What type of baffles causes gases to flow at right angles to the tube length?

Cross baffles are designed specifically to direct fluid or gas flow at right angles to the length of the tubes they are installed in. This configuration enhances mixing and improves heat transfer by promoting turbulence as the gases or fluids are forced to change direction.

In systems utilizing cross baffles, the gases or fluids encounter the baffles and then have to navigate around them, resulting in a 90-degree change in direction. This configuration is advantageous in applications such as heat exchangers, where maximizing the interaction between the different phases is critical for efficiency.

Other types of baffles serve different functions. Longitudinal baffles typically run parallel to the flow direction, which does not change the direction of flow significantly. Curved baffles can redirect flow but do not specifically enforce a right-angle turn. Streamlined baffles, while designed to minimize flow resistance, do not facilitate the necessary directional change required for optimal flow dynamics in the same way that cross baffles do. Therefore, cross baffles are the optimal choice for ensuring gas flow at right angles to the tube length.