Introduction to Shell Side Structure of Stainless Steel Tubular Condenser

(1) Stainless steel tube condenser shell

The shell is generally a cylinder with a connecting pipe welded to the shell wall for the entry and exit of fluid from the shell side. To prevent erosion and vibration of the pipes caused by direct impact of the inlet fluid on the tube bundle, anti impact baffles, also known as buffer plates, are often installed at the inlet connection of the shell side.

(2) Stainless steel tube condenser baffle plate

The purpose of installing baffles is to increase the flow rate of the fluid in the shell side, increase the turbulence degree, improve the heat transfer efficiency, increase the heat transfer coefficient of the fluid in the shell side, and also reduce the scaling. In a horizontal heat exchanger, the baffle plate also serves as a support for the tube bundle.

The commonly used forms of baffles are arch shaped, disc ring shaped, and baffles with fan-shaped notches. Among them, bow shaped baffle plates are commonly used.

(3) Stainless steel tubular condenser expansion joint

In a fixed tube sheet heat exchanger, the tube bundle and shell are rigidly connected. Due to the presence of two different temperature fluids inside and outside the tube, when the deformation between the tube wall and shell wall is not equal due to different temperatures, additional stress will be generated in the tube sheet, tube bundle, and shell system. This stress is caused by the temperature difference between the tube wall and shell wall, and is called temperature difference stress. When the temperature difference between the tube and shell sides is large, significant axial stress will be generated on the tube and shell, causing the tube to twist or loosen from the tube plate. In severe cases, it can cause plastic deformation or severe stress corrosion of the structure, and even damage the entire heat exchanger. The expansion joint is an elastic compensation element that can expand and contract freely. Because of its large axial flexibility, when the expansion difference occurs due to the different wall temperatures of the pipe and the shell, the deformation can be coordinated through the expansion joint, thus greatly reducing the temperature difference stress. The thinner the wall thickness of the expansion joint, the better the flexibility and the greater the compensation capacity. However, in order to adapt to the overall strength, the wall thickness should be comprehensively considered.