Heat transfer

Heat transfer is a very complicated process involving many parameters and conditions. This page plays the role of introduction to heat transfer and a documentation on the methods used to calculate the heat transfers applied to our vehicle.

Heat transfers

A heat transfer is basically an energy transfer that can produce work or a change of temperature difference between the interacting parts. It can take three forms: conductive, convective and radiative. In the case of a heat transfer due to the atmosphere around an aircraft, the three mechanisms are effective. This page currently focuses on convective heat transfer, which implies conductive heat transfer. Radiative transfer is probably negligible before the two others in our particular case study.

Introduction to heat convection

Heat convection occurs when there is a fluid flowing around a control volume at a temperature different than the control volume's. The flow can be either natural, when the fluid is flowing due to density gradients (buoyancy force), or forced, when the fluid is flowing because an external process force it to flow or make the control volume move through the fluid.