Elliptical Pin Fin Heat Sink: Passive Cooling Control

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine by means of three-dimensional numerical simulations the thermal-fluid features in elliptical pin fin heat sink. The passive heat transfer enhancement technique is used to comprehend and control the cooling process. This passive methodology is based on pin fins arrangement, hydrodynamic and geometrical parameters. The present numerical results are confronted with experimental measurements in open literature which used one-dimensional model to explore the thermal field. A good agreement was found especially around the optimal fins dimensions. A parametric study has been carried out to deeply analyse the three-dimensional thermal-fluid fields of the heat sink for various key parameters range such the Reynolds number (Re = 50–250) and the aspect ratio (γ=H/d=5.1-9.18). Some new observations and results are obtained thanks to numerical simulations as tool of investigation. It is shown that the fins circumferential temperature is almost uniform. Furthermore, a better cooling is obtained when the Reynolds number increases mainly when the inlet velocity u0> 0.3m/s. The most suitable value of the aspect ratio is attained for γ=8.16, which ensure an optimal cooling process of the pins. A new global Nusselt number correlation was developed for engineering applications.