Experimental and Numerical Study of Heat Transfer and Flow Performance in 3D-Printing Microchannel with Staggered Pin-Fins Array

As hydraulic resistance of microchannel is concerned, the pin-fins can reduce up to half of the hydraulic resistance of conventional microchannel. The aluminum microchannel heat sink was fabricated by 3D printing technology. The flow and heat transfer characteristics in microchannel with two pin-fins (airfoil-profile and fish-shape) were studied by numerical simulation and experiments. The results indicated that the rough surface has negative effects on flow and heat transfer. The influence on pressure drop and heat transfer weaken when the Reynolds number (Re) exceed 1000. When the Re is greater than 700, the influence obviously weakens. The Re and the heat flux have a certain effect on the heat transfer performance when the Re is in the different ranges. Results from this study can help inform the design and rapid printing of compact cold plate antenna and LED.