Identification of minimum air flow design for a desktop computer using CFDmodeling

This paper reports the results of CFD analysis to cool the 30-W socketed CP U of a desktop computer with minimum air flow rate and minimum heat sink si ze. This was achieved using only the fan in the power supply for all air mo vement in the chassis. A duct was employed to direct the air flow over the CPU and then to the inlet air vents of the power supply. Use of this duct a llowed more than 10 degreesC reduction of the CPU case temperature, relativ e to an unducted design. The CFD analysis results were confirmed by experim ent, and the predicted CPU case temperatures agreed within +/-2.9 degreesC of the experimental values for the ducted cases. This paper describes the m ethodology of CFD analysis for the heat sink/duct design, and describes exp erimental procedures to validate the predictions.