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Thermo-hydraulic performance enhancement in a counter-flow mini-channels using an array of rib geometries: A numerical study
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DOI：10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2026.112284.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
The escalating miniaturization of electronic devices necessitates efficient thermal management to ensure operational reliability and longevity. Micro/mini-channel heat sinks, owing to their high surface-area-to-volume ratio, have emerged as an effective cooling technology for compact applications. While extensive research on parallel-flow mini-channels incorporating geometric modifications, ribs, secondary channels, and diverse working fluids has enhanced heat transfer, these configurations remain limited by elevated pressure drops and pronounced axial temperature non-uniformity. Recent counter-flow designs improve temperature uniformity but shift peak substrate temperatures toward the central zone, generating localized hot spots. To mitigate these hot spots and enhance the thermo-hydraulic performance of counter-flow mini-channel heat sinks (CFMCHS), the present study systematically investigates rib arrays of four geometries, triangular, square, hexagonal, and circular, over a Reynolds number range of 150–750. Circular ribs exhibited superior performance, enhancing the Performance Evaluation Factor by 44.85% at Re = 450 relative to the conventional counter-flow channel, while reducing substrate temperature by 29.6 K at the channel center and 9.9 K near the inlet and outlet. Entropy generation analysis revealed that heat transfer irreversibility dominates with increasing Reynolds number, whereas fluid friction irreversibility remains negligible across all geometries. A parametric investigation identified the optimal relative rib length (α = 0.4) and relative rib height (γ = 0.3), yielding a peak performance enhancement of 54.6% at Re = 600. Finally, empirical correlations for Nusselt number and pressure-drop ratios are developed as functions of Re, α, and γ, offering practical design guidelines for high-performance counter-flow mini-channel heat sinks.
Keywords:
Bejan number
Counter flow
Mini-channel heat sink
Ribs
Performance evaluation factor
Central wall temperature
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