Power density
This article is about power per volume. For power per area, see surface power density.
Power density (or volume power density or volume specific power) is the amount of power (time rate of energy transfer) per unit volume.
In energy transformers including batteries, fuel cells, motors, etc., and also power supply units or similar, power density refers to a volume. It is then also called volume power density, which is expressed as W/m3.
Volume power density is sometimes an important consideration where space is constrained.
In reciprocating internal combustion engines, power density—power per swept volume—is an important metric.
Power densities of common materials
| Storage material | Energy type | Specific power (W/kg) | Power density (W/m3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen (in star) | Stellar fusion | 0.00184 | 276.5 |
| Plutonium | Alpha decay | 1.94 | 38,360 |
See also
- Energy density, energy per unit volume
- Power-to-weight ratio/specific power, energy per unit mass
- Specific absorption rate (SAR)
References
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 2/17/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.