Novel thermal switch based on magnetic nanofluids with remote activation

The exponential rise of power dissipation in electric devices has so far vastly surpassed the performance of power converter systems. New thermal management solutions are therefore in high demand to maintain devices at their optimal temperature and efficiency. Here, we present an innovative magnetically actuated thermal switch (MATS) based on nanofluids capable of controlling both the magnitude and direction of the heat flux. When in the OFF state (zero applied magnetic field), the nanofluid captures the heat being generated at the heat source. When an external magnetic field is applied (ON state), the nanofluid is transported from the heat source to the heat sink where it releases the carried heat. This work (i) provides a detailed description of the MATS operating principles, (ii) studies the effect of thickness and operation frequency in its cooling power, (iii) presents numerical simulations to forecast MATS behavior and (iv) demonstrates the MATS applicability in the thermal management of a 10 W Light Emitting Diode. The versatility, simple design, unique operating mode and high performance of the MATS suggests that the proposed approach is a promising technology to be used in a vast number of electronic devices, thermal storage systems and thermal management applications.