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Re: [Amps] Meaning of "conduction cooled"

To: Bill Turner <dezrat1242@ispwest.com>,"amps@contesting.com" <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [Amps] Meaning of "conduction cooled"
From: David Kirkby <david.kirkby@onetel.net>
Date: Thu, 03 Nov 2005 19:26:53 +0000
List-post: <mailto:amps@contesting.com>
Bill Turner wrote:
> I notice that some posters are using the term "conduction cooled" 
> lately and I'm curious what they mean by it. Aren't all amplifiers 
> "conduction cooled" one way or another? Heat is conducted away by 
> some means, whether directly by air or liquid or indirectly to a heat 
> sink which is in turn cooled by air or liquid.
> 
> I'm aware of "radiation cooling" too, but I doubt many high power 
> amplifiers use that.
> 
> Some clarification would be appreciated.

There are 3 ways for something to cool - conduction, convection and 
radiation. See for example

http://www.mansfieldct.org/schools/mms/staff/hand/convcondrad.htm

Radiation (electromagnetic) is unique in that it occurs in a vacuum too, 
whereas both convection (flowing fluid) and conduction (solid contact) 
both need two items in contact.

Conduction tubes are cooled by mounting to a heatsink. See for example a 
Y799 amp, with a conduction cooled variant of the 4CX250B. Note the 
berrilium oxide link to *conduct* heat.

http://www.g8wrb.org/y799.shtml

Note, in *any* practical system there will be a combination of 
conduction, convection and radiation cooling. That Y799 will emit IR 
radiation, so cool by radiation. It is also in contact with air, so will 
pass heat to the air by convection. It is just that conduction will 
dominate.



-- 
David Kirkby,
G8WRB

Please check out http://www.g8wrb.org/
of if you live in Essex http://www.southminster-branch-line.org.uk/


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