Simulation study of subcooled flow boiling in wedge-shaped manifold microchannels

doi:10.11949/0438-1157.20250557

Abstract

Abstract:

To address the thermal management needs of high-heat-flux electronic devices, this study simulates subcooled flow boiling in Z-shaped and wedge-shaped manifold microchannels (MMCs) using HFE7100 and silicon as the working fluid and solid material. The effects of wedge-shaped MMCs with different wedge angle configurations on flow distribution uniformity, total pressure drop and pressure drop distribution uniformity, chip temperature, and phase volume fraction are discussed. The results show that wedge-shaped MMC can significantly improve flow distribution uniformity. Specifically, the Taper-200-50 reduces the standard deviation of flow distribution by up to approximately 50.9%. In addition, wedge-shaped MMCs can substantially reduce total pressure drop and its fluctuations, effectively improving the uniformity of pressure drop distribution and thereby improving flow stability during the flow boiling process. Specifically, the Taper-200-50 configuration reduces the total pressure drop by 57.3% to 60.0%, the standard deviation of pressure drop fluctuations by 75.3% to 85.1%, and the standard deviation of pressure drop distribution by 81.2% to 84.3%. In terms of heat transfer performance, the average chip temperature in wedge-shaped MMCs is similar to that of the conventional Z-shaped structure. Taper-150-75 and Taper-200-50 exhibit better heat transfer performance, while Taper-250-25 shows the poorest performance, indicating that an excessively large wedge angle may hinder heat transfer. Under the considered operating conditions, the Taper-200-50 achieves a coefficient of performance (COP) of up to 27713 and a performance evaluation criterion (PEC) of up to 1.4, demonstrating excellent potential for thermal management applications.

Key words: microchannel, two-phase flow, numerical simulation, pressure drop, distribution uniformity

摘要：

面向高热通量电子器件热管理需求的高效冷却策略，以HFE7100和硅作为工作流体和固体材料，对Z形和楔形歧管微通道（MMC）内过冷流动沸腾过程进行模拟研究，讨论了具有不同楔角配置的楔形MMC对流量分布均匀性、总压降及压降分布均匀性、芯片温度及相体积分数的影响规律。结果表明，楔形MMC能够显著改善流量分布均匀性，其中Taper-200-50将流量分布的标准差最大降低了约50.9%。此外，楔形MMC可显著降低总压降及其波动幅度，有效改善压降分布的均匀性，从而提高流动稳定性。其中Taper-200-50将总压降降低57.3%~60.0%，压降波动标准差降低75.3%~85.1%，压降分布均匀性标准差降低81.2%~84.3%。在换热性能方面，楔形MMC的芯片平均温度与传统Z形差异较小，Taper-150-75和Taper-200-50表现出较优的换热性能，而Taper-250-25的换热效果最差，这表明当楔角过大时可能削弱换热效果。在所考虑的工况范围内，Taper-200-50的性能系数（COP）高达27713，性能评估准则（PEC）高达1.4，展现出优异的热管理潜力。

关键词: 微通道, 两相流, 数值模拟, 压降, 分布均匀性

CLC Number:

TK 123

Zihuan MA, Xiaoping YANG, Nanjing HAO, Jinjia WEI. Simulation study of subcooled flow boiling in wedge-shaped manifold microchannels[J]. CIESC Journal, 2025, 76(12): 6289-6301.

马紫欢, 杨小平, 郝南京, 魏进家. 楔形歧管微通道内的过冷流动沸腾模拟研究[J]. 化工学报, 2025, 76(12): 6289-6301.

Figures/Tables 15

Fig.1 (a) Schematic diagram of MMC heat sink; (b) Calculation region of Z-shaped MMC with boundary conditions; (c) Top view of Z-shaped MMC; (d) Top view of Taper-200-50

Table 1 Geometrical parameters and dimensions of the MMC heat sink

MMC配置	参数	值/μm	MMC配置	参数	值/μm
Z形MMC	L_in1, L_out2	100	Taper-200-50	L_in1, L_out2	200
	L_in2, L_out1	100		L_in2, L_out1	50
	L_m	100		L_m	50
Taper-150-75	L_in1, L_out2	150	Taper-250-25	L_in1, L_out2	250
	L_in2, L_out1	75		L_in2, L_out1	25
	L_m	75		L_m	25

Table 2 Thermophysical properties of HFE7100 and silicon

参数	液相HFE7100	气相HFE7100	Si
密度ρ/(kg/m³)	1402	11.5	2300
比热容c_p /(J/(kg·K))	1263	870	700
热导率k/(W/(m·K))	0.058	0.01	150
黏度μ/(Pa·s)	0.0004	1.32×10^-5	—
汽化热h_l_v/(kJ/kg)	111.6	—	—
表面张力σ/(N/m)	0.00943	—	—
饱和温度T_sat/K	339	—	—

Fig.2 (a) Mesh independent analysis and (b) validation of the numerical model

Fig.3 (a) Mass flux distribution in microchannel of the four MMCs under constant heat flux; (b) Standard deviation of mass flux distribution in microchannel at 12 operating conditions; (c) Mass flux distribution in microchannel of Taper-200-50 under different heat fluxes

Fig.4 (a) Total pressure drop within the quasi-steady-state period and (b) standard deviation of pressure drop fluctuations under various operating conditions

Fig.5 Variation of total pressure drop with time under various operating conditions

Fig.6 (a) Pressure drop distribution in microchannel under constant heat flux for different MMC configurations, and (b) standard deviation of pressure drop distribution in microchannel under various operating conditions

Fig.7 Inlet and outlet pressure values in each microchannel within the quasi-steady-state period for various operating conditions

Fig.8 (a)—(c) The trend of the average chip temperature over time and (d) the average value of chip temperature over the quasi-steady-state period

Fig.9 Temperature contours in the solid domain and contours of vapor volume fraction in the fluid domain for 6 operating conditions

Fig.10 Chip surface temperature contours at a heat flux of 200 W/cm2

Fig.11 (a) The variation of the total vapor volume fraction in Taper-200-50 with time, and (b) the average value of total vapor volume fraction for quasi-steady-state period at different heat fluxes

Fig.12 Average vapor volume fraction in microchannels within the quasi-steady-state period under various operating conditions

Fig.13 Comparison of COP and PEC under various operating conditions

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