For many engineering students, their first exposure to fluid dynamics comes in a heat transfer class. The typical focus in these classes is not on the underlying physics but on Keep reading
Tag: heat transfer
Energy-Efficient Deicing
Defrosting and deicing surfaces is an energy-intensive affair, with lots of heat lost to warming up system components rather than the ice itself. In a new study, researchers explore a faster and Keep reading
Avoiding Droplet Contact
Cold rain splashing on airplane wings can freeze in instants. To prevent that, researchers look for ways to minimize the time and area of contact a drop has. Hydrophobic coatings and textures can Keep reading
Different Kinds of Boiling
When you put a pot of water on to boil, you probably don’t give much thought to the process. In our daily lives, we pretty much only see one kind Keep reading
Heating from Cavitation
When cavitation bubbles collapse, they can produce temperatures well over 2,000 Kelvin. Since cavitation near a surface can be so destructive, researchers have long wondered whether the high temperatures inside Keep reading
The Lava Lamps That Secure the Internet
A wall of lava lamps in a San Francisco office currently helps keep about 10% of the Internet’s traffic secure. Internet security company Cloudflare uses a video feed of the Keep reading
Jumping Droplets
Condensation, which removes heat by changing a vapor into a liquid, is a common feature in industrial heat transfer. When droplets form on surfaces, they typically have to grow to Keep reading
Bubbles Sliding
Two-phase flows involve more than one state of matter – in this case, both gas and liquid phases. Flows like this are common, especially in applications involving heat transfer. In Keep reading
Staying Cool in the Outback
Daytime temperatures in the Australian outback can soar, creating a harsh environment for life. Red kangaroos use several methods to regulate their body temperature during the hottest part of the Keep reading
Pouring Molten Aluminum on Dry Ice
What happens when you pour molten aluminum on dry ice? As the Backyard Scientist shows, you get what looks like slippery, sliding, boiling metal. In fact, what you see may Keep reading