A review on recent advances in microchannel heat sink configurations

Abstract

A qualitative observation has been undergone to review the various geometries of a microchannel that has been reported for the last two decades in literature majorly for the application of high power devices. Recent research on microchannel is more focused on numerical and experimental work with various configurations of the heat sink. In this paper, a comparative work on different flow geometries used in the microchannel and their influence on heat transfer and pressure drop is investigated with the brief representation of different working fluids used in microchannel heat sink for the purpose of electronic cooling and their associated performance characteristics with various examined parameters. Background: The microchannel cooling is an established cooling technique for high power electronic components which effectively enhances the performance of the high power devices. Objective: This article presents a general overview of microchannels with novel constructional bifurcations structures with related patents. Further, the influential parameter on thermal and flow characteristics with greater depth is also reviewed by authors. Methods: This review directs by presenting standard and benchmark investigation in the microchannel and different working parameters continued with recent studies. Further, it is addressed with the application of electronic cooling with latest patents using bifurcations and fractal microchannels. Result: The current situation of 3D cooling requires a robust cooling system to accommodate increased heat flux without compromising the packaging. Moreover, the recently developed patents also evolved with improved thermal load handling under constrained packaging. Conclusion: The advanced microchannel cooling with an optimized fluid handling system with effective packaging results in a highly effective heat dissipation system. © 2018 Bentham Science Publishers.