Natural Patterns Applied to the Design of Microchannel Heat Sinks

Abstract

The present work shows a study developed of the thermal and hydrodynamic behaviors present in microchannel heat sinks formed by non-conventional arrangements. These arrangements are based on patterns that nature presents. There are two postulates that model natural forms in a mathematical way: the Allometric Law and the Biomimetic Tendency. Both theories have been applied in the last few years in different fields of science and technology. Using both theories, six models were analyzed (there are three cases proposed and both theories are applied to each case). Microchannel heat sinks with split channels are obtained as a result of applying these theories. Water is the cooling fluid of the system. The inlet hydraulic diameter is kept in each model in order to have a reference for comparison. The Reynolds number inside the heat sink remains below the transition Reynolds number value published by several researchers for this channel dimensions. The inlet Reynolds number of the fluid at the channel inlet is the same for each model. A heat flux is supplied to the bottom wall of the heat sink. The magnitude of this heat flux is 150 W/cm2. The temperature fields and velocity profiles are obtained for each case and compared.

Investigations on Heat Transfer Characteristics of Porous Type Copper Heat Sink With Bifurcations

“…A study was made on design of microchannel heat sink based on natural designs. Carlos Alberto Rubio-Jimenez et al [12] found that temperature contours obtained on heat sinks studied were non-homogeneous in nature. The design of heat sink corresponding to case 2-A was found to be most suitable design since the temperature distribution obtained on this design was found to be below the design point.…”

Entropy Generation Minima in Different Configurations of the Branching of a Fluid-Carrying Pipe in Laminar Isothermal Flow

“…(1) Use of an "optimal" diameter ratio (the basic assumption of all allometric models) is avoided, since this parameter is uniquely specified once the physical flow type has been assigned (constant Re, constant U, constant fluid volume); (2) A suitable physical correlation is introduced in the above mentioned models to link the "optimal" splitting ratio λ to the diameter ratio δ  in such a way that the minimum entropy generation -which is the most reasonable indicator of "optimal performance" -is at least one of the components of the objective function; (3) An additional correction is also introduced in the models to allow for the higher-than-unity diameter ratio δ  found for the "constant volume" configurations, which is a case not contemplated either by allometric [1,13,14] nor by arithmetic/geometrical (including fractal) [3,15] paradigms. Table 1.…”