Numerical and experimental investigation of a two-phase mini-channel cold plate for a 2 kW fiber laser device

Phase-change direct cooling is regarded as a promising thermal management scheme for the high power and lightweight fiber laser devices. However, limited research has been conducted to the design and analysis of the two-phase cold plate, which is the core component of the phase-change cooling system for fiber laser. This paper addresses the influence of the structure parameter on the performance of a two-phase mini-channel cold plate used in the phase-change cooling system for a 2kW fiber laser. Firstly, a fluid-solid coupling heat transfer model for the baseline cold plate is established. The accuracy of the simulation is validated by experiment. Next, validated simulation method is employed to analyze the effects of rib number, rib width, and rib height on the heat dissipation performance of the cold plate. Further, the study investigates the impact of key operating parameters, including heat source power and refrigerant flow rate, on the performance of the phase-change cold plate. Finally, by analyzing the relationship between the highest temperature of the cold plate, heat source power, and coolant flow rate, a performance map is created for the highest temperature of the cold plate. This map allows for better matching of the required coolant flow rate for the cooling plate under given heat dissipation load, which would play a crucial role in designing the controller for the phase-change cooling system for the 2kW fiber laser.