Taeho CHOI, Tae Young KIM
DOI Number: 10.60853/pha0-3r07
Conference number: HiSST-2024-00357
In the space industry, the management of high heat flux is paramount to ensuring the stability and efficiency of equipment operating in the extreme conditions of space. The ability to effectively dissipate heat generated by onboard electronics is crucial for maintaining operational reliability and preventing overheating, which can lead to performance degradation, reduced lifespan, and mission failure. Within this context, the application of multi-phase heat transfer methodologies has emerged as a promising candidate. Specifically, flow boiling within microchannel heat sinks is regarded as a forefront solution to this challenge, attributed to its superior heat transfer performances.
Nevertheless, the rapid vapor expansion within such channels frequently incites flow instabilities, manifesting as significant pressure drop oscillations, which pose a substantial barrier to the reliable application of this technology. This research introduces a pioneering solution to address the aforementioned instability through the development
of a Half-range T-shaped channel (HRTC). This innovative design incorporates T-shaped flow paths in the upstream portion and V-shaped grooves in the downstream portion, aiming to attenuate the multiphase flow instabilities inherent to conventional systems. The empirical evidence presented within this study illustrates that the HRTC configuration achieves a substantial diminution in pressure oscillation amplitude, surpassing the performance of traditional T-shaped and plate-fin microchannels by more than fivefold under specified conditions of the heat flux of 63 kW/m2 and the mass flux of 200 kg/m2s.