Heat Exchanger Gaskets

A typical shell and tube heat exchangers In their various construction modifications, they are undoubtedly the most commonly used basic heat exchanger configuration in the process industries. The particular design shown has one shell side pass and two tube side passes, i.e., the tube side fluid flows through half of the tubes and then turns around in the rear tube side channel and flows back to the front tube side channel. Any number of tube side passes can be achieved by suitable placement of pass dividers in the tube-side channels, but usually an even number is chosen. Single pass design is obtained by eliminating the pass divider and putting one tube-side nozzle on each channel.
The shell and tube heat exchanger provides fairly high ratios of heat transfer area to volume and weight. It provides this surface in a form that is relatively easy to construct in a wide range of sizes and that is mechanically rugged enough to withstand normal shop fabrication stresses, shipping and field erection, and external and internal stresses encountered under normal operating and maintenance conditions. The shell-and-tube exchanger can be cleaned reasonably easily, and those components most subject to failure gaskets and tubes can be easily replaced in most designs. Special construction features allow this type to meet almost any conceivable service, including extremely low and high temperatures and pressures, large temperature differentials, vaporizing and condensing services, and severely fouling and corrosive fluids. Good design methods are available, and the expertise and shop facilities for their successful design and construction are widespread.