Many operating plants that require chemicals to cool down and heat up in the manufacturing processes need to have heat exchangers installed. Highly skilled professional plant operators are able to leverage their previous experiences in this line of work to decide on which types of heat exchangers best suit their operational needs. They will choose heat exchangers that also optimize performance. The shell and tube heat exchanger is able to achieve this. To find out why shell and tube heat exchangers are more desirable, compared to other heat exchangers such as hairpin heat exchangers and spiral heat exchangers, read on!
Easy to Use
Shell and tube heat exchangers are relatively easy to use compared to other heat exchangers. It is easy to conduct maintenance checks on it too, which makes it less prone to faults that can slow down your operational processes. For instance, it is easy to locate potential leaking tubes. It is crucial to seal any leaking tubes so that your heat exchanger can function properly. As such, you will need the devices such as pressure plugs to seal leaks in heat exchangers. Preferably, you should get a tube that can be ‘double-walled’ to prevent any cracks in the shell.
Other types of heat exchangers require shipping heat exchangers back to the factory for maintenance checks, and repairs. Sometimes, you may even need to ship it overseas, which can be costly.
Upset Process Conditions
A shell and tube heat exchanger is able to withstand the damage caused by upset process conditions better compared to other heat exchangers. Due to these upset process conditions, the heat exchanger can be damaged due to plating, fouling and thermal shock. This can reduce the efficiency of the heat exchanger. The shell and tube heat exchanger can withstand these issues better.
High Durability
Many heat exchangers are prone to faults due to wear and tear and this can adversely affect the performance of the heat exchanger. The shell and tube heat exchanger, however, is more durable and can hence perform optimally. It is more resistant to internal decay, and unaffected by thermal shock or expansion. Many experts are aware that chemical processes can corrode the heat exchanger. So, having an exchanger that can effectively withstand the strength of chemicals and have a long lifespan is desirable. In addition, shell and tube heat exchangers are a lot less fragile compared to other heat exchangers due to their sturdiness. Plant mechanics tend to use extremely heavy equipment. With the shells’ sturdy exterior, it is less prone to damage.
Less Cost
Shell and tube heat exchangers use fewer gaskets, and this means that one does not need to send them for maintenance and repairs so frequently. Hence, this makes using shell and tube heat exchangers more cost effective compared to other heat exchangers.
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