CFD and experimental analysis of natural convection in a radial heat sink with semicircular fins at different angles

Radial fins significantly enhance energy efficiency and foster sustainable industrial practices by improving heat dissipation and supporting the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The increasing demand for effective cooling solutions in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) highlights the importance of innovative heat sink designs for superior thermal management and extended operational lifespan of electronic devices. This study examines natural convection in a radial heat sink with semicircular fins at different inclination angles (0°, 15°, and 30°) to improve thermal regulation in LED systems. The central research question investigates how fin orientation influences heat dissipation and overall cooling efficiency. A combined computational fluid dynamic (CFD) and experimental methodology was employed, with simulations conducted in ANSYS Fluent under the Boussinesq approximation and validated through controlled experiments. Results indicate that the 30° orientation achieved the highest Nusselt number, enhancing heat dissipation by approximately 7.3 % compared to the 0° case. Numerical and experimental data demonstrated excellent agreement within ±4.9 %. These findings contribute to the optimization of passive cooling designs, supporting energy-efficient and sustainable electronic applications.