SBIR Phase I:Two-Phase Microchannel Heat Sink with Porous Layers Lining Channel Inner Walls

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop an advanced two-phase micro/mini-channel heat sink that can remove high heat fluxes with reduced instabilities and achieve more uniform temperatures than the current state of-the-art two-phase heat sinks. The proposed concept will potentially improve the scalability, reliability, and versatility of two-phase micro/mini-channel heat sinks by addressing two key issues: parallel channel instabilities and transient dryout of channels experiencing vapor explosion. The specific feature in the proposed concept is a porous layer lining the heat sink walls. The porous layer provides more uniform nucleation during flow boiling and also stores liquid for evaporation during the bubble venting period, resulting in improved temperature uniformity and reduced flow and temperature oscillations. There are three objectives for the Phase I project: (1) develop a model to select the most favorable porous layer and heat sink geometries; (2) optimize the techniques for porous layer manufacturing and characterization; and (3) build and test microchannel heat sinks with porous layers to demonstrate their performances. The Phase II project will develop the advanced two-phase micro/mini-channel heat sinks for specific commercial and military applications for these partners. Broader Impact of the Proposed Work and Commercialization Potential The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will contribute to better understanding of two-phase micro/mini-channel instabilities and develop effective means to suppress them. The results of the project will improve micro/mini-channel heat sink usefulness and robustness for diverse operating conditions. This is a critical step towards commercialization of two-phase micro/mini-channel heat sinks. Mobile internet, assistive technologies, and other electronics technologies with market sectors in chip manufacturing, aging population, and transportation could benefit from the proposed technology. It was predicted that the total annual electricity savings in the U.S. alone could reach $1B if advanced chip level (liquid, two-phase, etc.) cooling solutions are implemented for computer data centers.