Research reveals hidden damage caused by heat

Heat affects not only our well-being, but also the performance and lifespan of systems and devices. However, it is often difficult to measure these effects accurately.

Dr. Jude Osara, assistant professor at the Faculty of Engineering Technology, has developed a new scientific framework to quantify the impact of heat. His findings have been published in the article “Cool it! On Energy Dissipation, Heat Generation and Thermal Degradation: The Microstructurothermal Entropy and Its Application to Real-World Systems” in the journal Applied Mechanics.

According to the United Nations, electricity consumption for cooling is likely to double by 2040. Understanding the role of heat is therefore essential for better designs, cooling strategies and sustainable use of systems. To this end, Dr. Osara introduces the concept of microstructurothermal (MST) degradation, the damage caused by heat to the microstructure of materials and systems.

“My calculations show that heat is not just a by-product, but an active mechanism that impairs performance and accelerates degradation,” said Dr. Osara. “Elite cyclists training at 32°C had a 27% higher cardiovascular load than at 23°C. In lithium-ion batteries, nearly 40% of capacity loss was found to be attributable to microstructural thermal degradation.”

The framework has been applied to a variety of systems, from human physiology to batteries, bearings and lubricating grease. The results emphasize the importance for scientists, engineers and doctors to take the thermal mechanism into account in analysis, design and maintenance.