conductiveHeatTransfer static method

Power conductiveHeatTransfer(
  1. double thermalConductivity,
  2. Area area,
  3. Length thickness,
  4. TemperatureDelta temperatureDifference,
)

Calculates the heat transfer rate by conduction through a material.

Returns the heat transfer rate as a Power quantity (in Watts).

The Fourier heat equation q = kA(ΔT/Δx) requires a temperature difference, not an absolute temperature. The temperatureDifference parameter is a TemperatureDelta to enforce this distinction and prevent the affine-offset bug that would occur with an absolute Temperature.

Usage:

final q = EngineeringConstants.conductiveHeatTransfer(
  k, area, thickness, 10.kelvinDelta,
);

Implementation

static Power conductiveHeatTransfer(
  double thermalConductivity, // W/(m⋅K)
  Area area,
  Length thickness,
  TemperatureDelta temperatureDifference,
) {
  final A = area.inSquareMeters;
  final dx = thickness.inM;
  final deltaT = temperatureDifference.getValue(TemperatureDeltaUnit.kelvinDelta);
  final heatRateW = thermalConductivity * A * deltaT / dx; // q = kA(ΔT/Δx)
  return Power(heatRateW, PowerUnit.watt);
}