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Chemical Engineering vocabulary · Heat Transfer

Heat transfer coefficient

Meaning in chemical engineering, with examples

nounCore term

In chemical engineering, heat transfer coefficient means: A number that shows how easily heat passes from one fluid to another through a wall, measured in W/(m²·K). The higher it is, the smaller the exchanger can be.

In Turkish: ısı transfer katsayısı, ısı aktarım katsayısı, toplam ısı transfer katsayısı (U)

How it is used

Used in exchanger design and performance monitoring. The overall value is called U or 'U-value' and appears in Q = U·A·ΔT. Engineers estimate, calculate and track it; a falling heat transfer coefficient usually means fouling.

Example sentences

  1. The overall heat transfer coefficient has fallen by 30% since the last cleaning.

  2. Water on the tube side gives a much higher heat transfer coefficient than oil.

Common collocations

  • overall heat transfer coefficient
  • film heat transfer coefficient
  • clean heat transfer coefficient
  • estimate the heat transfer coefficient
  • heat exchangerA piece of equipment that moves heat from one fluid to another without letting them mix, for example from hot oil to cold water through the walls of tubes or plates.
  • foulingThe build-up of unwanted deposits such as scale, coke, polymer or biological growth on equipment surfaces, which reduces heat transfer and increases pressure drop.
  • heat dutyThe amount of heat that a heat exchanger, reboiler, condenser or furnace must transfer per unit time, usually given in kW or MW.
  • jacketAn outer shell around a reactor or vessel through which steam, hot oil or cooling water flows to heat or cool the contents.

More terms: Heat Transfer

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