Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers and Submerged Coils

This class of heat exchangers involves several designs, all of which contain steam coils that are immersed in a fluid or product. Depending on the requirements of the application, steam can be supplied at either constant or variable pressure. The design of the coil will dictate whether gravity or syphon drainage will be used to evacuate condensate.

Submerged coils of one sort or another are found in virtually every industry or facility where steam is used. The product in which the coil is immersed will be heated, cooked, evaporated or concentrated. Common examples of submerged coils are water heaters, reboilers, suction heaters, evaporators and vaporizers.

Submerged coils are used:

• to heat water for industrial or domestic use
• for vaporizing industrial gases such as propane and oxygen
• for concentrating in-process fluids such as sugar, black liquor and petroleum
• for heating fuel oil for easy transfer and atomization