Classification of

Heat Exchanger
by Construction
Type
HEAT
EXCHANGER
BASED ON CONSTRUCTION FEATURES

Tubular

Plate

Plate - fin

Tube - Fin

Regenerative
 COMPACTNESS
FACTOR
sq. meters per cubic meter

Amount of heat transfer surface area

within the volume of the heat exchanger

TUBULAR HEAT
EXCHANGER
 TUBULAR HEAT
EXCHANGERS
WIDE RANGE MANUFACTURING
Operating Pressures and Sizes

Temperatures Flow arrangements

Types

COST COMMON DESIGN

Low Cost Shell-and-tube
Shell-and-Tube

Heat Exchanger
 COMPONENTS OF
SHELL-AND-TUBE
HEAT EXCHANGER

TUBE BUNDLE SHELL HEADERS BAFFLES

FRONT

REAR
CHARACTERS OF FLUIDS
LIQUID-TO-LIQUID

LIQUID-TO-GAS

GAS-TO-GAS
 LIQUID-TO-LIQUID

Both fluids are pumped through the

exchangers

High Heat Transfer Coefficient

No Fins

LIQUID-TO-GAS

With Fins

Low Heat Transfer Coefficient

GAS-TO-GAS

With Fins (Internal and External)

Used in exhaust-gas and air

preheating recuperators
PLATE HEAT
EXCHANGER
CONSTRUCTION

Thin plates

Smooth

With corrugation

DESIGNATION

Moderate Temperature and/or Pressure 

CAPACITY

120 to 230 sq. meter/cu. meter

(Compactness Factor)
PLATE FIN HEAT
EXCHANGER

Generally used for gas-to-gas

applications

Used for low-pressure applications not

exceeding about 10 atm (1000 kPa)

Max. Operating Temp.: 800°C

Used for cryogenic applications

 APPLICATION

High operating pressure or an extended surface

TUBE FIN is needed on one side of the heat exchanger

HEAT Wide range of tube fluid operating pressures

not exceeding about 30 atm and operating

EXCHANGER temperatures from low cryogenic applications

to about 870°C

Maximum compactness ratio is less than that of

plate-fin exchanger
APPLICATIONS

Gas Turbine

Nuclear

Fuel Cell

Automobile

Airplane

Heat pump

Refrigeration

Electronics

Cryogenics

Air Conditioning, etc.