Design and Optimization of Forced Convection Heat Sinks for Sustainable Development

The development of forced convection heat sinks for microelectronic applications, which are compatible with sustainable development, involves the achievement of a subtle balance between a superior thermal design, minimum material consumption, and minimum pumping power. Due to the rapid proliferation of electronic systems, substantial material streams and energy consumption rates are associated with the cooling of computers, as well as other categories of electronic equipment. The study reported herein explores the potential for the least-energy optimization of forced convection cooled rectangular plate heat sinks. Analytical models are used to determine the thermal performance of such heat sinks, for pressure drops in the range of 20 to 80Pa and flow rates between 0.01 and 0.04 m3/s. The results are evaluated in terms of a heat sink Coefficient of Performance, relating the cooling capability to the energy invested. Guidelines for "sustainable" heat sink designs are suggested.