Service 01 · Design, Fabrication & Re-tubing
Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger
Thermal design, fabrication and field re-tubing of shell and tube exchangers for process duty — sized against your real operating conditions rather than a catalogue selection.
0 barDesign pressure to
0 mmTube length to
0 mmShell diameter to
Overview
How we approach it.
A shell and tube exchanger is only as good as the thermal design behind it. We start from the duty — flow rates, inlet and outlet temperatures, allowable pressure drop, fouling factors — and size the bundle around it, rather than fitting the nearest standard unit and hoping the margin covers the difference.
Fabrication happens in-house, which is what makes re-tubing viable as a service rather than a replacement sale. Where a shell is sound and only the bundle has failed, re-tubing typically returns the unit to full duty at a fraction of the cost of new plant, and in a fraction of the lead time.
Every unit is hydrostatically tested before it leaves, and we witness-test on request.
Included in scope
- Thermal design & sizing
- Custom fabrication
- Re-tubing & repair
- Pressure testing
On the job
The work, as it runs.
Plant we have installed and equipment we have had apart — photographed on the shop floor and on site, not staged.
Capability
What we can build to.
Ranges below cover the majority of what we make. Duties outside them are reviewed case by case rather than refused on principle.
| Shell diameter | 150 – 1,500 mm |
|---|---|
| Tube length | Up to 6,000 mm |
| Design pressure | Up to 40 bar (shell and tube side) |
| Design temperature | −20 °C to 400 °CHigher duties reviewed case by case |
| Tube materials | Carbon steel, stainless 304/316L, copper, cupro-nickel 90/10, titanium |
| Configurations | Fixed tubesheet, U-tube, floating head |
| Testing | Hydrostatic at 1.5 × design pressure |
Indicative figures. Final specification is confirmed against your duty and site survey at quotation.
Standards & testing
- TEMA Class R, C and B
- ASME Section VIII Division 1 design principles
- Hydrostatic testing to 1.5 × design pressure
Process
How the work runs.
The same sequence every time, so you know what happens next and what is expected of you at each stage.
- 01
Thermal design & sizing
Duty, flow rates, temperatures, allowable pressure drop and fouling factors are worked through before any drawing is produced. You get the calculation, not just the result.
- 02
Drawing & approval
General arrangement and nozzle orientation drawings are issued for your approval. Nothing is cut until the drawing is signed off.
- 03
Fabrication
Shell, tubesheets, baffles and bundle are fabricated in-house. Tube-to-tubesheet joints are expanded, and seal-welded where the duty calls for it.
- 04
Testing & inspection
Hydrostatic test at 1.5 × design pressure, with dimensional and weld inspection recorded. Third-party witness available on request.
- 05
Delivery & installation
Delivered to site and, where the scope includes it, set, piped and commissioned by our own installation team.
Applications
Where it is used.
Process heating and coolingSteam condensingOil coolersChilled and condenser water circuitsPetrochemical process dutyFood and beverage processing
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View productQuestions
Asked before you ask.
Can you re-tube an exchanger you did not build?
Yes — most re-tubing work is on other manufacturers’ units. We measure the existing tubesheet and baffle arrangement on site and match the new bundle to it. If the shell has thinned beyond repair we will tell you before quoting a bundle.
Is re-tubing worth it, or should we replace the unit?
It depends entirely on the condition of the shell and tubesheets. Where those are sound, re-tubing is substantially cheaper and quicker than new plant. Where the shell has corroded, replacement is the honest answer and we will say so.
What do you need from us to quote?
For a new unit: the duty — both-side flow rates, inlet and outlet temperatures, design pressure and the fluids involved. For a re-tube: the make and model if known, plus tube count, diameter and length.
How long does fabrication take?
It depends on size, material availability and current workload. We give a firm date with the quotation rather than a nominal one, and we would rather quote a longer date and hold it. TODO(content): confirm typical lead times.
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