Shell and tube heat exchangers: types compared

Every type is a tube coil in a stainless steel shell. They differ in their connections, in their temperature and pressure limits and in whether the unit can be opened. You do not have to pick one in advance: the configurator determines type and size from your operating data.

Types in direct comparison

Criterion	Compact type	Threaded type	Standard type	Large standard type	Wide-tube type	High-temperature type	Large high-temperature type	Partly dismountable type	Low-pressure type	Fully dismountable type
Construction	It belongs to the welded ranges: between the two media there is nothing but stainless steel tube, no gasket. The hot medium flows through the tube coil and is connected by flanges. The shell side for the cold medium has threaded connections.	It belongs to the welded ranges: a tube coil in a stainless steel shell, no gasket between the media. Some sizes are available with profiled tubes that transfer more heat for the same area.	It belongs to the welded ranges: between the two media there is nothing but stainless steel tube, no gasket. The hot medium flows through the tube coil, the cold one through the shell. Available with profiled tubes that transfer more heat for the same area.	It belongs to the welded ranges: a tube coil in a stainless steel shell, no gasket between the media. Flanged connections on the tube and shell side, available with profiled tubes that transfer more heat for the same area.	It belongs to the welded ranges: a stainless steel shell and tube coil, no gasket between the media. Flanged connections on the tube and shell side.	It belongs to the welded ranges: a tube coil in a stainless steel shell, no gasket between the media. Flanged connections on the tube and shell side, available with profiled tubes.	It belongs to the welded ranges: a tube coil in a stainless steel shell, no gasket between the media. Flanged connections on the tube and shell side, available with profiled tubes.	A tube coil in a stainless steel shell, bolted flange rings at both ends of the shell. Flanged connections on the tube and shell side, available with profiled tubes.	A tube coil of plain stainless steel tube in a shell of large diameter, flanged connections on the tube and shell side. Bolted flange rings at both ends of the shell allow the unit to be opened.	A tube coil in a stainless steel shell, the shell bolted by flange rings at both ends and in the middle. Flanged connections on the tube and shell side.
Operating temperature	up to 160 °C	up to 160 °C	up to 160 °C	up to 160 °C	up to 160 °C	up to 200 °C	up to 200 °C	up to 200 °C	up to 160 °C	up to 160 °C
Operating pressure	up to 16 bar	up to 16 bar	up to 16 bar	up to 16 bar	up to 16 bar	up to 16 bar	up to 16 bar	up to 16 bar	up to 6 bar	up to 6 bar
Connections	Flange on the tube side, thread on the shell side	Threads on tube and shell side	Flanges on tube and shell side	Flanges on tube and shell side	Flanges on tube and shell side	Flanges on tube and shell side	Flanges on tube and shell side	Flanges on tube and shell side	Flanges on tube and shell side	Flanges on tube and shell side
Tubes	plain	plain or profiled	plain or profiled	plain or profiled	plain	plain or profiled	plain or profiled	plain or profiled	plain	plain
Dismountable	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	partly	partly	fully
Strengths	A small, slim unit for tight spaces Belongs to the welded ranges: no gasket between the media Threaded shell side that suits screwed pipework	Threads on the tube and shell side: light, and fits into screwed pipework without flanges Belongs to the welded ranges: no gasket between the media Some sizes with profiled tubes that transfer more heat for the same area	Flanges on the tube and shell side From small to large units, the largest sizes on feet Available with profiled tubes that transfer more heat for the same area Belongs to the welded ranges: no gasket between the media	The largest sizes of the standard type, for high duties Stands on feet, installed on the floor or on a foundation Available with profiled tubes that transfer more heat for the same area Belongs to the welded ranges: no gasket between the media	Tube coil wound from tubes with a larger inner diameter than in the other types An alternative when the medium in the tube coil produces a high pressure drop Belongs to the welded ranges: no gasket between the media	Higher operating temperature than the other welded ranges Available with profiled tubes that transfer more heat for the same area Belongs to the welded ranges: no gasket between the media	Higher operating temperature than the other welded ranges The largest sizes of the high-temperature type, for high duties Stands on feet, installed on the floor or on a foundation Belongs to the welded ranges: no gasket between the media	Can be opened at the bolted flange rings at both ends of the shell Withstands higher temperatures and more pressure than the fully dismountable type Available with profiled tubes that transfer more heat for the same area	Opens at the bolted flange rings at both ends of the shell Large shell, also for high duties Flanges on the tube and shell side	Can be taken apart completely: the shell is bolted at both ends and in the middle Meant for media that carry solids or foul heavily Flanged connections on the tube and shell side
Limits	Meant for small duties Plain tubes only, no profiled version Cleaned by chemical flushing rather than by brush or lance	For the small and medium duty range Threaded connections only, no flanges Cleaned by chemical flushing rather than by brush or lance	Lower temperature limit than the high-temperature and the partly dismountable type Cleaned by chemical flushing rather than by brush or lance	Lower temperature limit than the high-temperature and the partly dismountable type Needs an installation area on the floor or on a foundation Cleaned by chemical flushing rather than by brush or lance	Plain tubes only, no profiled version Only the sizing shows whether it fits better than the standard type Cleaned by chemical flushing rather than by brush or lance	No higher operating pressure than the other welded ranges Cleaned by chemical flushing rather than by brush or lance	No higher operating pressure than the other welded ranges Needs an installation area on the floor or on a foundation Cleaned by chemical flushing rather than by brush or lance	Only partly dismountable: it opens at the ends of the shell The fully dismountable type is the one meant for media carrying solids	Lower operating pressure than the welded ranges and the partly dismountable type Lower temperature limit than the high-temperature and the partly dismountable type Plain tubes only, no profiled version The configurator does not size it itself; our team does	Lower operating pressure than the welded ranges and the partly dismountable type Lower temperature limit than the high-temperature and the partly dismountable type Plain tubes only, no profiled version

