Numerical Investigation of a Square Finned Heat Sink at Different ‎Angles of Inclination

Abstract

 This study presents a numerical investigation of a finned heat sink in forced convection flow. Tests were conducted on a square fin with varying angles of inclination, heights, and distances between fins. These parameters were examined at different Reynolds numbers within the turbulent range (from 5000 to 25000) and a heat flux of 5000 W/m². The heat distribution and flow behavior around the heat sink were modeled using the full Navier-Stokes and energy equations. The simulations were performed using ANSYS Fluent with the k-ε model. Results indicated that decreasing fin spacing from 6mm to 2mm led to 9% reduction in surface temperature and an increase in the Nusselt number by 41%, highlighting a significant enhancement in convective heat transfer. Similarly, variations in fin height showed a noticeable influence on thermal behavior, resulting by 16% reduction in surface temperature and enhancing the Nusselt number by 94%, and an inclination of 15 was found to provide the optimal thermal performance among the investigated angles, achieving the lowest surface temperature by 6% .