Optimization Of Pin-Fin Heat Sink Research Articles

Reliability-based design optimization of pin-fin heat sinks using a cell evolution method

Abstract This paper conveys the concept and idea of reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) to design a robust and reliable pin-fin heat sink for operating in an uncertain environment. In doing so, we formulate an RBDO heat sink design problem and incorporate a recently developed cell evolution method (CEM) to solve the formulated RBDO problem that aims to minimize entropy generation rate under the simultaneous variations caused by ambient temperature and the velocity of the air approaching the heat sink. From finite element analysis of the RBDO designed heat sinks, we found that the increment of the target reliability tends to create a more symmetric and uniform temperature distribution around the center of the heat sink and thereby presents a greater ability to resist the environmental variations. Besides, extensive simulation results reveal that the RBDO designed heat sink is superior to conventional deterministic ones in providing a much more robust and reliable heat dissipation performance when faced with environmental uncertainties. Furthermore, we report the visible findings about how the reliable solution varies depending upon the reliability indices for pin-fin heat sinks with inline and staggered arrangements.

Numerical Optimization of Pin-Fin Heat Sink with Forced Cooling

Numerical Optimization of Pin-Fin Heat Sink with Forced Cooling

Optimization of Cylindrical Pin-Fin Heat Sinks Using Genetic Algorithms

<para xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> In this paper, genetic algorithms (GAs) are applied for the optimization of pin-fin heat sinks. GAs are usually considered as a computational method to obtain optimal solution in a very large solution space. Entropy generation rate due to heat transfer and pressure drop across pin-fins is minimized by using GAs. Analytical/empirical correlations for heat transfer coefficients and friction factors are used in the optimization model, where the characteristic length is used as the diameter of the pin and reference velocity used in Reynolds number and pressure drop is based on the minimum free area available for the fluid flow. Both inline and staggered arrangements are studied and their relative performance is compared on the basis of equal overall volume of heat sinks. It is demonstrated that geometric parameters, material properties, and flow conditions can be simultaneously optimized using GA. </para>

Optimization of pin-fin heat sinks using entropy generation minimization

In this study, an entropy generation minimization, EGM, technique is applied as a unique measure to study the thermodynamic losses caused by heat transfer and pressure drop in cylindrical pin-fin heat sinks. The use of EGM allows the combined effect of thermal resistance and pressure drop to be assessed through the simultaneous interaction with the heat sink. A general expression for the entropy generation rate is obtained by considering the whole heat sink as a control volume and applying the conservation equations for mass and energy with the entropy balance. Analytical/empirical correlations for heat transfer coefficients and friction factors are used in the optimization model, where the characteristic length is used as the diameter of the pin and reference velocity used in Reynolds number and pressure drop is based on the minimum free area available for the fluid flow. Both in-line and staggered arrangements are studied and their relative performance is compared on the basis of equal overall volume of heat sinks. It is shown that all relevant design parameters for pin-fin heat sinks, including geometric parameters, material properties and flow conditions can be simultaneously optimized.