Heat Transfer in Trapezoidal Microchannels of Various Aspect Ratios
Abstract
Heat transfer in the thermal entrance region of trapezoidal microchannels is investigated for hydrodynamically fully developed, single-phase, laminar flow with no-slip conditions. Three-dimensional numerical simulations were performed using a finite-volume approach for trapezoidal channels with a wide range of aspect ratios. The sidewall angles of 54.7° and 45° are chosen to correspond to etch-resistant planes in the crystal structure of silicon. Local and average Nusselt numbers are reported as a function of dimensionless length and aspect ratio. The effect of Prandtl number upon the thermal entrance condition is explored. The fully developed friction factors are computed and correlated as a function of channel aspect ratio. Correlations are also developed for the local and average Nusselt numbers in the thermal entrance region as a function of a dimensionless axial length variable.
Keywords
Microchannel; Thermally developing; Liquid cooling; Heat sink; Trapezoid
DOI
10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2009.09.020
Date of this Version
1-15-2010
Recommended Citation
McHale, John P. and Garimella, Suresh V., "Heat Transfer in Trapezoidal Microchannels of Various Aspect Ratios" (2010). Birck and NCN Publications. Paper 1490.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2009.09.020