Three-dimensional heat transfer analysis of arrays of heated square blocks

Abstract Periodic fully developed heat transfer characteristics are computed for laminar flow through an array of heated square blocks deployed along one wall of a parallel-plate channel. This configuration simulates the forced-convection cooling of a printed circuit board encountered in electronic equipment. The thermal boundary condition to be considered is to assume that a specific amount of heat is generated uniformly at the bottom surface of each block. The calculations are performed for a range of Reynolds numbers, for a Prandtl number of 0.7, for several values of geometric and heated area parameters, and for two thermal conductivity ratios. The results are compared with the corresponding values for a parallel-plate duct and also with two limiting two-dimensional problems.