Flow Maldistribution Effects on the Temperature Uniformity in Double-Layered Microchannel Heat Sinks

Author(s):  
Carlo Nonino ◽  
Stefano Savino

Abstract A numerical investigation is carried out on the effects of flow maldistribution on the temperature uniformity and overall thermal resistance in double-layered microchannel heat sinks. Different flow maldistribution models accounting for the effects of some typical header designs are considered together with different combinations of the average inlet velocity in the two layers of microchannels for a given total mass flow rate. The numerical simulations are carried out using an in-house FEM procedure previously developed by the authors for the analysis of cross-flow microchannel heat exchangers.

Fluids ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 143
Author(s):  
Carlo Nonino ◽  
Stefano Savino

An in-house finite element method (FEM) procedure is used to carry out a numerical study on the thermal behavior of cross-flow double-layered microchannel heat sinks with an unequal number of microchannels in the two layers. The thermal performance is compared with those yielded by other more conventional flow configurations. It is shown that if properly designed, i.e., with several microchannels in the top layer smaller than that in the bottom layer, cross-flow double-layered microchannel heat sinks can provide an acceptable thermal resistance and a reasonably good temperature uniformity of the heated base with a header design that is much simpler than that required by the counter-flow arrangement.


Author(s):  
Karthik Silaipillayarputhur ◽  
Stephen A. Idem

The transient performance of a multi-pass cross flow heat exchanger subjected to temperature and mass flow rate perturbations, where the heat exchanger flow circuiting is neither parallel flow nor counter flow, is considered in this work. A detailed numerical study was performed for representative single-pass, two-pass, and three-pass heat exchangers. Numerical predictions were obtained for cases where the minimum capacity rate fluid was subjected to a step change in inlet temperature in absence of mass flow rate perturbations. Likewise, numerical predictions were obtained for the heat exchangers operating initially at steady state, where a step mass flow rate change of the minimum capacity rate fluid was imposed in the absence of any fluid temperature perturbations. The transient performance of this particular heat exchanger configuration subjected to these temperature and flow disturbances has not been discussed previously in the available literature. In the present study the energy balance equations for the hot and cold fluids and the heat exchanger wall were solved using an implicit central finite difference method. A parametric study was conducted by varying the dimensionless quantities that govern the transient response of the heat exchanger over a typical range of values. Because of the storage of energy in the heat exchanger wall, and finite propagation times associated with the inlet perturbations, the outlet temperatures of both fluids do not respond instantaneously. The results are compared with previously published transient performance predictions of multi-pass counter flow and parallel flow heat exchangers.


Entropy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daxiang Deng ◽  
Guang Pi ◽  
Weixun Zhang ◽  
Peng Wang ◽  
Ting Fu

This work numerically studies the thermal and hydraulic performance of double-layered microchannel heat sinks (DL-MCHS) for their application in the cooling of high heat flux microelectronic devices. The superiority of double-layered microchannel heat sinks was assessed by a comparison with a single-layered microchannel heat sink (SL-MCHS) with the same triangular microchannels. Five DL-MCHSs with different cross-sectional shapes—triangular, rectangular, trapezoidal, circular and reentrant Ω-shaped—were explored and compared. The results showed that DL-MCHS decreased wall temperatures and thermal resistance considerably, induced much more uniform wall temperature distribution, and reduced the pressure drop and pumping power in comparison with SL-MCHS. The DL-MCHS with trapezoidal microchannels performed the worst with regard to thermal resistance, pressure drop, and pumping power. The DL-MCHS with rectangular microchannels produced the best overall thermal performance and seemed to be the optimum when thermal performance was the prime concern. Nevertheless, the DL-MCHS with reentrant Ω-shaped microchannels should be selected when pumping power consumption was the most important consideration.


Author(s):  
Carlo Nonino ◽  
Stefano Savino

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is twofold: to describe a relevant improvement to an in-house FEM procedure for the heat transfer analysis of cross-flow micro heat exchangers and to study the influence of microchannel cross-sectional geometry and solid wall thermal conductivity on the thermal performance of these microdevices. Design/methodology/approach – The velocity field in each microchannel is calculated separately. Then the energy equation is solved in the whole computational domain. Domain decomposition and grids that do not match at the common interface are employed to make meshing more effective. Some flow maldistribution effects are taken into account. Findings – The results show that larger thermal conductivities of the solid walls and rectangular cross-sectional geometries with higher aspect ratios allow the maximization of the total heat flow rate in the device. However, on the basis of the heat transfer per unit pumping power, the square cross-section could be the best option. Research limitations/implications – The value of the average viscosity is assumed to be different in different microchannels, but constant within each of the microchannels. Practical implications – The procedure can represent a valuable tool for the design of cross-flow micro heat exchangers. Originality/value – In spite of requiring limited computational resources, the improved procedure can take into account flow maldistribution effects stemming from non-uniform microchannel temperatures.


Author(s):  
Ravi S. Prasher ◽  
John Dirner ◽  
Je-Young Chang ◽  
Alan Myers ◽  
David Chau ◽  
...  

We have performed a parametric study of the thermal and hydraulic performance of silicon-based micro pin fin heat exchangers with water as the fluid. Circular and square micro pin fins have been fabricated. The pin dimensions ranged from 50 μm to 150 μm. The test chip is unique because it has 20 micro temperature sensors of the size 75 μm × 75 μm to accurately capture the thermal resistance of the micro pin fin heat exchanger. Data shows that there is no difference in the hydraulic and the thermal resistance of circular and square pins. Conventional correlations for friction factor and Nusselt number match well with the data.


Author(s):  
Tianyi Gao ◽  
James Geer ◽  
Bahgat Sammakia

Heat exchangers are important facilities that are widely used in heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. For example, heat exchangers are the primary units used in the design of the heat transfer loops of cooling systems for data centers. The performance of a heat exchanger strongly influences the thermal performance of the entire cooling system. The prediction of transient phenomenon of heat exchangers is of increasing interest in many application areas. In this work, a dynamic thermal model for a cross flow heat exchanger is solved numerically in order to predict the transient response under step changes in the fluid mass flow rate and the fluid inlet temperature. Transient responses of both the primary and secondary fluid outlet temperatures are characterized under different scenarios, including fluid mass flow rate change and a combination of changes in the fluid inlet temperature and the mass flow rate. In the ε-NTU (number of transfer units) method, the minimum capacity, denoted by Cmin, is the smaller of Ch and Cc. Due to a mass flow rate change, Cmin may vary from one fluid to another fluid. The numerical procedure and transient response regarding the case of varying Cmin are investigated in detail in this study. A review and comparison of several journal articles related to the similar topic are performed. Several sets of data available in the literatures which are in error are studied and analyzed in detail.


Author(s):  
Vishal Singhal ◽  
Suresh V. Garimella

A novel micropump design for electronics cooling applications capable of integration into microchannel heat sinks is presented. The pumping action is due to the combined action of Coulomb forces due to induction electrohydrodynamics (EHD) and a vibrating diaphragm with nozzle-diffuser elements for flow rectification. A comprehensive numerical model of the micropump accounting for transient charge transport and vibrating diaphragm deformation is developed. Each component of the model is validated by comparing to analytical, numerical or experimental results from the literature. It is shown that the flow rate achieved by the micropump with combined action of EHD and vibrating diaphragm can be higher than the sum of flow rates achieved from the action of the EHD and the vibrating diaphragm, independent of each other.


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