Modeling and optimization of designing parameters for a parallel-plain fin heat sink with confined impinging jet using the response surface methodology

The parallel-plain fin (PPF) array structure is widely applied in convective heat sinks in order to create extended surface for the enhancement of heat transfer. In the present study, for investigating the influences of designing parameters of PPF heat sink with an axial-flow cooling fan on the thermal performance, a systematic experimental design based on the response surface methodology (RSM) is used. The thermal resistance and pressure drop are adopted as the thermal performance characteristics. Various designing parameters, such as height and thickness of fin, width of passage between fins, and distance between the cooling fan and the tip of fins, are explored by experiment. Those parameters affect the structure arrangement, geometry of fins and the status of impinging jet from an axial-flow cooling fan installed over the heat sink. A standard RSM design called a central composite design is selected as experimental plan for the four parameters mentioned above. An effective procedure of response surface methodology (RSM) has been proposed for modeling and optimizing the thermal performance characteristics of PPF heat sink with the design constrains. The most significant influential factors for minimizing thermal resistance and pressure drop have been identified from the analysis of variance. The confirmation experimental results indicate that the proposed model is reasonably accurate and can be used for describing the thermal resistance and pressure drop with the limits of the factors studied. The optimum designing parameters of PPF heat sink with an axial-flow cooling fan under constrains of mass and space limitation, which are based on the quadratic model of RSM and the sequential approximation optimization method, are found to be fin height of 60 mm, fin thickness of 1.07 mm, passage width between fins of 3.32 mm, and distance between the cooling fan and the tip of fins of 2.03 mm.