The tube sheet is one of the main components in a shell & tube heat exchanger. Depending on the tube bundle configuration, a heat exchanger can be equipped with one or two tube sheets. These are usually made of low carbon steel material, with a varying thickness based on the fluid pressure. A tube sheet is usually made from a round flat piece of plate, sheet with holes drilled to accept the tubes or pipes in a accurate location and pattern relative to one another. The tube sheets are used to support and isolate tubes in heat exchangers and boilers or to support filter elements. Tubes are attached to the tube sheet by hydraulic pressure or by roller expansion. A tube sheet may be covered in a cladding material which serves as a corrosion barrier and insulator. Low carbon steel tube sheets can include a layer of a higher alloy metal bonded to the surface to provide more effective corrosion resistance without the expense of using the solid alloy, which means it can save a lot of cost.
