Shell-and-tube heat exchangers (STHEs) are extensively used in power generation, chemical processing, HVAC, petroleum refining, and food industries due to their mechanical robustness, adaptability to high pressure and temperature, and ease of customization. However, conventional STHEs often suffer from inherent limitations such as shell-side flow maldistribution, bypass streams, dead zones, excessive pressure drop, and flow-induced vibration, which collectively reduce thermal effectiveness and increase operational costs. To overcome these challenges, shell-side baffle modification has emerged as one of the most effective and economically feasible performance enhancement techniques. This review presents a comprehensive and systematic assessment of thermo-hydraulic performance enhancement in STHEs with a particular focus on conventional and novel baffle designs. Classical segmental and double-segmental baffles are discussed alongside advanced configurations such as wavy, helical, spiral, inclined, porous, disc-and-doughnut, hybrid, and air-injection-assisted baffles. Key performance indicators including heat transfer coefficient, effectiveness, pressure drop, performance evaluation criterion, and exergy efficiency are critically analyzed based on recent experimental, numerical, and optimization-based studies. The review highlights that while traditional baffles enhance heat transfer, they often incur significant pressure penalties, whereas advanced and hybrid baffle geometries provide superior thermo-hydraulic trade-offs through improved flow uniformity and reduced dead zones. In addition, the role of computational fluid dynamics, multi-objective optimization techniques, and design standards such as TEMA, ASME, API, and PED in guiding practical implementation is emphasized. The study consolidates current research trends, identifies key performance trade-offs, and outlines existing gaps, thereby providing valuable guidance for the development of high-efficiency, industry-compliant shell-and-tube heat exchangers.

This review demonstrates that shell-side baffle design plays a decisive role in enhancing the thermo-hydraulic performance of shell-and-tube heat exchangers. Conventional segmental and double-segmental baffles, while simple and widely adopted, are associated with flow maldistribution, high pressure drop, and vibration issues. In contrast, novel baffle configurations such as wavy, helical, inclined, porous, disc-and-doughnut, and hybrid designs significantly improve heat transfer performance while offering reduced hydraulic penalties and improved performance evaluation criteria. The integration of CFD-based analysis and optimization techniques, including genetic algorithms and response surface methods, has enabled systematic identification of optimal baffle geometries under competing thermal and hydraulic constraints. Despite notable progress, several challenges remain. Future research should focus on long-term fouling behavior, vibration characteristics, and manufacturability of advanced baffle designs under industrial operating conditions. The combined use of hybrid baffles with nanofluids, surface coatings, or air-injection techniques offers promising avenues for further enhancement. Moreover, the application of additive manufacturing and data-driven optimization methods, such as machine learning, can enable highly customized and compact exchanger designs. Ensuring compliance with international design codes while achieving scalability and cost-effectiveness will be crucial for translating advanced baffle concepts from laboratory-scale studies to real-world industrial applications.

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