Conjugate heat transfer analysis for the passive enhancement of electronic cooling through geometric modification in a mixed convection domain

A two-dimensional model has been developed for numerical prediction of viscous laminar flow, mixed convection, and conjugate heat transfer between parallel plates with uniform block heat sources and with openings on the integrated circuit board. A control volume pressure-based finite difference numerical scheme, PISO, is used to solve this problem. The differential pressure below and above the openings of the board induces upward streams, which break the stagnant region between the blocks and, consequently, enhance the heat dissipation. Geometrically, parametric study has indicated that an opening at the appropriate location makes a flatter temperature distribution and a lower peak temperature. Because of the existence of both natural convection and opening-induced passive flow streams, the resulting flow field depends on the inlet conditions and the magnitude of the heat source. The enhancement of heat transfer is reflected by a global increase of Nusselt number on the blocks, and is especially apparent ...