Baffles are best described as which of the following?

Baffles are best described as which of the following?

• A. Plates installed to change the flow of fluids
• B. Valves used to regulate flow
• C. Filters that remove solids
• D. Gaskets that seal joints

Answer: (A)

Baffles are plates installed in vessels or ducts to direct and shape the path of fluids. By altering the flow pattern, they break up swirling, force crossflow across surfaces, and increase mixing or heat transfer efficiency, while also preventing short-circuiting of the flow. They’re not valves that regulate flow, filters that remove solids, or gaskets that seal joints. In a heat exchanger, baffles push the moving fluid to sweep across tubes, boosting heat transfer; in a mixing tank, they promote more uniform mixing by disrupting a simple circular flow.

Baffles are plates installed in vessels or ducts to direct and shape the path of fluids. By altering the flow pattern, they break up swirling, force crossflow across surfaces, and increase mixing or heat transfer efficiency, while also preventing short-circuiting of the flow. They’re not valves that regulate flow, filters that remove solids, or gaskets that seal joints. In a heat exchanger, baffles push the moving fluid to sweep across tubes, boosting heat transfer; in a mixing tank, they promote more uniform mixing by disrupting a simple circular flow.