Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers are high-efficiency industrial heat transfer equipment designed for applications requiring large heat transfer areas, compact construction, and reliable thermal performance.
Glass shell-and-tube designs are especially suitable for corrosive, high-purity, and aggressive chemical processes, where metallic exchangers face rapid degradation.

Compared to coil-type heat exchangers, shell-and-tube configurations provide:

• Higher overall heat transfer coefficients
• Lower pressure drop
• Better scalability and maintainability

Design Configurations

Glass shell-and-tube heat exchangers are available in multiple construction combinations to suit varying process aggressiveness:

• RGG – Glass shell / Glass tubes / Glass tube sheets
• RGM – Glass tubes with non-aggressive shell material
• RMG – Non-glass shell with glass tubes

These configurations allow process-side isolation, material optimization, and cost-effective customization.

Working Principle

Heat exchange occurs between two fluids separated by glass tube walls:

• One fluid flows through the tube side
• The other flows through the shell side
• Baffles induce turbulence, improving heat transfer efficiency
• Counter-current or parallel flow arrangements may be adopted based on duty

This design ensures efficient thermal exchange without fluid mixing.

Thermal Performance Advantages

• Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient (U): Up to ~3× higher than coil-type exchangers
• Low pressure drop on shell side
• Uniform temperature distribution
• Suitable for continuous and batch operations

Construction & Materials

• Heat Transfer Tubes: Borosilicate Glass 3.3
• Sealing System: PTFE ferrule-based sealing
• Baffles: Glass / PTFE (application dependent)
• Support Structure: MS / SS / FRP frames
• Optional Materials: Graphite tubes & GFT tube sheets for extreme conditions

Ferrule Sealing Systems

Leak-free sealing between shell and tube sides is critical. Two proven sealing arrangements are used:

PTFE Ferrule with Gland Packing

• PTFE ferrule acts as gland follower
• PTFE ‘O’ ring and PTFE rope packing fill tube-to-tube-sheet clearance
• Ensures excellent sealing under pressure

PTFE Ferrule without Gland Packing

• Precision-designed ferrule folds at the sealing point
• No ‘O’ ring or packing required
• Provides equally reliable, leak-free sealing

Both systems allow easy tube replacement and cleaning without dismantling the shell.

Operating Limits

• Temperature difference: Up to 120 °C
• Operating pressure:
• Tube side: up to 3.5 kg/cm²
• Shell side: up to 2–3 kg/cm² (model dependent)

Custom designs available for vacuum and elevated temperature duties.

Standard Dimensional Range

• Tube counts: 37 / 73 / 151 (and custom)
• Shell diameters: DN150 / DN225 / DN300
• Tube length: Up to 4.5 meters
• Baffles: 7 to 23 (based on exchanger length)

Advanced Variants – Evaporators & Re-Boilers

For high-temperature and high-pressure services:

• Glass tubes may be replaced with Graphite tubes
• GFT tube sheets used for enhanced strength
• Suitable for reboilers, evaporators, and thermal recovery systems

Applications

Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers are widely used as:

• Coolers
• Heaters
• Condensers
• Evaporators
• Re-boilers

Industries Served

• Chemical & specialty chemicals
• Pharmaceuticals & APIs
• Agrochemicals
• Dyes & pigments
• Petrochemicals
• Fine & bulk chemical processing

Ideal for acidic, halogenated, and corrosive fluids.

Maintenance & Serviceability

• Individual tube replacement possible
• Visual inspection due to transparent glass
• Reduced downtime and spare cost
• Modular construction for long service life

Key Advantages Summary

• High heat transfer efficiency
• Compact shell-and-tube design
• Superior corrosion resistance
• Leak-free PTFE ferrule sealing
• Industrial-grade reliability
• Flexible customization