The experimental analysis of heat transfer characteristics of a hot surface impinged by a lateral air jet

Abstract

This experimental investigation explores the heat transfer dynamics caused by lateral air jet impingement on a hot, thin stainless steel foil. The aim is to understand the heat transfer characteristics of air jet impinging laterally on the top surface. This setup is relevant to industrial cooling applications where space is limited. Using a thermal imaging camera, the study captures the steady-state temperature distribution across the foil surface. The experiment was conducted by varying the jet exit to stagnation point-to-diameter (S/d) ratios for the lateral jet (2 to 20). The study was carried out for Reynolds number 3000. Keeping electronic chip temperatures below a critical threshold is crucial, as excessive heat can cause performance issues, chip damage, and even pose safety risks in extreme cases. To address the substantial cooling needs of heat-generating chips, a variety of methods and technologies have been explored, including heat pipes, pool boiling, microchannel heat sinks, spray cooling, and jet impingement, among others. The findings show that the lateral jets is good choice for electronic cooling applications when the localized cooling is necessary, and by keeping specific S/d value wider area cooling can also be achieved. It is observed that at S/d=8 maximum Nu is achieved and as S/d is increased further cooling area coverage is widening even though the maximum Nu achieved is comparatively less. This study offers valuable insights into optimizing air jet impingement techniques for enhanced thermal management in various technological domains. © 2025 Author(s).