The quest for the ideal glass: An optimization study in heat transfer

Abstract

In this work, an analysis is presented of the problem of a liquid contained in a glass, being heated by the environment while being consumed. The issue was suggested by the consumption of beverages such as beer, that consumers wish to keep as cold as possible while drinking. The study proposes a passive solution to the problem, optimizing the shape of the glass to ensure minimum heat transfer, with no use of insulating materials. The glass was modeled as a body of revolution generated by a smooth curve S, made of material with negligible thermal resistance at the revolution surface and insulated at the bottom. The result obtained is a family of optimum curves, capable of generating a glass thaat can be manufactured by conventional methods.