shellandtube

Shellandtube, often written as shell-and-tube, is a type of heat exchanger widely used in industrial process plants. It consists of a bundle of tubes enclosed within a cylindrical shell. One fluid flows through the tubes while a second fluid flows around the tubes inside the shell, enabling heat transfer across the tube walls. The design is modular and adaptable to a range of temperatures and pressures.

Key components include tubes and tubesheets that hold the tubes in place, baffles to direct shell-side flow and improve heat transfer, end caps or channel covers, and nozzles for inlet and outlet connections. Materials are selected based on service and may include carbon steel, stainless steel, or alloyed metals. Common configurations are fixed-tube and U-tube arrangements, with single-pass or multi-pass tube configurations to tailor heat transfer and pressure-drop characteristics.

Operation centers on maximizing heat transfer while managing mechanical limits. Design considerations cover pressure differentials, thermal expansion, fluid incompatibilities, fouling, and the ease of cleaning and inspection. Routine maintenance often involves mechanical cleaning of tubes, chemical cleaning for fouling or scaling, hydrostatic testing, and periodic inspection of tubesheets and gaskets.

Advantages of shell-and-tube exchangers include robustness at high pressures and temperatures, good on-site accessibility for inspection and cleaning, and flexibility to handle a wide range of fluids and duties. Limitations include a relatively large footprint for a given duty and potential fouling in the shell side. They remain a foundational choice in petroleum refining, chemical processing, power generation, LNG, and large HVAC systems.