Foot-Pound per Minute per Square Foot [ft·lb/(min·ft²)]

The unit foot-pound per minute per square foot, written as ft·lb/(min·ft²), measures energy flux density or power per unit area in the Imperial system. One foot-pound (ft·lb) is the energy required to move a force of 1 pound-force over a distance of 1 foot, equivalent to 1 ft·lb ≈ 1.35582 joules. Dividing by time (minutes) and area (ft²) gives the rate of energy transfer per unit area over time.

This unit is commonly used in U.S.-based engineering, building physics, and solar energy studies where energy flux through surfaces is measured. Applications include:

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  Heat transfer through walls, floors, or roofs

  
  
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  Solar radiation incident on building surfaces

  
  
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  Mechanical or thermal energy flux in industrial processes

  
  

Mathematically, the flux is expressed as:

where q is flux in ft·lb/(min·ft²), E is energy in foot-pounds, A is area in ft², and t is time in minutes.

Conversion to SI units:

While modern practice favors W/m², ft·lb/(min·ft²) remains relevant in legacy U.S. building and thermal engineering literature, providing an intuitive measure of energy transfer per square foot per minute.

Erg per Hour per Square Millimeter [erg/(h·mm²)]

The unit erg per hour per square millimeter, written as erg/(h·mm²), measures energy flux density or power per unit area using the cgs system. An erg is defined as the energy required to move 1 dyne over 1 centimeter, or 1 erg = 10⁻⁷ joules. Dividing by hour and mm² provides the rate of energy transfer per small area over time.

This unit is typically used in laboratory-scale physics, radiation experiments, and surface energy studies where small areas and low energy transfers are involved. Applications include:

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  Measuring radiation incident on tiny surfaces

  
  
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  Calorimetry experiments on small samples

  
  
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  Micro-scale energy transfer studies in materials science

  
  

Heat or energy flux can be expressed mathematically as:

where q is energy flux in erg/(h·mm²), E is energy in ergs, A is area in mm², and t is time in hours.

Conversion to SI units:

While largely of historical or specialized use, erg/(h·mm²) provides a convenient cgs-based measure for micro-scale, low-intensity energy transfer in scientific experiments.