Efficiency reduction with removing some tubes from the heat exchanger

[Iradah]

Hello all,

I need to remove the maximum possible number of tubes from a shell and tubes heat exchanger without affecting its efficiency, is there a way to know the effect on its efficiency without going into detailed design calculations?

 

[25362]

Visit the following thread to get some ideas:

thread391-122202​

 

[EdStainless]

If the limiting heat transfer is on the tube side, and if blocking/removing tubes will increase the flow velocity through the remaining tubes (such as with a centrifugal pump), then the impact will be minimal.
I have seen heat exchangers with 15% of the tubes plugged that still are within a few % of the original design heat transfer.
However if the limiting heat transfer is on the shell side, or flow velocity in the remaining tubes will stay the same then you will loose as much heat transfer as you loose in surface area.


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Plymouth Tube