Enhanced phase change materials based cooling systems for thermal management of electronics

Abstract

The advancements in micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) fabrication and newlinenanotechnology have led to the miniaturization of electronic packages, with improved newlinefunctionality. As the compact and high-performance electronic components generate newlineenormous heat, effective thermal management of these components is essential for the newlinereliable operation of electronic devices. Various methods being used for the cooling of newlineelectronic components include air cooling, liquid cooling etc. The use of phase change newlinematerial (PCM) is an attractive option for the thermal management of electronics, due newlineto its inherent advantages such as high latent heat of fusion and high specific heat. newlineHowever, as the PCM has to be re-solidified in the cycle, conventional PCM based heat newlinesinks are not generally applicable for continuous operation. The relatively high response newlinetime and discharge time of PCMs due to its low thermal conductivity, are the major newlineconcerns in the practical application of PCM based heat sinks. The discharge time of newlinePCM heat sinks can be reduced either by increasing the thermal conductivity of PCM newlineusing high conductivity filler materials or by enhancing the heat transfer coefficient newlineusing a heat sink fan, i.e. hybrid heat sink. Liquid cooling using minichannels is newlineconsidered as one of the efficient cooling methods for high heat flux electronic devices. newlineEven though the addition of metal-oxide nanoparticles is a good option for enhancing newlineheat dissipation, it is limited mainly due to the stability issues. PCM based nanoand#57453;uid, newlineobtained by dispersing nano encapsulated PCM in a base fluid, is a promising heat newlinetransfer and#57453;uid for various applications including electronics cooling. The present work newlinefocuses on the development of different methods such as air cooling and liquid cooling newlinewith the aid of enhanced phase change materials, to address the challenges in thermal newlinemanagement of electronics. newline