Shell and tube Heat exchangers

Prepared by
Dr.P.Kumaran
Introduction

➢ Shell and tube Heat exchangers are used in the process industries,
conventional and Nuclear power stations.
➢ They are proposed for many alternative energy applications including
OTEC, Geothermal and some air conditioning and refrigeration
systems.
➢ Shell and tube heat exchangers are cleaned easily and it offers great
flexibility to meet almost any service requirement.
➢ Reliable design methods
➢ Shell and tube heat exchangers can be designed for high pressure also.
Basic components

➢ Shell and tube heat exchangers are built of round tubes mounted in a
cylindrical shell with the tubes parallel to the shell.
➢ One fluid flows inside the tubes, while the other fluid flows across
and along the axis of the exchanger
➢ The major components of this exchanger are tubes (tube bundle),
shells, front-end heads, rear-end heads, baffles, and tube sheets.
➢ Typical parts and connections, for illustrative purposes only are
shown in the figure.
Shell Types

➢ Various front and rear head types and shell types have been standardized
by TEMA.
➢ They are identified by an alphabetic character as shown in the figure.
➢ Seven types of shells are standardized by TEMA. They are as follows:
1. E One-pass shell
2. F Two-pass shell with longitudinal baffle
3. G Split flow
4. H Double split flow
5. J Divided flow
6. K Kettle type reboiler
7. X Crossflow

TEMA E shell flow arrangement

 TEMA E Shell

➢ Figure shows the most common shell types as condensers. The E – shell is the
most common due to its cheapness and simplicity.

➢ In this shell, the shell fluid enters at one end of the shell and leaves at the other
end, i.e., there is one pass on the shell side.

➢ The tubes may have single or multiple passes and are supported by transverse
baffles.

TEMA F Shell
➢ To increase the effective temperature
differences and hence exchanger
effectiveness, a pure counterflow
arrangement is desirable for a two-
tube pass exchanger. This is achieved
by the use of an F-shell with a
longitudinal baffle and resulting in two
shell passes.
➢ The F shell with two passes on the shell side is commonly used with two passes on the
tube side
 ➢ The entry and exit nozzles are located at the same end. The amount of heat
transferred is more than that in an E shell but at the cost of an increased
pressure drop.
TEMA G Shell or Split Flow Exchanger
➢ In this exchanger, there is one central inlet and one central outlet nozzle with a
longitudinal baffle.
➢ The shell fluid enters the exchanger’s center and divides into two streams. Hence, it
is also known as a split flow unit.
TEMA H Shell or Double Split Flow Exchanger
This is similar to the G shell, but with two inlet nozzles and two outlet
nozzles and two horizontal baffles resulting in a double split flow unit
TEMA J Shell or Divided Flow Exchanger

➢ The divided flow J shell has two inlets and one outlet or one
inlet and two outlet nozzles.
➢ With a single inlet nozzle at the middle, the shell fluid enters at
the center of the exchanger and divides into two streams.

➢ The J shell has approximately one-eighth the pressure drop of a

comparable E shell and is therefore used for low-pressure-drop
applications such as in a condenser in vacuum.
➢ These streams flow in longitudinal directions along the
exchanger length and exit from two nozzles, one at each end of
the exchanger.
➢ The possible pass arrangements are one shell pass, and one, two,
four, N (even) or infinite tube passes.

FIGURE 5.47 TEMA J shell flow arrangement

 TEMA K Shell or Kettle Type Reboiler

➢ The K shell is used for partially vaporizing the shell fluid. It is used as a kettle
reboiler in the process industry and as a flooded chiller in the refrigeration
industry.
➢ Usually, it consists of a horizontal bundle of heated U tubes or floating head
placed in an oversized shell.
➢ The tube bundle is free to move and it is removable. Its diameter is about 50%–
70% of the shell diameter.
➢ The liquid to be vaporized enters at the
bottom, near the tube sheet, and covers the
tube bundle; the vapor occupies the upper
space in the shell, and the dry vapor exits
from the top nozzle(s), while a weir (the
vertical unperforated baffle helps to
maintain the liquid level over the tube
bundle.
➢ The bottom nozzle in this space is used to
drain the excess liquid.
TEMA X Shell
➢ The X shell (Figure) is characterized by pure shell side crossflow.
➢ No transverse baffles are used in the X shell; however, support plates are
used to suppress the flow-induced vibrations.
➢ It has nozzles in the middle as in the G shell.
➢ The shell side fluid is divided into many substreams, and each substream
flows over the tube bundle and leaves through the bottom nozzle.
➢ The tubeside can be single pass, or two passes, either parallel crossflow or
counter-crossflow.

