Insight into porous fin microchannel heat sinks with improved thermo-hydraulic performance

Abstract

The escalating demand for enhanced cooling systems, particularly in high-power computer processors, necessitates innovative solutions within the spatial constraints of computing environments. This paper introduces a design modification that strategically diverts a portion of the main flow toward and through the porous fin region, creating a “cross flow.” The novel approach aims to maximize heat transfer through the fins, harnessing both conduction and convection heat transfer mechanisms. The realization of these flow patterns is achieved through interdigitated blocking of the inlet and outlet reigns of the microchannel, coupled with the utilization of converging and diverging microchannel porous fins in distinct elbow and zigzag geometrical configurations. Numerical simulations using computational fluid dynamics are employed to assess the proposed microchannel heat sink's thermo-hydraulic performance. The proposed design innovation significantly enhances heat dissipation efficiency by augmenting the convection heat transfer mechanism within the porous fins, resulting in a remarkable 17% improvement in Nusselt number compared to conventional parallel microchannel heat sinks with porous fins. This study provides valuable insight into the thermal and hydraulic performance of the proposed design, offering promising prospects for addressing the escalating demand for enhanced cooling systems in high-power computing environments.