Experimental investigation of a topology-optimized phase change heat sink optimized for natural convection

In this study, a topology-optimized heat sink is developed and applied to electronics cooling by utilizing a phase change material interspersed through a finned structure. The topology optimization is performed by the minimization of the global thermal compliance in the solution of the modified mome...

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Main Authors: See, Yao Song, Ho, Jin Yao, Leong, Kai Choong, Wong, Teck Neng
Other Authors: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: 2022
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Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/161941
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Institution: Nanyang Technological University
Language: English
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spelling sg-ntu-dr.10356-1619412022-09-27T01:41:09Z Experimental investigation of a topology-optimized phase change heat sink optimized for natural convection See, Yao Song Ho, Jin Yao Leong, Kai Choong Wong, Teck Neng School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Singapore Centre for 3D Printing Engineering::Mechanical engineering Topology Optimization Natural Convection In this study, a topology-optimized heat sink is developed and applied to electronics cooling by utilizing a phase change material interspersed through a finned structure. The topology optimization is performed by the minimization of the global thermal compliance in the solution of the modified momentum equation with the Boussinesq approximation to account for natural convection. The optimized heat sink, namely the natural convection topology-optimized heat sink, was fabricated by Selective Laser Melting, a metal additive manufacturing technique. The natural convection topology-optimized heat sink was experimentally characterized based on its base temporal temperature and its operation time. The performance of our newly developed heat sink was then evaluated by comparing against a conventional heat sink design, a baseline design with no surface enhancements, and a second topology-optimized heat sink based on heat conduction. The results show that the natural convection topology-optimized heat sink has a lower base temperature compared to the conventional heat sink, but higher base temperature than the second topology-optimized heat sink during the PCM melting phase. However, the natural convection topology-optimized heat sink has an operation time which is 31.0% longer than all the other heat sinks with enhanced structures. Through visualization of the melting process, we can deduce that the longer operation time of the natural convection topology-optimized heat sink is primarily due to the movement of the melt front which results in a slower melting, while optimizing natural convection of the melted material. These mechanisms maintain a reasonably low heat sink base temperature. Nanyang Technological University National Research Foundation (NRF) The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support for this project under Nanyang Technological University, Singapore’s Academic Research Fund (AcRF) Tier 1 Grant No. RG 92/18. The SLM 250 equipment used in this research is supported by the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore under its Medium-Sized Centre funding scheme. 2022-09-27T01:41:09Z 2022-09-27T01:41:09Z 2022 Journal Article See, Y. S., Ho, J. Y., Leong, K. C. & Wong, T. N. (2022). Experimental investigation of a topology-optimized phase change heat sink optimized for natural convection. Applied Energy, 314, 118984-. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2022.118984 0306-2619 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/161941 10.1016/j.apenergy.2022.118984 2-s2.0-85127031367 314 118984 en RG 92/18 Applied Energy © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
institution Nanyang Technological University
building NTU Library
continent Asia
country Singapore
Singapore
content_provider NTU Library
collection DR-NTU
language English
topic Engineering::Mechanical engineering
Topology Optimization
Natural Convection
spellingShingle Engineering::Mechanical engineering
Topology Optimization
Natural Convection
See, Yao Song
Ho, Jin Yao
Leong, Kai Choong
Wong, Teck Neng
Experimental investigation of a topology-optimized phase change heat sink optimized for natural convection
description In this study, a topology-optimized heat sink is developed and applied to electronics cooling by utilizing a phase change material interspersed through a finned structure. The topology optimization is performed by the minimization of the global thermal compliance in the solution of the modified momentum equation with the Boussinesq approximation to account for natural convection. The optimized heat sink, namely the natural convection topology-optimized heat sink, was fabricated by Selective Laser Melting, a metal additive manufacturing technique. The natural convection topology-optimized heat sink was experimentally characterized based on its base temporal temperature and its operation time. The performance of our newly developed heat sink was then evaluated by comparing against a conventional heat sink design, a baseline design with no surface enhancements, and a second topology-optimized heat sink based on heat conduction. The results show that the natural convection topology-optimized heat sink has a lower base temperature compared to the conventional heat sink, but higher base temperature than the second topology-optimized heat sink during the PCM melting phase. However, the natural convection topology-optimized heat sink has an operation time which is 31.0% longer than all the other heat sinks with enhanced structures. Through visualization of the melting process, we can deduce that the longer operation time of the natural convection topology-optimized heat sink is primarily due to the movement of the melt front which results in a slower melting, while optimizing natural convection of the melted material. These mechanisms maintain a reasonably low heat sink base temperature.
author2 School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
author_facet School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
See, Yao Song
Ho, Jin Yao
Leong, Kai Choong
Wong, Teck Neng
format Article
author See, Yao Song
Ho, Jin Yao
Leong, Kai Choong
Wong, Teck Neng
author_sort See, Yao Song
title Experimental investigation of a topology-optimized phase change heat sink optimized for natural convection
title_short Experimental investigation of a topology-optimized phase change heat sink optimized for natural convection
title_full Experimental investigation of a topology-optimized phase change heat sink optimized for natural convection
title_fullStr Experimental investigation of a topology-optimized phase change heat sink optimized for natural convection
title_full_unstemmed Experimental investigation of a topology-optimized phase change heat sink optimized for natural convection
title_sort experimental investigation of a topology-optimized phase change heat sink optimized for natural convection
publishDate 2022
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/161941
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