Design and Estimation of Shell

and Tube Heat Exchanger

Heat Exchanger and types
• Heat exchangers are used to transfer heat from one medium to another.
• Typically, this media may be a gas, liquid, or a combination of both.
• Heat is transferred between the Hot and Cold fluid through a solid wall which
separates the fluids.
• From the hot fluid to the adjacent surface of the wall by convection.
• Through the wall surface side by conduction.
• From the wall to the cold fluid by convection.
• Within industrial plants and factories heat exchangers are required to keep
machinery, chemicals, water, gas, and other substances within a safe operating
temperature.
• Heat exchangers may also be used to capture and transfer steam or heat
exhaust that is released as a byproduct of a process or operation so that the
steam or heat can be put to better use elsewhere, thereby increasing efficiency
and saving the plant money.
Types of Heat Exchangers

Image 2: Shell and Plate Image 3: Plate and Frame

Image 1: Double Pipe Exchanger
exchanger Exchanger

Image 5: Shell and Tube Exchanger

Image 4: Air Cooled or Fin-Fan
Exchanger
Application of Different Exchanger in various Conditions

Table 1: Table suggesting using different types of Exchangers in different situations

Shell and Tube Heat
Exchangers (STHE)
• Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers are one of
the most popular types of exchanger due to
the flexibility the designer has to allow for a
wide range of pressures and temperatures.
There are two main categories of Shell and
Tube exchanger:
• Those that are used in the petrochemical
industry which tend to be covered by
standards from TEMA, Tubular Exchanger
Manufacturers Association (see
TEMA Standards); (Table 2)
• Broadly the TEMA exchangers can be
categorized in 3 major types:
1. Fixed tubesheet exchangers (Channel
Welded to Shell) Image 6: Typical Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger
2. U-tube exchangers (Removable Bundle)
3. Floating header exchangers (Removable
Bundle)
Information required for Designing
STHE Exchanger:
1. flow rates of both streams.
2. inlet and outlet temperatures of both streams.
3. operating pressure of both streams.
4. allowable pressure drop for both streams.
5. fouling resistance for both streams. If this is not
furnished, the designer should adopt values
specified in the TEMA standards or based on past
experience.
6. physical properties of both streams.
7. heat duty. The duty specified should be consistent
for both the shellside and the tubeside.
8. type of heat exchanger. If not furnished, the
designer can choose this based upon the
characteristics as from the TEMA categories
9. Line/ Connection sizes. It is desirable to match
nozzle sizes with line sizes to avoid expanders or
reducers
Thermal Rating/Design
• Keeping the aforementioned information in mind
• An approximate size of the exchanger is selected (Based on space availability in the plant,
weight constraints and P&ID)
• Fluid is allocated to either tube or shell side
• High-pressure the stream should be located on the tube side.
• The corrosive fluid is placed on the tube side.
• Stream exhibiting the highest fouling should be located on the tube side.
• More viscous fluid should be located on the shell side.
• Lower the flow rate stream should be placed on the shell side.
• Consider finned tubes when the shell side coefficient is less than 30% of the tube side coefficient.
• Do not use finned tubes when shell-side fouling is high.
• Stream with a lower heat transfer coefficient goes on the shell side.
• Toxic fluid should be placed on the tube side.
• Material is decided based on thermal conductivity, resistance to corrosion etc
Basic Formulae for Calculations
The quantity of heat flow is the same through each layer.
Therefore (assuming that the outside area is equal to the inside area):
q = Q/A = hi(TH-T1) = hfi(T1-T2) = hw(T2-T3) = hfo(T3-T4) = ho(T4-TC)
Where : q = heat flux, Btu/hr/ft 2 or W/m
Q = Total Heat Transfer, Btu/hr or W
A = Heat Transfer Area, ft2
h = Heat Transfer Coefficient, Btu/hr-ft 2-oF
T = Temperature, oF
The thermal resistance to heat flow, r is the reciprocal of the heat transfer coefficient.
i.e. r = 1/h, where r = thermal resistance, hr-ft 2-oF/Btu
Since q = Q/A, the above equation can be rearranged to give the following:

