Thermal Conductivity Converter
Convert thermal conductivity with the factor behind each answer. Thermal conductivity measures how readily a material conducts heat.
1 W/(m·K) = 0.5777893165 BTU/(h·ft·°F)
Common conversions
- 1 W/(m·K) = 0.5777893165 BTU/(h·ft·°F)
- 1 BTU/(h·ft·°F) = 1.730734666 W/(m·K)
- 1 kcal/(h·m·°C) = 1.163 W/(m·K)
Heat in cables and enclosures
Cable insulation, soil and enclosure materials are rated by thermal conductivity, or by its inverse, thermal resistivity. Copper is about 401 W/(m·K) and dry soil is below 1.
Temperature intervals
The temperature in these units is an interval, so °C and K are the same size and no offset applies. A Fahrenheit interval is 5/9 of a kelvin, which is built into the BTU factor.
Unit factors
Every unit in terms of the base unit shown. To convert, multiply by the factor of the unit you have and divide by the factor of the unit you want.
| Unit | Equals | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| W/(m·K) | 1 W/(m·K) | Watt per metre kelvin, the SI unit of thermal conductivity. |
| kcal/(h·m·°C) | 1.163 W/(m·K) | Kilocalorie per hour metre degree Celsius, an older metric unit. |
| BTU/(h·ft·°F) | 1.730734666 W/(m·K) | BTU per hour foot degree Fahrenheit, used in US insulation data. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the formula to convert W/(m·K) to BTU/(h·ft·°F)?
BTU/(h·ft·°F) = W/(m·K) × 0.5777893165. For example, 401 W/(m·K) is 231.6935159 BTU/(h·ft·°F).
How do I convert BTU/(h·ft·°F) back to W/(m·K)?
W/(m·K) = BTU/(h·ft·°F) × 1.730734666. The Swap button above reverses the direction for any pair of units.
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