ACADEMIA SUMMARIES

Mechanical Constraints on Thermal

Design of Shell and Tube Exchangers
The original paper contains 44 sections, with 10 passages identified by our machine learning
algorithms as central to this paper.

Paper Summary
SUMMARY PASSAGE 1

Introduction/Purpose
The thermal design of a shell and tube exchanger is influenced by mechanical requirements such as
materials thicknesses and clearances necessary for fabrication purposes.

SUMMARY PASSAGE 2

Scope
This document gives guidelines on dimensions to be used in the thermal design of shell and tube
heat exchangers.

SUMMARY PASSAGE 3

Standard Dimensions
In the past, it has been the practice to have a range of standard shell diameters and tube lengths,
based on imperial units. These standards can now be regarded as obsolete in most cases, and the
Engineer can in general specify what is really wanted. Some Projects or Works may still require the
use of standard dimensions, for reasons such as to reduce the range of spares required.

SUMMARY PASSAGE 4

Tube Pitch
The minimum thickness of metal in the tubesheet between adjacent tubes, known as the 'ligament'
(equal to the tube pitch minus the tube O.D.)
SUMMARY PASSAGE 5

Tube Counts
(a) Tube diameter.

SUMMARY PASSAGE 6

Program Correlations
These can be useful guides in the early stages of a design. However, while these may take account
of some of the above factors, they can only be regarded as approximations, and may predict tube
counts significantly different from what can be achieved. This is particularly the case for small
diameter exchangers with many tube passes.

SUMMARY PASSAGE 7

Use Of Tubecount Tables

Standard tube count tables are available in the literature. They do represent tubecounts which can be
achieved, based on assumed, (not always stated) values of the above variables, but may not be
applicable to the GBHE standards for tube pitch etc.

SUMMARY PASSAGE 8

Graphical Layout
The traditional way to determine the tubecount for an exchanger is to draw out the tubesheet with the
correct clearances. While this does give a tubecount which can be achieved, it is a time consuming
process, especially for a multipass exchanger. Moreover, some skill is needed to produce the
optimum arrangement.

SUMMARY PASSAGE 9

Use Of Computer Programs

Typically the programs allow for different pass layouts for multi-pass exchangers, and the user can
input the various clearances desired. Note that the default values for tube pitch, clearances etc. may
differ from those given in Clause 5.
SUMMARY PASSAGE 10

Tie Rods
The transverse baffles or support plates in a shell and tube exchanger are located and supported by
a set of tie rods and spacers. The rods are fastened to the inside face of the stationary tubesheet.
Where possible, some of the rods may be located in the pass-partition lanes, where they perform the
additional duty of seal rods, reducing flow bypassing in the lanes.