Abstract
The use of steady-state traveling waves as a novel pumping mechanism in liquid-cooled heat sinks offers a controlled and efficient method for fluid flow and heat removal without the need for an external fluid transfer pump. This experimental study demonstrates how traveling waves can be harnessed in a beam submerged in quiescent water using two force input methods, with the waves used to remove heat from a ceramic-based Positive Temperature Cofficient (PTC) heating element. The study analyzed the heating and cooling profiles of the heating element under two different conditions which are still water cooling and forced liquid convection cooling using steady-state traveling waves. The findings showed that a steady-state traveling wave could be an effective pumping mechanism for liquid-cooled heat sinks, resulting in lower maximum temperatures and equilibrium times than still-water cooling. These results suggest that optimizing the parameters like voltage and frequency could improve the performance of liquid-cooled heat sinks for various designs and operating conditions.
