Versatile two-layer model for thermohydraulic prediction of microchannel heat sinks
Abstract
Three-dimensional conjugate heat-transfer simulations provide detailed predictions for microchannel heat sinks but can be computationally demanding when many geometries and operating conditions are evaluated. This study develops a versatile two-layer model (VTLM) that reduces the three-dimensional problem to two coupled two-dimensional fields while retaining the in-plane geometry of the flow passages and fins. Effects associated with the unresolved channel-height direction are incorporated through hydraulic and thermal closures that account for wall friction and the fluid- and fin-side contributions to interlayer heat transfer. The closures are evaluated from the representative channel geometry, flow-development condition, and fin configuration. The VTLM was assessed against three-dimensional reference models across broad ranges of channel aspect ratios and operating conditions, including uniform and nonuniform fin arrangements. Compared with the existing two-layer models, the VTLM showed improved overall agreement with the three-dimensional reference results. The results showed that prediction accuracy was governed mainly by the flow-development condition and channel aspect ratio, from which a conservative screening guideline was proposed for the examined straight-channel configurations. The assessment of finned expansion--contraction channels further supported the applicability of the VTLM to the investigated passages with abrupt width changes. Overall, the VTLM provides a reduced-dimensional framework for thermohydraulic analysis across the range of microchannel heat-sink configurations examined in this study without explicitly resolving the channel-height direction.
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BibTeX
@misc{chen2026versatile,
title = {{Versatile two-layer model for thermohydraulic prediction of microchannel heat sinks}},
author = {Chih-Hsiang Chen and Kentaro Yaji},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.16716},
eprint = {2610.16716},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.16716},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Versatile two-layer model for thermohydraulic prediction of microchannel heat sinks
AU - Chih-Hsiang Chen
AU - Kentaro Yaji
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/12
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.16716
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.16716
AB - Three-dimensional conjugate heat-transfer simulations provide detailed predictions for microchannel heat sinks but can be computationally demanding when many geometries and operating conditions are evaluated. This study develops a versatile two-layer model (VTLM) that reduces the three-dimensional problem to two coupled two-dimensional fields while retaining the in-plane geometry of the flow passages and fins. Effects associated with the unresolved channel-height direction are incorporated through hydraulic and thermal closures that account for wall friction and the fluid- and fin-side contributions to interlayer heat transfer. The closures are evaluated from the representative channel geometry, flow-development condition, and fin configuration. The VTLM was assessed against three-dimensional reference models across broad ranges of channel aspect ratios and operating conditions, including uniform and nonuniform fin arrangements. Compared with the existing two-layer models, the VTLM showed improved overall agreement with the three-dimensional reference results. The results showed that prediction accuracy was governed mainly by the flow-development condition and channel aspect ratio, from which a conservative screening guideline was proposed for the examined straight-channel configurations. The assessment of finned expansion--contraction channels further supported the applicability of the VTLM to the investigated passages with abrupt width changes. Overall, the VTLM provides a reduced-dimensional framework for thermohydraulic analysis across the range of microchannel heat-sink configurations examined in this study without explicitly resolving the channel-height direction.
ER -