According to different heat transfer principles, heat exchangers can be divided into: inter wall heat exchangers, storage heat exchangers, fluid connected indirect heat exchangers, direct contact heat exchangers, and compound heat exchangers.

Heat exchangers can be divided into heaters, preheaters, superheaters, and evaporators according to their different purposes.

Heat exchangers can be divided into floating head heat exchangers, fixed tube sheet heat exchangers, U-shaped tube sheet heat exchangers, and plate heat exchangers according to their structures.