Abstract
Nowadays, thermal flow simulation based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is applied to the thermal design of electronic equipment. In this paper, we discuss the applicability of the multiple reference frame (MRF) approach, which is a new method for modeling an axial cooling fan, to the thermal flow simulation of electronic equipment using the CFD code. In this study, as the first step, flow visualization of the exhaust air flow pattern of the experimental axial fan was conducted. Then the flow visualization results were compared with the MRF fan model simulation results. Finally, the P-Q characteristic obtained by MRF fan model simulation was compared with the measured P-Q characteristic to validate the applicability of the MRF approach to the thermal flow simulation of electronic equipment.
