SHELL AND TUBE HEAT EXCHANGR

A Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger consists of a bundle of tubs enclosed in a cylindrical
shell. The end of the tubes are fitted into tube sheets. Baffles are provided in the shell
direct the fluid flow and to support the tubes.

Shell and Tube Exchanger Sectional View Shell and Tube Exchanger General View

1-1 Heat Exchanger 1-2 Heat Exchanger

A. General Design Considerations:

1. Tubes:
The tube diameters are in the range of 5/8’’ to 2’’ are used. Mostly 5/8’’
to 1’’ are preferred.
The length of the tubes vary from 6’,8’,12’,16’,20’. Longer tubes reduces
the shell diameter. The optimum length is usually 5 – 10’.
To start with the design calculation ¾’’ is the preferable trail diameter.
The tube arrangements might be equilateral triangular, square, rotated

CH 1407- Chemical Process Equipment Design and Drawing / Compiled by, R.ARUL KAMALAKUMAR Page 1
 Square pattern.

Triangular and rotated square patterns give higher heat transfer rates.
Recommended tube pitch is 1.25 times tube outside diameter.

Tube Arrangement
Tube Dia Space and Pitch
2. Shell:
Normal shell diameter is 6’’ to 42’’
Tube count tables usually gives the estimate of the no of tubes that
could be accommodated in standard shell sizes, for commonly used
tube sizes.
Pitches and no. of passes can be found from standard reference or
hand book.
The principal shell arrangements are one pass shell, split flow, divided
flow, two passes, double split flow. The split flow and divided flow are
used to reduce the shell side pressure drop.
Single segmental baffles are commonly used. The term baffle cut is
used to specify the dimension of segmental baffles. Baffle cuts of
15 -45 % are used.

CH 1407- Chemical Process Equipment Design and Drawing / Compiled by, R.ARUL KAMALAKUMAR Page 2
 Generally a baffle cut of 20-25% is optimum.
A close baffle spacing will give higher heat transfer coefficient but at the
expense of high pressure drop. Optimum spacing is 0.3 to 0.5 times shell
diameter.
3. Fluid allocation:

Sl No Factor Fluid Allocation Comment

1 Corrosion More corrosive fluid is to be
allocated to the Tube side
2 Fouling The fluid having highest tendency
to foul should be allocated to the
tubes
3 Fluid Higher temperature fluid should be
Temperature allocated to the tubs
4 Operating Higher pressure fluid should be
Pressure allocated to the tubes
5 Pressure Drop Fluid with lowest allowable
Pressure drop should be allocated
to the tube side
6 Viscosity High viscous material should be
allocated to the shell side
7 Stream flow Fluid with lowest flow rate should
rates be allocated to the shell side
Replace of shell is difficult and
expensive
Cleaning the tube is easier and
the allowable higher velocity in
the tube reduces fouling
This will reduce the shell’s outer
temperature and this is for safety
reasons.
High pressure tubes are less
expensive than high pressure
shell
For the same pressure drop,
higher heat transfer coefficient
will be on the tube side than the
shell side
Higher heat transfer coefficient
will be obtained provided the
flow is turbulent.
High viscous fluid may plug the
tubes
Will give more economical design

4. Fluid Velocities:
Higher fluid velocities will give higher heat transfer coefficient, but lead
to higher pressure drop.
Higher velocities will reduce fouling.
Typical recommended velocities are as follows:
1. For Liquids

Tube Velocity( m/s) Shell side Velocity (m/s)

side
Process 1 -2 All Fluids 0.3 – 1 m
Fluid
Water 1.5 – 2.5

2. For Vapors:
For vapors the velocity depends on the operating pressure.
If operating pressure is atmospheric then the velocity is 10-30 m/s
If it is higher, then the velocity is 5-10 m/s

5. Stream Temperature:
The closer the temperature approach, the larger will be the heat transfer area
required for the given pressure.

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 In general the greater temperature difference should be at least 20°C. The
least temperature difference is 5 - 7°C

6. Pressure Drop:
In selecting the pressure drop, an economic analysis is made to design an
exchanger which gives lowest operating velocity taking both capital and
pumping costs into account.
For liquids if the viscosity is ≤ 1 Nm/s2, the pressure drop is 35 kN/m2
For Gases and Vapors:
For high vacuum the pressure could be 0.4 – 0.8 kN/m2
For medium vacuum , it is (0.1 X Absolute pressure) kN/m 2
For 1 – 2 bar, it is (0.5 X Gauge pressure) kN/m2
For 10 bar, it is (0.1 X Gauge pressure) kN/m2

7. Design Procedure:
1. Based on the problem given calculate T avefor hot and cold streams
T h 1 +T h 2
T ave, h= ,
2
Where T h 1∧T h 2are temperature of hot fluid in and out.
T c 1+ T c 2
T ave, c = ,
2
Where T c1 ∧T c 2 are temperature of cold fluid in and out.

2. Calculate ∆ T h 1∧∆ T h 2

∆ T h 1=T h 1−T c2and ∆ T h 2=T h 2−T c1

3. Find dimensionless temperature ratios R and S

(Note: Where R is the capacity ratio, equal to the shell side fluid flow rate times the
fluid mean specific heat.
S is the temperature ratio (also represented as τ ), which is measure of the
temperature efficiency of the exchanger.)

T h 1−T h2 T c 2−T c1
R= and S=
T c 2−T c1 T h 1−T c1

Using this R and S, using the graph (Pg No: 292, Binay K. Dutta) Calculate
F T , the LMTD Correction factor.

