The thermal management performance of the PCM-based pin fin heat sink under the transient heat flux shock conditions:An experimental study

Abstract

Phase change materials (PCMs) exhibit significant potential and outstanding performance in delaying the temperature rise of electronic devices and ensuring their safety during thermal shock events. Therefore, understanding the thermal management characteristics of PCM-based composite heat sinks under unsteady high heat flux conditions is crucial for effective thermal regulation and protection of electronic devices. Furthermore, to address the inherent limitation of PCMs in terms of low thermal conductivity, this study introduces pin-fin structures characterized by high thermal conductivity and large specific surface area. Experimental investigations were conducted to examine the effects of varying pin-fin numbers, constant pin-fin base area, and different thermal shock frequencies on the thermal performance of the composite system, with comparative analysis against conventional pure PCM heat sinks. Results demonstrate that, under high heat flux impact, the PCM-based pin-fin heat sink exhibits superior temperature control performance compared to the traditional pure PCM system. An optimal number of pin-fins exists that yields the best thermal regulation effect; when the number of pin-fins is around 25, the peak temperature is reduced by nearly 30 °C compared to the pure PCM system. The optimal thermal control performance occurs during the first thermal shock, while the performance gradually degrades with increasing shock cycles. It should be noted that future research should focus on developing advanced composite thermal control technologies capable of maintaining stable and efficient thermal performance under multiple unsteady thermal shocks.