Forced convection cooling enhancement for rectangular blocks using a wavy plate

Heat transfer enhancement using a wavy plate in a channel containing heated blocks is numerically studied. The finite-element method is utilized to solve the problem. The blocks simulate an electronic package with a high thermal dissipation rate. The considered assembly consists of a channel formed by two plates with heated blocks attached to both internal walls and a wavy plate installed at the centerline of the channel. The wavy plate enhances heat transfer from the blocks through the modification of the flow pattern in the channel. The effect of the Reynolds number, waviness of the wavy plate, and blocks´ spacing on the Nusselt number and maximum temperature of the blocks is investigated. Heat transfer enhancement of the blocks with a wavy plate is evaluated by comparing their thermal characteristics to blocks with a zero waviness plate. The results show that the wavy plate enhances heat flow out of the blocks and reduces their temperature up to 23%.