Heat Loss From An Insulated Pipe

Date
By

ChemSOF.com

Tips & Tricks for Chemical Engineers

Pipe

Inside Diameter (D1)

Outside Diameter (D2)
Operating Temperature
Ambient Temperature
Wind Speed
Insulation
Type
Surface Emmisivity
Thickness
Outside Diameter

D3

23.6 mm
25.4 mm
4.0 C
-15.0 C
3.50 m/s

Calcium Silicate
0.04
38.1 mm
101.6 mm

Fluid
Air
Insulation
Pipe
Insulated Pipe
Surface Temperature
Heat Loss
Bare Pipe
Surface Temperature
Heat Loss

Calculation for Insulated Pipe

Surface Temperature
Interface Temperature
Air Properties
Average Film Temperature
Thermal Conductivity
Viscosity
Prandtl Number
Expansion Coefficient
Air Density
Kinematic Viscosity
Specific Heat
alpha
Reynold's Number
Rayleigh Number
Air Film Resistance
Radiation
Convection
Forced Convection
Free Convection
Combined Convection
Overall air side HTC
Pipe Resistance
Pipe Thermal conductivity
Pipe wall resistance
Insulation Resistance
Average Insulation temperature

Iterations
t_surface
t_interface
t_average
k

Pr

Cp

Re
Ra

h_radiation
Nu_forced
h_forced
Nu_free
h_free
Nu_Combined
h_convection
h_air
k_pipe
r_pipe

1
-14
3.0

2
-14.58
4.00

3
-14.58
4.00

-14.5
258.65
0.0229
1.64E-05
0.718
0.003866
1.3664
1.22E-05
1.00
1.69E-05
29140
193440

-14.79
258.36
0.0229
1.64E-05
0.719
0.003871
1.3679
1.22E-05
1.00
1.68E-05
29198
82152

-14.79
258.36
0.0229
1.64E-05
0.719
0.003871
1.3679
1.22E-05
1.00
1.68E-05
29198
82121

0.16

0.16

0.16

W/m.K
W/m.K

146.5
33.08
9.28
2.09
146.5
33.08
33.23

146.8
33.09
7.40
1.67
146.8
33.09
33.25

146.8
33.09
7.40
1.67
146.8
33.09
33.25

W/m.K
m.K/W

64.89
0.00006

64.89
0.00006

64.89
0.00006

C
C
C
K
W/m.K
N/s.m
1/K
Kg/m
m2/s
kJ/Kg.K
m/s

W/m.K

W/m.K
W/m.K

267.65 267.8608 267.8607

Heat Loss From An Insulated Pipe

Date
By

ChemSOF.com

Tips & Tricks for Chemical Engineers

Insulation Thermal conductivity
Insulation resistance
Overall Resistance
Heat Flow
Interface Temperature
Surface Temeperature
Heat Loss per Unit Length

k_insulation
r_insulation
r_overall
Q
T_interface
T_surface

W/m.K
m.K/W
m.K/W
W/m
C
C
W/m

0.05322
1.32
1.353
14.04
4.0
-14.58
4.48

Fluid
0.05323
1.32
1.353
14.04
4.0
-14.58
4.48

0.05323
1.32
1.353
14.04
4.0
-14.58
4.48

Heat Loss From An Insulated Pipe

Date
By

ChemSOF.com

Tips & Tricks for Chemical Engineers

Fluid
Calculation for Bare Pipe
Surface Temperature
Bare Pipe Emissivity
Air Properties
Average Film Temperature
Thermal Conductivity
Viscosity
Prandtl Number
Expansion Coefficient
Air Density
Kinematic Viscosity
Specific Heat
alpha
Reynold's Number
Rayleigh Number
Air Film Resistance
Radiation
Convection
Forced Convection
Free Convection
Combined Convection
Overall air side HTC
Pipe Resistance
Pipe Thermal conductivity
Pipe wall resistance
Overall Resistance
Heat Flow
Interface Temperature
Heat Loss per Unit Length

Iterations
t_surface

t_average
k

Pr

Cp

Re
Ra

h_radiation
Nu_forced
h_forced
Nu_free
h_free
Nu_Combined
h_convection
h_air
k_pipe
r_pipe
r_overall
Q
T_interface

