Honors College Theses

Publication Date

5-6-2020

Major

Mechanical Engineering (B.S.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Faculty Mentor

Dr. David Calamas

Abstract

Fractal geometries have been found in several studies to increase a fin’s thermal performance. Both the reductions of volume and mass accompanied by an increase in performance are desirable to prevent malfunction of the device through passive heat dissipation. The Sierpinski carpet fractal pattern, beginning with a basic square geometry in which an increasing number of perforations are incorporated through each successive iteration, reduces the fin’s mass while increasing its surface area simultaneously; this increase in surface area increases the rate of heat transfer experienced across the fin. The first four iterations of the Sierpinski carpet pattern, each with identical dimensions and material, were compared at orientations of 0°, 45°, or 90° to determine which iteration yielded the greatest efficiency, effectiveness, and effectiveness per unit mass. This experiment was performed in a natural convection environment with constant heat flux of 20 Watts applied at the base of the fin. It was found that across all iterations, an orientation of 90° yielded the highest efficiency, effectiveness, and effectiveness per unit mass with two negligible exceptions for the effectiveness and effectiveness per unit mass of the 1st iteration at 0°.

Thesis Summary

A device’s thermal management system should retain the internal temperature within the desired operational range. Electronics typically require extended surfaces to wick the heat by increasing surface area as fins. The fins’ geometries utilized in this study are inspired by the first four iterations of the Sierpinski Carpet fractal pattern. Efficiency, effectiveness, and effectiveness per unit mass of the fins are the three metrics analyzed in this research.

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