U-tube heat exchangers operate on a simple yet effective principle of transferring heat between two fluid streams without direct contact. One fluid, known as the process fluid, flows through the tubes, while the other, often a utility fluid like water or air, circulates the tubes within the shell.
The principle of the shell and tube heat exchanger is based on a bundle of tubes that is arranged vertically or horizontally inside a so-called shell. It works by exchanging heat between two fluids. One is the “heating” and the other is the “heated” fluid.