4. Calculate the LMTD

∆ T 1 −T 2
¿ × F T =∆ T lm
LMTD ΔT 1
ln
ΔT 2

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 5. Calculate the heat load Q:
Q=mc C pc ∆ T c =mh C ph ∆ T h
Where C pc∧C ph are Specific heats of cold and hot fluid.
6. In this step assume the value U o overall heat transfer coefficient and
proceed with the calculations and finally it is possible to determine it
according to the given condition.
From table 8.2 (Page 297, Binay K.Dutta) . The selection of U o should be based on
the type of operation specified in the problem (Condensation, Heating, Vaporization
or Heating / Cooling (with no phase change) and based on the hot and cold fluid
given in the problem, the selection of the fluid (hot and cold) should be the nearest
approximation from the given list. This will give more realistic U o value. Let us
considerU o (assumed)

7. Based on the U o assumed, calculate heat transfer area Ao

Q
Ao =
U o(assumed ) ∆ T lm
8. Fix the tube side and shell side fluid based on the guidelines given or from
standard book. Also assume tube pitch arrangement. For shell and tube
heat exchanger better to go for triangular pitch.
Ao
9. No of tubes ¿ , Where Ao is heat transfer area and A is the outer
A
surface area of one tube. Assume no of pass (N). A=π d o L, L is the length of
the tube.
n
Calculate tubes per pass n P, n P=
N
π d 2i
Area per pass¿ A P=n P
4
10. Tube side velocity ut
m
ut =
ρ Ap
, where ‘m’ is tube side mass flow rate.
11. Calculate the bundle diameter Db
1
n
D b =d o
( ),
k1
n1
where k 1∧n1are constants.

(find the value of k 1∧n1, from the table no 12.4 on Page no 649, Coulson and
Richardson’s Chemical Engineering Design, Fourth Edition, Vol 6 based on the no of
passes and type of pitch arrangement)
Then calculate the shell inside diameter Di
Di=D b+Clearence ,
(where Clarence is estimated from the table no 12.10 on Page no 646, Coulson and
Richardson’s Chemical Engineering Design, Fourth Edition,

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 Vol 6 based on the bundle diameter)

12. Next step is to calculate tube side and shell side heat transfer
coefficients hi ∧ho , it is necessary to remember that the values calculated
here are tentative one and based on the assumed U o . Anyway the actual
value is calculated subsequently in the coming steps by imparting various
factors and actual overall design coefficient U Dwill b calculated.
12.1. To calculate tube side coefficient hi
1
hi k
φt
= j Ht
( )
di
( N Prt ) 3

Where k is thermal conductivity of tube side fluid and j Ht (Colburn Factor ) is

estimated based on the N Ret , using the table 8.11a, Page no 294, Binay K.Dutta.
ρ di ut c μ
N Ret= and N Prs= p
μ k
12.2. Similarly calculate for shell side coefficient h o
1
ho k
φs
= j Hs
( )
d eq
( N Prs ) 3

ρ d eq us
N Res=
μ
m
u s (is shell side velocity) ¿
ρ A s , where sis shell side area (cross flow
A

area)
( Pt−d o ) Di × Baffle space
A s=
Pt
Where Pt is the pitch of the tube ¿ 1.25 ×d o , d o tube inside diameter.
1
Baffle space is of shell diameter.
5
Calculate the equivalent diameter d eq
1.27 2
d eq (for square pitch)= ( pt −0.785 d2o )
do
1.10 2
d eq (for triangular pitch)= ( p t −0.917 d 2o )
do
Calculate the N Res, and j Hs (Colburn Factor ) is estimated based on the N Res,
using the table 8.11b, Page no 295, Binay K.Dutta.

13. Make the viscosity correction and actual inside and outside heat
transfer coefficient, h'i ∧h'o
Then corrected heat transfer coefficients are as follows:

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 hi ' ho '
'
hi = ( )
φt
'
φt and h o= φ
φo o ( )
0.14 0.14
μ μ
Where φ t=
'
( )μw i
and φ o=
'
( )
μw o

Where µ and μw are viscosity of the fluid and viscosity of the fluid at
wall temperature.

For the given temperature the viscosity is to be calculated using the

nomogram for viscosity of fluids from,Fig.14, page 821-823,Process Heat
Transfer by Donald Q.Kern

Calculate the wall temperature and subsequently viscosity.

hi

Wall temperature¿ T w =T cave +

( )φt
hi ho
+
φt φ s
( T have −T cave )

14. Calculate the friction factor for tube side and shell side using N Ret
and N Res

15. Calculate overall inside heat transfer coefficienthio

' di
hio =hi ×
do
16. Calculate overall design heat transfer coefficient U D

1 1 di
= + R o d o + R i di
Ud Uc do ( )
, Ro ∧Ri are dirt/fouling factor usually
given in the problem.

U C is the overall heat transfer clean coefficient

di
d o ln
1 1 do
= +h−1+
U c h 'o io 2ks

Where k s is the thermal conductivity of the shell metal.

8. Design Summary:
1.T Ave h and T aveC , ∆ T h 1 , ∆T h 2
2. R,S, F T
3. LMTD and LMTD (Corrected)

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 4. Heat transfer area Ao
5. No of tubes, n
6. Tube side velocity,ut
7. Bundle diameter
hi h o
8. , heat transfer coefficient based on the assumed U o
φt φ s
9. h'i , h'o the corrected heat transfer coefficients
10. Friction factor for tube side and shell side
11. hio Overall inside heat transfer coefficient
12. Clean coefficient U c
13. Design coefficient U D

CH 1407- Chemical Process Equipment Design and Drawing / Compiled by, R.ARUL KAMALAKUMAR Page 8