Parameter analysis and comprehensive performance optimization of a micro heat sink with twisted ribbed walls

To address the heat dissipation bottleneck of large-power devices, the thermal and hydraulic characteristics of a micro heat sink with twisted elliptical ribbed walls (TERW) are studied numerically and verified by experiments. Taguchi method is adopted to quantitatively analyze the importance of rib parameters for the temperature, pump power, and overall performance. The parameter sensitivity and combined effect of the twisted ribbed walls are analyzed in depth for the first time. The optimal heat sinks for different objectives have been determined and compared with those of existing heat sinks in the literature. Results indicate that the rib height is the most crucial factor affecting the thermal and hydraulic performances of the novel heat sink. The optimal configurations present a 18.35% lower thermal resistance, a 89.10% smaller pump power, and a 91.55% higher overall performance compared to the original one. Besides, the entropy production and temperature deviation of the novel heat sink are reduced by 20.78% and 12.21%, respectively. The comprehensive performance of the modified designs is confirmed by multiple evaluation indicators. It can balance the cooling performance and pump power consumption, and provide a more cost-effective cooling scheme for data centers, power batteries, and solar photovoltaic panels. • The height of the twisted ribs has the greatest impact on flow and heat transfer. • The optimal configurations are determined by Taguchi method. • The trade-off between heat transfer enhancement and energy cost has been assessed. • The overall performance factor is increased by 91.55% and reaches 2.86. • Different engineering applications of the optimal heat sinks are recommended.