Analysis of microchannel heat exchangers using FEM

A finite element method is applied to evaluate the performance of microchan nel heat exchangers that are used in electronic packaging. The present appr oach is validated against the CFD data available in the literature. A compa rison of the predicted results with other available results obtained from d ifferent concepts shows that the present method is able to predict the surf ace temperature, the fluid temperature and thus the total thermal resistanc e of the microchannel heat sink satisfactorily. The present methodology has an added advantage in that non-uniform surface heat flux distribution over the package base can also be analysed easily. The method used in the Prese nt analyses is an alternative to massive CFD calculations.