Batchelor, M. E., & Roy, C. (2025, March), Development of a Heat Sink-Focused Heat Transfer Laboratory for Mechanical Engineering Education  Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Southeast Conference , Mississippi State University, Mississippi. https://peer.asee.org/54156

\bibitem{asee_peer_54156}
  Batchelor, M. E., \& Roy, C. (2025, March), \emph{Development of a Heat Sink-Focused Heat Transfer Laboratory for Mechanical Engineering Education}
  Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Southeast Conference , Mississippi State University, Mississippi.
  https://peer.asee.org/54156

Megan Elizabeth Batchelor and Chandan Roy.  "Development of a Heat Sink-Focused Heat Transfer Laboratory for Mechanical Engineering Education".  2025 ASEE Southeast Conference , Mississippi State University, Mississippi, 2025, March.  ASEE Conferences, 2025.  https://peer.asee.org/54156 Internet.  04 Apr, 2025

\bibitem{asee_peer_54156}
  Megan Elizabeth Batchelor and Chandan Roy.
  "Development of a Heat Sink-Focused Heat Transfer Laboratory for Mechanical Engineering Education".
  \emph{2025 ASEE Southeast Conference , Mississippi State University, Mississippi, 2025, March}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2025.
  https://peer.asee.org/54156 Internet.  04 Apr, 2025

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_54156
author = "Megan Elizabeth Batchelor and Chandan Roy"
title = "Development of a Heat Sink-Focused Heat Transfer Laboratory for Mechanical Engineering Education"
booktitle = "2025 ASEE Southeast Conference "
year = "2025"
month = "March"
address = "Mississippi State University, Mississippi"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/54156}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Effective heat dissipation in electronic devices is critical to preventing overheating, particularly in compact systems where natural convection alone is insufficient to manage the heat generated by high-performance components. To mitigate the risk of exceeding the maximum operating temperature of sensitive electronics, heat sinks are widely employed to enhance heat transfer. Positioned on top of central processing units (CPUs) or other heat-intensive components, heat sinks facilitate the conduction of thermal energy away from the device, followed by dissipation through natural or forced convection. Understanding the role of heat sinks in improving overall thermal management is essential for designing reliable electronic systems.
This paper will describe the development of a laboratory module for mechanical engineering students focused on analyzing the performance of heat sinks in improving heat transfer. The lab will guide students through a hands-on investigation of heat sink behavior under both natural and forced convection conditions, with an emphasis on understanding thermal resistance. Preliminary testing is currently underway and will establish the foundation for the lab setup. In the natural convection phase, students will measure base and ambient temperatures, as well as power input, to calculate the thermal resistance of the heat sink as well as the heat transfer coefficient. For the forced convection phase, data collection will also include airspeed measurements using an anemometer in addition to temperature and power input. Students will be tasked with exploring the relationship between airspeed and thermal resistance by plotting the two variables and analyzing the effect of air velocity on heat dissipation. The lab is designed so that all measurements can be conducted within a standard 2-hour and 55-minute lab period.
The experimental setup involves placing the heat sink on a base plate, with a millimeter-diameter thermocouple dipped in thermal grease positioned between the heat sink and the plate to ensure accurate base temperature measurement. The base plate fully covers the heater, ensuring all heat is transferred through the plate, and the heater is mounted on a square of insulation to direct heat upward without significant loss. A DC power source is used to control the heater’s power input, simulating the heat generation of electronic components. To ensure comparability of results, all lab groups will work with identical heat sinks and equipment setups.
Once the preliminary testing is completed, the results will be used to finalize the lab design and create a comprehensive instruction manual. The manual will cover the theoretical principles behind heat transfer, the practical significance of heat sinks in the electronics industry, and the specific objectives of the laboratory exercise. Students will be required to present their findings and thermal resistance calculations during the following lab session, reinforcing both theoretical and practical understanding of heat sink performance.

AU  - Megan Elizabeth Batchelor
AU  - Chandan Roy
CY  - Mississippi State University, Mississippi
DA  - 2025/03/09
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Development of a Heat Sink-Focused Heat Transfer Laboratory for Mechanical Engineering Education
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/54156
ER  -