THERMAL PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF NANOFLUID FLOW IN ASYMMETRIC SPIDER-WEB MICROCHANNEL HEAT SINKS

Abstract

Microchannel heat sinks have attracted significant attention for advanced thermal management of high–heat-flux devices, where enhancement of heat transfer performance remains a critical challenge. In this study, a detailed thermal analysis of nanofluid flow and heat transfer in asymmetric spider-web microchannel heat sinks is presented using a three-dimensional numerical framework. The effects of microchannel geometric asymmetry and nanofluid properties on convective heat transfer characteristics are systematically investigated.

The governing continuity, momentum, and energy equations are solved to evaluate key thermal performance indicators, including the Nusselt number, temperature distribution, and thermal resistance, over a range of Reynolds numbers and nanoparticle volume fractions. Numerical validation is achieved through grid independence analysis and comparison with established heat transfer correlations reported in the literature.

The results demonstrate that the asymmetric spider-web configuration promotes enhanced thermal mixing and temperature uniformity, leading to improved heat transfer performance compared to conventional microchannel designs. The use of nanofluids further intensifies convective heat transfer, although at the expense of increased pressure drop. The present study provides physical insight into the coupled effects of geometry-induced flow redistribution and nanofluid-enhanced thermal transport, offering useful guidance for the thermal design of micro-scale heat dissipation systems.