Tag

Heat Transfer

All articles tagged with #heat transfer

Microgravity Boiling Reveals Unexpected Cooling Boost Until a Safety Threshold
science14 days ago

Microgravity Boiling Reveals Unexpected Cooling Boost Until a Safety Threshold

In near-zero gravity, boiling of cryogenic liquids like liquid nitrogen can transfer heat more effectively because bubbles linger on heated surfaces, improving cooling—up to a point. Parabolic-flight experiments show reduced gravity enhances heat removal initially, but the cooling limit is reached quickly as bubbles link and dry the surface, collapsing the system. Findings underscore the importance of surface design for space cooling and propellant storage, though tests were limited to nitrogen and short flights.

Omnidirectional 3D-printed cloak erases heat signatures from infrared cameras
science1 month ago

Omnidirectional 3D-printed cloak erases heat signatures from infrared cameras

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers have developed a 3D-printed, aluminum-rubber lattice cloak that guides heat around objects, effectively erasing their infrared signatures from all directions and even cloaking complex shapes like a human head, with potential applications in microchip cooling and defense; the work, published in Nature Communications, signals a new approach to omnidirectional thermal cloaking.

"Breakthrough in Aquatic Levitation Could Revolutionize Nuclear Reactor Cooling"
science-and-technology2 years ago

"Breakthrough in Aquatic Levitation Could Revolutionize Nuclear Reactor Cooling"

Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed a method to achieve the Leidenfrost effect, where water droplets hover on a vapor layer, at significantly lower temperatures using surfaces covered with micropillars. This discovery, published in Nature Physics, has potential applications in cooling industrial machines and nuclear reactors, as well as in surface cleaning. The new method could help prevent damage and disasters in nuclear machinery by improving heat transfer efficiency.

"Uncovering a Startling Exception to a 200-Year-Old Law of Physics"
physics2 years ago

"Uncovering a Startling Exception to a 200-Year-Old Law of Physics"

Researchers have discovered that the 200-year-old Fourier's Law of heat transfer might have exceptions when it comes to transparent and translucent materials. By testing translucent polymers and inorganic glasses in a vacuum, they found that heat can transfer through radiation in addition to conduction, which Fourier's Law alone cannot explain. This research provides a new understanding of heat transmission and could lead to new strategies for designing heat circuits.

"Uncovering a Startling Exception to a 200-Year-Old Law of Physics"
science2 years ago

"Uncovering a Startling Exception to a 200-Year-Old Law of Physics"

Scientists have discovered an exception to Fourier's law, a 200-year-old scientific law governing heat diffusion through solid materials. Researchers found that in translucent materials, heat can also travel through thermal radiation in addition to diffusion, challenging traditional understanding. The study suggests that structural imperfections in these materials act as heat absorbers and sources, allowing heat to propagate internally. This discovery could lead to new strategies for heat management in translucent materials and expands our understanding of heat transmission in solids.

"Discovery of an Exception to a 200-Year-Old Law of Heat Transfer"
science2 years ago

"Discovery of an Exception to a 200-Year-Old Law of Heat Transfer"

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have discovered an exception to Fourier's Law, a 200-year-old scientific law governing heat transfer. Their study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals that pure electromagnetic radiation plays a role in heat diffusion through common materials like plastics and glasses, challenging the traditional understanding of heat transmission. The team's findings suggest that translucent materials allow energy to radiate internally, interacting with structural imperfections and becoming secondary heat sources, expanding our understanding of heat transmission and offering new strategies for designing heat circuits.

"Revolutionizing Semiconductors: Polaritons Pave the Way"
science-and-technology2 years ago

"Revolutionizing Semiconductors: Polaritons Pave the Way"

Researchers at Purdue University are exploring the use of hybrid quasiparticles called "polaritons" to improve heat transfer in nanoscale semiconductors. While thermal energy is typically transferred through quantum particles called phonons, they are not efficient enough at the nanoscale. Polaritons, which are a combination of photons and phonons, offer a new approach to heat transfer. The researchers have found that polaritons become significant in heat transfer on surfaces thinner than 10 nanometers, making them particularly relevant for shrinking semiconductors. The study highlights the potential for incorporating polariton-based heat transfer principles into the design of future chips.

Uncovering the North Atlantic's Climate Change Secrets
climate-science2 years ago

Uncovering the North Atlantic's Climate Change Secrets

Researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and UCL have found that heat transferring from the surface to the deep ocean in the North Atlantic has helped reduce climate swings over the past 1,000 years. By analyzing sediment cores, the team discovered that the deep North Atlantic consistently transferred surface climate changes to the deep ocean, preventing climate changes from being more severe. This process, known as the Atlantic Meridional Ocean Circulation (AMOC), acts as a conveyor belt carrying warm surface water north and cool deep water south. The study highlights the importance of the ocean in mitigating climate change and raises concerns about the potential impact of a weakening AMOC on heat absorption in the future.