What design type is typically used for fuel oil heaters in these systems?

The shell and tube design is commonly used for fuel oil heaters due to its ability to handle high temperatures and pressures, which are often encountered in fuel oil heating applications. This design consists of a series of tubes, one set carrying the hot heating medium and the other carrying the fuel oil. The effectiveness of this type of heat exchanger comes from the large surface area provided by the tubes, allowing for efficient heat transfer between the two fluids.

Shell and tube heaters are particularly advantageous in situations where a high thermal load is required, as they can be scaled up easily by adding more tubes, thereby accommodating larger volumes of oil for heating without significantly increasing the overall footprint of the equipment. Additionally, maintenance and cleaning of shell and tube designs can be more manageable, as the tubes can be accessed individually.

In contrast, the other design types mentioned may not meet the same requirements for efficiency and thermal management in this specific application. For instance, plate designs may be effective for low to medium viscosity fluids but can be less robust under higher pressures typically associated with fuel oil systems. Coil and inline designs may have their advantages in different contexts but do not typically offer the same level of efficiency or capacity as shell and tube designs when it comes to heating fuel oil.