For a given set of conditions, the X shell has

the lowest shellside pressure drop compared to
all other shell types (except the K shell).
Hence, it is used for gas heating and cooling
applications and for condensing under vacuum
Comparison of Various TEMA Shells

➢ In general, E- and F-type shells are suited to single-phase fluids because of the
many different baffle arrangements possible and the relatively long flow path.
➢ When the shell side pressure drop is a limiting factor, G and H shells can be
used.
➢ The G and H shells are not used for shellside single-phase applications,

Designations for Head Types

A Channel with removable cover

B Bonnet with integral cover
C Channel integral with the tubesheet and removable cover when the tube
bundle is removable
N Channel integral with the tubesheet and having a removable cover but the
tube bundle is not removable
D Special HP closure
Rear head:

L Fixed tubesheet like “A” stationary head

M Fixed tubesheet like “B” stationary head
N Fixed tubesheet like “N” stationary head
P Outside packed floating head
S Floating head with backing device
T Pull-through floating head
U U-tube bundle
W Externally sealed floating tubesheet

Front and Rear Head Designs

.
Two of the major considerations in the choice of heads are
(1) accessibility to the tubes and
(2) piping convenience.
Where fouling conditions are encountered or where frequent access for inspection is
desired, a head or cover plate that can be easily removed is an obvious choice.
Watch the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyQ3SaU4KKU
Front-End Heads
➢ The front- and rear-end head types, as classified by TEMA
➢ The front-end head is stationary, while the rear-end head can be either
stationary or floating, depending on the allowed thermal stresses between the
tubes and the shell.
➢ The major criteria for the selection of front- and rear-end heads are the thermal
stresses, operating pressures, cleanability, hazards, and cost.
➢ The front-end heads are primarily of two types, the channels and the bonnet.
➢ The bonnet head B is cast in one piece and has either a side- or an end-entering
nozzle.
➢ Although the bonnet head is less expensive, inspection and maintenance
requires breaking the pipe joints and removing the bonnet. Hence, the bonnet
head is generally used for clean tube-side fluids.
Rear-End Heads.

➢ In a shell-and-tube exchanger, the shell is at a temperature different from that

of the tubes because of heat transfer between the shell and tube fluids.

➢ This results in a differential thermal expansion and stresses among the shell,
tubes, and the tubesheet.

➢ If proper provisions are not made, the shell or tubes can buckle, or tubes can be
pulled apart or out of the tubesheet.

➢ They may be categorized as fixed or floating rear-end heads, depending on

whether there are no provisions or some provisions for differential thermal
expansion.

➢ A heat exchanger with a fixed rear-end head L, M, or N has a fixed tubesheet

on that side. Hence, the overall design is rigid.

➢ The TEMA L, M, and N rear-end heads are the counterparts of TEMA A, B,

and N front-end heads.
 BAFFLES

Baffles must generally be employed on the shell side

➢ to support the tubes,
➢ to maintain the tube spacing, and
➢ to direct the shell side fluid across or along the tube bundle in a specified manner

• There are a number of different types of baffles, and these may be installed in different
ways to provide the flow pattern required for a given application

Classification of Baffles
Baffles are either normal or parallel to the tubes. Accordingly, baffles may be
classified as
1. Transverse - The transverse baffles direct the shellside fluid into the tube
bundle at approximately right angles to the tubes and increase the turbulence of the
shell fluid.
The transverse baffles direct the shellside fluid into the tube bundle at approximately
right angles to the tubes and increase the turbulence of the shell fluid.
 2. Longitudinal baffle - The longitudinal baffles are used to control the direction of
the shellside flow. For example, F, G, and H shells have longitudinal baffles. In the F
shell, an overall counterflow is achieved.

Transverse Baffles
Transverse baffles are of two types:
(1) plate baffles - Three types of plate baffles are (1) segmental, (2) disk and
doughnut, and (3) orifice baffles
(2) Rod baffles.
Segmental Baffles
The segmental baffle is a circular disk (with
baffle holes) having a segment removed.
Predominantly, a large number of shell and
tube exchangers employ segmental baffles.
The single and double segmental baffles are
most frequently used. They divert the flow
most effectively across the tubes.
The optimum baffle spacing is somewhere
between 0.4 and 0.6 of the shell diameter
and a baffle cut of 25% to 35% is usually
recommended.
Tripple – segmental baffle
 Disc and ring (doughnut) baffles are composed of alternating outer rings and inner discs,
which direct the flow radially across the tube fields.

