SIEMENS

APPLICATION DATA
AD353-126
Rev 1
November 2005

Procidia Control Solutions

Heat Transfer Calculations
This application data sheet describes the application
of heat transfer calculations. A configuration can be
developed within a Siemens 353 controller. 1
Many process operations are controlled by
manipulating the transfer of heat from one process
stream to another. A distillation column, for example,
uses a reboiler at the bottom of the column to add
heat and a condenser at the top of the column to
remove heat. To control the operation of the column,
it is necessary to manipulate heat transfer at both
ends of the column.

Column Feed

FT

Base Temperature
X

Q = Cp F

TC

TT

COLUMN

SP
PV

QC
CO

Base Level

Hot Oil Supply

X
_

Hot Oil Return

TT

Design
LC

Bottoms
Base Level Controller

Figure 1 Heat Transfer Control Strategy

Heat transfer is manipulated by varying the flow of a
heat transfer fluid (such as steam, cooling water, or
hot oil) to a heat exchanger. Depending on the
application, the heat exchanger might be called a
reboiler, condenser, or jacket.
Since a direct measurement of heat transfer is not
generally available, traditional control strategies
simply use the flow rate of the heat transfer fluid to
1

Figure 1 shows a heat transfer control strategy used

at the bottom of a distillation column. Base
temperature in the column is controlled by setting the
ratio of heat transfer to feed flow. Heat transfer is
controlled (controller QC) by manipulating the supply
of hot oil to the reboiler. The secondary (or captive
flow) variable in this control strategy is the actual
rate of heat transfer. Heat transfer is proportional to
the product of the hot oil flow rate and the differential
temperature between the hot oil supply and the
return. This document describes the implementation
of the heat transfer calculations in the secondary
control loop. For information on the implementation
of ratio control, refer to AD353-117.

TT

REBOILER

FT

LT

represent heat. This is certainly a good

approximation, but changes in temperature can have
a significant effect on the actual rate of heat transfer.
To eliminate this source of error, the actual heat
transfer rate can be calculated and used as the
secondary variable in a process control strategy. It
may also be useful to calculate heat transfer for
accounting or heat balance purposes.

See Applications Support at the back of this publication

for a list of controllers.

The following engineering equation is used to

calculate heat transfer.

Q = c p m(TS TR )
where: Q = heat transfer rate
cp = specific heat
m = mass flow rate
TS = supply temperature
TR = return temperature
The engineering equation must have consistent
engineering units, for example, if flow is in units of
lbs/min, heat transfer should be in BTU/min. If,
instead, heat transfer is in units of BTU/hr, the
engineering equation must include a units conversion
constant (60 minutes/hour) to yield the correct
results. As another example, if the flow is in volume
units such as gallons/minute (GPM), a density

AD353-126

constant must be included in the equation to convert

volume flow to mass flow (e.g. m = F where F is
volumetric flow in gal/min and is density in lb/gal)

Q = (0.42 BTU/lb-F) F (8.95 lb/gal)(60 min/hr)(TS-TR)

Q = 225 F (TS TR) BTU/hr
where: F = volumetric flow rate in gal/min

The 353 controller provides the capability of using

engineering units as internal signal values. This
eliminates the scaling issues that had to be
addressed by previous controllers that used
normalized signal values. However, there are few
points that are covered in the following example that
will help in the correct implementation of heat transfer
calculations and control.

Figure 2 provides the 353 configuration for loop 1

which is the calculation of the actual heat transfer
through the reboiler. The output of the multiplier
(MUL1) calculates the heat transfer from the above
equation. The actual heat transfer range (0 to
2,500,000 BTU/hr) is scaled in block SCL2 for a
range of 0 to 2,500 Kbtu/h so as to accommodate the
6 digit display on the local faceplate of the model 353
controller. The output of this scaler block is also
used as the process variable for the control loop in
loop 2.

Heat Exchanger Design Conditions:

Reboiler heat capacity: 2,500,000 BTU/hr
Hot oil specific heat: 0.42 BTU/lb F
Hot oil density: 8.95 lb/gallon

Figure 3 provides the configuration of the heat

transfer control loop. The remote setpoint signal
could come from another 353 using an analog input
block or if a 353R is used, from another loop within
the controller. The OR1 function block will cause the
setpoint block SETPT to track the heat transfer
(process) variable when the E/I transfer block is in
the External mode or the auto/manual (A/M) block is
in manual.

Transmitter Ranges:
Hot oil flow: 0 to 500 GPM
Hot oil supply temp: 100 to 200 F
Hot oil return temp: 100 to 200 F
For the design conditions shown above, the
engineering equation is modified as follows:

Figure 2 Heat Transfer Calculations (CF353-126)

AD353-126

Configuration Software. Those with CF353 in

parenthesis in the Figure title are available on the
Siemens public Internet site.

Application Support
Other Application Data sheets in this series can be
found at the Siemens public Internet site. Detailed
information about the function blocks mentioned in
this publication can be found in the Users Manual for
each controller.

The configuration(s) in this publication can be created

in Model 353 Process Automation Controller, Model
353R Rack Mount Process Automation Controller
(i|pac Internet Control System), Model 352Plus
Single-Loop Digital Controller, Model 354 Universal
Control Station, and Model 354N Universal Loop
Controller (model series 354 discontinued).

Siemens sales representatives in the United States

and globally are available to provide additional
application support.
The configuration(s) shown in this publication were
created in Siemens i|config Graphical

Figure 3 Heat Transfer Control Loop (CF353-126)

Procidia, i|pac, i|config, and 352Plus are trademarks of Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. Other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners. All product designations may be trademarks or product names of Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. or other supplier
companies whose use by third parties for their own purposes could violate the rights of the owners.
Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. assumes no liability for errors or omissions in this document or for the application and use of information
in this document. The information herein is subject to change without notice.
Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. is not responsible for changes to product functionality after the publication of this document. Customers
are urged to consult with a Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. sales representative to confirm the applicability of the information in this
document to the product they purchased.
Control circuits are provided only to assist customers in developing individual applications. Before implementing any control circuit, it should
be thoroughly tested under all process conditions.
Copyright 2005, Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.