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Thermal expansion is generally defined as:
1. The use of thermal expansion or contraction of materials.
aie Fit a tight joint by cooling the inner part to contract, heating the outer part to expand, put the joint together and return to balance.
2. If being used, use multiple materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion.
aie Basic leaf thermostat uses two metals with different coefficients of expansion. Metals are links so that it bends in one direction when it is hotter than normal and in the opposite direction when it is colder.
A simple way to explain thermal expansion is to consider the problem of an airtight jar lid. If you can’t undo a lid, you can always heat the jar to loosen the lid. Similarly, many people use torches to loosen tight bolts.
My airplane engine is another great example of thermal expansion. One of the biggest problems with Cessna aircraft-type engines, also known as combustion engines, is that you can shock cool them. If you cut off the power and go down quickly, the engine cools off very quickly on the outside while the piston on the inside is still hot. You end up shrinking the motor around the piston and can cause the motor to fail. Pilots must be extremely careful when descending in a piston aircraft to avoid engine failure.
My plane’s engine actually uses a combination of air-cooled and water-cooled headers. Because it takes much longer for water to undergo a drastic change in temperature, the engine cannot be cooled by shocks.
A less literal application of Thermal Expansion is mixing team members into group projects. Pairing someone who is “hot” in their career with someone who is not will foster creativity and productivity in the less prominent employee.
How could you look through the lens of Thermal Expansion to improve your product or service?