Next Generation Spray Cooling: High Heat Flux Management in Compact Spaces

Abstract

For many years, spray cooling has been known as a promising technology for the removal of high heat fluxes. However, that promise has yet to be fully realized. This work presents a current understanding of the mechanisms of spray cooling and its limitations. To address these limitations, a novel spray nozzle array is described that allows for scalable, high-performance cooling. However, fluid management remains a challenging concern that may limit the application of this technology.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work has been supported by a University of Wisconsin Industry and Economic Development Research Grant, Cray, Inc., and DARPA through its High Performance Computing initiative. Adam Pautsch, Curtis Lane, Andrea Ashwood, Ben Regner, and Solomon Mikal provided the experimental data for the new nozzle arrays.