Multiple Phase Change Material (PCM) Configuration for PCM-Based Heat Sinks—An Experimental Study

Abstract

A small-scale phase change material (PCM)-based heat sink can regulate the temperature of electronics due to high latent-heat capacity. Three different heat sinks are examined to study the effects of PCM combination, arrangement of PCMs in multiple-PCM heat sink, PCM thickness, melting temperature and intensity of heat source on the thermal behavior of heat sink. Results are obtained for the temperature distribution across the heat sink and the PCM melting profile. It is concluded that (i) PCM combination RT50–RT55 increases the thermal regulation period and also reduces the heat sink temperature at the end of the operation, (ii) the RT58–RT47 arrangement slightly reduces the maximum temperature as compared to RT47–RT58, (iii) As PCM thickness increases from 30 mm to 60 mm, the thermal-regulation-period increases by 50 min, (iv) As the PCM melting temperature increases, the thermal-regulation-period and the heat sink temperature increase and (v) The thermal-regulation-period decreases as the power rating increases from 1 to 2 W.

Keywords

• phase change material
• thermal regulation
• heat sink