Numerical Investigation of an Innovative Metal Structure in a PCM Based Heat Sink

International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Green Technology 2018

能源学;生态环境科学

Xie, Jinlong^1^2 ; Fah Choo, Kok^2 ; Xiang, Jianhua^1 ; Mun Lee, Hsiao^1

School of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, 230 Wai Huan Xi Road., Guangzhou

510006, China^1

Temasek Laboratories at NTU, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore

639798, Singapore^2

关键词: Device temperature;    Different operating conditions;    Innovative structures;    Maximum temperature;    Metal structures;    Numerical investigations;    Optimized designs;    Orientation effect;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/268/1/012002/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1755-1315/268/1/012002

学科分类：环境科学（综合）

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Numerical simulations were performed to examine the time-dependent melting in a PCM enclosure with two designs of conductive metal fins: a baseline design with conventional heat sink fin structure and a topologically optimized innovative structure. Two orientations of the PCM enclosures were investigated to characterize the orientation effects on the behaviours of PCM melting. The proposed simulation model was firstly validated by the published experimental results. The simulated device temperature, material phases and flow fields within the PCM enclosure developed under different operating conditions were presented and discussed. The simulation results showed that the optimized design generally outperformed the baseline design by obtaining a lower device temperature and alleviating the effects of orientations. At q = 50,000W/m2, the optimized design achieved a maximum temperature reduction of 8°C under Orientation 1 and 2.5°C under Orientation 2 in comparison to the baseline during the main stage of PCM melting. It was suggested that the promoted heat transfer performance by the optimized design was attributed to the improved heat diffusion capability as well as the intensified natural convection provided by its innovative metal structure.