1
-14.0
0.8

2
4.0
0.8

3
4.0
0.8

-14.5
258.65
0.0229
1.64E-05
0.718
0.003866
1.3664
1.22E-05
1.00
1.69E-05
7285
3022

-5.51
267.64
0.0237
1.69E-05
0.716
0.003736
1.3205
1.30E-05
1.00
1.80E-05
6851
48775

-5.51
267.64
0.0237
1.69E-05
0.716
0.003736
1.3205
1.30E-05
1.00
1.80E-05
6851
48775

3.13

3.30

3.30

W/m.K
W/m.K

55.7
50.31
3.32
3.00
55.7
50.31
53.44

53.5
49.83
6.47
6.03
53.5
49.83
53.13

53.5
49.83
6.47
6.03
53.5
49.83
53.13

W/m.K
m.K/W
m.K/W
W/m
C
W/m

64.89
0.00001
0.019
1014.61
4.0
80.96

64.89
0.00001
0.019
1008.70
4.0
80.49

64.89
0.00001
0.019
1008.70
4.0
80.49

C
K
W/m.K
N/s.m
1/K
Kg/m3
m/s
kJ/Kg.K
m/s

W/m.K

W/m.K
W/m.K

23-Jan-15
ChemSOF

D1

D2

D3

-14.6 C
4.5 W/m
4.0 C
80.5 W/m
4
-14.58
4.00

5
-14.58
4.00

-14.79
258.36
0.0229
1.64E-05
0.719
0.003871
1.3679
1.22E-05
1.00
1.68E-05
29198
82121

-14.79
258.36
0.0229
1.64E-05
0.719
0.003871
1.3679
1.22E-05
1.00
1.68E-05
29198
82121

0.16

0.16

146.8
33.09
7.40
1.67
146.8
33.09
33.25

146.8
33.09
7.40
1.67
146.8
33.09
33.25

64.89
0.00006

64.89
0.00006

267.8607 267.8607

23-Jan-15
ChemSOF
0.05323
1.32
1.353
14.04
4.0
-14.58
4.48

0.05323
1.32
1.353
14.04
4.0
-14.58
4.48

23-Jan-15
ChemSOF

4
4.0
0.8

5
4.0
0.8

-5.51
267.64
0.0237
1.69E-05
0.716
0.003736
1.3205
1.30E-05
1.00
1.80E-05
6851
48775

-5.51
267.64
0.0237
1.69E-05
0.716
0.003736
1.3205
1.30E-05
1.00
1.80E-05
6851
48775

3.30

3.30

53.5
49.83
6.47
6.03
53.5
49.83
53.13

53.5
49.83
6.47
6.03
53.5
49.83
53.13

64.89
0.00001
0.019
1008.70
4.0
80.49

64.89
0.00001
0.019
1008.70
4.0
80.49

Thermophysical properties of Air

Date
By

ChemSOF.com

Tips & Tricks for Chemical Engineers

T
K
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
650
700
750
800
850
900
950
1000

Cp
kJ/Kg.K
1.032
1.012
1.007
1.006
1.007
1.009
1.014
1.021
1.030
1.040
1.051
1.063
1.075
1.087
1.099
1.110
1.121
1.131
1.141

.10^7
N.s/m2
71.1
103.4
132.5
159.6
184.6
208.2
230.1
250.7
270.1
288.4
305.8
322.5
338.8
354.6
369.8
384.3
398.1
411.3
424.4

Literature Values
.10^6
k.10^3
m2/s
w/m.K
2.00
9.34
4.43
13.80
7.59
18.10
11.44
22.30
15.89
26.30
20.92
30.00
26.41
33.80
32.39
37.30
38.79
40.70
45.57
43.90
52.69
46.90
60.21
49.70
68.10
52.40
76.37
54.90
84.93
57.30
93.80
59.60
102.90
62.00
112.20
64.30
121.90
66.70

.10^6
m2/s
2.54
5.84
10.30
15.90
22.50
29.90
38.30
47.20
56.70
66.70
76.90
87.30
98.00
109.00
120.00
131.00
143.00
155.00
168.00

Pr
0.786
0.758
0.737
0.720
0.707
0.700
0.690
0.686
0.684
0.683
0.685
0.690
0.695
0.702
0.709
0.716
0.720
0.723
0.726

Source : Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer (2007), Frank P Incropera

Cp
kJ/Kg.K
1.029
1.016
1.009
1.005
1.005
1.008
1.014
1.021
1.030
1.041
1.052
1.063
1.075
1.087
1.098
1.110
1.121
1.131
1.141

.10^7
N.s/m2
71.2
103.2
132.6
159.7
184.8
208.2
230.0
250.5
269.9
288.4
305.9
322.8
338.9
354.5
369.6
384.1
398.1
411.5
424.3

