Heat Flux Density Converter

Value:

From Unit:

To Unit:

1. What is the Heat Flux Density Converter?

Definition: This converter transforms heat flux density values between various units. Heat flux density measures the rate of heat energy transfer per unit area, typically in watts per square meter (W/m²).

Purpose: Useful in thermodynamics, engineering, and environmental science for converting heat flux density units in applications like thermal insulation, solar energy, and HVAC systems.

2. How Does the Converter Work?

The converter uses conversion factors relative to the base unit watt/square meter [W/m²]:

Input value is converted to W/m² by dividing by the "From" unit’s factor.
The result is converted to the "To" unit by multiplying by the "To" unit’s factor.

Supported units:

watt/square meter [W/m²] (Factor: 1.00000)
kilowatt/square meter (Factor: 0.00100)
watt/square centimeter (Factor: 1.0000e-4)
watt/square inch [W/in²] (Factor: 6.4516e-4)
joule/second/square meter (Factor: 1.00000)
kilocalorie(IT)/hour/square meter (Factor: 0.85985)
kilocalorie(IT)/hour/square foot (Factor: 0.07987)
calorie(IT)/second/square centimeter (Factor: 2.3885e-5)
calorie(IT)/minute/square centimeter (Factor: 0.00143)
calorie(IT)/hour/square centimeter (Factor: 0.08594)
calorie(th)/second/square centimeter (Factor: 2.3897e-5)
calorie(th)/minute/square centimeter (Factor: 0.00143)
calorie(th)/hour/square centimeter (Factor: 0.08605)
dyne/hour/centimeter (Factor: 3600000.00000)
erg/hour/square millimeter (Factor: 36000.00000)
foot pound/minute/square foot (Factor: 4.11168)
horsepower/square foot (Factor: 1.2459e-4)
horsepower(metric)/square foot (Factor: 1.2628e-4)
Btu(IT)/second/square foot (Factor: 8.8055e-5)
Btu(IT)/minute/square foot (Factor: 0.00528)
Btu(IT)/hour/square foot (Factor: 0.31700)
Btu(th)/second/square inch (Factor: 6.1180e-7)
Btu(th)/second/square foot (Factor: 8.8122e-5)
Btu(th)/minute/square foot (Factor: 0.00529)
Btu(th)/hour/square foot (Factor: 0.31724)
CHU/hour/square foot (Factor: 0.17617)

Steps:

Enter the value to convert.
Select the "From" unit (the unit of the input value).
Select the "To" unit (the desired output unit).
Submit to perform the conversion.
Results are formatted to 5 decimal places, with scientific notation for values less than 0.001.

3. Importance of Heat Flux Density Conversion

Heat flux density conversion is critical for:

Engineering: Designing thermal systems with consistent units.
Energy Studies: Analyzing heat transfer in solar panels or building insulation.
Environmental Science: Measuring heat flux in climate models.

4. Using the Converter

Example 1: Convert 1 watt/square meter to kilowatt/square meter:

Input: 1 W/m²
From Unit: watt/square meter (factor: 1)
To Unit: kilowatt/square meter (factor: 0.001)
Calculation: \( 1 / 1 \times 0.001 = 0.001 \)

Result: 0.00100 kilowatt/square meter

Example 2: Convert 1 Btu(IT)/hour/square foot to watt/square meter:

Input: 1 Btu(IT)/hour/square foot
From Unit: Btu(IT)/hour/square foot (factor: 0.316998)
To Unit: watt/square meter (factor: 1)
Calculation: \( 1 / 0.316998 \times 1 = 3.15459 \)

Result: 3.15459 watt/square meter

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is heat flux density?
A: Heat flux density is the rate of heat energy transfer through a unit area, typically measured in watts per square meter (W/m²).

Q: Why are there different units for heat flux density?
A: Different fields use different unit systems (e.g., SI, imperial, caloric), requiring conversions for consistency.

Q: What’s the difference between IT and th Btu?
A: IT Btu is based on the international steam table (1 Btu(IT) ≈ 1055.056 J), while thermochemical Btu is slightly different (1 Btu(th) ≈ 1054.350 J).

Q: Can this converter be used for all heat flux scenarios?
A: Yes, it converts units of heat flux density, which applies to any scenario involving heat transfer per unit area.

Favorite