ME 758Thermal Contact Resistance

Theory and application of thermal contact resistance. Parameters influencing contact resistance. Metrology of machined surfaces and their geometric interaction. Mechanical interaction of machined surfaces. Review of elasticity and plasticity theories. Discussion of modified Hertzian theory, including the effect of surface roughness. Thermal constriction resistance theories of circular, rectangular, elliptic, linear strip and annular strip contact areas. Theory of heat flux tubes. Superposition of microscopic and macroscopic resistance. Contacts in vacuum. Effect of interstitial fluids. Effect of metallic and non-metallic substances. Application of theory to industrial problems and well-defined systems such as bearings and powder substances.