Stacked packaging laminar-convection-cooled printed circuit using the entropy generation minimization method

The use of the entropy general minimization (EGM) method to optimize the fin pitch of heat sink in a free-convection environment, is discussed. EGM method can be used to optimize plate-fin heat sinks in electronics applications through simultaneous optimization of heat sink design parameters. The fin pitch was optimized for three different parameter combinations, including heat-sink-base thickness and fin thickness. The temperature of the heat sink material was determined at 25°C and 200 W/mK around the heat sink and thermal conductivity. The temperature difference between the heat sink and the ambient air was also measured for analyzing heat sink resistance. Results show that the EGM method predicts higher fin pitch than the analytical and CFD methods and exhibits reliability in the fin-pitch optimization of the plate-fin heat sink in free convection environment.