A shell and tube heat exchanger is one of the most widely used types of heat exchangers in industrial applications due to its robust design, flexibility, and efficiency. It is primarily used to transfer heat between two fluids—one flowing through tubes and the other flowing outside the tubes but within a surrounding shell—without the two fluids mixing. This design makes it suitable for high-pressure and high-temperature operations commonly found in industries such as power generation, chemical processing, oil refining, and refrigeration.

The basic construction of a shell and tube heat exchanger consists of a cylindrical shell that encloses a bundle of tubes. One fluid flows through the tubes, known as the tube-side fluid, while the other fluid flows over the tubes within the shell, called the shell-side fluid. The ends of the tubes are typically fixed to tube sheets, which help separate the two fluids and prevent leakage. Baffles are often installed inside the shell to direct the flow of the shell-side fluid across the tubes, improving heat transfer efficiency and supporting the tube bundle.