Influence of fan setting height on the cooling performance of a plate-fin-type heat sink with microprocessor

• Published in: Heat transfer, Asian research Asian research, 2001-09, Vol.30 (6), p.512-520
• Main Authors: Kawamura, Keizou, Nakajima, Tadakatsu, Matsushima, Hitoshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; compact heat sink; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; forced-air cooling; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Heat transfer; Integrated circuits; Integrated circuits by function (including memories and processors); microfan; microprocessor; Other topics in heat transfer, thermal and thermodynamic processes; Physics; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices
• ISSN: 1099-2871; 1523-1496
• DOI: 10.1002/htj.1036

The cooling performance of a plate‐fin‐type heat sink equipped with a cooling fan was investigated experimentally. The heat sink was 80 mm long, 43 mm wide, and 24 mm in height (including the 4‐mm‐thick base). The cooling fan was 40 × 40 × 15 mm and was set to direct the air flow vertically in the downstream half of the heat sink. We focused on the influence of the height (which varied from 5 to 20 mm) that the fan was set at, on the heat transfer coefficient of the heat sink. The maximum value of the heat transfer coefficient was achieved at a setting height of 5 mm. At this height, the volumetric heat transfer coefficient was 1.8 times as high as that in a parallel flow under the same fan power. This result indicates that the cooling performance of heat sinks with a cooling fan can be improved by using this kind of compact structure. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Heat Trans Asian Res, 30(6): 512–520, 2001