Thermomagnetic Convection in Square and Shallow Enclosures for Electronics Cooling

Combined temperature and magnetic field gradients established in ferrofluids induce thermomagnetic convection. We report a comparative numerical analysis of steady-state convection carried out for a square and a shallow enclosure under zero-gravity conditions. Two symmetrically placed, discrete, constant-flux flush-mounted heaters on the bottom wall of the cavities represent power-dissipating devices in electronics/MEMS applications. The sidewalls serve as heat sinks. A line dipole placed below the bottom wall is the field-source. The role of the magnetic field, the thermal boundary conditions, and the enclosure dimensions in influencing heat transfer are revealed through a comparative thermal-fluidic analysis in different convection-dominated operational regimes.