Numerical investigation of the effect of microchannel configurations on subcooled flow boiling heat transfer performance of manifold heat sinks

Manifold microchannels (MMC) are regarded as an efficient thermal management technique for electronic devices. However, research on optimizing the channel configuration of heat transfer in MMC has been limited. This study focuses on the design of MMC with micro fins and groove wall configurations, based on plain wall configurations. The subcooling boiling process of MMC at various heat and mass fluxes was investigated utilizing the fluid volume method (VOF) model, and parameters including average temperature, overall temperature distribution, local heat transfer coefficients, vapor-phase volume fraction, and pressure drop were thoroughly analyzed. The results demonstrate that the groove wall configuration decreases the average and maximum temperatures by up to 5.3 K and 6.4 K, respectively, compared to the plain wall and micro fins configurations. In addition, the improved configurations reduce the pressure drop by up to 12.9 % (micro fins) and 12 % (groove wall), respectively, with an increase in the fluctuation of pressure drop to varying degrees. Both improved configurations modify the overall temperature distribution, enhance the local heat transfer coefficient, and accelerate the bubble growth and detachment. These findings are not only significant for the thermal management of MMC-based electronic micro-components but also offer guidance for the design and optimization of MMC.