DIY Sidearm Heat Exchangers

A heat exchanger is a device for moving thermal energy from one flowing source to another flowing source. There are three basic types of heat exchangers; coiled, plate, and shell and tube. A sidearm heat exchanger is a shell and tube heat exchanger with the "shell" made out of a coiled tube wrapped around the central tube. You make your own sidearm heat exchanger using two copper tubes, and wrapping the smaller one around the larger tube.

Vise
Large diameter copper tube (1-2 inches)
Thin-walled small diameter copper tube (1/8-1/2 inches)

Instructions

- 1
  Insert the last 2 inches of the large diameter copper tube into the vise and gently close the vise until the tube is secure, but not crushed.
- 2
  Bend a 90 degree angle in the copper tube where it meets the vice. Bend the tubing slowly to prevent kinks from occurring.
- 3
  Remove the copper tube, then turn it around and insert the other end into the vise. Bend another 90 degree angle in the copper tube. Generally, the central tube is bent into a "Z" or a "U" shape, however the two bends can be at any angle to each other.
- 4
  Place the thin-walled copper tube against the large copper tube at the 90 degree bend closest to the vise. There should be about 2 inches of the small tube past the large tube on one side.
- 5
  Hold the short end of the small copper tube in place while you bend the long end down and around the central section of the large diameter copper tube.
- 6
  Bend the thin copper tube around the center of the large diameter tube until the small tube is coiled the entire length of the central section of the large tube. The small tube should be in a tight coil and continuously touching the large tube throughout the entire coil.
- 7
  Remove the copper tube from the vise.

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