Heat Transfer is the study of how heat is transmitted from place to place. We are all familiar with the fact heat does move: a metal bar that is heated at one end will become warm at the opposite end as the heat flows from one end to the other. This is an example of conduction heat transfer which is the study of how heat moves through stationary objects. This type of heat transfer is called conduction.

Heat can also be carried along in a fluid. Before air conditioning people used to cool themselves by placing a fan behind an ice cube and blowing cold air on themselves. In this case the air, having been cooled by the ice, carries heat away from our skins as it moves by us. The faster the air moves the more heat will be carried away - this effect is responsible for the "wind chill factor" as well. If the wind is blowing we get colder than if it is not. This type of heat transfer is called convection, and since it relies on fluid flow it is closely related to fluid dynamics.

Finally heat can be radiated by thermal radiation. Standing in sunlight one can feel the sun's warmth even though the sun is millions of miles away and separated from us by avacuum. There is no air or water in space to carry the heat to the earth, but the sun's thermal radiation reaches us nonetheless. This is an example of radiative heat transfer.

DISTRIBUTOR APPLICATIONS