Design optimization and experimental investigation of CPU heat sink cooled by alumina-water nanofluid

In this study, an experimental evaluation on the use of Al2O3 nanoparticles in a circular structure of minichannel heat sink is conducted for heat dissipation from electronic components such as Central Processing Unit (CPU). The experiments are prepared for various hydraulic diameter of channels and different values of coolant flow rates. After a hydro-thermal analysis on the obtained data, as a main outcome, findings indicate that decreasing the channel diameter and increasing the flow rate of Al2O3-water as working fluid are the most effective approaches to improve the cooling performance of heat sinks. An optimization study using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on Central Composite Design (CCD) is performed due to complex effect of channel size, nanofluid volume flow rates and channel numbers on pressure drop and heat transfer to reach the best operating design.