Thermal Engineering
Heat Exchangers Simulators
A focused Thermal Engineering hub for heat exchangers tools, keeping related formulas, assumptions, and engineering checks together.
14 simulators
Adjacent categories
Simulator list
Chilled Water Coil Performance Simulator
Heat Exchangers
Chilled Water Coil Performance Simulator updates live numeric results and charts as inputs change, supporting early design checks and model review.
Cooling Tower Performance Simulator — Merkel / NTU Method
Heat Exchangers
Calculate performance of counter-flow and cross-flow cooling towers using the Merkel (NTU) method in real time. Instantly determine approach temperature, cooling range, …
Free-Water-Surface Evaporation Rate — ASHRAE / Carrier
Heat Exchangers
Compute the evaporation rate from pools, ponds, and cooling-tower water surfaces from water temperature, air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. See vapor-pr…
Fin Array Simulator — Heat Sink Total Heat Transfer
Heat Exchangers
Visualize the total heat transfer and overall surface efficiency of a heat sink with N straight rectangular fins. Vary fin height, count, conductivity and convection coe…
Fin Efficiency & Temperature Distribution Calculator
Heat Exchangers
Calculate fin efficiency, temperature distribution, and heat flux in real-time for rectangular, triangular, and parabolic fins with this engineering tool.
Fin Heat Transfer Simulator — Efficiency, Temperature Distribution & Optimal Design
Heat Exchangers
Master fin heat transfer: solve the governing equation, visualize temperature profiles, and calculate efficiency in real-time for CPU cooling design.
Heat Exchanger Design Calculator (NTU-ε & LMTD)
Heat Exchangers
Calculate heat exchanger outlet temperatures, effectiveness (ε), NTU, and LMTD instantly with this . Input flow rates, specific heats, and temperatures.
Double-Pipe Heat Exchanger Design Calculator (LMTD & NTU Method) — Parallel/Counter Flow
Heat Exchangers
Calculate double-pipe heat exchanger parameters: outlet temps, heat duty, LMTD, effectiveness, and tube length for parallel and counter flow designs.
Heat Exchanger Design Calculator (NTU-Effectiveness / LMTD Method)
Heat Exchangers
Design parallel, counter & crossflow heat exchangers in real-time. using NTU-effectiveness & LMTD methods with ε–NTU curves.
Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger Designer
Heat Exchangers
Design shell-and-tube heat exchangers. Calculate Q, LMTD, F-factor, required area, NTU, and effectiveness with temperature profiles.
Heat Sink Design Calculator (Electronics Cooling / Junction Temperature)
Heat Exchangers
Real-time calculation of junction temperature using fin-array thermal resistance. Switch between natural and forced convection, and visualize Bar-Cohen optimal fin pitch…
LMTD Simulator — Log Mean Temperature Difference for Counter and Parallel Flow
Heat Exchangers
Compute the log mean temperature difference of counter-flow and parallel-flow heat exchangers in real time from the four inlet and outlet temperatures. Side-by-side temp…
Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Simulator
Heat Exchangers
Compute the overall heat transfer coefficient U for a wall separating two fluids in a heat exchanger, pipe or building envelope.
Regenerator Effectiveness Simulator
Heat Exchangers
Evaluate a regenerator that recovers heat by passing the hot gas and the cold gas alternately through a thermal-storage matrix.
How to Use
- Select heat exchanger type (plate-frame, shell-tube, or air-cooled) from the cat-filter dropdown
- Input process fluid temperatures (inlet/outlet), flow rates in kg/s, and fluid properties (cp, density, viscosity)
- Define utility fluid conditions and run simulation to compute LMTD, required UA value, and pressure drops across each stream
Worked Example
Shell-tube heat exchanger cooling 5 kg/s of process oil (cp=2.1 kJ/kg·K) from 95°C inlet to 60°C outlet using cooling water at 25°C inlet. Water flow rate = 8 kg/s. Calculated LMTD = 38.6 K. With overall heat transfer coefficient U = 450 W/m²·K (corrected for fouling resistance Rf = 0.0002 m²·K/W on both sides), required area A = 2.8 m². Shell-side pressure drop = 18 kPa; tube-side = 24 kPa. Heat duty Q = 735 kW validated by energy balance.
Practical Notes
- Account for fouling deposits on both surfaces; use conservative Rf values (0.0002–0.0005 m²·K/W for water, 0.0001–0.00015 for oils) to avoid undersizing
- For counterflow correction, apply F-factor tables when P > 0.8 or R values are non-ideal; plate exchangers typically F = 0.95–0.98
- Monitor pressure drop limits: shells <50 kPa, tubes <75 kPa; high drops signal fouling or inadequate tube diameter selection