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I need to know if just by taking a boiler flow pipe temperature that will tell me the water temperature that is flowing through the pipe.

For example if the water from the boiler travelling through the flow pipe is 80 degrees Celsius can I assume the copper pipe temperature will be 80 degrees Celsius? (Once given time to warm up of course)

If pipe temperature doesn't directly correlate to water temperature within the pipe is their an equation to work out the discrepancy we will see between pipe and water temperature?

Any help would be greatly appreciated - I cannot find the answer I need anywhere!

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It's engineering: it depends on your requirements. Wherever there is heat flow, there will be a temperature difference. How much is acceptable? Copper is pretty conductive of heat: if you put an insulating blanket over it to reduce the heat flow, the copper's surface temperature will be close to the water temperature. God is in the details.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks John. So we would have a temperature clamp right at the start of the pipe coming out the boiler so if the pipe temperature was 80 degrees Celsius there could we say the boiler has heated the water to 80 degrees Celsius? $\endgroup$
    – Ross Hayward
    Commented Jun 25 at 13:42
  • $\begingroup$ @RossHayward If the environment is cooler than 80C, you can say that the water is hotter than 80C by some amount. Since copper is pretty conductive, that amount may be small enough to meet your requirement. God is in the details. $\endgroup$
    – John Doty
    Commented Jun 25 at 13:49
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for your help. $\endgroup$
    – Ross Hayward
    Commented Jun 25 at 13:53

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