Experimental and numerical investigation of Cu–Be microchannel heat sink for thermal performance subjected to pulsed flow

Abstract

Microchannel heat sinks (MCHSs) with liquid cooling have emerged as highly efficient solutions for thermal management in high-power electronic devices. Their compact structure and superior heat transfer capabilities make them ideal for meeting the increasing demand for thermal control in miniaturised systems. This study investigates the effect of coolant flow frequency on heat transfer in a novel MCHS device. The microchannels are fabricated on a copper–beryllium (Cu–Be) alloy insert using wire electrical discharge machining. The manufactured device is then assembled and tested on an in-house developed test setup. An increase in pulse frequency from 21 to 70 pulses/min results in a marked reduction in outlet temperature, demonstrating that higher frequencies significantly enhance convective heat transfer. The most pronounced temperature reduction, up to 20°C, is observed at a heat flux of 3.6 W/cm ² across the considered frequency range, indicating the optimal condition for convective thermal enhancement. A deviation of 4.7% between numerical and experimental results indicates good agreement, validating the accuracy of the numerical investigation.