Parametric heat transfer study of bolted joints

A parametric study is performed to eliminate some of the thermal resistances of the complex network obtained for bolted joints. The analytical models for material, contact, and radiation resistances, developed by the authors and available in the literature, are used. Thermal resistances and resistance paths are compared among themselves. The resistances found to be unimportant are excluded from the circuit and a simplified thermal circuit is obtained. A sensitivity analysis of the parameters used in the formulation of the overall thermal resistance of the simplified network is performed. This study points out the important parameters, which should be precisely determined. The comparison of the present model with the experimental data and with the literature correlations shows the accuracy of the simplified thermal circuit. Except for special cases, large variations of the parameters that affect the contact resistance do not significantly influence the overall thermal resistance of the bolted joint. Therefore, the precise determination of the contact conductance may not be crucial for many bolted joint configurations used in practical applications.