What Is This Tool?
This unit converter enables you to translate heat flux density measurements from calorie (IT)/hour/square centimeter, a non-SI unit often used in laboratory thermal tests and older engineering contexts, into Btu (th)/second/square foot, an Imperial unit common in HVAC and building energy analysis.
How to Use This Tool?
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Enter the heat flux density value in calorie (IT)/hour/square centimeter.
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Select the original unit as calorie (IT)/hour/square centimeter and the target unit as Btu (th)/second/square foot.
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Click the convert button to obtain the equivalent heat flux density in Btu (th)/second/square foot.
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Use the result to analyze or report heat transfer rates according to your project’s unit requirements.
Key Features
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Converts heat flux density values between calorie (IT)/hour/square centimeter and Btu (th)/second/square foot.
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Supports unit translation for engineering, building science, and material testing applications.
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Easy-to-use, browser-based tool requiring no installation or special knowledge.
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Facilitates compatibility between non-SI and Imperial unit systems used in various industry standards.
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Includes example calculations to help understand conversion results.
Examples
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10 calorie (IT)/hour/square centimeter converts to approximately 0.01024766 Btu (th)/second/square foot.
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50 calorie (IT)/hour/square centimeter converts to approximately 0.0512383 Btu (th)/second/square foot.
Common Use Cases
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Reporting small-scale surface heat loss or gain in laboratory thermal conductivity or insulation tests.
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Specifying heat flux from heaters or radiative sources in older engineering literature or equipment calibration.
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Comparing localized thermal loading on textiles and components in standards using calorie-based measurements.
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Calculating heat transfer through building envelopes or insulation in HVAC design using Imperial units.
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Assessing surface heat flux in fire exposure tests and material flammability evaluations.
Tips & Best Practices
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Always verify the unit system required for your application to avoid confusion between SI, non-SI, and Imperial units.
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Use the converter to ensure consistency when working with heat flux values from different measurement standards.
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Apply precise values and avoid mixing units without conversion when reporting thermal data.
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Check example calculations to confirm correct input and output interpretation.
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Be mindful of the unit area and time bases inherent to each unit to maintain accuracy in heat flux representation.
Limitations
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Calorie (IT)/hour/square centimeter is a non-SI unit and may cause misunderstanding when mixed with SI quantities.
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Differences in area units (square centimeter versus square foot) and time bases require careful conversion.
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Rounding in intermediate steps can limit precision, especially for very high or very low heat flux values.
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Use caution when comparing results to avoid errors introduced by unit system incompatibilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Why convert calorie (IT)/hour/square centimeter to Btu (th)/second/square foot?
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Users convert between these units to translate heat flux measurements from a non-SI system common in older or laboratory contexts into Imperial units used in HVAC, building science, and thermal system design.
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Is calorie (IT)/hour/square centimeter an SI unit?
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No, calorie (IT)/hour/square centimeter is a non-SI unit used primarily in specific laboratory and older engineering applications.
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What industries commonly use this conversion?
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Industries like HVAC engineering, building energy analysis, fire safety testing, materials science, and thermal system calibration often require this unit conversion.
Key Terminology
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Calorie (IT)/hour/square centimeter
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A unit representing heat flux density, measuring heat transfer rate per unit area using International Table calories delivered per hour across one square centimetre.
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Btu (th)/second/square foot
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An Imperial heat flux density unit measuring energy transferred in British thermal units (thermochemical) per second over one square foot of area.
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Heat Flux Density
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The rate at which heat energy passes through a surface per unit area, expressed as power per unit area.