Towards Efficient Cooling of Power Electronics and Semiconductor Devices
This research focuses on enhancing heat transfer performance in heat exchangers by leveraging complex geometries known as Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS). Motivated by the growing demand for effective thermal management in high heat flux applications—such as CPUs, GPUs, and power electronics—the study explores the use of metal additive manufacturing to fabricate TPMS-based heat exchangers. Experimental investigations, particularly targeting pressure drop in gas-liquid two-phase flow, are being conducted to build a design database that supports the development of compact, high-efficiency cooling systems for next-generation electronic and transportation technologies.
Due to the rapid advancement of semiconductor technologies, there is an increasing demand for efficient cooling techniques capable of handling high heat fluxes. In this research, we focus on improving the heat transfer performance of cooling systems for electronic devices, including CPUs, GPUs, and power electronics. By addressing the challenges associated with thermal management in such high-density applications, this work aims to contribute to the development of more reliable and energy-efficient electronic systems.
In this study, we have developed a technique to apply a special structure known as a Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) to heat exchangers. Using this technique, we have fabricated stainless steel heat exchangers through additive manufacturing and are currently acquiring experimental data related to their heat transfer performance. In particular, we have successfully obtained experimental data on pressure drop in gas-liquid two-phase flow, which is difficult to capture through numerical fluid simulations. This effort is contributing to the construction of a design database for heat exchangers utilizing TPMS structures.
This study has the potential to contribute to the following applied research areas:
Miniaturization of thermal management devices for electric vehicles
Improvement of efficiency in heat pumps used for air conditioning and waste heat recovery systems
| Research | ||
|---|---|---|
| Journal | International Journal of Multiphase Flow | |
| Title | Experimental investigation on pressure drop characteristics of adiabatic two-phase flow in a Gyroid-structured channel | |
| Author | Tomoki Hirokawa, Hajime Miyata | |
| Member | Tomoki Hirokawa, Hajime Miyata | |
| URL | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmultiphaseflow.2024.104982 | |
| Information on conferences, exhibitions, and other related events | The Heat Transfer Society of Japan, Japan Society of Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers | |
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