A simulation study of thermal and hydraulic characteristics mini-channel circular heat sink: Effect of L-shaped multi-channel arrangement on flow maldistribution

Abstract

Mini channel cooling represents a highly effective methodology for the dissipation of thermal energy in electronic systems. The employment of a circular heat sink, characterized by novel configurations that incorporate various arrangements of innovative L-channel passages, facilitates the enhancement of thermal performance in circular mini channel heat sinks by mitigating the incidence of non-uniform coolant distribution. In this investigation, six distinct circular mini channel heat sinks were subjected to testing. Computational simulations were employed to assess their efficacy. The simulation results indicated that the innovative L-shaped channel passages exhibited superior heat transfer capabilities when compared to traditional (rectangular) channels. An increase in the Reynolds number from 491 to 983 corresponds with an enhancement in the performance index and a reduction in the maximum hotspot temperature, thereby leading to a decrease in the maximum thermal resistance. The L-channel passages for design (JMMLCCHS) demonstrated the most significant efficacy in diminishing coolant misdistribution and enhancing the performance index by a factor of 1.194 relative to the conventional design. The JMMLCCHS configuration recorded the most pronounced reduction in maximum thermal resistance, yielding a value of 0.33136 °C/W in contrast to 0.40587 °C/W for the traditional rectangular channel (TMMRCCHS). Moreover, the JMMLCCHS design exhibited the most substantial decrease in hotspot temperature, achieving an 8 °C reduction compared to the conventional design (TMMRCCHS) at a Reynolds number of 983.