Computational Investigation of Turbulent Airflow Characteristics Across Perforated and Slotted AlSi10Mg Plate Fins

The objective of this study is to achieve efficient plate-fin heatsinks by enhancing the heat transfer rate while mitigating air-pressure drops and reducing mass. We investigated three different arrays of plate fins: plain heatsink (PH), square perforated and slotted heatsink (SPSH), and circular perforated and slotted heatsink (CPSH). Numerical analysis using the conjugate heat transfer model is performed at Reynolds numbers ranging from 13049 to 52195 for steady incompressible and turbulent flow over the heatsinks. The numerical model is validated with experimental data from the literature. Results indicate that the SPSH and CPSH exhibit 25.1% and 23.7% higher convection heat transfer rates, respectively, compared to the PH. Additionally, the air-pressure drop is reduced by 11.3% and 12.1% for the SPSH and CPSH, respectively, in comparison to the PH. Because of the material removal for slots and perforations, the mass of the SPSH and CPSH is reduced by 26% and 24%, respectively, compared to the PH. These findings demonstrate the potential of lateral perforations and slots in significantly improving the heat transfer performance of plate-fin heatsinks while concurrently reducing air-pressure drops and overall mass.