Work

Thermal-hydraulic analysis of a circular-finned pin-fin heat sink and performance prediction using Artificial neural networks

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: As the power density of electronic devices increases, the demand for efficient thermal management is also increasing. This study proposed to evaluate whether a new structure, in which circular pins are attached to a conventional pin-fin heat sink, can contribute to improved thermal performance. The thermal-hydraulic characteristics of the proposed shape are numerically investigated using the finite volume method with the standard k-ε turbulence model at various Reynolds number(8500, 13000, 17500, and 22000), height of fin(7.5 mm, 12.5 mm, and 17.5 mm), and fin angles(0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, and 40°). The circular fins disturb the flow and generate vortices, guiding flow closer to the heat source as the fin angle( θ ) increases, thereby enhancing heat transfer. The results show that under optimal conditions, the performance evaluation criteria( PEC ) is improved by up to 32% compared to the existing pin-fin heat sink, and the total entropy generation is reduced by up to 35%. In particular, the optimal design resulted in a 2% improvement in PEC and a 10% reduction in total entropy generation, compared to the configuration with a fin angle of θ = 0°. To enable fast and accurate prediction, an Artificial Neural Network(ANN) prediction model was developed. The ANN model demonstrated high accuracy, achieving an average relative error of less than 2% compared to the numerical simulation results. This study investigates the underlying physical mechanisms of the circular-finned pin-fin heat sink and offers guidelines for the optimization of electronic cooling system design through rapid and accurate performance prediction.

Source: Case Studies in Thermal Engineering

DOI: 10.1016/j.csite.2025.107282