Fluid Flow and Entropy Generation Analysis of Al2O3–Water Nanofluid in Microchannel Plate Fin Heat Sinks
Citation
Ma, H.; Duan, Z.; Su, L.; Ning, X.; Bai, J.; Lv, X. Fluid Flow and Entropy Generation Analysis of Al2O3–Water Nanofluid in Microchannel Plate Fin Heat Sinks. Entropy 2019, 21, 739.
Keywords
- pressure drop
- entropy generation
- nanofluids
- microchannels
- heat sinks
- entrance effects
- electronic cooling
Brief
This article investigates the pressure drop and entropy generation characteristics of Al2O3–water nanofluid flow in microchannel plate fin heat sinks, focusing on the impact of entrance effects.
Summary
This 2019 Entropy article by Hao Ma, Zhipeng Duan, Liangbin Su, Xiaoru Ning, Jiao Bai, and Xianghui Lv investigates how nanofluids behave in microchannel heat sinks, which are essential for cooling electronics. The study focuses on how different factors influence pressure drop (how much pressure a fluid loses as it flows) and entropy generation (a measure of a system's irreversibility, linked to energy loss).
Here are the key findings:
- Reynolds Number: Higher Reynolds numbers (meaning faster fluid flow) lead to a large increase in both pressure drop and frictional entropy generation.
- Channel Aspect Ratio: Pressure drop and frictional entropy generation are higher in channels with lower aspect ratios (meaning narrower and taller channels).
- Nanofluid Volume Fraction: Increasing the concentration of nanoparticles in the fluid slightly increases both pressure drop and frictional entropy generation.
Importantly, the study highlights that the entrance region of the microchannel plays a significant role in determining these effects. This means that the fluid flow is still developing and hasn't reached a stable state as it enters the channel, which has implications for the heat sink's performance.
https://www.semanticscholar.org/reader/58bd4fd9090a9b9c6e5affebd42f72f777a6a0f4