Shell & Tube and Spiral Plate Heat Exchangers

Overview

Shell and tube and spiral plate heat exchangers are general industrial exchangers: the heat transfer surface is formed by tubes or plates, and both media flow in closed channels rather than being heated or cooled by air.

A shell and tube exchanger places a tube bundle inside a cylindrical shell. Tube-side and shell-side materials can differ, and the pressure and temperature range is wide. Fixed tubesheet, floating head and U-tube designs cover different thermal expansion and cleaning needs.

A spiral plate exchanger rolls two parallel plates into spiral channels. The continuous channel is self-cleaning and resistant to blockage, which suits particle-laden, fouling or viscous media. Detachable versions allow mechanical cleaning.

Features

Shell and tube designs in fixed tubesheet, floating head and U-tube construction
Spiral plate designs in fixed and detachable construction
Carbon steel as standard, with stainless steel, copper and titanium options
Pressure-bearing fabrication and inspection for shell and tube units
Selection based on medium, pressure, temperature, fouling and cleaning method

Shell and tube vs spiral plate

Item	Shell and tube	Spiral plate
Typical construction	Cylindrical shell with tube bundle	Two parallel plates rolled into spiral channels
Pressure and temperature	Wide range; pressure-bearing equipment available	Good pressure capability, usually medium and low pressure
Medium	Clean or lightly contaminated media	Particle-laden, fouling or viscous media
Blockage and cleaning	Tube bundle can be withdrawn for cleaning; solids can block tubes	Self-cleaning channel resists blockage; detachable type for mechanical cleaning
Typical industries	Chemical, petrochemical, power, food, pharmaceutical, HVAC	Chemical, oil, food, pharmaceutical, waste heat recovery, metallurgy

Both are normally supplied in carbon steel, with stainless steel, copper or titanium selected for corrosive duty.

Selection by duty

Condition	Preferred choice
Clean medium with higher pressure or temperature	Shell and tube heat exchanger
Frequent tube inspection or mechanical cleaning required	Shell and tube heat exchanger
Medium contains solids or tends to foul	Spiral plate heat exchanger
Higher viscosity and a compact footprint required	Spiral plate heat exchanger
Blockage resistance plus manual cleaning access	Detachable spiral plate heat exchanger

Typical applications

Application	Description
Chemical	Heating and cooling of process media.
Petrochemical	Process heat exchange and condensation.
Power	Auxiliary cooling and heating.
Food and pharmaceutical	Process heating, sterilisation and cooling.
HVAC and waste heat recovery	Heating, cooling and low-temperature recovery.

FAQ

What is the difference between shell and tube and tubular heat exchangers?

They are different names for the same family. Shell and tube is the more common international term; tubular heat exchanger is a broader description of an exchanger with tubes.

Why is a spiral plate exchanger less likely to block?

It has no tube bundle or baffle dead zones. The medium follows a continuous spiral channel at a stable velocity, so particles are less likely to settle. A detachable design can also be opened for mechanical cleaning.

Can particle-laden media use a shell and tube exchanger?

Light solids can be handled if the tube velocity is kept above the settling range and space is allowed for bundle withdrawal. For higher solids content, a spiral plate exchanger is usually the better choice.

Can both types be supplied for one project?

Yes. Each duty is selected separately, with consistent interfaces and material standards across the project.