University of Jordan

Department of Chemical Engineering

Dr. Ali Al-Shawabkeh
Lecture Notes -11-

Heat Exchangers 5
Types of Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers:

1- Fixed Head (Fixed Tubesheet) STHE:

The tubesheet is welded to the shell.
The fixed tubesheet STHE has two tubesheets.
Used for relatively limited temperature range service.
A shell expansion joint is
Fixed tubesheet STHE
provided to allow for the tube
expansion. Expansion joints
(built-in joints) also allow for
shell expansion.
The end covers are removable
Tc 2
so that the inside of the tubes
can be cleaned by rodding or
Expansion
other similar tools. This type of
joint
cleaning is usually carried out
in situ so some space should be
allowed in the piping layout to allow for this.
Due to inspection and cleaning difficulties, fixed STHE are used where shell-side
fouling is limited.
The shell-side must be chemically cleaned since the tube bundle cannot be removed
from the shell.
2- U-Tube (U-Bend) STHE:
The U-tube STHE has only
one tubesheet.
U - tube STHE
Used when fouling of the
Tubesheet
tubes on the inside is
Channel
unlikely (the bend in the
Bonnet
Channel
tubes inhibits the cleaning
cover
and inspecting the inside of
Shell
the tubes).
A baffled channel is bolted
between the tubesheet and
the channel cover.
Channel
By unbolting the channel
baffle
from the shell, the tubesheet
and the bundle can be removed from the shell so that the outside of the tubes can be
cleaned.

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 Because the tube bundle is fastened to only one tubesheet, the tubes are free to
expand.
Can be used
U - tube STHE
where the
temperature
difference
between
shell-side and
Upper
tube-side
chamber
fluids is quite
large.
The channel
baffle
(partition)
dividing the
channel
directs
incoming
tube-side
fluid through
only half of
Lower
the tube
chamber
openings.
3- Floating Head STHE:
Are used when the media being handled causes fairly rapid fouling, and the
temperature creates expansion problems (tubes can expand freely).
One of its two tubesheets is bolted between the shell and the channel in a fixed
position.
a) Pull through type:
The other
(floating)
Pull - through floating head STHE
tubesheet
together with
its cover
floats inside
the shell
(free to move
horizontally).
Because the
tube bundle
and floating
Tubesheet
head can
Floating head
move
Cover
horizontally,
the tubes are free to expand and contract.

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 By unbolting the channel flange and the stationary tubesheet, the tube bundle and the
floating head can be withdrawn as a unit (this permits cleaning and inspection of the
outside of the tubes).

Pull - through
floating head
STHE

Tube bundle

Floating head
Shell cover

Floating
head
cover

Clearance

To inspect and clean the tubesheet and tubes inside, the channel cover, shell cover,
and floating head cover should be removed.

b) Split backing-ring type:

The diameter of the shell cover is greater than the diameter of the rest of the shell
holding the tubes.
The tubes, the tubesheet and the floating head cover cannot be pulled through as one
unit.
The tube bundle can be pulled, if the floating head cover, shell cover, and the split
ring are first removed.
The clearance between the tube bundle and shell of the pull-through type is greater
than that of the split-ring type.
Therefore, the split backing-ring STHE is more efficient than the pull-through one.
The split backing-ring STHE, however, has more parts. Thus, it is more expensive
than the pull-through one.

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 The split backing-ring STHE is also harder to disassemble. First, the shell cover is

Split - backing
ring floating
head STHE

Split ring

Cover

Shell

Floating head
Shell cover

Channel
Floating tubesheet

unbolted from the shell. Then the floating head cover and split backing-ring are
unbolted from the floating tubesheet. Then, the channel is unbolted from the other end
of the shell. And finally, the tube bundle is pulled from the channel end.

Clearance
14243 Clearance
14243
split - backing
ring STHE

Split backing - ring STHE

pull - through
STHE

Clearance

Pull - through STHE

Since disassembly is more time-consuming, the split backing-ring STHE is more

costly than the pull-through one.
Cleaning and Maintenance of Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers:
If a fouling problem has been neglected for some time, mechanical cleaning such as
cutting or scraping, maybe necessary.
The heat exchanger must be dismantled (disassembled) for mechanical cleaning
(usually after some time of operation).
Many deposits can be removed without shutting down the heat exchanger. Cleaning
while the exchanger is operating is called on-line maintenance.
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 In a typical method used for online-maintenance, chemicals are added to the fluids
flowing through the shell-side or tube-side.
It is not necessary to dismantle the
exchanger for chemical cleaning.
Cleaning of the outside or inside of
the tubes maybe done by spraying
pressurized water (using a water
jet). This cleaning method is called
hydroblasting.
The force of the water loosens the
Hydroblasting
deposits and washes them away.
(water jet)
Steam jets are also used to clean
heavy hydrocarbon deposits (the
heat generated by the steam softens
the deposits and they are then
washed away by the steam
pressure).
For the most difficult deposits which resist chemicals or hydroblasting, mechanical
methods are used.
Testing for Leaks:
If the two fluids in the HEx have different physical properties (like water and oil) it is
usually easy to tell them a part.
The easiest way to test
Water
for leaks is to take a
under
sample from the lower
pressure
pressure fluid.
If the fluids are water
and oil, for example,
then it is easy to see if
there is a leak by just
looking at the sample.
Observe ends for
If the fluids are very
leaking tubes
similar, a chemical test
may be necessary.
If visual or chemical
tests do not indicate a
leak, further testing
maybe necessary. These
further tests are called hydrostatic tests, because they usually involve using water
under high pressure.
In the case of tube-side test, the shell-side fluid is drained, and a drain point, such as a
disconnected lower nozzle or bleeder valve, is left open. The tube-side fluid is
replaced with water under high pressure which fills the tube bundle. If there are leaks
in the tubes or at the tube ends, the pressurized water in the tube bundle will be forced

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through the leak points into the shell. Such fluid will accumulate in the bottom of the
shell and eventually run out the drain
points where it can be observed by the
A tube which
operator.
has come loose
The same kind of test can be made on the
in the tubesheet
shell-side of the exchanger. In that case, the
tube-side of the HEx is drained of fluid,
and a tube-side drain point is left open. The
shell is filled with water under pressure.
Fluid running from the tube-side drain
point will indicate a leak in the tube
Loose
bundle.
tube
In the case of a fixed tubesheet HEx, the
end plates or bonnet covers are removed. It
is then possible to directly observe the tubesheets and tube ends. The shell is filled
with water under pressure. The
Water under
Floating
pressurized fluid enters any
pressure
head
leaking tube at the point where the
tube leaks. This fluid accumulates
in the tube and runs out of the tube
end. By observing the tubesheet, it
is possible to tell which tube is
leaking.
To test a partially dismantled
Shell
floating head HEx, the shell cover
is removed, and the tube bundle is
Observe leakes
filled with water under pressure.
The leak can be observed if it is located in the floating head gasket or in the tube ends
at the floating head. If the leak is located in the tube walls farther back in the
exchanger or at the tube ends in the
Water under
stationary head, fluid will be
pressure
observed in the shell. The operator,
however, will not be able to locate
Channel cover
the source of such leaks because the
tube bundle and stationary head are
not visible.
If the leak is coming from one end of
these areas, a different test is
Cover or
necessary. The channel cover is
test ring
Floating
removed and tube side fluid is
head end
Observe leakes
drained. The shell is filled with water
under pressure. Fluid will enter the tubes at the points where they leak, accumulate in
the tubes, and run out the tube ends. By observing the tubesheet, the operator can tell
which tube is leaking.
Normal test pressure is usually 1.5 times the designed operating pressure.

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