Microchannel Array Research Articles

A numerical and experimental study of micro-channel heat pipe solar photovoltaics thermal system

A novel micro-channel heat pipe array incorporated with crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar photovoltaic/thermal system (MHP-PV/T) was designed and constructed by the authors. The proposed design configuration combined c-Si solar cells and wide micro-channel heat pipes (MHP) that were filled with prescribed amount of acetone as refrigerant under a vacuum condition in the same insulated frame to simultaneously provide electrical and thermal energy. Heat and mass transfer characteristics of the MHP-PV/T were preliminary investigated using both numerical and experimental methods. The transient behavior and parametric heat transfer limitations of the heat pipe were also examined using MATLAB. A linear relation between the thermal instantaneous efficiency ηth and the reduced temperature parameter (Tout-Tin)GT-1 was established. The maximum instantaneous efficiency was found to be 54.0% with an electrical power output of 70W. The results indicated that the daily thermal and electrical efficiencies were 50.7% and 7.6%, respectively. The transient behavior of the MHP shows a faster thermal response to heat input within the temperature range of 48.8–49.2°C and slower response when the thermal diffusivity was reduced to 0.05cm2/s. The results also reveal good agreements between model simulation and experimental measurement with sufficient confidence.

Experimental investigation of a novel LCPV/T system with micro-channel heat pipe array

At present, the use of domestic and industrial solar energy is commonly divided into two parts: Photovoltaic and solar thermal utilization, but due to the high cost and long recovery cycle, are limited in their respective development in this field. As a high-efficiency solar energy utilization technology, photovoltaic/thermal attracts more and more attention. In this paper, a novel low concentration photovoltaic/thermal (LCPV/T) system with micro-channel heat pipe array was proposed. The environmental parameters and the inlet and the outlet temperature and output power were tested in this study. The efficiency of the system was up to 12.68% while at the same time thermal, electric and heat efficiency reached a value of 54.48%, 14.49% and 2.1% respectively, at the inlet temperature of 31 °C.

Fast and Single-step Fluorescence-based Competitive Bioassay Microdevice Combined PDMS Microchannel Arrays Separately Immobilizing Graphene Oxide-Analyte Conjugates and Fluorescently-labelled Receptor Proteins.

In this study, a fast and easy-to-use capillary-type microdevice for competitive bioassay is proposed. The device is composed of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel arrays that separately immobilize polyethylene glycol (PEG) coating, which contained graphene oxide (GO)-analyte conjugates and fluorescently-labelled receptor proteins. The working principle of the device involved the spontaneous dissolution of the PEG coating, subsequent mixing and reaction with analyte to give fluorescence response, triggered by the capillary action-mediated introduction of a sample solution. For principle verification, a competitive biotin assay was successfully demonstrated within 20 s in a single-step operation by detecting the change in fluorescence via microscopy.

Fabrication and Characterization of High Performance Intermediate Temperature Micro-Tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

A phase inversion-based dual-layer co-extrusion approach was advanced to fabricate micro-channel array structured micro-tubularsolid oxide fuel cells (MT-SOFCs). The inner graphite layer was used as a sacrificial layer to eliminate the middle sponge-like layerand inner surface dense skin layer,which were normally formed using the single layer extrusionmethod. As a result, themicro-channelarray generated in the outer layer was a more open structure and facile fuel/gas diffusion was obtained. The fuel/gas permeability ofsuch an anode substrate Ni-Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 (Ni-SDC) was ∼9 times that of an anode substrate fabricated using the phase inversionbasedsingle layer extrusion method. The open circuit voltages (OCVs) of the corresponding cell Ni-SDC/SDC/PrBaCo2O5+δ were0.89 V–0.85 V at 500–600◦C, much higher than those of other SDC electrolyte based MT-SOFCs. The peak power density of thecell was ∼1484 mW cm−2 at 600◦C, approximately 1.5 times that of a similar cell with an anode substrate fabricated from the singlelayer extrusion method. This is also the highest performance among the SOFCs with the same material system in open literature.The fuel utilization rate was also significantly improved in different degrees depending on the supplied inlet fuel flow rates.

Microfluidic approaches to the study of angiogenesis and the microcirculation.

