An Experimental Study on the Design of Miniature Heat Sinks for Forced Convection Air Cooling

2009 ◽  
Vol 131 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Egan ◽  
Jason Stafford ◽  
Pat Walsh ◽  
Ed Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Heat Sinks ◽  
Cooling Power ◽  
Air Cooling ◽  
Pressure Losses ◽  
Low Profile ◽  
Image Velocimetry ◽  
Profile Height ◽  
Footprint Area ◽  
Heat Sink Design

An experimental study is performed on one of the smallest commercially available miniature fans, suitable for cooling portable electronic devices, used in conjunction with both finned and finless heat sinks of equal exterior dimensions. The maximum overall footprint area of the cooling solution is 534mm2 with a profile height of 5 mm. Previous analysis has shown that due to fan exit angle, flow does not enter the heat sinks parallel to the fins or bounding walls. This results in a nonuniform flow rate within the channels of the finned and finless heat sinks along with impingement of the flow at the entrance giving rise to large entrance pressure losses. In this paper straightening diffusers were attached at the exit of the fan, which resulted in aligning the flow entering the heat sinks with the fins and channel walls. Detailed velocity measurements were obtained using particle image velocimetry, which provided a further insight into the physics of the flow in such miniature geometries and in designing the straightening diffusers. The thermal analysis results indicate that the cooling power of the solution is increased by up to 20% through the introduction of a diffuser, hence demonstrating the need for integrated fan and heat sink design of low profile applications.

Thermal Analysis of Miniature Low Profile Heat Sinks With and Without Fins

2009 ◽  
Vol 131 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Egan ◽  
P. A. Walsh ◽  
E. Walsh ◽  
R. Grimes
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Heat Sink ◽  
Volume Flow Rate ◽  
Electronic Devices ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Heat Sinks ◽  
Superior Performance ◽  
Low Profile ◽  
In Series ◽  
Heat Sink Design

Reliable and efficient cooling solutions for portable electronic devices are now at the forefront of research due to consumer demand for manufacturers to downscale existing technologies. To achieve this, the power consumed has to be dissipated over smaller areas resulting in elevated heat fluxes. With regard to cooling such devices, the most popular choice is to integrate a fan driven heat sink, which for portable electronic devices must have a low profile. This paper presents an experimental investigation into such low profile cooling solutions, which incorporate one of the smallest commercially available fans in series with two different heat sink designs. The first of these is the conventionally used finned heat sink design, which was specifically optimized and custom manufactured in the current study to complement the driving fan. While the second design proposed is a novel “finless” type heat sink suitable for use in low profile applications. Together the driving fan and heat sinks combined were constrained to have a total footprint area of 465 mm2 and a profile height of only 5 mm, making them ideal for use in portable electronics. The objective was to evaluate the performance of the proposed finless heat sink design against a conventional finned heat sink, and this was achieved by means of thermal resistance and overall heat transfer coefficient measurements. It was found that the proposed finless design proved to be the superior cooling solution when operating at low fan speeds, while at the maximum fan speed tested of 8000 rpm both provided similar performance. Particle image velocimetry measurements were used to detail the flow structures within each heat sink and highlighted methods, which could further optimize their performance. Also, these measurements along with corresponding global volume flow rate measurements were used to elucidate the enhanced heat transfer characteristics observed for the finless design. Overall, it is shown that the proposed finless type heat sink can provide superior performance compared with conventional finned designs when used in low profile applications. In addition a number of secondary benefits associated with such a design are highlighted including lower cost, lower mass, lower acoustics, and reduced fouling issues.

The Development of an Integrated Fan and Heat Sink Solution for Thermal Management in Low Profile Applications

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ed Walsh ◽  
Ronan Grimes
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Thermal Management ◽  
Heat Sink ◽  
Heat Sinks ◽  
Portable Electronics ◽  
Low Profile ◽  
Convection Cooling ◽  
New Methodologies ◽  
Heat Sink Design ◽  
Management Issues

The increasing heat flux densities from portable electronics are leading to new methodologies being implemented to provide thermal management within such devices. Many technologies are under development to transport heat within electronic equipment to allow it to be transported into the surroundings via conduction, natural convection and radiation. Few have considered the approach of implementing a forced convection cooling solution in such devices. This work addresses the potential of a low profile integrated fan and heat sink solution to electronics thermal management issues of the future, particularly focusing upon possible solutions in low profile portable electronics. We investigate two heat sink designs with mini channel features, applicable to low profile applications. The thermal performance of the heat sinks is seen to differ by approximately 40% and highlights the importance of efficient heat sink design at this scale.

