Liquid-cooled heat sink (cold plate) used for power electronics cooling is numerically studied. Thermal performance and hydraulic resistance are analyzed, with emphasis on geometric construction of cooling channels. Two heat transfer enhancing channel shapes are investigated, such as alternating elliptical channel and alternating rectangular channel (AR-C). Their performances are compared with that of three traditional straight channel shapes, as straight circular channel, straight elliptical channel, and straight rectangular channel. A heat sink with uniform and discrete heat sources is studied. Thermal and hydraulic characteristics in the heat sink are simulated using computational fluid dynamics approach, with water as coolant. The results show that the AR-C has the highest thermal performance with a little penalty on pressure drop, considering fixed channel hydraulic diameter and coolant volumetric flow rate. Geometry optimization is investigated for the AR-C, as well as the effect of channel density. It is found that higher channel density can improve both thermal performance and hydraulic resistance. It is concluded that alternating channel can improve cold plate performance and should be taken into application to power electronics cooling.
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June 2011
Research Papers
Analysis of Liquid-Cooled Heat Sink Used for Power Electronics Cooling
Hemin Hu,
Hemin Hu
School of Energy and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University
, Beijing 102206, China
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Jiahui Zhang,
Jiahui Zhang
Siemens Industry, Inc.
, I DT LD AM Global Headquarters, 100 Sagamore Hill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15239 e-mail:
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Xiaoze Du,
Xiaoze Du
School of Energy and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University
, Beijing 102206, China
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Lijun Yang
Lijun Yang
School of Energy and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University
, Beijing 102206, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Hemin Hu
School of Energy and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University
, Beijing 102206, China
Jiahui Zhang
Siemens Industry, Inc.
, I DT LD AM Global Headquarters, 100 Sagamore Hill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15239 e-mail:
Xiaoze Du
School of Energy and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University
, Beijing 102206, China
e-mail:
Lijun Yang
School of Energy and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University
, Beijing 102206, China
J. Thermal Sci. Eng. Appl. Jun 2011, 3(2): 021001 (9 pages)
Published Online: July 13, 2011
Article history
Received:
August 6, 2010
Revised:
March 29, 2011
Online:
July 13, 2011
Published:
July 13, 2011
Citation
Hu, H., Zhang, J., Du, X., and Yang, L. (July 13, 2011). "Analysis of Liquid-Cooled Heat Sink Used for Power Electronics Cooling." ASME. J. Thermal Sci. Eng. Appl. June 2011; 3(2): 021001. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4004079
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