Performance Improvement of Z-Type Manifold Microchannel Heat Sink with Novel Fin-Arrangements

The Z-type manifold microchannel heat sinks are mostly used by researchers due to the simple structure and considerable heat transfer performance. In this study, a novel Z-type manifold microchannel heat sink with fins arranged at intervals in an arithmetic sequence is proposed to improve the thermo-hydraulic performance of the conventional Z-type manifold microchannel. The novel feature of the proposed design is the channel widths being in an arithmetic sequence with a negative common difference, which contributes to equalize the flow distribution among the channels. Various fin arrangements with different common differences under the same heat transfer area are numerically investigated to determine the thermo-hydraulic performance. The results show that the fins arranged at intervals in an arithmetic sequence have a great potential in mitigating the flow maldistribution. Compared to the conventional manifold microchannel, the proposed manifold microchannel has better thermal performance without a significant increase in pressure drop.