article · Thermal Science and Engineering Progress
As electronic devices shrink, managing the heat generated by compact chipsets becomes critical. This research uses the lattice Boltzmann method to simulate natural convection cooling within an air-filled enclosure containing twin protruding heat sources along the bottom wall. The numerical model evaluates thermal and fluid behaviour across enclosure inclinations of zero, 45, and 90 degrees, alongside Rayleigh numbers spanning from 1,000 to 1,000,000. Two cooling configurations are examined: a top cold wall at a uniform temperature and a top wall fitted with twin protruding cold sinks. Overall heat transfer increases by 80 percent as the Rayleigh number rises across the tested range. When the enclosure is oriented horizontally at the maximum Rayleigh number, using protruding cold sinks enhances the heat exchange ratio by 32.32 percent compared to a uniform cold surface.
The continuous miniaturisation of microelectronics requires efficient cooling methods to prevent overheating and component failure. Simulating how air circulates naturally around heat-generating components helps identify optimal physical configurations, such as enclosure angles and heatsink geometry. This understanding supports the development of passive cooling mechanisms that reduce operating temperatures without relying on noisy, energy-consuming mechanical fans.
The insights can guide the design of natural convection cooling solutions for electronic devices across hardware manufacturing industries. Because this is early-stage numerical modelling, physical prototyping and laboratory testing are still required before integration into commercial products. Electronics engineers and thermal management designers could use these configuration guidelines to refine heatsink placement in compact electronic enclosures.
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Thermal management of electronic components is becoming a vital necessity in view of the rapid development of electronics technology. It is a concern imposed by the miniaturization of electronic chipsets. The present work addresses this issue numerically, using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). It consists of an air-filled heat sink containing multiple protruding electronic components. The problem is modelled using 2D continuity, momentum, and energy conservation equations. The thermal and dynamic fluid flow are analysed for various enclosure inclinations (0°, 45°, and 90°) and Rayleigh numbers (Ra=103-106). A twin protruding heat sources are considered at the bottom wall. The top cold wall can be at a uniform temperature (case 1) or consisting of two protruding sinks maintained at a constant temperature (case 2). The results showed that the maximum heat transfer rate corresponding to Nusselt number (Nu¯=5.51) is achieved for Ra=106 on the hot wall for the horizontal cavity in case 1, illustrating the cavity with top cold uniform wall. Indeed, the heat transfer is improved by 80% by varying the Rayleigh number (Ra) from 103 to 106. Furthermore, for case 2 with a twin cold protruding, a quite complicated heat transfer behaviour is observed on the hot wall. For Ra>106, the horizontal cavity outperforms the other cavities in terms of heat transfer rate, however the horizontal position is the less performant for Ra<104. With a horizontal disposition and Ra=106, the heat exchange ratio is improved by 32.32% in case 2 compared to case 1. The outcomes of this study provide insights into design and implementation of natural convection cooling solutions for electronic devices, which can have significant practical implications in various industries.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.tsep.2023.102126
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