Heat Exchanger Simulator & Calculator

Design Capacity kW
Margin
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Hot Side

Cold Side

Fluid Simulation

Temperature Profile

Model Sizing Table

Model Heat Area (m²) Plate Qty Duty Margin (%) DN Hot ΔP (kPa) Cold ΔP (kPa)
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Results & Recommendations

Calculated Parameters

Overall Heat Transfer Coeff. (W/m²K): -

LMTD (°C): -

Heat Transfer Area (m²): -

Material Recommendation

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Hydraulic & Design Margin

Expand Plate Geometry panel below to calculate pressure drop and duty margin.

Balance & Auto-Corrections

Balance Status: -

Real Heat Load (kW): -

Design Heat Load (kW): -

Hot ΔT (°C): -

Cold ΔT (°C): -

Updated Values

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Auto-Change Notes

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Select Heat Exchanger Type

Gasketed Plate
Brazed Plate
Shell and Tube
Pool
Plate and Shell
Spiral
Disk and Shell
Shell and Coil
▶ Plate Geometry (for Hydraulic Calculation — click to expand)

Friction factor: Martin (1996) — Shah & Sekulić (2003, §7). Port loss: K=1.5·ρu²/2. Duty margin: area ratio method (Hewitt et al., 1994).

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I size a plate heat exchanger?

Calculate thermal duty (Q = ṁ × Cp × ΔT), determine LMTD for your temperature profile, estimate the U-value based on your fluids, then use A = Q / (U × LMTD) to find the required heat transfer area. Add 10–25% fouling margin and verify pressure drop stays within limits. Use our free calculator to verify your results.

Q: What formula is used for heat exchanger sizing?

The primary formula is A = Q / (U × LMTD) where A is the required heat transfer area (m²), Q is the thermal duty (W), U is the overall heat transfer coefficient (W/m²·K), and LMTD is the log mean temperature difference (°C). For the thermal duty: Q = ṁ × Cp × ΔT.

Q: What is LMTD and why is it important for sizing?

LMTD (Log Mean Temperature Difference) is the effective average temperature difference between hot and cold fluids across the heat exchanger. It accounts for the fact that the temperature difference changes along the length of the exchanger. The formula is: LMTD = (ΔT₁ − ΔT₂) / ln(ΔT₁ / ΔT₂). A higher LMTD means less heat transfer area is needed.

Q: What is a typical U-value for a plate heat exchanger?

Typical U-values for plate heat exchangers: water-to-water = 3,000–5,000 W/m²·K, water-to-glycol = 2,000–4,000 W/m²·K, steam-to-water = 3,500–5,500 W/m²·K, oil-to-water = 500–1,500 W/m²·K. These are 2–5× higher than shell & tube due to turbulent flow in corrugated plates. See our U-value guide for details.

Q: How much fouling margin should I add?

Add 10–15% extra area for clean fluids (treated water, glycol), 15–20% for moderately fouling fluids (cooling tower water, soft water), and 20–25% for heavily fouling fluids (untreated water, oil). Over-sizing beyond 25% is generally not recommended as it reduces fluid velocity and can actually increase fouling.

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