Experimental study and performance testing of the cooling serpentine minichannels and proposed correlations

The current research conducted experimental inquiries into convective heat transfer of different serpentine minichannel heat exchangers used to cool an electronic component. The working fluid used in all the experiments aimed at both minichannels was deionized water. The experimental investigation reported the thermal performance of the cooling minichannels, introducing the effect of several operating parameters. The findings revealed that the heat transfer enhancement achieved with the 2-mm long cooling serpentine minichannel exceeded that of the 3-mm long cooling minichannel; however, the overall thermal resistance derived from the heat exchanger with five minichannels was also greater than that obtained from the ten serpentine minichannels. In addition, at the same imposed volume flow rate used in these experimental investigations, the average convective heat transfer rate estimated from the 2-mm heat sink was 2.5 times greater than that obtained from the 3-mm heat sink. Furthermore, the utilization of U-shaped serpentine minichannel heat exchangers underscores their significance as a crucial element in efficiently cooling electronic components, particularly at low flow rates. Based on the experimental data, distinct correlations emerge among temperature differentials, overall thermal resistance, and average heat transfer coefficients.