Numerical feasibility study of using ultrasonic surface vibration as a new technique for thermal management of the electronic devices

Abstract

The suitable thermal management of electrical devices leads to their reliable operation and durability. The present study investigates the application of ultrasonic surface vibration in a pin–fin heatsink to improve hydrothermal performance. To this end, a totally 31 scenarios were examined by altering the location of the vibrating transducers at four lateral walls and the top plate of the heatsink. The numerical calculations were performed within Reynolds number (Re) ranges of 500–2000 and frequency magnitude (F) of 15–30 kHz. Our results showed that the heatsink with three transducers at the top plate and two lateral adjacent walls (near and the opposite side of the inlet), namely case#27, exhibits the highest heat transfer coefficient and performance evaluation criteria (PEC) of 1.38 over the base case without transducers (WOT) at Re = 2000 and F = 30 among the studied cases. In addition, case#27 has its highest heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop (ΔP) at Re = 2000, while its maximum PEC is obtained as 1.78 at Re = 1000 for F = 30 kHz over the base case without vibration. Moreover, the maximum heat transfer coefficient and the lowest ΔP for case#27 at Re = 2000 were obtained at = 25 kHz. In such a case, the PEC was obtained as 1.06 over the base case.