Heat Transfer Formula:
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This calculator computes the radiative heat transfer between a small convex object and a large enclosure using the Stefan-Boltzmann law. The formula accounts for the temperature difference and surface properties of the objects involved in the heat exchange process.
The calculator uses the heat transfer formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the net radiative heat transfer between two surfaces based on their temperature difference and material properties.
Details: Accurate heat transfer calculation is crucial for thermal system design, energy efficiency analysis, and understanding heat exchange processes in various engineering applications.
Tips: Enter surface area in m², emissivity between 0-1, and temperatures in Kelvin. All values must be positive and physically meaningful.
Q1: What is the Stefan-Boltzmann constant?
A: The Stefan-Boltzmann constant (σ) is a physical constant that describes the power radiated from a black body in terms of its temperature, equal to 5.670367 × 10⁻⁸ W/m²K⁴.
Q2: What does emissivity represent?
A: Emissivity is a measure of how efficiently a surface emits thermal radiation compared to a perfect black body, ranging from 0 (perfect reflector) to 1 (perfect emitter).
Q3: Why are temperatures in Kelvin?
A: The Stefan-Boltzmann law requires absolute temperature measurements, making Kelvin the appropriate unit for thermal radiation calculations.
Q4: What are typical emissivity values?
A: Typical values range from 0.9-0.95 for black surfaces, 0.2-0.4 for polished metals, and 0.8-0.9 for most building materials.
Q5: When is this formula applicable?
A: This formula is specifically for radiative heat transfer between a small convex object and a large enclosure where the enclosure acts as a black body cavity.