Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Table Charts and

Equation | Engineers Edge

engineersedge.com/thermodynamics/overall_heat_transfer-table.htm

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):

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.

Types Application Overall Heat

Transfer Coefficient -
U-

W/(m2 Btu/(ft2
oF h)
K)

Tubular, heating Gas at atmospheric pressure inside and 5 - 35 1-6

or cooling outside tubes

Gas at high pressure inside and outside 150 - 25 - 90

tubes 500

Liquid outside (inside) and gas at 15 - 70 3 - 15

atmospheric pressure inside (outside) tubes

Gas at high pressure inside and liquid 200 - 35 - 70

outside tubes 400

Liquids inside and outside tubes 150 - 25 - 200

1200

Steam outside and liquid inside tubes 300 - 50 - 200

1200

Tubular, Steam outside and cooling water inside 1500 - 250 - 700
condensation tubes 4000

Organic vapors or ammonia outside and 300 - 50 - 200

cooling water inside tubes 1200

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Tubular, steam outside and high-viscous liquid inside 300 - 50 - 150
evaporation tubes, natural circulation 900

steam outside and low-viscous liquid inside 600 - 100 - 300

tubes, natural circulation 1700

steam outside and liquid inside tubes, forced 900 - 150 - 500
circulation 3000

Air-cooled Cooling of water 600 - 100 - 130

heat 750
exchangers
Cooling of liquid light hydrocarbons 400 - 70 - 95
550

Cooling of tar 30 - 60 5 - 10

Cooling of air or flue gas 60 - 180 10 - 30

Cooling of hydrocarbon gas 200 - 35 - 80

450

Condensation of low pressure steam 700 - 125 - 150

850

Condensation of organic vapors 350 - 65 - 90

500

Plate heat liquid to liquid 1000 - 150 - 700

exchanger 4000

Spiral heat liquid to liquid 700 - 125 - 500

exchanger 2500

condensing vapor to liquid 900 - 150 - 700

3500

Heaters (no phase change)

Hot Fluid Cold Fluid Overall U

(BTU/hr-ft 2 -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 100 – 200

(viscosity < 0.5 cP)

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Steam Medium hydrocarbons 50 – 100
(0.5 cP < viscosity < 1 cP)

Steam Heavy hydrocarbons 6 – 60

(viscosity > 1)

Steam Gases 5 – 50

Dowtherm Gases 4 – 40

Dowtherm Heavy oils 8 – 60

Flue gas Aromatic hydrocarbon and steam 5 – 10

Evaporators

Hot Fluid Cold Fluid Overall U

(BTU/hr-ft 2 -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

Coolers (no phase change)

Cold Fluid Hot Fluid Overall U

(BTU/hr-ft 2 -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

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Brine Gases 3 – 50

Organic solvents Organic solvents 20 – 60

Heavy oils Heavy oils 8 – 50

Condensers

Cold Fluid Hot Fluid Overall U

(BTU/hr-ft 2 -
F)

Water Steam (pressure) 350 -750

Water Steam (vacuum) 300 – 600

Water or Organic solvent (saturated, atmospheric) 100 – 200

brine

Water or Organic solvent ( atmospheric, high non- 20 – 80

brine condensables)

Water or Organic solvent (saturated, vacuum) 50 – 120

brine

Water or Organic solvent (vacuum, high non-condensables) 10 – 50

brine

Water or Aromatic vapours (atmospheric with non- 5 – 30

brine condensables)

Water Low boiling hydrocarbon (atmospheric) 80 – 200

Water High boiling hydrocarbon (vacuum) 10 – 30

no phase change

Fluid Film Coefficient

(BTU/hr-ft 2 -F)

Water 300 – 2000

Gases 3 – 50

Organic Solvents 60 – 500

Oils 10 – 120

Condensing

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Fluid Film Coefficient
(BTU/hr-ft 2 -F)

Steam 1000 – 3000

Organic Solvents 150 – 500

Light Oils 200 – 400

Heavy Oils (vacuum) 20 – 50

Ammonia 500 – 1000

Evaporation

Fluid Film Coefficient

(BTU/hr-ft 2 -F)

Water 800 – 2000

Organic Solvents 100 – 300

Light Oils 150 – 300

Heavy Oils 10 – 50

Ammonia 200 – 400

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

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TYPICAL OVERALL HEAT TRANSFER COEFFICIENTS
(U - VALUES)
engineeringpage.com/technology/thermal/transfer.html

Shell and Tube Heat Hot Fluid Cold Fluid U

Exchangers [W/m2C]

Heat Exchangers Water Water 800 -

1500

Organic solvents Organic 100 -

Solvents 300

Light oils Light oils 100 -

400

Heavy oils Heavy oils 50 - 300

Reduced crude Flashed crude 35 - 150

Regenerated DEA Foul DEA 450 -

650

Gases (p = atm) Gases (p = atm) 5 - 35

Gases (p = 200 bar) Gases (p = 200 100 -

bar) 300

Coolers Organic solvents Water 250 -

750

Light oils Water 350 -

700

Heavy oils Water 60 - 300

Reduced crude Water 75 - 200

Gases (p = atm) Water 5 - 35

Gases (p = 200 bar) Water 150 -

400

Gases Water 20 - 300

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 Organic solvents Brine 150 -
500

Water Brine 600 -

1200

Gases Brine 15 - 250

Heaters Steam Water 1500 -

4000

Steam Organic solvents 500 -

1000

Steam Light oils 300 -

900

Steam Heavy oils 60 - 450

Steam Gases 30 - 300

Heat Transfer (hot) Oil Heavy oils 50 - 300

Heat Transfer (hot) Oil Gases 20 - 200

Flue gases Steam 30 - 100

Flue gases Hydrocarbon 30 -100

vapours

Condensers Aqueouos vapours Water 1000 -

1500

Organic vapours Water 700 -

1000

Refinery hydrocarbons Water 400 -

550

Vapours with some non Water 500 -

condensibles 700

Vacuum condensers Water 200 -

500

Vaporisers

Steam Aqueouos 1000 -

solutions 1500

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 Steam Light organics 900 -
1200

Steam Heavy organics 600 -

900

Heat Transfer (hot) oil Refinery 250 -

hydrocarbons 550

Air Cooled Exchangers Process Fluid U

[W/m2C]

Water 300 -
450

Light organics 300 -

700

Heavy organics 50 - 150

Gases 50 - 300

Condensing hydrocarbons 300 -

600

Immersed coils Coil Pool U

[W/m2C]

Natural circulation Steam Dilute aqueouos 500 -

solutions 1000

Steam Light oils 200 -

300

Steam Heavy oils 70 - 150

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 Aqueouos solutions Water 200 -
500

Light oils Water 100 -

150

Agitated Steam Dilute aqueouos 800 -

solutions 1500

Steam Light oils 300 -

500

Steam Heavy oils 200 -

400

Aqueouos solutions Water 400 -

700

Light oils Water 200 -

300

Jacketed vessels Jacket Vessel U

[W/m2C]

Steam Dilute aqueouos 500 -

solutions 700

Steam Light organics 250 -

500

Water Dilute aqueouos 200 -

solutions 500

Water Light organics 200 -

300

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