A comprehensive study on parametric optimization of the pin-fin heat sink to improve its thermal and hydraulic characteristics

Abstract

In an effort to reduce the highest temperature of electronic pieces, using high performance cooling systems is required, and for this reason, optimization is one of the most essential and attractive issues that has an undeniable role in industry and technology. In this study, a finite volume method is employed to numerically simulate conjugate heat transfer in pin-fin heat sinks, which are of the most common cooling systems, and all the geometric parameters affecting their performance are optimized based on thermal and hydraulic performances (FOM). These geometric parameters are: the number of fins, the fin height, the fin diameter, and the transverse pitch. It will be shown that the total performance of the pin-fin heat sink improves step by step by optimizing these parameters. Also, it will be suggested that the shape of pin-fins changes to a tapered one. It is proved that changing the fin shape has a significant influence on the convective heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop and enhances the total performance of the system. Furthermore, it is observed that the total performance of the pin-fin heat sink increases more than 17% during the stages of the optimization.