Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Table Charts and Equation

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Heat Transfer Directory

Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Table Chart:

The heat transfer coefficient is the proportionality coefficient between the heat flux and the thermodynamic driving force for the flow of heat (i.e., the temperature difference, ΔT):

h = q / (Ts - K)

where:

q: amount of heat required (Heat Flux), W/m2 i.e., thermal power per unit area, q = d\dot{Q}/dA
h: heat transfer coefficient, W/(m² K)
Ts = Solid Surface temperature
K = Surrounding fluid area Temperature

It is used in calculating the heat transfer, typically by convection or phase transition between a fluid and a solid. The heat transfer coefficient has SI units in watts per squared meter kelvin: W/(m²K). Heat transfer coefficient is the inverse of thermal insulance. This is used for building materials (R-value) and for clothing insulation.

Related Resources:

• Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient - Heat Transfer
• Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Thermodynamics
• Convective Heat Transfer Convection Equation and Calculator
• Thermal Conductivity Conversions
• Thermal Conductivity of Gases
• Thermal Conductivity of Common Metals and Alloys

Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Table Chart Pipes and Tubes

Types	Application	Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient - U -
		W/(m2 K)	Btu/(ft2 oF h)
Tubular, heating or cooling	Gas at atmospheric pressure inside and outside tubes	5 - 35	1 - 6
	Gas at high pressure inside and outside tubes	150 - 500	25 - 90
	Liquid outside (inside) and gas at atmospheric pressure inside (outside) tubes	15 - 70	3 - 15
	Gas at high pressure inside and liquid outside tubes	200 - 400	35 - 70
	Liquids inside and outside tubes	150 - 1200	25 - 200
	Steam outside and liquid inside tubes	300 - 1200	50 - 200
Tubular, condensation	Steam outside and cooling water inside tubes	1500 - 4000	250 - 700
	Organic vapors or ammonia outside and cooling water inside tubes	300 - 1200	50 - 200
Tubular, evaporation	steam outside and high-viscous liquid inside tubes, natural circulation	300 - 900	50 - 150
	steam outside and low-viscous liquid inside tubes, natural circulation	600 - 1700	100 - 300
	steam outside and liquid inside tubes, forced circulation	900 - 3000	150 - 500
Air-cooled heat exchangers	Cooling of water	600 - 750	100 - 130
	Cooling of liquid light hydrocarbons	400 - 550	70 - 95
	Cooling of tar	30 - 60	5 - 10
	Cooling of air or flue gas	60 - 180	10 - 30
	Cooling of hydrocarbon gas	200 - 450	35 - 80
	Condensation of low pressure steam	700 - 850	125 - 150
	Condensation of organic vapors	350 - 500	65 - 90
Plate heat exchanger	liquid to liquid	1000 - 4000	150 - 700
Spiral heat exchanger	liquid to liquid	700 - 2500	125 - 500
	condensing vapor to liquid	900 - 3500	150 - 700

Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Table Chart Heat Exchangers

Heaters (no phase change)
Hot Fluid	Cold Fluid	Overall U (BTU/hr-ft2 -F)
Steam	Air	10 – 20
Steam	Water	250 – 750
Steam	Methanol	200 – 700
Steam	Ammonia	200 – 700
Steam	Aqueous solutions	100 – 700
Steam	Light hydrocarbons (viscosity < 0.5 cP)	100 – 200
Steam	Medium hydrocarbons (0.5 cP < viscosity < 1 cP)	50 – 100
Steam	Heavy hydrocarbons (viscosity > 1)	6 – 60
Steam	Gases	5 – 50
Dowtherm	Gases	4 – 40
Dowtherm	Heavy oils	8 – 60
Flue gas	Aromatic hydrocarbon and steam	5 – 10

Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Table Chart Industrial Evaporators

Evaporators
Hot Fluid	Cold Fluid	Overall U (BTU/hr-ft2 -F)
Steam	Water	350 – 750
Steam	Organic solvents	100 – 200
Steam	Light oils	80 – 180
Steam	Heavy oils (vacuum)	25 – 75
Water	Refrigerant	75 – 150
Organic solvents	Refrigerant	30 – 100

Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Table Chart Industrial Coolers

Coolers (no phase change)
Cold Fluid	Hot Fluid	Overall U (BTU/hr-ft2 -F)
Water	Water	150 – 300
Water	Organic solvent	50 – 150
Water	Gases	3 – 50
Water	Light oils	60 – 160
Water	Heavy oils	10 – 50
Light oil	Organic solvent	20 – 70
Brine	Water	100 – 200
Brine	Organic solvent	30 – 90
Brine	Gases	3 – 50
Organic solvents	Organic solvents	20 – 60
Heavy oils	Heavy oils	8 – 50

Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Table Chart Industrial Condensers

Condensers
Cold Fluid	Hot Fluid	Overall U (BTU/hr-ft2 -F)
Water	Steam (pressure)	350 -750
Water	Steam (vacuum)	300 – 600
Water or brine	Organic solvent (saturated, atmospheric)	100 – 200
Water or brine	Organic solvent ( atmospheric, high non-condensables)	20 – 80
Water or brine	Organic solvent (saturated, vacuum)	50 – 120
Water or brine	Organic solvent (vacuum, high non-condensables)	10 – 50
Water or brine	Aromatic vapours (atmospheric with non-condensables)	5 – 30
Water	Low boiling hydrocarbon (atmospheric)	80 – 200
Water	High boiling hydrocarbon (vacuum)	10 – 30

Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Table Chart Various Fluids

no phase change
Fluid	Film Coefficient (BTU/hr-ft2 -F)
Water	300 – 2000
Gases	3 – 50
Organic Solvents	60 – 500
Oils	10 – 120

Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Table Chart Condensing Fluids

Condensing
Fluid	Film Coefficient (BTU/hr-ft2 -F)
Steam	1000 – 3000
Organic Solvents	150 – 500
Light Oils	200 – 400
Heavy Oils (vacuum)	20 – 50
Ammonia	500 – 1000

Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Table Chart Various Fluids (Liquids and Gasses)