Re[2]: Starship rotors & Drilling

[erict@cta.com (Eric Thorstenson)]

Mike said:
-----
     FWIW: Drawing an analogy with electronic component heat sinks. A lump of
     metal is only able to dissipate a fixed amount of power for a given
     temperature gradient. In still air whether the lump of metal has a complex
     series of fins or is just a rectangular shape has little effect on the
     amount of power that can be dissipated. It is only when air is forced over
     the surface of the heat sink that the design of the heat sink has an effect
-----

Wrongo!!! A finned design is at least as crucial, if not more so,
when you are relying on free convection than when you have forced
convection. Using your own example, heat sinks, pop the cover off
any computer monitor or stereo amplifier. What do you see? Fins.

Fundamentally, in any type of heat transfer (free/forced convection,
conduction, and radiation) the amount of heat transferred is
proportional to the area involved. A given "lump of metal" will
dissipate *far* more heat if flattened and formed into fins than if
left a cube.

Eric T.     '86 5kS
erict@ra.cta.com