4. Conclusion :
The present numerical study is carried out to estimate the thermal
performance of a micro-pin fin heat sink. Heat sinks with three
different geometrical shapes (square, triangular, and circular) and
three types of PCMs (paraffin wax, stearic acid, and polyethylene
glycol) are used to quantitatively visualize their effects on the
thermal behavior of heat sinks. To summarize the research findings, the
following points can be drawn to consider:
- By using PCMs, the temperature rise of a heat sink can be reduced.
- For the micro-pin fin heat sink, polyethylene glycol is better than
paraffin wax and stearic acid when the temperature is below 70 °C.
- A square fin heat sink performs better than a triangular or circular
fin heat sink.
- As the height of the fins increases, the area for natural convection
heat transfer also increases, resulting in a higher thermal
performance of the heat sink.
- Increasing the number of fins without using PCMs increases the
effectiveness of a heat sink. But when PCMs are used in this case,
thermal performance gets lower.