The limits do not necessarily apply at the same time. The sizing and the quote are binding.

Which type for which application?

As a guide - you do not have to pick a type in advance: the configurator determines type and size from your operating data. Please mention particulars such as solids in the medium in the “Application, particulars” field. Our team takes on what the configurator does not size itself, for example the low-pressure type or enquiries with a pressure-drop limit on an oil, glycol or steam side.

Application	Type	Why
Cooling the oil of individual machines	Compact type	A small, slim unit that fits next to the machine; meant for small duties.
Plants with threaded pipework	Threaded type	Threads on the tube and shell side: light, and fits into screwed pipework without flanges, for small and medium duties.
Heating and cooling, oil cooling, condensing steam	Standard type	The basic form of the range and the starting point for most duties, available with profiled tubes.
High duties in heating and cooling	Large standard type	The largest sizes of the standard type, installed on feet; design, connections and limits are the same.
High pressure drop in the tube coil	Wide-tube type	A tube coil wound from tubes with a larger inner diameter; whether it fits better than the standard type is decided by the sizing.
Hot water and steam	High-temperature type	Higher operating temperature than the other welded ranges; the nozzles are set at an angle to the shell.
A lot of heat at high temperatures	Large high-temperature type	The largest sizes of the high-temperature type: the same higher operating temperature, installed on feet.
Opening at higher temperatures	Partly dismountable type	Opens at the bolted flange rings at both ends of the shell and withstands the same operating temperature as the high-temperature type.
Opening at a low operating pressure	Low-pressure type	A large shell that opens at both ends. The configurator does not propose it: name it in the “Application, particulars” field and our team will size it.
Media carrying solids	Fully dismountable type	Can be taken apart completely; in return its maximum operating pressure is lower than that of the welded ranges and the partly dismountable type.

When is a shell and tube heat exchanger the right choice?

Shell and tube heat exchangers carry one medium through tubes (tube side) and the other through the surrounding shell (shell side). The design is particularly suited to oils and other viscous media and to condensing steam. For pure water-to-water duties in tight spaces a plate heat exchanger is often the more compact alternative - AWS-Technik GmbH supplies both designs.

How are our units built?

