Numerical investigation on hydrothermal characteristics of microchannel heat sinks with PCM inserts for effective thermal management applications

Nomenclature

A_b

= Area of base of the MCHS (m²);

H

= Height of the heat sink (m);

H_C

= Height of the channel (m);

H_P

= Height of the PCM layer (m);

L

= Length of heat sink (m);

p

= Pressure (pa);

q

= Heat flux applied at bottom surface (W/m²);

R_T

= Total thermal resistance (K W⁻¹);

t₁

= Heat sink top rib thickness (m);

t₂

= Heat sink bottom rib thickness (m);

${\overline{T}}_b$

= Average temperature of bottom surface of the MCHS (K);

T_f

= Temperature of the fluid (K);

T_in

= Inlet temperature of the fluid (K);

v_in

= Inlet velocity (m/s²);

W

= Width of the heat sink (m);

W_c

= Width of the channel (m);

W_p

= Width of the PCM layer (m);

W_t

= Gap between the microchannels (m); and

x, y, z

= Cartesian coordinates (m).

Abbreviations

MC

= Microchannel;

MCHS

= Microchannel heat sink;

MEPCM

= Microencapsulated phase change material;

Nu

= Nusselt number;

PCM

= Phase change material; and

Re

= Reynolds number.

Greek symbols

α

= Thermal diffusivity (m²/s);

μ

= Dynamic viscosity (pas); and

ρ

= Density (Kg/m³).

Subscripts

b

= Base of the channel;

C

= Channel;

f

= Fluid;

in

= Inlet; and

T

= Total.

1. Introduction

The escalating demand for enhanced functionality and high performance in electronic devices and computer processors has resulted in significant heat generation, necessitating the implementation of efficient cooling systems to ensure optimal operation and reliability. However, the ongoing trend toward miniaturization has introduced additional complexities in heat removal due to limited space availability (Manova et al., 2022; Zhang et al., 2022). To address these challenges, a multitude of innovative thermal management systems, such as microchannel heat sinks (MCHSs), have been developed, offering remarkable compactness to effectively manage heat dissipation. MCHSs have emerged as a promising solution for thermal management in electronic applications, effectively addressing the associated challenges (Khan et al., 2022). The initial work on MCHSs in 1981 demonstrated their ability to dissipate a heat flux of 790 W/cm², triggering further research and...

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