ANALYSIS OF THERMAL CONTACT RESISTANCE ACROSS ALUMINIUM INTERFACE USING FEA METHOD

In this research the experimental analysis of thermal contact resistance across aluminium interface using finite element method is described and from that, the results obtained are presented. Set-up was fabricated to carry out axial heat flow steady state experiments for the estimation of thermal contact resistance at the interface of two different materials (Aluminium and Copper). For experiment Al plate is used as cooling plate & Cu plate is used as heating plate considering their mechanical and thermal properties. The effects of surface roughness, heat transfer rate, thermal contact resistance, heat generated & heat loss have been studied and acknowledged. The experimental results are expressed in terms of thermal contact resistance and heat transfer rate and compared with theoretical results, showing their limitations to make a precise estimation of the thermal contact resistance. The investigated thermal contact resistance data results are used in various applications of heat transfer.