Design Effect of a Mini Channels Heat Sink Using Additive Manufacturing

The increasing need for effective heat management and dissipation solutions, particularly in the electronics field, has driven the development of innovative heat sink designs. Traditionally, metals such as aluminum and copper have been used for heat sinks due to their excellent thermal conductivity. However, the use of polymers in heat sink design has emerged as a promising alternative, offering unique properties and distinct advantages, especially for low-power electronic devices that require less energy dissipation [1]. Polymers are widely recognized for being lightweight, cost-effective, and easy to manufacture. When integrated into complex heat sink designs, they can offer alternative solutions to traditional metal-based heat sinks, especially in lightweight devices or applications requiring electrical insulation. Recent advancements in polymer science have led to the development of composite polymers with enhanced thermal conductivity, making them a viable option for heat dissipation in a range of applications, including consumer electronics, LED systems, and automotive components [1]. The research on improving heat sink performance and cooling efficiency has been a focus of several studies, each addressing different aspects of heat dissipation and improving the design and material optimization. Guzej et al. [2] showed that altering the fluid flow inside the cavity could significantly enhance the overall cooling efficiency of heat sinks made from polymers. They tested two geometrically identical heat sinks, made from commercial ABS resin, differing only in the position of the fan gate. Their findings revealed differing temperatures at the heat source between the two heat sinks under identical conditions. Yijun et al. [3] tackled the issue of excessive heat in electronic devices, often due to insufficient cooling. Their study focused on the design and structural optimization of heat sinks to improve the heat dissipation capability of electronic devices, thereby increasing their reliability, longevity, and overall performance. In a related field, Gulia and Sur [4] explored recent advancements in microchannel heat sinks and microchannel heat exchangers, discussing the concept of microchannel cooling. They provided an extensive review of fabrication methods, experimental investigations, and numerical analyses, shedding light on the innovations in heat sink technologies. Huttunen et al. [5] conducted research on optimizing heat sink topology using the flexibility of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), which allows for the creation of complex geometries. They used a commercial polyamide-based composite for their study. However, they noted that there has been limited exploration of 3D FDM printed heat sinks with good thermal conductivity properties. A separate study [1] highlighted the benefits of using polymers instead of metals in heat transfer applications, particularly in terms of reduced weight and cost. Despite the low thermal conductivity of polymers, they are already utilized in heat exchangers. The study proposed solutions to enhance polymer conductivity by incorporating highly conductive reinforcements and creating thinner walls, which reduce the overall thermal resistance of polymer-based heat sinks. Bopanna et al. [6] focused on optimizing the design of Pin-Fin structures in heat sinks to improve heat dissipation. Using the Taguchi optimization method, they considered variables such as base plate thickness, fin height, width, and spacing. Their simulations in a steady-state environment revealed that heat sink models with mid-range thermal efficiency exhibited consistent performance, outperforming other models with less reliable characteristics. The review by Tanusree Bera [7] discussed the significance of polymeric materials in biomedical 3D printing and emphasized the need for further innovations in biomaterials to unlock the full potential of additive manufacturing in the biomedical field. Danilov et al. [8] provided an experimental study on composite materials, detailing their physical and physico-chemical properties, including thermal stability, dielectric constant, and thermal conductivity. The study demonstrated that manufacturing techniques involving high processing pressures result in materials with enhanced thermal conductivity and excellent dielectric properties, key for developing efficient heat sinks. The study by Guzej et al. [9] demonstrated that polymer-based heat sinks filled with highly conductive materials, such as graphite flakes, could offer effective alternatives to traditional metals like aluminum and copper alloys for passive cooling. The study also showed that adjusting the melt flow within the mold cavity could improve the overall cooling efficiency of polymer heat sinks. Finally, a recent study carried out by Devarajan et al. [10] conducted a comparison between traditional aluminum straight-fin heat sinks and three types of polymer-based straight-fin heat sinks produced using 3D printing. The polymers tested include Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Poly Lactic Acid (PLA), and Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG). The experimental results revealed that the polymer-based heat sinks are 13% to 30% less effective in heat dissipation than their aluminum counterparts. However, these polymer alternatives can still be viable options for low-power electronic devices that have lower heat dissipation requirements. The current study aims to investigate the impact of thermal heatsink designs made from different materials, such as ABS copolymer resin and aluminum, on improving the cooling efficiency of electronic components. This is achieved by comparing the performance of heatsinks made from these two materials through an analysis of their designs and various shapes, and evaluating their effect on enhancing the cooling process. The importance of this work also lies in highlighting new models for the purpose of improving the efficiency of devices and systems that rely on heat dissipation, such as computers, cars, high-heat-producing devices, and renewable energy systems. This is achieved by adding insulating materials aimed at enhancing thermal insulation effectiveness and increasing performance efficiency under different temperature conditions. Additionally, it contributes to the ability of heat dissipation systems to absorb and distribute heat more effectively. This study, which focuses on thermal dissipators using polymer resin as an insulating cover, is a relatively new topic that has not been extensively addressed by researchers before. With the ongoing advancements in the fields of electronic devices and renewable energy, interest in this subject is expected to grow among researchers. This growing interest may lead to the incorporation of new manufacturing methods, such as the use of 3D printing technology. This technology allows for the precise and cost-effective production of thermal dissipators. Moreover, it enables the optimization of polymer heat sink designs to meet the specific needs of complex devices, improving their efficiency in heat management.