Microfluidic systems have emerged as a new class of perfusable in vitro culture models that have helped advance and refine our understanding of microvascular function. Cutting-edge microfluidic models have successfully integrated principles from quantitative analysis of vascular function, in vitro flow chambers, microfabrication techniques, and 3D tissue scaffolds. Here, we review the evolution of microfluidic systems, namely their progression from 2D planar microchannel arrays to 3D microtissue analogs, and highlight their recent contributions in elucidating the role of biomolecular transport and fluid mechanical stimuli in controlling angiogenesis. Further advancement of microfluidic systems in recapitulating tissue-level phenomena in vitro, controlling important physiochemical and biological parameters, and integrating cellular and molecular analysis will help further enhance their application within the microcirculation research community.

Fabrication and Characterization of High Performance Intermediate Temperature Micro-Tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

A phase inversion-based dual-layer co-extrusion approach was advanced to fabricate micro-channel array structured micro-tubular solid oxide fuel cells (MT-SOFCs). The inner graphite layer was used as a sacrificial layer to eliminate the middle sponge-like layer and inner surface dense skin layer, which were normally formed using the single layer extrusion method. The fuel/gas permeability of such an anode substrate Ni-Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 (Ni-SDC) was ~9 times that of an anode substrate fabricated using the phase inversion-based single layer extrusion method. The open circuit voltages (OCVs) of the corresponding cell Ni-SDC/SDC/PrBaCo2O5+δ were 0.89V – 0.85V at 500 – 600 oC, much higher than those of other SDC electrolyte based MT-SOFCs. The peak power density of the cell was ~1484 mW cm-2 at 600 °C, approximately 1.5 times that of a similar cell with an anode substrate fabricated from the single layer extrusion method.

Analysis of Deep Drawing Process for Stainless Steel Micro-Channel Array.

The stainless steel bipolar plate has received much attention due to the cost of graphite bipolar plates. Since the micro-channel of bipolar plates plays the role of fuel flow field, electric connector and fuel sealing, an investigation of the deep drawing process for stainless steel micro-channel arrays is reported in this work. The updated Lagrangian formulation, degenerated shell finite element analysis, and the r-minimum rule have been employed to study the relationship between punch load and stroke, distributions of stress and strain, thickness variations and depth variations of individual micro-channel sections. A micro-channel array is practically formed, with a width and depth of a single micro-channel of 0.75 mm and 0.5 mm, respectively. Fractures were usually observed in the fillet corner of the micro-channel bottom. According to the experimental results, more attention should be devoted to the fillet dimension design of punch and die. A larger die fillet can lead to better formability and a reduction of the punch load. In addition, the micro-channel thickness and the fillet radius have to be taken into consideration at the same time. Finally, the punch load estimated by the unmodified metal forming equation is higher than that of experiments.

Discussion on the solar concentrating thermoelectric generation using micro-channel heat pipe array

Heat pipe is a high efficient tool in solar energy applications. In this paper, a novel solar concentrating thermoelectric generation using micro-channel heat pipe array (STEG-MCHP) was presented. The flat-plate micro-channel heat pipe array not only has a higher heat transfer performance than the common heat pipe, but also can be placed on the surface of TEG closely, which can further reduce the thermal resistance between the heat pipe and the TEG. A preliminary comparison experiment was also conducted to indicate the advantages of the STEG-MCHP. The optimization based on the model verified by the experiment was demonstrated, and the concentration ratio and selective absorbing coating area were also discussed. In addition, the cost analysis was also performed to compare between the STEG-MCHP and the common solar concentrating TEGs in series. The outcome showed that the solar concentrating thermoelectric generation using micro-channel heat pipe array has the higher electrical efficiency and lower cost, which may provide a suitable way for solar TEG applications.

Relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and hemorheology assessed by microchannel method in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

In addition to atherosclerosis, impairment of blood rheology is an important factor in cardiovascular events. The present study attempted to clarify the relationship between hemorheology and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus assessed by a microchannel method. We enrolled 294 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (109 males and 185 females; mean age, 69±11years) with no history of cardiovascular events. Hemorheology was evaluated with a microchannel array flow analyzer, and the relationship between whole-blood passage time (WBPT) and various clinical parameters was examined. WBPT was significantly correlated with advanced glycation end-product (AGE) levels at the skin (r=0.49, p<0.001), serum reactive oxygen metabolite concentrations (oxidative stress markers) (r=0.25, p<0.001), the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI, arterial function marker) (r=0.32, p<0.001), and a number of classical cardiovascular risk factors in an individual (r=0.45, p<0.001). Multiple regression analysis revealed that these factors were selected as independent variables for WBPT as a subordinate factor. Hemorheology is significantly associated with novel cardiovascular risk factors, such as AGEs, in vivo oxidative stress, and CAVI, and clustering of classical cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

THE IMPACT OF GREEN TEA ON BLOOD FLUIDITY IMPROVEMENT AND WEIGHT LOSS

Introduction: Various studies have shown the benefi cial effects of green tea, not only on cardiovascular diseases but also on type 2 diabetes.Methods: In this study, the preparation of green tea water extract has been standardized to (-)-epigalocatechin gallate (EGCG), the major component of green tea. The role of green tea water extract on blood fl uidity and diabetes diseases has been studied in 13 Fructose-Fed Rat (FFR). The rats were given high fructose diet ad libitum for one week and then combination with green tea water extract every day for 6 days.Results: The results show, green tea water extract can reduces 100 μL blood passage times of wistar rat signifi cantly (p&lt;0.01) by Micro-Channel Array Flow Analyzer (MC-FAN) instrument. Green tea water extract also had strong effect in reducing abdominal fat (p&lt;0.05), blood glucose level (p&lt;0.01) and body weight (p&lt;0.01).Conclusion: These results suggest that green tea water extract may has benefi cial effects for the treatment of diabetes and reduce blood viscosity.

Development of a single-step immunoassay microdevice based on a graphene oxide-containing hydrogel possessing fluorescence quenching and size separation functions.

An immunoassay, which is an indispensable analytical method both in biological research and in medical fields was successfully integrated into a "single-step" by developing a microdevice composed of a graphene oxide (GO)-containing hydrogel and a poly (dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microchannel array with a polyethylene glycol (PEG) coating containing a fluorescently-labelled antibody. Here we used 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) as a monomer that is easily, and homogeneously, mixed with GO to synthesize the hydrogel. The fluorescence quenching and size separation functions were then optimized by controlling the ratios of HEMA and GO. Free fluorescently-labelled antibody was successfully separated from the immunoreaction mixture by the hydrogel network structure, and the fluorescence was subsequently quenched by GO. In comparison to the previously reported immunoassay system using GO, the present system achieved a very high fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency (∼90%), due to the use of direct adsorption of the fluorescently-labelled antibody to the GO surface; in contrast, the former reported method relied on indirect adsorption of the fluorescently-labelled antibody via immunocomplex formation at the GO surface. Finally, the single-step immunoassay microdevice was made by combining the developed hydrogel and the PDMS microchannel with a coating containing the fluorescently-labelled antibody, and successfully applied for the single-step analysis of IgM levels in diluted human serum by simple introduction of the sample via capillary action.

Centrifugal micro-channel array droplet generation for highly parallel digital PCR.

Stable water-in-oil emulsion is essential to digital PCR and many other bioanalytical reactions that employ droplets as microreactors. We developed a novel technology to produce monodisperse emulsion droplets with high efficiency and high throughput using a bench-top centrifuge. Upon centrifugal spinning, the continuous aqueous phase is dispersed into monodisperse droplet jets in air through a micro-channel array (MiCA) and then submerged into oil as a stable emulsion. We performed dPCR reactions with a high dynamic range through the MiCA approach, and demonstrated that this cost-effective method not only eliminates the usage of complex microfluidic devices and control systems, but also greatly suppresses the loss of materials and cross-contamination. MiCA-enabled highly parallel emulsion generation combines both easiness and robustness of picoliter droplet production, and breaks the technical challenges by using conventional lab equipment and supplies.

Relationship Between Hemorheology Assessed Using Microchannel Array Flow Analyzer and Kidney Function in Hypertensive Patients.

