Experimental study of boiling phenomena and heat transfer performances of FC-72 over micro-pin-finned silicon chips

Experiments were conducted to study the effects of micro-pin-fins on boiling phenomena and heat transfer from square simulated silicon chips immersed in a pool of FC-72. Two kinds of micro-pin-fins having fin thickness of 30 mu m and fin heights of 60 and 200 mu m, respectively, were fabricated on the silicon chip surface with the dry etching technique. The experiments were conducted at the liquid subcoolings of 3, 25, 35 and 45 K. The effects of dissolved air in FC-72 and chip orientation were also investigated. The boiling curve of the micro-pin-finned chips was characterized by a very small increase in wall superheat with increasing heat flux, and the wall temperatures at the CHF point for all the micro-pin-finned chips were less than the upper limit for the reliable operation of LSI chips (T-w=85 degrees C). Liquid subcooling was very effective in elevating CHF for the micro-pin-finned chips compared to the smooth surface and other treated surfaces. The enhanced boiling heat transfer mechanisms for the micro-pin-finned chips were discussed.