Temperature Distribution Analysis of Composite Heat Sink (Pin Fin) by Experimental and Finite Element Method

Abstract

Design of machine components plays a vital role in the field of Engineering where it includes the shape of component, size, applied loads, position and materials used. Due to the applied loads namely static, thermal and combined loads etc., the component undergoes stresses and deformations which affect the life of component and also the system. The Finite Element Method (FEM) is a numerical tool used for solving problems of engineering and mathematical problems in the fields of structural analysis, heat transfer, fluid flow, mass transport etc., For problems involving complicated geometries, loadings and material properties, it is generally not possible to obtain analytical solutions. These solutions generally require the ordinary or partial differential equations. Because of the complicated geometries, loadings and material properties, the solution can’t be obtained easily. So, in FEM the complicated shape of the component is divided in to small entities called elements. Element characteristics are studied and then all the elements are combined to make a single system of component. In the present work, Experiments have been conducted to find the temperature distribution within the pin fin made of composite metals and steady state heat transfer analysis has been carried using a finite element software ANSYS to test and validate results. The temperature distribution at different regions of pin fin are evaluated by FEM and compared with the results obtained by experimental work. The results are in good agreement and thus validated.