Developments in modern high-speed microprocessors enhance communication, computing and electronics, play a profound role in our societies and industries. Increased use of supercomputers, power devices, electric vehicles, photovoltaics, avionics and radar devices operating at high power densities have brought about a dramatic demand for thermal management. Sustaining long-term high speeds and reliable operation requires efficient heat dissipation.
Conventional air cooling is highly inefficient with only around fraction of the air injected contributing towards cooling. Phase-change based cooling offers a promising alternative to conventional air cooling in both earth and space environments, given high phase-change heat transfer coefficients. ThermaSMART programme achieved this by building new collaborations of top researchers from 17 world-class universities across 5 continents, and 4 European SMEs with expertise in precision experiments, micro-fabrication, theoretical modelling, numerical simulation and engineering design. This collaboration enabled knowledge transfer and access to unique international facilities at Maryland, Stanford, Rio de Janeiro, Dalian, Tianjin, Bangalore, Toronto, Kyushu, Kobe and Pretoria complementing EU know-how based at Edinburgh, Nottingham, Paris, Warsaw and Dublin.
The project trained over 40 early stage researchers in latest experimental and modelling techniques. The research programme also addressed key fundamental and practical questions hitherto unstudied, including contact line interactions amongst evaporating bubbles or droplet populations on patterned substrates. Knowledge was transferred through planned secondments and exposure of secondees to different research environments, regular meetings, technical workshops and training schools. This will consolidate the EU’s position at the forefront of cutting-edge research and technology in this area of cooling and will promote long lasting collaboration between Academia and Industry.
