Modelling of jet-impingement cooling for power electronics

The use of an innovative jet impingement cooling system in a power electronics application is investigated using numerical analysis. The jet impingement system, outlined by Skuriat et al, consists of a series of cells each containing an array of holes. Cooling fluid is forced through the device, forming an array of impingement jets. The jets are arranged in a manner, which induces a high degree of mixing in the interface boundary layer. This increase in turbulent mixing is intended to induce higher Nusselt numbers and effective heat transfer coefficients. Enhanced cooling efficiency enables the power electronics module to operate at a lower temperature, greatly enhancing long-term reliability. The results obtained through numerical modelling deviates markedly from the experimentally derived data. The disparity is most likely due to the turbulence model selected and further analysis is required, involving evaluation of more advanced turbulence models.