The term 1/(1/hi + rfi + rw + rfo + 1/ho) is referred to as the overall Heat Transfer Coefficient, U.
Image 7: Heat Transfer in a STHE Where: U = Overall heat transfer coefficient, Btu/hr-ft 2-oF
Previously it had been assumed that the outside area is equal to the inside area. However, this is
not the case when tubes are being used. Modifying the above equation to take into account differences in areas
gives:
Normally it is desired to calculate the heat transfer area required using:

There are five layers through which the heat must flow:
1. The inside boundary layer
2. The inside fouling layer
3. The tube wall
4. The outside fouling layer
5. The outside boundary layer
• Heat Exchanger design is
optimized by changing the
size, or changing baffle
type, number of tube
passes, or using finned
tubes or turbulators.
Image 9: Baffles types and Shell
• Once the calculations Are side flow
finalized they are organized
in a thermal Data Sheet or
Specification Sheet
Image 8: Tube pass arrangements Image 10: Tube Pitch Types
TYPICAL DATASHEET SPECIFICATION
PER TEMA

Table 3: Typical datasheet calculated in HTRI

Mechanical Design
• Thickness of material for each
component is calculated based on max
design temperature, MDMT and pressure
Table 4: TEMA table minimum shell thickness
• For certain type of exchangers, additional
components like U-bend supports,
Support baffles or expansion joints are
calculated
• Labor constraints are taken into account
(like accessibility to areas to be welded,
metal hardness, availability of correctly
sized tools etc)
• Tube to tubesheet Joints are
recomeneded

Table 5: TEMA table for minimum baffle thickness

Codes which assist with Designing
The objectives of code rules and standards are to achieve minimum requirements for safe construction
and provide public protection by defining those materials, design, fabrication, and inspection
requirements; ignoring this may increase operating hazards. Following are some mechanical design
standards and pressure design codes used in heat exchanger design are:
1. TEMA standards (Tubular Exchanger Manufacturer Association., 1998)
2. API (American Petroleum Institute)
3. ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers)
4. HEI standards (Heat Exchanger Institute, 1980)
Image 11: Machining of Plates

Image 12: Welding Tube to Tubesheet Joint

Verification
• X-RAY – To check Quality of Welds
• Ect/ iris – To check Quality of tubes
• Hydrotest/ Air test – To check for leaks from gasket surfaces or welds
• UTT – To check thickness of material
• P.T. /WFMT – To check
References
• http://www.thermex.co.uk/news/blog/160-what-is-a-heat-exchanger
• https://www.ipieca.org/resources/energy-efficiency-solutions/efficien
t-use-of-heat/heat-exchangers/
• https://www.iqsdirectory.com/articles/heat-exchanger.html
• https://setxind.com/downstream/industrial-heat-exchangers-what-th
ey-are-how-they-work-and-why-they-are-needed/
• https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/process-equipment/understand
ing-heat-exchangers/

• https://www.thermopedia.com/content/1121/
• https://www.enggcyclopedia.com/2019/05/shell-and-tube-heat-exch
anger-design-procedure/
• https://www.iqsdirectory.com/articles/heat-exchanger/shell-and-tube
References Contd
• Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchanger Design, R. Shankar Subramanian, Department of
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Clarkson University
• Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers Basic Calculations, Jurandir Primo, PE
• Thermal Design of Shell and tube heat Exchanger, Mechanical Engineering
Department, King Abdulaziz University
• HEAT EXCHANGERS, Prepared by Bob Heaslip KESCO For Queens University,
CHEE 470 – Fall 2008
• Effectively Design Shell-and-Tube, Copyright 1997 American Institute of
Chemical Engineers.
• Heat Exchangers Specifying, “Understand what heat exchanger design specialists
need to know — and remember, you know your process best” Asif Raza