Computational evaluation based case study of Schwarz-P TPMS lattice architectures for heat sink thermal performance

Abstract

High-powered electronics are particularly vulnerable to the issue of increased failure brought on by excessive heat buildup. Intricately structured heat sinks, such as triply periodic minimal surfaces, have demonstrated capabilities, but their heat transfer performance are not yet fully understood. The goal of this study is to investigate the flow and heat transfer characteristics of the Schwarz-P heat sink via computational fluid dynamics. It evaluates the impact of unit cell size and porosity on the thermal performance of the Schwarz-P heat sink. The effectiveness of Schwarz-P-structure in relation to a plate-fin heat sink is also analyzed. The results indicate less tortuosity and that most of the fluid primarily flows through the central channel of the Schwarz-P heatsink. Flow separation is seen to be taking place when the fluid moves forward and confronts a change in the geometry. Flow reattachment and the development of recirculation zones are seen over a range of cross-sections. It is also noted that the thermal performance of the heat sink with the Schwarz-P structure has been enhanced compared to that of the plate-fin heat sink. This study is valuable as it outlines the relationships between the Schwarz-P heat sinks' design parameters and their thermal performance.