8.1 Elements of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

In any process industry, we need to transfer heat for different operations (like cooling, heating,
vaporizing, or condensing) to or from various fluid streams in various equipment like condensers,
water heaters, re-boilers, air heating or cooling devices etc., where heat exchanges between the
two fluids. In a chemical process industry, the heat exchanger is frequently used for such
applications. A heat exchanger is a device where two fluids streams come into thermal contact in
order to transfer the heat from hot fluid to cold fluid stream.
In this chapter, we will discuss about the technical analysis of the heat exchangers along with
the method for predicting heat exchanger performance and operational parameters. Moreover
the discussion on heat exchanger size will also be discussed. However, we will not discuss the
economics (though discuss the heat exchanger size) of the heat exchanger. We will consider that
the heat transfer will primarily be taken by conduction and convection only. We will describe the
commonly used heat exchangers and their important characteristics.
In general heat exchangers may be categorized into two general classes depending on the
relative orientation of the flow direction of the two fluid streams. If the two streams cross one
another in space, usually at right angles, the heat exchangers are known as cross flow heat
exchanger as shown in the fig. 8.1(a).
In the second class of heat exchanger the two streams move in parallel direction in space. The
usual shell and tube heat exchanger or concentric pipe exchanger or double tube exchanger is
the most frequently used exchanger in the class. Two situations may arise when the fluid flow in
the parallel direction, one in which the fluids flow in same direction and the other in which the
fluids flow in opposites direction. “Parallel –flow” or “Co-current flow” is used when the flow is in
same direction and counter current is used when the fluid flow is in the opposite direction.
Before understanding the principle of heat exchanger we would first understand it from the point
of construction.
8.1 Elements of shell and tube heat exchanger

We will discuss shell and tube heat exchanger as they or the most commonly used heat
exchangers in the chemical process industries. Schematic of a typical shell and tube heat
exchanger is shown in fig. 8.2.
Fig. 8.1: Orientation of fluid stream in heat exchanger (a) cross flow (b) counter
current flow (c) parallel flow
The heat exchanger as shown in fig. 8.2 consists of a bundle of tubes properly secured at either
ends in tube sheets. The tube sheets are drilled plates into which the tubes are fixed up using
different technique to have leak proof joints. The entire tube bundles shown in the fig. 8.3 is
placed inside a closed shell, which seals around the tube sheet periphery to form the two
immiscible zones for hot and cold fluids are shown in fig.8.4.
Fig.8.2: A schematic of (a) one-shell pass, one tube pass heat exchanger; (b) parallel
flow; and (c) counter flow
Fig. 8.4: Tube bundle inside a shell
One fluid flows through the tubes while the other fluid flows around the outside of the tubes, it
is the space between the tube sheets and enclosed by the outer shell.
For a thorough distribution of the shell side fluid, baffles are placed normal to the tube bundle.
This baffle creates turbulence in the shell side fluid and enhances the transfer coefficients for the
shell side flow.
Fig. 8.2 shows the simplified diagram of a shell and tube heat exchanger, showing a few of the
important components. Infact, the present heat exchanger used in the process industry are
quite complex and have improved design such as factors for thermal expansion stresses, tube
fouling due to contaminated fluids, ease of assembly and disassembly, size, weight, etc.
The heat exchanger shows in fig. 8.2 is having one shell and one tube pass since both the shell
and tube side fluid make a single traverse through the heat exchanger. Thus, this type of shell-
and-tube heat exchangers is designated as 1-1 exchanger. If we desire to pass the tube fluid
twice, then it is designated as 1-2 exchangers. Similarly, if there are 2 shell pass and 4 tube
pass, the designation will be 2-4 exchanger. The number of pass in tube side is done by the pass
partition plate. A pass particular plate or pass divider as shown in fig.8.5. The shell side pass
can be creator by a flat plate as shown in fig.8.6.
Fig. 8.6: 2-4 exchanger showing shell and tube passes
It can be understood that for a given number of tubes; the area available for flow of the tube
side fluid is inversely proportional to the number of passes. Thus, on increasing the pass the
area reduces and as a result the velocity of fluid in the tube increases and henceforth the
Reynolds number increases. It would result in increased heat transfer coefficient but at the
expense of high pressure drop. Generally, even numbers of tube passes are used for the multi-
pass heat exchangers.
Figure 8.2 shows some baffles. These baffles (or shell-side baffles) are a metal plate usually in
the form of the segment of a circular disc having holes to accommodate tubes. Shell-side baffles
have two functions. The first is to create turbulence in the shell side fluid by changing the flow
pattern parallel or cross flow to the tube bundles and thus increases the shell side heat transfer
coefficient. The second major function of these baffles is to support the tube all along its length
otherwise the tube may bend. Moreover, these baffles may have horizontal or vertical cuts
(segmental baffle) as shown in fig.8.7.
Fig.8.7: Baffles; (a) horizontal cut baffles; (b) Vertical cut baffles; (c, d and e)the
shaded region show the baffle area
The cut portion of the baffle, which is called baffle window, provides the area for flow of the
shell fluid. The baffle window area ranges from 15% to 50%. At 25% cut segmental baffle
means that the area of the cut-out portion is 25% of the area of the baffle. The spacing between
the baffles is an important aspect. A larger baffles spacing reduces the shell side pressure drop
but at the same time decreases the turbulence and heat transfer coefficient. Smaller baffle
spacing increases the turbulence and heat transfer coefficient. However, the pressure drop may
increase significantly, thus the advantage attained due to the higher heat transfer coefficient
may be nullified. Therefore baffle spacing is selected considering the allowable shell side
pressure drop and the heat transfer coefficient desired. A rule of thumb is that the minimum
spacing of segmental baffles is one by fifth of the shell diameter or 5 cm, whichever is larger.

8.1 Elements of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

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In any process industry, we need to transfer heat for different operations (like cooling, heating,

8.1 Elements of shell and tube heat exchanger

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