Natural convection from rectangular fins with a circular base

Abstract

In the present study, natural convection over a heat sink with a horizontal circular base and rectangular fins was numerically analyzed. To calculate natural convection heat transfer, the assumptions of ideal gas and laminar flow were made for air. Flow patterns around the heat sink were chimney-like. The resultant temperature distribution on the circular base appeared almost uniform. Parametric studies were performed to compare the effects of fin length, fin height, the ideal number of fins, and heat flux on the average temperature of a heat sink and the average heat transfer coefficient from the heat sink array. Correlation to predict the average Nusselt number was presented.