Car Exhaust Heat: Convectional or Radiated?

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    Exhaust Heat
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the heat transfer mechanisms affecting the temperature of a car hood, specifically whether convection or radiation plays a more significant role in heating the hood due to the exhaust manifold's temperature, which is estimated to be around 800 Fahrenheit.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asserts that the exhaust manifold, made of stainless steel and ceramic coated, reaches approximately 800 Fahrenheit and questions the dominant mode of heat transfer to the hood.
  • Another participant states that all objects emit radiation at any temperature, noting that while 800F does not emit visible light, it does emit infrared radiation, which could contribute to heating.
  • A third participant acknowledges the radiation emission at various temperatures but shifts the focus to whether a clear heat-shield could effectively prevent the hood from heating up.
  • A later reply challenges the feasibility of using a clear heat-shield, suggesting that clear plastics are likely opaque to the infrared wavelengths being emitted.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relative contributions of convection and radiation to the heating of the car hood, with no consensus reached on which mechanism is dominant or the effectiveness of potential heat-shield solutions.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the properties of materials involved, such as the infrared transparency of clear plastics, and lacks specific calculations or estimates for convective heat transfer under the car's hood.

itstillruns
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Hey everyone, a recent argument came up between two people which had to do with the temperature of a car hood.

Basically, the argument was what kind of heat would an exhaust manifold mainly use to get the hood of a car hot, convectional or radiated heat.

The exhaust manifold is made of stainless steel but is ceramic coated, id say it gets around 800 Fahrenheit. I do not believe it emits any light at that temp.

Thanks in advance!
 
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Anything at any temperature emits radiation. At 800F, not enough of it is in visible range to be visible. In IR, however, 800F positively glows.

Whether that's enough to be dominant mode of heat transfer, however, I'm not sure. There are ways to estimate how much heat is actually radiated, but I'm not sure how to estimate convective transfer under car's hood.
 
Thanks for the 1st reply, I understand that at almost every temp things emit radiation, even if if the value is extremely small.

The argument was mainly if a clear heat-shield could be used to prevent the hood from getting as hot.
 
Oh, whatever you end up using is most likely not transparent in wavelengths that are being radiated. Clear plastics tend to be opaque in IR.
 

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