BackgroundKidney function is known to be closely associated with the pathogenesis of hypertension. In contrast, hemorheology assessed using microchannel array flow analyzer (MC-FAN) has demonstrated the significance of cardiovascular risk factors in recent clinical studies. The present cross-sectional study aimed to clarify the relationship between hemorheology assessed by MC-FAN and kidney function in hypertensive patients from the perspective of primary prevention of cardiovascular events.MethodsIn total, 453 outpatients undergoing treatment for hypertension (176 men and 277 women; mean age ± standard deviation: 65 ± 13 years) with no history of cardiovascular disease were enrolled. Whole blood passage time (WBPT) was measured using MC-FAN as a marker of hemorheology, and the relationships with various clinical parameters including kidney function were examined.ResultsA significant correlation was observed between WBPT and the parameters of kidney function such as estimated glomerular filtration rate (r = -0.14, P < 0.01), urinary albumin excretion (r = 0.40, P < 0.001), and renal resistive index (r = 0.44, P < 0.001). Furthermore, multivariate analysis demonstrated urinary albumin excretion, renal resistive index, skin autofluorescence, derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites, and hematocrit as independent variables for WBPT as a subordinate factor.ConclusionsThe results of the present study indicate that hemorheology assessed by the MC-FAN is significantly associated with markers of kidney function, such as albuminuria and increased renovascular resistance, in hypertensive patients.

Association of Hemorheology With High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin T Levels in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Assessed by Microchannel Array Flow Analyzer.

BackgroundRecent studies on high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) and whole blood passage time (WBPT), estimated by hemorheology assessed with the microchannel array flow analyzer (MC-FAN), have revealed the significance of cardiovascular risk factors. However, there are no known reports on the relationship between these two clinical parameters. This cross-sectional study aimed to clarify the associations between WBPT and hs-cTnT levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus from the perspective of subclinical myocardial injury or the primary prevention of cardiovascular events.MethodsA total of 301 outpatients (men, 116; women, 185; mean age, 65 ± 11 years), with no history of cardiovascular diseases, undergoing treatment for diabetes mellitus were enrolled. Hs-cTnT levels and WBPT were measured using a commercial device, and the relationship between hs-cTnT levels and various clinical parameters, including WBPT, was examined.ResultsHs-cTnT levels were detected in 261 (86.7%) patients. WBPT was significantly higher in patients with detectable hs-cTnT levels than in those with undetectable hs-cTnT levels (64 ± 18 s vs. 51 ± 13 s, P < 0.001). In patients with detectable hs-cTnT levels, there was a significantly positive correlation between WBPT and hs-cTnT levels (r = 0.40; P < 0.001). Furthermore, multiple regression analysis revealed that WBPT (β = 0.24; P < 0.001) was an independent variable when hs-cTnT was a subordinate factor. Conversely, patients with high (≥ 70 s; odds ratio, 5.3 (95% CI, 1.6 - 16.1); P < 0.01) and median (50.2 - 69.8 s; odds ratio, 3.8 (95% CI, 1.2 - 12.4); P < 0.05) WBPT had a significantly higher risk for high hs-cTnT levels (≥ 0.014 ng/mL) than those with low WBPT (≤ 50.0 s).ConclusionsThe results of this study indicated independent associations of hemorheology with hs-cTnT in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus assessed by MC-FAN. We suggest that an increase in hs-cTnT levels can be prevented by maintaining WBPT at ≤ 50.0 s.

