AutoEngCalc - Engineering Calculators

Jacketed Vessel Heat Transfer

Analyze heat transfer in jacketed reactors and vessels. Calculate overall U values, agitation effects, and heating/cooling times.

Jacketed Vessel: U = 450 W/m²·K, Time = 45 min
Heat Rate: 25 kW

Jacketed Vessel Heat Transfer Calculator

Analyze heat transfer in jacketed reactors and vessels

Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient

Calculate the overall heat transfer coefficient for jacketed vessels

Typical: 1000-2000 for liquid, 50-300 for steam

Agitation Effects

Analyze the impact of agitation on heat transfer performance

Time Calculations

Calculate heating/cooling time and visualize temperature profile

Calculation Results

Overall U Value

-

W/m²·K

Vessel Side Resistance

-

m²·K/W

Jacket Side Resistance

-

m²·K/W

Reynolds Number

-

Nusselt Number

-

Prandtl Number

-

Vessel Side h

-

W/m²·K

Heating Time

-

minutes

Heat Required

-

kJ

Heating Rate

-

kW

Agitator Types

Propeller

High speed, low viscosity

Turbine

Versatile, most common

Anchor

High viscosity fluids

Paddle

Medium viscosity

Temperature Profile Over Time

Jacketed Vessel Heat Transfer Methods

Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient

The overall heat transfer coefficient (U) for jacketed vessels is calculated as the inverse of the sum of individual resistances:

1/U = 1/hvessel + 1/hjacket + Rwall

Where hvessel and hjacket are convective heat transfer coefficients, and Rwall is the wall resistance (often neglected in simplified calculations).

Agitation Effects

Agitation significantly improves heat transfer by increasing turbulence and reducing boundary layer thickness. The dimensionless numbers used to characterize agitation are:

Re = ρNDa²/μ
Nu = hD/k
Pr = Cpμ/k

Where ρ is density, N is rotational speed, Da is agitator diameter, μ is viscosity, Cp is specific heat, and k is thermal conductivity.

Heating/Cooling Time Calculations

The time required to heat or cool a batch in a jacketed vessel depends on the heat transfer rate, batch size, and temperature difference. For heating with constant jacket temperature:

t = (mCp/UA) × ln((Tj - Ti)/(Tj - Tf))

Where m is mass, Cp is specific heat, U is overall heat transfer coefficient, A is heat transfer area, Tj is jacket temperature, Ti is initial temperature, and Tf is final temperature.

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