Nanofluid Boiling Module for Precision Cooling of Microelectronics

MicroEnergy Technologies, Inc. (MicroET) and the University of Washington propose to demonstrate the feasibility and the major advantages of a unique high heat flux cooling module for localized cooling of distributed electronics. This technology combines innovations in heat sink design, manufacturing, and operation including an innovative micropump design to achieve heat rejection rates in excess of 1000 W/cm2 from the surface of a substrate. The most critical innovation is the use of ceramic nanoparticles suspension used as the heat rejection medium in which intense nucleate boiling produces extremely high heat fluxes. The micropump geometry is integrated into the cooling module to maintain a high enough flow rate through the parallel array of microchannels for efficient cooling. The proposed approach allows for distributed cooling without the need for external pumping and the ability to provide localized control. During Phase I, we will perform analytical and computational modeling for system design and analysis, experimentally demonstrate the significant advantages and improvements in cooling system performance.