Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchanger:

The shell-and-tube heat exchanger (also known as a tube heat exchanger) is mainly composed of a shell, tube bundle, tube sheet, and heads (end covers). The shell is usually cylindrical in shape, with parallel tube bundles or spiral tubes installed inside. The two ends of the tube bundle are fixed onto tube sheets.

In operation, two fluids exchange heat within the exchanger:

• One fluid flows inside the tubes (tube side).
• The other fluid flows outside the tubes within the shell (shell side).
  The tube walls serve as the heat transfer surface.

The tubes come in different sizes, commonly with diameters of 16 mm, 20 mm, or 25 mm, and wall thicknesses of 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.0 mm, or 2.5 mm.

Since shell-and-tube exchangers are mostly metal structures, with the introduction of the new Chinese GMP standards, 316L stainless steel exchangers have become the preferred choice in the beverage, food, and pharmaceutical industries.

They are widely used in the chemical, energy, and food industries.