ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Kantrowitz limit

The Kantrowitz limit is a concept that has to do with how fast a fluid, like air, can flow through a narrow opening without causing problems. Think of squeezing toothpaste out of a tube - if you squeeze too hard, the toothpaste comes out too fast and you have a mess on your hands. The same thing can happen when air flows through a narrow gap.

The Kantrowitz limit is the fastest speed that air can flow through a given gap without causing it to become unstable and start to create all sorts of problems. This happens because when the air moves very quickly through the gap, it can create lots of turbulence, which means the air is moving in all different directions and can become chaotic.

So, to prevent this, engineers need to figure out what the Kantrowitz limit is for the gaps they are designing. They do this by calculating the speed of the air, the size of the gap, and the density of the air, all of which can affect how the air flows through the gap.

Once they know what the Kantrowitz limit is, they can design the gap so that it allows air to flow through at a safe and stable speed, without causing turbulence or other problems. This is important in all sorts of engineering designs, from airplane wings to rocket engines, because getting the air flow just right can mean the difference between success and failure.