Selection of hot and cold fluid channels in heat exchangers
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“If there is a large temperature difference between the two fluids, in heat exchangers with rigid structures, it is advisable to pass the fluid with a higher heat transfer coefficient through the shell side in order to reduce thermal stress； ”How should this sentence be understood? Thank you!
The hot medium should flow through the tube side, while the cold medium should flow through the shell side
This post was last edited by ylb913 on 2016-9-25 at 20:48. A heat exchanger with a rigid structure is, in general, one with a fixed tube sheet; whether there is expansion joint in the shell side depends on the design requirements. When a fluid with a high thermal expansion coefficient flows in the shell side, the shell side and the tube bundle can expand thermally in a more synchronized manner; whereas when it flows in the tube side, the tube bundle experiences greater thermal expansion. ——We have encountered cases where, in fixed heat exchangers, the large expansion of the tube bundle results in insufficient thermal compensation on the shell side, causing the tube sheet to bulge and develop cracks that lead to internal leakage.