Clinical Impact of Hemorheology Assessed Using the Microchannel Array Flow Analyzer on Renal Resistive Index in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: The renal resistive index (RRI) assessed using ultrasonography is reportedly associated with not only kidney function but also cardiovascular disease incidence. In contrast, hemorheology assessed using the microchannel array flow analyzer (MC-FAN) has demonstrated the significance of cardiovascular risk factors in recent clinical studies. This cross-sectional study aimed to clarify the clinical impact of hemorheology assessed using MC-FAN on RRI in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus from the perspective of primary prevention of cardiovascular events. Methods: In total, 302 outpatients undergoing treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus (121 males and 181 females; mean age ± standard deviation, 66 ± 12 years) with no history of cardiovascular diseases were enrolled. The whole blood passage time (WBPT) was assessed using MC-FAN as a marker of hemorheology, and the relationship between RRI and various clinical parameters including WBPT was examined. Results: A significant positive correlation was observed between WBPT and RRI (correlation coefficient = 0.48; P &lt; 0.001). Furthermore, the multiple regression analysis demonstrated that WBPT was selected as an independent variable for RRI as a subordinate factor (beta = 0.37; P &lt; 0.001). Patients with high WBPT (&gt;= 70 s) and median WBPT (50.2 - 69.6 s) had a significantly higher risk (odds ratio (OR): 7.9; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.4 - 19.6; P &lt; 0.01 and OR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.1 - 7.8; P &lt; 0.05, respectively) of having a high RRI (&gt;= 0.70) than those with low WBPT (&lt;= 50.0 s). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that hemorheology assessed using MC-FAN is an important determining factor for RRI in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, we suggest that an increase in RRI can be prevented by maintaining WBPT &lt;= 50.0 s. Further investigation of a large number of prospective studies, including intervention therapies, will be required to confirm the results of this study. J Endocrinol Metab. 2017;7(5):146-152 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jem448w

Fabrication and Characterization of High Performance Intermediate Temperature Alumina Substrate Supported Micro-Tubular SOFCs

The central challenge of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology lies in how to achieve sufficient robustness and reliability while significantly reducing system and operating cost. This paper studied a novel alumina substrate supported micro-tubular SOFC with high performance at intermediate temperatures. An in-house built extrusion system in combination with modified phase-inversion method was used to fabricate micro-tubular alumina substrate with radially well-aligned micro-channel array. The gas permeability of such an alumina substrate reached 69.2 × 105 Lm−2h−1, approximately ten times that of the substrate with conventional microstructures. The addition of NiO (10 wt%) sintering aid significantly improved the bending strength of α-Al2O3 substrate while forming NiAl2O4 spinel phase in the substrate. Built upon the fabrication of alumina substrate, anode electrode and electrolyte layers were fabricated through dip-coating and sintering process alternatively. A porous barrier layer strategy was employed to inhibit NiO in the anode layer from diffusing into the substrate during high temperature sintering process. The resulting dense electrolyte layer and anode functional layer with the thickness of ∼10 μm and ∼20 μm were obtained respectively. The alumina substrate supported micro-tubular SOFC with material system NiO-SDC/SDC/PrBaCo2O5+δ demonstrated the peak power density of ∼1420 mW cm−2 at 600°C, which is among the best performance of SOFCs with the same material system in open literature. The novel micro-tubular cell also demonstrated excellent thermal cycling stability. By replacing the high-cost rare-earth anode material with low-cost alumina, the novel design not only significantly reduced the cost but also improved the robustness and reliability of SOFCs.

Flow pattern transition during condensation of R134a and R1234ze(E) in microchannel arrays

Two-phase flow pattern transition during the condensation of R134a and R1234ze(E) was experimentally investigated in a microchannel array made of borosilicate glass cooled symmetrically on the top and bottom by forced convection of water. The microchannel array consisted of 50 channels with the aspect ratio of 2.46, the hydraulic diameter of 301.6μm and the length of 50mm. Saturation temperatures are 20–25°C with mass fluxes varying from 6 to 50kg/m2/s. Observed patterns are annular flow, steady injection flow, quasi-symmetric wave flow and slug/bubbly flow. In addition, three flow pattern transition modes including steady injection, wave-coalescence injection, and liquid bridging were observed and mapped in terms of liquid Webb number versus condensation number. The steady injection transition was more studied in detail by measuring the bubble length variation and the moving velocity of bubbles and slugs with different mass fluxes of R134a and R1234ze(E). The transition mechanism of injection flow was identified by analyzing the force balance based on the experimental results. The flow pattern transition locations and frequencies were measured and compared with the prediction correlations in the previous investigations.

