A design method that is fast and can accurately predict the flow distribution in compact heat exchangers is required, and is therefore the subject of this paper. Flow network models to predict the flow distribution in pipe networks are well established [8]. However compact heat exchangers often involve developing flows and therefore applying correlations from fully developed flows would result in significant errors. The pipe network approach was adapted to include appropriate minor losses and entrance effect friction factor correlations, enabling the flow network model to become an accurate design tool for compact heat exchangers. This paper is therefore organised in the following manner: A description of the heat exchanger geometry considered as a case study is provided in Section 2, thus setting the geometrical boundary conditions for this problem. Section 3 describes the iterative network model and Section 4 describes the head loss coefficients for the various components. Finally Section 5 validates the model by comparing simulated results with experimental results found in the literature [1]. Finally Section 6 investigates the sensitivity of the flow distribution due to the various components that make up the compact heat exchanger.