Calculated Values
.10^6
k.10^3
m2/s
w/m.K
1.95
9.40
4.45
13.77
7.64
18.06
11.48
22.23
15.91
26.26
20.89
30.13
26.37
33.84
32.34
37.36
38.74
40.70
45.55
43.87
52.74
46.85
60.29
49.67
68.18
52.34
76.39
54.89
84.91
57.32
93.73
59.68
102.84
62.00
112.24
64.31
121.93
66.67

23-Jan-15
ChemSOF

.10^6
m2/s
2.76
5.69
10.10
15.76
22.48
30.09
38.43
47.37
56.81
66.64
76.79
87.22
97.88
108.78
119.92
131.33
143.06
155.18
167.78

Pr
0.784
0.759
0.738
0.721
0.707
0.697
0.690
0.685
0.683
0.684
0.686
0.691
0.696
0.702
0.708
0.714
0.720
0.724
0.726

4th Order Polynomial Fitting

Specific Heat Curve Fitting
C1.T^4
C2.T^3
C3.T^2
C4.T
C5
3.03723736E-013 -1.11319957E-009 1.44382273E-006
-0.0005653388 1.0722383901
1.01013691E-013 2.234837889E-010 1.68705906E-007 4.98942490E-005 0.0046703615
0.999042213
0.0016371331 #N/A
#N/A
#N/A
Viscosity Curve Fitting
C1.T^4
C2.T^3
C3.T^2
C4.T
C5
-1.586E-10
5.115E-07
-7.246E-04
7.978E-01
-1.850E+00
1.05418345E-011 2.332286925E-008 1.76062246E-005
0.0052069864 0.4874010389
0.9999980602
0.170851955 #N/A
#N/A
#N/A
Kinematic Viscosity Curve Fitting
C1.T^4
C2.T^3
C3.T^2
C4.T
C5
2.25852005E-011 -8.32092849E-008
0.0001726732
0.0106372802 -0.761083591
3.43228284E-012 7.593619904E-009 5.73235549E-006
0.0016953264 0.1586913767
0.9999983808
0.0556271526 #N/A
#N/A
#N/A
Thermal Conductivity Curve Fitting
C1.T^4
C2.T^3
C3.T^2
C4.T
C5
3.17176340E-011
-0.000000059 4.58530860E-006
0.0888678876 0.5200722394
3.72212706E-012 8.234874402E-009 6.21643276E-006
0.0018384907 0.1720923055
0.9999910799
0.06032467 #N/A
#N/A
#N/A
Alpha Curve Fitting
C1.T^4
C2.T^3
C3.T^2
C4.T
C5
1.35568636E-010 -3.80587678E-007
0.0004464825
-0.0359355277 2.2544891641
1.17514478E-011
0.000000026 1.96264351E-005
0.0058044574 0.5433274347
0.9999901606
0.1904562096 #N/A
#N/A
#N/A
Prandtl Number Curve Fitting
C1.T^4
C2.T^3

C3.T^2

C4.T

C5

-2.0843786E-013 -1.72787234E-011 8.00624294E-007

-0.0006946059 0.8457812178
8.63128914E-014 1.909595800E-010 1.44153673E-007
0.000042633 0.003990671
0.9979302904
0.0013988767 #N/A
#N/A
#N/A

Thermophysical properties of Air

Date
By

ChemSOF.com

Tips & Tricks for Chemical Engineers

Thermal Conductivity of Plain Carbon Steel
T
K
K Calculated
K
W/m.K
W/m.K
400
58.7
58.70
600
48.8
48.80
800
39.2
39.20
1000
30.0
30.00

3rd Order Polynomial Curve Fitting

C1.T^3
C2.T^2 C3.T
2.08E-09 8.15E-19 -5.11E-02
0
0
0
1
0 #N/A

Thermal Conductivity of Calcium Silicate

T
K
K Calculated
K
W/m.K
W/m.K
310
0.055
0.0551
365
0.059
0.0587
420
0.063
0.0633
530
0.075
0.0748
645
0.089
0.0891
750
0.104
0.1040

4th Order Polynomial Curve Fitting

C1.T^4
C2.T^3 C3.T^2
3.15711E-013 -7E-010 7.366E-007
9.11501E-013 1.9E-009 1.467E-006
0.9998638005
0.0005 #N/A

Source : Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer (2007), Frank P Incropera

23-Jan-15
ChemSOF

tting
C4
79
0
#N/A

tting
C4.T
C5
-0.000225 0.0733360404
0.0004836 0.0578556791
#N/A
#N/A

Heat Loss from Insulated Pipe

23-Jan-15

Heat loss/gain takes place from a pipe carrying hotter/ colder fluid than ambient temperature. Insulati

