🔍 Key Concepts

• Shell-and-tube heat exchanger construction – difference between shell side and tube side, and where leaks usually show first • Most efficient way to check many tubes – at the tube sheets (tube ends) vs along full tube length • Which side to drain/dry – think about which fluid is usually more corrosive/under higher pressure and how that affects your test method

💭 Think About

• If you suspect a tube leak, where will leakage normally be most visible with the least disassembly: at the tube ends or along the middle of the tubes? • For a quick routine check, is it usually better to open just the waterboxes or to remove larger shell inspection plates? Why? • Think about what you really need to see: are you trying to see bubbles in a remote tank, or direct signs of seepage where the tubes are fixed into the tube sheet?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which component lets you see all tube ends at once with minimum effort (waterbox vs shell). • Consider which answer choice requires the least intrusive work while still directly showing the leak location. • Check which option focuses on tube sheets and tube ends specifically, since that’s where tube-to-sheet leaks usually show up first.