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US 9,854,704 B2Granted
Shaped heat sinks to optimize flow
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsPradeep Chandra Babu Salapakkam, Ri Li, Mehmet Arik, William Dwight Gerstler, Bryan Patrick Whalen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heat sink with shape-optimized fins provides for improved heat transfer. Synthetic jets create vortices which enhance heat transfer and cooling of downstream fins, while the shape of the fins limits pressure drop in the flow over the cooling fins.
Claims18
A cooling system comprising:
- a base thermally connected to an object to be cooled;
- a primary flow generator that provides for a cooling fluid flow across a surface of the base;
- and
- an array of fins thermally coupled to the base, the array of fins comprising:
- a first fin having an internal hollow cavity formed therein and at least one downstream orifice to provide fluid communication between the internal hollow cavity and an external environment;
- and
- a second fin disposed downstream of the cooling fluid flow from the first fin;
- and
- a synthetic jet disposed within the internal hollow cavity of the first fin that produces a flow oscillation at the at least one downstream orifice that interacts with the cooling fluid flow to shed thermal boundary layers on the second fin;
- wherein the second fin includes a leading edge oriented to face the cooling fluid flow and the flow oscillation, sides, and a downstream end, with each of the leading edge and the sides comprising a closed surface free of openings.
7 more elements
A cooling system comprising:
- a heat sink including:
- a base thermally connected to an object to be cooled;
- and
- an array of fins thermally coupled to the base;
- and
- a primary flow generator that provides for a cooling fluid flow across the heat sink;
- and
- wherein the array of fins comprises:
- a first fin having an internal hollow cavity formed therein and at least one opening on a downstream end thereof to provide fluid communication between the internal hollow cavity and an external environment;
- and
- a second fin disposed downstream of the cooling fluid flow from the first fin;
- wherein the first fin includes a synthetic jet disposed within the internal hollow cavity thereof, the synthetic jet producing a flow oscillation out of the at least one opening that interacts with the cooling fluid flow to shed thermal boundary layers on the second fin;
- and
- wherein the second fin includes a leading edge oriented to face the cooling fluid flow and the flow oscillation, sides, and a downstream end, with each of the leading edge and the sides comprising a closed surface free of openings.
11 more elements
A cooling system comprising:
- a heat sink including:
- a base thermally connected to an object to be cooled;
- and
- a plurality of fins thermally coupled to the base, wherein one or more of the plurality of fins each includes a leading edge, sides, and a downstream end that define an internal hollow cavity, and at least one opening on the downstream end to provide fluid communication between the internal hollow cavity and an external environment;
- a synthetic jet disposed within one or more of the plurality of fins, the synthetic jet being disposed within the internal hollow cavity of a respective fin and producing an oscillating fluid flow that is dispersed out of the at least one opening;
- and
- a primary flow generator that provides for a cooling fluid flow across the heat sink;
- wherein the plurality of fins includes:
- a first fin including an internal hollow cavity formed therein, with a respective synthetic jet positioned in the internal hollow cavity;
- and
- a second fin disposed downstream from the first fin such that the leading edge thereof is oriented to face the oscillating fluid flow from the synthetic jet in the first fin, with the leading edge and the sides of the second fin comprising closed surfaces free of openings;
- wherein the oscillating fluid flow produced by the synthetic jet positioned in the first fin interacts with the cooling fluid flow generated by the primary flow generator to shed thermal boundary layers on the second fin.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.