Design of a reduced form factor passive heat sink for high power applications

This paper presents the design of a reduced form factor passive heat sink that can be used to sink heat effectively in modules operating in the 2-5 kW power range. Fin- or pin-fin-type passive heat sinks that are commercially available today are incapable of achieving comparable heat sinking performance with comparable volume. This paper focuses on the development of a bonded fin heat sink, showing how the heat sinking capacity changes with parameters such as fin density and fin thickness. Alternative high-performance materials for the fins were also probed. Choosing lighter materials with high thermal conductivity showed an increase in both power density and specific power as compared to using copper as the heat sink fin material.