Heat Exchanger Terms

1, 2, 4 Pass - The number of times, one, two or four, the liquid passes through the tube bundles of heat exchangers.
Anything greater than a one pass is considered a multi-pass unit.
 
Baffle Plate - Plate the tubes pass through for support that provides a blocked path for the shell side flow, which forces the
flows across the tubes and improves the performance of heat transfers. These heat exchangers are shaped in various ways,
but are basically segmental.
 
Baffle Spacing - The space between the tube bundle baffle plates that is adjusted to maximize effectiveness of heat
exchangers.
 
Bonnet - Like a channel with straight tubes but without a removable cover. These heat exchangers do not have divider walls
and are found at each end of heat exchangers.
 
Bonnet Assembly - Manages the tube side liquid for circulation through heat exchanger tubes. This can also hold the tube
side inlet and outlet connections and/or pass ribs.
 
Box Linear Style - Tubes of heat exchangers parallel to each other from the inlet to the outlet manifold.
 
Bundle Assembly - The tubing assembly in removable bundle heat exchangers. This typically includes tubes, tube sheets,
baffles, spacers and tie rods.
 
Capscrew - A threaded bolt that holds the bonnet onto the core of some types of heat exchangers.
 
Channel - A kind of front end with a removable cover from which the tube side flows in and out. A dividing wall separates
the inlet and outlet flow.
 
Channel Assembly - Same function as a bonnet assembly, except that the cover is removable and provides access to the
ends of the tubes.
 
Collector - What the tubes in heat exchangers drain into.
 
Core Assembly - The shell and tube assembly in fixed tube sheet heat exchangers.
 
Coupling - The parts that connect the piping to the heat exchangers, come in many varieties.
 
Cover/Cover Assembly - Used to cover openings on heat exchangers. Covers are different from end plates because they
can be removed to clean the interior of the tube side, without distressing any piping.
 
Cradle Assembly - The part used to support heat exchangers and to secure it to the mounting surface when welded or
strapped to the shell. Cradles may be fixed or moveable.
 
Design Pressure - Calculations of part thickness and design of heat exchangers based on the most severe conditions or
highest operating pressures seen by heat exchangers, to make the pressure slightly higher.
 
Dome - A type of nozzle connection that provides a larger nozzle opening between the pipe size and tube bundles of heat
exchangers, typically to prevent tube erosion due to high inlet velocities.
 
End Plate - Covers welded to heat exchangers. The majority of end plates are used on bonnet assemblies.
 
End Zone - The first baffle space on a tube bundle, occurring between the tube sheet and the first baffle plate. It is adjusted
to maintain the baffle plates within the two shell side nozzles.
 
Ferrule - A small copper or stainless steel piece of tubing that is crimped or squeezed onto the tie tube, up against the last
baffle, and locks the baffles into position.
 
Fixed Tube Sheet - A tube sheet that is an essential part of the core shell assembly of heat exchangers.
 
Floating Tube Sheet - Placed at one end of a removable tube bundle and allowed to move freely with the expansion and
contraction of the tube bundle due to temperature changes in operation. It always has a smaller diameter than the immobile
tube sheets.
 
Gasket - A device used between two parts that helps prevent leakage in heat exchangers.
 
Impingement Plate - A small perforated-plate or bar assembly in the shell-side nozzle that can also be attached directly to
the bundle. This protects and prolongs tube life by breaking up and slowing down the shell side fluid, which slows the
erosion of the tubing.
 
In and Out End - The side of heat exchangers that contains the tube side inlet and outlet connections in a multi-pass unit.
 
Lantern Ring - A metal or nylon ring on some packed joint heat exchangers that holds the packing rings in place.
 
Operating Pressure - The pressure of heat exchangers during operation and while in use.
 
Packed End - The end of heat exchangers, which contains the packed joint and the packing rings.
 
Pass Lane - A lane in a tube layout where there are no tubes and where the pass ribs mate.
 
Pass Rib - A separator plate inside a bonnet or channel that merges with the pass lane surface, used to form multi-pass
heat exchangers. By arranging the ribs, a designer can direct the flow of the tube side substance.
 
Protector Rod - Protects the parts of heat exchangers (tubes, tube sheets and bonnets) from corrosion by acting as a
sacrificial anode so that when water is flowing through the tube side it is consumed instead of other parts of heat
exchangers.
Range Temperature - The temperature difference of a single fluid as it flows through heat exchangers.
 
Removable Bundle - heat exchangers with a removable tube bundle from the shell casing. This provides easy cleaning of
the shell side and also a more feasible way of replacing depleted tubes.
 
Reversing End - The end of multi-pass heat exchangers where the tube side fluid reverses its flow. This usually contains
only small vent and drain connections.
 
Shell - The container where the tube bundle is placed and is the conduit for one of the fluids in heat exchangers.
 
Shell Assembly - The assembly into which the tube bundle is placed. It also houses the shell side connections.
 
Shell Head - A formed plate that is welded to the shell (or bonnet) pipe. It comes in many styles and shapes, including
flanged and dished, elliptical, ellipsoidal and hemispherical.
 
Shell Side - The part of heat exchangers where the fluid circulates around the tubes.
 
Spacer - Tubing that holds the baffle plate in place.
 
Stacking - Two or more heat exchangers connected together side by side or one on top of the other. Interconnecting piping
hooks these heat exchangers together.
 
Stationary Tube Sheet - The tube sheet at one end of a removable bundle that has a larger diameter than the floating tube
sheet. The stationary tube sheet is held in a permanent position between the bonnet and shell flanges.
 
Stuffing Box Flange - A flange used at a packed end joint. When a packed joint is tightened, the packing ring is forced into
this by the lantern ring/lantern gland.
 
Support Foot - Bolted to heat exchangers using bonnet to shell flange bolting.
 
Test Pressure - Test that detects leaks on the joints of heat exchangers.
 
Tie Rods - Bars mounted between the tube sheets to support the baffles.
 
Tie Tube - A tie tube takes the place of the tie rod in small diameter heat exchangers, and serves the same purpose.
 
Tube - A flow channel for one of the fluids in heat exchangers. These heat exchangers are often parallel within the shell to
provide a large surface area for heat transfers.
 
Tube Layout - Shows the positioning of the tubes inside heat exchangers and the locations of the tie rods.
 
Tube Sheet - The apparatus that the tubes are affixed into that holds them in place. It also provides a seal between the
tube-side and shell-side liquid.
 
Tube Side - The fluid that circulates through the inside of the tubes of heat exchangers.