Vapor separation in minichannel heat sink flow boiling application using gradient porous copper ribs

Abstract

The accumulation of a significant amount of vapor in minichannels severely limits their flow boiling heat transfer performance, posing a challenge for efficient thermal management in high-power electronic devices. To address this issue, we propose an innovative gradient porous copper rib minichannel with a vapor separation function. This design incorporates micro-pore porous copper and open-cell porous copper, where the unique structure of the micro-pore porous copper is crucial for achieving effective vapor separation. This innovative design not only expands the vapor discharge pathways within the minichannel but also significantly enhances the overall efficiency of vapor removal. Using water as the working fluid, flow boiling experiments were conducted across a range of mass fluxes (G = 26.1 kg/(m²s) ∼ 156.9 kg/(m²s)) and heat fluxes (q_eff = 38.2 kW/m² ∼ 267.5 kW/m²). The experimental results demonstrate that vapor separation significantly alleviates backflow and enhances heat transfer performance. Specifically, our findings indicate that the average temperature of the heat transfer surface decreases by 0 to 10 °C, while the maximum heat transfer coefficient increases by 2.3 times compared to conventional designs. This work presents a practical and innovative approach to mitigating vapor accumulation in minichannels, providing valuable insights for the design of high-performance minichannel heat sinks.