Heat Flow 23

WATER SYSTEMS—HEAT-TRANSFER EQUATION

Btuh = gpm × 500 × TD

Where:
Btuh = Btu per hour
gpm = volume of water flow, gallons per minute
500 = constant:
60 min/hr × 8.33 lb/gal (weight of water) × 1 Btu/lb°F (spe-
cific heat of water).
TD = temperature difference of the water entering and leav-
ing a coil EWT – LWT or LWT – EWT (Entering Water Tempera-
ture and Leaving Water Temperature). TD can also be expressed
as ∆T.

To find volume: gpm = Btuh ÷ (500 × TD)

To find temperature difference: TD = Btuh ÷ (500 × gpm)

WATER SYSTEMS —
PRESSURES AND BOILING TEMPERATURES

The boiling point or boiling temperature of water can be

changed by changing the pressure on the water. In the case of
water in a heating system if the pressure is to be changed, the
water must be in a boiler and then the water can be boiled at a
temperature of 212°F or 250°F or any other temperature. The only
requirement is that the pressure in the boiler is changed to the one
corresponding to the desired boiling point. If the pressure is 14.7
psia the boiling temperature is 212°F. A common low pressure
HVAC steam heating system, for instance, operates at 15 pounds
per square inch gage pressure (psig), which is an absolute pres-
sure of 30 psia and a temperature of 250°F.

Sea Level Barometric Pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch

absolute (psia)
Sea Level Barometric Pressure is 0 pounds per square inch gage
(psig)
24 HVAC Fundamentals

psia = psig + 14.7

pounds per square inch absolute = pounds per square inch
gage + 14.7
As a hint for calculations psia can stand for “psi add 14.7” to
gage pressure.

Sea Level Barometric Pressure is 29.92 inches of mercury ("Hg)

Sometimes sea level barometric pressure, for estimation pur-

poses only, is rounded off to 15 psia and 30 inches of mercury.

1 psi equals 2.04" Hg

(sometimes, for estimation purposes only, rounded to 1 psi
= 2" Hg)

1" Hg equals 0.49 psi

(sometimes, for estimation purposes only, rounded to 1" Hg
= 0.5 psi)