HTLab:

Interactive Heat Transfer Simulation

Download

Script Files (for existing Matlab distributions)

Script file package download (Matlab 2016a thru 2018b, ~1.5 MB)

Compiled Distributions

You can download the following compiled distributions if you do not have a Matlab license. Upon install of the compiled distribution, if you have not done so yet, you will be prompted during installation to download and install the free Matlab runtime environment (~800 MB).

Compiled Matlab Code with Matlab Runtime Library (MS Windows, 64-bit, 8.4 MB)

Compiled Matlab Code with Matlab Runtime Library (Mac OS, 64-bit, 13 MB)

Requirements

Execution of the script files requires Matlab version 2016a or newer. Packages have been tested with Windows 10, Mac OSX, and Linux. Use of the compiled distributions requires a compiled copy of the Matlab runtime environment.

What is HTLab?

HTLab is a set of interactive simulations based upon the ME 436 - Heat Transfer laboratory curriculum at Iowa State University. The simulators allow visualization of heat transfer effects from conduction, convection, and radiation heat transfer phenomena; each simulator reinforces a particular heat transfer concept. Simulators are available for the following laboratory concepts:

Lab 1-Linear heat conduction: Steady state, 1-D heat conduction in a composite rod.

Lab 2-Extended surfaces: Steady state, 1-D heat conduction in an extended surfaces.

Lab 3-Transient conduction: Lumped capacitance heating/cooling of an object in air.

Lab 4-External flow: *COMING SOON* Steady state, 1-D external flow convection heat transfer.

Lab 5-Heat exchangers: 1-D heat transfer in parallel/counterflow heat exchangers.

Lab 6-Radiation: Radiometric temperature measurement of a surface.

Simulations can be run natively in Matlab by downloading the above script package distribution or if Matlab is unavailable, can be run using the above compiled distribution. Execution of compiled distributions requires install of the Matlab runtime library.

Additional information about each simulator, as well as underlying theory, can be found by following links at the top of this page.

Licensing & Notice of Use

This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation. This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful from an educational perspective, without any warranty or guarantee. The authors appreciate any feedback or suggestions on extension of the software and appreciate hearing how the software is being used.