Parametric optimization of multichanneled heat sinks for VLSI chip cooling

This paper presents an optimization study of multichannel heat sinks for electronic devices. Specifically, we present a method of determining optimum values of the channel diameter, flow rate and number of channels for minimum pumping power or minimum pressure drop. Optimized parameters are expressed in dimensionless form. The calculated results for both laminar and turbulent regimes present several important relationships among the parameters. A criterion for choice of the flow regime to be used is presented. For a current electronic cooling requirement, the optimized diameter of a channel lies in the micro-scale range when water is used as working fluid. Several advantages of an optimized heat sink and its´ feasibility toward actual cooling problems are discussed.