Simplified and Detailed Analysis of Data Center Particulate Contamination At Server and Room Level Using CFD

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satyam Saini ◽  
Pardeep Shahi ◽  
Pratik V Bansode ◽  
Jimil M. Shah ◽  
Dereje Agonafer
Keyword(s):  
Detailed Analysis ◽  
Data Center ◽  
Particle Concentration ◽  
Heat Sinks ◽  
Cooling Power ◽  
Air Cooling ◽  
Component Reliability ◽  
Particulate Contamination ◽  
Free Air ◽  
Particulate Contaminants

Abstract Continuous rise in cloud computing and other web-based services propelled the data center proliferation seen over the past decade. Traditional data centers use vapor-compression-based cooling units that not only reduce energy efficiency but also increase operational and initial investment costs due to involved redundancies. Free air cooling and airside economization can substantially reduce the IT Equipment (ITE) cooling power consumption, which accounts for approximately 40% of energy consumption for a typical air-cooled data center. However, this cooling approach entails an inherent risk of exposing the IT equipment to harmful ultrafine particulate contaminants, thus, potentially reducing the equipment and component reliability. The present investigation attempts to quantify the effects of particulate contamination inside the data center equipment and ITE room using CFD. An analysis of the boundary conditions to be used was done by detailed modeling of IT equipment and the data center white space. Both 2-D and 3-D simulations were done for detailed analysis of particle transport within the server enclosure. An analysis of the effect of the primary pressure loss obstructions like heat sinks and DIMMs inside the server was done to visualize the localized particle concentrations within the server. A room-level simulation was then conducted to identify the most vulnerable locations of particle concentration within the data center space. The results show that parameters such as higher velocities, heat sink cutouts, and higher aspect ratio features within the server tend to increase the particle concentration inside the servers.

Forced Convection Air Cooling of Simulated Low Profile Electronic Components: Part 2—Heat Sink Effects

1991 ◽  
Vol 113 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. L. Lehmann ◽  
J. Pembroke
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Forced Convection ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Heat Sink ◽  
Heat Sinks ◽  
Air Cooling ◽  
Channel Spacing ◽  
Heat Transfer Behavior ◽  
Low Profile ◽  
Transfer Behavior

Forced convection air cooling of an array of low profile, card-mounted components has been investigated. A simulated array is attached to one wall of a low aspect ratio duct. This is the second half of a two-part study. In this second part the presence of a longitudinally finned heat sink is considered. The heat sink is a thermally passive “flow disturbance”. Laboratory measurements of the heat transfer rates downstream of the heat sink are reported and compared with the measured values which occur when no heat sinks are present. Data are presented for three heat sink geometries subject to variations in channel spacing and flow rate. In the flow range considered laminar, transitional and turbulent heat transfer behavior has been observed. The presence of a heat sink appears to “trip” the start of transition at lower Reynolds numbers than when no heat sinks are present. A Reynolds number based on component length provides a good correlation of the heat transfer behavior due to variations in flow rate and channel spacing. Heat transfer is most strongly effected by flow rate and position relative to the heat sink. Depending on the flow regime (laminar or turbulent) both relative enhancement and reductions in the component Nusselt number have been observed. The impact of introducing a heat sink is greatest for flow rates corresponding to transitional behavior.

On the Characterisation of Finned and Finless Heat Sinks for Portable Electronics

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Egan ◽  
P. Walsh ◽  
E. Walsh ◽  
R. Grimes
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Resistance ◽  
Heat Sink ◽  
Electronic Devices ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Heat Sinks ◽  
Axial Fan ◽  
Maximum Heat ◽  
Maximum Heat Transfer ◽  
Low Profile ◽  
Profile Height

Reliable and efficient cooling solutions for portable electronic devices are now at the forefront of research due to consumer demand for manufacturers to downscale their existing technologies. The power required for these technologies now has to be dissipated over smaller areas resulting in elevated heat fluxes. The most popular choice among engineers in terms of cooling solutions is to integrate a fan with a heat sink and for portable electronic devices this involves the use of a low profile solution. In this paper an experimental investigation on the thermal performance of a finned and finless heat sink integrated with an axial fan, for the purpose of cooling a microchip, is presented. The objective is to characterise the performance of each heat sink in terms of thermal resistance and to develop an understanding of the flow structures in such systems. One of the smallest commercially available fans is used in conjunction with each heat sink giving a total footprint area of 465m2 and profile height of 5mm. Thermal resistances are measured over a range of fan speeds and detailed velocity measurements were taken of the flow within the heat sinks using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). The thermal analysis results indicate that the thermal resistance of the system is of order 30 deg C/W for both heat sinks. However, the finless heat sink resulted in slightly lower values over a range of intermediate fan speeds. Hence, indicating that the maximum heat transfer density, for a range of fan speeds, can be achieved with a finless heat sink. The results also define the limiting heat fluxes that can be dissipated in low profile miniature applications.

Experimental and Analytical Investigation of Compact Liquid Cooled Heat Sinks

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Zugic ◽  
J. R. Culham ◽  
P. Teertstra ◽  
Y. Muzychka ◽  
K. Horne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
High Heat ◽  
Analytical Investigation ◽  
Boundary Resistance ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Heat Sinks ◽  
Air Cooling ◽  
Design Tools

Compact, liquid cooled heat sinks are used in applications where high heat fluxes and boundary resistance preclude the use of more traditional air cooling techniques. Four different liquid cooled heat sink designs, whose core geometry is formed by overlapped ribbed plates, are examined. The objective of this analysis is to develop models that can be used as design tools for the prediction of overall heat transfer and pressure drop of heat sinks. Models are validated for Reynolds numbers between 300 and 5000 using experimental tests. The agreement between the experiments and the models ranges from 2.35% to 15.3% RMS.

Design of Complex Structured Monolithic Heat Sinks for Enhanced Air Cooling

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 266-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shankar Krishnan ◽  
Domhnaill Hernon ◽  
Marc Hodes ◽  
John Mullins ◽  
Alan M. Lyons
Keyword(s):  
Heat Sinks ◽  
Air Cooling
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