Chemical Engineering - Heat Transfer - Discussion

Shell Side pressure drop depends on Shell diameter, inlet and outlet diameter, not on tube side and pitch because we don't consider those in flow, moreover it about skin and drag friction that leads to decrease in pressure drop so how is diameter going to affect number of tubes yes but tube diameter and pitch where flow is not going to effect and definitely on fluid characteristics of shell side.

Shell side pressure depend on these parameters.

A. Viscosity of flow liquid in shell side, liquid with high viscosity will have low-pressure drop.

B. Heat exchanger with thick Tube diameter than the shell side have a small surface area, this causes the shell side pressure drop is high.

C. Large diameter of a shell has a lower pressure drop due to large shell side area or pressure=force/area.

Shell Side pressure drop depends on the following :

A. If baffles are spaced more frequently, will cause the fluid to change it direction more rapidly and hence higher pressure drop.

B. Tube dia and pitch : thicker the tube / pitch, lesser area available for the shell side fluid hence higher fluid drop.

C. It is obvious.

Please someone explain the reason behind this answer?