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Quotes - Engineering - SalesU-Tube Heat Exchangers For
Baffles and Tube Supports
U-Tube Duty
Segmental baffles are plates with a segment cut away, arranged alternately so the shell-side fluid weaves across the bundle. Cut is expressed as a percentage of shell diameter; around 20 to 25 percent is a normal starting point.
Spacing sets everything. Closer baffles mean higher cross-flow velocity, a better coefficient and higher pressure drop. They also shorten the unsupported tube span, which is the governing variable for vibration.
Tie rods and spacers. These hold the baffle assembly at the correct pitch and give the bundle its rigidity. On a U-bundle they also carry the assembly during withdrawal, which is not a trivial load on a large unit.
Request a QuoteBaffles and Tube Supports Applications
Bypass Is the Silent Performance Loss
Shell-side fluid takes the easiest path, and the clearances between bundle and shell, and between tube and baffle hole, are easy paths. Fluid that bypasses the bundle does no useful work.
Sealing strips placed in the bypass lanes push flow back through the tube field. On large bundles this is worth real percentage points of performance and is far cheaper than the extra surface area needed to compensate for its absence.
Selection Data We Need
Flow rate and identity of both fluids, inlet and required outlet temperatures, operating and design pressures, allowable pressure drop on each side, and any code, alloy or hygienic requirement. Fouling history, turndown range and cleaning method matter as much as the design point.
