Roben Manufacturing designs and fabricates shell-and-tube heat exchangers to the standards of the Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association (TEMA) and to ASME Section VIII for the pressure-retaining components. Thermal design is performed in HTRI, while mechanical design covers shells, channels, tubesheets, tube bundles, and the full range of TEMA front-end, shell, and rear-end configurations.
A heat exchanger that meets its thermal duty but fails mechanically is no bargain, and a mechanically robust exchanger that misses its duty is equally useless. We treat thermal and mechanical design as a single problem, so the unit transfers the required heat and survives the pressure, temperature, and thermal-cycling environment over its service life.
Shell-and-Tube Exchangers Designed to TEMA and ASME
TEMA standards classify heat exchangers by their front-end stationary head, shell type, and rear-end head, producing the familiar three-letter designations such as BEM, AEU, and BFU. We select the configuration that best fits your thermal duty, cleaning and maintenance access, allowable pressure drop, and thermal-expansion requirements, then detail it to the appropriate TEMA class.
Thermal design in HTRI establishes the surface area, tube count, tube length, and baffle arrangement needed to meet the duty while respecting allowable pressure drops on both the shell and tube sides. The mechanical design then verifies the tubesheet, addresses differential thermal expansion with the correct rear-end type or expansion joint, and confirms that every pressure-retaining component satisfies ASME Section VIII.
Tubesheet design is where thermal and mechanical demands meet, and it is one of Roben's core strengths. With drilling capability for tubesheets from 4 inches to 470 inches in diameter and up to 35 inches thick, we produce tubesheets and tube bundles in-house, including orbital tube-to-tubesheet welds for high-integrity joints.
Material selection follows the process: carbon steel where adequate, stainless and duplex grades for corrosive or higher-temperature service, and nickel alloys or titanium for aggressive media. Each exchanger ships with the thermal datasheet, mechanical calculations, material documentation, and weld and NDE records.
Why Choose Roben Manufacturing
- Integrated thermal and mechanical design. HTRI thermal design and ASME mechanical design are handled together so the unit meets its duty and survives its service life.
- Full TEMA configuration range. We detail fixed-tubesheet, U-tube, and floating-head designs across TEMA front-end, shell, and rear-end types.
- In-house tubesheet and bundle capability. Tubesheet drilling from 4 to 470 inches and orbital tube-to-tubesheet welding are performed in our own shop.
- Material flexibility. From carbon steel to nickel alloys and titanium, materials are matched to the process on each side of the exchanger.
- Complete documentation. Thermal datasheets, mechanical calculations, and weld and NDE records ship with every exchanger.
Key Features & Capabilities
- Thermal design in HTRI for shell- and tube-side duties
- TEMA front-end, shell, and rear-end configuration selection
- Fixed-tubesheet, U-tube, and floating-head designs
- Tubesheet design and drilling from 4 to 470 inches diameter
- Tubesheet thickness from 1 to 35 inches
- Tube bundle lengths from 25 to 1,250 inches
- Orbital tube-to-tubesheet welding for high-integrity joints
- Differential thermal-expansion management and expansion joints
- ASME Section VIII pressure-component design and stamping
- Materials from carbon steel to nickel alloys and titanium
Applications & Industries Served
- Process heating and cooling in chemical plants
- Condensers and reboilers in petrochemical service
- Pharmaceutical process temperature control
- Food and beverage thermal processing
- Power generation feedwater and auxiliary heat transfer
- Waste-heat recovery and energy integration
Codes, Standards & Quality Assurance
Roben Manufacturing fabricates under a controlled quality system and holds the ASME U Certificate of Authorization, with registration through the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors. Every applicable project is supported by material test reports, qualified welding procedures, nondestructive examination records, and complete documentation.
Relevant standards and resources include: TEMA — Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association; ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
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