Performance Analysis of a Miniature-Scale Vapor Compression System For Electronics Cooling: Bread Board Setup

Abstract

A Miniature-Scale vapor compression Refrigeration System (MSRS) was developed and experimentally investigated for electronics cooling. The system consists of four main components: a micro-channel cold plate evaporator-heat spreader, a compressor, a micro-channel condenser, and an expansion device. Experimental results obtained with the bread board system demonstrate the feasibility of applying a miniature-scale refrigeration system in cooling compact electronic devices. Moreover, the performance of each component and of the overall system were quantified and used to improve the efficiencies of components and system. The cooling capacity of the investigated system varied from 121 to 268 W, with a COP of 2.8 to 4.7, at pressure ratios of 1.9 to 3.2. The effectiveness of the condenser ranged from 52 to 77%, while a thermal resistance between 0.60 and 0.77 ºC-cm2/W was achieved at the evaporator. The evaporator-heat spreader thermal resistance is defined as the ratio of the temperature difference between the chip surface and the refrigerant evaporator to the evaporator heat transfer rate. The overall system thermal resistance, defined as the ratio of the temperature difference between the chip surface and the condenser air inlet, varied from 0.04 to 0.18 ºC-cm2/W. An overall second-law efficiency ranging from 33 and 52% was obtained, using a commercially available small-scale compressor. The measured overall isentropic efficiency was between 25 and 60%.

Date of this Version

2006

Published in:

S. Trutassanawin, L. Cremaschi, E. A. Groll and S. V. Garimella, “Performance Analysis of a Miniature-Scale Vapor Compression System For Electronics Cooling: Bread Board Setup,” Paper No. R167, International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference, West Lafayette, IN, July 17-20, 2006.

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