Heat Transfer Converter

Convert between different heat transfer coefficient units including W/m²·K, BTU/hr·ft²·°F, cal/s·cm²·°C, and more. Perfect for engineering, HVAC, construction, and thermal analysis.

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Common Conversions
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Unit Information

si

Unit measurements

W/m²·K
si
Watt per Square Meter per Kelvin
Base SI unit of heat transfer coefficient
kW/m²·K
si
Kilowatt per Square Meter per Kelvin
High heat transfer coefficient unit
mW/m²·K
si
Milliwatt per Square Meter per Kelvin
Low heat transfer coefficient unit

Imperial Units

Traditional British and American measurements

BTU/hr·ft²·°F
imperial
BTU per Hour per Square Foot per Fahrenheit
Common imperial unit in HVAC and construction
BTU/hr·ft²·°R
imperial
BTU per Hour per Square Foot per Rankine
Imperial unit using Rankine temperature scale
BTU/s·ft²·°F
imperial
BTU per Second per Square Foot per Fahrenheit
High heat transfer coefficient unit

Metric Units

International System of Units (SI) measurements

cal/s·cm²·°C
metric
Calorie per Second per Square Centimeter per Celsius
CGS unit commonly used in engineering
kcal/h·m²·°C
metric
Kilocalorie per Hour per Square Meter per Celsius
Metric unit used in building energy calculations
kcal/h·m²·K
metric
Kilocalorie per Hour per Square Meter per Kelvin
Metric unit using Kelvin temperature scale

Scientific Units

Scientific and technical measurements

erg/s·cm²·°C
scientific
Erg per Second per Square Centimeter per Celsius
CGS unit for very low heat transfer coefficients
J/s·m²·K
scientific
Joule per Second per Square Meter per Kelvin
Alternative SI unit representation
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Common Use Cases

  • HVAC Design: Convert heat exchanger coefficients between SI and imperial units
  • Building Energy: Convert wall insulation heat transfer coefficients
  • Engineering: Convert thermal analysis coefficients for design calculations
  • Construction: Convert building envelope heat transfer values
  • Research: Convert scientific heat transfer measurements

Popular Conversions

0.5 W/m²·K2.84 BTU/hr·ft²·°F
50 BTU/hr·ft²·°F283.9 W/m²·K
0.1 cal/s·cm²·°C3600 kcal/h·m²·°C
2.5 kcal/h·m²·°C2.91 W/m²·K

How Our Heat Transfer Converter Works

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Input any heat transfer coefficient value in the "From" field. Our converter accepts decimal numbers and scientific notation.

2️⃣

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Choose your source unit (e.g., W/m²·K) and target unit (e.g., BTU/hr·ft²·°F) from our comprehensive unit selection.

3️⃣

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View the converted heat transfer coefficient in real-time. Copy results, explore common conversions, or check conversion history.

Understanding Heat Transfer Coefficient Units

SI Units (International System)

W/m²·K (Watt per Square Meter per Kelvin)
Base SI unit of heat transfer coefficient. Represents the amount of heat transferred per unit area per unit temperature difference.
kW/m²·K (Kilowatt per Square Meter per Kelvin)
High heat transfer coefficient unit, commonly used in industrial applications and high-performance heat exchangers.

Imperial Units

BTU/hr·ft²·°F (BTU per Hour per Square Foot per Fahrenheit)
Standard imperial unit in HVAC, construction, and building energy calculations in the United States.
BTU/s·ft²·°F (BTU per Second per Square Foot per Fahrenheit)
High heat transfer coefficient unit for applications requiring rapid heat transfer calculations.

Metric Engineering Units

cal/s·cm²·°C (Calorie per Second per Square Centimeter per Celsius)
CGS unit commonly used in engineering calculations and scientific research, especially in thermal analysis.
kcal/h·m²·°C (Kilocalorie per Hour per Square Meter per Celsius)
Metric unit widely used in building energy calculations, insulation specifications, and thermal comfort studies.

Scientific Units

erg/s·cm²·°C (Erg per Second per Square Centimeter per Celsius)
CGS unit for very low heat transfer coefficients, used in specialized scientific research and micro-scale thermal analysis.
J/s·m²·K (Joule per Second per Square Meter per Kelvin)
Alternative SI unit representation, equivalent to W/m²·K, used in some scientific publications and research papers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a heat transfer coefficient?

A heat transfer coefficient represents the amount of heat transferred per unit area per unit temperature difference. It's a measure of how effectively heat can be transferred between a surface and a fluid or between two surfaces.

Why are heat transfer coefficients always positive?

Heat transfer coefficients represent the rate of heat transfer, which is always a positive quantity. The direction of heat flow is determined by the temperature difference, not the coefficient itself.

What are typical values for different materials?

Typical values range from 0.1 W/m²·K for natural convection to 10,000+ W/m²·K for boiling water. Building materials typically range from 0.5 to 50 W/m²·K depending on the material and conditions.

How accurate are the conversion factors?

Our converter uses precise conversion factors based on internationally recognized standards. All conversions maintain accuracy up to 8 decimal places for engineering and scientific applications.

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