ABSTRACT
Biological organisms often couple extended surface transport with a facilitated mechanism to enhance mass transport. Examples of extended surfaces commonly found in organisms include gills in fish to enhance the surface area available for oxygen transport and bronchioli to enhance the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs of land animals. Leaves and/or needles on trees provide sufficient surface area for energy absorption, and capillaries and blood vessels in animals provide the necessary nutrients to cells, assist in removing wastes, and aid in regulating body temperature. The use of extended surfaces to enhance the rate of mass transfer is a very common occurrence, especially in biological organisms. Finned surfaces are used in automobile radiators, home heating radiators, semiconductor chip packages, refrigerators, and motor housings to name but a few applications. They are generally long, thin extensions to a surface and come in a variety of profiles ranging from cylindrical pins, to rectangular bars, to triangular or pyramidal shapes.
