Math 2.0

Classical thermodynamics, heat transfer Definition

Thermal contact conductance

Builds on Steady-state heat conductionHeat fluxTemperatureThermal resistance

Definition

Let two solids touch along an interface, and let heat cross the interface in steady state with normal heat flux qq. Let ΔT≠0\Delta T \ne 0 be the jump of temperature across the interface, obtained by extrapolating the temperature profile of each solid to the interface. The thermal contact conductance is hc=qΔT.h_c = \frac{q}{\Delta T}. Its unit is W m−2 K−1\mathrm{W \, m^{-2} \, K^{-1}}.

Remarks

The reciprocal 1/hc1 / h_c is the contact thermal resistance of a unit area, and it adds in series to the resistances of the two solids.

Example: a flux of 10410^4 watts per square metre crosses a joint, and the profiles extrapolate to 50.050.0 and 49.549.5 degrees Celsius at the interface. Then ΔT=0.5\Delta T = 0.5 kelvin and hc=104/0.5=2⋅104h_c = 10^4 / 0.5 = 2 \cdot 10^4 watts per square metre per kelvin.

Non-example: two pieces of one solid joined by perfect welding show no temperature jump. Then ΔT=0\Delta T = 0, and no contact conductance is defined; the interface adds no resistance.

Reading path

To understand this page from the ground up, read these 5 pages in order. The foundations come first.

Show the path as a graph
Heat flux, concept, no evidence levelHeat fluxconceptSteady-state heat conduction, concept, no evidence levelSteady-state heat con…conceptTemperature, concept, no evidence levelTemperatureconceptThermal resistance, concept, no evidence levelThermal resistanceconceptThermal contact conductance, definition, no evidence levelThermal contact condu…definition
Each page uses the pages above it. The colour of the bar on a box shows how strong the evidence is, and the box also gives it as text. The list has the same pages.
  • no evidence level
  1. Heat flux concept
  2. Steady-state heat conduction concept
  3. Temperature concept
  4. Thermal resistance concept
  5. Thermal contact conductance definition

Further reading

  1. Web https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_contact_conductance
About this page
TagJ5A74CC27Z
URIm2://J5A74CC27Z
Kinddefinition
WritingW0 stub
MSC80A19
DefinesThermal contact conductance
UsesSteady-state heat conduction, Heat flux, Temperature, Thermal resistance
Changed3 November 2026

Markdown · JSON · Edit on GitHub

What this page needs for W1

  • an inventory row: the row of the inventory that the node accounts for (0 of 1)
  • a source with a locator (0 of 1)

The writing levels say how complete the text of a page is. They do not measure its truth.

What links here

No page links to this page yet.