Experimental and numerical heat transfer analysis of heat-pipe-based CPU coolers and performance optimization methodology

Može, Matic (author), Nemanič, Aljaž (author), Poredoš, Primož (author)

This paper presents an experimental and numerical heat transfer analysis of heat-pipe-based CPU coolers and a performance optimization methodology. The first part of the study focuses on the performance of two commercial HP-based CPU coolers under inclination angles of 0°, 90° and 180°. The results show that the 90° orientation provides the best thermal performance. The influence of heat pipe orientation on the performance of the entire system is obscured due to the much higher thermal resistance on the air-side of the cooler. A fourfold increase in air volumetric flow rate has only a minor effect on the cooling performance enhancement with a reduction of the thermal resistance from 0.11 K W [sup minus] 1 to 0.074 K W [sup minus] 1 at the highest heating power. In the second part of the study, heat transfer numerical simulations of the finned part of a cooler were performed and validated using experimental results. The output of the simulation is a 2-D temperature field, which is used as an input for the optimization methodology based on fin effectiveness and fin efficiency. Optimizing the fin geometry by removing unnecessary material yielded a 23% increase of the fin efficiency and decreased the weight of a fin by approx. 30%, proving the usefulness of the proposed methodology, which helps reduce costs, weight and development time of finned HP-based coolers.

• Language: English
• Keywords: thermal management, heat exchangers, heat pipes, extended surfaces, CFD simulations, optimization methodology
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Author Accepted Manuscript
• Year: 2020
• Number of pages: Str. 1-14
• Numbering: Vol. 179
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-117686
• UDC: 519.8:536.2(045)
• ISSN on article: 1359-4311
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2020.115720
• COBISS.SI-ID: 23178243
• Publication date in RUL: 21.07.2020

MOŽE, Matic, NEMANIČ, Aljaž and POREDOŠ, Primož, 2020, Experimental and numerical heat transfer analysis of heat-pipe-based CPU coolers and performance optimization methodology. Applied thermal engineering [online]. 2020. Vol. 179, p. 1–14. [Accessed 17 March 2025]. DOI 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2020.115720. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=117686

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Applied thermal engineering
• Shortened title: Appl. therm. eng.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1359-4311
• COBISS.SI-ID: 1861910

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: prenos toplote, prenosniki toplote, toplotne cevi, razširjene površine, CFD simulacije, optimizacijska metodologija

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P2-0223
• Name: Prenos toplote in snovi