Thermal Mass Calculator
Heat stored in a mass over a temperature swing — buffers, beds, buildings.
A tonne of concrete riding a 10 °C day-night swing stores 2.6 kWh — free air-conditioning, which is the entire theory of thick-walled old buildings. Water beats every solid 4:1 per kg.
Formula
Thermal Mass Calculator is a free thermal mass for design engineers, metallurgists and QA inspectors — instant, accurate and 100% client-side, with the governing formula and reference shown next to the result so the number can be defended, not just quoted.
About Thermal Mass Calculator
Heat stored in a mass over a temperature swing — buffers, beds, buildings. The calculation implements Q = m·c_p·ΔT (Building physics; thermal storage design). A tonne of concrete riding a 10 °C day-night swing stores 2.6 kWh — free air-conditioning, which is the entire theory of thick-walled old buildings. Water beats every solid 4:1 per kg.
How to use Thermal Mass Calculator
- 1Enter Mass in kg.
- 2Enter Specific heat in kJ/kg·K (Concrete 0.92 · water 4.19 · steel 0.49 · brick 0.84).
- 3Enter Temperature swing in °C.
- 4Read Heat stored, Heat stored instantly — no submit button needed.
- 5Need US units? Flip the SI/Imperial toggle and every field converts.
Why use Thermal Mass Calculator?
- ✓Implements the standard formula — Q = m·c_p·ΔT
- ✓Reference cited on-page: Building physics; thermal storage design
- ✓One-click SI ⇄ Imperial toggle — values convert in place, physics stays in SI
- ✓Live worked example: the substitution recomputes from your numbers
- ✓Runs entirely in your browser — nothing uploaded, free forever
Frequently asked questions
What formula does the Thermal Mass Calculator use?+
It computes Q = m·c_p·ΔT, per Building physics; thermal storage design. The formula is displayed under the result along with a worked example substituted with your own inputs.
What should I keep in mind when using this calculator?+
A tonne of concrete riding a 10 °C day-night swing stores 2.6 kWh — free air-conditioning, which is the entire theory of thick-walled old buildings. Water beats every solid 4:1 per kg.
Where do the material property defaults come from?+
Defaults are standard handbook values (ASM, manufacturer datasheets, the cited standard). Always substitute certified values from your material's test certificate for critical work.
Is the Thermal Mass Calculator free to use?+
Yes — completely free, no sign-up, no limits. It runs client-side in your browser, so inputs stay private and results are instant even on slow connections.
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