| Types |
Application |
Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient
- U - |
| W/(m2 K) |
Btu/(ft2 oF h) |
| Tubular, heating or cooling |
Gas at atmospheric pressure inside and outside tubes |
5 - 35 |
1 - 6 |
| Gas at high pressure inside and outside tubes |
150 - 500 |
25 - 90 |
| Liquid outside (inside) and gas at atmospheric pressure inside (outside) tubes |
15 - 70 |
3 - 15 |
| Gas at high pressure inside and liquid outside tubes |
200 - 400 |
35 - 70 |
| Liquids inside and outside tubes |
150 - 1200 |
25 - 200 |
| Steam outside and liquid inside tubes |
300 - 1200 |
50 - 200 |
| Tubular, condensation |
Steam outside and cooling water inside tubes |
1500 - 4000 |
250 - 700 |
| Organic vapors or ammonia outside and cooling water inside tubes |
300 - 1200 |
50 - 200 |
| Tubular, evaporation |
steam outside and high-viscous liquid inside tubes, natural circulation |
300 - 900 |
50 - 150 |
| steam outside and low-viscous liquid inside tubes, natural circulation |
600 - 1700 |
100 - 300 |
| steam outside and liquid inside tubes, forced circulation |
900 - 3000 |
150 - 500 |
| Air-cooled heat exchangers |
Cooling of water |
600 - 750 |
100 - 130 |
| Cooling of liquid light hydrocarbons |
400 - 550 |
70 - 95 |
| Cooling of tar |
30 - 60 |
5 - 10 |
| Cooling of air or flue gas |
60 - 180 |
10 - 30 |
| Cooling of hydrocarbon gas |
200 - 450 |
35 - 80 |
| Condensation of low pressure steam |
700 - 850 |
125 - 150 |
| Condensation of organic vapors |
350 - 500 |
65 - 90 |
| Plate heat exchanger |
liquid to liquid |
1000 - 4000 |
150 - 700 |
| Spiral heat exchanger |
liquid to liquid |
700 - 2500 |
125 - 500 |
| condensing vapor to liquid |
900 - 3500 |
150 - 700 |
