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Heat transfer enhancement of round pin heat sinks using N-eicosane as PCM: an experimental study

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Abstract

This experimental work investigates the combination of phase change material (PCM) with thermal storage units to combat excessive heat generation in high application hand-held conveniences. Four heat sink configurations including a no fin and three pin-fin arrays having pin diameters of 2 mm, 3 mm and 4 mm respectively are tested using four discreet volume fractions (0.0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9) of n-eicosane as PCM under heavy usage power levels of 5–7 W. Round pins, made in aluminum, are incorporated in 9% volume percentage of sink’s bulk to act as thermal conductivity enhancer (TCE) in heat sinks. Parametric probe involved the impact of n-eicosane volume fractions, spatial variation of temperature, Fourier number (Fo), enhancement ratio, Modified Stephan number (Ste*), heat capacity as well as thermal conductance to provide for insights on superior thermal performance for distinct operating conditions of the hand-held. The outturns proclaimed that increasing volume fractions of PCM result in increased service time of the heat sinks. Effect of pin-fin configurations were found to be negligible on spatial temperature variation. Amongst all heat sinks, 3 mm pin-fin arrangement resulted in highest enhancement ratio, heat capacity & thermal conductance for all volume fractions of n-eicosane, thereby, demonstrated best thermal conduct of all four sink arrays.

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Abbreviations

Ψ :

PCM volume fraction

PCM :

PCM volume, m3

Vs :

heat sink volume, m3

Vf :

total pin volume, m3

Fo :

Fourier Number, Fo = ∝PCMtset/L2

∝PCM :

Thermal diffusivity (PCM), m2/s

L :

sink length, m

t set :

time required to reach SPT, min

Θ ∗ :

Dimensionless temperature

T ∗ set :

asymptotic set point temperature, °C

T base :

average heat sink base temperature, °C

T ∞. :

ambient temperature, °C

Ste* :

Modified Stephan Number, Ste∗ = QCP/KPCM λh

Q :

heat input, W

C P :

specific heat (PCM), J/kg K

K PCM :

thermal capacity of PCM, W/m K

h :

sink height, m

λ :

Latent heat (PCM), KJ/Kg

Ф :

TCE volume fraction

ξ :

Enhancement Ratio

tCT(with TCE) :

Time to reach STP of finned heat sink

tCT(without TCE) :

Time to reach STP of un-finned heat sink

c :

Heat capacity, KJ/K

Q :

Heat transferred, KJ

△T :

Change in temperature, K

G :

Thermal conductivity, W/K

P :

Power, W

Tmax :

Maximum temperature after heating phase, K

Tamb :

Room temperature, K

PCM :

phase change material

TCE :

thermal conductivity enhancer

CNC :

computer numeric control

H :

thermocouples on heat sink base

W :

thermocouples in side walls

T :

thermocouples immersed in PCM

TCE :

thermal conductivity enhancer

PDA :

personal digital assistant

LHTMS :

latent heat thermal management system

TSU :

thermal storage unit

TSE :

thermal energy storage

NEPCM :

Nano-enhance phase change material

TM :

thermal management

MNCWT :

multi-wall carbon nanotubes

GNT :

graphene nanoplatelets

CNT:

carbon nanoplates

CF:

carbon foam

SPT:

set point temperature

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Engineering & Technology, Taxila, Pakistan

    Shah Rukh, Riffat Asim Pasha & Muhammad Ali Nasir

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  1. Shah Rukh
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  2. Riffat Asim Pasha
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  3. Muhammad Ali Nasir
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Correspondence to Muhammad Ali Nasir.

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Rukh, S., Pasha, R.A. & Nasir, M.A. Heat transfer enhancement of round pin heat sinks using N-eicosane as PCM: an experimental study. Heat Mass Transfer 55, 309–325 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-018-2411-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-018-2411-6

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