Pool boiling enhancement of novel interconnected microchannels with reentrant cavities for high-power electronics cooling

Abstract

In the study, interconnected microchannels with reentrant cavities (IMRCs) were developed by using facile and effective microfabrication methods to enhance the pool boiling performance in industrial applications for high heat-flux electronics cooling. The pool boiling heat transfer characteristics of IMRCs were investigated in saturated and subcooled boiling with deionized water as the working fluid at atmospheric pressure. The effects of structural parameters on heat transfer were examined, and the heat transfer enhancement of IMRC was compared to that of other modifications in extant studies. The experimental results indicated that IMRCs exhibit a substantial improvement in pool boiling heat transfer when compared with smooth copper plates (SCPs). The interconnected pores and reentrant cavities significantly affected the heat transfer enhancement, which resulted in the optimum first ploughing–extrusion (P/E) pitches. IMRCs are comparable with modifications in other studies and exhibit significant industrial application prospects for high-power microelectronics cooling.