API 660 vs TEMA

For Shell & Tube heat exchangers employed in refineries & petrochemical complexes, the applicability of API 660 (ISO 16812) in addition to TEMA has
becoming mandatory by most end users and consultants. API 660 lays down most requirements based on practical considerations & past experience. At the
same time, incorporating such requirements does have an impact on cost and efforts during fabrication of S&T Heat
exchangers. The table below compares critical requirements of API 660 with relative TEMA requirements and mostly includes design and drawing
requirements. It does not include API 660 Supplementary Requirements and Recommended Practices.

Sr. Subject API 660 Requirement TEMA Requirement

• For TEMA Class R & B, minimum 7.8 mm for expanded
tube to tubesheet joints and 3.2 mm for welded tube to
•Minimum 10 mm for expanded tube to tubesheet
Tubesheet Cladding Thickness tubesheet joints.
1 joints.
(7.2.2) • For TEMA Class, minimum 4.8 mm for expanded tube
• Minimum 5 mm for welded tube to tubesheet joints.
to tubesheet joints and 3.2 mm for welded tube to
tubesheet joints.
• The width of the slot shall be equal to the anchor bolt • No specific guidelines (numbers) are given in TEMA to
Anchor bolt Slot Hole diameter + 8 mm (5/16”). decide the slot dimension.
2 Dimensions for Sliding saddle • The length of the slot shall be equal to the anchor bolt • Slot dimensions given in API 660 may increase the
base plate (7.3.5) diameter + allowance for longitudinal movement + 8 width of sliding side base plate and accordingly the size
mm (5/16”). of foundation or supporting structure.
• As per TEMA RCB-5.2, Type “P” exchangers are allowed
for all classes R, C & B.
• TEMA types “P” (Outside packed floating head) and
• Type “W” (Externally sealed floating tubesheet)
3 Type of Exchangers (7.5.3) “W” (Externally sealed floating tubesheet) are not
exchangers shall be used only for water, steam, air,
allowed.
lubricating oil, or similar service. For other limitations
refer TEMA.
Backing Device Shell side corrosion allowance shall be included on the As per TEMA floating head backing devices are not
4
Corrosion Allowance (7.5.5) back side of the floating-head backing device. required to have corrosion allowance.
The minimum outside diameter of the tubes shall be As per TEMA minimum tube outside diameter can be 6.4
5 Minimum Tube OD (7.6.1.1)
19.05 mm (3/4”). mm also.
No specific guidelines (numbers) are given in TEMA for
Minimum tube thicknesses are defined with reference
6 Tube Thickness (7.6.1.2) minimum tube thickness with reference to tube material
to tube material of construction.
of construction.
A full-diameter stationary tubesheet shall be provided
No specific guideline is given in TEMA for consideration
7 Tubesheet Extension (7.6.2.4) for removable bundle exchangers with Bonnets (TEMA
of tubesheet extension.
“B”).
The thickness of carbon steel or lowalloy steel (max. 9 % Thickness of baffles and support plates for all materials is
chromium) transverse baffles and support plates shall given with reference to various shell diameters and plate
8 Baffle Thickness (7.6.3.1)
be not less than twice the specified shell side corrosion spacing. Also as per TEMA, baffles and support plates
allowance. does not require corrosion allowance.

Impingement Plate Thickness Minimum thickness of the impingement plate shall 6 No specific guidelines (numbers) are given in TEMA for
9
(7.6.4.4) mm (1/4”). minimum thickness of impingement plates.
Use of perforated distribution device is allowed as per
10 Impingement Plate (7.6.4.6) Perforated impingement plate baffles shall not be used.
TEMA recommended good practice.
Specific requirements for the provision of bypass sealing
devices such as seal strips, tie rods and dummy tubes. No specific guideline is given in TEMA for the
11 Bypass Sealing Devices (7.6.5)
This is important during thermal design of exchangers requirements of bypass sealing devices.
and tube layout development.
Minimum thickness of seal strips shall be the nominal
No specific guideline is given in TEMA for the thickness of
12 Seal Strips Thickness (7.6.5.5) thickness of the transverse baffles or 6 mm (1/4”),
seal strips.
whichever is less.
Hardened washers shall be provided under nuts for all
Washer Requirement for
13 bolts having diameters of 38 mm (1½”) or larger. The No specific guideline is given in TEMA.
Studs (7.8.6)
washers shall be at least 6 mm (1/4”) thick.
Allowable stresses that have been established on the
Allowable stress for flange basis of short-time tensile strength shall not be used for
14 No specific guideline is given in TEMA.
design (7.8.9) the design of girth flanges, gasketed tubesheets and
gasketed flat covers.
Thin walled expansion joints There are many specific requirements Expansion joints
15 TEMA does not cover thin walled expansion joints.
(7.9.2) given in API 660 like life cycle, liner requirement etc.

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Sr. Subject API 660 Requirement TEMA Requirement
Gasket construction (Welded or Nonwelded) is defined
with respect to size and type of gaskets. Requirements
16 Gasket Construction (7.10.3) No specific guideline is given in TEMA.
for serrated gasket, jacketed gasket, corrugated gasket,
and Spiral wound gasket are specified separately.
Integrally finned tubes of copper alloy shall be in
Integrally Finned Copper Alloy
17 annealed-temper condition as described in ASTM B No specific guideline is given in TEMA.
Tubes (8.3.1)
359/B 359M.
For removable bundle exchangers, shell ovality shall be As per TEMA, fabricated shell ID shall not exceed the
checked using metal template made from minimum two design ID by 3.2 mm as determined by circumferential
18 Shell Ovality Checking (9.1.2)
disks (same as baffle diameter) and spaced at minimum measurement.
300 mm distance. There is no requirement for metal template.

First 50 mm from gasket face shall be full penetration No specific guideline is given in TEMA for full penetration
19 Pass Partition Plate Weld (9.2)
weld if pass partition plate is welded on both sides. weld requirement for pass partition plate.
PWHT requirement of Channel • CS and LAS Channels with 6 or more pass
20 No specific guideline is given in TEMA.
(9.6.4) • Nozzle to channel ID ratio > 0.5.
CS and LAS floating head covers fabricated from dish
21 PWHT of floating head (9.6.6) No specific guideline is given in TEMA.
and ring welding.
Tolerances for mating nozzle flanges of stacked
22 Tolerances (9.7.3) Refer TEMA Figure F-1 & F-2 for tolerances.
exchangers are stringent then TEMA.
Tube holes in tubesheet shall be “Special Close Fit” type
No specific guideline is given in TEMA for the selection of
23 Tube Holes (9.9.2) for austenitic stainless steel, duplex stainless steel,
standard fit or special close fit.
titanium, cupro-nickel or nickel-alloy tubes.
Maximum allowable tube wall thickness reduction for
Maximum tube wall reduction roller-expanded tube to tubesheet joints is given for
24 No specific guideline is given in TEMA.
(9.10.1) different
tube materials.
Expansion Length of Tube For welded and expanded tube to tubesheet joint, tubes Tubes shall be expanded in the tubesheet for the length
25 inside tubesheet expansion shell begin 6 mm away from weld and ends smaller of {50.8 mm (2”) or Tubesheet thickness – 3.2
(9.10.2/9.10.3) at to 3 mm away from shell side face of tubesheet. mm}.

Additional pneumatic test shall be performed for

Pneumatic Test for
welded-and-expanded tube-to-tubesheet joints to
26 welded tube to tubesheet No specific guideline is given in TEMA.
check tubeweld integrity before final expansion of the
joints (10.3.1)
tubes, using a soap-water solution to reveal leaks.

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