Thermal Analysis and Experimental Studies of a Plate-Fin Heat Sink Integrated with U-Shaped Liquid-Cooling Channel

Abstract: The continuous miniaturization and rising power densities of modern electronic modules demand advanced thermal management solutions capable of dissipating high heat fluxes safely. Conventional air-cooled natural convection systems often fail under elevated loads due to limited fluid heat capacity and restricted thermal conductivity. In this study, both experimental and numerical investigations were carried out to evaluate the transition from standard natural convection to a hybrid cooling configuration that integrates a plate-fin aluminium heat sink with a U-shaped liquid-cooling channel. Controlled trials were performed at heat inputs of 10 W, 20 W, and 30 W, with transient and steady-state temperatures recorded at the base, top fins, and coolant outlet. Under natural convection, base temperatures rose sharply to 56.11 °C (10 W), 78.06 °C (20 W), and a critical 93.02 °C (30 W), highlighting the severe limitations of pure air cooling. In contrast, the hybrid water-cooled channel significantly suppressed base temperatures to 43 °C (10 W), 59 °C (20 W), and 74 °C (30 W). Energy balance analysis showed that the liquid channel absorbed 3.40 W, 7.30 W, and 11.10 W across the respective loads, while fin conduction contributed 2.89 W, 5.46 W, and 8.57 W. Complementary CFD simulations performed in ANSYS Fluent exhibited strong agreement with experimental data, with deviations confined to 5–8%. These findings validate the hybrid cooling system’s capability to overcome thermal bottlenecks, making it a reliable solution for high-density engineering and advanced electronic packaging applications.

Keywords: Plate-Fin Heat Sink, Natural Convection; Liquid Cooling Channel; Thermal Management; CFD Validation; Heat Dissipation; Compact Thermal Systems.