Open-cell aluminum foams filled with phase change materials as compact heat sinks

The effects of geometric parameters of open-cell aluminum foams on the performance of aluminum foam-phase change material (PCM) heat sinks were investigated. Paraffin was selected as the PCM. As the surface area density of foams increases, both the heating and cooling times of the copper block, which simulates a device under thermal load, increase. The effect of the surface area density is more pronounced on the cooling time.