Shell and tube heat exchangers comparison
The table below compares different type of shell and tube heat exchangers based on different design characteristics:
+ Fixed tube sheet
+ U Tube
+ Packed Floating Head
+ Internal Floating Head
+ Outside Packed Floating Head
+ Pull Through Floating Head
Design | Fixed | U-Tube | Packed | Internal | Outside Packed | Pull-Through |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thermal Expansion | Expansion joint in shell | Tubes allow to expand | Floating head allows for expansion | Floating head allows for expansion | Floating head allows for expansion | Floating head allows for expansion |
Bundle Removal & | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tube Replacement | Yes | Limited to outside row only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chemical Tube Cleaning Internally and Externally | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mechanical Internal Tube Cleaning | Yes | Yes Specific tools required | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hydraulic Jet Cleaning of Tubes: Internally | Yes | Yes Specific tools required | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Externally | Yes | Yes | Yes Specific tools required | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mechanical External Tube Cleaning: Square Pitch | Yes | Yes Specific tools required | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Internal Joints Required | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Cost Compared to each other (1 being high, 5 being low) | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Operating Pressure: Shell Side | High | High | Low (2070 kPa) | Moderate (5250 kPa) | Moderate (4200 kPa) | High (7000 kPa) |
| Operating Pressure: Tube Side | High | High | Low (2070 kPa) | Moderate (5250 kPa) | High (4200 kPa) | High (7000 kPa) |
| Operating Temperature | Low | High | Moderate (< 190ºF) | Moderate | ||
Fouling Preferred | Non-fouling | Fouling | Non-fouling | Non-fouling | Non-fouling | Non-fouling |
| Tube Side Fluids | Fouling | Non-fouling | Fouling | Fouling | Fouling | Fouling |
