Numerical model of a two-phase microchannel heat sink electronics cooling system

Microchannel heat sinks using two-phase flow boiling have excellent potential for cooling high heat flux electronic devices. A numerical model of a two-phase cooling system using microchannel heat sinks is presented. This is supplemented with transient heat conduction models of the heat sink and heat exchanger and with various state of the art empirical correlations to close the equations. Finite volume discretization and the SIMPLE algorithm are used to solve the mixture conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy. The numerical code is verified using the method of manufactured solutions. This method reveals that the numerical order in space and time is consistent with the expected values from theory, second order and first order, respectively. Further some illustrative results of the model are validated using experimental measurements. These results agree well with each other and indicate good predictive capability of the system model.

► Construction of two-phase microchannel numerical system model. ► Focus on numerical solution, accumulator model and correlations. ► Code is verified using the method of manufactured solutions. ► Illustrative results are experimentally verified. ► Agreement between results indicates good predictive qualities of model.