The　structure　of　helical　baffle　heat　exchangers　was　analyzed　and　optimized　using　entransy　theory　for　the　first　time.　The　helical　baffle　heat　exchangers　with　50%　overlap　and　18°/27°　planes　and　an　enhanced　helical　fold　baffle　heat　exchanger　were　selected　as　the　research　objects,　and　the　experimental　data　were　analyzed　by　PEC　(Performance　Evaluation　Criteria)　and　entransy　dissipation　theory.　The　results　show　that　the　entransy　dissipation　number　reduces　when　the　effectiveness　and　heat　transfer　unit　increases.　The　18°　helical　baffled　heat　exchanger　is　superior　to　the　27°　one,　and　when　the　heat　transfer　units　and　the　effective　degrees　have　the　same　case　numbers,　the　improved　helical　fold　baffle　heat　exchanger　has　better　performance　than　that　of　the　plane　one.　The　consistency　between　the　analysis　results　of　the　entransy　dissipation　theory　and　the　rule　of　PEC　proves　the　applicability　of　the　entransy　theory　in　the　analysis　of　helical　baffle　heat　exchangers.　Meanwhile,　the　results　show　that　the　heat　transfer　entransy　dissipation　number　is　thousands　times　of　the　resistance　entransy　dissipation　number,　which　indicates　that　the　heat　transfer　entransy　dissipation　is　the　main　heat　dissipation　factor.　©　2016,　Editorial　Board　of　“Journal　of　Chemical　Engineering　of　Chinese　Universities”.　All　right　reserved.