Watt per Square Centimeter [W/cm²]

The unit watt per square centimeter (W/cm²) measures heat flux density or radiant flux, representing the amount of energy transferred per unit area per unit time, with the area measured in square centimeters. One watt equals 1 joule per second, so 1 W/cm² corresponds to 1 joule of energy passing through 1 cm² every second.

This unit is often used in high-intensity applications such as:

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  Laser systems measuring power density on a target

  
  
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  Plasma or arc discharge studies

  
  
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  Industrial thermal processes where energy is concentrated on small surfaces

  
  

The relationship can be expressed mathematically as:

where q is heat flux in W/cm², Q is energy in joules, A is area in cm², and t is time in seconds.

Conversion to SI units:

While W/m² is the standard SI unit for most applications, W/cm² is convenient for small-area, high-intensity measurements, such as in laboratory-scale experiments, laser technology, and materials testing, where energy is concentrated over very small surfaces.

Btu (th) per Second per Square Inch [Btu(th)/(s·in²)]

The unit Btu (th) per second per square inch, written as Btu(th)/(s·in²), measures heat flux density or thermal power per unit area using the thermochemical British Thermal Unit (1 Btu(th) = 1054.35 J). It represents the amount of heat energy transferred through 1 square inch of surface every second.

This unit is commonly used in high-intensity thermal applications, engineering experiments, and solar energy studies where energy flux over small surfaces is significant. Typical applications include:

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  Heat flux from industrial furnaces or radiative heaters

  
  
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  Solar radiation on concentrated panels or small surfaces

  
  
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  Thermal testing of materials under high-intensity conditions

  
  

Heat flux can be expressed mathematically as:

where q is heat flux in Btu(th)/(s·in²), Q is energy in Btu(th), A is area in in², and t is time in seconds.

Conversion to SI units:

While SI units like W/m² are standard, Btu(th)/(s·in²) is useful in U.S. engineering, laboratory experiments, and historical references, providing an intuitive measure of high-intensity heat flux per square inch per second.