Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger

What They Are

Shell & Tube Heat Exchangers

They are among the most widely used types of heat exchangers in industrial process engineering due to their reliability, versatility, and adaptability to a broad range of heat transfer applications.

The comprehensive design process for a shell and tube heat exchanger requires advanced computational techniques and precise engineering parameters to maximise thermal efficiency, mechanical integrity and operational safety.

For quality assurance and industry compliance, the design and manufacturing standards for shell and tube heat exchangers are regulated by the Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association (TEMA).

Where They Are Used

Shell and tube heat exchangers are a trusted solution used in almost every industry, delivering reliable heat transfer in applications from oil & gas to power generation and beyond.

Used in power stations — including fossil fuel, biomass, and waste-to-energy plants — shell and tube heat exchangers improve overall system efficiency by managing heat recovery and thermal transfer in critical processes.

Industrial sites such as chemical plants, food processing facilities, pulp and paper mills, and metalworks rely on these units for applications like process heating, cooling, steam generation, and temperature regulation.

Whether preheating boiler feedwater or recovering waste heat, our heat exchangers support energy savings, improved production output, and reduced operating costs.

Our Materials

Hunt Thermal manufactures shell & tube heat exchangers using a wide range of high-quality materials to meet the demands of different operating environments, pressures, and corrosive conditions. Common materials include:

✔ Admiralty Brass ✔ Copper Nickel 90/10

✔ Aluminium Brass ✔ Duplex/Super Duplex

✔ Carbon Steel ✔ Inconel

✔ Copper ✔ Monel

✔ Copper Nickel 70/30 ✔ Stainless Steel

What is TEMA?

The Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association (TEMA) sets comprehensive standards for shell and tube heat exchangers, covering design, fabrication, performance, installation, operation, maintenance, and vibration control.

While based on the ASME Design Code, TEMA provides a more detailed framework and is recommended as a minimum benchmark for industrial applications to ensure reliability and quality. It complements other standards like PD5500, EN13445, and API 660.

At Hunt , we follow these strict TEMA standards to deliver reliable, high-performance heat exchangers customised to your needs.

TEMA Standards define the style of heat exchangers and the machining and assembly tolerances. They are divided classifications, related to its duty:

TEMA C – General Service TEMA B – Chemical Service TEMA R – Refinery Service

Front End Head Types

Shell Type

Rear End Head Type

Our Design & Manufacturing

Hunt Thermal designs and manufactures all shell and tube heat exchangers in-house, fully customised to meet project specifications and certified standards including ASME VIII Div.1, EN13445, PD5500, & API 660.

We utilise advanced engineering software throughout the design process:

✔ Aspen EDR – Thermal design

✔ PROBAD – Pressure parts design

✔ SolidWorks – 3D modelling and drafting

✔ Bentley STAAD.Pro – Structural design

✔ Bentley AutoPIPE – Pipe stress analysis