The shell holds a tube coil: thin-walled stainless steel tubes wound helically around a core and, in the welded ranges, welded into the tube sheets. The coil packs a lot of heat transfer area into a slim shell and absorbs the different thermal expansion of tube and shell. The hot medium flows through the coil, the cold one through the shell. Some ranges come with profiled tubes that transfer more heat for the same area - the sizing decides which version fits.

How are the units cleaned?

Most ranges are fully welded: between the two media there is nothing but stainless steel tube, no gasket. They are cleaned by chemical flushing rather than by brush or lance. If a medium carries solids or fouls heavily, please mention it in the "Application, particulars" field of your enquiry - there is a version that can be dismantled, rated up to 6 bar, or we recommend a filter upstream.

Technical data

Operating pressure up to 16 bar, version that can be dismantled up to 6 bar
Operating temperature up to 160 °C, high-temperature ranges up to 200 °C
Shell, tube coil and nozzles in stainless steel 1.4307 or 1.4404
Flanges in painted steel or stainless steel
Hot medium in the tube coil, cold medium in the shell

The limits apply per range and not necessarily at the same time. The configurator checks the temperature limit of every range itself during selection; operating pressure and material are fixed in the quote.

Ranges and sizes

Our catalogue covers 41 sizes across 10 ranges - from compact units for cooling the oil of a single machine to units of several hundred kilowatts. The sizing picks the size from your duty, temperatures and permissible pressure drops; you set the number of units in parallel in the configurator (one unit if left blank).

Which media are available?

The calculation core works from a verified media catalogue. Currently available: Water, Water-ethylene glycol 40%, Hydraulic oil ISO VG 22, Hydraulic oil ISO VG 220, Motor oil SAE 30, Saturated steam. Your medium is not among them, or your operating point lies outside the range the configurator shows for the chosen medium? Choose “Other medium” and name it, with fluid properties if known - the enquiry then goes to our engineers, who do the sizing and get back to you.

How does the online sizing work?

You enter media, inlet and outlet temperatures and the duty or one mass flow; whatever you leave blank, the energy balance completes visibly as you type. The sizing itself runs on our server against the size catalogue; our team reviews it, does the sizing itself where the calculation model ends, and comes back to you. You then receive an individual quote with a binding design - only there do the type and the heat transfer area appear.

Typical wrong decisions

One typical mistake is not mentioning solids or heavy fouling in the enquiry. Most ranges are fully welded; they are cleaned by chemical flushing rather than by brush or lance. The fully dismountable type is meant for such media, or we recommend a filter upstream of the unit - so solids and heavy fouling belong in the “Application, particulars” field.

Another mistake is maximising effectiveness: the last percentage points cost disproportionately much area, because the driving temperature difference keeps shrinking towards the end. It makes sense to define the operating point and choose the margin deliberately. More margin means a larger unit; that trade-off belongs in the quote.

And finally pressure drop: without a stated limit the sizing does not restrict it. A permissible pressure drop per side therefore belongs in every enquiry: it helps decide which sizes qualify.

FAQ

Which type suits my application?

You do not have to decide in advance: the configurator determines type and size from your operating data, namely the media, temperatures, mass flows and permissible pressure drops. Where the calculation model ends, our team does the sizing, for example with a pressure-drop limit on an oil, glycol or steam side. As a guide, the compact type is meant for small duties and tight spaces, the high-temperature type for higher operating temperatures and the fully dismountable type for media carrying solids.

Which types can be opened?

The partly dismountable type and the low-pressure type can be opened at the bolted flange rings at both ends of the shell; the fully dismountable type can be taken apart completely. The other types belong to the welded ranges: there is no gasket between the media, and they are cleaned by chemical flushing rather than by brush or lance.

Do the limits in the table apply at the same time?

Not necessarily. Operating temperature and operating pressure are the limits of the respective type; a unit does not have to reach both at once. The sizing and the quote are binding: our team reviews the sizing before you receive a quote.

Unsure about the type?

Enter the media, temperatures and mass flows into the configurator - we size the right shell and tube heat exchanger and get back to you with a quote.

Online sizing