Analytical solution for heat conduction problem in composite slab and its implementation in constructal solution for cooling of electronics

• Published in: Energy conversion and management Vol. 48; no. 4; pp. 1089 - 1105
• Main Authors: Kuddusi, Lütfullah, Denton, Jesse C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Conduction; Constructal theory; Electronics cooling; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Optimization; Refrigerating engineering; Refrigerating engineering. Cryogenics. Food conservation; Techniques. Materials; Tree networks; Conduction; Tree networks; Electronics cooling; Optimization; Constructal theory; Cooling; Electronics; Two dimensional model; Boundary condition; Implementation; Cooling system; Slabs; Heat sink; Thermal conduction
• ISSN: 0196-8904; 1879-2227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2006.10.024

The constructal solution for cooling of electronics requires solution of a fundamental heat conduction problem in a composite slab composed of a heat generating slab and a thin strip of high conductivity material that is responsible for discharging the generated heat to a heat sink located at one end of the strip. The fundamental 2D heat conduction problem is solved analytically by applying an integral transform method. The analytical solution is then employed in a constructal solution, following Bejan, for cooling of electronics. The temperature and heat flux distributions of the elemental heat generating slabs are assumed to be the same as those of the analytical solution in all the elemental volumes and the high conductivity strips distributed in the different constructs. Although the analytical solution of the fundamental 2D heat conduction problem improves the accuracy of the distributions in the elemental slabs, the results following Bejan’s strategy do not affirm the accuracy of Bejan’s constructal solution itself as applied to this problem of cooling of electronics. Several different strategies are possible for developing a constructal solution to this problem as is indicated.