Experimental study and numerical modeling of micro-channel cooler with micro-pipes for high-power diode laser arrays

• Published in: Applied thermal engineering Vol. 91; pp. 279 - 287
• Main Authors: Kozłowska, Anna, Łapka, Piotr, Seredyński, Mirosław, Teodorczyk, Marian, Dąbrowska-Tumańska, Elżbieta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 05.12.2015
• Subjects: Computer simulation; Coolers; Cooling; Devices; Laser arrays; Laser diode; Laser diodes; Mathematical models; Micro-channel heat sink; Thermal engineering; Three-dimensional numerical simulation; Micro-channel heat sink; Three-dimensional numerical simulation; Laser diode
• ISSN: 1359-4311
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2015.08.019

A miniaturized micro-channel cooler with micro-pipes that transport cooling liquid was numerically modeled and experimentally studied. A prototype copper cooler with glass micro-pipes was manufactured and tested. An experimental arrangement for investigations of cooling performance of the proposed device was built. An infrared imaging method was employed for temperature profiling of high-power laser bar mounted on the cooler. Concurrently, mathematical and fully three-dimensional numerical models of the proposed new design of a cooler were developed and a series of thermo-fluid numerical simulations were performed for various mass flow rates of the cooling medium and different powers of laser diode. Obtained results were compared with experimental measurements and showed generally a good agreement. The possible origin of some discrepancies at boundaries was discussed. Both experimental and numerical findings indicate that the proposed cooler construction is an interesting solution for high-power laser diode arrays. •Miniaturized construction of micro-channel cooler with micro-pipes was numerically modeled and verified experimentally.•Prototype copper micro-channel cooler comprising of glass micro-pipes was built and tested.•Infrared imaging was employed for temperature profiling of laser array mounted on the cooler.•A novel fully 3D numerical model of micro-heat sink was developed.•An agreement of numerical and experimental results was obtained (relative L2 norm error < 5%).