Teardrop-like micro pin fin coated nanotube arrays chip for enhancement of flow boiling electronics cooling

Abstract

Phase change flow boiling heat transfer in microchannel is a very efficient thermal management mode for high-power electronics/devices cooling. However, achieving comprehensive enhancement of flow boiling heat transfer performance at low power consumption is still challenging. Herein, we devised and manufactured a teardrop-like micro-pin-fin coated stable copper hydroxide nanotubes array chip surfaces (S-Nanotube), demonstrating their exceptional enhancement in flow boiling heat transfer efficiency. A series of experiments were conducted using HFE-7100 as a working fluid within a semi-open microchannel. Compared to the smooth surface, the critical heat flux (CHF) and the maximum boiling heat transfer coefficient (HTC) of the S-Nanotube is increased by 82.1 % (from 45.1 to 72.9 and then to 82.1 W/cm²) and 140.5 % (from 5955 to 11,325 and then to 14,316 W/m²·K) at extremely low-pressure drop (≤4 kPa), showing a high coefficient of performance (COP). The temperature of the onset of nucleate boiling on the S-Nanotube surface is reduced by 26.4 %, and the heat flux is greatly increased in a small wall temperature variations (ΔT ≤ 10 °C). In situ observation and analysis of the surface properties and the bubble dynamics, the S-Nanotube chip promotes the phase change heat transfer process by providing massive nucleation sites, reducing bubbles size and residence time, and enhancing the wicking wetting capacity. These findings provide guidance for the rational design of boiling heat transfer-enhanced surfaces and heat sinks and point the way to achieving efficient thermal management of power devices.