A 3" Carbon steel pipe is carrying hot oil at 180C and insulated with 50 mm thick calcium silicate insu

Overall heat transfer coefficient of an insulated pipe is defined as following.

where, kPIPE, kINSULATION are thermal conductivities of pipe and insulation. h in is heat transfer coefficient fo
Featured Resources:

Is written for engineering professionals who buy and specify process equipment to cool, ch

Air Side Heat Transfer Coefficient, hAIR

Air side heat transfer is due to combined effect of convection and radiation. Assume a temperature at
t_average = ( t_surface + t_ambient )/ 2

Estimate thermodynamic properties of air like thermal conductivity (k), viscosity (), expansion coeffic

h_radiation
Heat transfer coefficient due to radiation is calculated using following relation.
h_radiation = (t_average4 - t_ambient4)/ (t_average - t_ambient)

where is Stefan Boltzmann coefficient and is emissivity for cladded surface.

h_convection

Convective heat transfer coefficient comprises of forced and free convection. Forced convection can b

h_forced = Nu.k_air / D3

Free convection is calculated based on correlation by Churchill and Chu.

h_free = Nu.k_air / D3

Combined heat transfer coefficient due to forced and free convection is calculated using following rela
Nu_combined = ( Nu_forced

+ Nu_free 4)

0.25

h_convection = Nu_combined.k_air / D3

Air side heat transfer coefficient is calculated as following.

h_air = h_radiation + h_convection

Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient, U

Thermal conductivity for insulation material and pipe is available in literature and depends upon temp
r_pipe = D3.ln(D2/D1) / 2.k_pipe
r_insulation = D3.ln(D3/D2) / 2.k_insulation

Overall heat transfer coefficient is calculated as.

r_overall = r_pipe + r_insulation + 1/h_air
U = 1/r_overall

Heat flowing through insulation is estimated.

Q = (t_operating - t_ambient)/r_overall

A revised estimate for interface and surface temperature is made.

t_interface = t_operating - Q.r_pipe
t_surface = t_interface - Q.r_insulation

Above steps are repeated with these new estimates till there is negligible difference in temperature.
Heat loss per unit length of pipe is estimated as following.
HeatLoss = D3 Q

Bare Pipe

For heat loss from bare pipe all above steps are repeated with resistance due to insulation not conside
r_pipe = D2.ln(D2/D1) / 2.k_pipe
r_overall = r_pipe + 1/h_air

For this example surface temperature and heat loss are as following.

Spreadsheet for Heat Loss from Insulated Pipe

ent temperature. Insulation reduces the heat loss to surroundings. Heat loss depends upon number of factors lik

thick calcium silicate insulation. Insulation is cladded with a sheet with surace emissivity of 0.9. Ambient tempe

eat transfer coefficient for fluid flowing in pipe and h air is heat transfer coefficient due to air flowing outside the

ss equipment to cool, chill or freeze product; measure, monitor or... >>

ssume a temperature at cladding surface t_surface and steel pipe surface t_interface. Calculate average air film

sity (), expansion coefficient ( = 1/t_average), air density (), kinematic viscosity (), specific heat (Cp) and th

Forced convection can be modelled based on correlation by Churchill and Bernstein.

lated using following relation.

and depends upon temperature. It can be fitted into a polynomial equation using LINEST function in excel. Heat

erence in temperature.

to insulation not considered.

pon number of factors like insulation thickness, ambient temperature, wind speed etc. This article shows how to

y of 0.9. Ambient temperature is 28C and wind velocity is 3.5 m/s. Calculate surface temperature and heat los

o air flowing outside the pipe. The first two terms of denominator in above equation are generally smaller comp

Calculate average air film temperature as following.

specific heat (Cp) and thermal diffusivity () at average air film temperature. These properties are available in

ST function in excel. Heat transfer resistance due to pipe and insulation is calculated using following relation.

This article shows how to calculate heat loss from an insulated pipe and a bare pipe to surroundings.

emperature and heat loss from insulated and bare pipe.

generally smaller compared to remaining terms and can be neglected. For this example first term due to pipe fl

operties are available in literature in form of tables, these can be fitted into a polynomial form using excel's LIN

ing following relation.

surroundings.

e first term due to pipe fluid is ignored.

al form using excel's LINEST function. Reynolds's number (Re), Prandtl number (Pr) and Rayleigh number (Ra) a

Rayleigh number (Ra) are calculated based on above properties.