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Heat Exchanger Sizing Calculator

LMTD, Area & Effectiveness per TEMA

Heat Exchanger Design Calculator
Calculates heat duty, LMTD with F correction factor, required area, and thermal effectiveness. Supports counterflow, parallel flow, and multi-pass shell-and-tube configurations per TEMA 10th Edition and API 660.

Hot Side

lb/hr
°F
°F
BTU/lb·°F
Water ≈ 1.0, Light oil ≈ 0.5, Gas ≈ 0.25

Cold Side

lb/hr
°F
°F
BTU/lb·°F

Design Parameters

BTU/hr·ft²·°F
Water-water: 150–250, Oil-oil: 40–60, Gas-gas: 10–30
Multi-pass requires F correction
hr·ft²·°F/BTU
Typical: 0.001–0.003 for water, 0.002–0.005 for oil

Typical Overall U Values (BTU/hr·ft²·°F)

Service Clean Design (w/Fouling)
Water to water200–250150–200
Water to light oil80–12060–90
Oil to oil60–9040–60
Gas to gas10–308–25
Condensing steam400–600300–500

Design Guidelines

F Factor: Aim for F ≥ 0.75. Below 0.75 indicates temperature cross - add shell passes or use true counterflow.
Approach Temp: Minimum 10–20°F typical. Closer approach = larger area = higher cost.
Fouling: Per TEMA, add 10–20% oversurface to maintain duty as fouling accumulates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the heat exchanger calculator compute?

It calculates heat exchanger duty, surface area, and log mean temperature difference (LMTD) for shell-and-tube designs.

Is this heat exchanger sizing tool free?

Yes, it is a free online tool with instant results and no signup required.

What type of heat exchangers does this calculator support?

It is designed for shell-and-tube heat exchanger sizing calculations.