Engineering calculator reviewed for preliminary design use · Last updated: March 2026
Calculate required heat exchanger area using Q = U × A × LMTD × F. Input design duty Q, overall heat transfer coefficient U, log mean temperature difference LMTD, and F-correction factor. Apply to shell-and-tube and plate heat exchanger design.
Heat Exchanger Area Calculator
The fundamental heat exchanger design equation is Q = U × A × LMTD × F. This calculator determines the required heat transfer area A given the heat duty, overall heat transfer coefficient, and temperature conditions.
Typical Overall Heat Transfer Coefficients (U)
Steam to water: 1,000–4,000 W/m²K
Water to water: 500–2,000 W/m²K
Steam to organic solvent: 300–1,000 W/m²K
Gas to gas: 10–50 W/m²K
F-Correction Factor
Multi-pass heat exchangers deviate from true counterflow, requiring an F-factor correction (typically 0.75–1.0). For pure counterflow, F = 1.0.
What overall heat transfer coefficient should I use?
U depends on the fluids and exchanger type. Typical values: water-water 800-1500 W/(m²·K), gas-gas 10-50, steam-water 1000-3000, oil-water 100-350. Use published correlations or vendor data for the specific application.
What does the F correction factor account for?
F corrects for the reduced thermal effectiveness of multi-pass configurations compared to pure counterflow. F = 1 for true counterflow. F typically ranges from 0.8 to 1.0 for practical shell-and-tube designs.
These results are preliminary estimates for screening-level design use. They do not replace detailed engineering, code compliance verification, or vendor-certified calculations.