The Optimal Geometric Arrangement of Heat Pipes in Computer CPU Coolers

Abstract

Abstract A computer central processing unit (CPU) cooler keeps the CPU at a safe operating temperature. Specifically, this study investigates an air-cooled CPU cooler. Heat pipes carry the CPU’s heat to an array of plate fins which eventually transfer the thermal energy to the outside air. Convective heat transfer in the inter-fin air gaps and conduction within the fins make this cooling a conjugate heat transfer process. Thus, the selected geometry’s conjugate heat transfer solution provides a Nusselt number correlation. The location of the heat pipe is a subtle and significant factor that affects the heat rate at those boundaries and is rarely available in the literature. Depending on the location of heat pipes for a certain Reynolds number, the heat rate could be as high as 3.75% more than the heat rate due to their original locations. A high heat rate indicates an increase in heat transfer for a heat pipe location relative to another. Ultimately, this investigation predicts an optimal geometric arrangement for the location of the heat pipes. The optimal layout of heat pipes is essential to designing thermally efficient CPU coolers.