Cooling is removal of
heat
In thermodynamics, heat is defined as the form of energy crossing the boundary of a thermodynamic system by virtue of a temperature difference across the boundary. A thermodynamic system does not ''contain'' heat. Nevertheless, the term is ...
, usually resulting in a lower
temperature
Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measurement, measured with a thermometer.
Thermometers are calibrated in various Conversion of units of temperature, temp ...
and/or
phase change
In chemistry, thermodynamics, and other related fields, a phase transition (or phase change) is the physical process of transition between one state of a medium and another. Commonly the term is used to refer to changes among the basic State of ...
. Temperature lowering achieved by any other means may also be called cooling.
[ASHRAE Terminology, https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/free-resources/ashrae-terminology]
The
transfer
Transfer may refer to:
Arts and media
* ''Transfer'' (2010 film), a German science-fiction movie directed by Damir Lukacevic and starring Zana Marjanović
* ''Transfer'' (1966 film), a short film
* ''Transfer'' (journal), in management studies
...
of
thermal energy
The term "thermal energy" is used loosely in various contexts in physics and engineering. It can refer to several different well-defined physical concepts. These include the internal energy or enthalpy of a body of matter and radiation; heat, de ...
may occur via
thermal radiation
Thermal radiation is electromagnetic radiation generated by the thermal motion of particles in matter. Thermal radiation is generated when heat from the movement of charges in the material (electrons and protons in common forms of matter) i ...
,
heat conduction or
convection
Convection is single or multiphase fluid flow that occurs spontaneously due to the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoyancy). When the cause of the conve ...
. Examples can be as simple as reducing temperature of a coffee.
Devices
*
Coolant
A coolant is a substance, typically liquid, that is used to reduce or regulate the temperature of a system. An ideal coolant has high thermal capacity, low viscosity, is low-cost, non-toxic, chemically inert and neither causes nor promotes corrosi ...
*Cooling towers, as used in large industrial plants and power stations
*Passive daytime radiative cooling, Daytime passive radiative cooler
*Evaporative cooler
*Heat exchanger
*Heat pipe
*Heat sink
*HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning)
*Intercooler
*Radiative cooling in Heat shields
*Radiators in automobiles
*Pumpable ice technology
*Thermoelectric cooling
*Vortex tube, as used in industrial spot cooling
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
Broad-concept articles
Cooling technology
