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According to the definition of the fouling coefficient, why is its unit (m2*℃)/W? Rather than °C/(W*m2), because it is per unit area; that is, for an area of 1 square meter, shouldn’t m2 be in the denominator?
I specifically searched on Baidu (for your understanding): The so-called “dirt coefficient” is equivalent to the “thermal resistance coefficient” in heat transfer theory; the lower this value, the higher the heat transfer efficiency of the heat exchanger. The basic heat transfer formulas in heat transfer theory (conduction and convection): Q = KF△t = 1/λ × F△t, where Q represents the heat flow, measured in watts ; K=1/λ, where K is the heat transfer coefficient, representing the material’s ability to transfer heat; the higher this value, the better. λ, on the other hand, is the thermal resistance coefficient, indicating the material’s ability to prevent heat transfer; the lower this value, the better ; F is the area, in square meters ; △t represents the temperature difference, that is, △t = t1 – t2. The standard unit for this should be K (Kelvin), but it is also possible to use °C when expressing the temperature difference; in fact, 0°C equals 0 + 273.15K, which is 273.15K. The value 273.15 is canceled out when performing the subtraction ; If we write Q=KF△t as Q=F△t/λ, it becomes somewhat similar to the relationship between current, voltage, and resistance in Ampere’s law, namely I=U/R. One can think of “thermal resistance” as “resistance,” heat flow as “current,” and the temperature difference as “potential difference” (voltage). So, by rearranging the formula to λ = F△t / Q and then performing a dimensional analysis (by substituting the various basic units into the formula), we get λ = m²·K/W. This is the derivation of the unit for the thermal resistance coefficient, or \"fouling coefficient\", and its meaning is easy to understand. It’s just that in the \"thermal resistance coefficient,\" temperature is expressed in °C while heat is expressed in kW; this makes it easier for engineering calculations and provides a closer connection to reality. In daily work, we use °C and kW more often than \"k\" and \"w.\" The theoretical formulas for conduction and convection are not of this kind; what is presented here is merely a basic formula. When applied to conduction, that heat transfer coefficient is referred to as the \"conduction coefficient\", while in the case of convection it is called the \"convection coefficient\". In reality, it is unlikely that a heat exchanger or a heat transfer process involves only one form of heat transfer; rather, they are combined, such as \"conduction + convection\", and in some cases even \"conduction + convection + radiation\" (such as in underfloor heating). In such situations, the thermal resistance is also composite, and the thermal resistance coefficient or heat transfer coefficient represents a combination of various coefficients, which is collectively referred to as the \"heat transfer coefficient\"”