Cooled tubesheet inlet for abrasive fluid heat exchanger.
A heat exchanger for use with an abrasive fluid has a shell (22) with an inlet plenum (26) for inletting an abrasive fluid into the heat exchanger, a tubesheet (28) extending across the shell (22) and supporting tubes (30) disposed in flow communication with the plenum (26) and, a tube inlet guide panel configuration (32) disposed overlaying the tubesheet (28) in spaced relationship so as to form a passageway between the tube sheet (32) and the inlet guide panel configuration (32) and a cooling means supplying coolant to said passageway for cooling the tube inlet guide panel configuration (32).