Electronics cooling with nanofluids: A critical review

With increase of heat generated by new electronic components, a combination of nanofluid characteristics and minichannel attributes has been introduced as a hot research topic. Development of such technology can result in further miniaturization of electronic equipment and also improve energy efficiency. In this article, the recent studies performed on use of nanofluids in electronics cooling are reviewed considering several aspects such as liquid block type, numerical approach, nanoparticle material, energy consumption, and second law of thermodynamics. Besides, some interesting aspects about employing nanofluids in cooling of electronic components are introduced. Furthermore, the opportunities for future studies as well as the challenges existing in this field are presented and discussed. It is found that applying nanofluids as novel coolants in different liquid blocks and heat pipes can considerably improve electronics cooling technology in the future.