A Study of Porous Metal Cooling

Citation

Hoffman, Charles Calvin and Gillette, Edmond Stephen (1946) A Study of Porous Metal Cooling. Engineer's thesis, California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/PF1D-8T69. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-10202008-150040

Abstract

This investigation was conducted to study the flow rate necessary to maintain a sweat cooled metal at an equilibrium temperature when subjected to a high gas temperature. The study was limited to fundamental tests on copper, bronze, and stainless steel porous metal specimens which were the only types available at this time. Water cooling was used throughout the investigation.

Conclusions of a qualitative nature were obtained which show that water flow rate is a primary factor in maintaining sweat cooled metals at equilibrium temperature, and that metal thermal conductivity has but slight effect. The feasibility of the sweat cooling technique was proven by the fact that a water flow rate of less than 0.1 cc/in.^2-sec was required to satisfactorily cool a porous metal surface subjected to a potential heat transfer of 1.0 BTU/in.^2-sec.

Thesis Files