What is the heat capacity rate? What can you say about the temperature changes of the hot and cold fluids in a heat exchanger if both fluids have the same capacity rate? What does a heat capacity of infinity for a fluid in a heat exchanger mean?

What does it mean when a heat capacity of infinity is mentioned for a fluid in a heat exchanger? Answer: Heat capacity rate (C) refers to the rate at which a substance can absorb or release heat as its temperature changes, and it is calculated using the formula C = m * cp, where m is the mass flow rate (kg/s), and cp is the fluid's specific heat capacity (J/(kg·K)). In a heat exchanger with equal heat capacity rates for both the hot and cold fluids, the fluids will experience equal and opposite temperature changes, as their temperature differences will be equal. A heat capacity of infinity implies a hypothetical situation where a fluid has an unlimited capacity to absorb or release heat without experiencing any significant change in temperature, and it is used for approximate calculations when there is a vast difference in heat capacity rates between two fluids.