This study investigates thermal management challenges in high-performance computing systems, with a specific focus on the Intel i7-8700 processor. As computing demands increase, effective heat dissipation becomes crucial to prevent thermal throttling and maintain optimal performance. The research employs Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) using ANSYS-FLUENT to analyze and optimize heat sink designs. Six different rectangular fin heat sink configurations were modelled and simulated under varying airflow conditions, resulting in 24 distinct test cases. Key design parameters such as fin height, thickness, base thickness, and number of fins were systematically evaluated to assess their impact on cooling efficiency. Experimental measurements from a physical prototype were used to validate the CFD results, ensuring high accuracy in the simulations. The study identifies an optimal heat sink design with a 32 mm fin height, 1.5 mm fin thickness, and 5 mm base thickness, which delivers the best thermal performance by minimizing resistance and maintaining lower processor temperatures. Additionally, the research explores the relationship between airflow velocity and heat dissipation efficiency, providing insights into real-world cooling scenarios. The findings demonstrate that CFD is a powerful tool for thermal optimization, offering a reliable and cost-effective alternative to extensive physical prototyping. This work provides engineers with a validated framework for designing efficient cooling solutions for modern high-performance processors, ensuring stability and longevity in demanding computing environments. Future research could expand this approach to other processor models and advanced cooling technologies.

Heat sink; Processor; microelectronics; simulation; ANSYS-FLUENT; CFD