CALCULATORS / HEAT TRANSFER AND TEMPERATURE

Airflow for electronic cooling calculator

Air sensible heat capacity only; pressure drop and hot spots omitted.

thermal-electronics-airflow.napkin / editable

SCENARIO COMPARISON

Compare the numbers.

This source describes an analytical model. Its quantities and checks are the view.

Scenario	flowL/min
	497.512
	398.01

All calculated quantities are listed with the inputs. Switch to Source to inspect the equations.

SCENARIOS / CALCULATED VALUESSAME SOURCE

Change an input to see the consequences.

airflow budget497.51 L/min✓ passes

BASELINE INPUTS

heat100 Wdensity1.2 kg/m^3heatCapacity1005 J/(kg*K)rise10 K

CALCULATED

flow497.51 L/min

Edits change the baseline source.

THE SOURCE

Edits below update the same model.

# Airflow for electronic cooling
# Scope: Air sensible heat capacity only; pressure drop and hot spots omitted.
# Status: illustrative worked example; engineering review pending.
# Inputs are example values. Checks are editable example requirements, not standards.

heat = 100 W
density = 1.2 kg/m^3
heatCapacity = 1005 J/(kg*K)
rise = 10 K

flow := heat/(density*heatCapacity*rise) [L/min]

check airflow budget: flow <= 600 L/min

scenario alternative: heat = 80 W

Calculated from your source · not saved

Baseline · Baseline

airflow budget497.51 L/min ✓ passes

alternative · alternative

airflow budget398.01 L/min ✓ passes

Illustrative first-order example. Checks are editable requirements, not design standards. The broader topic may require additional equations, data, and validation.

Formula and units

This example uses the following equations. Input names and units match the editable source above.

flow: flow = heat/(density*heatCapacity*rise) [L/min]

Original worked example

These are the baseline values in the downloadable source. Edits above let you test your own values.

Given

heat: 100 W
density: 1.2 kg/m^3
heat capacity: 1005 J/(kg*K)
rise: 10 K

Calculated

flow: 497.512 L/min

Assumptions and limits

Air sensible heat capacity only; pressure drop and hot spots omitted.

The requirement checks use the limits written in this example. Passing a check does not establish that the model covers every load, material behavior, or operating condition in a real design.

Download this .napkin example ↓

Take it further with your agent

Napkin keeps the inputs, equations, checks and assumptions together in one study. Your agent sets it up; you change the numbers.

Try with Claude ↗

codex 'Use Napkin (https://napkin.engineering/mcp, or the local Napkin plugin) to build a study: Airflow for electronic cooling. Inputs: heat load; allowed air rise; air properties. Outputs: airflow requirement; idealized temperature rise. Model scope: Lumped or low-dimensional thermal models with explicit properties. Read napkin_capabilities and the current snapshot. Ask me for the values that matter, label assumptions with units, author .napkin source, validate it and apply it with napkin_source using the current revision, then open the study. Add checks for the limits I supply. Keep unsupported analyses explicit.'

Claude needs the Napkin connector; Codex needs the Napkin plugin. Set up your agent ↗

The broader study

The topic brief below describes the broader scope. The worked example above states the particular calculation it implements.

Inputs: heat load, allowed air rise, air properties
Outputs: airflow requirement, idealized temperature rise
Modes: calculate, compare, sweep
Drawing: Temperature and heat-flow plot

EXECUTABLE WORKED EXAMPLE · FIRST-ORDER MODEL · CHECK THE SCOPE & ASSUMPTIONS