OPTIMIZING PASSIVE COOLING IN ELECTRONICS: A CONJUGATE HEAT TRANSFER STUDY OF HEAT PIPE-EMBEDDED HEAT SINKS

This study presents a numerical investigation into the thermal behavior of a passive cooling system comprising a finned aluminum heat sink embedded with copper heat pipes. The work aims to address the rising thermal management challenges in modern compact electronic devices by enhancing heat dissipation efficiency under natural convection. Using a three-dimensional conjugate heat transfer model, simulations were conducted to examine the effects of key design parameters, such as fin spacing, the number of heat pipes, and thermal loads ranging from 50 W to 150 W. Results revealed that incorporating heat pipes notably lowered peak temperatures and improved temperature uniformity across the heat sink. The optimal configuration, featuring four heat pipes and 3 mm fin spacing, achieved a balanced performance with minimal thermal resistance. Additionally, airflow analyses confirmed the adequacy of natural convection in maintaining device cooling without active components. The outcomes of this work provide valuable design insights for engineers seeking to develop high-efficiency, finless thermal solutions suitable for space-constrained electronics.