Shell and Tube Heat ExchangerThe (tubular exchanger) is a widely used heat exchanger in chemical and alcohol production. It is primarily composed of a shell, tube sheet, heat exchange tubes, end caps, and baffle plates. The required materials can be made from carbon steel, copper, or stainless steel. During the heat exchange process, one fluid enters through the connection pipe at the end cap, flows through the tubes, and exits through the outlet pipe at the other end of the end cap, which is known as the tube side; the other fluid enters through a connection on the shell and exits through another connection on the shell, referred to as the shell side.

The structure of the tube-type heat exchanger is simple, compact, and cost-effective, but it cannot be mechanically cleaned on the outside. The tube bundles are connected to the tube plates, which are welded to both ends of the shell. A top cover is attached to the tube plates, and the cover and shell are equipped with fluid inlets and outlets. Typically, a series of baffles perpendicular to the tube bundles are installed outside the tubes. Additionally, the connections between the tubes, tube plates, and the shell are rigid, while the fluids inside and outside the tubes are at different temperatures. Therefore, when there is a significant temperature difference between the tube wall and the shell wall, a large temperature difference stress is generated due to the different thermal expansions of the two, which may cause the tubes to twist and bend or become loose from the tube plates, even leading to the destruction of the heat exchanger.