Conduction Calculator Form
Formula Used
Plane Wall Conduction
Q = k × A × ΔT / L
Here, Q is heat transfer rate, k is thermal conductivity, A is area, ΔT is temperature difference, and L is wall thickness.
Cylindrical Pipe Conduction
Q = 2πkLΔT / ln(r₂/r₁)
This equation handles radial heat movement through a pipe wall, tube insulation, or curved shell.
Composite Wall Resistance
Rtotal = Σ(Lᵢ / kᵢA) + Rextras
Q = ΔT / Rtotal
Composite mode adds each layer resistance, then includes optional film and contact resistances.
How to Use This Calculator
- Select plane wall, cylindrical pipe, or composite layers.
- Enter hot and cold side temperatures.
- Add conductivity, area, thickness, pipe radius, or layer details.
- Enter optional film and contact resistance values.
- Set the time period for energy loss calculation.
- Press Calculate to view results above the form.
- Use CSV or PDF export for reports and records.
Example Data Table
| Case | Mode | Hot Temp | Cold Temp | k | Area | Thickness | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wall insulation | Plane wall | 80 °C | 25 °C | 0.04 W/m·K | 10 m² | 0.12 m | Estimate heat loss. |
| Steel plate | Plane wall | 150 °C | 30 °C | 45 W/m·K | 1.5 m² | 0.02 m | Check rapid conduction. |
| Insulated pipe | Cylindrical pipe | 120 °C | 35 °C | 0.06 W/m·K | Outer area | Radial wall | Find radial heat rate. |
Conduction Calculation Guide
What conduction means
Conduction is heat movement through a solid or still material. It happens because warmer molecules pass energy to cooler nearby molecules. A metal plate, brick wall, glass window, pipe wall, and insulation board all transfer heat by conduction. This calculator helps estimate that movement with practical engineering inputs.
Why resistance matters
Heat does not move only because temperatures are different. It also depends on the resistance of the path. Thin metal has low resistance, so heat moves quickly. Thick insulation has high resistance, so heat moves slowly. The calculator converts each material or layer into thermal resistance. Then it uses total resistance to find heat rate.
Using wall and pipe modes
Plane wall mode is useful for flat surfaces. It works for panels, slabs, doors, windows, roofs, and insulation sheets. Cylindrical mode is better for pipes, tubes, tanks, jackets, and round insulation. The curved equation is important because heat spreads through changing surface area as radius increases.
Composite layer analysis
Many real systems have more than one layer. A wall may include plaster, brick, insulation, and sheathing. A pipe may include steel, coating, and insulation. Composite mode adds each layer resistance in series. You can also include film and contact resistance. These extra values improve estimates when surfaces, air films, joints, or gaps slow heat flow.
Reading the result
The heat transfer rate shows power in watts. Heat flux shows watts per square meter. The U-value shows conductance per area and temperature difference. Energy converts power into total heat over your selected time. Use the chart to see which component controls the loss. The largest resistance is often the best place to check design changes.
FAQs
What is a conduction calculator?
It estimates heat transfer through materials using temperature difference, conductivity, area, thickness, radius, layers, and resistance values.
Which mode should I use for a flat wall?
Use plane wall mode for flat slabs, boards, windows, plates, doors, roofs, and straight insulation panels.
Which mode should I use for a pipe?
Use cylindrical pipe mode when heat moves radially through a round pipe, tube, sleeve, or insulation wrap.
What is thermal conductivity?
Thermal conductivity shows how easily a material conducts heat. Higher values allow faster heat transfer through the material.
What does heat flux mean?
Heat flux is heat transfer rate divided by area. It shows how much heat crosses each square meter.
Why add contact resistance?
Contact resistance represents imperfect joints, surface roughness, small gaps, adhesives, or interface layers that reduce heat transfer.
What is the U-value?
U-value is overall heat conductance per area and temperature difference. Lower values usually mean better insulation.
Can I export the result?
Yes. Use the CSV button for spreadsheet data or the PDF button after calculation for a clean report.