Enhancing heat transfer in microchannels: A systematic evaluation of crescent-like fin and wall geometries with secondary flow

Safi Ahmed Memon, Shehnaz Akhtar, Taqi Ahmad Cheema, Cheol Woo Park

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Recent developments in additive manufacturing processes, coupled with the demands of modern microelectronics, have spurred research in heat sinks at the micro-scale. The present study introduces microchannel designs resembling crescent-like walls and fins inside a coolant-based heat sink to enhance its thermal performance. Three different microchannel designs, namely the crescent-like fin design (CF design), the crescent-like wall design (CW design), and the crescent-like wall design with secondary flow (CWSF design) have been proposed and evaluated for their ability to transfer heat while maintaining a low pressure drop penalty. Furthermore, these geometries were tested with different inlet–outlet configurations. The paper investigates flow profile, pressure drop, and temperature profiles for a wide range of flow rates and explores certain hydrodynamic phenomena, such as the Coanda effect and vortex formation generated by the network of convex and concave surfaces that induce flow disruption, thus increasing the potential for enhanced thermal performance. Velocity and temperature maldistribution analyses have also been included to compare the stress distribution around the microchannel walls, highlighting the relative potential for structural failure. The findings suggest that incorporating secondary flow passages inside the crescent-like walls would result in a 28–51% reduction in pressure drop, indicating the potential to meet the thermal management needs of modern microchips. The main objective of the paper is to study how varying the attributes of crescent-like geometries affects the flow profile and thermal performance of a heat sink. The study aligns with the requirements of modern microchips, such as the 13th Gen Intel® Core™ processor, and serves as a guideline for the manufacturing of microchannel heat sinks with crescent-like morphologies.

Original languageEnglish
Article number122099
JournalApplied Thermal Engineering
Volume239
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Feb 2024

Keywords

  • Crescent-like geometry
  • Curvilinear microchannels
  • Flow obstruction
  • Hydrothermal performance
  • Secondary flow
  • Temperature uniformity

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