A thermal performance improvement study on a novel heat sink design

This study explores the thermal performance improvement of a novel heat sink design using reduced channel height and Al₂O₃-water based nanofluid for cooling applications. Some of the key variables, such as design parameters, mass flow rate, and heat flux are examined, with comparative analyses conducted against traditional straight and wavy channel heat sinks. This innovative design aims to promote secondary flow and improved flow mixing, which is important for optimizing heat transfer in cooling applications. The study further demonstrates that reduced channel heights enhance heat transfer performance and hence thermal efficiency. At a mass flow rate of 0.006 kg/s and with 0.6 percent Al₂O₃ volume concentration, the heat transfer ratio to the water reaches 1.148 in a wavy design with a 10 mm channel height. Increasing the mass flow rate from 0.006 to 0.016 kg/s leads to a 10.27 percent reduction in average temperature, underscoring the impact of higher mass flow rates on thermal performance. The study reveals a significant decrease in thermal resistance by 26.3 percent when the channel height is reduced from 12.7 to 10 mm at a low mass flow rate of 0.009 kg/s. With reduced heights, wavy channel designs demonstrate higher effectiveness over straight channels, especially at higher mass flow rates. Additionally, as mass flow rates increase, the pressure drop ratio of nanofluids to water also rises, with the peak ratio of 1.016 observed at a mass flow rate of 0.016 kg/s for 0.6 percent Al₂O₃, indicating increased flow resistance. The results from numerical and experimental methods provide a comprehensive study for better performance of the new heat sink design, suggesting its potential application in advanced thermal management systems.