A simple method for producing multiple copies of controlled release small molecule microarrays for cell-based screening

Traditional drug discovery involves the screening of lead compounds from a chemical library by using cell-based high throughput screening (HTS) procedures. This has created a demand for the development of cell-based microarray chips for HTS of compounds. Although several cell-based microarray devices and procedures for screening of chemical libraries have been reported, each has limitations in terms of simplicity, speed, and cost. Here, we sought to make a simple method for producing multiple copies of microarray chips for the controlled release of small molecules during cell-based screening. Arrays of polytetrafluoroethylene microchannels were set in poly(dimethylsiloxane) and were formed in a metal mold. Subsequently, a biodegradable polymer, PLGAs, with chemical compounds was injected into each channel, and the array was sliced perpendicular to the channels to create multiple copies of the microarray chip. After seeding the cells on the microarray chip, we were able to successfully control the diffusion of small molecules and locally introduce the compounds into cells. The described method enables the production of multiple copies of the chip by using an easy, rapid, and inexpensive array fabrication without any specialized devices. Moreover, screening using the microarray chip minimizes the consumption of cells and chemicals. Both the biodegradable material and compound injected into each channel can be individually tuned for optimized performance. Therefore, we expect that this method will be useful for developing cell-based HTS assays for small chemical compounds to find drug candidates.

Photoelectrocatalytic microreactor for seawater decontamination with negligible chlorine generation

Decontamination of seawater is of particular importance for the waste seawater treatment before its drainage. However, some mature methods to clean waste fresh water cannot be employed to treat waste seawater due to its high slat concentration. Besides, excessive chlorine generation during the seawater decontamination process is toxic for sea creatures. In this work, a microfluidic reactor is designed and fabricated to enable the photoelectrocatalytic effect for highly-efficient seawater decontamination with negligible chlorine production. The fabricated microreactor consists of three layers: a blank indium tin oxide glass (ITO) slide serves as the cover, another ITO glass slide coated with the BiVO4 nanoporous film works as the substrate, and in between is an epoxy layer with a planar reaction chamber (10 × 10 × 0.1 mm3) and a tree-shape microchannel array. Different bias potentials are applied across the reaction chamber to decompose the methylene blue in the saline water. With the bias of ±1.8 V, the degradation rate reaches as high as about 5.3 s−1 for the negative bias and about 4.7 s−1 for the positive bias while the generated chlorine is negligible with bias up to 2.2 V. The high decontamination efficiency and elimination of chlorine generation suggest that the photoelectrocatalytic microreactor device has high potential to be scaled up for industrial applications. This also provides us an ideal platform to study the underling mechanisms and kinetics of seawater decontamination.

Embedded single phase microfluidic thermal management for non-uniform heating and hotspots using microgaps with variable pin fin clustering

The presence of variable heat fluxes, such as localized hotspots in integrated circuit (IC) architectures poses a key challenge for thermal management of existing (2D) and emerging three-dimensionally (3D) stacked chips. The use of conventional microchannel or uniform pin fin arrays for microfluidic cooling do not provide adequate surface area for heat transfer in the vicinity of regions of concentrated high power (hotspots), and therefore significant temperature gradients might arise in such zones. In the present investigation, the concept of using a single microfluidic loop for the combined and efficient cooling of hotspot and moderate power (background) areas is proposed, experimentally demonstrated, and supported by a comprehensive numerical model. Two different thermal device vehicles (TDVs) are considered for a range of operating conditions, in which the surface area is locally increased by clustering a dense array of pin fins in the hotspot region for one configuration, while for the other the clustering is uniform in the spanwise direction. De-ionized (DI) water is used as the coolant through a silicon (Si) microgap with 200μm spacing; the hotspot heat flux is varied from 250 to 750W/cm2, while the background heat flux is fixed at 250W/cm2. Results indicate the capability of the proposed designs to keep the maximum temperature of the combined device below 65°C for an inlet water temperature of 21.3°C, with moderate temperature gradients and pressure drop. In addition, a robust computational fluid dynamics/heat transfer (CFD–HT) model capable of predicting spatially resolved temperature fields arising from heterogeneous heating is validated with relevant experimental data. Detailed benchmark simulations are provided, so they can be reproduced and used for reference in numerical studies with variable pin fin densities. The described methodology represents a cost-effective thermal modeling technique that may be applicable to virtually any type of heat flux distribution or power map, and IC architecture.