Tube sheets contain perforations punched to accommodate a sequence of tubes within an enclosed tubular pressure vessel. These pressure vessels, also known as shell and tube heat exchangers, are the most frequent type used in oil refineries and big chemical facilities. The tube sheet itself acts as a support element in heat exchangers and boilers. The tube sheet gets its name from the fact that the tubes, which are meticulously organized in a certain pattern, penetrate the tube sheet in various places, allowing fluid to flow in and out of the heat exchanger. The fluid moving through the shell’s tubes exchanges heat with the fluid that enters the shell but exits the tubes, exchanging heat with the tube fluid.
Uses of Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers
These heat exchangers are commonly used to cool hydraulic fluid and oil in engines and transmissions, but they can also be used to heat and cool many other applications, such as swimming pool water, as well as to extract waste heat from exhaust gases and channel it into other processes, resulting in significant energy savings.
How Are Tube Sheets Made?
Tube sheets are often made from a round flat piece of plate that is thermally conductive and corrosion resistant, such as aluminum, copper, steel, nickel, or a combination of these metals. The tube sheet is then drilled at the precise locations where the tubes will be placed within the exchanger. These are normally created using CAD software to design and establish the precise placements of the holes, which are then drilled with a computer numerical control (CNC) machine. The tubes are then connected using hydraulic pressure or roller expansion.
The tube sheet is an important component of a shell and tube heat exchanger because it supports and isolates the fluid within the tubes from the other fluid flowing through the shell. In rare circumstances, where it is critical to keep the tube fluid from mixing with the shell fluid, a double tube sheet may be inserted within the exchange.
Newzel Industries is a leading maker of ASME pressure vessel connectors, as well as forged tube sheets for heat exchanger fabricators across North America. For additional information, please call +91-9029828993 or contact us online to request a quote from our sales team.
