Publication: Study of thermal cooling performance of storage devices
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Date
2024-07-01
Authors
Kang Zhi Chong
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Abstract
The increasing demand for faster processing and larger storage capacities highlights the critical need for efficient thermal cooling solutions to manage heat accumulation effectively. Finned heat sinks play a crucial role in addressing these challenges by optimizing heat transfer, dependent on factors such as fin orientation, number, spacing, and base thickness. Besides protecting internal components, the casing aids in heat dissipation. This study investigates various heat sink geometries and casing materials under natural convection conditions, employing different fin-to-fin spacings (2.4 mm, 4.8 mm, 7.2 mm), base thicknesses (1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm), and materials (ABS and aluminium). Fins are arranged at a 45° incline angle. The simulation employed a steady-state approach with a pressure-based solver and the realizable k-epsilon model. The COUPLED solver was chosen for faster convergence and higher accuracy. Results show that increasing fin-to-fin distance raises junction and heat sink temperatures, surface heat transfer coefficient, and Nusselt number, whereas increasing base thickness reduces these parameters. Aluminium casing provides more uniform temperature distribution compared to ABS, which exhibits a pronounced plume effect. For ABS casing, the highest Nusselt number was observed with a 7.2 mm fin-to-fin distance and 1 mm base thickness, while in aluminium casing, it was with a 7.2 mm fin-to-fin distance and 3 mm base thickness. In summary, the research findings offer valuable insights for enhancing the design of thermal solutions for semiconductor modules.