Natural and forced convection flows inside geometries like vertical channels with discrete heat sources are common in the field of electronic chip cooling. This work is aimed to numerically solve such a flow and heat transfer problem using the tools of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A vertical channel with five protruding discrete heat sources, mounted at one side is considered. In the first phase of the work, the positions of the heat sources are kept constant and a uniform heat flux is applied. The natural convection flow through the channel has to be simulated for different ranges of the thermal parameter, Grashof number. Later, the same configuration with forced convection flow is considered and solved for different ranges of Reynolds number. In the second phase, the same analysis is conducted be varying geometrical parameters like width of the channel and positions of the heat sources. In the third phase mixed convection scenario is also investigated. The effect of surface radiation on the mixed convection characteristics will be studied briefly in the final phase. Results are presented in the form of stream lines, isothermal surfaces and vortex structures inside the channel. Variation of Nusselt number, temperature over the heat sources and Richardson number are some of the important results of this work, which are presented and discussed in detail.

Keywords: Discrete heat sources, Natural, Forced, Mixed convection, Electronics cooling.