Numerical Simulation, Machining and Testing of a Phase Change Heat Sink for High Power LEDs

Thermal management is crucial to guarantee the normal operation of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) Phase change heat sink is superior to traditional metal solid heat sink due to very small thermal resistance. In this study, a new type of phase change heat sink for high power LEDs is first designed. Then, the fabrication process of boiling structures at the evaporation surface of the phase change heat sink is discussed and analyzed. To make a comparison and deep discussion, the machining process is simulated through the FEM (finite element analysis) software, DEFORM-3D. Last but not least, heat transfer performance of the fabricated phase change heat sink is tested. Results have shown that the designed new type of phase change heat sink has superior heat transfer performance and is suitable for heat dissipation of high-power LEDs.