Use this heat exchangers symbols legend CAD resource when preparing process and mechanical drawings that show thermal equipment. The DWG reference helps drafting teams identify consistent graphical representations for exchangers, coolers, condensers, heaters, reboilers, and related plant items.
For reliable drawing coordination, use the legend alongside the project’s applicable drafting conventions, equipment numbering system, line list, and pipe dimensions and schedules references. A symbol communicates equipment type and arrangement at a drawing level; it does not replace the equipment datasheet, process design basis, or engineering review.
This Heat Exchangers Symbols Legend CAD sheet is a complete reference for P&ID and process/MEP drawings. It includes common symbols used to represent heat exchangers, coolers, condensers, heaters, and related thermal equipment, helping your diagrams remain consistent and easy to review.
The legend typically includes:
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TEMA shell & tube exchanger symbol variants (multiple TEMA types)
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Plate heat exchanger and plate & frame heat exchanger
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Shell & tube exchanger, straight-tube, U-tube, floating head, kettle type
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Coolers: air-blown cooler, induced-flow air cooler, fin-fan cooler, air-cooled exchanger
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Condensers and condenser symbol options
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Reboiler and reboiler heat exchanger
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Heaters: electric heater, fired heater, boiler and related thermal items
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Cooling equipment such as cooling towers (several symbol styles)
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Additional plant items shown on the sheet (e.g., extractor hood, hose reel, vent/silencer icons)
Use this CAD legend for:
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P&ID documentation sets for process plants and utilities
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Mechanical plantroom schematics and heat transfer systems
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Standard symbol templates for drafting teams
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Training, QA review, and faster diagram creation
How to use the heat exchanger symbol legend
Start by selecting the symbol family that best matches the equipment shown in the process or mechanical system. Shell-and-tube variants, plate equipment, air-cooled units, condensers, heaters, and reboilers can have different visual conventions. Applying one consistent symbol throughout a drawing set makes P&IDs easier to check and reduces ambiguity during design reviews.
Match the symbol to the drawing purpose
- P&IDs: Use the appropriate equipment symbol with the project tag, connected lines, valves, instruments, and control information required by the drawing standard.
- Plantroom and MEP schematics: Choose a clear symbol that communicates the role of the thermal equipment within heating, cooling, or heat-transfer systems.
- Drafting templates: Keep the selected block or icon aligned with the project legend so that symbols remain consistent across sheets and disciplines.
- Review and training: Compare symbols visually during QA checks, then confirm equipment identity against the equipment list and supporting documentation.
What the symbols do—and do not—show
A CAD symbol provides a compact graphical description of equipment category and general arrangement. It should not be interpreted as a complete representation of construction details, nozzle orientation, materials, pressure class, thermal duty, or operating limits unless those items are separately defined by the project documents.
When coordinating the drawing with piping information, also check related references for pipe fittings, flanges, piping terminology, and CAD or DWG drafting resources. These references help connect the equipment symbol to the surrounding piping system without treating the icon as a substitute for detailed design information.
Download and drafting checklist
- Confirm that the downloaded DWG opens correctly in the intended CAD application.
- Check the symbol against the project or client drawing convention before inserting it into a controlled document.
- Use consistent equipment tags and line connections across P&IDs, layouts, and schematic drawings.
- Have the completed drawing reviewed by the responsible process, mechanical, and instrumentation disciplines.
Heat exchanger symbols CAD FAQ
What is included in this CAD legend?
The legend covers graphical references for heat exchangers, coolers, condensers, reboilers, heaters, cooling equipment, and related plant items used on process and mechanical drawings.
Can these symbols be used on a P&ID?
Yes. They are intended as drafting references for P&IDs and related process or MEP schematics. Always compare the symbols with the project’s required conventions before issuing a controlled drawing.
Does a symbol identify the exchanger design or rating?
Not by itself. The symbol supports visual identification of equipment type or arrangement. Design details, operating conditions, materials, ratings, and construction information must come from the applicable datasheet and engineering documents.
Are shell-and-tube and plate exchangers represented the same way?
No. The legend provides separate symbol families for shell-and-tube equipment, plate heat exchangers, and plate-and-frame heat exchangers so the drawing can distinguish their general equipment categories.
What should be checked after inserting a DWG block?
Check the block’s orientation, tag, line connections, layer behavior, scale handling, and consistency with the project legend. Then coordinate it with the equipment list, piping layout, and instrumentation information.