Another type of plate baffle is

the orifice baffle, in which shell-
side fluid flow through the
clearance between tube outside
diameter and baffle hole
diameter.
Basic Design Procedure of Heat Exchanger

➢ Process engineer
First, the problem
must be identified as
completely as
possible. Not only
matters like flow
rates and
composition
(condensation or
boiling), inlet and
outlet temperature
and pressures of both
streams. Any
additional details
required by design
engineer must also
discussed
Basic Design Procedure of Heat Exchanger

➢ The main duty of the

process engineer is to
supply all the
information to the
heat exchanger
designer. The basic
configuration of the
heat exchanger must
be tentatively
selected
Basic Design Procedure of Heat Exchanger

➢ The next step is to

select a tentative set
of exchanger design
parameters. A
preliminary estimate
of the heat exchanger
size can be made.
Basic Design Procedure of Heat Exchanger

➢ Then the initial

design will be rated
that is the thermal
performance and the
pressure drops for
both streams will be
calculated for this
design.
Preliminary Estimation of Unit size

The size of the heat exchanger can be obtained from

Q Q
Ao = =
U o Tm U o F Tm
where
A o = outside heat transfer surface area based on the
outside diameter of the tube
Q = heat duty of the exchanger.

➢ First, we estimate the individual heat transfer coefficients with fouling

factors. Standard Tables are there for the estimation of individual heat
transfer coefficients or overall heat transfer coefficient are available in the
various handbooks.
➢ The estimation of heat transfer coefficients is preferable for estimating the
overall heat transfer coefficient:
The overall heat transfer coefficient Uo based on the outside diameter of tubes can
be estimated from the estimated values of individual heat transfer coefficient, wall
and fouling resistant and the overall surface efficiency find from the equantion

Heat load can be estimated from the heat balance as

The problem now is to convert the area calculated Ao into reasonable dimension of the
first trial.
The objective is to find the right number of tubes of diameter do
Shell diameter Ds to accommodate the number of tubes Nt with given tube length L.

Ao =  d o N t L

One can find the shell diameter, Ds, which would contain the right number of tubes, Nt ,
of diameter do
The total number of the tubes, Nt , can be predicted in fair approximation as a function
of the shell diameter by taking the shell circle and dividing it by the projected area of
the tube layout pertaining to a single tube A1:
Substituting Nt equation in Area Ao , an expression for the shell diameter in terms of main
constructional diameters can be obtained as

Problem 1
A heat exchanger is to be designed to heat raw water by the use of condensed water at
67oC and 0.2 bar, which will flow in the shell side with a mass flow rate of 50000kg/hr.
the heat will be transferred to 30000kg/hr of city water coming from a supply at 17oC (cp
= 4184 J/kg.K). A single shell and a single tube pass is preferable. A fouling resistance of
0.000176 m2 · K/W is suggested and the surface over design should not be over 35%. A
maximum coolant velocity of 1.5 m/s is suggested to prevent erosion. A maximum tube
length of 5 m is required because of space limitations. The tube material is carbon steel (k
= 60 W/m · K). Raw water will flow inside of 3/4in. straight tubes (19 mm OD with 16
mm ID). Tubes are laid out on a square pitch with a pitch ratio of 1.25. The baffle spacing
is approximated by 0.6 of shell diameter, and the baffle cut is set to 25%. The permissible
maximum pressure drop on the shell side is 5.0 psi. The water outlet temperature should
not be less than 40°C. Perform the preliminary analysis.
Preliminary Analysis—The cold water outlet temperature of at least 40°C
determines the exchanger configuration to be considered. Heat duty can be calculated
from the fully specified cold stream:
First, we have to estimate the individual heat transfer coefficients from Table. We
can assume the shell-side heat transfer coefficient and the tube-side heat transfer
coefficient as 5000 W/m2 · K and 4000 W/m2 · K, respectively. Assuming bare tubes,
one can estimate the overall heat transfer coefficient from Eqn as
 67oC 53.2oC
27oC 36.2oC
40oC 17oC
Thank You