Plate heat exchangers and tubular heat exchangers are the two most commonly used types of heat exchangers. When we design the heat exchangers for different working conditions, some parameters will typically dictate which design is more effective for the application. Here are some factors to consider:

1. Fluid Flow Rate and Pressure Drop: Tubular type of heat exchanger (The design of removable u-tube, straight tube, or welded shell & tube ) typically allow larger volumes of fluid to pass through the unit. Whereas with plate heat exchangers (brazed plate or plate and frame), the pressure drop is relatively low and the dense plate stack acts as a limiting barrier.

2. Heat transfer area: Plate heat exchangers have high heat transfer rates due to their plate with thinner thickness and herringbone design in a compact plate pack, therefore, plate heat exchangers may be more suitable for process conditions with lower temperature differences. For plate heat exchangers, if the condition of frame allows, additional plates can be added to the existing unit on-site to increase the heated area.

3. Durability: Industries such as oil and gas prefer to use tubular heat exchangers because of their robustness and flexibility. Compared to plate heat exchanger designs, shell and tube designs have a wider range of use and allow for more customization of the product to meet the specific needs of customers.