet | 18 | Stationary-head/tubesheet flange |
| 4 | Floating-head cover | 19 | Shell flange at stationary head |
| 5 | Floating-head backing ring | 20 | Shell flange at rear head |
| 6 | Floating-head cover flange | 21 | Rear-head flange at shell |
| 7 | Stationary-head cover | 22 | Rear-head barrel |
| 8 | Tie rods and spacers | 23 | Stationary-head barrel |
| 9 | Baffle | 24 | Packing |
| 10 | Stationary tubesheet | 25 | Packing follower ring |
| 11 | Pass partition plate | 26 | Packing box flange |
| 12 | Tubes | 27 | Floating tubesheet skirt |
| 13 | Support saddle | 28 | Slip-on backing flange |
| 14 | Expansion bellows | 29 | Split shear ring |
| 15 | Shell nozzle | 30 | Lantern ring with weep hole |
Table 2 Types of shell-and-tube heat exchangers: Summary of features
| Characteristic tubesheet (tupe L, M, N) | Fixed (tupe U) | U tube | Split-backing-ring floating head (type S) | Pull-through floating head (type T) | Packed-lantem-ring floating head (type W) | Outside-packed floating head (type P) | Bayonet tube |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does it provide for differential movement between shell and tubes? | Yes – with bellows in shell | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Is tube bundle removable? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes a |
| Is replacement bundle possible? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes a |
| Can individual tubes be removed and replaced? | Yes | Outer tubes only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Method of cleaning inside | Any | Chemical | Any | Any | Any | Any | Any |
| Method of cleaning outside b | Chemical | Any | Any | Any | Any | Any | Any a |
| Number of tube-side passes | Any | Any even number | One or any even number c | One or any even number c | One or two only d | Any e | One (special) |
| Is double tubesheet construction permissible? | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Are there internal gaskots? | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Approx diametral clearonce, mm (Shell ID-OTL) f | 11 to 18 | 11 to 18 | 35 to 50 | 95 to 160 | 15 to 35 | 25 to 50 | 11 to 18 |
b Extemal mechanical cleaning possible only with square or rotated square pitch, or unusually wide triangular pitch.
c One-pass construction requires packed gland or bellows at floating head. See Figure 416.4 and Figure 416.5.
d Tube-side nozzles must be at stationary end for two passes.
e Axial nozzle required at rear end for odd number of passes.
f Subject to comments given in Section 416D and Section 416E.
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