Introduction to TEMA

Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers are one of the most popular types of exchanger due to the
flexibility the designer has to allow for a wide range of pressures and temperatures. There
are two main categories of Shell and Tube exchanger:

1. those that are used in the petrochemical industry which tend to be covered by
standards from TEMA, Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association (see TEMA
Standards);
2. those that are used in the power industry such as feedwater heaters and power
plant condensers.

TEMA Mechanical Standards are applicable to shell and tube exchangers with inside
diameters not exceeding 60 inches 1.52 m, a maximum product of nominal diameter
(inches) and design pressure (psi) of 60,000 in. psi 10.5 m MPa, or a maximum design
pressure of 3,000 psi 20.7 MPa." However, a section on Recommended Good Practice is
provided to extend the Standards to units with larger diameters.

The Standards recognize three classes of heat exchanger construction:

Class R for the severe requirements of petroleum processing (and usually including
most large scale processing applications).
Class C for general commercial application.
Class B for chemical process service.

There is in fact relatively little difference between the Standards for the three classes;
where there are differences, Class R calls for heavier and more conservative construction
features, and Class B (since these are usually stainless steel or high alloy exchangers) gives
some allowance for lighter (i.e., thinner metal) construction for noncritical components.

TEMA Standards are divided into ten sections:

1. Nomenclature
2. Fabrication Tolerances
3. General Fabrication and Performance Information
4. Installation, Operation, and Maintenance
5. Mechanical Standards TEMA Class RCB Heat Exchangers
6. Flow Induced Vibration
7. Thermal Relations (includes fouling and charts of the configuration correction factor
on the Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference)
8. Physical Properties of Fluids
9. General Information (e.g., dimensions of pipe, tubing, fittings and flanges; pressure-
temperature ratings; conversion factors, etc.)
10. Recommended Good Practice
TEMA does not give or recommend thermal-hydraulic design methods, leaving it to the
individual company to use their own methods or one of the published or commercially
available computer-based methods.

Even though TEMA has only about 20 members (who must meet strict standards of in-
house thermal-hydraulic and mechanical design capability, manufacturing accountability,
and quality control to attain membership), practically all shell and tube heat exchangers for
the process and related industries are specified to meet TEMA standards of construction.
The Standards are set by members of the Technical Committee of TEMA.