Design of micro heat sink for power transistor by using CFD

Abstract

Different geometrical pattern of micro pin fins heat sinks for TO-220 power transistor has been modeled by using academic edition of multi-physics computational fluid dynamic (CFD) package COMSOL v 4.4 to enhance the heat transfer of power transistor. To Comparing COMSOL model results with experimental results, thermocouples sensors (type: FLUKE 87V, USA) and infrared camera (FLIR E50) were used. Experimental results showed that the model of this work has a high reliability. The assembled micro pin fins heat sinks modeled to the power transistor provides an efficient and economical improvement in thermal transferring, around 11.6oC has been reduced by modeling a heat sink with square, rectangular and hydrofoil micro pin fins compared to smooth heat sink.