ISSN Online: 2377-424X
International Heat Transfer Conference 12
Least-Energy Optimization of Air Cooled Heat Sinks
Sinopsis
The least-energy optimization of natural and forced-convection plate-fin heat sinks is described. Emphasis is placed on the use of a Coefficient of Performance, COPT, relating cooling capability to the energy invested in the formation, fabrication, and operation of the heat sink. It is shown possible to determine the heat sink geometry, which maximizes the value of COPT, for each operating condition and cooling mode. For forced convection cooling, the most favorable distribution of invested energy - between heat sink formation/fabrication and operation - can also be found. Although optimum natural convection heat sinks can deliver highly reliable, noise-free, operation, the COPT values for forced convection cooled heat sinks are found to far exceed the values associated with passive cooling.