Thermal Optimization for Internal Embedded Conductive Cooling Schemes Using Topology Optimization Techniques

Conductive heat transfer has an important role to play in the cooling of, for instance, electronic equipment. Due to its passive nature in relaying heat, internal conductive cooling may have advantages above internal convective heat transfer at small length scales. It does, however, require optimization of the distribution of high heat-conducting material. In this two-dimensional numerical study, the optimum distribution of high conductive material within rectangular heat-generating domains with different aspect ratios is investigated by using a topology optimization algorithm. The volume fraction of the high-conductive material is set at 10% of the total volume. Of interest are the influences of boundary conditions, thermal conductivity and optimization penalization levels on the resulting cooling material distribution. The obtained conducting trees are compared and discussed.