How to calculate heat dispersion through a solid copper rod?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around building a fanless computer case using a solid copper rod as a heat sink for a small electronic device. The user has calculated various thermal properties of the copper rod and is seeking methods to predict temperature changes along its length based on a power output of 20 watts. They aim to determine if the heat will effectively disperse from the point of contact to the other end of the rod. If the copper rod proves inadequate for heat transfer, the user is open to exploring alternative materials like aluminum or considering a heat pipe solution. The focus remains on assessing the thermal performance of the copper rod before making further material choices.
Jim Smith
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
I'm trying to build a fanless computer case for a small electronic device. I'm trying to figure out what type of heat-sink material I should use. I have a solid copper rod about 3cm in length with a radius of .05cm.

I've determined and calculated the density, specific heat, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, initial temperature at one end of the rod, and total power output (20 watts). Aside from me performing some experiment and measuring the temperature at various points through out the solid rod, is there a way I can initially calculate the temperature change at certain points from the information I have?

In the end, I want to be able to see if the heat from the initial point of contact will move/disperse up the solid rod to the other end fast enough and what's its temperature if/when it reaches that point. This is just a solid copper cylindrical rod with no fins or cuts. It's just a block of copper that's being used as a heat-sink between my devices cpu and outside case.

If the copper rod can't move the heat fast enough or at all, I want to be able to try other materials such as aluminum.
 
Science news on Phys.org
I'll consider it when these solid rods prove insufficient.
 
Been around 40 years since I took basic physics in college and while I remember doing some examples of insulation values / energy conduction, I doubt I could to the math now even if I could find the formulas. I have some some corrugated plastic sheet (think of the plastic signs you see on the side of the road) that is used in bee hives. Also have some used in a green house though a bit different in dimensions than this example but the general approach should still apply. Typically, both...
Problem: You’re an Uber driver with a Tesla Model 3. Today’s low: 30F, high: 65F. You want to reach a USD$ profit target in the least number of hours, but your choices could have added cost. Do you preheat the battery only when you are headed to the charging station (to increase the charging rate by warming the battery — however the battery might not be “warm enough” when your reach the charger and thus slower charging rates), or do you always “navigate to the charger” the entire day (which...
Thread 'Is Callen right in claiming dQ=TdS for all quasi-static processes?'
Hello! I am currently reading the second edition of Callen's Thermodynamics and an Introduction to Thermostatistics, and I have a question regarding Callen's definition of quasi-static. On page 96, Callen says: Another way of characterizing Callen's definition is that a process is quasi-static if it traces out a continuous curve in the system's configuration space. So far it's all well and good. A little later, Callen claims that the identification of $$TdS$$ as the heat transfer is only...
Back
Top