When you’re drafting a P&ID or process schematic, using the correct heat exchanger symbol makes your drawings easier to review, easier to maintain, and consistent across the whole project. This Heat Exchanger Symbols Legend CAD gives you a practical set of commonly used exchanger symbols—so you can drop them into your diagram and move on.
What’s included in this heat exchanger symbol set
You can represent most typical exchanger selections found in industrial and building utility systems, such as:
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Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger (vertical or horizontal)
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Shell & Fixed Tube Sheet
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Shell & U-Tube Exchanger
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Floating Head (including cover plate variants)
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Kettle Reboiler / “Kettle” type exchangers
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Plate Heat Exchanger (PHE) and Plate Frame Type
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Spiral Heat Exchanger
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Compact Exchanger
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Double Pipe Heat Exchanger
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Fin Exchanger / Plate Fin Exchanger
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Forced Air Cooler and Induced Air Cooler
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Electric Heater and Waste Heat Recovery Unit
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Generic heat exchanger symbol (when the exact type isn’t specified)
How to use it in your drawings
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Use the generic symbol early in concept design, then swap to the exact type once equipment selection is confirmed.
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Keep one exchanger style across all sheets to avoid confusion during construction and commissioning.
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Pair the symbol with clear tags (e.g., E-101, service name, duty, inlet/outlet IDs) to make the P&ID readable at a glance.