Removable Bundle Heat Exchanger
A Removable Bundle Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger is a specialized industrial design.where the entire tube bundle—consisting of the tubes, tubesheets, baffles, and tie rods—can be completely withdrawn from the shell.making it the industry standard for applications involving heavy fouling, high temperature differentials, or aggressive fluids.
- Material:Carbon steel or 90/10 CuNi shell. Bronze, 90/10 & 70/30 CuNi bonnets. Admiralty, 90/10 & 70/30 CuNi tubes
- Application: Straight tube, removable bundle, packed floating tubesheet shell & tube heat exchanger
Removable Bundle Types in Shell & Tube Heat Exchangers
Removable bundle heat exchangers are widely used in industries for transferring heat between two process fluids. The most critical component of heat exchangers is the tube bundle, which typically consists of tubes, tube sheet (s), baffles, tie-rods, and spacers. A removable bundle design allows for easier cleaning and maintenance of the heat exchanger, especially on the shell side (outside tube surface area), making it a preferred choice in certain applications. Let’s review some of the types of removable tube bundles for heat exchangers and how to choose the right one.
Removable Bundle Heat Exchanger Common Structural Configurations
In standard industrial designs, removable tube bundles are typically utilized in the following types of shell and tube heat exchangers:
1. Floating Head Heat Exchanger
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Design Features: One tubesheet is fixed to the shell, while the opposite tubesheet (the floating head) is free to move within the shell.
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Maintenance & Cleanability: The entire tube bundle can be completely withdrawn from the shell, making it the most widely used configuration for applications requiring removable bundles.
2. U-Tube Heat Exchanger
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Design Features: All heat exchanger tubes are bent into a continuous “U” shape, with both ends anchored into a single tubesheet.
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Maintenance & Cleanability: Due to the inherent flexibility of the U-shaped geometry, the tube bundle naturally accommodates thermal expansion and can be pulled directly out of the shell for maintenance.
3. Outside Packed Floating Head / Externally Sealed Floating Tubesheet Exchanger
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Design Features: This specialized engineering configuration is specifically designed to allow easy tube bundle extraction.
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Maintenance & Cleanability: The external sealing mechanism ensures straightforward disassembly, minimizing downtime during inspections and cleanings.
Get Removable Tube Bundles For Your Heat Exchanger From Datang
At Datang, we offer a wide range of removable tube bundles for shell and tube heat exchangers. Our bundles can be customized to meet your specific requirements. Contact us to learn more about our bundle replacement and re-tube services.
1.Total Mechanical Cleanability: Because the entire bundle can be pulled out, maintenance teams have full physical access to both the internal surfaces of the tubes (tube-side) and the external surfaces (shell-side). This allows for aggressive mechanical cleaning, hydro-jetting, or chemical scrubbing.
2.Thermal Expansion Accommodation: Most removable bundle designs allow one end of the tube bundle to move freely within the shell. This eliminates thermal stress caused by large temperature differences between the shell and the tubes, preventing warped tubes or cracked joints.
3.Easy Maintenance and Replacement: If a tube bundle suffers severe corrosion or erosion over time, the entire bundle can be pulled and replaced with a spare, minimizing plant downtime.
- Datasheet
- Drawing
- Certificates
Removable Bundle Heat Exchanger Key Components
| Component | Function in Removable Bundle |
| Tube Bundle | The heart of the unit; can be optimized with plain or finned tubes (such as low-finned or bimetallic extruded fins) to maximize heat transfer efficiency depending on fluid thermal conductivity. |
| Floating/Fixed Tubesheets | Plates that support and seal the tube ends. In removable designs, at least one tubesheet is engineered to slide or sit free from the main shell flange. |
| Baffles | Plates that direct shell-side fluid flow back and forth across the tubes to maximize turbulence and heat transfer rates while supporting the tubes against vibration. |
| Shell Flanges & Covers | Heavy-duty bolted joints designed to allow easy dismantling and removal of the internal bundle during turnarounds. |
Removable Bundle Heat Exchanger Pressure Testing
Every removable bundle heat exchanger manufactured by Datang undergoes rigorous, independent tube-side, shell-side, and floating-head pressure testing. Combined with our precision finned tube engineering and strict QA protocols, we ensure zero-leakage safety and maximum thermal efficiency under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions.
Precision Robotic Arm Welding Technology
To meet the stringent pressure-resistance and anti-corrosion demands of the petrochemical and energy sectors, Datang utilizes advanced multi-axis intelligent robotic welding systems for the fabrication of removable bundle heat exchangers.
Our welding robots achieve industrial-grade, flaw-free precision on critical tube-to-tubesheet joints. Combined with our rigorous pressure testing protocols, every manufactured tube bundle delivers exceptional thermal shock resistance and a guaranteed zero-leakage seal, significantly extending equipment service life under the most demanding operating conditions.
Stringent Packaging Standards
Exceptional heat exchanger quality begins with precision engineering and ends with flawless delivery. At Datang, we implement industrial-grade packaging protocols specifically engineered for the unique structural requirements of removable bundle heat exchangers.
To counter sea-salt corrosion and the severe vibrations of long-haul logistics, all precision-machined tubesheets and flanges undergo 100% sealed anti-rust treatment. The removable tube bundles are internally anchored with heavy-duty shipping fixtures to absorb dynamic stresses, while the exterior is reinforced with export-standard fumigation-free wooden crates and robust steel saddles. Whether shipping a complete assembly or a standalone replacement bundle, we guarantee your equipment arrives at your project site in pristine, factory-fresh condition.
