Shell and Tube Heat Exchange

A Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger is a workhorse of industrial heat transfer. It consists of a large outer cylinder (the shell) and a bundle of tubes inside it. One fluid flows through the tubes (the tube side), while another fluid flows around the tubes within the shell (the shell side). Heat is transferred from the hotter fluid to the cooler one through the tube walls. Its robust and versatile design makes it suitable for a vast range of pressures, temperatures, and flow rates.

Our shell and tube heat exchangers are engineered for reliability and performance, offering key advantages:
Robustness & High-Pressure Capability: Ideal for extreme pressures and temperatures that other exchanger types cannot handle.
Proven Reliability & Long Service Life: Simple, time-tested design ensures dependable operation for decades with proper maintenance.
Excellent Flexibility: We offer a wide range of customizations in design, materials, and baffle configurations to meet exact process needs.
Ease of Maintenance: For removable bundle designs, the tube bundle can be pulled out for inspection, cleaning, or repair, minimizing long-term downtime.
Effective Vapor Condensation: The shell side provides an ideal environment for condensing vapors.

We manufacture exchangers according to Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association (TEMA) standards, including common types like:
BEM: A fixed tubesheet design, cost-effective for clean services where tubes cannot be removed.
AES: A floating head design, ideal for large temperature differences as it allows for thermal expansion and enables the tube bundle to be removed for cleaning.
BEU: A U-tube design, where the tube bundle can expand freely, suitable for thermal cycling. The U-bend can be harder to clean mechanically.
We will recommend the optimal TEMA type (and other standards like ASME) based on your thermal, mechanical, and maintenance requirements.

Thermal expansion is a critical design factor. We employ several strategies:
U-Tube Bundles: The U-shaped tubes can expand and contract freely.
Floating Head Designs: One end of the tube bundle is allowed to move independently of the shell.
Expansion Joints: For fixed tubesheet (BEM) designs, we can incorporate an expansion bellows on the shell to absorb differential expansion.
The best solution is determined during our engineering phase based on your operating conditions.

We provide a comprehensive selection of materials to ensure corrosion resistance and longevity:
Tubes: Admiralty Brass, Stainless Steel (304, 316L), Copper-Nickel (70/30, 90/10), Titanium, Duplex Stainless Steel, and High-Nickel Alloys (Hastelloy, Inconel).
Tubesheets & Shells: Carbon Steel, Clad Steel (e.g., CS with SS weld overlay), and various stainless steels.
Material selection is based on the corrosiveness, pressure, and temperature of both the shell-side and tube-side fluids.