Miniature vapor compression refrigeration system for electronics cooling

Abstract

A miniature vapor compression refrigeration system using R134a is investigated for electronics cooling. The system consists of four main components: an evaporator, a compressor, a capillary tube, and a condenser. The evaporator is a micro-channel heat sink with 106 rectangular cross-sectional channels. Each micro-channel has a depth of 450 µm, a width of 150 µm, a wall thickness of 150 µm, and a length of 20 mm. Experimental conditions include compressor speeds ranging between 3000 and 6000 RPM and heating power of 100 W, 150 W, and 200 W. The experimental results show that increased compressor speed could reduce the surface temperature of the heater but also decrease the coefficient of performance (COP). The highest COP gained is 9.069 at a compressor speed of 3000 RPM and a heating power of 200 W, which yields the heater surface temperature of 73.3 °C. This miniature vapor compression refrigeration system could be used for electronics cooling with the most suitable conditions at heating power of 200 W and compressor speed of 3000 RPM. The proposed system is not suitable for electronics cooling at a heating power of 100 W and 150 W, because the heater surface temperature is less than 40 °C. Keywords: Micro-channel, Vapor compression system, Heat sink, Electronics cooling