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Anodizing and heat transfer for stirling engines

2004

Hello,

I am making some models of low temperature Stirling engines. Heat transfer is the highest priority, a well made engine can run off the heat from your hand! I would like to anodize the parts, and I have read the anodizing is a good conductor of heat. But is it better than bare aluminum, the same, or almost as good?

Thanks,

Paul Snyder
Hobbyist - Navarre, FL, USA

Anodized aluminum from a conductive standpoint is pretty much the same as unfinished aluminum. However, its radiative properties are 30-50% higher. e.g., unfinished aluminum has an emissivity of 0.3-0.5 anodized aluminum is around 0.8-0.95

Ron Amundson
- Minnesota
2004

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