CALCULATORS / HEAT TRANSFER AND TEMPERATURE

Insulation thickness tradeoff calculator

Single slab insulation resistance with surface films omitted.

thermal-insulation.napkin / editable

SCENARIO COMPARISON

Compare the numbers.

This source describes an analytical model. Its quantities and checks are the view.

Scenario	heatW
	80
	64

All calculated quantities are listed with the inputs. Switch to Source to inspect the equations.

SCENARIOS / CALCULATED VALUESSAME SOURCE

Change an input to see the consequences.

heat loss budget80.00 W✓ passes

BASELINE INPUTS

area10 m^2thickness100 mmconductivity0.04 W/(m*K)difference20 K

CALCULATED

heat80 W

Edits change the baseline source.

THE SOURCE

Edits below update the same model.

# Insulation thickness tradeoff
# Scope: Single slab insulation resistance with surface films omitted.
# Status: illustrative worked example; engineering review pending.
# Inputs are example values. Checks are editable example requirements, not standards.

area = 10 m^2
thickness = 100 mm
conductivity = 0.04 W/(m*K)
difference = 20 K

heat := conductivity*area*difference/thickness [W]

check heat loss budget: heat <= 100 W

scenario alternative: area = 8 m^2

Calculated from your source · not saved

Baseline · Baseline

heat loss budget80.00 W ✓ passes

alternative · alternative

heat loss budget64.00 W ✓ passes

Illustrative first-order example. Checks are editable requirements, not design standards. The broader topic may require additional equations, data, and validation.

Formula and units

This example uses the following equations. Input names and units match the editable source above.

heat: heat = conductivity*area*difference/thickness [W]

Original worked example

These are the baseline values in the downloadable source. Edits above let you test your own values.

Given

area: 10 m^2
thickness: 100 mm
conductivity: 0.04 W/(m*K)
difference: 20 K

Calculated

heat: 80 W

Assumptions and limits

Single slab insulation resistance with surface films omitted.

The requirement checks use the limits written in this example. Passing a check does not establish that the model covers every load, material behavior, or operating condition in a real design.

Download this .napkin example ↓

Take it further with your agent

Napkin keeps the inputs, equations, checks and assumptions together in one study. Your agent sets it up; you change the numbers.

Try with Claude ↗

codex 'Use Napkin (https://napkin.engineering/mcp, or the local Napkin plugin) to build a study: Insulation thickness tradeoff. Inputs: conductivities; areas; boundary temperatures; target heat loss. Outputs: heat leak; thickness sensitivity. Model scope: Lumped or low-dimensional thermal models with explicit properties. Read napkin_capabilities and the current snapshot. Ask me for the values that matter, label assumptions with units, author .napkin source, validate it and apply it with napkin_source using the current revision, then open the study. Add checks for the limits I supply. Keep unsupported analyses explicit.'

Claude needs the Napkin connector; Codex needs the Napkin plugin. Set up your agent ↗

The broader study

The topic brief below describes the broader scope. The worked example above states the particular calculation it implements.

Inputs: conductivities, areas, boundary temperatures, target heat loss
Outputs: heat leak, thickness sensitivity
Modes: calculate, compare, sweep
Drawing: Temperature and heat-flow plot

EXECUTABLE WORKED EXAMPLE · FIRST-ORDER MODEL · CHECK THE SCOPE & ASSUMPTIONS