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Evaluation of Heat Sink Geometries for Enhanced Thermal Dissipation in High-Power Semiconductor Devices

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Abstract:

Effective thermal management is essential for maintaining the performance and reliability of high-power semiconductor devices. This study presents a combined numerical and experimental evaluation of heat sink geometries under natural convection cooling to reduce junction temperatures in compact electronic packages. A three-dimensional finite volume model was developed in ANSYS Fluent to simulate the thermal behavior of a semiconductor package consisting of a chip, controller, thermal pad, and heat sink. The model was validated experimentally using thermocouples and a data acquisition system, with simulation results closely matching measured data, showing errors below 0.5%. Parametric investigations were conducted to assess the effects of heat sink fin number, fin height, and fin shape on junction temperature. Results showed that increasing the number of fins initially enhances heat dissipation, with an optimal range observed between 6 and 8 fins. Fin height had a strong influence, with taller fins significantly reducing junction temperature, up to 29.66 °C compared to the baseline model. Among the evaluated shapes, parallel and pin-fin heat sinks achieved the best performance, with over 23 °C reduction in junction temperature, while the wavy-fin design was less effective due to induced airflow disturbance. These findings provide practical insights into heat sink geometry optimization for passive cooling systems and offer guidance for thermal design in high-performance semiconductor applications.

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Periodical:

Engineering Headway (Volume 33)

Pages:

161-172

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4028/p-8jZC9S

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Online since:

February 2026

Authors:

Rilwan Kayode Apalowo, Oladuwama Joel Owoloja*, Samuel Olusina Famuyiwa, Joshua Ifedayo Kehinde, Elijah Oyebanji Oyeleke

Keywords:

Heat Sink Geometry, Junction Temperature, Natural Convection, Passive Cooling, Thermal Management

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© 2026 Trans Tech Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved

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* - Corresponding Author

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